Kimberly reviews Broken by Rebecca Zanetti

TITLE: Broken
SERIES #: Deep Ops #3
CHARACTERS: Wolfe & Dana
AUTHOR: Rebecca Zanetti
PUBLICATION DATE: 05/26/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Dangerous: Former Navy SEAL Clarence Wolfe’s unit was taken out with a land mine. Injured and devastated, he hasn’t been quite right since. Worse, the tragedy was no accident. All Wolfe wants now is to take down the man responsible. In the meantime, he’s good with being the muscle for the Deep Ops team –and leading a steamy no-strings-attached personal life. Until one intriguing woman changes everything . . .

Determined: Reporter Dana Mulberry is on a mission to avenge the death of a fellow journalist. She’s finally hot on a trail–right to a sex club–where she runs into . . . Wolfe? It seems both their leads have led to the same spot. To keep from blowing their covers, they’ll have to at least pretend to have a little fun. Trouble is, they genuinely like each other. And that’s way too risky for Wolfe, especially when, to his surprise, Dana agrees . . .

Complicated: Drawn to each other in ways they can’t understand, Wolfe and Dana keep it professional–until they’re shot at one night. And when their adventures land them both at the heart of corruption in D.C.–and at odds in their missions–they’ll have to dig deeper than ever to succeed in their quests–and with each other . . .

REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts It’s Rebecca Zanetti of course the book was great! Zanetti is easily one of my favorite authors. She has written all genres except historical (I believe) and has never once disappointed me. And this one is no exception. I have been waiting for Wolfe’s story and it was worth the wait.

Wolfe is the epitome of a Gemini. Wolfe can be deadly and focused. He can kill you practically with a look and then get a super sweet latte with whipped cream. He would do anything for his friends and those he cares about but if that means burying a body he will bring the shovel. Oh how I want a Wolfe of my own!

But in this care he has found Dana. Dana is a reporter determined to bring to justice the person who killed her friend. And when Dana and Wolfe combine forces they are unstoppable. And quite a story!

I loved the background characters of this story. Wolfe’s “family” of guys is who he cares about most and they care for him as much as he loves them.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts

Kimberly reviews Night Of The Billionaire Wolf by Terry Spear

TITLE: Night Of The Billionaire Wolf
SERIES #: Billionaire Wolf #3
CHARACTERS: Lexi & Ryder
AUTHOR: Terry Spear
PUBLICATION DATE: 05/26/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
It’s not easy being a billionaire, a wolf shifter, and a woman…

Lexi Summerfield built her business from the ground up. But with great wealth comes great responsibility, and some drawbacks Lexi could not have anticipated. Lexi never knows who she can trust… Even on vacation, Lexi has a hard time trying to relax. And for good reason―the paparazzi are dogging her, and so is someone else with evil intent.

Then Lexi meets bodyguard and gray wolf shifter Ryder Gallagher, who’s also vacationing at Redwood National Park. When the two run into each other on the hiking trails, and then serendipitously rescue two bear cubs, Lexi feels safe for the first time in she can’t remember when. But secrets have a way of surfacing… With the danger around Lexi escalating, Ryder will do whatever it takes to stay by her side…

Billionaire Wolf Series:
Billionaire in Wolf’s Clothing (Book 1)
A Billionaire Wolf for Christmas (Book 2)
Night of the Billionaire Wolf (Book 3)

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts All in all this is a good read. So many books have the man be the rich one but in this one Lexi is the Billionaire and Ryder is a shifter who is hired to be her bodyguard.

The story was typical of Spear and her shifter books. The problem is that you can only write so many books before the same story is played out over and over. And having read a lot of her books I feel like it is nothing we haven’t read before. I like the way that Spear writes which is why I keep getting her books but I sure wish she would head to a different genre for a bit.

