Category: NetGalley

Crossing in Time (Between Two Evils: Book 1) by D.L. Orton

Crossing in Time (Between Two Evils, #1)

Title: Crossing in Time

Author: D.L. Orton

Publisher: Rocky Mountain Press

Date of publication: May 1st, 2016

Genre: Women’s Fiction, Dystopia, Science Fiction

Number of pages: 558

POV: Alternating 1st person

Series: Between Two Evils

Crossing in Time – Book 1

Lost in Time – Book 2

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis (via Goodreads):

Race against the clock through a dystopian nightmare. Climb naked into an untested time machine (carrying only a seashell and a promise). Wake up twenty years younger on a tropical beach, buck naked and mortally wounded, with your heart in your throat. 

This is a journey of love, loss, and redemption that will make your pulse gallop and your palms sweat, have you laughing out loud through your tears, and leave you flush with the sublime pleasure of falling in love.

My review:

Crossing in Time is a fast-paced dystopian/science fiction book that shows that love can cross time. The book alternates between Diego and Isabelle points of view and tells a love story that transcends time. It also tells the story of Harry, an unsuspecting college professor who is working on deciphering the mystery of a large metal ball that took out a hotel and its connection to an upcoming apocalyptic event. Fast-paced, Crossing in Time will keep you on the edge of your seat and wondering what is coming next while watching Diego and Isabelle’s love story unfold.

Isabelle was one of my favorite people in the book. She was so spunky and didn’t take anyone’s crap. From the beginning of the book, where she was buying the gun from the guy outside the burnt out Wal-Mart to dealing with her ex-husband (who I couldn’t stand) to her relationship with Diego…..she was strong. It was a hit with me because I love strong female characters. Even in situations which could be perceived weak, she was strong. A lot stronger than I could have been.

Diego, I liked too. You could see that he adored Isabelle. Everything he did in the book was for her……even in the later parts of the book. Even when he was separated from her, his thought was with her. Again, a big hit with me because this is a romance that will survive anything.

The romance between Diego and Isabelle took my breath away. The way it was written, the way it came across was beautiful!!!

The science fiction aspect of this book was interesting.  The clues left in the globe really didn’t make sense to me at first. But the more I read and the more that was revealed, they made perfect sense. This is also where Harry’s part of the story came into play. He was working on deciphering the clues when they are deciphered, it is found out to be the plans for a time machine. What I liked about this was that the author didn’t make it work right the first, second or third time. Heck, they weren’t even sure if it was going to work when they sent Isabelle through and didn’t know it worked until they figured out that the shell could be tracked. I loved it!!!

The end of the book was bittersweet. I was happy because of certain events that happened but also sad because of the unknown (if you want to know what I am talking about, read the book). The way the book ended definitely lead into book 2 and I can’t wait to read that one and see where Harry, Diego and Isabelle stories end up.

How many stars will I give Crossing in Time: 4

Why: I really enjoyed reading the book. The characters were memorable and the plot line was great. It did lag a bit in the middle but definitely recovered from it. The science fiction part of the story was original and well written too.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex, language, violence

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Don’t Tell a Soul by M. William Phelps

Don't Tell a Soul

Title: Don’t Tell a Soul

Author: M. William Phelps

Publisher: Kensington Books

Date of Publication: February 28th, 2017

Genre: True Crime, Adult Nonfiction

Number of pages: 496

POV: 2nd person

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis (via Goodreads):

Cherry Walker was a devoted, trusting, an uncommonly innocent young woman who loved caring for a neighbor’s little boy. But when she was asked to testify in court against his abusive mother, Cherry never got the chance. She couldn’t lie if her life depended on it–and it did. Cherry’s body was found on the side of a Texas road, after being doused with lighter fluid and set aflame.
Attractive, manipulative, and violent, mother of four Kim Cargill had a wealth of dirty secrets she’d do anything to keep hidden. This in-depth account by bestselling investigative journalist M. William Phelps takes you inside Cargill’s shocking trial–and into the mind of one of the most conniving female psychopaths in recent history–and on death row.

My review:

I used to read a lot of true crime when I was in my teens/early 20’s. I had books on Ted Bundy, Charles Manson, the Son of Sam and other lesser known killers. It was somewhat of an obsession of mine to read these types of books. I was obsessed with the psychological aspect. I wanted to know what made these killers do what they did and what was that breaking point where they resorted to killing. I stopped reading true crime when an ex-boyfriend of mine made a flip comment about my collection one day….which resulted in my donating all of my books (awful, I know :() But, my fascination continued. I watch ID and Snapped all the time. BK has made the comment that I probably know more than the police when it comes to this stuff.

