Highland Temptation (Highland Knights: Book 3) by Jennifer Haymore

Highland Temptation: A Highland Knights Novel by [Haymore, Jennifer]

Publisher: Loveswept

Date of publication: August 23rd, 2016

Genre: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Regency, Regency Romance, Historical Fiction, Scotland, British Literature

Series: Highland Knights

A Highlander’s Heart—Book 0.5

Highland Heat—Book 1

Highland Awakening—Book 2

Her Wicked Highlander—Book 2.5

Highland Temptation—Book 3

Purchase Links: WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis

Jennifer Haymore’s sweeping Highland Knights series is perfect for readers of Maya Banks, Monica McCarty, and Sabrina Jeffries—and as the saga resumes, one of Scotland’s most steadfast warriors shields a broken beauty while she soothes the pain in his soldier’s heart.

When Lady Emilia Featherstone discovers that her despicable father has been scheming against the crown, she turns to the Highland Knights for protection—and retribution. Spirited away to a safe house on the outskirts of London, Emilia is surprised to find herself sharing close quarters with a soft-spoken, musclebound Highlander. Before long, curiosity gives way to an alarming attraction. Emilia has learned firsthand from her father that men are not to be trusted. She just never met one so honorable and loyal, so powerful and, yes, tempting.

Ever since Waterloo, Colin Stirling has struggled with memories that haunt him night and day. Driven near to madness, he no longer trusts himself with meaningful relationships of any kind. At least in this temporary sanctuary, Colin can withdraw from the world—that is, until his stunningly gorgeous charge learns the full depth of his pain. In Emilia, Colin sees a kindred spirit with battle scars of her own. He also senses a chance to heal . . . and to find love.

I am a sucker for historical romances. I love the period clothes, the women courting, and the ton’s description, love it all. I love the Scots from this period. They are bad boys in every book I read, and I love it.

This book was no exception to that. But I wouldn’t class Colin as a “bad boy.” He has PTSD and survivor’s guilt after fighting with the English Army at Waterloo. Emilia is his kindred spirit. She had been abused by her father and carries internal and external scars. Colin and Emilia touched my heart because of what they had gone through.

The story was good. Who doesn’t like a little mystery and intrigue in your romance? I know I do!!!

The only thing I can even complain about with this book is that it is the 3rd book in the series. This is not a standalone book. The characters from the old books come into play here. They talk about what happened in previous books. Which annoyed me.

I would recommend Highland Temptation to anyone over 21. There are sex scenes and a couple of scenes where Emilia is beaten.

If you enjoyed Highland Temptation, you will enjoy these books:

Skies (Sharani Series: Book 3) by Kevin L. Nielson

Skies (Sharani Series Book 3) by [Nielsen, Kevin L.]

Publisher: Future House Publishing

Date of Publication: August 18th, 2016

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Series: Sharani Series

Twins—Book 0

Sands — Book 1

Storms — Book 2

Skies — Book 3

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | AbeBooks

Goodreads Synopsis:

For the Rahuli people, the world has just gotten a lot bigger.

Gavin, now the leader of the displaced Rahuli, grows increasingly frustrated with the members of the so-called slave “rebellion.” The former slaves are frightened by the Rahuli’s war-filled history, but the their warrior ways might be the only thing to stop the Orinai from slaughtering them all.

Meanwhile, Lhaurel is held prisoner by the Seven Sisters, the mysterious and ruthless mages who rule the Orinai. Cut off from her magic, she is forced to travel to the Orinai capital under a threat against the Rahuli. But, despite their promises, the Sisters have no intention of letting the Rahuli live.

Their armies march toward the Rahuli once again. To defend his people, Gavin must earn the trust of the former slaves, or nobody stands a chance against the approaching horde.

Can Gavin defeat the Orinai, or have the Rahuli entered a fight they cannot win?

