Brain Storm (Angela Richman, Death Investigator: Book 1) by Elaine Viets

Brain Storm (Angela Richman, Death Investigator Book 1) by [Viets, Elaine]

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

Date of Publication: August 2nd, 2016

Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Crime, Fiction, Medical, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook

Series: Angela Richman, Death Investigator

Brain Storm — Book 1

Fire and Ashes—Book 2

Ice Blonde—Book 3

A Star Is Dead—Book 4

Death Grip—Book 5

Life Without Parole—Book 6

Purchase Links: Amazon | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks |

Goodreads Synopsis:

The ultrawealthy families of Chouteau Forest may look down on a woman like death investigator Angela Richman, but they also rely on her. When a horrific car crash kills a Forest teenager, Angela is among the first on the scene. Her investigation is hardly underway, however, when she suffers a series of crippling strokes. Misdiagnosed by the resident neurologist, Dr. Gravois, and mended by gauche yet brilliant neurosurgeon Dr. Jeb Travis Tritt, Angela faces a harrowing recovery.

It’s a drug-addled, hallucinating Angela who learns that Dr. Gravois has been murdered…and the chief suspect is the surgeon who saved her life. Angela doesn’t believe it, but can she trust her instincts? Her brain trauma brings doubts that she’ll ever recover her investigative skills. But she’s determined to save Dr. Tritt from a death-row sentence—even if her progress is thwarted at every turn by a powerful and insular community poised to protect its own.


Before reading Brain Storm, I had never been disappointed in a book. I had such high hopes for it by the Goodreads descriptions and all the 4 and 5-star reviews. I was like, “Yes, this is going to be awesome to read,” and it was for the first few chapters.

I enjoyed reading about Angela’s job, her community, and her friends. The author did a great job setting up her backstory. Then the misdiagnosis and stroke happened, and this is where the book took a nosedive. We got to read all about Angela’s recovery and her hallucinations. That wasn’t bad, but there was so much going on in the backstory!!!

Like the Angel of Death working at the hospital, the little boy dying because Dr. Gravois testified before the insurance company that he didn’t need treatment, and the romance between Monty and Kate. The focus, instead,  was on Dr. Tritt and the accusations that he killed Dr. Gravois. Which was silly.

The ending was anticlimactic, and I didn’t have that “Aha” moment when the bad guy was caught. Because the said bad guy didn’t show up until 3 chapters before the end.

There were some redeeming qualities to this book. The author knew how to make a character come off the page, and she knew how to make you care about the main characters. Which is huge in a book.

I would recommend Brain Storm to anyone over 16. There is minimal violence, no sex, and a gruesome car accident description.


If you enjoyed reading Brain Storm, you will enjoy reading these books:

Protect Me (The Donovan Family, Book 6) by Margaret Watson

Protect Me (The Donovan Family Book 6) by [Watson, Margaret]

Publisher: Dragonfly Press

Date of publication: November 11th, 2015

Genre: Romance, Romantic Suspense, Contemporary Romance

Series: The Donovan Family

Love Me—Book 1

Watch Me—Book 2

Find Me—Book 3

Trust Me—Book 4

Cover Me—Book 5 (Review Here)

Protect Me—Book 6

Save Me—Book 7

See Me—Book 8

Catch Me—Book 9 (review here)

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Kobo

Goodreads Synopsis:

Police officer Mia Donovan is studying for the detective’s exam when her captain offers her an assignment – be Finn O’Rourke’s personal bodyguard for the next three weeks. He’s in town to film a movie, he has a stalker, and the threats are escalating.

Mia isn’t interested – she’s focused on the looming exam. But her captain convinces her that successfully protecting Finn will look very good on her record when promotion decisions are made. So, reluctantly, she takes the assignment.

Finn isn’t the arrogant, egotistical actor Mia expected. There’s more than meets the eye when it comes to the ‘most hated man in America’, Finn’s nickname since he cheated on his girlfriend, a beloved pop star.

