New Release ~ Driven to Distraction by Lori Foster

When desire gets this hot, you’d better buckle up…

Mary Daniels doesn’t let anything get in the way of her job acquiring rare artifacts for her wealthy boss. But this particular obstacle—huge, hard-muscled, unashamedly masculine—is impossible to ignore. Stuck in a cramped car with Brodie Crews for hours en route to their new assignment, Mary feels her carefully crafted persona—and her trademark self-control—is slipping, and she won’t allow it.

Brodie can’t imagine what secret in Mary’s past has left her so buttoned-up, though he’d dearly love to find out. Maybe then she’d trust him enough to explore their explosive chemistry. But he needs this job, so he’ll play by her rules and bide his time…until an enemy determined to outwit them strikes and he needs to get close—in every way—to protect her. Otherwise they could lose much more than a precious collectible. They could lose it all.

Review:
This is a fun story.  Honestly it didn't feel like a typically Lori Foster to my.  As in while I was reading I didn't realize it was one of Lori's books!  The heroine takes a little getting used to , but overall a quick and enjoyable read.  Just enough action to keep things rolling and a great dog that steals the show ;)

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New Release ~ Consumed by J.R. Ward

Anne Ashburn is a woman consumed...

By her bitter family legacy, by her scorched career as a firefighter, by her obsession with department bad-boy Danny McGuire, and by a new case that pits her against a fiery killer.

Strong-willed Anne was fearless and loved the thrill of fighting fires, pushing herself to be the best. But when one risky decision at a warehouse fire changes her life forever, Anne must reinvent not only her job, but her whole self.

Shattered and demoralized, Anne finds her new career as an arson investigator a pale substitute for the adrenaline-fueled life she left behind. She doesn't believe she will ever feel that same all-consuming passion for her job again--until she encounters a string of suspicious fires setting her beloved city ablaze.

Danny McGuire is a premiere fireman, best in the county, but in the midst of a personal meltdown. Danny is taking risks like never before and seems to have a death wish until he teams up with Anne to find the fire starter. But Danny may be more than a distraction, and as Anne narrows in on her target, the arsonist begins to target her.

From the creator of the bestselling Black Dagger Brotherhood, get ready for a new band of brothers. And a firestorm.

Review:
I have to admit this is the first JR Ward book I've ever read.  And I'm not really sure how I feel about it.  I don't know if the writing style is 'normal' or if this is an anomaly...

What I liked...the premise of the story.  the action.  the unapologetic treatment of the characters situations...

What I didn't like...the overly descriptive style, the lack of dialogue, the way the ending felt forced...

I was pretty meh about the characters - didn't love them or hate them.  Nothing leaves me itching for the next book in the series, but I m curious about what might develop so I'll probably give book 2 a try.

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New Release ~ Rough & Ready by Tracy Wolff

Sparks fly between a football pro and an ex-WNBA player. But he needs to prove that he’s more than a sports hero if he wants it all in this steamy standalone from the New York Timesbestselling author of Down & Dirty and Hot & Heavy.

Tanner: I may be a baller, but I’ve always tried to do the right thing. Maybe it’s because I’ve been in charge of my four younger sisters for half my life, or because I understand how important it is to be a role model—something I learned from my grandfather, a Southern Baptist preacher who marched with Martin Luther King, Jr. Either way, my pro football career makes it easier to give back, so when a local rec center needs help, I do my best to even the playing field. And not just because Elara Vance, the smoking hot ex-WNBA player who runs the place, has me looking to score off the field.
 
Elara: Before I got sidelined by an injury, my time on the court taught me that pro athletes are all flash and no substance. Sure, Tanner Green talks a good game and wields a big checkbook, but I’m not buying the whole good guy routine. Still, it’s hard to miss all the good he’s doing for my rec center and even harder to ignore the way one look from him makes me tremble in all the best ways. I just wish I knew if he’s for real. Something tells me a little one-on-one might be the only way to find out. . . .

Review:

A quick and fun read!  The characters are sweet and funny.  A little snark, sass and fireworks.  Each make a few stupid decisions but the relationship plays well and add in a little basketball and football and you have a winning combination.

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New Release ~ Hard Sell by Lauren Layne

He’s a Wall Street wolf. She’s been hired to tame him. From New York Times bestselling author Lauren Layne comes a wildly sexy novel of business and pleasure.

Twenty-eight and filthy rich, Matt Cannon is the youngest broker on Wall Street. He may be a “boy wonder,” but he’s every inch a man. Ask any woman—any night. But when Matt’s latest fling makes scandalous headlines, his clients get anxious, and his bosses at Wolfe Investments level an ultimatum: keep his assets zipped, get a “real” girlfriend, and clean up his act. Only one woman can help Matt with something this hard.

