Tag: Margaret Watson

Stranger in a Small Town (Door County: Book 3) by Margaret Watson

Stranger in a Small Town (Door County Book 3) by [Watson, Margaret]

4 Stars

Publisher: Dragonfly Press

Date of publication: August 15th, 2019

Genre: Romance

Series: Door Country

Small-Town Secrets—Book 1 (review here)

Small-Town Family—Book 2 (review here)

Stranger in a Small Town—Book 3

Where you can find Stranger in a Small Town: Barnes and Noble | Amazon | BookBub

Book Synopsis:

Seth Anderson arrives in Sturgeon Falls determined to prove two things — he never fathered a child, and Kat Macauley is a counterfeiter.

Fiercely protective, passionate and loving, Kat is not what he expected. Also unexpected are his growing feelings for her. To protect his investigation, he doesn’t tell Kat the whole truth. But as he unravels the crime, he has second thoughts about choosing a career over a family.

That won’t matter if Kat can’t forgive him for lying to her. Will his lies, and Kat’s doubts, make it impossible to create a new family?

First Line:

The woman on the bed stirred and her eyes fluttered open.

Stranger in a Small Town by Margaret Watson

My Review:

Stranger in a Small Town is the 3rd book in the Door County series. After reading the first two books, I knew that this book was going to be a good read. I wasn’t disappointed by what I read.

The plotline of Stranger in a Small Town was medium paced and well written. There were no dropped storylines or characters mysteriously disappearing, which added to my enjoyment of reading the book. There was a twist in the plotline that I should have seen coming.

While Stranger in a Small Town is book 3 in the series, it can be read as a stand-alone. But, and I stress but, if you want to understand the different family dynamics and relationships, then I suggest reading the books in order.

The storyline involving Seth, Kat, and Regan was heartbreaking. I liked that the author showed all angles of the story. From Seth’s disbelief to Kat’s anger to Regan’s confusion, it was real. I also liked that the author let Seth process that he had a daughter before starting things off with Kat. After the DNA test came back positive, then it was full steam ahead for the romance.

The secondary storyline with the counterfeit money/the pregnancy (because they are interconnected) was well written. The build-up to who was putting money in the safe box was excellent, as was who was counterfeiting the money. I was surprised by who it was. I didn’t see it coming at all. Talk about a twist.

The pregnancy storyline, which went at the same time as the counterfeiting one, was heartbreaking. It left me in tears. How the author wrapped, that storyline up was heart-wrenching.

I do wish that more information about Seth’s Secret Service service. I was intrigued by it. The author gave the barest glimpse into what he did, and that left me wanting more. It also explained why he was so hard to find when Regan’s mother tried to tell him that she was pregnant.

The romance between Seth and Kat took some time to build up. Kat had trust issues, and she kept lashing out at Seth. But, once those trust issues were gotten over, the romance was on its A Game. That led to some hot and heavy sex scenes.

The end of Stranger in a Small Town was intense. I couldn’t put the book down. I needed to see how the counterfeiting/pregnancy storyline was going to end. While I knew that Kat and Seth were going to have a HEA, I wanted to know how it was going to come about. And the epilogue!! It was a perfect ending to the series.

I would give Stranger in a Small Town 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 am on the fence if I would reread Stranger in a Small Town. I am also on the fence if I would recommend it to family and friends.

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

Small Town Family (Door County: Book 2) by Margaret Watson

Small-Town Family (Door County Book 2) by [Watson, Margaret]

4 Stars

Publisher: Dragonfly Press

Date of publication: 2019

Genre: Romance

Series: Door County

Small-Town Secrets—Book 1 (review here)

Small Town Family—Book 2

Stranger in a Small Town—Book 3

Where you can find Small Town Family: Barnes and Noble | Amazon | BookBub

Book Synopsis:

Reporter Dylan Smith comes to Sturgeon Falls to find his father. He has only one lead – charter boat captain Charlotte Burns.

