Tag: book 3

Waltz of the Crows (Steam and Shadow: Book 3) by L.G. Rollins

Waltz of the Crows (Steam and Shadow Novel Book 3) by [Rollins, L.]

4 Stars

Date of publication: June 4th, 2019

Genre: Steampunk, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Romance

Series: Steam and Shadow

Masked by Moonlight—Book 1

Buried in Blue—Book 2

Waltz of the Crows—Book 3

Where you can find Waltz of the Crows: Amazon

Book synopsis:

Leila Hale’s orders are clear: impersonate a nurse, make contact with her fellow spy, and get London the information it needs without being caught or killed; or worse, tripping up so horribly her superiors deem her incompetent.

Samuel Rowley has returned to find his hometown disease-ridden, with many on the brink of madness. Not a man to sit back and merely hope for the best, he determines to explore every resource available until he finds a solution. 

Together, Leila and Samuel sort out the relevant from the distractions and tease truth from lies. But as they uncover various secrets, it becomes evident that this insanity isn’t a disease at all, but a meticulously infiltrated poisoning; and the perpetrator has them in their sights.

When all is made known, will Leila and Samuel have enough wit and strength to save themselves, their future, and a town full of innocent victims?

Waltz of the Crows is Book 3 in the Steam and Shadow Series; all books in this series are stand-alone and can be read in any order. Waltz of the Crows is a Victorian Era Steampunk (think Woman in White but with cool gadgets) bundled up with a cozy mystery and sweet romance. Perfect for lovers of Marissa Meyer’s Cinder and Stephanie Garber’s Caraval.

My Review:

When I read the blurb for Waltz of the Crows, I got excited. It has been a long time since I have read a good steampunk book. I was hoping that the book lived up to its blurb. I am happy to report that this book lived up to the blurb and then some!!

The plot for Waltz of the Crows was simple. Leila was in France on a mission. There is a deadly flu that has been confined to a village in France. Leila is to gather intel on the flu and send it to London. While in France, Leila meets the dashing Samuel. With his help, Leila discovers that the people are being poisoned. Soon, it becomes a race to find out who is poisoning the village and why. Can Leila and Samuel expose the villain without getting themselves hurt? Can they stop the poisoning?

I loved Leila. She had been forced into the field early and hadn’t been able to complete her training. She was terrified that she was going to get killed or be labeled incompetent. It made her cautious at the beginning of the book. But once Victor was compromised, she started to shed her doubts. I loved watching her character grow. I cheered her on when she was intel gathering. I liked her.

I liked Samuel too. At first, I did wonder why he was being brought into the book. But as the book went on, his role in everything became crystal clear. He had a set of skills that Leila needed. He also wanted to get to the bottom of who was poisoning the village. I loved watching him fall for Leila. It was sweet.

The steampunk angle of the book was well written. This book was set in Victorian England. There were motorcars, steam run submarines, gears, and airships. I couldn’t get enough of reading about that. I couldn’t get enough of reading about that.

The mystery angle of the book was well written also. The author did a great job at keeping who was poisoning the village under wrap until the end of the book. I did have my suspicions about who it was, and I was wrong. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I loved it!!

There was also a romance angle in Waltz of the Crows. The romance between Leila and Samuel was sweet. It was innocent. It was a perfect fit in with the story.

The end of Waltz of Crows was action-packed. I was surprised at who the villain turned out to be. The author did a great job of keeping it under wrap. The other surprise is what happened to Leila and Samuel. I never predicted what happened to happen. It was a fantastic end to the book.

I would give Waltz of Crows an Older Teen rating. There is no sex. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 16 read this book.

I would reread Waltz of Crows I would recommend it to family and friends.

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

Professor with Benefits (Beta Brothers: Book 3) by Hazel Kelly

Professor with Benefits (Beta Brothers #3)

4 Stars

Publisher

Date of publication: May 30th, 2019

Genre: Romance

Where you can find Professor with Benefits: Amazon

Book synopsis:

Sadie’s no princess, and she doesn’t appreciate being treated like one. As far as she’s concerned, women who don’t wear ridiculous shoes don’t need to be swept off their feet, and the last thing the world needs right now is one more hopeless romantic maiming one more unsuspecting daisy.

But when a handsome, young professor takes an unprofessional interest in her mossy green eyes and muddy attitude, she can’t help but enjoy the sparkly feeling his attention stirs in her. And the more he lays on the charm, the more she fears she’s not as attached to her loneliness as she once thought. 

Too bad he’s off limits. Then again, limits have never really interested Sadie.

But dreamy professors with penetrating blue eyes and sinfully sexy stubble? That’s a subject that’s about to make her senior year very interesting indeed… 

When I read the blurb for Professor with Benefits, I knew that I needed to read it. The blurb screamed easy to read with hot sex scenes. After the month I have had, I needed something that I could enjoy and lose myself in. Fortunately, with Professor with Benefits, I was able to do that.

