Better Off Wed by Susanna Craig book review

I was hooked by the “love and let spy” on the front cover of this book. Romance and intrigue coming together in one fun book? Thank you! Laura Hopkins moonlights as a mercenary to right the wrongs men have done to women. For Laura, it is a small measure of justice. However, she does get in a bit over her head and runs into someone who is named Lord Sterling and claims to be her husband. Then the fun begins. Lord Sterling really is a spy for the crown. He’s been on a lot of missions, but might be ready to settle down. While Laura and Jeremy know they are just acting the part, they begin to wonder if their feelings for each other are real. The chemistry was definitely there for these two characters, but as a reader you could tell that they appreciated each other’s cleverness and talent for the spy business. They were both good at what they did. I really enjoyed this book. It was a fun, fast read and  a perfect weekend read.

A Duke Worth Fighting For by Christina Britton book review

I totally devoured this series in a short amount of time. I love the cover of this third book. I love that it takes place on the Isle of Synne! The characters are great and it provides a perfect escape. 

Margery is a widow and Daniel is a war veteran suffering from PTSD. He also got hurt during the war and thinks it will be difficult to find a wife because of his scars. Margery is being blackmailed. Daniel needs a wife. They decide to team up because Margery needs to be paid for her matchmaking skills and she thinks she can help Daniel navigate The Season. Readers may get the idea of where this is going… ;) 

I think this is a sweet book that deals with finding love after loss. There are definitely some nefarious things going on with the blackmail and life after a war. There are some emotionally heavy things going on, but there is always hope, which is what kept me hooked reading this book. This is a great story to remind readers that life is not always perfect, but there is always hope that things will get better and I’m a sucker for a happy ending. This book delivers. If you like historical romance, you will enjoy this book.

Tracing a Kidnapper (Behavioral Analysis Unit #3) by Juno Rushdan book review

Are you ready for some heart thumping suspense? Do you like crime fighting by kick-ass heroines? If so, you need to read this book. I am a big fan of just about any Harlequin Intrigue series book. There are several series now that feature the FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit. This one is based in Seattle and they are working with tech CEO, Jackson Rhodes because his daughter was kidnapped from a work event. Madeline Striker runs point on this investigation and it means a lot to her because she had a sister who was kidnapped at the same age as Jackson’s. 

The romance in these Intrigue books tend to be on the slow burn side, which makes sense because the kidnapping and suspense is the focus of this book (and this series). Both characters have to battle their demons. Jackson, who is used to being in charge, cannot control this situation. But he refuses to be left out of the investigation. Madeline is who she is today because of the loss of her sister. Both are vulnerable in different ways, which brings them closer together. Expect some twists and turns. This is a quick read that is hard to put down. >

Must Love Cowboys by Carly Bloom book review

I didn’t really know what to expect from this book. I have to be in the mood for cowboy romance. ( I haven't been feeling it lately) But I was pushed over the edge because the main character is a librarian. I feel like I have to read every librarian romance. This one did NOT disappoint. The characters are real, messy and lovable. Carly Bloom’s writing made me feel like I really traveled to Texas hill country and learned a few things about ranches (sort of). This story contains fake dating, childhood crushes and two people who should have gotten together years ago. 

The story is set on a ranch in Big Verde. Alice is a librarian who is smart, doesn’t feel like she fits into small town living, fiercely loyal and willing to help anyone out. Beau is the cowboy, who has a twin (I mean, two hot cowboys…), he works hard, can have any woman he wants, but is dyslexic and tries hard to keep it a secret. Beau and Alice make a deal that she will tutor him and he will take her out to do fun things and give her new experiences (swoon here). They are fun and funny together. They bring out the best in each other and holy smokes, once they finally hook up….things are HOT. I mean, the sex scenes made me a cowboy story convert. I think I like them now. I’m going to recommend this book to every librarian I know (and anyone looking for a great romance). I do want to say that this does not feed into the sexy librarian stereotype. Alice is not perfect and a bit awkward, so I feel like the author did a great job with that. I also feel that a lot of research went into the dyslexia part of the story that felt so real and should speak to anyone working with adult literacy. Again, Bloom must have worked to to not portray things in a negative way and I really appreciate that. A multi-faceted, sexy, steamy, fun romance. I loved this book!