But his stalker is lurking and the threat is escalating. Although Mia’s feelings for Finn are growing, her job is to protect Finn, not fall in love with him.

“Margaret Watson, a star in the world of contemporary romance, grabs you on the opening page and keeps you reading to the happily ever after.” –New York Times bestselling author Susan Elizabeth Phillips


This book is electric, right from the get-go.

Mia Donovan is what my mother-in-law would call a firecracker, and I loved it. I didn’t expect any less and would have been disappointed if the author had written her any other way. Even the way she introduced herself to Finn was gold. I loved it!!

I didn’t care for Finn’s character at first. I get he’s an Alpha male and thought he could protect himself from his stalker. To take the risks he did the first day was stupid, and he didn’t listen to Mia. Made me want to slap and shake him.

I was shocked at how fast they had sex. They didn’t even know each other for a week. The more I thought about it, and it made sense. They were together 24/7, with no breaks, and attracted to each other. I liked that they entered the relationship as adults. Except for the no-condom sex and taking each other’s word that they were clean. You couldn’t pay me any money to do that with someone I had just met.

Mia being undercover was a hoot, and I giggled when she became an airhead. It cracked me up. I laughed at every single scene.

Finn’s issues with his ex weren’t funny. He let her put his name through the mud because he’s nice. I will say that it reminds me of the Johnny Depp/Amber Heard saga going on.

The stalker’s identity and the end of the book were a little bit of a shock to me. The stalker wasn’t who I pegged. I wasn’t expecting the book to end the way it did. I did get a little misty-eyed at it !!

I would recommend Protect Me to anyone over 21. There is sex, language, and violence.


If you enjoyed reading Protect Me, you will enjoy reading these books:

Hard to Hold (Hard to Play: Book 1) by Katie Rose

Hard to Hold: A Hard to Play Novel by [Rose, Katie]

Publisher: Loveswept

Date of publication: September 13, 2016

Genre: Sports, Romance, Contemporary Romance, Sports Romance, Contemporary, Soccer

Series: Hard to Play

Hard to Hold—Book 1

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Kobo

Goodreads Synopsis:

“Katie Rose writes sexy, skilled sports heroes who know how to treat a woman right!” raves Wendy S. Marcus. Now the award-winning author of the Bad Boys of Baseball series introduces a team of soccer stars who score on and off the pitch.

New Jersey Hurricanes striker Logan Hart lives for the grind of training, the adrenaline of competition, and all the perks of the road—until his ex hands him a baby and tells Logan to raise her on his own. He’s eager to pass this bundle of joy into more capable hands and get back to his hard-playing, hard-partying ways. But when a beautiful, blond drill sergeant of a nanny turns Logan’s life upside down, he sets a new goal: winning her heart.

Isabella Bennett takes pride in teaching the rich and famous how to become loving families. Her no-nonsense style is just what Logan and his crying, copper-haired cutie need. So why can’t she get the image of Logan’s tanned, muscular body out of her head? Isabella’s here to whip a new father into shape, not fall for a sexy ladies’ man. But their chemistry is too tantalizing to ignore, much like the temptation to trust someone with her deepest secrets—and embrace a loving family all her own.


Ever start off reading a book, read the first chapter, and think, “How am I going to get through this book”? Then make yourself continue reading the book and end up getting surprised.

Yeah, this happened to me with this book. I wanted to put it down and mark it as a DNF on my shelf. As I continued reading, I saw glimmers of a promising storyline and kept reading.

I started the book not liking Logan. I know he is a professional soccer player and had no time for a baby. The way he found out he had one (birth mom dumped the baby on him at a restaurant and left) was a shock. A big shock. Here is what got me, wouldn’t you immediately get a DNA test done to prove that the baby was yours?? I would. He did redeem himself; I started to like him and then loved him by the end of the book.