Now that being said the characters of Lexi and Ryder are good together and the romance is good as well. Another good read from Spear.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Kimberly reviews Wolf Under Fire by Paige Tyler

TITLE: Wolf Under Fire
SERIES #: STAT #1
CHARACTERS: Jestina & Jake
AUTHOR: Paige Tyler
PUBLICATION DATE: 05/26/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
For the cases no one else can solve, they send in the Special Threat Assessment Team

Supernatural creatures are no longer keeping their existence secret from humans, causing panic around the globe. To investigate, monitor, and―when necessary―take down dangerous supernatural offenders, an international task force was established: The Special Threat Assessment Team.

STAT agent Jestina Ridley is in London with her team investigating a suspicious kidnapping. Over her radio, Jes hears her teammates being savagely attacked. She runs to help, but she’s too late. The only survivor, Jes calls for backup and gets former Navy SEAL and alpha werewolf Jake Huang and his new pack. Convinced that the creature who butchered her teammates was a werewolf, Jes doesn’t trust them. But if they’re going to uncover the facts and make it back home alive, she’ll need Jake’s help. And with everything on the line, Jes will have to accept Jake for who he is, or lose the partner she never expected to find…

REVIEW:
3.75 Hearts Welcome to STAT which is different from SWAT by Tyler…. But not by a lot. Tyler brings us back to more on the job shifters. But just a different team.

The world knows of shifters and some people haven’t figured out that the shifters aren’t a danger to them and it feels like there is a racism aspect against the shifters. But when Jes needs STAT to help find who brutally attacked her team she gets a werewolf shifter. But she thinks the creature who attacked her team was a werewolf so it is hard for her to trust Jake and his pack.

Tyler has written a number of shifter books and while I like her writing it is hard to change up the story when it is the same song, different verse. I wish with this new series she had stepped away from the wolf shifter. Maybe a different kind of shifter? Bear, cat, other? But still a good read for fans of Tyler.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts

Kelly reviews Real Men Knit by Kwana Jackson

TITLE: Real Men Knit
CHARACTERS: Jesse Stong & Kerry Fuller
AUTHOR: Kwana Jackson (K.M. Jackson)
PUBLICATION DATE: May 19, 2020
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
When their foster-turned-adoptive mother suddenly dies, four brothers struggle to keep open the doors of her beloved Harlem knitting shop, while dealing with life and love in Harlem.
Jesse Strong is known for two things: his devotion to his adoptive mom, Mama Joy, and his reputation for breaking hearts in Harlem. When Mama Joy unexpectedly passes away, he and his brothers have different plans on what to do with Strong Knits, their neighborhood knitting store: Jesse wants to keep the store open; his brothers want to shut it down.
Jesse makes an impassioned plea to Kerry Fuller, his childhood friend who has had a crush on him her entire life, to help him figure out how to run the business. Kerry agrees to help him reinvent the store and show him the knitty-gritty of the business, but the more time they spend together, the more the chemistry builds. Kerry, knowing Jesse’s history, doesn’t believe this relationship will exist longer than one can knit one, purl one. But Jesse is determined to prove to her that he can be the man for her—after all, real men knit.

REVIEW:
We get to follow the Strong brothers after the loss of their beloved Mother. They are left to pick up the pieces and try to decide what to do with the knit shop Knit Strong. While none of them know how to run a business they thankfully have Kerry Fuller. Kerry has been a part of the Knit Strong family from the get go and is as much family as the 4 brothers are. Between the five of them they just might be able to save the shop and the only real home the boys ever had.

But only if Jesse doesn’t screw it up.

This is the first story by Kwana Jackson (she has other books listed under K.M. Jackson) and I love it. I love the characters that she created and the world that revolves around a small local Knitting store. As an avid crocheter (and can knit a washcloth) I loved the setting of this story.
The tension between Kerry and the boys was great. But Kerry and Jesse took it over the top and was a great slow burn.