Devil in Disguise: The Ravenels series by Lisa Kleypas book review

Lisa Kleypas is quickly becoming one of my go to authors. There are some days that it’s so nice to just fall into the familiarity of a series. The same world, glimpses of characters you got to know in one of the other books and falling in with a new couple. I did not do my research with this book and just started reading it. Later I realized it was book SEVEN!!!! It was great as a stand alone book, but then I had to read all the other ones. I love the world Kleypas has created. Some parts are funny, some parts are intriguing and some parts are steamy. All good things. 

Kier MacRae is our sexy Scotsman who is a whiskey distiller who storms into Lady Merritt Sterling’s office when things aren’t going according to plan at the docks. Merritt had taken over her late husband’s shipping business and was able to keep her independence, but also got her labeled as a bit quirky. There are definite sparks flying when they first meet. When Kier gets injured, Merritt is there to nurse him back to health. They learn things about each other and we learn who Kier’s biological father is. I enjoy the impropriety and scandal ;) I really like Keir, who seemed a bit gruff on the outside, but his interactions with Merritt made him easy to love. He's somewhat traditional even though he's open and accepting. His inability to resist Merritt is a fun part of this book and his eventual capitulation gives us readers the perfect HEA. A great book to pick up when you just need some joy in your life.

A Good Duke Is Hard to Find (Isle of Synne, #1) by Christina Britton book review

First, I love the title of the series “Isle of Synne”! What a perfect play on words that will draw you into this historical romance. Lenora was just left at the altar for the third time and that is considered quite scandalous and it is expected that she will not easily find a husband after this. She travels to the northern coast of Britain to escape the gossip of London and spend time with friend Margery on Lady Tesh’s estate. It just so happens that Lady Tesh’s nephew, Peter, is visiting from America. He came back to fulfill his promise to his late mother and right some wrongs that were done to him.

Peter has spent a good part of his life fueled by anger and revenge. He does start off a bit grumpy and Lenora begins to thaw his heart. They spend some time getting to know each other, but there are many circumstances that are keeping them apart. Both Peter and Lenora have some demons to deal with and come to terms with past hurts. There is lots of forgiveness that has to happen before they can have their happily ever after. 

 I really liked getting to know the secondary characters. I’m excited to read their stories. It seems like Quincy will have an exciting tale to tell. The setting was beautiful and I think this book had some world building that will lead into the next stories. All in all, a great book to pick up if you are in the mood for a historical romance.

Holiday Ever After by Jill Shalvis Book Review

This totally turned into a Christmas in July read for me since I read the Advance Reader Copy.  It’s officially coming out in October, so that will be a good time to stock up on Christmas themed romance stories.  This book is composed of three novellas. One Snowy Night is Max and Rory’s story and part of the Heartbreaker Bay series.  Holiday Wishes is Sean and Lotti’s story also part of the Heartbreaker Bay series.  Finally, Mistletoe in Paradise is part of the Wildstone series.  They can all be read as a standalone story to put you in the holiday spirit.  I like reading novellas sometimes as they don’t require as much time to delve into and you are back in a familiar world catching up on some of the secondary characters.

Shalvis definitely writes some sexy and steamy scenes.  She doesn’t hold back and it’s part of why I love her stories so much.  It’s real.  It’s sexy.  I really like my happy endings.  It might not always be easy to get to the happy part, but that is what makes it so fun.  Put this book on your holiday to-be-read pile.  You won’t regret it. 