After a rocky childhood and disastrous marriage, Charlotte is wary and guarded. The charming reporter sets off all her alarms, but she can’t resist him.

His questions point to Gus, who was like a father to Charlotte. Knowing this could destroy Gus’s marriage, Charlotte’s caught between her loyalty to Gus and her growing feelings for Dylan.

Families come in all shapes and forms. Can Dylan and Charlotte create the bonds that make a family? Or will secrets tear them apart?

First Line:

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Small-Town Family by Margaret Watson

My Review:

As I was reading Small-Town Family, I realized, it has been a while since I have read any romance. Which is crazy since they are the books I like to read the most. I was super excited to start reading Small-Town Family.

Another reason why I was so excited to read this book was that I kept pushing it to the back burner, which I try not to do. When indie authors contact me, I try to make their book a priority. But, sometimes, life gets in the way – which is what happened here. When I rewrote my reading schedule (something I do 2-3 times a year), I made sure that all indie authors were first.

The plotline for Small-Town Family was surprisingly fast-moving. I wasn’t expecting this book to have a fast-moving plotline. I was expecting it to be slower. But, it was a pleasant surprise and fit with the storyline. There were no dropped characters or storylines, either. That made for a great read.

I thought that the main characters in Small-Town Family were well written. I liked that they weren’t “perfect.” Charlotte had issues with trust, and she had a temper. Dylan was secretive to the point that it interfered with his and Charlotte’s relationship. I liked that the author wrote those characters like that. It made for an exciting read.

The main storyline, Dylan’s search for his father, was well written. I did figure out early on in the book who Dylan’s father was. I was suspicious at first because, hey, it was too convenient. It wasn’t until Charlotte was talking to a specific character that my internal radar went “ding, ding, ding.”

The secondary storyline about the marina was exciting, but honestly, I was not too fond of it. I get why the author put it in the book. There needed to be a common ground for Charlotte and Dylan to bond over. I figured out what was going on the minute Charlotte’s boat was chartered. I wasn’t surprised when the bad guys were revealed.

The romance between Dylan and Charlotte was sweet, but man, it seemed to take forever to get there. Charlotte’s instant distrust of Dylan was a big drawback. But, once Charlotte decided to let Dylan in, my cup runneth over. I liked that Charlotte was the one who chose to let things move forward. That led to some pretty hot sex scenes.

The end of Small-Town Family was satisfying. I wasn’t sure if I liked how Dylan’s father was revealed or the anger that went along with it. I also think that what was asked of Charlotte was wrong. But it did work out in the end. Both storylines were wrapped up in a way that made me smile and do a fist pump.

I would give Small-Town Family 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 Small-Town Family. I would recommend it to family and friends.

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

Small-Town Secrets (Door County: Book 1) by Margaret Watson

Small-Town Secrets (Door County Book 1) by [Watson, Margaret]

4 Stars

Publisher: Dragonfly Press

Date of Publication: October 7th, 2019

Genre: Romance

Series: Door Country

Small-Town Secrets—Book 1

Small-Town Family—Book 2

Where you can find Small-Town Secrets: Barnes and Noble | Amazon | BookBub

Book Synopsis:

Although she doesn’t realize it, Kendall is drowning in secrets. About her husband Carter, who died in a car crash. About Gabe, who was driving the night Carter died. About her brother George’s girlfriend. Gabe’s return to Sturgeon Falls brings the secrets bubbling to the surface.

Since Carter’s death, Kendall’s been too busy running a B&B, managing a cherry orchard and raising two girls to think about Gabe. But when he shows up at her B&B, memories come rushing back – including the crush she’d had on him.

Can Kendall and Gabe face the past and find forgiveness? Or will the secrets bury them?

First Line:

He’d thought he was ready for this.

