Genre: Romantic Suspense

Review Round Up #6

Posted May 12, 2019 by Lily B in Reviews / 13 Comments

This book may be unsuitable for people under 17 years of age due to its use of sexual content, drug and alcohol use, and/or violence.
Review Round Up #6Deadly Obsession by April Hunt
Series: Steele Ops, #1
Published by Forever on April 30, 2019
Genres: Romantic Suspense
Pages: 416
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Rating:4 Stars
Heat:three-flames

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

“April Hunt’s romantic suspense will keep you on the edge of your seat.”—New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster
Someone is watching their every move.
After a lifetime spent in and out of hospitals, Zoey Wright is tired of playing it safe. She’s ready to take charge of her own life and get out of her comfort zone, starting with a new job as a CSI agent. But when her childhood crush Knox Steele gets pulled onto her case, Zoey needs to put her feelings for him aside or more women will die at the hands of the serial killer preying on her hometown.
Former Army Ranger Knox Steele is back in Washington to help his brothers open an elite private security firm. He never expected to stumble onto a crime scene, or see his best friend’s little sister working it. Zoey is all grown up now, and the attraction between them is electric, despite his best efforts to resist it. But all that changes for Knox when he realizes the victims have one thing in common . . . and Zoey might be next.

After spending most of her life in and out of the hospital Zoey Wright is done playing it safe. She is ready to get out of her comfort zone and take charge of her own life, starting with her new job as a CSI agent. All of that is easier said than done when you have an overprotective, overbearing brother Cade and his friends the Steele brothers. All to whom Zoey has been nothing but a little sister, including Cade’s best friend Knox. But Zoey does not want Knox to see her as a little sister. Knox is just “passing” through and the last thing he wants is to get attached, too bad that Zoey is ready to meet that challenge. Meanwhile, there is a serial killer on the loose called the Cupid Killer who has the tendency to murder his victims and leaving them with a cut the shape of a heart on their chest, and Zoey fits the profile.

I really enjoyed this one more than I expected. I loved all the Steele brothers, especially Roman and Knox and this book was a great start to what is promising to be an enjoyable series.

I thoroughly loved Knox and Zoey. Zoey with her spunky go get them personality, that has undergone so much in her life and Knox with his protectiveness over Zoey as well as his search to find where he belongs. These two made such a cute couple with their touch and go relationship, I found myself really rooting for them.

I did find that the book meandered a bit at times. The action with the serial killer mostly happens in the end, this is mostly a romance novel first and suspense second. Which is fine and works, and it works for what the Steele brothers are trying to do. It wasn’t hard to figure out who the Cupid Killer was, but I still found myself racing through the pages at the end.

I am really looking forward to more books in the series. I am especially looking forward to Cade and Grace’s story that left me wanting more and Roman, who I think at this moment is becoming my favorite.

Review Round Up #6Fire Season by Stephen Blackmoore
Published by Daw Books on April 16th 2019
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 294
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Rating:4 Stars

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The fourth book of this dark urban fantasy series follows necromancer Eric Carter through a world of vengeful gods and goddesses, mysterious murders, and restless ghosts.
Los Angeles is burning.
During one of the hottest summers the city has ever seen, someone is murdering mages with fires that burn when they shouldn't, that don't stop when they should. Necromancer Eric Carter is being framed for the killings and hunted by his own people.
To Carter, everything points to the god Quetzalcoatl coming after him, after he defied the mad wind god in the Aztec land of the dead. But too many things aren't adding up, and Carter knows there's more going on.
If he doesn't figure out what it is and put a stop to it fast, Quetzalcoatl won't just kill him, he'll burn the whole damn city down with him.

Los Angeles is burning and someone is out there blaming Eric Carter for all the mages that are dropping dead. Now he is being hunted by his own people. With a help of a few friends, he might just have enough to find who is responsible for the death of the mages and how it’s linked to the fires that are breaking out throughout the city.

Everything points to the god Quetzalcoatl a mad Aztec wind god, who Carter defied in the Land of the Dead. But things aren’t adding up and it’s up to Eric to put a stop to it, even if it means making a bargain he managed to avoid so far.

I really, really enjoyed this. I forgot how much I love Urban fantasy and this one was great. I liked the use of the Aztec gods, to me personally, that’s a new encounter in Urban fantasy and I found it different and refreshing. I liked Eric, I loved his personality, it was witty and a bit out there, and I found myself giggling more than once.