Bombshell: A Hell’s Belles Novel by Sarah MacLean Book Review

I am always a fan of Sarah MacLean and look forward to new releases. I am also a big fan of all types of historical romances and I love how the author in this particular series uses the darker, seedier parts of London in which to set the stories in. We are definitely not dealing with “refined”society, but new money and people who are willing to work, even though it’s frowned upon by high society. In the book Bombshell, the main character is Lady Sesily Talbot and she is perfectly content embracing her reputation for scandal. Caleb Calhoun is an American, who came back to England for the birth of his friend’s baby. Caleb’s friend is Sera and she just happens to be Sesily’s sister. They have a thing for each other, but try really hard to ignore it and each other. 

Sesily is part of a syndicate of sorts. They work to right the wrongs done to women by men in many different ways. From fighting, public shaming and other undercover operations to help people who need to be helped or who have been unfairly targeted. 

 

As a reader, I kept expecting Caleb to flee at any moment. You can just tell he wants to get on the next boat back to the states. He starts to get an idea of what Sesily is up to as his own secrets start to unravel and he is targeted by hired thugs. As the suspense builds, there is a lot of action and the romance is quite swoony. The sexual tension builds throughout the story and the chemistry between them sizzling. I love the resolution and the happy ending. I am really looking forward to the rest of this series and getting to know this world and the characters better. Oh, and the cover is amazing! It totally sets the mood and the tone of the book. Well done to the cover designer.

Impact Zone by Julie Anne Lindsey Book Review

This is book #3 in the Traverse City Tactical Crime Division series. I’m already hooked because it takes place in Michigan and because it’s a well written romantic suspense makes it that much more fun. The TCD is called to Grand Rapids to investigate a serial bomber. Max McRay is an explosives expert, who was injured in combat, but can do the job needed of him for the FBI. It just so happens that Max’s ex-wife lives in Grand Rapids with their son Max Jr. Max fears for their lives, but Allie doesn’t see how she could possibly be a target for a bomber, so she is not that concerned. 

Allie divorced Max because he always put his job first. They still care for each other and their son. Max will do anything to protect his family. Allie moved to Grand Rapids from Traverse City to give them some space after the divorce and to be closer to her parents. Clearly this aspect of the story is leading towards a second chance romance that readers will love. I sure did! 

The suspense of trying to find the bomber is the primary storyline. It does help to read the previous books, but there is a list of characters at the beginning of the book to keep everything straight. Max has a bit of PTSD from his combat days where he was injured and lost a part of his leg in an explosion. But he has been working through it and is one of the best explosives experts on the job. Things get tense and they get closer to tracking down the bomber. Readers can definitely expect a tense bomb diffusion scene that will keep you on edge and rooting for the good guys. All that suspense with a happy ending makes for an enjoyable read.

Toxin Alert by Tyler Anne Snell Book Review

Oh man! I really wish I would have reviewed this book when it came out. I read it a while ago and wanted to write a review right away...but time sort of got away from me. So, I am really into this series because it’s set in Michigan. This book is part of the Tactical Crime Division: Traverse City series (how fun!!!) and they are deployed to different parts of the state. This particular book also follows Carly and Noah’s budding relationship. Carly is actually Dr. Carly Welsh, a biological weapons expert. Noah Miller is a former Amish community member who decided to leave, but he still stayed close by in town. He is shunned and his family has disowned him. The setting is in an Amish community named Potter’s Creek. I’m not sure if the town is fictional or not, but there is a Potter’s Creek near Midland, Michigan. So I like to think is real ;) 

Cows and people are getting sick in Potter’s Creek and the soil seems to be poisoned on a large scale. It’s so big that the TCD is called in because it could be biological terrorism. The Amish community does not trust outsiders, but they sort of do trust Noah. He agrees to be the liaison between the TCD team and the Amish farmers. Part of the difficulty of this story is the unwillingness of the community to talk to the FBI. However, after being attacked with anthrax, everyone knows that the mystery must be solved. Noah really is valuable to the team in helping them solve the crime. 