What I Liked About Professor with Benefits:

Sadie: She was introduced in Friends with Benefits as Nina’s older cousin. She caught my attention from the minute she was introduced in the book. When I saw that this was her romance, I was pleased. Her character in this book was nothing like I thought it would be. She had mental health issues stemming from the suicide of her younger sister. Her mental health became a focal point of the book. I loved seeing her transform from this damaged young woman who needed to be handled carefully to someone who was working on her issues.

Kellan: I liked him from the minute Sadie puked a rainbow all over his shoes. He had his issues. I loved that Kellan realized how fragile Sadie was. While he did push in some areas, he let her call the shots in their relationship. He understood Sadie’s grief and he understood her issues. I loved how smart he was too. He owned his nerdiness. That made him even more hot to me.

The author’s realistic take on mental illness and grief: Sadie was traumatized from her sister’s suicide. I believe that along with deep depression, she had PTSD. Sadie was self-medicating before she met Kellan. Her record at school reflected that. The author didn’t gloss over Sadie’s issues. Instead, she made them a part of who Sadie was.

The sex scenes: Sadie and Kellan’s sex scenes were some of the hottest that I have read to date. But, even before they had sex, their chemistry was off the charts. There were points in the book where I had to put it down and fan myself.

The end: I am not going to say much about the ending except that I loved how it turned out. The epilogue brought tears to my eyes.

What I Disliked About Professor with Benefits:

Sadie’s landlady: I couldn’t stand her. She was unlikable and treated Sadie like dirt. The whole “you need to leave as soon as possible” scene made me want to reach through and smack her upside the head.

Thomas’s dropped storyline: I was enjoying Sadie’s interactions with Thomas. He added a much-needed bit of humor to the storyline. But, he went poof after the bar fight. What happened to him?

Dean Schwartz: Another character that I couldn’t stand. She seemed to have it out for Sadie. The infractions that Sadie got in trouble for were silly. Except for the alcohol one. I also understood why she made Kellan make a choice. But still. She was cold and heartless.

I would give Professor with Benefits an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Professor with Benefits. I would recommend it to family and friends.

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

Attracted to the Earl (Imperfect Lords: Book 3) by Bronwen Evans

Attracted to the Earl (Imperfect Lords Book 3) by [Evans, Bronwen]

4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept, Loveswept

Date of publication: May 28th, 2019

Genre: Romance

Series: Imperfect Lords

Addicted to the Duke—Book 1 (review here)

Drawn to the Marquess—Book 2 (review here)

Attracted to the Earl—Book 3

Where you can find Attracted to the Earl: Barnes and Noble | Amazon | BookBub

Book synopsis:

Unable to read or write, an earl discovers love in the last place he expects to find it—within the embrace of a brilliant woman—in this sexy, irresistible novel from USA Today bestselling author Bronwen Evans.

What’s an earl to do?
The Earl of Argyle has died suddenly, leaving his brother Guy Neville at a complete loss. The dull-witted second son, as his father used to call him, Guy is now responsible for the estate and his brother’s seat in the House of Lords. Shamed by an inability to read or write, his distress is multiplied by an inquiry from a dyed-in-the-wool bluestocking who wishes to use the Argyle library and study a rare plant on the estate. Guy’s first instinct is to decline her request—until he catches a glimpse of Miss Abigail Pinehurst.

How’s a girl to behave?
Abigail cares for only one thing: plants. She is unconcerned about how she looks, what she wears, or the impression she makes on men. An orphan who turned to books for solace in a miserly, cruel institution, she now makes her living illustrating the greenery she adores. Lord Argyle, in fact, with his uncanny memory and chiseled features, is the first man to capture her attention—a ridiculous distraction since he is so far above her station. But her unreasonable heart has a mind of its own.

My Review:

Guy Neville doesn’t know what to do. His older brother passed away, leaving him The Earl of Argyle. The reason Guy is at a loss is that Guy doesn’t know how to read or write. If it came out that he was illiterate, it could cost him the Earldom. When Guy meets the beautiful Abigail Pinehurst, Guy knows that his cousin has sent her to spy on him. Can he trust her? Or will she be the one to uncover all his secrets and use them against him?

Abigail Pinehurst is being used to spy on Guy. She doesn’t want to spy on him. With her reputation at stake, as well as her sister’s, Abigail would do anything to keep her blackmailer from talking. But, once she gets to know Guy, she wants to help him. Can Abigail do that without letting him know about her past? Can she protect her sister?

I am going to start this review with a trigger warning. There are several explicit scenes of child abuse. Guy endured emotional, physical, and psychological abuse that took years for him to get over. I went cold reading what he went through. Some people might think that the descriptions were too much, but I disagree. Those graphic scenes only showcased how strong he was. If you are triggered by child abuse, then do not read the book. Unfortunately, Guy’s abuse is a significant part of his character and part of the plot.