So, when Kensington approached me to review Don’t Tell a Soul, I jumped at the chance….even though it was not the usual genre that I review.

This book gave me chills because KC was such an evil person. I mean, you would have to be to kill someone and then light them on fire, trying to hide their identity. Even before that, she was just a bad person. She abused and terrorized her children, abused and terrorized her husband and basically anyone that came within her radar and didn’t give her what she wanted. She manipulated people into doing things (like her friend who tampered with evidence). She had no sense of remorse for anything she did….including Cherry’s murder.

Like I said above, the psychological aspect of this book was fascinating for me to read. Could KC have turned out to be a better person if she got the psychological help that she needed? I don’t know. There are arguments about people like her. Some people say they are born that way (genetic) and others say that environment creates these monsters. My opinion is that it is a combination of both.

I am going to end this post saying that Cherry’s murder was a senseless one and that I hope her parents get some sort of closure when KC is put to death. While these types of reviews are supposed to be impartial, I connected with Cherry through what the author wrote about her. She was one of those rare innocent people whose light got extinguished well before her time.

How many stars will I give Don’t Tell a Soul: 4

Why: I couldn’t put this book down, even though KC scared me. This isn’t a book for those who have weak stomachs though. There are some pretty graphic descriptions of Cherry’s body and child/spousal abuse.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Late teen

Why: Violence and some pretty graphic scenes/pictures of dead bodies and child/spousal abuse (no pictures of that!!)

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Wait For It (Everything I Left Unsaid: Book 4) by M. O’Keefe

Title: Wait For It

Author: M. O’Keefe

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept

Date of publication: February 28th, 2017

Genre: Romance

Number of pages: 272

POV: Alternating 1st person

Series: Everything I Left Unsaid

Everything I Left Unsaid – Book 1

The Truth About Him – Book 2

Burn Down The Night – Book 3 (review here)

Wait For It – Book 4

Can be read out-of-order from series: Yes

Where this book can be found: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

In a blistering novel of raw emotion and desire, a tormented woman teaches an alpha male that money can’t fix everything . . . but love can.

Tiffany : After fighting for a new life, I don’t want to play the victim anymore. However, with three kids to raise, I’m getting desperate enough to make a deal with the devil. My estranged brother-in-law, Blake, says he just wants to help, but he’s been trouble since I met him. I don’t know if I can believe this kinder, gentler Blake, and there’s a friction between us that has turned into the sweetest chemistry. He could be my salvation . . . or my downfall.

Blake : I haven’t always had Tiffany’s best interests at heart but I’m ready to make up for my sins. Besides, I can’t help admiring her: The girl’s a genuine survivor, tough and lean, with eyes of steel. But the more I get to know Tiffany, the more I want her. Every inch of her. Which means I’m about to make a bad situation a hell of a lot worse.

My review:

Oh. My. Good. Gravy.

I don’t even know where I should begin with this review because this book was that good.

Blake was a jerk. A huge jerk that I wanted to kick between the legs when he was introduced in the first chapter. He had to have some big ones to try to pay off his brother’s wife to disappear with her 3 kids. Huge gigantic ones. But when more of his backstory is revealed and I got to know him, I kinda felt bad for him. It must have sucked to live the way he did….thinking that money could solve everything.

I really liked Tiffany and felt a huge connection with her. She was the only one in the book, well besides Blake’s mother, who stood up to Blake. I absolutely loved it when she talked him up to $20G when he tried to pay her to disappear. She was a mother who was trying her best to let her children have normal lives, even though their father was an abusive jerk who terrorized them.

I wanted to cry when she said that she felt broken during the masturbation scene. It just showed how fragile she was and how low self-esteem she had. I mean, she was married to a man who enjoyed belittling her. That takes a toll on your self-esteem. I don’t care who you are, it does.

Tiffany’s parents were awful. Who turns their back on their daughter when they see that she is in an abusive relationship? At least Bea was there for her but still. A pretty crappy thing to do to your daughter.

The chemistry between Tiffany and Blake was out of this world and that first sex scene, it was out of the world. I got kinda mad when Blake offered Tiffany $500 for one night. How degrading. But what surprised me was that she took it up. WTH????

The end of the book was pretty good and I am glad to see that Phil got what he deserved.

