Tag: book 3

Dark Matter (The Four: Book 3) by Margaret Watson

Dark Matter (The Four Book 3) by [Watson, Margaret]

4 Stars

Publisher: Dragonfly Press

Date of publication: June 26th, 2019

Genre: Paranormal, Romance

Series: The Four

The Third Eye—Book 1 (review here)

An Indigo Wind—Book 2 (review here)

Dark Matter—Book 3

Red Dawn Rising—Book 4 (expected publication date: July 9th, 2019)

Where you can find Dark Matter: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BookBub

Book synopsis:

Flynn Parker, social worker and justice warrior, has lived her life on the edge of shadows, hiding who she is. What she is. She builds a family in those shadows, fostering kids like her. Then Mason Lynch enters her life. 

Mase, former SEAL, undercover DIA agent and lone wolf, needs healing. Flynn is a healer. When she places her hands on him, everything changes for both of them. 

Their mission is to take down an enemy who is amassing terrible powers. To defeat him, they must choose — abandon habits that have kept them safe, or step into the light and risk a future together. 

First Line

Flynn stumbled on the sidewalk, dizzy and disoriented.

Dark Matter by Margaret Watson

My Review:

I couldn’t wait to read Dark Matter. I had enjoyed reading the previous two books, and it was a given that I would like this one, which I did.

Dark Matter’s plot is the same as the previous two books. Mase and Flynn continue Gianna and Cal’s search for Rickart. At the same time, they battle feelings for each other. Rickart becomes obsessed with Flynn and forgets his search for Jack’s blood. He tracks Flynn to Chicago. What happens in Chicago will either make or break Flynn and Mase’s relationship.

Flynn was my favorite character in this entire series. She was a complex character with many layers to her. I also loved how protective she was of her kids. She sheltered them from what was going on. I didn’t see the twist that involved Lacey. I am wondering how that is going to come into play at the end of the book.

I liked Mase, but he did annoy me at times during the book. He ran hot and cold with Flynn. As soon as he started getting close to her or having feelings for her, he pushed her away. I thought he was badass. He was going to do whatever it takes to bring Rickart down.

A bad guy has never affected me the way that Rickart did. He was insane. I wondered if the serum he was taking made him that way or if he already was insane. Anyways, he went from being a bloodthirsty punk to a hellish stalker. I couldn’t believe that he saw through Flynn’s glamour and saw her real self. That freaked me out. I also couldn’t believe that he tried to break into her house after it was warded. It showed what he was willing to do anything to get to her. What he did with Lacey proved my point. Of course, he did get his at the end of the book. But still, he creeped me out!!

The sexual chemistry and attraction between Flynn and Mase were out of this world. The author had two whole books to build it up, and she didn’t fail. Things were so hot between them that I was waiting for something to happen. When they did end up having sex, it was amazing. Then the author did something that very few authors have done. She built that tension back up. Loved it!!

The end of Dark Matter was amazing. The book went amazingly fast after Flynn was told about her adoption and twin sister. I loved how the author brought Rickart’s quest for Jack’s blood to an end. I also liked how she left it open for book four. I know Brody will be the male main character. But who will be the female main? I also want to know, who exactly is Brody, and what is his connection to Niamh? I also can’t wait to see what Niamh is going to do in the next book!!

I would give Dark Matter 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 Dark Matter. I would recommend it to family and friends.

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

Once Upon a Bad Boy (Sometimes in Love: Book 3) by Melonie Johnson

Once Upon a Bad Boy: A Sometimes in Love Novel by [Johnson, Melonie]

4 Stars

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Paperbacks

Date of publication: June 25th, 2019

Genre: Romance

Series: Sometimes in Love

Getting Hot with the Scot—Book 1 (review here)

Smitten by the Brit—Book 2 (review here)

Once Upon a Bad Boy—Book 3

Where you can find Once Upon a Bad Boy: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BookBub

Book synopsis:

NEVER SAY NEVER
Sadie Gold is ready to take her career to the next level with the role of a lifetime. Finally, she can shake her reputation as a pretty face with more wealth and connections than talent. But Sadie is not prepared for the wild turn her own life is about to take. The man in charge of training Sadie for her most demanding role yet is none other than her first real boyfriend—the one who took her heart and ran away.

WHEN IT COMES TO LOVE
Bo Ibarra is as good-looking and irresistible as ever. Maybe even more so, now that everything once worked against them—Sadie’s pampered and privileged upbringing and Bo’s childhood in a family struggling to make ends meet—is in the past. But the future is still unwritten…and getting there, together, means coming clean about painful secrets and slashing through nasty tabloid rumors while trying to control the attraction that crackles between them. Maybe it’s finally time for them to walk off into the sunset and into a true and lasting love?