For PR genius Sabrina Cross, the best fixer in Manhattan, playing Matt’s steady is going to be a challenge, even if it’s just for show. They already have an explosive history, she can’t stand the cocky party boy, and worse—she can’t stop thinking about him. So who’ll dare to break her “no touching” rule first? Because when that happens, Matt and Sabrina’s game of let’s pretend will get so hot it could set both their reputations on fire.

Review:
First, let me say you don't have to read the series in order.  Each is a standalone so you can jump right in.  This is a frenemies book and done so well.  I loved Matt & Sabrina and their messed up relationship.  They both have similar issues which just made things a little more interesting.  A very fun and steamy red.

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Amazon

New Release ~ Avoiding the Badge by Dorothy F. Shaw

Rayna Michaels may be a veterinarian, but she knows a little something about the human heart—especially when it comes to worried pet owners. Law enforcement’s bonds with their K9 partners are legendary, and Derek Hansen is a perfect example—he’s had his dog Axle in more times than she can count in the last few months. And Derek’s sculpted muscles and heart-stopping smile would be truly irresistible, if only he wasn’t an officer of the law… 
 
Derek can’t get Rayna’s stunning face and no-nonsense smarts out of his mind. Any excuse to see her will do, until he works up the nerve to ask her out. He’s not sure where her resistance to cops comes from, though he’s more than willing to prove he’s one of the good ones. But when casual dating turns into explosive lovemaking, Derek knows he has to come clean about his past before the woman he loves finds out what he’s been hiding and turns tail to run…

Review:
So many books, so little time.  it's been WAY too long since I've picked up a book by Dorothy Shaw and now I have to go back and see what I've missed.

This book is hot, hot, hot with a great storyline and an adorable puppy ;) A fast paced story line and a bit of laughter will keep you turning the pages late into the night.  One of my favorite reads so far this year!

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Amazon

New Release ~*~ Face Off by Brenda Novak

From New York Times bestselling author Brenda Novak comes Face Off, the next installment of Dr. Evelyn Talbot and her murderous home for psychopaths.

SHE VOWED NEVER TO BE A VICTIM AGAIN. BUT NOW A KILLER HAS HER IN HIS SIGHT. . . 

Tortured and left for dead at sixteen, Evelyn Talbot turned her personal nightmare into her life’s work—studying the disturbing psychopathy of some of the world’s most vicious serial killers. Now a leading psychiatrist at Hanover House in a small Alaskan town, she tries to believe the past will never come back to haunt her—until a woman goes missing from a cabin nearby, and every clue points to the man who once brutalized her…

As her boyfriend, who is the area’s only police, begins to investigate—and finds not one but two bodies—Evelyn can’t forget that her would-be killer, Jasper Moore, was never caught. But there are no new faces in tiny Hilltop, no one who seems suspicious or potentially violent. In this twisted game of cat and mouse, Evelyn is certain of only one thing—Jasper must be hiding in plain sight. And if she can’t find him before he comes for her, she won’t be lucky enough to survive twice…

Review:
First, I highly, highly recommend you read the earlier books in this series first - while they are individual stories, there is an overlapping arc that will fall a little short if you don't read the others.

The story moves quickly.  Evelyn has some tough decisions in this book but handles them with the scientific reasoning we expect.  Her crew of murderous psychopaths is as on point as always. A really good page-turning read.


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Amazon

New Release ~ Bishop by Sawyer Bennett

Meet the Arizona Vengeance, hockey’s hottest new team. They’re burning up the ice—until a one-night-stand with the coach’s daughter freezes one player in his skates.

Bishop Scott, co-captain. Not too shabby, huh? It’s all part of my fresh start with the NHL’s latest expansion team, and that means new teammates, a new coach, a new city, and a big new contract. Basically, I cannot f***ing wait to show my old squad what they’re missing.

But first, I decide to check out the town before the grind begins. Turns out Arizona chicks are totally smokin’, and I’m fortunate enough to meet one who’s looking for the same thing I am: a night of anonymous, unforgettable, no-strings-attached sex.

Fast forward to the Vengeance arena. It’s the last place I expect to see her again—let alone in her own office. Then bells go off and I finally realize who this girl is: Brooke Perron. My new coach’s daughter. All of a sudden, we’re picking up right where we left off, which means our hands are all over each other. That’s when her dad—my boss—walks in. And before I can get a word out, Brooke’s introducing me as her fiancé.

Sure, she just saved my ass. So why do I get the feeling Brooke’s going to turn my world upside down? Maybe it’s because this fake relationship feels way too real. . . .

Review:
Not the coach's daughter ;)  Sexy and fun about sums up Bishop & Brooke.  They have a few struggles to get through, but mostly they just have to figure out what they are willing to sacrifice for the other and themselves.


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New Release ~ The Shape of You by Georgia Beers

Personal trainer Rebecca McCall is furious when her coworker is sidelined and she’s forced to teach the “Be Your Best Bride” class. As if being a size two for your wedding photos is all exercise is good for. Could the whole thing get more vain and sexist? The class is full of preening, giggling Bridezillas, but one woman stands out. The one who confesses she’s only there because her fiancée signed her up. Who does that to someone they care about? And why can’t Rebecca take her eyes off her?