I do hope that we will get to see the Strong brothers again soon.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley & Berkley in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

4 Hearts

Kelly reviews A Bad Day For Sunshine by Darynda Jones

TITLE: A Bad Day For Sunshine
SERIES #: Sunshine Vicram #1
CHARACTERS: Sunshine & Aurora Vicram
AUTHOR: Darynda Jones
NARRATOR: Lorelei King
RUN TIME: 11 Hours & 40 Minutes
PUBLICATION DATE: April 7, 2020
ORDER LINKS: Audible | Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Sheriff Sunshine Vicram finds her cup o’ joe more than half full when the small village of Del Sol, New Mexico, becomes the center of national attention for a kidnapper on the loose.
Del Sol, New Mexico is known for three things: its fry-an-egg-on-the-cement summers, its strong cups of coffee—and a nationwide manhunt? Del Sol native Sunshine Vicram has returned to town as the elected sheriff–an election her adorably meddlesome parents entered her in–and she expects her biggest crime wave to involve an elderly flasher named Doug. But a teenage girl is missing, a kidnapper is on the loose, and all of it’s reminding Sunny why she left Del Sol in the first place. Add to that trouble at her daughter’s new school and a kidnapped prized rooster named Puff Daddy, and Sunshine has her hands full.
Enter sexy almost-old-flame Levi Ravinder and a hunky US Marshall, both eleven on a scale of one to blazing inferno, and the normally savvy sheriff is quickly in over her head. Now it’s up to Sunshine to juggle a few good hunky men, a not-so-nice kidnapping miscreant, and Doug the ever-pesky flasher. And they said coming home would be drama-free.

REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts A great start to a new series!! I thoroughly enjoyed listening to A Bad Day for Sunshine. Darynda Jones is an excellent storyteller. I love the chase of characters she has created in this new Del Sol world. There are many many characters that I loved and quite a few that I really wanted to tar and feather.

I loved the relationship between Sunshine and Auri. They are everything that a mother and daughter relationship should be. I loved that Darynda told the story from both Sunshine and Auri’s point of view. It was great to see how much they love and support each other.

The rest of the characters are so great! I really hope that we do get to explore more of a lot of the secondary characters throughout the Sunshine Vicram series. Or possible spin off stories about the characters.

Oh one more thing: Levi Ravinder….. YUM! And please don’t turn out to be a dirtbag.

Either way I am hooked on the Sunshine Vicram world.

I was a bit worried to listen to this story because I feared that I would hear Charley as Lorelei King was reading. But I should have known the brilliant voice of Lorelei would never let that happen. From the get go Sunshine sounded nothing like Charley and it made listening to this story amazing. Lorelei is so talented with her voices, Sunshine, Auri, Quincy and Levi…sigh… she is a great narrator. If you are a fan of her narrating the Charley Davidson series never fear. While there may be a few side characters that may sound similar the main characters are all new.

I am ready for book 2, A Good Day for Chardonnay (2021). I can’t wait to see where Darynda takes us on this journey.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley & St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

4 Hearts

Kimberly reviews Call It Magic by Janet Chapman

TITLE: Call It Magic
SERIES #: Spellbound Falls #7
CHARACTERS: Katy & Gunnar
AUTHOR: Janet Chapman
PUBLICATION DATE: 05/05/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
The latest magical romance in the Spellbound Falls series from the New York Times bestselling author of From Kiss to Queen and The Highlander Next Door

Welcome back to Spellbound Falls, Maine where love is the greatest magic of all…

Katy MacBain moved to Spellbound Falls with secrets she plans to keep. The newest member of the Fire and Rescue Team, she disappeared for three weeks before arriving on the job. She doesn’t understand why Gunnar Wolfe the town’s interim fire chief and her boss seems determined to uncover the truth of what happened to her during that time. Or why she’s more attracted to him than she’s ever been to any other man.

A confident firefighter, Gunnar Wolfe doesn’t give up and he’s resolved to find out what’s wrong with the mysterious and beautiful Katy. Since she is the newest member of his team, he’s naturally protective of her, but he’s surprised to find himself captivated by the tenacious and talented woman who is so…magical.