How many stars will I give Wait For It: 4

Why: This was a fast paced romance with enough hot sex to ignite the pages. The underlying theme, domestic violence, was discussed in a way that is realistic. I got really attached to Blake and Tiffany and I can’t wait to see if there will be a book 5 in this series.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex, violence, and language.

I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it

Catch and Release (Fishing for Trouble: Book 3) by Laura Drewry

Catch and Release (Fishing for Trouble, #3)

Title: Catch and Release

Author: Laura Drewry

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept

Date of publication: February 28th, 2017

Genre: Romance

Number of pages: 202

POV: 3rd person

Series: Fishing for Trouble

Off the Hook – Book 1

Lured In – Book 2 (review here)

Catch and Release – Book 3

Can be read out-of-order from series: No

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

The irresistible O’Donnell brothers return in a charming novel from the bestselling author of Off the Hook (“The perfect balance of sweet, sexy, and wonderfully romantic.”—Lauren Layne).

Hope Seaver is an up-and-coming TV producer tackling the hardest gig of her career: a reality show set at the Buoys, a scenic fishing destination owned by three handsome, stubborn brothers. Liam and Finn O’Donnell are willing to tolerate her crew for the sake of the business, but Ronan would rather chew off a limb than open up on camera. Somehow Hope has to convince him of her good intentions—and stop herself from swooning every time Ronan walks into the frame.

Ronan knows that he’s the reason his brothers gave up their old lives to run the Buoys, and he needs to make it worth their while. So if this out-of-towner with the kind eyes and dazzling smile wants to give them the free publicity they desperately need, Ronan can’t say no. He just won’t let himself get burned again by a double-dealing woman. But what if Hope’s good-girl routine isn’t an act? When Ronan lets his guard down long enough to catch a glimpse of the real Hope, he likes what he sees—enough to give love another shot.

Look for all of Laura Drewry’s heartwarming Fishing for Trouble romances:
OFF THE HOOK | LURED IN | CATCH AND RELEASE

My review:

After the heavy thinking book that I just finished and reviewed the other day, I needed something that was semi-light and didn’t need me to think a ton of the plot and the characters. Catch and Release are such a book.

I actually really liked Catch and Release. After reading Finn and Jessie’s story in Lured In (and really wishing that I had read Liam and Kate’s story), I was very interested in seeing what type of woman who Ronan would go for. And I wasn’t surprised.

I absolutely loved Hope. She was always ready (but the story about why she was always ready was heartbreaking) and had these odd facts that she spewed when she was nervous. And Ronan made her nervous, so she was always spewing out facts.

I like Ronan too and I got to understand what his role was in the family. Not only was he Finn and Liam’s older brother but he was their protector from an abusive drunk of a father. Even him telling Hope about how he used to stuff Finn in cabinets or send him to their treehouse to get away from their Da was heartbreaking.  I cried when he told Hope that.

The romance between Ronan and Hope was a slow burn. What I liked is that when they finally had sex, near the end of the book, the author chose not to go into it and let you use your imagination.

There is a huge twist in the story that I kinda sensed coming but when it happened, I was still a little shocked. I also didn’t blame Ronan for going off as he did. What did get me a little ticked off was how easily he blamed Hope for what happened and how Jessie, Finn, and Liam fell right in line with him. All Hope wanted to so was to tell Ronan she had no clue and they wouldn’t let her. Which, I guess, in hindsight, was a good thing but still.

The whole reality TV angle, I didn’t like. I am not a fan of reality TV and what happened in the book was a prime example WHY I don’t like it. Talk about a crappy thing that Luka did and I was really surprised that Ronan didn’t pitch her off the dock.

The whole stowaway dog storyline was great and I thought the name Hope gave him was pretty fitting. I kinda giggled at it. See, growing up, I had a dog named J.D. but it was after the whiskey. I liked Hope’s abbreviation better…lol.

The end of the book was pretty standard and there were HEA’s all around for the boys. I do wish that they author had put something up about mental illness, like an afterward with a number or website to call.

How many stars will I give Catch and Release: 4

Why: I thought this was a pretty good romance with a good storyline.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex, language

I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Love Taker (Nashville Nights: Book 3) by Erin McCarthy

Love Taker (Nashville Nights, #3)

Title: Love Taker

Author: Erin McCarthy

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept

Date of publication: February 28th, 2017

Genre: Romance

Number of pages: 182

POV: 3rd person

Series: Nashville Nights

Heart Breaker – Book 1

Dream Maker – Book 2 (review here)

Love Taker – Book 3

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis (via Goodreads):

The Nashville Nights series is burning up backstage in this sensual friends-to-lovers novel featuring a good-guy cop and a woman who’s been looking for Mr. Right in all the wrong places.