Spencer Thompson is a second-guesser. After making the worst mistake of her life, she’s happy to abdicate responsibility and let other people make her decisions for her. She’s always felt a little bit too soft, a little bit too curvy in all the wrong places. Her fiancée apparently agrees because she signed Spencer up for a class at the gym. Terrified by the online profile of the instructor, the epitome of Zero Body Fat, Spencer is relieved to find someone new, and realistic looking, leading the class. Except the instructor seems to hate her and Spencer has no idea why.

When a perfectly innocent post workout smoothie leads to an earth shattering kiss, Rebecca wonders if she’s been wrong all along, and Spencer is challenged to make another decision that could change her life forever.

Review
Well written story with an interesting mix of characters.

This was not me favorite book by Georgia Beers...I understood the process the author was going through with the characters and it flowed and made sense...maybe the characters hit too close to home, maybe the topic just bothered me.  It's still well written, less humor than some of Ms. Beers books and while I didn't love this one, I look forward to more books from her.


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New Release ~ Infinite by Cecy Robson

Hale Wilder, aka the Anaconda of Wall Street, spent his childhood fighting to be the best to win his father’s love. He was the best student and the best athlete, who grew into a successful businessman and took the finance world by storm. Want to retire before you’re forty-five? He’s got you. Need your millions to be billions? He’s your man. 

Young, rich, and powerful, Hale was unstoppable, until a company scandal destroyed his reputation and threatened to bring down everything he bled for.

Becca Shields is the kickass public relations goddess spinning scandals to gold and launching has-beens into superstardom. She never expected to see Hale again—not following the humiliating night when her family caught them on the beach, barely clothed. 

When Becca discovers Hale is in trouble, she can’t turn her back on the boy who was once her world and the man she never forgot.

Hale never thought he’d have another shot at greatness or with Becca. Now that he has both, he won’t let either go without a fight. 

Review:
A powerful second chance story.  Steamy and full of angst there is a lot going on with this one.  It's a page turner and various distractions pull the characters this way and that.  It will tease and tug at all of your emotions.

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New Release ~*~ Feared by Lisa Scottoline

In the new thriller from New York Times bestselling author Lisa Scottoline, Mary DiNunzio’s ruthless nemesis Nick Machiavelli is back...with a vengeance. 

When three men announce that they are suing the Rosato & DiNunzio law firm for reverse sex discrimination—claiming that they were not hired because they were men—Mary DiNunzio and Bennie Rosato are outraged. To make matters worse, their one male employee, John Foxman, intends to resign, claiming that there is some truth to this case. 

The plaintiffs’ lawyer is Nick Machiavelli, who has already lost to Mary once and is now back with a vengeance —determined not to not only win, but destroy the firm. It soon becomes clear that Machiavelli will do anything in his power to achieve his end…even after the case turns deadly. The stakes have never been higher for Mary and her associates as they try to keep Machiavelli at bay, solve a murder, and save the law firm they love…or they could lose everything they’ve worked for. Told with Scottoline's trademark gift for twists, turns, heart, and humanity, this latest thriller asks the question: Is it better to be loved, or feared...

Feared, the sixth entry in the acclaimed Rosato & DiNunzio series, expertly explores what happens when we are tempted to give in to our own inner darkness.

Review:

I think I've used all the words to describe this series previously! LOL  These lawyers are great.  I love the attitudes/personalities and the messes they manage to end up in while defending a case.  I even learn quite a bit about the law as I read.  A deep plot with more than a few twists and a couple of surprises along the way.  A story you really don't want to put down.

Buy Link
Amazon

New Release ~ Sliding Home by Kathy Lyons

Shy and reserved, good girl Ellie McDonald is determined to break out of her shell–and her relationship rut. First order of business, woman up and finally ask her longtime secret crush, Jake Armstrong on an old-fashioned date. She's not at all his type–which is great. Once Jake turns her down she can finally move on. Except he says yes...

MVP short-stop Jake Armstrong has tried to keep his bad boy nature under wraps. But there's nothing he likes more than tempting sweet Ellie to the dark side. No one need know.

But when the hotel catches fire and their rescue–while nearly naked–is caught on camera, the two have a PR problem. Jake's solution is a fake relationship, just for the season. Only for Ellie, there's nothing fake about it…

Review:
I have to say I really connected with Ellie as a character and that make the story all that much better :) Ellie steps out of her comfort zone expecting rejection and when it doesn't come things get a little crazy! A quick steamy read that has a bit of drama to give it some punch.

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New Release ~ Going Rogue by Chantal Fernando

Love blossoms in the most unexpected of places in this sweet and steamy Cursed Ravens Motorcyle Club title featuring a hunky bad boy and a charming nurse.