REVIEW:
3.75 Hearts This is the 7th in the series which I am sad to say I have not read any of. It was easy to tell that a number of characters from past books were brought back. And being as I understand the author passed away it was a lovely ending to the series.

Gunner and Katy are perfect together. With the magic that surrounds the town of Spellbound Falls I felt a bit like I was watching Practical Magic or The Good Witch.

I would suggest reading the whole series in order but this book certainly made me want to start the series from the beginning.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts

Kimberly reviews The Wedding Dress Christmas by Rachel Hauck

TITLE: The Wedding Dress Christmas
SERIES #: The Wedding Collection #3.5
CHARACTERS: JoJo & Buck
AUTHOR: Rachel Hauck
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/22/19
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
December comes to quaint Hearts Bend, Tennessee, with a blanket of white and the glitter of Christmas lights.

For JoJo Castle there is no place like home. Her onetime love of adventure ended when her life in the big city came crashing down. Now that she’s home, she never wants to leave again.

Country music sensation Buck Mathews has charmed the world with his smile and his music. However, news of his mother’s illness brought him home to Hearts Bend for the holiday season.

Working with her cousin Haley in The Wedding Shop, JoJo has no aspirations of love. But when her high school crush returns to town, her buried feelings surface.

Busy with his career, Buck hasn’t had time for family and friends, much less love. Seeing JoJo in The Wedding Shop reminds him there are things more important than his career.

But JoJo and Buck have opposing life goals, and there’s no middle ground. Can love, especially the kind that touches hearts at Christmas, overcome her fears and his quest for greatness?

With the help of a very special wedding dress, there just might a Christmas miracle.

REVIEW:
This is a short story of about 150 pages. I don’t think I have read anything by her before but this sounded like an interesting read. There is a bit of a Christian romance feel to this. There seems to be a bit of the Divine intervention in this so don’t go looking for a hot read. This falls more under the sweet romance of two people who have always had feelings and finally manage to find each other’s hearts.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts

Kelly reviews Always By My Banshee by Molly Harper

TITLE: Always Be My Banshee
SERIES #: Mystic Bayou #4
CHARACTERS: Cordelia Canton & Brendan O’Connor
AUTHOR: Molly Harper
NARRATOR: Amanda Ronconi & Jonathan Davis
RUN TIME: 7 Hours & 11 Minutes
PUBLICATION DATE: April 7, 2020
ORDER LINKS: Audible Original

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
The latest Mystic Bayou novel from Audie Award-nominated author Molly Harper will have you swooning with passion and wailing with laughter!
Cordelia Canton is on a top-secret assignment: travel to Mystic Bayou and use her powers as a touch-know psychic to learn more about the mysterious artifact that’s been pulled from the rift site. She’s partnered with Brendan O’Connor, a rare male banshee whose tall, dark, and broody good looks are a major distraction. Before long, it becomes clear that the artifact they’re studying is sentient – and brimming with supernatural power. Can they harness its magic in time to stop the secret forces conspiring to steal it?

REVIEW:
Another excellent installment in the Mystic Bayou series! I just love Molly Harper’s writing. She always has some way of turning anything into snark and sass. I really enjoyed Cordelia and Brenden’s story. These two were a riot of fun. With the whole one can see the past and one can see the end issue thrown in.

Amanda Ronconi & Jonathan Davis do an amazing job yet again in bringing the characters of Mystic Bayou to life. While I normally don’t like two narrators I have grown to love this story being told by the two of them.

I can’t wait to see what happens next in this series! Because the Goatman is out of the stall.