My Review:

I was so excited when I saw that Once Upon a Bad Boy was up for review on NetGalley. I had read the first two books and loved them. I was expecting to love Once Upon a Bad Boy. For the most part, I did. But there were parts that I didn’t like. The parts that I didn’t like did figure into how I rated this review.

I liked Bo. He didn’t hide behind walls or keep secrets from anyone. I did feel bad that he was trying to buy his half of the business from Vic and he kept getting put off. I liked how he tried to keep his feelings for Sadie under wraps.

I couldn’t connect with Sadie, and I didn’t think she was relatable. I couldn’t get a feel for her personality. She came across as flat, which sucked for me because I liked her in the previous books. The only time I saw her come to life was when Bo pushed her buttons.

As much as I didn’t connect with Sadie, I did feel that she and Bo had sexual chemistry by the spades. That tension cranked up each meeting until it exploded into an oral sex frenzy. Speaking about sex, the author had Sadie and Bo do everything but have intercourse until the end of the book. It was refreshing.

The romance angle was a bit up and down for me. There were times where I could see Sadie falling back in love with Bo. But then, there were other times that it was almost nonexistent. That drove me nuts.

The end of the book was interesting. I didn’t expect what was revealed. I also didn’t expect Bo’s reaction to it. But, I liked how the author took something that is frowned upon and turned it into something positive.

I would give Once Upon a Bad Boy 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 Once Upon a Bad Boy I would recommend it to family and friends.

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

28 Dates (Crazy Love: Book 3) by Stacey Lynn

28 Dates (Crazy Love Book 3) by [Lynn, Stacey]

3 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept, Loveswept

Date of publication: June 11th, 2019

Genre: Romance

Series: Crazy Love

Fake Wife-–Book 1 (review here)

Knocked Up—Book 2 (review here)

28 Dates—Book 3

Where you can find 28 Dates: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BookBub

Book synopsis:

In the age of apps and social media, how many dates does it take to find “the one”? The author of Knocked Up and Fake Wife swipes right on love with a captivating friends-to-lovers tale.

Caitlin Pappas is a lifelong commitment-phobe. The closest thing she’s had to a relationship in the last few years was a friends-with-benefits thing that fizzled out because the guy wanted more. So when she and her best friend design a new app that promises to find “the one” in 28 Dates, Caitlin is the perfect guinea pig. Little does she know that she may have already met her match. . . .

Jonas Reeves has tried his best to move on after Caitlin didn’t want take things to the next level. Now they really are just friends . . . without benefits. Caitlin’s even a regular at his bar, The Dirty Martini. But when he learns that Caitlin plans to beta-test a new dating app on his home turf, Jonas senses a golden opportunity to win her heart. Even if he has to slide into her DMs to do it. . . .

The steamy standalone novels in Stacey Lynn’s Crazy Love series can be read together or separately:
FAKE WIFE • KNOCKED UP • 28 DATES

My Review:

I started 28 Dates being excited about it. I had read the previous two books and liked them. So, my expectations for this book were high. I figured that a book about friends with benefits relationship turning into more would be a good read. Instead, I got a book that had me so disinterested in the characters that I almost skipped over the epilogue.

The plot for 28 Dates was interesting. Caitlin is a commitment-phobe. She refuses to do relationships. Her long term friends with benefits ended because Jonas developed feelings for her, and it scared Caitlin. So, she was surprised when her best friend asked her to beta test a dating app that he developed. All she had to do was go on 28 dates. She reluctantly agrees. The same time that she becomes the beta tester, she discovers that her feelings for Jonas haven’t disappeared over the last six months. How is she going to deal with her feelings and date at the same time? Will Caitlin finally realize that she is worth a relationship?

28 Dates started strong. I was enjoying Caitlin’s forays into Dirty’s. I was enjoying watching her friendship with Jonas deepen. Then she started beta testing that app. That is when the book began to go downhill.

The author did do a great job of showing what kind of nutcases there are when online dating. The foot fetish guy had me in tears laughing. That was genuinely funny.

I thought that Caitlin setting up her dates in Jonas’s bar was weird. I know that she felt safe there but couldn’t she pick up on the jealousy vibes from him? He wasn’t subtle about how he felt.

I did like Caitlin. She was sweet. She didn’t take any crap from any of the people she met from the app. She was a pro at putting Jonas in his place. I also liked her outlook on life.

Jonas skeeved me out. He couldn’t get over Caitlin. He acted like a toddler when she started bringing dates into his bar. Instead of coming clean about his feelings, he did something that made me go “Ewww.” I got stalker like vibes from him the entire book. What he did only reinforced my feelings on that.

The romance angle wasn’t there, even at the end of the book. Because I didn’t feel the romance, the sex scenes didn’t do it for me. Yes, they were hot, but I couldn’t get into them.