The suspense really hits the storyline as Carly and Noah are realizing their feelings for each other. The focus stays on the mystery, but I am a big fan of crime solving with a dash of romance. As they started closing in on the criminal, I could NOT put the book down. I love how the team supports each other in this series and I acknowledge that I love it even more that it takes place in Michigan. It might be a big dark for a beach read escape -- but grab a glass of wine and indulge in this exciting story on a rainy day. It’ll be perfect.

Heiress in Red Silk by Madeline Hunter book review

I have to say that I really love this book!  I read it twice before writing this review.  The beginning of the story had the best hook when one of the main characters, Kevin Radnor, was introduced as being on the path to eccentricity.  I got the sense right away that he was not going to be sticking to societal conventions and expectations.  I had to laugh out loud when he got up and left the brothel before doing what he came to do because of a bonnet. Rosamund Jameson was also a lovely, intelligent and fun character! I loved her determination to make a good life for herself. The unconventional pairing of these two characters is the best and makes for an engaging read.

As you can tell by the title, Rosamund is the heiress and it is a life that she was not prepared for.  I had to admire her for not giving up her love of designing hats and bonnets, even though it was frowned upon for people of means to work.  One of my favorite scenes is where Rosamund is looking at Kevin’s moth collection and calls him out for being weird.  That right there set the tone for the rest of the relationship for me.

Both Rosamund and Kevin have what it takes to be successful in business ventures, despite what society expected of them.  This was definitely part of the fun of their story. The sex scenes were off the charts.  I may have gone back to reread a few parts 😉How can one resist a man who puts his partners pleasure ahead of his own? Swoon.  Their trip to Paris…soooooo romantic.  His eccentric personality made him inventive in the bedroom *fans self* I was totally rooting for them the entire time. 

If you are looking for a historical romance to immerse yourself into; read this book.  The historical detail, the description, the settings, the characters all stand out to me. The dialogue will make you laugh out loud and whisk you away into another world.  I am a huge fan of Madeline Hunter’s books and this one does not disappoint.  It was published at the end of April this year and I am a bit late in posting the review, the red dress on the cover will make it a perfect July read 🏖

A Wolf After My Own Heart by MaryJanice Davidson book review

Well, heeeeeeelllllllooooooo Oz Adway, our sexy wolf shifter accountant. Oz has recently decided to dabble in investigating social work cases of cub shifters, which is quite the departure from accounting. As you can expect, his first case is a doozy. Readers will be introduced to Lila Kai, an ordinary “stable” (human). However, she doesn’t even flinch at the idea of there being a shifter community, so there is something obviously unique about her. As the story starts, she is moving into a cursed house and takes in a wearbear cub. Totally normal, right? Oz is tasked with finding the cub and it’s also a bit of a test to see if he has what it takes to be Interspecies Placement Agency investigator. This book is a great follow up to Bears Behaving Badly, where we first meet Oz. 

In this world, weird is the norm. If you like paranormal romance with lots of humor than this book is for you. Davidson has a talent for the strange and the weird being funny. It’s unexpected to crack up during a suspense arc, but it totally happens in these books. It’s what makes them unique. It’s definitely more focused on the mystery and a bit less on the steamy romance, but there is a happily ever after. I would argue that Lila totally deserved getting something good in life and Oz is just the man to be with. One of my favorite details about Lila is that she drives a decommissioned ambulance and people kept mistaking her for a real EMT. So, she did go and get EMT training, but didn’t do it as her job. It was kind of a backup because of what she drove. 

The mystery part of the story is about trying to dismantle the shifter trafficking ring. There are kernels of truth within the story about racism and supremacist groups. They are not in your face, but are the foundation for the shifters going missing. This book is fun, with enough action and suspense to make you keep reading well after bedtime. If you love shifter paranormal romance, this series is for you!