Pretty-boy musicians are a fixture of the Nashville country scene—and Elle Hart, a hairdresser to the stars, is beginning to think that they’re all total pricks. Elle’s dating choices have been a disaster, but at least she has Tucker. Though he’s easy on the eyes, no one would ever accuse Jason Michael Tucker of being a pretty boy. The humble and handsome sheriff’s deputy from Elle’s hometown has always been there to comfort her—until the evening their friendship unexpectedly leads to the best sex Elle has ever had.

Tucker has been lusting after Elle since they were an item as teens, but he knows that their wild night of passion is a one-time thing. He’s an old friend, nothing more, and they’re too different to become a couple just because they’ve knocked boots. After all, she hates being back in their hometown, and he’s not so fond of the big city. But when Elle comes to Tucker with the news that changes everything, he must help her come to grips with her traumatic past—or risk losing her forever.

My review:

I had waited anxiously for this book to come out and I haunted Loveswept’s NetGalley page until the ARC came up. I was a huge fan of Dream Maker that I had to read this book. I needed to see if Elle got her happy ending. When she appeared in Shane’s story, Elle had caught my interest and I was curious to see who she was going to end up with.

I was pretty happy with who she ended up with. Tucker was the opposite than her in so many ways and to be honest, with her wild child ways, she needed him. He balanced her out. But until that one night, she kept it solely as friends.

When she does have sex with Tucker, it was off the pages hot and very sweet. Of course, the morning after was kind of awkward and they did stop talking to each other for a month because of that. The only reason that they started talking was that one night of passion had unexpected consequences. Elle got knocked up…even with using a condom.

What I liked the most about this book was how real Elle and Tucker were, well for the most part. The whole Las Vegas and Tucker quitting his job were a tad too much. Only for certain events to happen a little later in the book and then Elle change her mind.

The humor in this book got me too. Elle had a mouth on her and I loved her one-liners. I was literally dying laughing on the couch and BK was just looking at me like I had 3 heads. My favorite line was (and this is not an exact quote) “sweating like a hog eating soup in August.” Oh, the images it conjured up for me.

The end of the book was very sweet and the epilog was perfect. The series was ended beautifully and happily!!! A perfect HEA. Oh, and I loved the name Elle and Tucker gave the baby ;).

How many stars will I give Love Taker: 4

Why: This book was great. Had a great storyline, humor and two unforgettable main characters (as well as secondary ones)

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex and language

I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Dead Letters by Caite Dolan-Leach

Dead Letters: A Novel by [Dolan-Leach, Caite]

Title: Dead Letters

Author: Caite Dolan-Leach

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Random House

Date of publication: February 28th, 2017

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, General Fiction

POV: 1st person

Number of pages: 353

Series: No

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

A missing woman leads her twin sister on a twisted scavenger hunt in this clever début novel of suspense for readers of Luckiest Girl Alive and Reconstructing Amelia.

Ahoy, Ava! Welcome home, my sweet jet-setting twin! So glad you were able to wrest yourself away from your dazzling life in the City of Light; I hope my death hasn’t interrupted anything too crucial.

Ava Antipova has her reasons for running away: a failing family vineyard, a romantic betrayal, a mercurial sister, an absent father, a mother slipping into dementia. In Paris, Ava renounces her terribly practical undergraduate degree, acquires a French boyfriend and a taste for much better wine, and erases her past. Two years later, she must return to upstate New York. Her twin sister, Zelda, is dead.

Even in a family of alcoholics, Zelda Antipova was the wild one, notorious for her mind games and destructive behavior. Stuck tending the vineyard and the girls’ increasingly unstable mother, Zelda was allegedly burned alive when she passed out in the barn with a lit cigarette. But Ava finds the official explanation a little too neat. A little too Zelda. Then she receives a cryptic message from her sister.

Just as Ava suspected, Zelda’s playing one of her games. In fact, she’s outdone herself, leaving a series of clues about her disappearance. With the police stuck on a red herring, Ava follows the trail laid just for her, thinking like her sister, keeping her secrets, immersing herself in Zelda’s drama and her outlandish circle of friends and lovers. Along the way, Zelda forces her twin to confront their twisted history and the boy who broke Ava’s heart. But why? Is Zelda trying to punish Ava for leaving, or to teach her a lesson? Or is she simply trying to write her own ending?