Disclaimer:
I purchased this book from Audible and this review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

Kelly reviews Starbreaker by Amanda Bouchet

TITLE: Starbreaker
SERIES #: Endeavor #2
CHARACTERS: Tess Bailey, Shade Ganavan and the crew of the Endeavor
AUTHOR: Amanda Bouchet
PUBLICATION DATE: April, 28, 2020
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | Audible | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
THEY NEVER WANTED TO BE HEROES
Captain Tess Bailey and Shade Ganavan are still the galaxy’s Most Wanted, and with revolution in the wind and the universe on the brink of catastrophic war, the situation couldn’t be more desperate. Despite the Dark Watch scouring the known sectors for them, rebel leaders have handed the crew of the Endeavor a delicate and dangerous mission: break into Starbase 12 and free renowned scientist Reena Ahern. She’s the only one who stands a chance of tipping the odds in their favor for the first time in decades.
BUT PULLING OFF THE IMPOSSIBLE IS WHAT THEY DO BEST
The clock is ticking. But as their attraction builds and secrets are revealed, Tess and Shade must decide if they trust each other enough to execute this impossible prison break. They could change the course of history, but they’ll be risking everything… They’ll just have to tackle one crisis at a time.

REVIEW:
4.75 Hearts Friendships will be tested
Enemies with surprises up their sleeves
Secrets revealed
Resolves will grow stronger
Freedom in the balance

Starbreaker is the second installment of Amanda Bouchet’s Endeavor trilogy (yes, you need to read book one Nightchaser first). Starbreaker picks up shortly after the events of book one end and brings us deeper into the world of the Nightchaser’s, the Dark Watch and the universe as a whole. We learn a great deal more about Tess and her history. We also learn a lot more about the events that have brought them to where they are today and the battle that has to be fought soon.

This was a great follow up to Nightchaser. I really enjoyed reading this book and getting back with these characters. Amanda does a great job of making you fall in love with each of her characters. Tess and Shade are a great team and I am looking forward to seeing them grow. There is action, excitement, surprises, suspense and love all wrapped up in this story.

If Jax doesn’t get off his duff soon I might have to jump into the story and slap him.

I am so excited for the final book in this trilogy. I can’t wait to see how everything turns out. If you are a SciFi fan or a fan of Amanda Bouchet’s Kingmaker Series you need to get this series!!

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Edelweiss, Netgalley & SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

Kelly reviews Witch Perfect by Dakota Cassidy

TITLE: Witch Perfect
SERIES #: Witchless in Seattle #11
CHARACTERS: Stephania “Stevie”Cartwright & Crispin “Win” Winterbottom
AUTHOR: Dakota Cassidy
PUBLICATION DATE: April 24, 2020
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Hi, all! I’m back…er, I mean, we’re back and boy do we have a tale to tell!
Now that Win is up and about, he’s been a very busy bee. He’s jumped in with both feet, getting involved in our community and living his best life now that he’s unencumbered by his spy past. He even joined the Ebenezer Falls garden club and made all the female member’s toes curl with his British charm.
On a flower scouting trip for the garden club’s annual spring planting in the town square, while Win is ogling lavender bushes and pansies, I fall head first into a pile of soil where a body’s buried.
Not just anybody either. It’s the body of the husband of a close acquaintance of mine—a close acquaintance who just happens to own the nursery and the pile of dirt I fell into head first.
When he begs me to investigate, there’s no way I’m going to turn him down, but there are obstacles to overcome.
For instance, the love of my life. My International Man of Mystery, who keeps stepping on my investigative toes. It’s proving to be an adjustment solving a mystery with us working in the same space. Add in Dana, who’s gone ‘round the bend, my sudden and unexplained investigative (not to mention ridiculous) possessiveness and everything’s all topsy-turvy.
But there’s a vicious killer on the loose and as we unravel whodunnit, I’m hoping our relationship doesn’t unravel, too…

REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts The very last thing that Stevie and Win thought would happen when they went shopping for flowers was to find a dead body. But that is exactly what happened when Stevie literally stumbled onto the body. There is something about this murder that is not sitting well with Stevie she just can’t seem to figure out what it is.