Guy’s inability to read or write had me wondering. Did he have a form of dyslexia? Everything that was mentioned made me think that he did.

Whenever Guy remembered his childhood, I got tears in my eyes. He had cracked ribs at 7. He was forced to sleep in a cupboard under the stairs. He was dunked into wells. He was starved. He was beaten. All because he couldn’t read or write. My heart broke into smithereens every time he remembered something. I was thrilled that he had a secure support system when he was an adult. The support and love that he was denied as a child were there tenfold.

Abigail didn’t have a much better childhood. Her childhood wasn’t talked about until the latter half of the book. I was heartbroken when it was revealed where she came from. Then I got angry. When everything was explained, I understood why she decided to spy on Guy. She had Dora to protect.

Abigail and Guy had some serious chemistry going. From the minute she showed up, dripping wet, the sparks flew. I wasn’t too surprised when their chemistry exploded.

Their sex scenes were intense. I liked that Abigail wasn’t a shy virgin. She was able to look at Guy and not shrink from the size of his member. She was able to take intense pleasure from them having sex. I liked that Guy didn’t have to be gentle with her.

The main plotline, Guy’s disability and Abigail being sent there to spy on him, was well written. I liked that Guy went from being terrified that his disability would get out to not caring. He was willing to have someone else take over rather than have Patrick take over the estate.

I felt terrible for Abigail in this plotline. She was being blackmailed into doing something that she didn’t want to do. All she wanted to do was sketch the Ghost Orchid. Instead, she was forced to look for anything that would give Patrick leverage over Guy. It was a horrible position to be in.

I couldn’t stand Patrick. He was a slimy man who got what was coming to him. I wished that Kit did what he threatened earlier. It would have taken care of a lot of things.

I did figure out what Abigail’s secret was early in the book. The author dropped enough hints. But it wasn’t until Patrick saying something that it was confirmed.

I liked the end of Attracted to the Earl. I loved the note that Abigail got from her mother. The epilogue made me smile. I loved seeing them in a good place!!

I would give Attracted to the Earl an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is violence. There is no language. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Attracted to the Earl I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

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

Then Came You (Laws of Attraction: Book 3) by Kate Meader

Then Came You: A Laws of Attraction Novel by [Meader, Kate]

4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept, Loveswept

Date of publication: May 7th, 2019

Genre: Romance

Series: Laws of Attraction

Down with Love—Book 1 (review here)

Illegally Yours—Book 2 (review here)

Then Came You—Book 3

Where to find Then Came You: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BookBub

Book Synopsis:

In the courtroom, they’re rivals. In the bedroom, they’re . . . divorced. But could the road trip from hell lead to a second chance at love?

Aubrey Gates is the hottest divorce lawyer in Chicago, a barb-tongued stiletto with legs that go on for miles. When her cool gray eyes meet mine across the battlefield, I want her like I’ve never wanted anyone or anything. Then I remember who she is: the woman who brought me to my knees. The woman who destroyed my faith in relationships.

The woman I used to call . . . wife.

And she needs a favor from me, Grant Lincoln.

It seems my ex forgot to mention the demise of our marriage to her dear old grammie, and now we’re both expected to attend her ninetieth birthday party. In Boston. And because it isn’t already awkward enough, Aubrey and I are driving there together from Chicago. That’s more than a thousand miles of tension, heartbreak, and barely concealed lust.

A little piece of paper might say we’re over, but this road trip is the true test. I intend to get my wife back . . . and I won’t stop until “I do.”

My Review:

I was waiting for Aubrey and Grant’s story to be published. I couldn’t wait to find out the reasons why they got divorced. I thought it was going to be a silly reason, like Grant was working too much or Aubrey was insecure. I was surprised when the reason was revealed. Surprised isn’t the correct term. I was heartbroken for both of them.

Then Came You’s plotline was straightforward. Aubrey and Grant were a divorced couple who are forced to take a road trip to Boston for Thanksgiving. Audrey never told her grandmother that they got divorced. While on the trip, Audrey and Grant are forced to acknowledge the reason why their marriage ended. They also are forced to recognize that their love never went away. Will they be able to put the past in the past? Or will it continue to keep them apart?

I thought Audrey could have benefitted from therapy the majority of the book. Girlfriend had issues which started in her childhood. She was so tense that it was rubbing off on her cat. I couldn’t stand her the first few chapters. But, when she and Grant started on their road trip, I began to see another side to her. I began to like her when she began to open up to Grant about why their marriage ended. I liked that the author wrote her the way she did. She wasn’t perfect, and her issues weren’t going to be solved overnight. I had been getting sick of characters that had perfect lives. Audrey was a breath of fresh air.

I loved Grant. There was a point at the beginning of the book where I thought he was a pushover. But, as the book went on and I began to see the damage that Audrey’s family did to her, I started to understand why he was like that. And I admired him for it. I liked that the author chose to show his reaction to what happened to him and Audrey. My heart broke into bits. I also liked his resolve to mend things between him and Audrey. I will say that he had more tolerance than I did. If my in-laws were like Audrey’s family, I would have lost my cool.

The cat was a huge hit for me. He added much-needed humor to certain situations. I was laughing out loud when he was in the scene. As a cat owner (I have two), I can relate to some of the situations Audrey found herself in with the cat.

I disliked Audrey’s family. Her parents were a piece of work. I couldn’t get over how selfish and self-centered both of them were. The only one I liked was her grandmother. She was a hoot. A pot smoking 90-year-old grandmother. Who wasn’t afraid to speak her mind. Loved it!!

Grant’s family was more realistic. His mother was 15 when she had him and she worked hard to provide a good home for him. She might not have had the money, but she adored her son. His stepfather was as good. As I said, they were more realistic. More what I am used to seeing in real life.

I loved Then Came You was a second chance romance. The reasons why Audrey and Grant divorced were heartbreaking. Even in the previous books, you could see how in love they still were with each other. So to watch them rebuild their relationship was beautiful.

The sex scenes were off the chart hot. I loved that Grant gave Audrey 3 orgasms for his one. The author was able to keep the sexual attraction and chemistry going throughout the book.

The end of Then Came You was one of the more emotional that I have read. I wanted to hand hankies out to everyone. But, it was the epilogue that got me. I will admit, I had tears during it. It was an ending that Grant and Audrey deserved!!! Plus, I liked seeing what the other couples were doing too.

I would give Then Came You an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is mild violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Then Came You. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

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

Have you read Then Came You?

What are your thoughts on it?

Let me know!!

Welcome the Little Children (Appalachian Mountain Mysteries: Book 3) by Lynda McDaniel

Welcome the Little Children: A Mystery Novel (Appalachian Mountain Mysteries Book 3) by [McDaniel, Lynda]

4 Stars

Publisher: Lynda McDaniel Books

Date of publication: November 15th, 2018

Genre: Mystery

Series: Appalachian Mountain Mysteries

A Life for A Life—Book 1 (review here)

The Roads to Damascus—Book 2 (review here)

Welcome the Little Children—Book 3

Where you can find Welcome the Little Children: Barnes and Noble | Amazon

Book synopsis:

Missing mother. Neglected children. Lost love. Abit and Della have their work cut out for them.

Meet Astrid, a sprite of a girl whose mother goes missing from her isolated log cabin. Abit Bradshaw and Della Kincaid get entangled in the investigation, searching for answers from the mountains of N.C. to the streets of D.C. Along the way, they come face-to-face with the lies and secrets plaguing their own families. Meanwhile, Abit struggles with a decision that could cost him everything he holds dear.

Welcome the Little Children is the third book in Lynda McDaniel’s internationally acclaimed Appalachian Mountain Mysteries series. Reviewers have compared her work to To Kill a Mockingbird and her storytelling style to that of Fannie Flagg. If you like page-turning dramas without over-the-top violence—but packed with suspense and character-driven stories—you’ll love this series.

My Review:

Welcome the Little Children is the last book in the Appalachian Mountain Mystery series. Abit has graduated from The Hicks and is doing well for himself. Della is wondering if she should pack up and move to Washington D.C. with Alex. That is when Astrid appears. An eight-year-old who seemed years older, she tugs at Della’s heartstrings. Then Della finds out that Astrid’s mother has disappeared. Using her investigative reporter skills, Della tries to find her. Along the way, Della is forced to face secrets that are haunting her own family. Will Della find Astrid’s mother? What are the secrets that Della will uncover?

Welcome the Little Children was a fantastic end to the Appalachian Mountain Mysteries. I was excited to read it. I couldn’t wait to see what Della and Abit would get themselves into. I wasn’t disappointed!!

The storyline that involved Della, Astrid, and her family was heartbreaking. I liked that Della was going to find out where Astrid’s mother was. And when she did, man did the fireworks start. I loved it. I also liked that the storyline was resolved in a way that made sense to me. It was realistic.

The storyline that involved Abit and Fiona was a heartbreaker. I cried more during that storyline than I did in the other books. I felt awful for Abit. The decision he had to make was a painful one. But he wasn’t going to be pressured into doing anything he didn’t want to do. What I liked about this storyline is that it came around full circle. I’m not going to say what but I will say that Abit and Fiona did get their happily ever after.

The characters in Welcome the Little Children were wonderfully written. From the main characters to the secondary, they all added depth to the storyline. Della’s crisis at the beginning of the book struck me. I have had similar situations before, and I have questioned myself too.

The end of Welcome the Little Children was good. The storylines were wrapped up in ways that I liked. I will say that I agreed with Della on Abit’s mother’s deathbed confession. I would have contemplated the same thing.

I would give Welcome the Little Children an Older Teen rating. There is no sex. There is mild language. There is mild violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Welcome the Little Children. I would also recommend this book to family and friends

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

Have you read Welcome the Little Children?

What are your thoughts on it?

Let me know!!

Trusting the Billionaire: A Marriage of Convenience Romance (The Billionaire’s Reluctant Bride: Book 3) by Cynthia Savage

Trusting The Billionaire: A Marriage Of Convenience Romance (The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Book 3) by [Savage, Cynthia]

4 Stars

Publisher: C.J. Anaya Publishing LLC

Date of publication: March 26th, 2019

Genre: romance

Series: The Billionaire’s Reluctant Bride

Crushing on the Billionaire—Book 2

Trusting the Billionaire—Book 3

Where to find Trusting the Billionaire: Amazon

Book synopsis:

A jaded divorcee and a lovelorn billionaire get a second chance at romance.

Audrey Wilson is convinced love is a pipe dream, and she has the divorce decree to prove it. Not to mention a failing non-profit facility full of battered and abused women. When her best friend gets her heart broken by a guy who claims a dating coach taught him how to play women, Audrey is ready to confront this coach and make him pay.

And she has a hunch he’s none other than brainy billionaire Asher Weston.

Asher has a bad case of unrequited love that goes all the way back to his high school days. When one of his clients blackmails him, forcing him to find a wife on a deadline, he’s ready to give up on living happily ever after with the woman of his dreams. 

Until she unexpectedly waltzes into his office.

A marriage of convenience gets him the wife he needs—and the woman he’s always loved. For Audrey, this platonic arrangement affords her non-profit some financial security while she secretly sets out to prove Asher is the mastermind behind her bestie’s heartache. 

Can Asher and Audrey overcome a jealous secretary, a dangerous ex, and their own insecurities to build a future together?

My review

I have been in a rut when it has come to reading romance novels. I was getting bored with the same old plotlines used over and over again. It was getting to the point where I was avoiding read any romance novel I had in my waiting to be reviewed pile. Which meant Trusting the Billionaire got pushed to the back of my list. I kept doing that until I missed the publication date.

I feel bad now that I have read the book. Trusting the Billionaire was not what I thought it was going to be. I was expecting a book that was heavy on the sex and light on the plot. Instead, the book I read was the complete opposite. No sex (yes, you read that right) and a fantastic plotline!!

I liked how the author chose to portray domestic violence. She didn’t sugarcoat it. She didn’t make it disappear. What Audrey went through with her ex-husband, unfortunately, is something that millions of women go through each year. Even the escalation of Duke’s stalking after six years was true to life.

I liked Audrey’s strength and her passion for her non-profit. She did annoy me. Her jealousy of Heifer was ridiculous. I did think she went overboard when her best friend got her heart broken. But, as I said at the beginning of the paragraph, I liked her.

I liked Asher too. But I got frustrated when he kept putting off telling Audrey who she was. There was a point in the book where I got mad and had to put the book down. I was ready to jump into the Kindle and shake him. But, I understood where he was coming from. He still suffered from confidence issues that began in high school.

I was a little “eh” with the storyline about The Love Coach. It didn’t do anything for me. I couldn’t understand how Audrey didn’t put two and two together with all the evidence that she saw. Like the tattoo matching the logo. Dead giveaway.

I also didn’t get how Audrey didn’t know that Lawrence and Asher were the same people. I understand that people change. But Asher knew things about her that only Lawrence would have. Like the dream wedding. That would have clued me in fast.

As I mentioned above, there is zero sex in this book. That made it such a refreshing read for me. There was plenty of chemistry and tension, but the author left it at that. I was able to use my imagination based on the steamy kisses that Asher and Audrey shared.

The end of Trusting the Billionaire was great. I liked how everything worked out for them. The three months later chapter was one of the best I have read. I got chills and teary-eyed reading it.

I would give Trusting the Billionaire an Adult rating. There is no sex. There is violence. There is language. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Trusting the Billionaire. I would also recommend it to family and friends.

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

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review Trusting the Billionaire.

All opinions stated in this review of Trusting the Billionaire are mine.

Have you read Trusting the Billionaire?

Did you like it?

Would you be able to date/marry someone who lied by omission about who he was?

Let me know.

My Favorite Cowboy (Heart of Texas: Book 3) by Donna Grant

4 Stars

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Date of publication: February 26th, 2019

Genre: Romance

Series: Heart of Texas

The Christmas Cowboy Hero—book 1

Cowboy, Cross My Heart—book 2 (review here)

My Favorite Cowboy—book 3

Where to find My Favorite Cowboy: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

Hot cowboy heroes in Texas abound in the third book of the Heart of Texas series by New York Times bestselling author Donna Grant.

New York Times bestselling author Donna Grant rounds up the hottest cowboys in Texas in her latest novel of no-holds-barred passion.

Audrey Martinez is a veterinarian who has devoted her whole life to the care and protection of horses—even if doing so leaves her little time for meeting a man. Who would have thought that a strange case of criminal horseplay would lead her to falling deeply, wildly in love? If only the man who makes her heart race faster than a wild mustang would let his guard down, that is. . .

Caleb Harper is no ordinary cowboy. Sure, he wears his hat, boots, and jeans like a second skin, and displays an easygoing charm that comes from years of working on the ranch. But with his military background, and Army buddies at his side, he is tried-and-true Texas tough. Audrey knows she can trust a man like Caleb to help her save horses. But can Caleb trust himself to resist his attraction to Audrey—or will the sparks of their desire end up getting them burned?

My review:

I have mentioned in other reviews that I love reading contemporary western romances. Something about cowboys makes me weak in the knees. They are my not so guilty pleasure. It was a no brainer that I was going to read and review My Favorite Cowboy when I was approached by the publisher.

I liked Audrey. She was a no-nonsense large equine veterinarian who genuinely cared about the animals. She worked for two large ranches and also helped a horse rescue out, free of charge. Her passion and love for horses were palpable. I loved that she was Hispanic. I have read very few books where Hispanic’s are the main female romantic lead. I thought it was wonderful and refreshing.

Caleb had some serious abandonment issues. He was the last person to see his mother before she took off. He asked her not to leave and she left. Her leaving affected everyone but Caleb was affected the most. That left some deep-rooted issues that manifested in Caleb having trust issues. He also couldn’t invest himself in relationships. I did like Caleb. Besides his issues, he was a great guy. It was interesting watching him fight himself as he was falling in love with Audrey. Interesting and sad.

The main plotline was excellent. It went from who was making the horses sick to who had a personal vendetta against Audrey. Usually, I guess who the person was early on in the book. But, in this case, I was kept on my toes. I was surprised at who that person turned out to be. I was also surprised at the lengths that person went through to cover their tracks. I thought it was going to be someone else and my mind was blown when that person’s identity was revealed.

There were a few secondary plotlines. One involved Caleb, Brice and Abby’s mother, Helen. Another one was Brice and Naomi’s fertility issues. Another one involved Audrey and Maddy’s father. They were all wonderfully written.

I was mad with the storyline involving Brice and Naomi. Caleb shouldn’t have said ANYTHING. NADA. It wasn’t his place. I would have been so upset if someone else broke news like that to the family.

I also understood why Caleb was so against meeting Helen. I also understood why he did what he did at the end of that storyline. Forgiveness is a hard thing to do.

I will say that the storyline involving Audrey and Maddy’s father was the only one that didn’t make sense. From the beginning to the end, I was left going “He did what? Why turn up now?“.

The sex scenes were fog up my Kindle’s screen hot. I was a little disappointed that the author went the whole “I forgot to wear a condom, hope you are clean” route. I know these are fictional characters but I was mentally screaming at them “Diseases, people. DISEASES. Get tested ASAP.”

The end of My Favorite Cowboy was nail-biting. The bad guy was revealed as was the reasons why that person did what they did. I loved the epilogue. I was left wondering if there was going to be more books in the series. I am hoping so.

I would give My Favorite Cowboy an Adult rating. There is sex (not explicit). There is language. There is violence. There are triggers. They would be the abandonment of a child, death of a parent, death of a spouse, infertility and animal abuse. I would recommend no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread My Favorite Cowboy. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review My Favorite Cowboy.

All opinions stated in this review of My Favorite Cowboy are mine.

Winter of the Witch (Winternight Trilogy: Book 3) by Katherine Arden

The Winter of the Witch: A Novel (Winternight Trilogy Book 3) by [Arden, Katherine]

4.5 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Ray

Date of publication: January 8th, 2019

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Series: Winternight Trilogy

The Bear and the Nightingale—Book 1 (review here)

The Girl in the Tower—Book 2 (review here)

The Winter of the Witch—Book 3

Where you can find The Winter of the Witch: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Bookbub

Synopsis:

Following their adventures in The Bear and the Nightingale and The Girl in the Tower, Vasya and Morozko return in this stunning conclusion to the bestselling Winternight Trilogy, battling enemies mortal and magical to save both Russias, the seen and the unseen.

Now Moscow has been struck by disaster. Its people are searching for answers—and for someone to blame. Vasya finds herself alone, beset on all sides. The Grand Prince is in a rage, choosing allies that will lead him on a path to war and ruin. A wicked demon returns, stronger than ever and determined to spread chaos. Caught at the center of the conflict is Vasya, who finds the fate of two worlds resting on her shoulders. Her destiny uncertain, Vasya will uncover surprising truths about herself and her history as she desperately tries to save Russia, Morozko, and the magical world she treasures. But she may not be able to save them all.