Featuring a colorful, raucous cast of characters, Caite Dolan-Leach’s début thriller takes readers on a literary scavenger hunt for clues concealed throughout the seemingly idyllic wine country, hidden in plain sight on social media, and buried at the heart of one tremendously dysfunctional, utterly unforgettable family.

My review:

Dead Letters is one of those rare mysteries that have you guessing what exactly happened until the end of the book.  This book will suck you in while Ava goes on a scavenger hunt that was orchestrated by her twin sister, Zelda. What the scavenger hunt reveals and what it forces Ava to face is what makes this book so good.

*********************************************

This isn’t one of those fun mysteries with likable characters and a happy ending. Not even close. This has to have been one of the saddest, complex books that I have read to date. Ava’s family has to be one of the more dysfunctional ones in all the books that I have read to date.

What I liked about this book was that it truly was a mystery and that the author had no qualms about throwing out red herrings left and right. Just when I thought I had the mystery of what happened to Zelda pegged, the book went in a totally different direction and totally screwed me up. This happened two times and both times, I had to put my Kindle Paperwhite down because the shock just got to me…both times. Well done, Caite, well done.

I was truly on the fence about liking Ava. She came across as so uncaring with her mother, father, and grandmother (but she does have her reasons why) but when it comes to Zelda, the emotions just can’t stop. I do think that the scavenger hunt was maybe a little unfair to Ava but Zelda wanted to make a point. And oh boy, did she.

Marlon and Nadine were detestable as parents. Whenever Ava started to think about her past, all she could think about was how her father was checked out most of the time (and I mean checked out mentally) and how she had to walk on eggshells around her mother. No wonder the girls turned out the way they did.

I also should point out that the author did a great job portraying what living with an alcoholic is like and what growing up as a child of a functioning alcoholic is like and what it is like to be a caregiver to someone with dementia. Not easy subjects to talk or write about but she did it beautifully.

The end of a book was a huge surprise in two ways. Not going to ruin it for anyone but I had to get up and walk around after the 2nd surprise came around. Then I sat down and went “W.T.H.”

How many stars will I give Dead Letters: 4

Why: I really enjoyed reading this book. I couldn’t put it down. I had to find out about what happened to Zelda, why Ava was the way she was and everything else in the book. Truly captivating.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Language. Also scenes of verbal abuse (which could be triggers in some people), drug use and some mild sex scenes

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Beautiful Broken Girls by Kim Savage

Beautiful Broken Girls

Title: Beautiful Broken Girls

Author: Kim Savage

Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group

Date of publication: February 21st, 2017

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Young Adult

POV: 3rd person

Number of pages: 333

Series: No

Where this book can be found: Amazon

Book synopsis (via Goodreads):

Mira and Francesca Cillo—beautiful, overprotective, odd—seemed untouchable. But Ben touched seven parts of Mira: her palm, hair, chest, cheek, lips, throat, and heart. After the sisters drown themselves in the quarry lake, a post-mortem letter from Mira sends Ben on a quest to find notes in the seven places where they touched. Note by note, Ben discovers the mystical secret at the heart of Mira and Francesca’s world, and that some things are better left untouched.

My review:

Beautiful Broken Girls is a gripping novel about one boy’s quest to find out exactly why his ex-girlfriend killed herself. Told in 3rd person and between Ben and Mira, Beautiful Broken Girls takes the reader on a heart wrenching and mystical journey as Ben uncovers clues about why Mira and Francesca committed suicide.

*************************************************

I went into reading this book not knowing how deep or how mystical this book was going to be. I certainly wasn’t ready to read, from Mira’s perspective, the events that lead up to her and Francesca’s suicide. I also wasn’t ready to read about what happened to Ben when he was 9. Talk about being blindsided by that (want to know what, read the book). I also wasn’t ready for the reason behind Connie’s death. That was definitely something that took me by surprise.

Honestly, I felt awful for Ben. What a shock it must have been to get a letter from Mira after she died and then to go on that quest to the 7 places where they touched (palm, hair, chest, cheek, lips, throat, and heart) would have done a number on me too. And the way those notes were written!!! If the author hadn’t of included Mira’s side of the story, I would have jumped to the same conclusion as Ben did.