Small-Town Secrets by Margaret Watson

My Review:

I needed to read Small-Town Secrets. Not only because it is a romance but because I needed to read a book that had a simple plot. I needed a book where I didn’t have to keep intricate notes. I got that in Small-Town Secrets.

Small-Town Secrets is a book about reconciling the past with the present. It also shows what the power of forgiveness does. I liked that it showed that what is shown to the public isn’t what goes on in private.

There are one main storyline and two prominent secondary storylines. They were all well written. The pacing of the storylines seesawed between slow and medium. I didn’t mind that. Considering what Gabe and Kendall were working through, it was needed. The secondary plotlines were woven into that plotline with skill.

I liked Kendall, and I sympathized with her. She was a single mother raising two girls and running two businesses (a B&B and an orchard). I did think that she was harsh on Gabe at the beginning of the book. But, considering what happened, I would have been the same way. I felt she took Amy’s secret well and handled the fall out gracefully. I don’t know if I would have been as understanding (or kind) as she was.

Gabe was terrific in Small-Town Secrets. He straightened his life out after the car accident. Gabe didn’t hide his feelings for Kendall and did his best to protect her. From the intruder to the mysterious guest, he was there for her. Gabe did have secrets, but he didn’t come back to disturb lives. He came back to honor Carter and reconnect with Kendall.

Amy’s secret was a doozy. When it was revealed (early in the book), I was surprised. What I wasn’t expecting was George’s reaction and what he said to Amy. I was stunned by his response. “Holy crap, son, calm down,” went through my mind. I did think that Kendall dealt well with Amy’s secret. I mean, what else could she do?

The romance between Kendall and Gabe seemed to happen overnight. I do want to point out that it wasn’t Instalove, though. The feelings that Kendall and Gabe had for each other had been simmering for years. All that simmering came to a boiling point and exploded.

The end of Small-Town Secrets was satisfying. I liked how Kendall and Gabe’s storyline ended. I was “eh” about Amy’s storyline. George rubbed me the wrong way. The author did leave another storyline (the one with the guest) open. I am curious to see what that goes.

I would give Small-Town Secrets an Adult rating. There is 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 Small-Town Secrets. I would recommend it to family and friends.

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

Bending the Rules (The Devereux Family: Book 3) by Margaret Watson

Bending the Rules (The Devereux Family Book 3) by [Watson, Margaret]

3.5 Stars

Publisher: Dragonfly Press

Date of Publication: February 19th,2019

Genre: Romance, Suspense

Series: The Devereux Family

A Safe Place—Book 1: Review here

The Woman He Knows—Book 2: Review here

Bending the Rules—Book 3

Where you can find Bending the Rules: Barnes and Noble | Amazon | BookBub

Book Synopsis:

The hardest thing is doing what’s right. Nathan Devereux’s parenting days are over. He raised his siblings, and now he’s ready to start living a life free of responsibility. After the year he’s had, he deserves it. But when the daughter he never knew existed and her way too tempting guardian, Emma Sloan, show up, his plans go out the window.

Nathan can’t ignore his daughter…or Emma. Yet having a relationship with them means giving up what he’s worked for. Worse, his past is sneaking up behind him and could threaten them all. He faces a choice he’s not sure he can make—or even wants to. Turn his back on Emma and his daughter? Or bend the rules to protect them? Either way, their future is at stake.

First Line:

Nathan Devereux scowled as he hung the handicapped placard from his rearview mirror.

Bending the Rules by Margaret Watson

My Review:

I was excited to read Bending the Rules, even if I thought that Nathan was a jerk in The Woman He Knows. I wanted to know how the author was going to change my opinion of him for the better. Oh boy, did she change my opinion of him. But the book still fell flat for me. I will explain why in my review.