I was iffy with Isabella too. She went from an uptight, stuffy nanny to banging her boss within a couple of weeks. Didn’t fly with me because she made such a big deal about it at the beginning of the book. A whole chapter is dedicated to it. Then the next chapter, she slept with him. Made me scratch my head and go, “WTH.“

The only reason I kept reading the book was because of the plot. Take what I said about the characters and forget about it. The book had a good solid story about a man who was told he was a father, had the baby dumped on him, and rose to the occasion. The characters cared about baby Cinnamon, her well-being, and her welfare. That is what kept me reading. Isabella and Logan loved that baby and were willing to do anything to keep her safe.

The romance between Logan and Isabella wasn’t believable. They had nothing in common except for Cinnamon. Isabella was being all sorts of shady about her big secret with Logan. I am not going to give away her secret, but not letting yourself get into relationships because of it isn’t cool. All I am going to say on that.

The ending was perfect for the book, and I loved the very last pages of the book. All I had to say was, “You rock, Logan!!!“.

I would recommend Hard to Hold to anyone over 21. There is sex and language.


If you enjoyed reading Hard to Hold, you will enjoy reading these books:

Death Unmasked by Rick Sulik

Death Unmasked by [Sulik, Rick]

Publisher: Christopher Matthews Publishing

Date of Publication: December 1st, 2015

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

Purchase Links: Amazon | AbeBooks | Alibris | Powells | Indigo | BetterWorldBooks

Goodreads Synopsis:

A reincarnated evil is stalking the women of Houston. With each murder, the madman quotes an excerpt from the Oscar Wilde poem, “The Ballad of Reading Gaol.” A huge smokestack belching smoke, a ragged flea market double-breasted wool coat, and an old antique picture frame, bring the distant past back to haunt Houston Homicide Detective, Sean Jamison. With those catalysts, Jamison knows who he was in a past life and that he lost the only woman he could ever love. Searching for his reincarnated mate becomes Jamison’s raison d’être as he and fellow detectives scour Houston for a brutal serial killer. The memory of timeless love drives Jamison’s dogged search for a serial killer, determined to finish what he started decades earlier.
Each clue brings Jamison closer to unmasking his old nemesis. Tenacious police work, lessons learned in the past, and intuition may be the only weapons he has in preventing history from repeating itself.


I wasn’t sure what to think of this book in the first couple of chapters. The book was slow in the first couple of chapters. I struggled through those chapters because of the above issues. Get past those first few chapters; the book is a great read!!!

I enjoyed the storyline. A serial killer comes back. A cop remembers his past life, tries to find his lost love, and develops psychic premonitions. How all 3 are melded together makes a fascinating story. Throw in some very creepy stanzas from “The Ballad of Reading Gaol,” and the story becomes chilling.

From the minute I met Sean Jamison, the pace of the book picked up. When all his past lives return, he becomes obsessed with finding his long-lost soul mate. When he finds her, he is devastated that she doesn’t remember him or their lives together. But not is all that it seems, and there was a twist in that storyline that made me go, “Seriously.”

I wish that there were more scenes with the serial killer. He was a creeper, and I wish the author had spent more time in his brain. Once Darla was killed, the serial killer wasn’t in the story until the end.

The author shouldn’t have made Sean’s captain fall in love with him. Only Sean dropped that past-life tidbit on her in the office. It went from being cute and obsessive after finding his soul mate to creepy and gross.

The ending was great and, for the book, perfect. The author brought all the storylines together in a way that satisfied me. Nothing was left open-ended, which was great.

I would recommend Death Unmasked to anyone over 21. There is violence, rape, and murder.


If you enjoyed reading Death Unmasked, you will enjoy reading these books:

Burn Down the Night (Everything I Left Unsaid: Book 3) by Molly O’Keefe

Burn Down the Night (Everything I Left Unsaid Book 3) by [O'Keefe, M.]

Publisher: Loveswept

Publication Date: August 9, 2016

Genre: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Adult Fiction, Erotica, Romantic Suspense, Erotic Romance, Suspense, Adult, Dark, Mystery, Crime

Series: Everything I Left Unsaid

Everything I Left Unsaid—Book 1

The Truth About Him—Book 2

Burn Down the Night—Book 3

Wait for It—Book 4 (review here)

Purchase Links: Amazon | Audible | B&N | IndieBound | Indigo | Kobo

Goodreads Synopsis:

A battle for control turns explosive as a beautiful con woman takes a bad-boy biker hostage in this edgy, seductive novel set in the world of Everything I Left Unsaid and The Truth About Him.