I did feel bad for Mira. She did seem like all she wanted to be was a normal girl but she had Francesca to take care of. Francesca who spoke in tongues, who had fits and who developed an unhealthy crush on their church’s youth advisor. Mira was the one who took care of her and I could see it draining her. Which kinda explains why she committed suicide. The real reason was heartbreaking once it was revealed (again, read the book if you want to find out). I will say that I did think it was kinda mean to send Ben on that quest to find the notes. But at the same time, she wanted someone to know the truth. I think she chose Ben because a) she was in love with him (or in love with him as she allowed her to be) and b) she knew that he would go the distance to get the notes.

The end of the book was very surreal and left me with more questions than answers. I wish that there was an epilogue or something to show what happened to Ben after he got the notes and did what he did. But at the same time, I am glad that there isn’t one and I get to use my imagination about what happened to him.

How many stars will I give Beautiful Broken Girls: 4

Why: This book was heart-wrenching to read. It outlines the events leading up to a double suicide while also telling about Ben’s quest to find Mira’s notes and to find out the reason the girls committed suicide. This is definitely a book to read with a tissue and an open mind.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Older teen

Why: Mild Violence, language, and the suicide theme

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

An Unseen Attraction (Sins of the Cities: Book 1) by K.J. Charles

An Unseen Attraction (Sins of the Cities, #1)

Title: An Unseen Attraction

Author: K. J. Charles

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept

Date of publication: February 21st 2017

Genre: Romance, LGBTQIA

Number of pages: Unknown

POV: 3rd person

Series: Sins of the Cities

An Unseen Attraction – Book 1

An Unnatural Vice – Book 2 (Expected publication date June 6th, 2017)

Can be read out-of-order from series: Yes, first book in series

Where you can find this book: Amazon|Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

A slow-burning romance and a chilling mystery bind two singular men in the suspenseful first book of a new Victorian series from K. J. Charles.

Lodging-house keeper Clem Talleyfer prefers a quiet life. He’s happy with his hobbies, his work—and especially with his lodger Rowley Green, who becomes a friend over their long fireside evenings together. If only neat, precise, irresistible Mr. Green was interested in more than friendship. . . .

Rowley just wants to be left alone—at least until he meets Clem, with his odd, charming ways and his glorious eyes. Two quiet men, lodging in the same house, coming to an understanding . . . it could be perfect. Then the brutally murdered corpse of another lodger is dumped on their doorstep and their peaceful life is shattered.

Now Clem and Rowley find themselves caught up in a mystery, threatened on all sides by violent men, with a deadly London fog closing in on them. If they’re to see their way through, the pair must learn to share their secrets—and their hearts.

My review:

This book took a while for me to get into. I almost DNF’d it about 16% into the book because it just dragged and I was wondering when the romance was going to start. But, right after I made that decision, everything happened. The book went from being boring to being very interesting. I couldn’t read it fast enough!!

The storyline was pretty good. Clem is the bastard younger brother of an Earl. 8 years before, when the former Earl died, he made sure that his legitimate son and heir took care of Clem. And by that, the new Earl bought a lodging house and made Clem the proprietor of it. Clem liked his job and liked most of the people who lodged there. With the exception of Lugtrout, a pastor who has lived there indefinitely and is a drunk. Lugtrout is the otherwise black spot on Clem’s happy life.

If Lugtrout is a black spot on Clem’s life, then Rowley Green is a bright, bright yellow spot. Rowley is a taxidermist who owns the shop next to Clem’s boarding house. In the 8 months that he has lived at the lodging house, Clem and Rowley have become fast friends. They share a nightly tea and have really gotten to know each other. Clem, though, is very attracted to Rowley but is afraid to say or do anything.

This is Victorian England and male/male relationships are not only frowned on but can constitute in 10 years of jail time. So, Clem has to be very careful about who he approaches. Luckily, he found a club called the Jack and Knave that is for men of Clem’s inclination.

Luckily for him, Rowley is also very attracted to Clem and on what I guess you could call their first date, he told Clem that he was attracted to him and shortly afterward, they had their first kiss. It was during that first kiss that Lugtrout started screaming that he had been robbed. After calming him down, Clem sends word to his brother about Mr. Lugtrout’s behavior….only to be told, in not so many words, “Deal with it”.

It is when Mr. Lugtrout is found murdered outside of the lodging house and then Rowley is attacked and his shop burned, is when the book picked up the pace. From then on, it was Clem and Rowley trying to figure out why Lugtrout was killed, who attacked Rowley and who tried to burn down Rowley’s shop. All on top of keeping their relationship super secret.