The world was also great. I thought following a necromancer was different and just a great spin in general.

There is a warning for drug use if it might be triggering.

Overall, I thought the world that Stephen Blackmoore created here is fantastic. This was my first book from this author, so yes, I was starting kind of four books into the series, but I found that I was able to follow everything regardless. Eric has a lot going on. Being married to the Death Goddess is just one of those things. This book has a great cast of side characters as well as some really brave female characters that made my day. The story was fast paced, it was fun and I enjoyed the writing. I will be looking for more.

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Review: Cut and Run by Mary Burton

Posted March 1, 2019 by Lily B in Reviews / 9 Comments

Review: Cut and Run by Mary BurtonCut and Run by Mary Burton
Series: standalone
Published by Montlake Romance on October 9, 2018
Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Romantic Suspense
Pages: 321
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought
Buy on Amazon
Rating:4 Stars
Heat:three-flames

Twin sisters separated by the past are reunited by unspeakable crimes in New York Times bestselling author Mary Burton’s throat-clutching novel of suspense…
Trauma victims are not new to medical examiner Faith McIntyre, but this one is different. The unconscious woman clinging to life after a hit and run is FBI agent Macy Crow. What the woman from Quantico was doing in a dark alley after midnight is just one mystery. The other is more unsettling: Macy is Faith’s mirror image—the twin sister she never knew she had.
Faith knew that she was adopted, but now she’s finding that her childhood concealed other secrets. Following the trail of clues Macy left behind, Faith and Texas Ranger Mitchell Hayden make a shocking discovery on an isolated country ranch—a burial ground for three women who disappeared thirty years before.
They weren’t the only victims in a killer’s twisted plot. And they won’t be the last.
As the missing pieces of Faith’s and Macy’s dark lives snap into place, Faith is becoming more terrified by what she sees—and by what she must do to save her sister and herself from the past.

First time dipping my toes into Mary Burton’s world and it won’t be my last!

Cut and Run follows a medical examiner Faith McIntyre, who finds that the woman lies in critical condition is her twin sister she never knew about. Faith always knew she was adopted, but she didn’t know that her adoption would unearth a trail of deep dark secrets. Following the clues her twin left behind, Faith and Texas Ranger Mitchell Hayden will uncover shocking discoveries of the past that might help them find a new missing pregnant girl in the present.

This book was a really good thriller. Well written, with great character development. I loved that Faith and Mitchell weren’t exactly perfect, which made them easy to relate to and more human.

I love the dark atmospheric tone of the book. I really enjoyed the pace. The overall story kept me mostly guessing and gave me enough to make me want to flip through the pages. The themes were a bit dark and as a mother, hard to read at times. But overall the well-developed plot was exciting and heart pounding till the end. I liked that the authors sprinkled a little bit of romance to lighten the plot line.

I think my only gripe with all of this would be the ending. I thought it felt a bit rushed as everything fell into place and the last bit was uncovered. I would have liked the reveal to unravel a bit slower.

But I really enjoyed her style of writing and storytelling, I will be looking for more from this author.

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Divorced, Desperate and Dead by Christie Craig

Posted June 29, 2018 by Lily B in Audio, Reviews / 11 Comments

Divorced, Desperate and Dead by Christie CraigDivorced, Desperate and Dead by Christie Craig
Narrator: Wendy Tremont King
Length: 11 hrs 8 min
Series: Divorced and Desperate #4
Published by Tantor Audio on May 29, 2018
Genres: Romance, Chick-Lit, Romantic Suspense
Format: Audiobook
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Rating:4 Stars
Heat:three-flames

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

After a disastrous marriage and divorce, Detective Cary Stevens vowed he'd never let another woman into his heart. But when his latest investigation puts him in the way of a bullet, his bachelor days-and one-night stands-may be numbered. On the brink of death, he finds himself in Room Six, a waiting room in the hereafter where in-betweeners' fates are truly decided. He resigns himself to dying of boredom, if nothing else, in the lineup of senior citizens with their AARP magazines, when in walks the one woman who could make him want a second chance at life . . . and love. Chloe Sanders learns the hard way that no good deed goes unpunished when she pushes a little girl out of the way of a moving car and wakes up in some type of purgatory. Or maybe it's heaven, because she couldn't have asked for a hotter guy with whom to await her final judgment. The sweeping glances of his bedroom eyes and sharp-tongued flirtatiousness tell her Cary's certainly no angel, but is he real? When she finally wakes up, Chloe's determined to find out if he's truly a man of magnificent flesh and blood or just a figment of her imagination. But before she can track him down, will the murderer that first put them both in Room Six come back to finish the job?