The men might tease Rogue and call him pretty behind his back, but no one is going to say that to his face. As the vice president of the Cursed Ravens—and with an unpredictable and unruly temper—respect is given to him at any cost.

But Rogue reins himself in when he visits his mother in a local nursing home. Overwhelmed with guilt that he can’t take care of her himself, he can barely handle watching her fade away with dementia. And he knows the staff is exceptional—especially the sweet and beautiful caregiver who pays extra attention to his mom.

It isn’t easy working at a nursing home, but Zoe enjoys spending time with her favorite patient Anne. She knows Anne has a son who dutifully visits her, but when Zoe sees the tall, muscled, handsome stranger, she can tell he’s trouble—beautiful trouble. She knows he’s a Cursed Raven and she knows better than to admit she’s attracted to him. There’s no way she'll date an MC member. Been there done that. But as Zoe and Rogue start to get closer, they realize one way or another, they’ll have to fight to stay in each other’s lives.

Review:
While we don't get a ton of the MC goings on in this series, the relationships between it's members and their women is fun.  Rogue is a big softie and it's sweet to read about him and Zoe who is a bit quieter than most MC women.

A winner in this series, with its sweet, funny, and steamy storyline.

Buy Link:
Amazon

Hitting It by Kathy Lyons

Making it to the Major Leagues is all rookie ballplayer, Rob Lee, has ever dreamed of. But now, he's a little overwhelmed with his new celebrity status. Everyone wants a piece of the new heavy hitter for the Indianapolis Bobcats. Still, he's worked hard for it, and he doesn't have many regrets. Although there is one...

If journalist Heidi Wong wants to keep her job, she needs to come up with a story—fast! That's why she tells her boss that she knows the Bobcat's reclusive new slugger, Rob Lee. And she does...in the Biblical sense. During Spring Break three years ago, she and Rob shared a torrid night on the beach. And she's wanted him again ever since.

But everyone knows reporters and athletes don't mix. Rob's contract doesn't allow him to talk to the press, and her job depends on it. Which is driving them both just a little crazy…

Review
A sweet yet steamy second chance, new adult, romance. Sports, careers, spring break and more all rolled into this story of two people coming back together for a second chance.  Hitting It is a quick read that hits all the bases!

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Rx for Love by Michelle Hughes

I thought I knew where my life was going. Which goes to show that we don’t know anything. I had the perfect life. A husband who loved me, getting the promotion as the head of our cardiopulmonary department, and a life plan that gave me purpose. Then with one fell swoop, everything was destroyed. Finding your sister in bed with the love of your life puts things in a different perspective. Discovering that she’s stealing your dream makes you question every thought you’ve ever had.

I lost everything except my medical career. The one place where my life wasn’t falling apart around me. Until it was. Dr. Eric James was our ER physician, and maybe if I hadn’t had a life plan I’d never have noticed him in the way a woman discovers a man. Maybe I’d never known what passion was before him. I came to him in a moment of weakness, and he mended a part of me I thought was broken forever. Life has a way of screwing up even the best things that have ever happened to you.  

Trauma. When reality crashes into a fantasy, sometimes it’s hard to catch your breath. I knew the right thing to do but giving up when a person’s life was in my hands went against everything I was taught. Love doesn’t follow the right rules. Unlike a medical emergency, there is no plan for survival. What I needed was a prescription for love that wouldn’t destroy the tiny part left of me still fighting to live.

Review
Well written story with a solid plot and characters - throw in a few twists and turns and things are interesting. it is admittedly to my favorite from Ms. Hughes.  I really didn't connect with the characters, a to of poor decisions just leave me shaking my head and wondering...Dr. Eric isn't my favorite as far as heroes go and that was probably my biggest thing is I just didn't like him much at times :)


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New Release ~ A Measure of Darkness by Jonathan Kellerman, Jesse Kellerman

t's been a busy year for Alameda County Coroner's Deputy Clay Edison. He's solved a decades-old crime and redeemed an innocent man--earning himself a suspension in the process. Things are getting serious with his girlfriend. And his brother's fresh out of prison, bringing with him a great big basket of crazy.

Then the call comes in the middle of the night. It's a bad one. A party in West Oakland. An argument with the neighbors. A crowd in the street. Two guns, firing at random, spreading chaos and death. Nobody knows the body count yet. What Clay does know is this: it's going to be a long, long night. Longer than he ever could have imagined.

Because when the dust settles, there's an extra victim. One who can't be accounted for. A young woman, strangled, not shot, without ID and a stranger to all. She is Jane Doe. Clay's journey to give her a name and bring her justice will lead him into the bizarre--a seductive world where innocence and perversity meet and mingle; where right and wrong begin to blur.

Review:
Hmmm...not quite sure how to describe this one.  You do not need to read the first book to enjoy this one.  It's full of twists and turn and sometimes over descriptive.  You may skim parts but then you'll get hooked again with a new direction the investigation takes.