The only thing that matters to me is rescuing my sister from the drug-cooking cult that once enslaved us both. I’ve run cons my whole life, and I’ll use my body to get whatever I need. Max Daniels is the last connection I have to that world, the one person reckless enough to get involved. Besides, now that his brothers have turned on him, he needs me too.

The deal was supposed to be simple: a place to hide in exchange for rescuing my sister. Now he’s my prisoner. Totally at my mercy. But I’m the one captivated. Enthralled. Doing everything he asks of me until I’m not sure who’s in control.

We both crave the heat. The more it hurts, the better. But what if Max wants a different life now, to leave the game . . . to love me? I thought I knew better than to get burned. Now I’m in too deep to pull away. And the crazy thing is . . . I don’t want to.


This book was a first for me. I had never read an MC book before, so I didn’t know what to expect. I am happy to say that this book turned me on to MC books. I can’t wait to pick up the next book in this series. I also liked that while this was the 3rd book in the series, you could read it as a stand-alone book. If you have been following my reviews, you know how much I hate reading 2-3 books into a series.

The sexual element of this book was over the top, but in a good way. The sexual tension was through the roof. Joan is bisexual, and she doesn’t hide it from Max. That leads to an exciting encounter when they are in Florida. When Max and Joan finally bump uglies, holy crap. Talk about igniting the pages!!!

The plot of this book was great too. Joan’s sister is involved with a drug-cooking cult, and Joan is looking to get her out. She figures that she could get the leader alone by doing something illegal. Then somehow, get to where he moved the camp too. But everything doesn’t go to plan, and she ends up with Max after he is shot and beaten by his MC brothers. After that, it takes off.

I loved the ending. It fits in perfectly with the book.

I would recommend Burn Down the Night to anyone over 21. There are erotic sex scenes, graphic violence, and language.


If you enjoyed reading Burn Down the Night, you will enjoy reading these books:

The Dream Protocol (Descent: Book 1) by Adara Quick

The Dream Protocol: Descent (Book I) by [Quick, Adara]

Publisher:

Date of publication: April 20th, 2016

Series: Descent

The Dream Protocol—Book 1

Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopia, Young Adult, Fantasy, Mystery, Fiction, Romance

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | AbeBooks | Alibris | Powells | IndieBound | BetterWorldBooks

Goodreads Synopsis:

WHATEVER YOU DO, DON’T GET OLD.

In fiery young Deirdre Callaghan’s home of Skellig City, no one has dreamt their own dream in over a thousand years. Dreams are produced by the Dream Makers and sold by the Ministry, the tyrannical rulers of the city. In Skellig City, years of life are awarded equally and the ruined are cast away beneath the city on their 35th birthday.

Unbeknownst to the Ministry, Deirdre’s handsome friend Flynn Brennan is afflicted with a terrible disease – a disease that accelerates the aging process. Knowing his fate if the Ministry should ever discover his illness, Flynn has lived his whole life hiding from their watchful eyes. When Flynn’s secret is finally discovered, Deirdre is determined to free him from the Ministry’s grasp. But to save him, she will have to reveal herself to a shadowy enemy…one that none of them even knew existed.


This was an interesting book. A society of people lives in an underground city called Skellig City. These people have never dreamed their own dreams. They pay for dreams that are made by the Dream Makers. These dreams are sold by the Ministry, the ruling government of Skellig City.

The book starts when Deirdre Callaghan is late to the attendance of her friend’s Descent. In this society, you are considered ruined at 35. Then you are sent through a tube to Tir Na nOg, their version of an afterlife. Her mother is due to have her Descent next week, and Deirdre is sick at the thought of her mother leaving her.