Detective Cary Stevens has vowed to never let another woman into his life after his disastrous marriage, until he get’s shot and meets Chloe Sanders in Room Six, a waiting in the hereafter where they wait for their fates to be decided.

Chloe had just lost her fiance and isn’t looking for anything series, but she also does not believe that Cary Stevens can possibly be real until the detectives own partner shows up on her doorsteps (who also happens to be the man that her friend is trying to set her up with)

Sparks fly, tension thickens as the two are unable to keep away from each other, both with broken hearts and might be just what each of them needs.

This was a fun read. I really liked the supernatural aspect of the book, I thought it was different, refreshing and honestly what truly hooked me. I loved the humor in the story, the author is really great with that, I couldn’t help but laugh and I’ve been really needing that lately. The character worked together well and to top it all off, the author also threw in a bit of a suspense involving gangs and I loved the way she handled the troubled kid in this book.

I listened to this on audiobook and really enjoyed it. The narrator had a southern twang that really fit with the book and the characters and I liked the lazy drawl. Of course I did speed up and that made it even better, but I think she did a wonderful job and it just really worked for the book.

Overall, this was a fun, sexy, entertaining romance and just what I needed to brighten my week.

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Review: Don’t Tell by Karen Rose

Posted October 10, 2017 by Lily B in Audio, Reviews / 14 Comments

Hi everyone! Sophia Rose is back with another review, this time of an audio of Don’t Tell by Karen Rose. Oh a romantic suspense, doesn’t it sound really good? set against a backdrop of Chicago and Ashville, NC the premise of two cases has me interested. Read Sophia’s review and see what she thinks.

Review: Don’t Tell by Karen RoseDon't Tell by Karen Rose, Michael Ferraiuolo
Series: Chicago #1
Published by Tantor Audio on August 22nd 2017
Genres: Romantic Suspense
Pages: 15 hr 44 min
Format: Audiobook
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Rating:4.5 Stars
Heat:three-flames

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

It was a desperate plan. But Mary Grace Winters knew the only way to save herself and her child from her abusive cop husband was to stage their own death. Now all that remains of their former life is at the bottom of a lake. Armed with a new identity in a new town, she and her son have found refuge hundreds of miles away. As Caroline Stewart, she has almost forgotten the nightmare she left behind nine years ago. She is even taking a chance on love with Max Hunter, a man with wounds of his own. But her past is about to collide with the present when her husband uncovers her trail and threatens her hard-won peace. Step by step, he's closing in on her-and everything and everyone she loves. Contains mature themes.

I’ve been a lover of Karen Rose’s books since I stumbled upon Closer Than You Think, the beginning of her Cincinnati series and several books into her overall Romantic Suspense series. Finally, I got the chance to go back to the very beginning to where it all began in Chicago.

It’s fascinating when one starts at nearly the end and goes back to the beginning to see the comparison of just how much a writer as progressed in style and element, but also see the amazing heart of the writing that pulled me in and was there all along through a whole series it seems.

As I said, Don’t Tell is the beginning. It’s part of the Chicago series, but the book is technically split between events going on in Ashville, NC and Chicago and like all the others is a large book with many story lines and several narrators. The police in North Carolina are on the trail of a re-opened cold case as is the villain even while another storyline is developing in Chicago surrounding the secretive woman at the heart of it all.

Mary Grace Winters now posing for 9 years as Caroline Stewart was an incredible heroine. She exemplified a true survivor. She’s strong, but also fearful and fragile, stubborn and generous and it was neat to see what a truly good man with his own ghosts could do. Max comes across in the beginning as a knight, but then his past is revealed and he is a tarnished battered knight who makes mistakes with Caroline, but still finds the strength to be the man she needs. Down in Ashville, Agent Stewart and Detective Ross are equally great characters to follow along with as they doggedly investigate the case of Mary Grace Winters. It was heartwrenching to see what they dug up of Caro’s past as battered Mary Grace. And oh yes, I was treated to many scenes with the sadistic fiend who was her abuser and the abuser and killer of many more while also believing himself to be a good cop, Rob Winters. Shivers came when I was stuck in his head with him.