The plot of Bending the Rules was an interesting one. Nathan had a hard year and was glad when everything was finally beginning to settle. He had worked hard at raising Frankie, Patrick, and Marco and deserved some time to himself. Then Nathan gets a phone call that shakes him to his core. He finds out that a drunken one night stand he had in college had a surprising result — a 13-year-old daughter whose mother died a few weeks before. Nathan wants to forge a relationship with his daughter. He also wants to form a relationship with his daughter’s guardian, Emma. But the drama from the past year rears its ugly head and Nathan is forced to make a choice. Does he turn his back on Emma and his daughter, or does he tell them what is going on?

As I mentioned above, I wasn’t a huge fan of Nathan in The Woman He Knows. His surly demeanor in that book did impact how I viewed him in this book. The first couple of chapters didn’t help either. But, after those early chapters, my view of him started to change. He dealt with learning that he had a daughter well. Once the DNA test came back positive, he did his best to try and bond with Harley. By the end of the book, I admired him. He faced his past head-on when trying to find answers for Harley. He dealt with Emma’s trust and jealousy issues well.

Emma drove me up a flipping wall. I understand that she was surprised and a little wary of Nathan, but she acted like a jerk for most of the book. Instead of asking him what was going on, at first, Emma assumed that something criminal was going on. She blew hot and cold with him the duration of her relationship. Also, Emma refused to let Harley watch the CD that her mother made for her. I get where she was coming from but still. It was wrong. I will admit that her antics in the book did affect my rating. I couldn’t connect to her at all.

I loved Harley. She was a typical 13-year-old. I did think that she adjusted well to having a father, uncles, and an aunt. Her snarkiness cracked me up. I laughed my butt off at some of the one-liners that she pulled on Marco. Having a 13-year-old myself, I found myself sympathizing with Nathan and Emma on a few occasions.

As much as I didn’t like Emma, I won’t deny that she and Nathan had some serious sexual chemistry. I liked that the author kept them from jumping into bed right away. But, once they did, the sex was explosive.

The end of the book was intense. While I didn’t agree with the choice that Nathan made, I understood why he did it. But at the same time, I didn’t agree with the decision that Emma made either. I loved it when things got ironed out, though. It made a perfect ending for the book. I am wondering if Marco is going to get a book? Please say, yes!!

I would give Bending the Rules 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 Bending the Rules I would recommend it to family and friends.

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

The Woman He Knows (The Devereux Family: Book 2) by Margaret Watson

The Woman He Knows (The Devereux Family Book 2) by [Watson, Margaret]

4 Stars

Publisher: Dragonfly Press

Date of publication: February 19th, 2019

Series: Devereux Family

A Safe Place—Book 1: Review here

The Woman He Knows—Book 2

Bending the Rules—Book 3

Where you can find The Woman He Knows: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BookBub

Book Synopsis:

Darcy Gordon is hiding, watching for her past to catch up with her. So when her boss is injured in a suspicious accident, she’s certain it was meant for her. But instead of fleeing, as every instinct screams, guilt forces her to stay and help her boss’s brother run the restaurant where she works. 

There’s just one problem – Patrick Devereux is an FBI agent. His too-sharp eyes threaten to reveal all her secrets. Expose her for who she really is. She wants to lower her guard and let Patrick know her. But when he learns the truth, will he understand? Or will he arrest her? 

First Line:

Darcy stepped onto the small patio of Mama’s Place and stood in the shadows for a moment, watching.

The Woman He Knows by Margaret Watson

My Review:

I couldn’t wait to read The Woman He Knows. The blurb was what reeled me in. Plus, I wanted to read Darcy and Patrick’s love story. They had some serious chemistry in A Safe Place. I was curious to see what their story was going to be like. I wasn’t disappointed. The Woman He Knows more than delivered.

The plotline of The Woman He Knows was interesting. Darcy is on the run from her abusive ex-husband, who is also an ex-cop. Assuming another name, Darcy lives looking over her shoulder, waiting for her ex to track her down. Then her boss is injured in a hit and run accident and Darcy is convinced that it is her ex. When Patrick takes over managing Mama’s Place, Darcy needs to keep him at arm’s length. Patrick is an FBI agent, and Darcy has learned, through experience, that the police is not to be trusted. Darcy needs to let Patrick in. She needs to let him know her secrets. Because if she doesn’t, it could prove to be fatal to her.