While that is going on, Deirdre is fighting to keep Flynn from being discovered by the Ministry. Flynn’s aging disease makes him seem much older than his 15 years. Because of this, he has been hiding from the Ministry and their Drones.

One day, Flynn is found out and captured, and Deirdre is forced to take action to help him. The series of events that happens afterward blows Deirdre’s mind.

Interestingly, the author chose 35 as the age for being ruined. Not interesting bad, but interesting good, if that makes sense. The comments about the ruined are very interesting too. “They are a drain on our society” was one quote that stood out in my mind.

The wannabe romance between Flynn and Deirdre was cute. The touches and glances were enough to convey how they felt about each other. It made me go “Awww” and get a sappy grin.

I liked that the author included the roots of Skellig City. It was interesting to read, and I hope she continues it in the 2nd book.

The ending was a bit of a cliffhanger, but I figured that much when I saw “#1” after the series name. The cliffhanger wasn’t that bad, but it made me “Grrrr” when it ended.

I would recommend The Dream Protocol to anyone over 16. There is no sex, no language, and mild violence.

Stuck in the Game (Dream State Saga: Book 1) by Christopher Keene

Stuck in the Game (Dream State Saga Book 1) by [Keene, Christopher]

Publisher: Future House Publishing

Date of publication: August 4th, 2016

Genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Young Adult, Cyberpunk, Action, Adventure

Series: Dream State Saga

First in the Game—Book 0.5

Stuck in the Game—Book 1

Back in the Game—Book 2

Ghost in the Game—Book 3

Lost in the Game—Book 4

Found in the Game—Book 5

Purchase Links: Amazon | AbeBooks | Alibris | Powells | Indigo

Goodreads Synopsis:

After a terrible car crash puts seventeen-year-old Noah Newbolt into a coma, he is hooked up to the innovative Dream Engine—a virtual reality helmet that immerses the player in an online fantasy game. The Dream Engine keeps Noah’s mind alive while doctors frantically work to heal his body, but his death in the game could result in irreversible brain damage.

While Noah learns to navigate the Dream Game, his girlfriend, Sue, suffers injuries from the same crash. Then the doctors’ attempts to connect her to the game result in her apparent death. When a mysterious avatar drops notes suggesting the last remnants of Sue’s consciousness are being held prisoner in the most dangerous part of the game, Noah takes it upon himself to rescue her.

He allies himself with a group of high-level players to help him in his quest, but his rise through the ranks earns him a bounty. With top players across the world gunning for Noah, can he stay alive–and awake–long enough to save Sue and escape the game?


This book was great!! As a long-time gamer, I loved that the author picked an MMORPG game to set this story. Call me a huge nerd, but I liked that he did that.

I did feel for Noah. He is stuck in Dream Engine in a coma after being in a car crash with his girlfriend, Sue.

When Noah awakens in Dream Engine, he is confused. Wouldn’t you be if you were awakened in an online virtual reality game? When his mom gets in contact with him and explains what happened, he sucks it up. His parents hired one of Wona’s employees to “protect” him. Also, to help him level up while he was being brought back to health in real life.

I laughed when I started reading the areas Noah was going to quest/level up/grind. Reminded me of the different areas of WoW. Duskshire was the main one. I giggled when Noah was hunting spiders for silk to make a robe. Been there, done that. The other areas reminded me of Kalimdor, Northrend, Pandaria, and Booty Bay.

The elitist attitudes portrayed in this book were hilarious and very on point. Noah’s friends have views when they realize he is being run through dungeons. If you have ever sat in trade chat, you know what I am talking about.

There is a huge twist in the story that did take my breath away. Not giving too much away because you need to read the book, but I cried and then got mad.

This book ended with one of my biggest pet peeves, a cliffhanger. I hate them with a passion, but it did grab my attention and make me wish that book 2 was there. I want to find out what happens to Noah after he wakes up and if things get resolved!!!

I would recommend Stuck in the Game to anyone over 16. There is no sex, mild violence, and no language.