The end of the book was alright. I liked that everything was wrapped up, but it didn’t feel right to me. And the epilogue. Usually, I would be beyond happy for news like that. But this time, I was like, “eh.”

I would give 28 Dates 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 an on the fence if I would reread 28 dates I am on the fence if I would recommend it to family and friends.

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

The Soul of Power (The Waking Land: Book 3) by Callie Bates

The Soul of Power (The Waking Land Book 3) by [Bates, Callie]

4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Ray

Date of publication: June 4th, 2019

Genre: Fantasy

Series: The Waking Land

The Waking Land—Book 1 (review here)

The Memory of Fire—Book 2 (review here)

The Soul of Power—Book 3

Where you can find The Soul of Power: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BookBub

Book synopsis:

One young woman learns the true nature of power–both her own and others’–in the riveting conclusion to The Waking Land Trilogy.

Sophy Dunbarron–the illegitimate daughter of a king who never was–has always felt like an impostor. Separated from her birth mother, raised by parents mourning the loss of their true daughter, and unacknowledged by her father, Sophy desires only a place and a family to call her own. But fate has other ideas. Caught up in Elanna Valtai’s revolution, Sophy has become the reigning monarch of a once-divided country–a role she has been groomed her whole life to fill.

But as she quickly discovers, wearing a crown is quite a different thing from keeping a crown. With an influx of magic-bearing refugees pouring across the border, resources already thinned by war are stretched to the breaking point. Half the nobility in her court want her deposed, and the other half question her every decision. And every third person seems to be spontaneously manifesting magical powers.

When Elanna is captured and taken to Paladis, Sophy’s last ally seems to have vanished. Now it is up to her alone to navigate a political maze that becomes more complex and thorny by the day. And worse, Sophy is hiding a huge secret–one that could destroy her tenuous hold on the crown forever.

My review:

I was excited when I saw that the final installment in The Waking Land series was available for review. I had reviewed the first two books and enjoyed them. I had high expectations for The Soul of Power. And guess what? It didn’t let me down.

I do want to give everyone a heads up about the timeline of the book. The Soul of Power starts after Jahan is sent to Paladis. Elanna’s capture and torture by the witch hunters are going on during the events of The Soul of Power. So keep that in mind while reading this book.

The Soul of Power is Sophy’s story. Crowned queen at the end of The Waking Land, Sophy desperately wants a united country. But, with a court that hates and questions her and a country that is at the point of imploding, it looks like that isn’t going to happen. On top of all that, Sophy has a secret. A secret that could cost her the throne.

I can’t even begin to express how excited I was when I got the ARC for The Soul of Power. I had been hoping that this book was going to be Sophy’s story. When I read the blurb and saw that it was Sophy’s story, I did a happy dance. I couldn’t wait to read this book.

The amount of stress that Sophy was under was insane. I know that I wouldn’t have been able to function under that amount of stress. Plus, not knowing who to trust. I would have said, “Here’s the throne, see ya” and left. But, she stayed and I admired her for that.

I enjoyed watching Sophy grow as a character in this book. She started unsure and resentful of Elanna’s popularity. She wanted to do the right thing but kept getting lousy advice from her council. But, as the book went on, she blossomed. She found her backbone. She overcame her insecurities about Elanna. By the end of the book, she became the queen she needed to be. I loved it.

The plotline regarding Sophy’s father was interesting. I was curious to see how it was going to play out. I wasn’t expecting it to go the way it did. I was shocked. I was also shocked at what Sophy did at the end of the book. I think she was too lenient. After what her father did to her and Rhia, I expected something more. But, thinking about it, what she did was a more fitting punishment.

The author didn’t hide Sophy’s secret. During the first chapter, it was mentioned a few times. How Teofila didn’t notice it when they were together was beyond me. But she did have other things on her mind.

The Soul of Power was also violent. I lost count of how many times Sophy was attacked. Along with the violence, there was also death. Some people deserved it. But there were some deaths that surprised me. And there was one death that broke my heart. I wasn’t expecting it.

The magic angle of the book was well written. I liked that people were starting to experience magic. I loved that the magic didn’t pick and choose who it wanted. I did feel that Sophy’s magical awakening was drawn out. It got to a point where I felt like saying “Just get it over with!!“.

Rape was brought up in the book. I thought that the author explained what happened to Sophy’s mother in a tactful way. She left just enough unsaid that I understood exactly what Mag went through.

The end of The Soul of Power kept me enthralled with the book. So much happened that I almost couldn’t keep it straight. But, it was the last chapter that closed the book for me. Loved it!!

I would give The Soul of Power an Adult rating. There is mention of sexual situations. There is violence. There is no language. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread The Soul of Power. 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 Soul of Power.

All opinions stated in this review of The Soul of Power are mine.

Have you read The Soul of Power?

What are your thoughts?

Have you ever hidden something from someone?

Let me know!!

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.