I will start this review by saying you must read Sands and Storms first. Skies is not a standalone book. I made the mistake of not reading Sands and Storms before reading Skies, and I was so confused that I ended up stopping reading Skies, buying Sands and Storms, reading them, and then restarting Skies. This is why I didn’t have my review ready when it was released.

Lhaurel’s character progressed from the first 2 books, and I felt awful that she was shut off from her powers. I also felt bad that she was held captive by those creepy Sisters. When I think of Sisters, I think of kind little nuns in their habits. From what I gleaned about these Sisters, they are the opposite. They wear tight-fitting clothes, filed their teeth to points, and were generally badass bitches that no one wanted to mess with. I loved it. I did like Talha. She seemed the most easy-going out of all the Sisters.

The other storyline focused on Gavin and his band of Rahuli. Gavin is having a hard time being the ruler and trying to keep the peace with the head of the village. Brisson kept reminding Gavin of the hardship the Rahuli are putting on his people, and Gavin keeps reminding Brisson that his people could help. It’s a stalemate until Gavin decides he has had enough and forces Brisson to accept him as an equal.

Not going to go too much into that storyline, but I was impressed with how it ended up, and I loved the twist at the end. Absolutely freaking loved it. There were hints pointing to the twist, but I was still surprised when it came.

Lhaurel’s storyline was a little more complicated but just as enthralling. I liked the waking dreams, and the end of her story was not what I expected. I honestly thought that it would go another way.

The author did leave it open for a 4th book. But no cliffhangers. He wrapped up each storyline so that it closed the door to that story and opened a new door for the next story.

I would recommend Skies to anyone over 16. There is violence but otherwise is a clean book.

If you enjoyed reading Skies, you will enjoy reading these books:

Rage (Teodor Szacki: Book 3) by Zygmunt Miloszewski

Publisher: AmazonCrossing

Date of publication: August 1st, 2016

Genre: Crime, Fiction, Mystery, Polish Literature, Thriller, Poland, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook, Contemporary, Suspense

Series: Teodor Szacki

Entanglement – Book 1

A Grain of Truth – Book 2

Rage – Book 3

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

Bestselling Polish crime by award-winning author Zygmunt Miloszewski.

All eyes are on famous prosecutor Teodor Szacki when he investigates a skeleton discovered at a construction site in the idyllic Polish city of Olsztyn. Old bones come as no shock to anyone in this part of Poland, but it turns out these remains are fresh, the flesh chemically removed.

Szacki questions the dead man’s wife, only to be left with a suspicion she’s hiding something. Then another victim surfaces—a violent husband, alive but maimed—giving rise to a theory: someone’s targeting domestic abusers. And as new clues bring the murderer closer to those Szacki holds dear, he begins to understand the terrible rage that drives people to murder.

From acclaimed Polish crime writer Zygmunt Miloszewski comes a gritty, atmospheric page-turner that poses the question, what drives a sane man to kill?

What drives a sane person to kill? That question could be answered by looking at today’s headlines. “She cut me off,” “He cheated on me,” and “She grabbed the last pair of socks in the discount bin” as a few examples. I mean, we have all heard them. What the author did is backtrack from the murder and examined the circumstances.

This is the 3rd book in a series, so it could be a standalone book. There were a few references to past books, but other than that, this book was its own animal.

I was not too fond of Helena’s (Hela’s) or Teodor’s characters. Hela came across as a spoiled brat, and Teodor came across as a cold, unfeeling person. He had this edge when comforting people, which made me uncomfortable.

The plot was fantastic, and it was fast-paced. The two storylines meet up towards the end of the book. The way that the author did it was great!!! I couldn’t put my finger on the murderer/vigilante. It could have been anyone. The big twist at the end was a surprise.

I would recommend Rage to anyone over 21. There is explicit sex, instructions on how to kill someone with lye balls, a descriptive scene where a man is throat raped with a pole, and mild language.