If you enjoyed reading Stuck in the Game, you will enjoy reading these books:

The Regrets of Cyrus Dodd (Wyattsville: Book 4) by Bette Lee Crosby

The Regrets of Cyrus Dodd: Family Saga (A Wyattsville Novel Book 4) by [Crosby, Bette Lee]

Publisher: Bent Pine Publishing

Date of Publication: June 15th, 2016

Genre: Historical, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Contemporary

Series: Wyattsville

Spare Change—Book 1

Jubilee’s Journey—Book 2

A Home in Hopeful—Book 2.5

Passing through Perfect—Book 3

The Regrets of Cyrus Dodd—Book 4

Beyond the Carousel—Book 5

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | AbeBooks | Alibris | IndieBound | Indigo | BetterWorldBooks

Goodreads Synopsis:

“Regret is what stands in the way of happiness,” she said then turned and walked away…

From award-winning USA TODAY Bestselling Author BETTE LEE CROSBY, comes an early twentieth century family saga of two Southern men who come up against one another. Both are prideful, iron-willed and stubborn. One will lose his farm, the other will lose his family. In a tale that delves into the heart of a small town West Virginia community two men discover that being right is not the same as being happy.

Believing he has lost everything, Cyrus Dodd has no choice but to start over. He and wife Ruth leave their farm and travel to Wyattsville. As they settle down to a life far different than what he’d planned, Cyrus is forced to deal with one challenge after another, and the regrets trail behind him like a row of ducklings.

He told Ruth they were leaving trouble behind and swore this time it would be better; but now he’s wondering if that’s a promise he can keep.

Readers View says, “An engrossing story of ordinary people…a tale richly told.”

Indie Book Awards, Historical Fiction Finalist


This book is great about what happens after you’re hit with blow after blow in life, and you don’t give up. It had a positive message woven throughout it. It shows what happens when you have everything but lose the most important thing: family.

This was an easy read and would be perfect for the beach or pool. You can put it down and not lose your page or your way with the plot. After a tense couple of first chapters, the book evens out and is smooth sailing.

I didn’t like the chapters that started Cyrus’s musing, Ruth’s, or even Bethany’s. It struck me as odd, and didn’t need to be there. I got enough from the actual story to read that. That took away from the story.

This is book 4 in a series, but it can be read as a standalone book. No reference to previous books at all. If this didn’t have a #4 after it, I wouldn’t have known it was part of the series.

I would recommend The Regrets of Cyrus Dodd to anyone over 21. There is marital rape, spousal abuse, child abuse, and murder.


If you enjoyed reading The Regrets of Cyrus Dodd, you will enjoy reading these books:

Children of Icarus (Children of Icarus: Book 1) by Caighlan Smith

Children of Icarus by [Smith, Caighlan]

Publisher: Switch Press

Date of Publication: August 1st, 2016

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Mythology, Science Fiction, Dystopia, Mystery, Retellings, Adventure, Greek Mythology, Young Adult Fantasy

Series: Children of Icarus

Children of Icarus—Book 1

Children of Daedala—Book 2 (review here)

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | AbeBooks | Alibris | Powells | IndieBound | Indigo | BetterWorldBooks

Goodreads Synopsis:

It is Clara who is desperate to enter the labyrinth and it is Clara who is bright, strong, and fearless enough to take on any challenge. It is no surprise when she is chosen. But so is the girl who has always lived in her shadow. Together they enter. Within minutes, they are torn apart forever. Now the girl who has never left the city walls must fight to survive in a living nightmare, where one false turn with who to trust means a certain dead end.”


This is one of the best YA books that I have read in a while. I read it in one sitting. I was engrossed by the story.

The book is based on the myth of Icarus and Daedalus and the myth of the Labyrinth.

In this story, a whole society has formed around that Greek myth. Society never goes outside but instead lives within many skyscrapers. Once a year, 6-7 children, ages 10-16, are chosen to run the Labyrinth and find the Angels.

