Posts

Posted on

Kimberly reviews Sisters By Choice by Susan Mallery

TITLE: Sisters By Choice
SERIES #: Blackberry Island #4
CHARACTERS: Sophie, Kristine & Heather
AUTHOR: Susan Mallery
PUBLICATION DATE: 02/11/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Cousins by chance, sisters by choice…

After her cat toy empire goes up in flames, Sophie Lane returns to Blackberry Island, determined to rebuild. Until small-town life reveals a big problem: she can’t grow unless she learns to let go. If Sophie relaxes her grip even a little, she might lose everything. Or she might finally be free to reach for the happiness and love that have eluded her for so long.

Kristine has become defined by her relationship to others. She’s a wife, a mom. As much as she adores her husband and sons, she wants something for herself—a sweet little bakery just off the waterfront. She knew changing the rules wouldn’t be easy, but she never imagined she might have to choose between her marriage and her dreams.

Like the mainland on the horizon, Heather’s goals seem beyond her grasp. Every time she manages to save for college, her mother has another crisis. Can she break free, or will she be trapped in this tiny life forever?

Told with Mallery’s trademark humor and charm, Sisters by Choice is a heartfelt tale of love, family and the friendships that see us through.

REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts Oh how I adored this story and Oh how I love Susan Mallery! Susan has a way of bringing you right into her world and you not only want to visit you want to pack up and move there. Blackberry Island has been no different.

In this story we meet Sophie, Kristine and Heather. They are “Sisters By Choice”. We all have one of those or maybe more than one like in this case.

Having my own Sister By Choice made this story more real to me. My SBC and I have been through so much and yet when we should have fallen apart we grew closer together. As I read about Sophie, Kristine and Heather I knew they could and would survive it all together.

Susan Mallery is simply the best when it comes to writing. She is always the first I mention when someone asks who I read. And this story is just proof as to why. Another wonderful trip to Blackberry Island.

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

4 Hearts

 

Posted on

Kimberly reviews The Other Mrs. by Mary Kubica

TITLE: The Other Mrs
CHARACTERS: Sadie & Will
AUTHOR: Mary Kubica
PUBLICATION DATE: 02/18/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Sadie and Will Foust have only just moved their family from bustling Chicago to small-town Maine when their neighbor, Morgan Baines, is found dead in her home. The murder rocks their tiny coastal island, but no one is more shaken than Sadie, who is terrified by the thought of a killer in her very own backyard.

But it’s not just Morgan’s death that has Sadie on edge. It’s their eerie old home, with its decrepit decor and creepy attic, which they inherited from Will’s sister after she died unexpectedly. It’s Will’s disturbed teenage niece Imogen, with her dark and threatening presence. And it’s the troubling past that continues to wear at the seams of their family.

As the eyes of suspicion turn toward the new family in town, Sadie is drawn deeper into the mystery of Morgan’s death. But Sadie must be careful, for the more she discovers about Mrs. Baines, the more she begins to realize just how much she has to lose if the truth ever comes to light.

REVIEW:
3.25 Hearts Boy the beginning of this book had me going. The thrill of it and the intensity was leading up to… well nothing.

After the first third to half of the book it was good. But then bam… nothing seemed real, logical or really interesting. I was looking for more of a spooky feel but the story just didn’t end with that and really was a let down.

Maybe I built it up to much but I the best way I can describe it is the author started this book, put it aside because of writers block then came back with a whole different mindset.

Giving it 3.25 because of the beginning and the concept.

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

Posted on

Kimberly reviews Been There, Married That by Gigi Levangie

TITLE: Been There, Married That
CHARACTERS: Agnes Murphy Nash
AUTHOR: Gigi Levangie
PUBLICATION DATE: 02/11/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A hilarious new novel full of Hollywood glitz, glamour, and scandal.

When he changes the locks, she changes the rules.

Agnes Murphy Nash is the perfect Hollywood wife – she has the right friends, the right clothes, and even a side career of her own as a writer. Her husband Trevor is a bigshot producer, and from the outside it looks like they’re living a picture-perfect celebrity life, complete with tennis tournaments and lavish parties.