Buy Link:
Amazon

New Release ~ Deep Cover by Scarlett Cole

ARE THEY IN TOO DEEP?

Ex-Navy SEAL Cabe Moss always comes when called to duty—at all costs. Even though the death of his fiancée nearly destroyed him, Cabe won’t let his past interfere with any work that has to get done. When his latest task pushes him to team up with FBI Agent Amy Murray, a fierce beauty with the undercover skills to match, Cabe must admit that, for the first time in years, he wants to do more than just complete their mission together…

Amy was born ready for this assignment, but working side-by-side with the the strong, silent, and frustratingly professional Cabe seems to be the biggest challenge of all. But when the sparks begin to fly—and the stakes rise to dangerous heights—the only thing Amy is left worrying about is how she can resist him. Their lives may be in danger, but their hearts hold the biggest risk of all…

Review:
I am fairly new to Scarlett Cole's books and I can admit I've been missing out :) First, this can be read as a standalone with no issues so don't worry if you have't read the other 2 books!

Cabe and Amy are both interesting characters with flaws and imperfections that make them very likable.  The storyline is fast paced and you'll be itching to read more and more.

Buy Link:
Amazon

Whiskey Sharp: Torn by Lauren Dane

Sometimes what you find isn’t what you were searching for

Beau Petty has been searching his whole life. Searching for a place that fills all the empty spaces in him. Searching for a way to tame the restlessness. Searching for answers to the secret he’s never stopped trying to solve. What he wasn’t searching for was a woman to claim all of him, but when Cora Silvera walks back into his life, he’s ready to search out all the ways he can make her his.

Cora has spent her life as the family nurturer, taking care of others. But now she’s ready to pass that job on to someone else. It’s time to make some changes and live for herself. It’s in that moment that her former teenage crush reappears and the draw and the heat of their instant connection is like nothing either of them has experienced. He craves being around her. She accepts him, dark corners and all.

Beau thinks Cora’s had enough drama in her life. He wants to protect her from the secrets of his past, even if it means holding back the last pieces of himself. But Cora is no pushover and she means to claim all those pieces.

Review
A second chance story it is sweet...it's a stand alone within the Whiskey Sharp series and the characters are fun.  they have an interesting relationship but there is a lack of something.  Not a lot of conflict to be resolved, a few issues that fall into place a little too nicely.  It's a sweet and quick read with a lot of good food mentioned (don't read hungry - LOL)

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New Release ~ Hot & Heavy by Tracy Wolff

When a daredevil football stud tries to get into your yoga pants, you know class is about to get interesting. The New York Times bestselling author of Down & Dirty returns with Hot & Heavy.
 
Sage: Although I come from a long line of free-spirited yoga teachers, sometimes I wish my life could be just a little more normal. More ordinary. More boring. Easier said than done, especially since it’s on me to keep my family’s studio up and running every time my mother wanders off to find herself. But that’s when my best friend sends me a sexy new student: Shawn Wilson, a slick wide receiver with a death wish and a chip on his broad, muscular, irresistible . . . wait, what were we talking about again?
 
Shawn: They say I’m an adrenaline junkie. The truth is, I only really feel alive when I’m risking my life: Snowboarding, parachuting, BASE jumping . . . the kind of fun team management considers breach of contract. When my coach orders me to take yoga to “center myself,” I’m pissed—until I get an eyeful of delectable, flexible Sage Kaufmann. Unfortunately, she’s determined to keep things between us strictly business. But if Sage can get me to enjoy downward dog, maybe I can convince her that scorching hot sex could be the perfect shot of adrenaline.

Review
I really enjoy Tracy Wolff's stories and Hot & Heavy didn't disappoint.  Sage & Shawn have an instant attraction that grows even against heir better judgments...opposites can attract ;)

Buy Link
Amazon

Expose by Danielle Girard

With her vindictive ex-husband out of prison, San Francisco medical examiner Annabelle Schwartzman is trying harder than ever to move on with her life—by focusing on her job to speak for the victims who can’t. Summoned to a homicide in Golden Gate Park, she realizes that she’d seen the victim just hours before, alive and well in a parked Jeep with a small boy. Now, the woman has been stabbed to death and stripped of her burka, and the child is nowhere to be found.

When an African American student is found dead, bearing knife wounds identical to those of the woman in the park, the press jumps on them as hate crimes. If only they were so easy to explain. There is a connection—but Schwartzman believes it’s something even worse. Her fears are confirmed with the discovery of the next victim.

Now, to stop a vicious killer whose work has only just begun, Schwartzman and Detective Hal Harris must untangle the twisted thread that links it all to the missing boy and a crime buried in the past.

Review:
Being the third book in the series...you can read it as a stand-alone, but because of an overlapping storyline with the main character, I'd recommend starting form the beginning.