The story’s main character is Nameless, and she is a bit of a wuss. She lives in her best friend, Clara, shadow. She is excited and afraid when she is picked to go into the Labyrinth along with Clara. Clara is everything she isn’t. Beautiful, creative, brave…

Once they get into the Labyrinth, everything changes for the worse. What happens in the Labyrinth is awful, and these children are an annual sacrifice. A lucky few are rescued by a group of children who have survived the Labyrinth.

I am not going to go into the book other than to say from the moment that Nameless enters The Fates to the ending was unbelievable. I ran the full gauntlet of emotions. From happy to sad to upset to disbelief.

I would recommend Children of Icarus to anyone over 16. There is violence and one scene of attempted rape.


If you enjoyed Children of Icarus, you will enjoy these books:

Welcoming the Bad Boy (Hero’s Welcome: Book 3) by Annie Rains

Welcoming the Bad Boy: A Hero's Welcome Novel by [Rains, Annie]

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group-Loveswept, Loveswept

Date of publication: August 2 2016

Genre: Romance

Where the book can be found: Amazon

Book synopsis:

From the bestselling author of Welcome to Forever (“Full of heart and emotion!”—Lori Wilde) comes a sweet, sexy novel about breaking all the rules. In Seaside, North Carolina, the boys on the base are heroes—but that doesn’t mean they’re always well-behaved.
 
As a preacher’s daughter, Valerie Hunt only dates the very respectable, very boring men who meet her father’s strict standards. In private, however, she leads a double life as a romance writer of steamy stories about the least respectable sorts of men. Valerie has always kept her hottest fantasies separate from her real life, but when she nearly runs a hot-blooded biker off the road, the lines begin to blur.
 
Even though Valerie almost killed him, Griffin Black can’t be angry after he learns the reason for her distracted driving: an unruly puppy belonging to her ailing friend. As a member of the military police K-9 unit, Griffin insists on training the dog himself. But he soon wonders how he’s ever going to stay disciplined around the most alluring, down-to-earth, and totally unattainable woman he’s ever met. Valerie is the ultimate good girl. And Griffin is going to need all his old tricks to unleash her wild side.

My review:

I LOVED this book. I don’t say this about books in a series if I haven’t read the first 3 books but I will say it about this one.

The beginning was hilarious. Val is taking care of her friend’s Pomeranian, Sweet Cheeks (OMG, THE NAME!!!) while she is in a nursing home recovering from a hip replacement. Because of Sweet Cheeks, Val almost runs down a motorcyclist, who happens to be Griffin. Sparks fly immediately and the story takes off from there.

Griffin offers to train Sweet Cheeks in exchange for Val to help him with his mother. Griffin’s mother has Alzheimer’s and has no memory of him. All he wants is for his mother to remember him so he can apologize for their last encounter.

I cried during parts of this book. I legit ugly cried during Griffin and his mother’s scenes. The heartbreak, the regret came right off pages and into my heart.

I couldn’t stand Val’s father. I understand his wife died when Val was younger but he was so cold towards her and very unsupportive of her dreams. I didn’t get into his miraculous turn around at the end.

If I hadn’t of looked this book up, I wouldn’t have known it was the 3rd book in a series. You can read this as a stand alone.

3 things I liked about Welcoming the Bad Boy:

  1. Val and Griffin’s romance
  2. Val’s alter ego
  3. the storyline

3 things I disliked about Welcoming the Bad Boy:

  1. Val’s father
  2. Alzheimer’s disease
  3. It made me ugly cry

How many stars will I give Welcoming the Bad Boy? 5

Why? I absolutely loved this book. It had everything. Great sex, people falling in love over the course of a month and the plot was fantastic. I LOVED the ending (read the book!!!)

Will I reread it? Absolutely

Will I recommend to family and friends? Yes

Age range: Adult

Why? Lots of steamy sex scenes.

Is the book part of a series. Yes, it is book 3. The other books are:

Welcome to Forever

Welcome to Forever–Starting Today (Short story about Micah and Kat)

Welcome Home, Cowboy

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**