My review:

I had a mix of emotion when I started reading The Winter of the Witch. I was happy because this book was out. I was apprehensive because of the blurb. I was sad because the trilogy was ending. My feelings were validated for The Winter of the Witch. I never get emotional reading a book. But I did for this one.

Vasya was one of my favorite people in The Winter of the Witch. Even when pushed to her limits, she was one of the strongest people in the book. What she endured in this book would have killed lesser people. Instead, it made her a stronger person. It fueled her desire to bind Bear. I was worried about what was going to happen to her after Bear was bound. I was worried that the story was going to flounder.

Morozko is one of my favorite characters to date. He stole every single scene that he was in. The fight scene with Bear, his twin, was one of the best supernatural fight scenes that I have read to date. His scenes with Vasya after that were touching. I mean, he did follow her to summer. If that doesn’t tell anyone how he felt, that I don’t know what would. My only complaint is that he refused to get involved in the war. But I understood why.

Vasya’s rise to power in this book was amazing to read. I knew that something was going to happen when she was thrust into Midnight. I was thrown for a surprise when it was revealed who her grandmother was. I remember shaking my head and saying “Well, that explains a lot”. I liked how Vasya was able to keep her promise to the chyerti. There were points in the book, after her journey to Midnight, where I thought that she was failed. I have never been more happy to be proved wrong!!

There were several deaths in The Winter of the Witch. The death of Solovey, at the beginning of the book, broke my heart. Vasya never recovered from it. There was one death where I cheered. The other notable death was at the end of the book. I was crushed at that person’s death. Freaking crushed. I did cry. No shame here in admitting that.

The end of The Winter of the Witch was an emotional read for me. I am not going to give away spoilers but I was thrilled with how it ended. I was also thrilled with the other thing that happened. That came out of left field for me. I was happy. I might have done a fist pump and say “Yes!!“.

I want to add that the Author’s Note was a welcome surprise. I liked that the author used an actual battle as the backdrop of the one that took place at the end of the book. The Grand Prince and Sasha were actual people. She admitted to tweaking parts of the battle (which I expected). She pointed out something interesting about Russia that ended with the Revolution. Made me go “Hmmmm“. As was her fitting reference about the guardians of Russia.

What I loved was that she included a glossary. She also included a note on Russian names. Both were helpful!!

I would give The Winter of the Witch an Older Teen rating. There are mentions of sex (not graphic). There is no language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 16 read this book.

I would reread The Winter of the Witch. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review The Winter of the Witch.

All opinions stated in this review of The Winter of the Witch are mine.

Katie’s Highlander (Highlander Protector: Book 3) by Maeve Greyson

Katie's Highlander (Highlander Protector, #3)

3.5 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept, Loveswept

Date of publication: January 22nd, 2019

Genre: Romance, Historical Fiction

Series: Highland Protector

Sadie’s Highlander—Book 1 (review here)

Joanna’s Highlander—Book 2 (review here)

Katie’s Highlander—Book 3

Where you can find Katie’s Highlander: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

An archaeologist with a zest for life finds herself stranded in small-town North Carolina—with a brooding Highland hunk who’s straight out of ancient Scotland.

Ramsay MacDara wishes the goddesses had left his arse back in the tenth century. That way he never would have met the gold digger who made a fool out of him. A loner at heart, Ramsay is riding his beloved horse through the woods near his family’s North Carolina theme park, Highland Life and Legends, when he hears tires squealing—followed by a thud—and rushes to the scene to help. That’s when he sets his eyes on a pair of long legs sticking out of the moon roof of a car. His interest piqued, the rest of her will soon arouse his greatest desires…and deepest fears.

Archaeologist Katie Jenson is on a six-month sabbatical from her job at Princeton University. Following the death of her beloved father—whose dying request was for Katie to live life to the fullest—she’s headed to a friend’s beach house in North Carolina. But a momentary distraction takes her off the road and on the journey of her life…with a sex god in a kilt at her side. Ramsay’s passion is the stuff of legend—and it just may be Katie’s greatest discovery.

My review:

I was stoked when I saw that there was the 3rd book in the Highlander Protector series. I wasn’t sure who the next was going to be about. I had a 50/50 chance of it being either Ramsay or Ross. When I read the blurb, I had a mini-freakout because it was Ramsay. I loved Ramsay in Joanna’s Highlander. I couldn’t wait to read the book.

While I did like Katie’s Highlander, I thought that it fell short in several areas. The plotline didn’t seem as well developed as the previous books. The characters didn’t seem as vibrant.

There were things that I did like about the book. I thought that Katie was a perfect heroine. I loved Ramsay. And while I thought the plotlines weren’t as developed as the previous books, I did like reading them.

Kate was a hoot in this book. I loved that she owned her geekiness. That she knew her self worth. She was raised to value herself above everything else. It was an amazing message to read. More people, women especially, need to know that. I liked how real she was. Except for the driving while looking at the constellations. That wasn’t real. That was kinda stupid. But, in hindsight, she wouldn’t have met Ramsay.

