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 🏖