The sex scenes weren’t anything remarkable and I actually kinda disconnected from them in most scenes. I don’t know why. Maybe because it had to be super secret and the doors had to be shut and locked before anything was done. The oppression of that time was awful.

While I say that the sex scenes weren’t remarkable, I did think that the romance between Clem and Rowley were. Both had overcome a lot in their life and both were willing to make their relationship work….no matter what. What I thought sucked is that they couldn’t let on that they were in love. The only safe place was the club.

Now what I thought was refreshing was the club that Clem belonged to. There was a trans woman who tended the bar and I have never, ever read a historical romance book that is LGBTQIA that had a trans woman featured. And I loved it. I hope that Phyllis (aka Phil) makes more of an appearance in the other books.

The whodunit storyline was pretty predictable but I do like that the author did throw in a couple of curveballs. The main one being at the end of the story which threw things up in the air on Clem’s end.

Speaking of the end of the book, the author did a great job wrapping up the storylines. But, like I said above, the curveball at the end threw me. And it left for a great opener for the next story.

How many stars will I give An Unseen Attraction: 3

Why: While I liked the story, I had an issue getting into it. The characters were really hard for me to connect to at first but once I did, I really enjoyed them. Besides the book getting off to a very slow start, there was also a lull in the middle of the book. The author was able to get back on track but the lull was for a couple of chapters (when Clem and Edmund met) and I was pretty certain that the book wouldn’t recover from it.

Will I reread: On the fence about rereading it.

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex and some mild violence

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Evening’s Land by Pauline West

Evening's Land

Title: Evening’s Land

Author: Pauline West

Publisher: Self Published

Date of publication: February 20th, 2017

Genre: Gothic, Romance, Mental Health, Mental Illness, Fantasy

POV: 1st person and 3rd person

Number of pages: 376

Series: No

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

The dark elegance of Anne Rice’s THE WITCHING HOUR meets the lush parallel worlds of Neil Gaiman’s SANDMAN series.

Reeling after her best friend’s suicide, Ada Walker falls under the spell of the collective subconscious, the EVENING’S LAND, searching for Faye’s soul with a rakishly hypnotic ghost named Christopher.

Richly preternatural and spine-tinglingly erotic, EVENING’S LAND is an exploration of love, loss, and loyalty that will haunt you long after the last page is turned.

My review:

This review is going to be so very hard to write. Not because the book was good, it was very good, it is because I am going to have a hard time not giving away some major that happens in the book. So I am very carefully editing what I am writing here (I have already deleted 3 starting paragraphs but will be keeping this one).

I think the author did a great job highlighting what happens after someone commits suicide. What happens to the people who are left and how it strains relationships/friendships. I really wanted to hug Ada because of that trauma. No one should find their best friend dead.

I also wanted to hug Faye. She had a crappy home life. A father who seemed to disdain her and a mother who went along with it. The whole hiking trip in the cave nailed that for me and showed me why Faye took the risks she did and why she basically clung to Ada. I think that’s why she broke when she was raped.

Not that Ada had it any better. Her mother slept around, her father was an enabler and Ada started cutting as a direct result of that. So, when she found Faye, it pushed her over the edge. I think her parents did the right thing by moving her across the country so she could heal. Too bad that they couldn’t fix their own issues.

I think if I fell into the Land like Ada did, I would have done the same thing. I would try to find Faye’s soul and try to pull her out of her Purgatory. And I think I would have been as surprised as Ada was if I met a boy in the Land and I would have been even more surprised when he appeared in my bedroom and started to seduce me.

Speaking of Christopher, I was so wrong about him. So wrong and I got so mad at myself for being wrong. I really wish that he didn’t do what he did because it really pole-axed me and definitely changed the story. Want to know what it was??? Read the book, you won’t be disappointed.

The Oliver Roamery storyline was truly scary. I got goosebumps when he appeared in the story. He is one of the most genuinely creepy characters written. Evil just poured off of the pages when he appeared.

When all 3 storylines (plus the secondary storyline with Mary and Jupiter) meet, it is explosive. Again, read the book if you want to find out how/why it was explosive.

This book was told in 1st and 3rd person but the author did a great job of distinguishing not only who was speaking but what time frame. The whole first half of the book was basically flashbacks starting 3 years previously and alternating between Ada and Faye. Once Faye commits suicide, no more flashbacks, obviously but then the author switches to 3rd person to start the Oliver Roamery storyline.