Meant To Be Immortal by Lynsay Sands book review

Are you ready to fantasize about a hot, nerdy immortal (aka Vampire)? Well, Mac Argeneau just might be the book boyfriend for you. Mac is a hematologist doing research on blood for Immortals. Totally makes sense if you have immersed yourself in this world before. If you have kept up with the previous 31 books in this series, you will know that the family trees are huge and intertwined. Mac is one of Basil’s 23 children and he has been on his own for a very long time. Sands does not disappoint on the bedroom scenes, but I would say that this was a bit more of a slow burn because Mac was trying to woo CJ and not just surprise her with the whole Life Mate story. I mean, wooing is super romantic. It gets even better when the rest of the family steps in to “help”. Readers will recognize some of the family members from previous books, but you could jump right in without knowing all the details from their backstories. They are funny and determined so a few of the scenes will make you laugh out loud as they try to help with the wooing. 

I think you will like CJ’s character. She is a former police officer who is now an investigator of the police. She does the detective work when there is a complaint against a police officer. Because of that, she is not very well liked by the officer or the department she is investigating. However, she is called in to investigate a local arson case because that particular small town does not have enough police to take care of it. It just so happens that it’s Mac’s house that caught on fire. He had just moved in and he barely escaped. In fact, it would have been impossible for a human to escape such a devastating fire. So, now she has two investigations to conduct in the same small town. 

I love the Argeneau world and I keep coming back to read all the new releases. I enjoy the author's style of writing and the humor sprinkled throughout the books. I also love the sexy scenes and the great chemistry that all the couples have. Nothing better than a happy ending! I highly recommend this series, especially if you want to escape into a bit of fantasy set in the real world. I just read somewhere else today about a STEM romance and I sort of laughed at that term. However, I think I would consider having a lab and being a hematologist fits right into the Science and Technology part of the acronym, so maybe we label this a paranormal STEM romance???

Then There Was You by Mona Shroff book review

I think you will fall in love with these characters. The featured couple is Annika and Daniel. Annika is a kindergarten teacher and moonlights at a bar. Daniel is an ER nurse practitioner and flight medic. Both work a lot to compensate for other issues going on in their lives. It’s clear that Annika and Daniel have some serious chemistry going on and you can’t help but root for them to get together. Annika’s family is trying to match her with Sajan, who is a doctor. Daniel is still coping with a divorce. There is a lot going on, but it’s all very realistic and maybe not so far removed from what the average person deals with. 

I thought this book was going to be a light hearted romance romp, but it turned out to explore issues of racism, miscarriage, school shootings, grief and there was some violence. It was most definitely a tear jerker, several times over. I wasn’t expecting that, but I couldn’t put the book down. It was engaging and I really wanted these two to get to that happy ending. I love the connections that grew from the secondary characters. They were quite well developed. The dialogue flowed smoothly and the setting was well described. I recommend this book for when you are in that emotional mood and don’t mind shedding a few tears.

Forgiven by Garrett Leigh Book Review

Review:

If you are in the mood for a second chance romance, I highly recommend giving Forgiven a try. The main couple in this book is Luke Daley and Mia Amour. Luke left town ten years ago. Mia got on with her life and moved to Paris. They both find themselves coming back to Rushmere, England at just about the same time. Mia opens up a florist shop and Luke takes over his uncle’s construction business. Now, they just have to pick up the pieces of what is left of their relationship. 

I really love the name the author chose for the character Mia because it just really fits the story. I don’t always comment on the names, but this just stood out to me. I also love that the dialogue was not Americanized. It stayed true to the author's voice and the British setting. Both of the characters faced tragedy in their lives and led them to the decisions that drove them apart in the first place. There are a lot of emotions to unpack and deal with to set this second chance into motion. As you can guess, it helps to have some support when trying to deal with emotional pain. I was a little surprised by the element of suspense in the storyline and the reader is treated to some mystery and action as Mia, Luke and the police try to figure out who is stalking Mia. The sex is steamy, the scenes are intense the characters take turns being frustrating. I think you will find yourself cheering for Luke and Mia to work out their issues because they clearly belong together.