But the job description of a Hollywood wife doesn’t cover divorce, which is the way Agnes’ life is headed after she comes home one day to find her credit cards cancelled and the security passwords to get into her enormous LA home changed. Oh, and there’s a guy there whose job it is to tase her if she tries to enter…which she does. Needless to say, Agnes’ husband is dead set on making sure she loses big time, but Agnes isn’t the type to just lie down and take it. In a world of fremenies and hot nannies, personal psychics and “skinny” jello shots, Agnes may be losing her husband, but could that mean getting her own life back?

Been There, Married That is a drop-dead hilarious battle of wills that will make you laugh out loud, cringe, and keep turning the pages to see what crazy disaster will happen to Agnes next…and how she’ll rise from the ashes.

REVIEW:
2.5 Hearts This was a close DNF for me but decided I would skim the rest of it. I think the author was too set on throwing in snark that she forgot there should have been a story involved.

I have never read this author but the title caught my attention. And then the description seemed good so I requested it. I really just didn’t enjoy it.

The husband is such an asshat that I just wanted to stop reading anything about him. There was NOTHING good about this man. And why Agnes listens to anything he says is beyond me. I mean he sends her to rehab for almonds and she goes? I can’t even begin to tell you the words that would have come out of my mouth and the last one would have been divorce…. And been happy about it.

I just couldn’t stand these characters and like I said the writing was going more for snark than humor if you ask me.

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

Posted on

Sunday Series Presents: Darcy Burke’s The Untouchables Series

TITLE: The Forbidden Duke
SERIES #: The Untouchables #1
CHARACTERS: Eleanor Lockhart & Titus St. John
AUTHOR: Darcy Burke
PUBLICATION DATE: March 15, 2016
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N 

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Spinster Miss Eleanor Lockhart is suddenly homeless and employment is her only option. Ruined after succumbing to a scoundrel’s excessive charm nearly a decade ago, she’s lucky to obtain a position as a paid companion and committed to behaving with the utmost propriety. She definitely shouldn’t be in the arms of a man capable of utterly destroying what little remains of her reputation…

Titus St. John, Duke of Kendal, is known as the Forbidden Duke, a mysterious, intimidating figure who enters Society just once each year at his stepmother’s ball. A decade ago, he was a devil-may-care rake until his idle roguery brought about the ruin of Eleanor Lockhart—and his resulting self-imposed isolation. Now she’s back, and she needs his help. But by “saving” her, he may just ruin her life all over again.


*****
TITLE: The Duke of Daring
SERIES #: The Untouchables #2
CHARACTERS: Lucinda Parnesll & Andrew Wentworth
AUTHOR: Darcy Burke
PUBLICATION DATE: July 5, 2016
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N 

BOOK SYNOPSIS: Miss Lucinda Parnell is out of money, a dismal failure at the Marriage Mart, and she’d just as soon leave Society far behind. Desperate to earn funds to retire with her grandmother to the country, Lucy disguises herself as a man to gamble in London’s hells. But the Earl of Dartford, an Untouchable she never imagined speaking to let alone spending time with, is onto her in a trice. When he insists on joining her, Lucy fears her desire to remain an independent woman is destined to go up on flames.

As a boy, Andrew Wentworth, Earl of Dartford lost his family to illness, leaving him a hollow shell. Obsessed with conquering one adventure after another to fill the bitter holes inside of him, Andrew has set his sights on parachuting. Nothing will stop him from trying to achieve his goal—not the hazard of death and certainly not a woman who’s gotten far too close. Love is the one risk he doesn’t have the heart to dare.

*****

TITLE: The Duke of Deception
SERIES #: The Untouchables #3
CHARACTERS: Aquilla Knox & Edward Bishop
AUTHOR: Darcy Burke
PUBLICATION DATE:
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N 

BOOK SYNOPSIS: After five years on the Marriage Mart, Miss Aquilla Knox is ready for spinsterhood until a benefactress steps in to help her secure a husband. Only Aquilla doesn’t actually want to marry—her failure is entirely on purpose. When the earl she’s nicknamed the Duke of Deception sets his sights on her, she refuses to be drawn in by her attraction to him. If there’s one thing she knows it’s that a gentleman is never what he seems.