I loved how the author showed how difficult it is for a woman to get out of an abusive relationship. The stalking and harassment were spot on. I also loved how the police will turn a blind eye to the abuse if it is one of their own committing it. I was not surprised that they didn’t do anything about it. Instead, they covered for their “brother” and acted like it didn’t happen. Even today, with domestic violence more out in the open, it happens. And it needs to change!!

I liked Darcy. I understood why she was so leary of Patrick. She committed felonies to disappear. She was terrified that if he found out, he would arrest her. I also understood her fighting her feelings for him. She felt that she didn’t deserve to have a relationship because of what I stated above. So, it was interesting to see her open up to Patrick about her past relationship. There was a point in the book where I wanted to hug her and say, “Tell him, honey. He understands more than you think he does.”

I couldn’t quite get a grasp on Patrick at first. I knew that he felt responsible for the death of his parents, which was awful because it was in no way his fault. But, by the middle of the book, I started to understand why he felt that way. I also liked that he was able to pick up that something was wrong with Nathan and Darcy. That’s when I started to love him. He was going to do anything and everything to find out what was going on with them. I wish more insight were given into his investigation into Nathan’s finances. By the end of the book, I was cheering him on.

Darcy and Patrick had OK chemistry. I wasn’t immediately struck by how much they wanted each other. Instead, I was more struck by Darcy trying to keep as far away from Patrick as possible. But, if the chemistry was OK, the sex was hot. It was so hot that if my Kindle could have steamed, it would have.

The end of The Woman He Knows was intense. My breath was held during Darcy’s trip, and I was praying for Patrick to turn up, which he did. He did something that I cheered. I also cheered when he stood down the other agent. Talk about taking my breath away. This was one of the better endings of a book that I have read to date.

I would give The Woman He Knows 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 The Woman He Knows I would recommend it to family and friends.

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

Red Dawn Rising (The Four: Book 4) by Margaret Watson

Red Dawn Rising (The Four Book 4) by [Watson, Margaret]

4 Stars

Publisher: Dragonfly Press

Date of publication: July 9th, 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: review here

Red Dawn Rising—Book 4

Where you can find Red Dawn Rising: Barnes and Noble | Amazon | BookBub

Book Synopsis:

Musician Cassidy Drake has no idea who she really is until a brutal attack on her mother reveals truths she never could have imagined. Finn Brody, the mysterious man she meets at the hospital, suspects Cassidy’s true nature when magic erupts around them. 

Cassidy and Finn are drawn into a battle neither of them want. But they are essential in the quest to stop the evil fae queen from conquering the human world. Joined with the rest of The Four, can they defeat an entity with vast, unimaginable power? Or will they be the first casualties in the coming epic battle for survival? 

First Line:

Niamh stood over Brody’s body, holding her blade.

Red Dawn Rising (The Four: Book 4) by Margaret Watson

My Review:

Red Dawn Rising was at the top of my must-read books for the second half of 2019. I was anticipating this book. I had so many questions from the previous books, and I was hoping that they would be answered in this one. Oh, boy, were they!!

The plotline of Red Dawn Rising was fast paced and engaging. It answered every single question that I had from the previous books, including who Finn was. There was zero lagging of the plot and no dropped storylines. I loved it!!!

Finn’s backstory was heartbreaking and surprising. I would have never figured out that he was a Fae prince. I also wouldn’t have figured out that he was Niamh’s nephew. Which made what happened at the beginning of the book even more heartbreaking. I loved how patient he was with Cassidy (she wasn’t easy to deal with). I loved him.