This isn't my favorite int he's reis but I cannot put my finger on why.  It's a compelling storyline but the ending is the best part of the book.

Buy Link:
Amazon

New Release ~ Assassin Games by Sidney Bristol

Anderson Gratney does odd jobs that usually involve a gun and covert ops for the CIA. His latest assignment? Kidnap a CIA analyst in order to keep her safe. Easy. Except there’s nothing simple about the beautiful, careful Carol Sark, who tempts him the more he learns about her.

Coming face to face with a masked man in her home is the most terrifying experience of Carol’s life—until he kidnaps her. He claims he’s there to keep her safe, but she doesn’t know who to trust. And until they can figure out who the threat is, she's forced to take him at his word. 

Time is ticking, and even though she drives him nuts, Anderson very much wants to keep her alive. Unfortunately, the assassins have other ideas…

Each book in the Tarnished Heroes series is STANDALONE: 
*Spy Games
*Assassin Games

Review:
Yum!  That's the best word I have for this :)  Fast paced, exciting, great characters.  Funny, sexy, action packed - Assassin Games really has it all.

Buy Link:
Amazon

New Release ~ Rock Legend by Tara Leigh

I'm no Prince Charming.
Most people know me as the drummer for Nothing but Trouble. Depending who you ask, I'm also a playboy, a loner, the life of the party, a screw-up, or according to my fans, "The Sexiest Rock Star on the Planet." Apparently, I'm a legend. 
Am I surprised? Hell, no. It's a reputation I've earned behind my drum kit and behind closed doors. No one thought foster kid Landon Cox would become famous. Infamous, maybe. Notorious, probably. But successful? Never. No one except Piper Hastings. But I had to make a choice: my woman or my career. I picked fame and fortune... and spent every damn day since pretending I don't regret it. 
Now fate's dropped Piper back into my life. I want to believe it's a second chance for me - for us. But while I can give her a few great nights, I can't give Piper a future. 
Because there's a difference between a legend and a fairy tale... Only one of them ends happily ever after.

Review:
Tara Leigh is a new-to-me author and I"ll be looking for more and going back to read the first book in this series...Th band members have some messed up backgrounds and have worked hard to get where they are with a lot of work to go.

This second chance romance is sweet, sexy, and both heartbreaking and heartwarming. A fast paced story that will leave you with a smile.

Buy Link:
Amazon

New Release ~ Landing Zone by Erin Dutton

Former U.S. Army pilot Lauren Henley and police training instructor Kim “Monty” Montgomery share a love of country, a sense of duty, and grief for a woman who left them too soon. That the woman they lost was a friend to one and a lover to the other should at least give Kim and Lauren something on which to build a friendship. But from the moment they met, they’ve been at odds. 

When Lauren gets a job at the same police department as Kim, they are forced to at least fake professional respect. Eventually, respect and begrudging attraction turns to affection, then something deeper.

Review:
While parts of the story feel a little convoluted, Kim and Lauren have a bit of history and their own demons they need to overcome before things could possibly work for them.

While I knew I was reading a romance that typically has an HEA, its a tough road for these two and the issues are big.


Buy Link:
Amazon

New Release ~ Double Blind by Iris Johansen, Roy Johansen

Kendra Michaels, formerly blind and now a hired gun for law enforcement agencies who relies on her razor-sharp powers of observation, is reluctant to help the FBI with the most recent case they’ve brought to her. But then she hears the details: the body was found just blocks away from Kendra’s condo. The young woman was carrying an envelope with Kendra’s name on it, and inside was an SD card with what appears to be an innocuous video of a wedding reception. The woman died trying to get the video to Kendra, but for what purpose? Before Kendra and the FBI can answer that question, the bride is abducted from her suburban home.

And so the hunt is on for a killer whose nightmarish plan is slowly becoming clear. A plan that involves a powerful law firm and a multi-billion dollar corporation. As the body count rises, Kendra joins forces with private investigator Jessie Mercado and agent-for-hire Adam Lynch to stop the plot as it grows ever closer to its terrifying conclusion.

In Double Blind, Iris and Roy Johansen deliver an emotional, gripping new entry in the bestselling Kendra Michaels series.

Review:
Can you read this as a stand-alone?  Probably...but considering Kendra Michaels is one of my favorite characters, I highly recommend reading them in order and getting to know her :)

Blind Double doesn't disappoint with its fast paced action as the team of usually characters search for a killer that has Kendra in his sights.


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Tripwire by Traci Hunter Abramson

Jane Napierski is back at work at the job she loves—being a personal assistant to her friend Sienna Blake, a rising star actress. The duo is on location in Virginia Beach to film Sienna’s new TV series, along with costar Reed Forrester—the man with whom the world thinks Sienna is in love. Wrong.