This book is erotic but I liked that the author chose not to go into the details of when people were having sex. Just flashes of memory, which actually conveyed more than a whole paragraph would. The only time she got wordy was when Ada and Christopher were making out/Mary and Oliver (belch).

The end of the book wasn’t what I expected, at all. I am still shaking my head over it.

How many stars will I give Evening’s Land: 5

Why: This is the first Gothic fantasy that I have read and I have to say, I loved it. The author has an almost lyric style of writing and she keeps you very engaged throughout the book. The story and sub-storylines were brought together with a bang and the book ended with a bang.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes but with a warning about the suicide scene and the rape scene

Age range: Adult

Why: Language, Sex (forced and consensual) and mild violence

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Guarding Mr. Fine (Tough Love: Book 3) by HelenKay Dimon

Guarding Mr. Fine (Tough Love, #3)

Title: Guarding Mr. Fine

Author: HelenKay Dimon

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept

Date of publication: February 14th, 2017

Genre: Romance, LGBTQIA

Number of pages: Unknown

POV: 1st person

Series: Tough Love

Mr. and Mr. Smith – Book 1

The Talented Mr. Rivers – Book 2

Guarding Mr. Fine – Book 3

Can be read out-of-order from series: Yes

Where you can find this book: Amazon|Barnes and Nobles

Goodreads synopsis:

In this steamy novel of seduction and international intrigue, two brave men are stripped of their defenses—and exposed to dangers and desires that simmer below the surface.

As an agent with the CIA’s special activities division, Seth Lang lives for risk—and yet he’s stuck playing bodyguard to the U.S. consul general in Munich. Although Seth’s last assignment nearly killed him, babysitting some desk jockey in a suit sounds way too easy. But when he lays eyes on the new top man, tactical expert Rick Fine, Seth’s thrilled to see just how hard this job is going to get. Mr. Tall, Dark, and Quiet have a body worth guarding—and he requires hands-on attention day and night.
 
Dispatched to a German consulate to expose the murder of his predecessor, Rick finds himself in an extremely vulnerable position. He needs a man like Seth—in so many ways. This mission will inevitably plunge them both into jeopardy, but each new threat only brings them closer. Rick just hopes that he can keep his deepest, darkest secret hidden—or else risk imperiling a relationship they’re both fighting for their lives to protect.

Fall in love with the men of HelenKay Dimon’s thrilling novels:
MR. AND MR. SMITH | THE TALENTED MR. RIVERS | GUARDING MR. FINE

Includes an excerpt from another Loveswept title.

My review:

For the most part, I liked this book. I liked Rick Fine, kinda like Seth Lang, like the sexual chemistry between them and loved the whodunit mystery of the diplomat who committed suicide and the shipments of vaccines being messed with. The book itself was a very quick read and the plot was fairly simple.

It’s just that, well, I wish Seth was a bit more likable. The entire book, he came across as a jerk. A huge jerk who couldn’t face his feelings for Rick until almost the end of the book. I know a lot of bad stuff happened in his life but Rick’s own early years were worse than Seth’s and he wasn’t a jerk.

Speaking of Rick, while I did like him and loved how open he was with Seth and how he didn’t flip out when Seth told him that he was bisexual, I did kinda want to kick him for keeping that huge secret from Seth. I actually sided with Seth when Seth flipped out after being told. That was a HUGE thing and forget what Helena said…Seth should have been told sooner.

The sexual chemistry was unbelievable between the two of them and it literally lit the pages on fire. I did find it kinda ironic that their first meeting turned into what was supposed to be a one night stand in a back office of a discotheque. I did giggle when they met (call me weird). Talk about an awkward first meeting. To be honest, I thought it was more awkward for Seth then it was for Rick.

I did like the mystery/action aspect of the book, even though I did figure out who was behind everything about halfway through the book. But the author did a great job of throwing several red herrings out there so I really wasn’t sure until the climax of the book.

The end of the book was your typical HEA. Well, after Seth had his freak out (which again, I don’t blame him one bit). Then it was a typical HEA.

How many stars will I give Guarding Mr. Fine? 3

Why: While I loved the story and the romance (well, I would really say it was lustmance….lol), I couldn’t get over Seth’s attitude. To be honest, it turned what could have been some sweet moments into well, him being a jerk, and that ruined the book. He needed to get rid of the chip on his shoulder sooner in the book, other than almost at the end.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age Range: Adult

Why: Explicit sex, language, and violence

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**