Witch Perfect is another grand adventure of Who done it! Stevie, Win, Arcady, and Belfry are a great team (we didn’t get to see much of Whiskey or Strike in this story). Through in a traumatized Dana and perfectly rounded group of characters. What traumatized Dana you ask? Well this is a spoiler free zone so you will just have to read the story to find out.
Stevie as always is great at getting herself in a bit of a pickle. This time around she gets a little help from the past to save her bacon. Win is still getting comfortable with his new found life. Arcady is Arcady 🙂 And Belfred is hilarious and mayhem all rolled into on one.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and I’m already looking forward to the next installment in this series.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Dakota Cassidy in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

4 Hearts

Kimberly reviews The Country Guesthouse by Robyn Carr

TITLE: The Country Guesthouse
SERIES #: Sullivan’s Crossing #5
CHARACTERS: Hannah & Owen
AUTHOR: Robyn Carr
PUBLICATION DATE: 01/07/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A summer rental, a new beginning…

Hannah Russell’s carefully crafted plans for her life have been upended without warning. When her best friend died suddenly, Hannah became guardian to a five-year-old named Noah. With no experience at motherhood, she’s terrified she’s not up to the challenge. She and Noah need time to get to know each other, so she decides to rent a country house with stunning views on a lake in rural Colorado.

When they arrive at the house, they are greeted by the owner, a handsome man who promises to stay out of their way. But his clumsy Great Dane, Romeo, has other ideas and Noah immediately bonds with the lovable dog. As Hannah learns to become a mother, Owen Abrams, who is recovering from his own grief, can’t help but be drawn out of his solitude by his guests.

But life throws more challenges at this unlikely trio and they are tested in ways they never thought possible. All three will discover their strengths and, despite their differences, they will fight to become a family. And the people of Sullivan’s Crossing will rally around them to offer all of the support they need.

#1 New York Times bestselling author Robyn Carr delivers an emotional and triumphant novel about the fierce power of a mother’s love.

REVIEW:
Another sweet romance from Robyn Carr. This story focus’s on Hannah and Noah. When Hannah’s best friend dies she leaves her most precious gift to Hannah…. Her son Noah. And in this story we watch them both heal together from the loss of someone who meant the world to them.

Owen is a good guy who is dealing with his own grief but he has his own helper, Romeo, who steals the scenes he is in. But then I love dogs if they are written well into a story and Romeo is.

Another great story from Robyn Carr. *Check out Carr’s series Virgin River as a Netflix original series*

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts

Kimberly reviews Virgin River by Robyn Carr

TITLE: Virgin River
SERIES #: Virgin River #1
CHARACTERS: Melinda & Jack
AUTHOR: Robyn Carr
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/22/19
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A Netflix Original Series!

Welcome back to Virgin River with the book that started it all…

Wanted: Midwife/nurse practitioner in Virgin River, population six hundred. Make a difference against a backdrop of towering California redwoods and crystal clear rivers. Rent-free cabin included.

When the recently widowed Melinda Monroe sees this ad, she quickly decides that the remote mountain town of Virgin River might be the perfect place to escape her heartache, and to reenergize the nursing career she loves. But her high hopes are dashed within an hour of arriving—the cabin is a dump, the roads are treacherous and the local doctor wants nothing to do with her. Realizing she’s made a huge mistake, Mel decides to leave town the following morning.

But a tiny baby abandoned on a front porch changes her plans…and former marine Jack Sheridan cements them into place.

REVIEW:
This is a re-release of Virgin River. I have read a few from this series but didn’t start from the beginning so I was happy to see the release. It is now a series on NetFlix and the show is great which made me want to start reading the books from the series that I have not read so I understand the show a bit better.

I was not disappointed reading this even though I had seen the NetFlix show. As always the book is better but not by much. They did a phenomenal job with the show. But Robyn Carr is a great author and drags you right into her world.

Visiting Virgin River is always a pleasure and the start of the series is no exception.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts