Category: ARC

Road of the Lost: Book One of the Judges Cycle by Aidan Russell

3 Stars

Publisher: 13Thirty Books, Independent Book Publishers Association, Members Titles

Date of publication: January 11, 2018

Genre: Fantasy

Number of pages: 241

Where you can find Road of the Lost: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

Ancient evils awaken.

The glades overflow with blood.

If the forest dies, the world will burn.

“Road of the Lost is a thrilling fantasy adventure with action and humor…” – San Francisco Book Review.

“Road of the Lost is a fast-paced fantasy with an RPG feel… I really enjoyed the jocular, brotherly bickering of the two knights… This was a fun fantasy read.” – Manhattan Book Review

Reslo wants nothing more than to be home in time for supper, but ancient evils want to drown his forest homeland in blood. An outsider from birth, he is at last given an opportunity to serve alongside his people and save their mother forest. But if he thought fighting against the cruel Dark Elves and their Ogre allies would test his endurance, Reslo must also keep alive two bungling, novice knights from a foreign kingdom on a quest to find their lost champion.

Fresh from squirehood, Jerah and Gratas are tasked to find the missing knight and the holy sword entrusted to them. If they perish, their kingdom’s armies will march, and war will be unavoidable.

Road of the Lost is an epic-quest fantasy that features wise-cracking characters pitted against world-shattering adversity. The pages are filled with an abundance of intense, vivid, and consuming action. If you like classic fantasy with gritty combat and captivating heroes, then you’ll love this book!

Trigger Warning: None

Continue reading “Road of the Lost: Book One of the Judges Cycle by Aidan Russell” →

The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

The Wife Between Us

4 Stars

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Date of publication: January 9th, 2018

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Women’s Fiction

Number of pages: 352

POV: alternating 1st and 3rd person

Where you can find The Wife Between Us: Barnes and Noble | Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

A novel of suspense that explores the complexities of marriage and the dangerous truths we ignore in the name of love. 

When you read this book, you will make many assumptions.
You will assume you are reading about a jealous wife and her obsession with her replacement.
You will assume you are reading about a woman about to enter a new marriage with the man she loves.
You will assume the first wife was a disaster and that the husband was well rid of her.
You will assume you know the motives, the history, the anatomy of the relationships.
Assume nothing.

Discover the next blockbuster novel of suspense, and get ready for the read of your life. 

Trigger Warning: Domestic violence

Continue reading “The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen” →

Fake Wife by Stacey Lynn

Fake Wife

4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group, Loveswept

Date of publication: January 9th, 2018

Genre: Romance, Women’s Fiction

Number of pages: 190

POV: Alternating 1st person

Where you can find Fake Wife: Barnes and Noble | Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

This marriage is strictly business… until the temptation gets way too real.

Sterling: I loved my grandma, but I don’t need her money. All I care about is keeping the house—the only place that’s ever felt like home. That, and screwing over my dad, who wants to turn the property into a mall. There’s only one catch: To receive my inheritance, I have to get married within six months. Me, the guy who’s never dated a girl for more than six minutes. Now I need to find a woman I can trust. So when I’m rear-ended by a Prius, I figure it’s a sign that I’m supposed to meet gorgeous, down-to-earth Teagan Monroe.

Teagan: First I lose my job. Then I come home and find out—in the most graphic way possible… yeah, that way—that my boyfriend is a cheating jerk. And then I speed off and nearly kill Portland’s sexiest bachelor. Sterling Lane should be pissed. Instead, he offers me more money than I’ve ever seen in my life to marry him and live together in a mansion for two years. No sex. No feelings. Just cash—enough to make all my dreams come true. Then we go and break all our rules… and I realize I’m falling in love with my fake fiancé.

Trigger Warning: None

Continue reading “Fake Wife by Stacey Lynn” →

Man Candy (Real Love: Book 3) by Jessica Lemmon

Man Candy (Real Love, #3)

4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group, Loveswept

Date of publication: January 9th, 2018

Genre: Humor, Romance

Number of pages: 212

Series: Real Love

Eye Candy – Book 1 (review here)

Arm Candy – Book 2 (review here)

Man Candy – Book 3

Where you can find Man Candy: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

Is there room for two in that sleeping bag? When it comes to love, a chiseled loner takes the scenic route in this irresistible standalone from the author of Eye Candy (“Truly the perfect romantic comedy.”—Lauren Layne).

Dax: After spending the summer buried up to my eyeballs in my family’s affairs, I’m ready for a break. The kind of break where I can spend two solid weeks camping and fishing in the company of absolutely no one. Then I find myself directly in the path of a drop-dead gorgeous tornado by the name of Becca Stone. Who can resist a night with a damsel in distress? Especially when she happens to be a leggy blonde? The last thing I expect is for Becca to show up on my cabin doorstep the next night, shivering in the rain and ready for seconds.

Becca: One minute I’m admiring the rock-hard jaw of the Magic Mike lookalike who walks into my bar, and the next I’m getting fired by my own brother. Loudly. In front of everyone. Luckily Dax Vaughn is a gentleman who aims his white-hot smile at me. Oh, it’s on. Wham, bam, thank you, ma’am. Then a torrential storm washes out the main road and causes a massive power outage, giving us two whole weeks to enjoy each other’s company. At which point Dax will go back home, leaving “us” in the rearview mirror. That’s the plan. Or it was . . . until I started falling for him.

Trigger Warning: None

Continue reading “Man Candy (Real Love: Book 3) by Jessica Lemmon” →

The English Wife: A Novel

The English Wife: A Novel

4 Stars

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Date of publication: January 9th, 2018

Genre: Historical Fiction, drama, mystery

Number of pages: 384

Where you can find The English Wife: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

From the New York Times bestselling author, Lauren Willig, comes this scandalous Gilded Age novel full of family secrets, affairs, and even murder.

Annabelle and Bayard Van Duyvil live a charmed life: he’s the scion of an old Knickerbocker family, she grew up in a Tudor manor in England, they had a whirlwind romance in London, they have three-year-old twins on whom they dote, and he’s recreated her family home on the banks of the Hudson and renamed it Illyria. Yes, there are rumors that she’s having an affair with the architect, but rumors are rumors and people will gossip. But then Bayard is found dead with a knife in his chest on the night of their Twelfth Night Ball, Annabelle goes missing, presumed drowned, and the papers go mad. Bay’s sister, Janie, forms an unlikely alliance with a reporter to uncover the truth, convinced that Bay would never have killed his wife, that it must be a third party, but the more she learns about her brother and his wife, the more everything she thought she knew about them starts to unravel. Who were her brother and his wife, really? And why did her brother die with the name George on his lips?

Trigger Warning: None

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Temptation Trails Part 1 (Temptation Trails: Book 1) by B. Truly

Temptation Trials Part I

3 Stars

Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform

Date of publication: June 3rd, 2017

Genre: Romance, Science Fiction, Fantasy

Number of pages: 319

Series: Temptation Trials

Temptation Trials – Book 1

Temptation Trials Part II – Book 2

Where you can find Temptation Trials Part I: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

The Bachelorettes Meet Wild Things 

Part I of Temptation Trials

Will you be Tempted? Will Love save your Soul?

One nation under his reign.
Cardinal sins of man-caused humanity to pay the price. Cali Nasser grew up in a world succeeding World War III. The aftermath forced the world dictatorship that she must now live in. A new Regime arose from the ashes. They demanded obedience and cooperation from every citizen, even in matters of the heart.

One domain … One accord … One nation. In Cali’s eyes, the moral code revolves around a twisted plot for control.
It used to sicken Cali how people would allow the Regime to test their love through the Temptation Trials. That is until she met Kincade. Cali’s entire point of view changes when she falls for him. She struggles with herself, debating if she should challenge the government’s law of arranged marriage.

Cali’s childhood friend, Stefani, always kept a positive perspective about their lives until she was threatened with the same dilemma, at odds over the man she loves.

Now Cali and Stefani face a desperate choice—submit to the Regime’s will, or fight for what they value most—love. Although lust, mistaken for love, could lead to damnation. Do they give up on love or sign up for the Temptation Trials, a reality TV show where every temptation is laid before them?
The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Can love save their souls?
Rated Mature 18 +
Adult, Dystopian Romance with sensuality, sexual content, and love triangles.

Trigger Warning: drug use

Continue reading “Temptation Trails Part 1 (Temptation Trails: Book 1) by B. Truly” →

Van (Cold Fury Hockey: Book 9) by Sawyer Bennett

Van (Cold Fury Hockey, #9)

5 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group, Loveswept

Date of publication: November 28th, 2017

Genre: Romance, Sports

Number of pages: 224

Series: Cold Fury Hockey

Alex – Book 1

Garrett – Book 2

Zack – Book 3

Ryker – Book 4

Hawke – Book 5

Max – Book 6

Roman – Book 7

Lucas – Book 8 (review here)

Van – Book 9

Reed – Book 10 (expected publication date: February 6th, 2018)

Marek – Book 11 (expected publication date: May 22nd, 2018)

Where you can find Van: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

Score one for the Carolina Cold Fury hockey team as a stone-cold badass melts for a woman who makes his blood run hot.

As one of the league’s toughest enforcers, Van Turner is ruthless on the ice. He plays hard because it’s the only way to channel the rage boiling inside, and a reputation as an A-hole is better than everyone knowing the truth. Van has spent his entire life running from a secret that’s kept him from getting involved in relationships—or accepting lucrative deals with East Coast teams. Then the Carolina Cold Fury makes him an offer he can’t refuse . . . and Van meets a woman he can’t resist.

Simone Fournier is the stubborn one in her family—and that’s saying something, considering her brothers are two of the Cold Fury’s biggest stars. Simone gets what she wants, and what she wants is Van. Still, there’s a part of him Simone can’t reach, no matter how hard she tries. In private, he’s all fire and passion. In public, he freezes her out. Van may want to push her away, but Simone won’t let him go that easily. Because this time, she’s playing for keeps.

Trigger Warning: none

Continue reading “Van (Cold Fury Hockey: Book 9) by Sawyer Bennett” →

An Ex for Christmas (Love Unexpectedly: Book 5) by Lauren Layne

An Ex for Christmas

4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group, Loveswept

Date of publication: November 7th, 2017

Genre: Romance, Women’s Fiction

Number of pages: 204

Series: Love Unexpectedly

Blurred Lines – Book 1

Good Girl – Book 2

Love Story – Book 3

Walk of Shame – Book 4 (review here)

An Ex for Christmas – Book 5

Where you can find An Ex for Christmas: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

She’s making a list—and checking it twice. But is there a nice guy among all her naughty exes? The New York Times bestselling author of Blurred Lines returns with a charming friends-to-lovers rom-com.

When a psychic tells spunky, superstitious Kelly Byrne that she’s already met her true love, she becomes obsessed with the idea of tracking him down before Christmas. Kelly immediately writes up an “Ex List” and starts contacting old boyfriends to figure out which one is the one. When her college sweetheart rolls into town, Kelly convinces herself that they’re meant to be. The trouble is, sparks are flying with someone she’s never given a chance: her best friend, Mark.

Mark Blakely has watched the guys on Kelly’s list break her heart, and he’s not looking forward to watching them do it all over again. Mark’s always been there for her, but the timing’s never worked out for their relationship to be something more. Now, just as Mark is ready to move on, the sexual tension between them is suddenly off the charts. With Christmas morning around the corner, he just hopes Kelly will wake up and realize that everything she wants has been right in front of her all along.

Trigger Warning: None

Continue reading “An Ex for Christmas (Love Unexpectedly: Book 5) by Lauren Layne” →

Summer of the Unicorn by Kay Hooper

Summer of the Unicorn: A Novel by [Hooper, Kay]

3.5 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group, Loveswept

Date of publication: November 7th, 2017

Genre: Romance, Science Fiction, Fantasy

Number of pages: 296

Where you can find Summer of the Unicorn: Barnes and Noble | Amazon 

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

SHE WAS BORN OF MYTH … BUT THEY LOVED AS MORTALS

They were of two different worlds and during one fateful summer, those worlds would converge in a spectacular mountain valley. Siri, warrior, sorceress and siren, the gorgeous Keeper of the last herd of golden unicorns. And Hunter Morgan, myth-seeker, whose ordained quest has led him to this strange place and to Siri. She is woman incarnate, whose purity is akin to her life. He is man personified, whose needs run deep. They were born to be lovers, to come together at this time of enchantment to solve the riddle of their doom–each other’s touch–and to fight alone and together against a powerful foe whose evil menace threatened them … and their worlds.

Trigger Warning: talk of rape

Continue reading “Summer of the Unicorn by Kay Hooper” →

Titan’s Wrath by Rhett C. Bruno

Titan's Wrath

4 Stars

Publisher: Aethon Books

Date of publication: December 10th, 2017

Genre: Science fiction, space

Number of pages: 400

Series: Titanborn

Titanborn – Book 1 (review here)

From Ice to Ashes – Book 2 (review here)

Titan’s Wrath – Book 3

Where you can find Titan’s Wrath: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

Two men are caught on both sides of a violent, off-world rebellion in this standalone, Science Fiction epic set in Rhett C. Bruno’s bestselling Titanborn Universe.

After inciting rebellion against Earth throughout Titan’s off-world colonies, Kale Trass learns that leadership isn’t only about fighting. Keeping control of his people–even his own family–requires a different set of skills. Following a pivotal battle over Saturn, Kale travels deep into enemy territory under the guise of seeking peace, though peace is the last thing on his mind.

Malcolm Graves used to be an infamous Collector for a powerful Earther corporation–and then he nearly lost his life on Titan. Now he’s retired. But when Kale’s wake of destruction follows Malcolm to Mars and claims the life of a friend, it’s time for the ex-Collector to dust off his pulse-pistol and leap back into a fight he thought he’d left behind.

With the solar system divided, heroes are few and short-lived … but someone has to put the self-proclaimed King Trass of Titan in his place.

Trigger Warning: None

Continue reading “Titan’s Wrath by Rhett C. Bruno” →