If you enjoyed reading Rage, 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)

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:

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:

Val and Griffin’s romance
Val’s alter ego
the storyline

3 things I disliked about Welcoming the Bad Boy:

Val’s father
Alzheimer’s disease
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**

The Byzantine Connection (Stella Hunter Mystery Series: Peacetaker: Book 3) by Edita A. Petrick

Publisher: Edita A. Petrick

Date of Publication: January 27th, 2016

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

Series: Stella Hunter Mystery Series: Peacetaker

Ribbons of Death—Book 1 (review here)

The Harmony Scroll—Book 2 (review here)

The Byzantine Connection—Book 3

Arachne’s Challenge—Book 4

Doomsday Hand—Book 5

Seals of Eternity—Book 6

Purchase Links: Amazon | Alibris | Powells

Goodreads Synopsis:

In St. Hedwig’s Cathedral, Detroit, Carter witnesses the miracle of youth returned, and stigmata where none should be. The bleeding statue is no miracle: it is the embodiment of an ancient curse that draws people in by granting their deepest wishes—but at the price of serving an evil force, ultimately paid for with their lives.
In a race against time to get to the bottom of the mystery, Carter and Stella have only the words of old friend and priest Father Malvan to guide them—yet he is long gone, turned monster then to dust.

This book takes place a year or so after The Harmony Scroll ends. I was delighted to find out that Carter and Stella are a couple. Stella has trouble coming to terms with their relationship during the book. Their interactions during this book cracked me up.

They are sent on a mystery after Stella’s friend contacts them about a mysterious statue. The events become a race against time to stop a powerful lawyer from fulfilling a prophecy.

The action was insane. Throw in the mythological element, which got my heart pounding at some points.

The ending was unexpected, and its twist threw me for a loop. I should have seen it coming; I should have but didn’t.

Would recommend The Byzantine Connection to anyone over 16. There is violence and language but no sex.

In The Clearing (Tracy Crosswhite: Book 3) by Robert Dugoni

In the Clearing (Tracy Crosswhite Book 3) by [Dugoni, Robert]

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

Date of publication: May 17th, 2016

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Crime, Suspense, Contemporary, Detective, Adult

Series: Tracy Crosswhite Series

The Academy—Book 0.25

Third Watch—Book 0.5

My Sister’s Grave—Book 1

Her Final Breath—Book 2

In the Clearing—Book 3

The Trapped Girl—Book 4

Close to Home—Book 5

A Steep Price—Book 6

A Cold Trail—Book 7

In Her Tracks—Book 8

The Last Line—Book 8.5

What She Found—Book 9

Purchase Links: Amazon |Audible

Goodreads synopsis:

Detective Tracy Crosswhite has a skill, and a soft spot, for tackling unsolved crimes. Having lost her own sister to murder at a young age, Tracy has dedicated her career to bringing justice and closure to the families and friends of victims of crime.

So when Jenny, a former police academy classmate, and protégé, asks Tracy to help solve a cold case that involves the suspicious suicide of a Native American high school girl forty years earlier, Tracy agrees. Following up on evidence Jenny’s detective father collected when he was the investigating deputy, Tracy probes one small town’s memory and finds dark, well-concealed secrets hidden within the community’s fabric. Can Tracy uphold the promise she’s made to the dead girl’s family and deliver the truth of what happened to their daughter? Or will she become the next victim?

Want a book you can devour in one sitting? Then read In the Clearing. I was completely glued to this one and couldn’t put it down.

The main storyline and the subplot were both fantastic. The author does a great job of alternating between the cold case and the one Tracy is currently working on, seamlessly moving between past and present—and even between different perspectives. That’s something I usually struggle with in books like this, but here it absolutely worked. The way both cases come together in the end is chilling. I actually got goosebumps.

I did figure out who killed Kimi about halfway through the book—but not because it was obvious in a bad way. There were plenty of red herrings and apparent dead ends, so when everything was revealed, I was still shocked. And there’s a major twist I did not see coming.

What surprised me most is that even though this is part of a series, it works perfectly as a standalone. I usually avoid reading books out of order because characters and plots tend to bleed together. Not here. What happens in previous books stays in previous books.

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