Edward Bishop, Earl of Sutton, has a reputation for courting young misses and dropping them without a second thought. This has earned him a reputation for deceit, a description he can’t refute because he does in fact, harbor secrets and will do anything—deceive anyone—to ensure they don’t come to light. As he comes to know the charming Miss Knox, his resolve is tested. However, trust comes at a price and Ned won’t pay with his heart.

*****
TITLE: The Duke of Desire
SERIES #: The Untouchables #4
CHARACTERS: Ivy Breckenridge & Sebastian Westgate
AUTHOR: Darcy Burke
PUBLICATION DATE: March 28, 2017
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Ten years ago Ivy Breckenridge’s life was ruined. She had to reinvent herself, and now, after painstakingly making her own way in the world, she’s nearly forgotten the dreams of home and family she’d once nurtured. Until one man peers into her soul and awakens every one of her hidden desires. But no matter how good he makes her feel, she can’t trust him-alone by choice is better than alone by necessity. With a notorious reputation for training married women in the art of passion, Sebastian Westgate, Duke of Clare, is reviled by some and celebrated by others. He doesn’t allow anyone close enough to see past his charming exterior. When Ivy uncovers the man beneath, the seducer is suddenly the seduced. Enraptured by her mind and spirit, he wants more but revealing his darkest secrets is a price he won’t pay.

*****

TITLE: The Duke of Defiance
SERIES #: The Untouchables #5
CHARACTERS: JOanna Shaw & Bran Crowther
AUTHOR: Darcy Burke
PUBLICATION DATE: June 27, 2017
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Difficult and defiant as a child, Bran Crowther, Earl of Knighton left England as a young man to pursue independence and adventure. He never expected to inherit the title and when duty calls him home, he still finds Society’s codes constricting and others’ expectations oppressive. Nevertheless, he needs a wife to be a mother to his young daughter, preferably a woman of intelligence and warmth who is, above all, immune to his idiosyncrasies—and to falling in love.

Widow Joanna Shaw isn’t interested in a second marriage, not after the loveless, passionless union she endured. She’d much rather dote on her young niece and nephew since they will likely be the only children in her life…until she meets a precocious girl, in desperate need of a mother. But her father, the so-called Duke of Defiance, is as peculiar as he is handsome, and Jo won’t take another risk with her heart. Their rules, however, are made to be broken, even when the consequences could destroy them both.

*****
TITLE: The Duke of Danger

SERIES #: The Untouchables #6 
CHARACTERS: Emmaline Townsend & Lionel Maitland
AUTHOR: Darcy Burke
PUBLICATION DATE: September 26, 2017
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
After killing his opponent in a duel, Lionel Maitland, Marquess of Axbridge, is known as the Duke of Danger. Tortured by guilt, he shields himself with a devil-may-care attitude. However, when he kills another man in another duel, he’s beyond redemption, even though it wasn’t his fault. He refuses to smear a dead man’s name, especially when he’s left behind a blameless widow who doesn’t deserve an even bigger scandal.

Widowed and destitute, Lady Emmaline Townsend must marry the man of her parents’ choosing or beg unsympathetic relatives for support. The only way out is to ask for help from the one man she’s sworn to hate, the man who owes her anything she asks, the man who killed her husband. They strike a devil’s bargain in which passion simmers just beneath the surface. But her dead husband’s transgressions come back to haunt them and threaten their chance at love.

*****

TITLE: The Duke of Ice
SERIES #: The Untouchables #7
CHARACTERS: Violet Pendleton & Nicholas Bateman
AUTHOR: Darcy Burke
PUBLICATION DATE: December 26, 2017
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Everyone Nicholas Bateman ever loved has died. Except Violet Caulfield, which must mean he never loved her. Nine years after she threw him over to marry a viscount, Nick is a widowed duke who prefers isolation. When a friend convinces him to leave his lair of self-imposed solitude, he considers taking another wife, provided she agrees to his terms: no emotional attachment of any kind.

Now widowed, Lady Violet Pendleton hopes for a second chance with the man she’s always loved. But she isn’t prepared for the desolation in his soul or the animosity he still bears toward her. Despite those obstacles, it’s clear their passion hasn’t dimmed. However, the heat between them isn’t enough to melt the Duke of Ice, and this time Violet may find herself the jilted party. Can love, once so tragically lost, finally be found?

*****
TITLE: The Duke of Ruin
SERIES #: The Untouchables #8 
CHARACTERS: Diana Kingman & Simon Hastings
AUTHOR: Darcy Burke
PUBLICATION DATE: March 27, 2018
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
With her betrothal to a duke in tatters and scandal imminent, Diana Kingman has two choices: live in certain ignominy or flee into obscurity. Diana wants solitude. She never wished to wed in the first place. However, her father will stop at nothing to betroth her to one of the finest titles in the realm…no matter how loathsome the bearer. Escape is Diana’s only option, and she’ll pay any price to achieve freedom.

Universally blamed for the death of his wife and unborn child, Simon Hastings doesn’t dispute his guilt over an accident he cannot even remember. He hasn’t had a drink since, nor a moment’s peace. Determined to be a better man, Simon rescues a young woman in need—only to be accused of kidnapping. They must marry to save him from prison. But how can a man haunted by the love he lost and a woman afraid to get too close find happiness together?

*****

TITLE: The Duke of Lies
SERIES #: The Untouchables #9
CHARACTERS: Verity Beaumont & Rufus Beaumant
AUTHOR: Darcy Burke
PUBLICATION DATE: March 29, 2018
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Verity Beaumont has suffered domineering men most of her life, first with her father and then with her husband. Free from both men, she has finally found peace. Even meeting a kind and hard-working gentleman who just might be the perfect father her young son so desperately needs. But as she dares look to the future, her carefully ordered world is shattered when her dead husband returns.

Imprisoned in America during the war, Rufus Beaumont, Duke of Blackburn, wants nothing more than to return to his native England. He longs for comfort and safety away from the horrors of battle, only the life he returns to is not the life he left. He must convince his wife that their marriage is worth fighting for, that he’s not the man he was. But when the truth about what happened to him leaks out, he must prove that not everything about him, especially his love for her, is a lie

*****
TITLE: The Duke of Seduction
SERIES #: The Untouchables #10
CHARACTERS: Lavinia Gillingham & William Beckett
AUTHOR: Darcy Burke
PUBLICATION DATE: August 21, 2018
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Lady Lavinia Gillingham prefers rocks and dirt to marriage. Her passion is science, and she’s determined to marry if—and only if—she finds a man who supports her interests and intellect. So far, she’s managed to avoid attention on the Marriage Mart, but when the Duke of Seduction pens anonymous letters singing her praises, she suddenly become the toast of the ton and matrimony seems imminent.

William Beckett, Marquess of Northam possesses the reputation of a rake, but is secretly a romantic. Spurned at sixteen, he doesn’t expect to feel the sting of Cupid’s bow a second time, and yet he’s able to woo the coldest of hearts with the anonymous words he publishes. As the Duke of Seduction, he uses his skill to help Lavinia, never anticipating she has no desire for assistance. While Lavinia is pursued by several suitors, Beck is the one who is seduced when he learns that love can strike twice.

*****

TITLE: The Duke of Kisses
SERIES #: The Untouchables #11
CHARACTERS: Frances Snowden & David Langley
AUTHOR: Darcy Burke
PUBLICATION DATE: November 27, 2018
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Frances Snowden can hardly believe her good fortune when she’s whisked away from her boring life by her sister who is now a duchess. Instead of becoming the third wife of her parents’ stuffy neighbor, she can be anything she wants: a doting aunt to her newborn niece, a debutante in London, or even an independent spinster. But when she meets and kisses a mysterious man on a walk in the countryside, she knows exactly what she desires—him.

David Langley, Earl of St. Ives, is resigned to marrying the dull woman his parents chose when he was a child. His future is suddenly, and happily, diverted when he encounters a captivating young woman who shows him everything he’s been missing. Ready to embark on a blissful life together, a long-buried feud between their families makes their marriage impossible. Nothing is more important than duty and family, but can he turn his back on love?

*****
TITLE: The Duke of Distraction
SERIES #: The Untouchables #12
CHARACTERS: Sarah Colton & Felix Havers
AUTHOR: Darcy Burke
PUBLICATION DATE: February 26, 2019
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
After witnessing how love embittered his uncle and broke his father, Felix Havers, Earl of Ware vows never to love. He conceals his emotions behind a wall of wit and charm, and is celebrated as the master of entertainment—parties, picnics, races. When his best friend’s wallflower sister needs to find a husband, he promises to make her the toast of London… without losing his heart.

Miss Sarah Colton has given up on the pursuit of marriage. When her parents learn she intends to open a millinery shop, they give her an ultimatum: choose a husband or they’ll do it for her. She accepts Felix’s help, never imagining their scheme will ignite a mutual attraction neither of them dare indulge. But when tragedy strikes, can they heal each other or will the demons of Felix’s past consume them both?

 

 

 

About the author:
Darcy Burke is the USA Today Bestselling Author of sexy, emotional historical and contemporary romance. Darcy wrote her first book at age 11, a happily ever after about a swan addicted to magic and the female swan who loved him, with exceedingly poor illustrations. Join her Reader Group at https://www.darcyburke.com/join-my-reader-group/. A native Oregonian, Darcy lives on the edge of wine country with her guitar-strumming husband, their two hilarious kids who seem to have inherited the writing gene, two Bengal cats and a third cat named after a fruit.

Learn more about Darcy here: Facebook Page | Darcy’s Duchesses Historical Group | Burke’s Book Lovers Contemporary Group | Twitter | Instagram| Pinterest | Goodreads | Contemporary Crushes (Facebook Group) | BookBub

 

 

 

*****

Posted on

Kimberly reviews Hands Across The Grave by Donna Kolling Lear

TITLE: Hands Across The Grave
CHARACTERS: James Riley, Bob Maywood & Hank Welch
AUTHOR: Donna Kolling Lear
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/22/19
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
September, 1967

After twenty-seven years with the FBI, Assistant Special Agent, James Riley, has officially retired. Finally out of the crazy and unpredictable world of law enforcement, he and his wife, Meg, are excited to start the next chapter of their lives in the small town of Monrovia, California.

Meg throws James a surprise retirement party that brings their daughter, Clair, and her husband Tom, home from Ohio and reunites James with his old friend Bob Maywood. When Clair announces that she and Tom will be moving back to Monrovia, James and Meg are thrilled. However, their excitement turns to terror when Clair and Tom fail to return from a short walk. A search of the neighborhood leads James and Bob to an abandoned house, where they find Clair’s opal and diamond necklace and a chloroform-soaked rag.

James and Bob team up with his former supervisor, Special Agent Hank Welch, to find Clair and Tom. They will soon find themselves caught in a web of lies, revenge, and deception that threatens the Riley family and friends.

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts So I was expecting something a bit more well spooky. But that is not what this is about. And because it is so short I was ok with it.

I actually liked the characters. I would say that the author should consider adding to this book and making it more of a novel than the novella it feels like.

Because it is short, I don’t want to give much away, but the suspense was written really well.

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

Posted on

Kimberly reviews The Intended Victim by Alexandra Ivy

TITLE: The Intended Victim
SERIES #: The Agency #4
CHARACTERS: Remi & Ash
AUTHOR: Alexandra Ivy
PUBLICATION DATE: 12/31/19
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
ONCE, SHE GOT AWAY
The body lying on a cold steel slab bears all the hallmarks of the Chicago Butcher. There’s a cruel slash across her throat, deep enough to sever the carotid artery, and a small crescent carved into her right breast. Her delicate features are painfully familiar to Ash Marcel, once a rising star in the Chicago PD. But though the victim resembles his former fiancée, Remi Walsh, he knows it’s not her.

BUT THIS TIME
Though Remi escaped a serial killer five years ago, her father died trying to save her. Grief and guilt caused her to pull away from the man she loved. Now Ash is back in her life, insisting that Remi is still in danger.

IT’S A DEAD END . . .
Someone is targeting women who look just like Remi. With or without a badge, Ash intends to unmask the Butcher. But the killer isn’t playing games any longer. He’s moving in, ready to finish what he started, and prove there’s nothing more terrifying than a killer’s obsession . . .

REVIEW:
I have truly enjoyed all the works from Alexandra Ivy. There is nothing she can’t write and I can’t enjoy!

The suspense is well written (but then anything by Ivy is) but I found myself on the edge of my seat a few times. And this is certainly one that I said to myself “one more chapter” and then at the end of the chapter “ok one more”.

Remi and Ash make a great partnership and I hope that Jax (Ash’s brother) gets his own story soon. Because I have to say he was my favorite character in the book.

Another great read from Alexandra Ivy. I would say to read from the beginning of the series but that is just so you can be familiar with Ivy’s Agency. But it can be read alone.

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

4 Hearts

Posted on

Kelly reviews A Longer Fall by Charlaine Harris

TITLE: A Longer Fall
SERIES #: Gunnie Rose #2
CHARACTERS: Lizbeth Rose
AUTHOR: Charlaine Harris
NARRATOR: Eva Kaminsky
PUBLICATION DATE: January 14, 2020
RUN TIME: Hours & Minutes
ORDER LINKS: Audible | Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
NUMBER ONE ‘NEW YORK TIMES’ BEST-SELLING AUTHOR CHARLAINE HARRIS RETURNS WITH THE SECOND OF THE GUNNIE ROSE SERIES, IN WHICH LIZBETH IS HIRED ONTO A NEW CREW, TRANSPORTING A CRATE INTO DIXIE, THE SELF-EXILED SOUTHEAST TERRITORY OF THE FORMER UNITED STATES. WHAT THE CRATE CONTAINS IS SOMETHING SO POWERFUL, THAT FORCES FROM ACROSS THE THREE TERRITORIES WANT TO POSSESS IT.
In this second thrilling installment of the Gunnie Rose series, Lizbeth Rose is hired onto a new crew for a seemingly easy protection job, transporting a crate into Dixie, just about the last part of the former United States of America she wants to visit. But what seemed like a straight-forward job turns into a massacre as the crate is stolen. Up against a wall in Dixie, where social norms have stepped back into the last century, Lizbeth has to go undercover with an old friend to retrieve the crate as what’s inside can spark a rebellion, if she can get it back in time.
Number one ‘New York Times’ best-selling author Charlaine Harries (Sookie Stackhouse mysteries and Midnight Texas Trilogy) is at her best here, building the world of this alternate history of the United States, where magic is an acknowledged but despised power.

REVIEW:
A Longer Fall is the second installment of Charlaine Harris’ Gunnie Rose series.

A Longer Fall picks up a few months after the end of An Easy Death. We catch up with Lizbeth Rose (aka Gunnie Rose) and her new crew of Gunnies. We find them on a train headed to Dixie with a package. Dixie is not a place the Lizbeth would normally want to be but the package needs to be delivered. What should have been an easy sit on the box and deliver turns out to be not so lucky for the Lucky Crew. A train derailment leads Lizbeth and her crew facing enemy after enemy. But in the midst of all the chaos a familiar face emerges. One Lizbeth never thought she would ever see again.

Eva Kaminsky does a great job again bring these characters to life. I really enjoyed having her read this story to me. I do hope that she stays on for the rest of this series.

I really enjoyed this book and I am already looking forward to the next installment in this series. Lizbeth is a great character and I enjoy watching her grow as a person. I have high hopes for what might come next in this series.