Sienna’s heart actually belongs to her fiancé, Craig, a Navy Seal with the Saint Squad. Craig must fly under the radar if he is to keep Sienna safe from his world of terrorists and toxic bombs. And Reed has no problem pretending to date his old friend Sienna simply because it means he can spend time learning more about Jane. Making a TV series is grueling work but not nearly as difficult as the treacherous adventure that is about to begin with a simple photo taken in the wrong place at the wrong time—an image worth killing for. 

When Craig returns to the United States to spend time with Sienna, he’s not expecting to spend that time protecting her and Jane. Frightening incidents targeting the two women rapidly escalate, and as Craig and his Saint Squad investigate a tangled conspiracy, they find themselves tracking, here at home, the terrorists they have searched for across the globe. But can they shut the terrorists down in time to save Jane, Reed, and Sienna?

Review:
This is my first book by this author and I'd probably read another one...This is part of a series, although it isn't labeled as such anywhere.  While it is easily read as a stand alone a couple of the characters seem to have a pretty big role in a previous book which might help give some more insight...

The hard part about this book is it's difficult to determine who the main characters are! The blurb and beginning of the book lead me to one thing, parts of the story lead me to another.  The drama seems forced but compelling.

It's a sweet romance with a little more religion than I prefer but not so much I put down the book.  The mystery/thriller aspects are light and revealed fairly early.

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Her Last Word by Mary Burton

Fourteen years ago, Kaitlin Roe was the lone witness to the abduction of her cousin Gina. She still remembers that lonely Virginia road. She can still see the masked stranger and hear Gina’s screams. And she still suffers the guilt of running away in fear and resents being interrogated as a suspect in the immediate aftermath. Now Kaitlin has only one way to assuage the pain and nightmares—by interviewing everyone associated with the unsolved crime for a podcast that could finally bring closure to a case gone cold.

But when a woman Kaitlin questions is later found stabbed to death, she fears that she’s drawn a killer out of hiding. It’s Detective John Adler’s fear that the murders have only just begun. Now his job is to keep Kaitlin safe.

As a bond between Kaitlin and Adler builds, the past closes in just as fast—and it’s darker than Kaitlin remembers. Soon, her wish will come true. She’s going to find out exactly what happened to Gina. Someone has been dying to tell her.

Review:
Twists and turn abound...while you may figure some things out early in the story there are more twists and turns to come. One of my favorite from Mary Burton so far.  There were times I wondered where the story was going then it would come back around...some of it might drag out but it's all relevant and comes back with a vengeance.

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Lennon Reborn by Scarlett Cole

From the queen of heart-pounding, sexy, emotional romance Scarlett Cole comes Lennon Reborn, a stunning, shattering rock star romance in the Preload series.

Lennon McCartney is not a broken man. Because being broken implies being whole once. When a horrific accident deprives him of the one thing he loves—his talent as a fierce and explosive drummer—Lennon is left with a life chained by an abusive mother, by crushing guilt over a tragic past. A life he doesn’t want.

Dr. Georgia Starr is a legend. She’s one of the most successful neurosurgeons in the world, coming from a long-line of respected New York doctors. Her life is built around solving complex medical cases in order to bring relief and hope to sick children. But the one problem she can’t solve is how to live her life. How to be shake loose the burden of being her elitist, arrogant father’s daughter. How to be free.

Can a man who despises his life and a woman who desperately needs to live find the answers, and love, with each other?

**Warning: Deals with dark themes and deep personal struggles.**

Review:
You can read this without reading the previous book sin the series, but you may want to go back and get a little more depth to the characters involved. I have to admit I'm fairly new to Ms. Cole and I'm hooked on her unique style. She evokes multiple emotions as you get invested in the characters and storyline...tears, laughter, frustration and more!

Buy Link:
Amazon

New Release ~ Playing Dirty by Amy Andrews

Sydney Smoke star recruit Kyle Leighton can’t believe the best sex of his life was just a one-night stand. He didn’t even know her name… Until she shows up at the locker room two weeks later and he connects the dots. 

Val King. Oh shit. 

Coach has one hard and fast rule: Never, ever date (much less f*ck ten ways to Sunday) his daughter. And not only did Kyle break that rule, but he wants to break it over and over again. In the shower. Against a wall. On every flat surface in his home.

But the coach and his daughter share more than just DNA. Their issues run deep and fooling around with her could widen the family chasm. 

And get Kyle benched for life.

So why can’t he stop thinking about her? Flirting with her? Suggesting they date for real and damn the consequences?

Each book in the Sydney Smoke Rugby series is STANDALONE:
* Playing By Her Rules
* Playing It Cool
* Playing the Player
* Playing With Forever
* Playing House
* Playing Dirty

Review:
I'm a sucker for a good Rugby story and while I missed starting this series, I will agree you can read them as standalones!

Val is an awesome character, strong and independent.  Kyle is a typical playboy and hotshot player but manages to redeem himself a little bit.  A sweet and sexy story that reads quick!