The story took its time drawing all the plot strings along until they tied together in one intense climax. But the author deftly followed up with the aftermath of situations. This was not a murder mystery where the reader must figure out the killer’s identity. It was a gritty, exciting thriller romance where it was a race of who would get to Caroline first and then what would happen if her evil ex did.

The narrator has one I’ve noted as being a favorite of other audio listeners so I was glad to give Michael Ferraiuolo my first try. He did a great job with the huge cast of characters, plot threads, range of emotions and tension, pacing, and overall tone of the book. I can see myself becoming a fan of his work, too.

All in all, I was riveted at times and engaged deeply through the softer scenes. It’s a great blend of romance, character growth, and suspense. I definitely recommend it to romantic suspense and thriller romance lovers.

About Sophia Rose

Sophia is a quiet though curious gal who dabbles in cooking, book reviewing, and gardening. Encouraged and supported by an incredible man and loving family. A Northern Californian transplant to the Great Lakes Region of the US. Lover of Jane Austen, Baseball, Cats, Scooby Doo, and Chocolate.

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Guest Review: The Lure of the Moonflower by Lauren Willig

Posted July 17, 2017 by Lily B in Guest Post, Reviews / 20 Comments

Good Morning guys! I hope you all are doing well and enjoying your July. I myself cannot believe how fast this summer is flying. Before you know it, we are going to be in the fall and than the year will come to a close. I miss you guys. It’s been super busy around here but I have managed to keep on reading, so I have a bunch of books to review for you and hopefully be back in full swing soon. Until than, the lovely Sophia has another review for you. Enjoy her take on how she felt about book twelve in the Pink Carnation series. I’ve been eyeing this series what feels like forever, it sounds like a great read with interesting characters.

Guest Review: The Lure of the Moonflower by Lauren WilligThe Lure of the Moonflower by Lauren Willig
Series: Pink Carnation #12
Published by NAL on August 4th 2015
Genres: Historical Romance, Romantic Suspense
Pages: 528
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Rating:4 Stars
Heat:two-flames

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

In the final Pink Carnation novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Mark of the Midnight Manzanilla, Napoleon has occupied Lisbon, and Jane Wooliston, aka the Pink Carnation, teams up with a rogue agent to protect the escaped Queen of Portugal.  Portugal, December 1807. Jack Reid, the British agent known as the Moonflower (formerly the French agent known as the Moonflower), has been stationed in Portugal and is awaiting his new contact. He does not expect to be paired with a woman—especially not the legendary Pink Carnation.   All of Portugal believes that the royal family departed for Brazil just before the French troops marched into Lisbon. Only the English government knows that mad seventy-three-year-old Queen Maria was spirited away by a group of loyalists determined to rally a resistance. But as the French garrison scours the countryside, it’s only a matter of time before she’s found and taken.   It’s up to Jane to find her first and ensure her safety. But she has no knowledge of Portugal or the language. Though she is loath to admit it, she needs the Moonflower. Operating alone has taught her to respect her own limitations. But she knows better than to show weakness around the Moonflower—an agent with a reputation for brilliance, a tendency toward insubordination, and a history of going rogue.
READERS GUIDE INCLUDED

I’ve always had a bit of a thing for espionage stories particularly from the past so the Pink Carnation series has been right up my alley. The Lure of the Moonflower is the twelfth and final book of the series and brings things full circle with a mission for the Pink Carnation herself.

For those not in the know, this series is told split story- present story framing a past story. In the present, Eloise and Collin have their adventures as Eloise lives at the old Selwick country estate to do research for her grad dissertation on the enigmatic shadowy lady spy of the past during the wars with France, The Pink Carnation. And in the past, the stories follow the missions of the members in the Pink Carnation’s league of spies. There is suspense and romance to be had- heavier on the romance much of the time.

The missions can get quite twisty so that sometimes it comes down to the end before secrets are revealed. These are exciting stories, but don’t slip into gritty thriller territory. I confess that the split stories don’t hold my attention equally. I enjoy Eloise, Collin and their families, but I get more engaged with the stories in the past. That said, with this last one, I found both stories engaging and I loved how this last story ended up. And I really hope a few of those possible future threads get addressed.