I loved Ramsay in this book. He had been hurt by his ex-fiancee. He didn’t want to like Katie. Heck, he didn’t want to fall in love with her. I did think that he was a bit stubborn at times in the book. When he realized that he was in love with Katie, he was willing to let her go so she could be happy.

There is Instalove in this book. Katie and Ramsay meet and fall in love within 2 days. I do wish that there was more time for them to get to know each other. 2 days didn’t cut it with me.

I wasn’t expecting Katie and Ramsay to go back in time. It was a nice twist in the plot and gave the book that added “ummph” that was needed. I liked seeing Katie’s reactions to being in Medieval Scotland. She was out of her element and wanted to go home. I didn’t blame her.

The other twist in the plotline was not expected. It didn’t add anything to the plotline because Ramsay was so accepting of what happened. That made me to “WTH“. I was waiting for the other shoe to drop with it. Like something bad happening to Katie. So, I wasn’t expecting it when it ended the way it did. It was another “WTH” situation.

I did like the sex scenes but I didn’t love them. I was a little skeeved about the period sex. I also didn’t appreciate the scene where Ramsay was cleaning himself off after sex. We all know guys do it but reading about it. No thank you.

The end of Katie’s Highlander was bittersweet. I loved that Katie made the right choice. I also like how Ross and Esme put Adam in his place.

I gave Katie’s Highlander an Adult rating. There are sex and sexual situations. There is language. There is violence. There are triggers. They would be the death of a parent and child abuse. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Katie’s Highlander. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the publisher, the author, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Katie’s Highlander.

All opinions stated in this review of Katie’s Highlander are mine.

Life Rewritten (Welcome to Otter Creek: Book 3) by Margaret Watson

5 Stars

Publisher: Dragonfly Press

Date of publication: September 12th, 2018

Genre: Romance

Series: Welcome to Otter Tail

An Unlikely Setup—Book 1—review here

Can’t Stand the Heat—Book 2—review here

Life Rewritten—Book 3

For Baby and Me—Book 4 (review here)

Where you can find Life Rewritten—Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

Delaney Spencer erased every trace of Chantal – the wildly popular rocker she used to be. She’s a carpenter now. Her only connection to her old life is drumming in a local band. 

Until Sam McCabe shows up in town. The sibling of her late lover and bandmate Diesel, Sam has been searching for her. For the sake of his brother’s children, he needs the unreleased songs she and Diesel created together. 

Delaney wants to do the right thing and help Diesel’s adorable kids. But not if she has to reveal she’s Chantal. She won’t do it — not even for Sam.

My review:

In my experience, books later on in a series tend to kind of fizzle out. I can count on one hand how many times I have given a 5-star rating to the 3rd book in a series. Life Rewritten is among those elite few.

Be warned, have tissues nearby. This book is going to make you cry. I wasn’t expecting it and had to go scrounging for tissues. There are some pretty emotional scenes that will rip your heart out and put it back in.

The author did a fantastic job of showcasing how hard alcohol/drug addiction recovery is. You can never say that you were an addict or an alcoholic. You always are one. The fight to stay clean/sober is often exhausting. It was showcased beautifully here.

I knew that Delaney was hiding something but I wasn’t prepared to find out that she was a rock star in her former life. I was floored. Other than her singing and playing the drums, there were no clues about her past. From what was discussed in the book, Delaney’s alter ego wasn’t a very nice person when she was a rock star. Again, such a difference from the woman that I had grown to like through reading the series.

I felt for Sam. To assume guardianship of two young children when you don’t have any of your own is hard. Even harder is that those kids were damaged. I understood why he wanted those CDs. He was trying to protect the kids.

I felt for Rennie and Leo. Their mother was mentally unstable and an addict. Their father died in from an overdose. They were placed with their uncle, who they barely knew. Then they were uprooted and brought to Wisconsin. It had to of been terrifying for them. I wanted to reach through the book and hug them.

When the press found out where Delaney had been hiding, she was pissed. She had every right to be. She worked hard to keep her identity hidden. I was so mad at Jen and Maddie for their reactions. That almost sent her over the brink. Almost.

The sex scenes in Life Rewritten were emotional. Both Delaney and Sam didn’t want to fall for each other. Their sex scenes reflected that. They were some of the best written scenes that I have read to date. Not explicit but graphic enough to know what was going on.

The end of Life Rewritten was satisfying. I have never said that about the ending of a book before. I am not going to go into what exactly happened but I was thrilled with how it turned out. Let’s say that Delaney deserved it.

I would give Life Rewritten an Adult rating. There is sex (not graphic). There is language. There is mild violence. There are triggers. They would be the talk of past drug use and talk of past alcoholism.

I would reread Life Rewritten. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.