Buy Link:
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New Release ~ Knuckle Down by Chantal Fernando

A single father struggles to change for his daughters and the woman he loves in this second book in the Cursed Ravens Motorcycle Club series from New York Times bestselling author Chantal Fernando.

As a single father of two girls and the sergeant at arms for the Cursed Ravens Motorcycle Club, Jack “Knuckles” Chester doesn’t have much free time. And having earned his road name from his reputation as a fighter, Knuckles isn’t one to back away from a challenge.

But what he'll never admit out loud is that his two daughters have changed him irrevocably, softened him even. And these two girls are the only women who will ever hold his heart forever. That is, until he meets Celina.

Celina is nothing like the women Knuckles used to date. She’s a journalist for the local newspaper, and basically just has her life together. And the last thing she wants is to be involved with a Cursed Raven. But when the ripped, badass biker worms his way into her heart, she has trouble remembering all the reasons they would never work.

But when a shocking story is published her newspaper, it breaks the thin trust she has with Knuckles. Will she lose him forever? Or will Knuckles fight to keep Celina in his life?

Review:

A fairly sweet romance :)  While some of the storyline is tried and true and we've read it before.  Chantal's voice is all over it with a couple of twists that were unexpected.  A quick steamy and sweet read.

Buy Link:
Amazon

What Happened That Night by Sandra Block

One moment Dahlia is a successful Harvard student. The next, she wakes up from a party, the victim of a brutal assault. Her life veers into a tailspin, and what’s worse, her memory of the attack has been ripped away, leaving a cold rage in its wake.
 
Now, years later, Dahlia is a tattooed paralegal suffering from PTSD, still haunted by that night. Until one day, a video surfaces online, and Dahlia sees her attack for the first time. Now she knows what happened to her. And she knows who to blame. Her rage is no longer cold, but burning, red hot. 
 
And she is about to make everyone pay.

Review:
Wow...a fairly fast paced story with a few twists that made my jaw drop. Intense characters that have you loving and hating them while the plot is dark and a little disturbing Dahlia kicks butt!

Buy Link:
Amazon

Hush Now Baby by Cheryl Bradshaw

On a crisp, fall night, Serena Westwood wakes to the faint stirs of her crying baby. Bottle in hand, she tiptoes to the other side of the house, sneaks up to the crib, looks in. A wave of panic grips her as her real nightmare begins. Inside the crib, there is no baby.

Review:
First, this can be read without reading others in the series.  I read book 7 before book 6 so there was some background and some spoilers going into this one.  But Ms. Bradshaw writes a compelling story with great characters and awesome storyline.


Buy Link:
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New Release ~ Law of Attraction by Alison Bliss

For single mom Bobbie Jo Weston, finding a husband is not on her to-do list. She's focused on turning a run-down chicken farm into a Bed & Breakfast. She agrees to let a friend’s nephew stay with her in exchange for his handyman skills, but she wasn’t counting on the super sexy Seth Landry being that guy.

Seth has a special skill-set, all right, but it has nothing to do with hammering nails. As a retired member of The Resistance—an elite group of ex-military soldiers—his dark, unsettling past haunts him. He needs a place to lay low, and an out-of-the-way B&B is nothing short of perfect. The blonde beauty doesn’t trust men, and he doesn't plan on sticking around long enough to change her mind.

The closer they get, the more they can't seem to keep their hands off each other. And while Bobbie holds on to her fear of watching another man walk out of their lives, Seth's mere presence has put them all in jeopardy. The only way to ever be free of his dangerous past is for him to accept one last mission...

Review:
A sweet romance.  It was a fun story with a little drama and angst that keeps you turning the pages.  The characters are fun and easy to get invested in!

Buy Link:
Amazon

New Release ~*~ Lost Innocence by Jannine Gallant

The small town of Siren Cove, Oregon, has everything you could want—and a few things you don’t . . .

 
BREATHTAKING BEACHES
Artist Nina Hutton finds a lottery ticket on the beach, stuffs the crumpled paper in her pocket—then forgets all about it. Distracted and shaken by a series of break-ins at her home, Nina turns to her handsome new neighbor for help and protection again and again.
 
MILES OF HIKING TRAILS
Since the death of his wife in a drive-by shooting, Teague O’Dell has moved from the city to the small town of Siren Cove, determined that his daughter will grow up in a safe environment. But when the intriguing woman next door is plagued by a mysterious vandal, he wonders if his new home harbors unexpected dangers. 
. . . AND HIDDEN THREATS
The winning lottery numbers have been revealed, and the owner will do whatever it takes to claim the prize. And the closer Nina and Teague get to each other, the closer they may get to exposing a horror that could cost them everything . . .

Review:
While part of the Siren Cover series, this is easily read as a stand alone novel.

A bit of romance, a bit of suspense, and even a bit of misdirection all add up to a great story that keeps you turning each and every page.

Buy Links:
Amazon