Note: I would recommend reading this series in order. I think you could read book two without book one but there is a lot of history that you will miss if you don’t.

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

4 Hearts

Posted on

Series Sunday presents: Dani Harper’s Grim Series

TITLE: Storm Warrior
SERIES #: Grim #1
CHARACTERS: Rhys & Morgan
AUTHOR: Dani Harper
PUBLICATION DATE: August 6, 2013
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Enslaved for millennia by the masters of the Welsh faery realm, the fierce Celtic warrior Rhys is doomed to wander the earth forever. But when a brave beauty unwittingly breaks the enchantment, he is drawn into a strange new world…and an all-consuming desire.

Sensible Morgan doesn’t believe in magic—until a mysterious being saves her from a fate worse than death, and life as she knows it changes forever. Now the man of her dreams has become flesh and blood, igniting a spark in Morgan’s soul which science cannot explain. But even a love that transcends time may not be strong enough to withstand the power of an ancient curse.

From the best-selling author of Changeling Moon, this stirring novel of passion and magic launches an addictive new series for fans of paranormal romance.

***

 

TITLE: Storm Born
SERIES #: Grim #2
CHARACTERS: Aidan & Brooke
AUTHOR: Dani Harper
PUBLICATION DATE: March 18, 2014
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
From the bestselling author of Changeling Moon, this thrilling and sensual novel adds a new chapter to Dani Harper’s Celtic folklore–themed Grim Series.

Kidnapped on his wedding day in the twelfth century and forced into a thousand years of servitude by a cold-hearted faery princess, rugged blacksmith Aidan dreams of nothing but revenge on his captor. Then the spell of a beautiful witch awakens him to the present day—and a passionate desire. But to build a future, he must first confront his past…

Modern witch and magic-shop owner Brooke doesn’t think her life is missing anything, until a wayward enchantment lands a brooding medieval blacksmith in her spell room—and in her arms. Yet even after their passion proves to be truly magical, Aidan’s first commitment is to vengeance. Now Brooke must team up with friends and ancient warriors alike—and push her own powers to their limits—to save her love from the wrath of an evil fae.

***

TITLE: Storm Warned
SERIES #: Grim #3
CHARACTERS: Liam & Cari
AUTHOR: Dani Harper
PUBLICATION DATE: March 31, 2015
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
When Caris’s unearthly musical talent attracts the attention of the Wild Hunt, the Welsh farm girl is stolen away to serve as a faery grim, a herald of death. Two centuries later, she’s finally escaped back to the human world—and into the present-day life of a reclusive and heartbroken American musician.

Music was Liam’s whole life—until a crushing betrayal left him desperate to flee the public eye. Yet long-dormant passions awaken after a powerful storm strands a beautiful, strong-willed woman on his isolated farm. When a Fae prince bent on ruling both human and Faery realms threatens Caris’s life, Liam must decide if he can finally believe in love again, not just for her sake—but for the sake of two worlds.

From the best-selling author of Changeling Moon, this sweeping and passionate story of paranormal romance follows two souls from centuries apart who lost everything . . . and found that only love can save them.

***

TITLE: Storm Crossed
SERIES #: Grim #4
CHARACTERS: Trahern & Lissy
AUTHOR: Dani Harper
PUBLICATION DATE: January 9, 2018
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
The latest stand-alone novel in Dani Harper’s Grim Series will delight old and new fans alike, transporting them to the ancient fae realm beneath the modern human world, where magic rules and menace abounds…

Heir to a noble fae house, Trahern is forced to watch helplessly as his twin brother is cruelly changed into a grim—a death dog—as punishment for falling in love with the wrong person. Trahern doesn’t believe love exists, but he will do anything to keep his brother alive—even join the Wild Hunt and ride the night skies of the human world.

Lissy Santiago-Callahan believes in love but has no time for it. She’s busy juggling her career as an academic and her home life as a single mom to a young son with Asperger’s. Her hectic life in sleepy eastern Washington is made even more chaotic with the sudden arrival of a demanding fae and his unusual “dog.”