I wasn’t a fan of Cassidy for a considerable part of the book. Something about her rubbed me the wrong way. She left a bad taste in my mouth during the first few chapters of the book. She kept denying what was right in front of her face. Until she came face to face with Sloan. After that, she became more likable but still. I wanted to shake her and say, “Listen, girlfriend, these people have been through stuff and know things. Listen to them.” By the end of the book, though, she came through. More than came through!!

Finn and Cassidy had intense sexual chemistry and attraction. The author kept them at such a high-level of sexual attraction/chemistry that I was almost expecting them to combust when they finally had sex. Then she amped it back up. I loved that she made them wait until halfway through the book to have intercourse. The reason why it was interesting. Finn and Cassidy were melded. Let’s say that it was intense and magical. Of course, Niamh feels it, and of course, she sends out her assassin to deal with it.

Naimh was someone that I wouldn’t mess with in real life. She was scary. I mean, she killed her FAMILY because she felt that she was the rightful ruler. She was unhinged by the end of the book. I did feel bad that things had to go down the way they did. But it was the only way to stop her. She was insane.

The end of Red Dawn Rising was intense. The whole battle scene with Niamh was intense. It had me on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading it. There was a death that I didn’t see coming. Talking about breaking my heart!! The epilogue was bittersweet. But it was fitting for the series.

I would give Red Dawn Rising 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 Red Dawn Rising  I would recommend it to family and friends.

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

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**

An Indigo Wind (The Four: Book 2) by Margaret Watson

An Indigo Wind (The Four Book 2) by [Watson, Margaret]

4 Stars

Publisher: Dragonfly Press

Date of publication: May 14th, 2019

Genre: Paranormal, Romance

Series: The Four

The Third Eye—book 1 (review here)

An Indigo Wind—book 2

Dark Matter—book 3

Red Dawn Rising—book 4

Where you can find An Indigo Wind: Barnes and Noble | Amazon | BookBub

Book synopsis:

Firefighter Gianna Fallon struggles to hide her unusual talents – especially her ability to control fire. But when she and Callan Doyle are tasked with taking down a compound creating warriors with superpowers, both will need every tool they possess. 

Callan Doyle, surfer and former SEAL, hates what happened when he began receiving the mysterious injections that changed who he was. Still, he’ll use those changes to help destroy that compound. 

But a powerful evil hides in plain sight in the compound, making their task more treacherous. As a net slowly surrounds them, can they neutralize the evil in the compound before the net pulls tight and evil eliminates them? 

My Review:

I was excited when I read the blurb for An Indigo Wind. I was wondering who would be the next couple featured in The Four series. So, when I read that it was going to be Gianna and Callan (Cal), I was super psyched. Sparks flew between them in The Third Eye. Because of that, I was curious to see how their relationship was going to progress.

I liked Gianna. I was fascinated by her ability to control fire. Forget her superhuman strength; I liked that she could control fire. I was also intrigued that her fire manifested with her emotions. Any strong feelings and flames would appear on her hands. I also liked her super hearing. It helped her in more than one situation.

She was a born mutant. I do wish that the author had gone more into how she discovered her powers. There was an explanation about it manifesting when she went through puberty. An example was given about when she was lighting a magazine on fire. Other than that, nada. I would have loved to know how Gianna knew she had powers.

I liked Cal. For a former surfer, he didn’t give that laid back “brah” attitude that most have. If he hadn’t mentioned it, I wouldn’t have known that he surfed before joining the SEALS. I was fascinated with his ability to teleport. He was able to go anywhere. What I liked, even more, was that he was able to take people. Usually, if teleportation is mentioned, the person couldn’t take people.

Cal kept insisting that he was a made mutant, but I wondered. It wasn’t until the middle of the book that Cal admitted that he had powers before getting injected with Jack’s blood. He had an affinity with water. Jack’s blood gave him the ability to teleport, increased his affinity with water, and gave him the ability to control the weather. I did feel bad for Cal, though. He felt violated because of how he got his powers.

Cal and Gianna’s romance started slow but morphed into something hot. The sex scenes were out of this world!! I will say that I liked what happened when fire and water mixed. Not saying much on this but I will say that the title of the book is appropriate!!

I liked how the storyline from The Third Eye progressed. Enough was revealed and explained in An Indigo Wind that made me excited for Dark Matter. I have a feeling that I know how the next pairing will be and I can’t wait.

I do have to mention Rickart. All I will say is that I have a feeling that he is about to become a significant player in the remaining books. I am not going to say much more than that.

An Indigo Wind is not a stand-alone book. You need to read The Third Eye before reading this book. If you do read The Third Eye, read the epilogue. It explains a lot.

The end of An Indigo Wind was satisfying. I am not going to get into it, but I was surprised by what happened. It set up book three perfectly.

I would give An Indigo Wind an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is language. There is violence. I would reccomend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread An Indigo Wind. I would also recommend it to family and friends.

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

Have you read An Indigo Wind?

What are your thoughts on it?

Let me know!!

A Safe Place (The Devereux Family: Book 1) by Margaret Watson

A Safe Place (The Devereux Family Book 1) by [Watson, Margaret]

4 Stars

Publisher: Dragonfly Press

Date of publication date: February 19th, 2019

Genre: Romance

Series: The Devereux Family

A Safe Place—Book 1

The Woman He Knows—Book 2

Bending the Rules—Book 3

Where you can find A Safe Place: Barnes and Noble | Amazon | BookBub

Book synopsis:

Tough, tender-hearted Frankie Devereux doesn’t have time to babysit a smooth-talking football player who’s supposed to be doing community service at her after-school center for troubled teens. She’s dealing with serious stuff – gang problems, a homeless pregnant girl and scraping together enough money to keep her center open.

But when a dark secret from her past threatens Frankie and the existence of her program, Cal tries to step up and help. But with his career on the line, which will he choose? Football? Or Frankie and her vulnerable kids?–

My Review:

When I read the blurb for A Safe Place, my attention was caught. A football player was doing community service. A woman was running a center for troubled teens. That was enough for me to agree to review it. I am glad I did. A Safe Place was a fantastic read.

The plotline with Frankie, FreeZone, and the head of DCF was troubling but well written. I was troubled because I had no issue seeing what happened to Frankie in her teens happening to a girl in real life. I am not going to go off on a tangent but sometimes people in positions of power like that prey upon the very people they are supposed to protect. I cheered when Frankie took the power that man had over her and owned it. I also cheered when Frankie delivered on her promise.

Cal’s plotline wasn’t as extreme as Frankie’s, but he did have issues. He was dealing with a possible career ending injury and doing community service. His plotline didn’t go into his issues as deep as it did with Frankie, but they were there.

I didn’t like Cal. He was a self-absorbed jerk for about 90% of the book. Everything about that man irked me. The way he treated Frankie. The way he treated the kids, Ramon especially. He turned everything into about him or sex. He did get better as the book went on but still. I couldn’t bring myself to like him.

I thought that Frankie was a strong woman. She overcame some horrific things in her early teens. She turned that pain into something positive. Her determination to help the teens in her center was admirable. I also liked the strength that it took to confront the man that hurt her. Like I said above, she owned it.

As much as I didn’t like Cal, he and Frankie had some serious heat together. Their sexual chemistry was off the wall. When they finally did have sex, it was hot.

I didn’t get much of a romance vibe from Cal and Frankie. It was more of a sex thing for me. So what happened at the end of the book didn’t jive with me. Don’t get me wrong; I was happy about it. But it was something that I couldn’t even picture.

The end of A Safe Place was satisfying. I can’t get into why but I ended the book with a huge grin on my face. I can’t wait to read book 2!!

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

I would reread A Safe Place. I would also recommend this book to family and friends

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

Have you read A Safe Place?

What are your thoughts on it?

Let me know!!

The Third Eye (The Four: Book 1) by Margaret Watson

The Third Eye (The Four Book 1) by [Watson, Margaret]

4 Stars

Publisher: Dragonfly Press

Date of publication: April 9th, 2019

Genre: Romance, Paranormal

Series: The Four

The Third Eye-–Book 1

Where you can find The Third Eye: Amazon | Barnes and Noble| BookBub

Book Synopsis:

When evil invades her office building, Dr. Rowan Burke discovers her ‘gifts’ in the nick of time. After Detective Jack Murphy helps her avert a massacre, it’s clear he’s another ‘gift’ — one that draws her deeper into a new reality of darkness and magic.

While working together to defeat a powerful foe, Rowan and Jack become targets as they uncover a sinister conspiracy to create soldiers with extraordinary abilities. Struggling to stay one step ahead of an enemy who grows more terrifying by the moment, they must learn to see all the possibilities in each other’s gifts — if they’re going to survive. 

My review

I have been reading a ton of PNR lately. I’m not complaining about it – actually, the opposite. I am loving reading them. When I read the blurb for The Third Eye, I was intrigued by it. I am glad that I read it. This was a fantastic PNR!!

The Third Eye starts with Rowan waking up to her grandmother screaming in her bedroom. After waking her up, Rowan is told that she has a gift. She can see in the future and past. She is hit with the news that there is a whole subculture of people like Rowan. Rowan didn’t believe it until she started seeing visions. While she was picking up her possessions from a job that she was fired from. These visions helped save people’s lives, along with her own. But, she makes a powerful enemy. Someone who wants her dead. Can Rowan stay one step ahead of this group? Or will she become a victim?

The main plotline of The Third Eye is Rowan and her dance with her dangerous enemy. I thought that it was well written. The author did a great job of keeping who the bad guy was until the end.

There were a few secondary plotlines. I liked how they added to the plotline. Sometimes the secondary plotlines will take over the main one. Not in this case. These were kept in the background until the author decided to merge them with the main plotline.

I loved Rowan in The Third Eye. For someone who had a whole lot of crap dumped on her, she dealt with it pretty well. I mean, if I went through what she did, I would have been a basket case. I liked how she embraced her gifts. I also liked how she was willing to stand her ground and fight.

I liked Jack. His belief in Rowan was rock solid. I wasn’t surprised that he had powers. I was surprised at what they were. Sometimes, I wish I had those powers. While I understood his anger at Mason, I thought he went a little overboard. He also irritated me at the end of the book.

The secondary characters were awesome. I loved Aislinn, Flynn (I want to know her backstory!!), Gianna, Mason, and Cal. I cannot wait to see who the author pairs together. But, I have a feeling that I know. There were a couple of scenes in the book that made me go “Hmmmm.”

I thought that The Third Eye was a great fit in the paranormal genre. Rowan’s introduction to her second sight was interesting as was her bonding with her Moonstone. I am interested in seeing where this series goes.

I also thought that The Third Eye was a great fit in the romance genre. I will warn everyone; this isn’t a “get to know you” romance. It is an Instalove romance. I am not a fan of Instalove, but but certain storylines need it. And The Third Eye’s is one. Jack and Rowan couldn’t have had a romance if it was any other way.

The sex scenes were steamy!! If it could have, my Kindle’s screen would have steamed up. Jack and Rowan also had significant sexual tension. I saw it right from the beginning. The author did a fantastic job of keeping it going, even after they had sex.

The end of The Third Eye was great. I liked how the author resolved Rowan’s issues. I did a fist pump and said “Yes” when that happened. But even more, I loved the last chapters. All I have to say is that Rowan was right and Jack was a fool. The epilogue has me interested. Because of who and what was introduced. It went well with what Rowan was experiencing. I am wondering how it is going to figure into the next book.

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

I would reread The Third Eye. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review The Third Eye.

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