What I enjoyed about this one was not the actual spy mission itself- Jane, the Pink Carnation, recruiting a dubious Jack to help remove the queen of Portugal from French hands. No, I enjoyed the interplay between stiff, prejudiced, and know it all Jane against a man of equal intellect who is not what she thought he was. The Pink Carnation never errs and never is taken by surprise, but from the outset, she thinks she knows all about him and lets these preconceived notions guide her into making mistakes.

I was so afraid that there would be an imbalance and that the hero would never live up to who was needed to pair with Jane because she is such a strong and highly skilled agent and woman, but that was not the case. Jack was a brilliant complex character- strong enough to stand beside Jane and let her do her thing, but also have her respect because he was strong in his own right. Their chemistry was smoldering at first as they battled wits and figured out how best to get along, but then it was sizzling. Loved how their relationship was brought along.

Incidentally, my paper copy came with some extras at the back- historical notes, author q&a, extended and deleted scenes, and reader discussions.

So this was a great end to the series, but I do hope there are a few more to come someday. These will be for those who can appreciate a split story, gentle suspense that is more focused on romance and character parts of the plot.

 

About Sophia Rose

Sophia is a quiet though curious gal who dabbles in cooking, book reviewing, and gardening. Encouraged and supported by an incredible man and loving family. A Northern Californian transplant to the Great Lakes Region of the US. Lover of Jane Austen, Baseball, Cats, Scooby Doo, and Chocolate.

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Review: Lethal Lies by Rebecca Zanetti

Posted May 8, 2017 by Lily B in Reviews / 12 Comments

This book may be unsuitable for people under 17 years of age due to its use of sexual content, drug and alcohol use, and/or violence.
Review: Lethal Lies by Rebecca ZanettiLethal Lies by Rebecca Zanetti
Series: Blood Brothers #2
Published by Forever on May 16th 2017
Genres: Romantic Suspense
Pages: 416
Format: Kindle Edition
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Rating:2 Stars
Heat:three-flames

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Zanetti brings us the second book in a thrilling romantic suspense series.
A deadly secret can't stay buried forever . . .
Revenge. It's the only thing that will help Anya Best sleep at night. The serial killer who murdered her sister is on the loose, and Anya will stop at nothing to put him behind bars-even use herself as bait to lure him out of hiding. But she can't do this alone.
Private investigator Heath Jones's job is to bring bastards to justice. This time it's personal. He knew the Copper Killer's latest victim so when her sister asks for his help, he's all in. But when Anya uses the media to taunt the killer, she exposes Heath's identity, putting them both in jeopardy. Now, secrets buried long ago are coming to light and the forces determined to destroy him are watching Heath's every move, waiting to exact their own revenge. And they'll use anything and anyone to get to Heath.
With twists and turns that will take your breath away, LETHAL LIES is sexy, action-packed suspense at its very best from New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Zanetti.

3 Reasons why I did not like Lethal Lies

1. Anya - I never go into a book to hate it. I read Zanetti before and really enjoyed her other series. I could not stand Anya. I downright hated her. I just could not stand her character. There is a serial killer on the loose and apparently killing red heads and somehow it’s connected to Anya and he is doing it because of her.
When Anya meets Heath for the first time, she is being shot at. So after almost getting killed because of him. What does she do? She makes it publicly known that she is engaged to him so the serial killer comes after her out of jealousy. She does all of this at her sister’s funeral.
Ah two things here. 1. She didn’t know the man enough to make that kind of judgment. 2. She met him and almost died, thanks to him. 3. It’s her sister’s funeral and the girl keeps thinking about getting into his pants.
Lot’s of poor life choices there Anya.
I found her reckless, desperate and lacking direction. She gets Heath involved in this serial killer thing, puts him out there without even knowing the man and then thinks she can take control of the situation. She didn’t even really feel like she had a solid plan going into this.

2. The Romance - I had a problem with it. Because 1. It felt to insta-love for me and 2. It probably should have never happened.
The way they met and the set up, I just felt like it was really stupid of her. Like I said, she didn’t know the guy, she almost got killed because of the guy, and it was frustrating.
It didn’t help that Heath’s temper should have really made her run for the hills.
When her ex boyfriend stalks her to the place they were going. Heath literally beats him to an inch of his life due to blind rage. This guy, despite being stupid, did not stand a chance against Heath and his super genetics.
So Anya just stands there, watches as Heath beats the living life out of her ex who is a professor and probably never lifted a fist in this life and after, she just tells Heath she understands.
Like it’s not worth it, and to top it off Heath got away with it and Anya was like oh wow.. But okay, I understand. Really? Come on, Really?

3. The plot - soooo slow.It felt like it was never going to end. It just felt stale at times. It didn’t help that I did not like the main character or the relationship. I think it just made it worse. It took me almost a month to finish this book. I was just 5 days short of a month. I kept thinking maybe it’s just my mood? So I put it down and pick it up a week to a few days later and still nope.
So finally I just had 20% left and battled through it. It kind of hurt to do it. But I did it, and now I can move on.

I also felt that with everything that happened with the FBI and all the stuff they did, they probably got off a bit too easy in the end. I guess it just really did not click with me.

There was a light at the end of the tunnel. I found that I really liked Denver. But the end of the book has me worried that it’s going to be another case of reckless female that puts everyone including herself in danger. Still, thinking about reading his story.

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Review: A Nun Walks into a Bar by Piper Davenport

Posted March 21, 2017 by Lily B in Guest Post, Reviews / 26 Comments

Morning guys! Hope you grabbed your coffee, I know I have. This morning I have Sophia Rose back with another Guest Review - Today she will be reviewing a Romantic Suspense A Nun Walks into a Bar - I think the title alone has got me giggling. Check out her wonderful review below and don’t forget to leave her some love <3

This book may be unsuitable for people under 17 years of age due to its use of sexual content, drug and alcohol use, and/or violence.
Review:  A Nun Walks into a Bar by Piper DavenportA Nun Walks into a Bar by Piper Davenport
Published by Self-published on March 6th 2017
Genres: Romantic Suspense
Pages: 333
Format: Kindle Edition
Source: Author
Buy on Amazon
Rating:3.5 Stars
Heat:four-flames

I received this book for free from Author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

After growing up in an abbey, orphan Sadie Ross becomes Sister Abigail Eunice. Her life and career are on track until a chance meeting with a handsome stranger in a place no nun should ever go.

Ryder Carsen’s sister is missing, and he doesn’t have time for distractions. But when a pretty nun walks into his bar, he can’t ignore his attraction to her, even though she’s not the “sister” he’s looking for. He’s relieved when she walks out of his life for what he believes is forever.

Sadie’s life takes a surprising detour when she finds her path crossed with Ryder’s once again.

When they are brought back together, Ryder knows he’s found the only woman he’ll ever love, but time is running out for his sister.

Will Ryder save his sister from the men who took her?

The title… I was smiling and intrigued from the first time I spotted the title. And *snort* it’s the NUN-rated edition.

I’m already familiar with the author’s earlier Dogs of Fire MC series so I was curious about this spin-off story going on in the Dogs of Fire world. New readers can easily pick this one up without having read the older ongoing series without trouble since this pulls in new lead characters and a parallel story line.

I found this a light story with some heartwarming and thoughtful elements. The romance is the focus, but the suspense is a solid element to keep things interesting too. A woman who grew up with nuns and wanted to be a nun, but really wasn’t cut out for that vocation and a guy raised in a dark, gritty world come together. It was an intriguing situation.

Sadie was a mystery to me much of the time, I’ll admit. I had no idea why she got bent out of shape half the time’s she did or at least to the extent she did. She’s naive and vulnerable, but she’s also defensive and snarky. She needs a bit of help transitioning out into the world but sometimes she gets a chip on her shoulder and takes it wrong. She wants to be thought to have arrived before her train is barely leaving the station if that makes sense.

Ryder, now he wasn’t a mystery. He’s a steamroller once he gets going. He’s alpha to the core and has the need to be in control and keep those he cares about safe- bubble wrap probably isn’t out of the question. But, this need makes sense when his past and his sister’s issues come into play. Sadie was a good fit for him and kept him on his toes just like he had the patience and understanding not to see her as an oddball, but a person who just needs some time.

The suspense part seemed to be leading in one direction with Ryder’s missing sister, but then it became something huge and much more. Sadie finds out just how dark Ryder’s world was and has to figure out if she’ll stand with him or sit this one out.

I had a good time with this side story in the Dogs of Fire universe. I think lovers of that series as well as those who enjoy romantic suspense with a stronger dose of spicy romance should definitely snag this up.

About Sophia Rose

Sophia is a quiet though curious gal who dabbles in cooking, book reviewing, and gardening. Encouraged and supported by an incredible man and loving family. A Northern Californian transplant to the Great Lakes Region of the US. Lover of Jane Austen, Baseball, Cats, Scooby Doo, and Chocolate.

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Review: Mercury Striking by Rebecca Zanetti

Posted February 20, 2017 by Lily B in Reviews / 11 Comments

This book may be unsuitable for people under 17 years of age due to its use of sexual content, drug and alcohol use, and/or violence.
Review:  Mercury Striking by Rebecca ZanettiMercury Striking by Rebecca Zanetti
Series: Scorpius Syndrome #1
Published by Zebra on January 26th 2016
Genres: Romantic Suspense, Post- Apocalyptic
Pages: 384
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought
Buy on Amazon
Rating:4 Stars
Heat:three-half-flames

With nothing but rumors to lead her, Lynn Harmony has trekked across a nightmare landscape to find one man—a mysterious, damaged legend who protects the weak and leads the strong. He’s more than muscle and firepower—and in post-plague L.A., he’s her only hope. As the one woman who could cure the disease, Lynn is the single most volatile—and vulnerable—creature in this new and ruthless world. But face to face with Jax Mercury…
Danger has never looked quite so delicious…

Ninety-nine percent of US citizens have been killed by Scorpius, a bacteria. If a person survives the contagion, they became a carrier and could infect other people who have not yet been infected. Rippers are survivors of Scorpius bacterium, that is known to change brain chemistry. Some became sociopaths, some became serial killers, while other people have not changed in to bad of a way. Vitamin B seems to help keep the body protected from itself and the worst of the brain damage. Lynne Harmony, otherwise known as Blue Heart (because of her glowing blue heart) is the head of CDC and is blamed for being responsible with not only creating the virus but also releasing it.

Jax Mercury is the organizer of a group called Vanguard. An ex gangbanger who had joined a military after given a choice between that or prison.

When Lynne Harmony shows up on his doorsteps asking Jax to kill someone for him, he didn’t expect the woman to also peel away his carefully constructed layers and get under his skin. In the new world, Jax does not feel like he could afford that distraction - especially if he knows that Lynne is hiding something from him, something important.

Woah, this was a ride. I absolutely adored every minute of this book. This wasn’t easy to read at times and a warning in advance, do not get attached to too many secondary characters in this book. Zanetti knows how to craft an interesting, eerily real world of what could happen if some type of infection did spread across the US. Think The Walking Dead, without zombies, where the scariest thing left behind is the mind of an organized serial killer - the most dangerous of the kind.

There was just so much going on in this book. We get the sense that Lynne is hiding something big, and it takes a while to reveal what it is. Meanwhile, there is a whole other bunch of issues going on, mainly the fact that a lot of people in the Vanguard territory believe that Lynne and hers Blue Heart are a carrier of a stronger strain of the bacterium, thanks to the rumors that have been spread. Also, there is a huge price tag on her head and a rival gang member called the Twenty keep attacking their compound. It’s just a world wind of awesome.

I liked Jax. I liked his let’s kick ass and take names later persona, it’s very realistic with the situation he is dealing with. He is in charge of about 500 people and the supplies are very limited. You can tell that he is afraid to open up to the people in fear that he would grow to care for them, even people in his own territory. It seems much easier for Jax if he doesn’t have to get close and then watch the people die, because people do die in this world, sooner than others.

I really liked Lynne also because she stayed true to her character most of the time. She isn’t let’s kick butt type of woman, she needs help most of the time, which is okay with me because it kept her real.

This was so good, the writing was amazing and it brought out so many emotions. Anger, frustration, fear, interest, excitement. It seemed so very realistic and Zanetti was not afraid to hold back punches. I was so shocked and upset by some of the secondary character deaths, some took me by complete shock and surprise and even left me angry. I wasn’t expecting it, but isn’t that what makes it a good writer? It isn’t always easy to let go and some of the most shocking scenes can make or break the story.

Overall, I really liked the world that is being built and I cannot wait to see what happens next. The only thing I had an issue with was with what happened to Wyatt and Lynne’s sudden clumsiness at the end of the book. The next book is Raze’s story and I am for one excited about that one. Raze is this man with very few words who showed up on Jax’s turf out of the blue and is highly skilled at what he does.

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