Mortal and immortal have nothing in common, and the attraction between Lissy and Trahern surprises them both. But when their desire places Lissy and her child in the path of a deadly faery feud, will the connection last, or will their separate worlds prove too great a divide?

Add the Grim Series to your Goodreads list

 

About the author:

Legend.  Lore. Love.  Magic. 

These are the hallmarks of Dani Harper’s award-winning tales of faeries, shapeshifters, ghosts, and more, for a mature audience. A former newspaper editor, Dani’s passion for all things supernatural led her to a second career writing fiction. There isn’t anything she likes better than exploring myths and legends from many cultures, which serve to inspire her sizzling and suspenseful stories.

A longtime resident of the Canadian north and southeastern Alaska, she now lives in rural Washington with her retired mountain-man husband. Together they do battle with runaway garden gnomes, rampant fruit trees, and a roving herd of predatory chickens.

The Stories

Harper’s first foray into fiction began with a series of successful wolf-shifter novels: CHANGELING MOON (2012 RITA finalist), CHANGELING DREAM, and CHANGELING DAWN. A darker werewolf tale bordering on urban fantasy followed: FIRST BITE. More recently she’s been bringing ancient faery legends into modern-day America with The Grim Series (STORM WARRIOR, a top ten pick by PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, STORM BOUND,  STORM WARNED, and STORM CROSSED (2019 Winner of PRISM for Urban Fantasy and 2019 Winner of the Golden Quill for Fantasy Romance). For those who love a ghostly love story, she wrote THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT, Book 1 of the Haunted Holiday Series.

 

 More on Dani

I have a very serious gardening habit, especially when it comes to flowers and trees. In January, my kitchen table gets buried under a large stack of seed catalogs. A month later, seedling trays and grow lights will take over every horizontal surface. I also adore animals of every kind, and once had a tiny farm in northern Canada with a herd of goats. I’ve been owned by a pug or two for many years (always rescues), and only my husband keeps me from turning into a crazy pug lady!

It’s far too late to prevent me from being a crazy chicken lady however – at present I’m mom to 29 hens and a couple of roosters. And yup, they all have names! (Priscilla, Wild Thing, Romeo, Olive, Lucy, Mrs. Beardsley, Cheeks…) Although friends and family threatened to get me a Christmas shirt saying: “I Was Normal a Dozen Chickens Ago”, I escaped that fate this year. I did get a pair of gnome salt and pepper shakers though — I have an entire colony of gnomes outside, standing guard over the raspberries and the rosebushes!

 

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon Page 

Posted on

Kimberly reviews Scorched Grounds by Debbie Herbert

TITLE: Scorched Grounds
SERIES #: Normal Alabama #2
CHARACTERS: Della Stallings
AUTHOR: Debbie Herbert
PUBLICATION DATE: 01/28/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
From bestselling author Debbie Herbert comes a chilling, fast-paced story about family tragedy and confronting what terrifies us most.

In the eighteen years since her father went to prison for killing her mother and brother, Della Stallings has battled a crippling phobia. Her fear only grows when her father’s released. She still believes he killed her family, but the police don’t have enough evidence to arrest him again.

When new grisly murders occur—each bearing the telltale signs that seem to implicate her father—Della begins to wonder if the real murderer is still out there. Could her father have been framed?

To find the truth, Della must face her greatest fears and doubts—not only to find justice for her family but to ensure her own survival.

REVIEW:
3.75 Hearts This is the second in the series but I didn’t read the first but that being said this could be written as a stand alone.

Della witnessed her mother and brother murdered and her father charged with the crime. Now he is getting out of prison and when a murder occurs Della suspects her father but she and Detective Whitt take up the investigation but is it to find her father guilty or innocent?

The suspense was very well written and I enjoyed the characters. Normal, AL seems like a place that has a lot going on. Herbert has a way of writing that makes you interested in the characters and wanting to know what will happen next.

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

4 Hearts