Tag: suspense

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.

After She’s Gone (Hanne Lagerlind-Schon: Book 2) by Camilla Grebe

After She's Gone: A Novel (Hanne Lagerlind-Schon Book 2) by [Grebe, Camilla]

4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books

Date of publication: February 26th, 2019

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

Series: Hanne Lagerlind-Schon

The Ice Beneath Her—Book 1

After She’s Gone—Book 2

Where you can find After She’s Gone: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Bookbub

Synopsis:

In a small backwater town in Sweden, a young boy with a dark secret comes across a diary. As a cold case investigation suddenly becomes eerily current, a police investigator mysteriously disappears. What links these seemingly random events?

As atrocious acts from the past haunt the present and lives are changed forever, some will struggle to remember – while others struggle to forget . . .

The new thriller from the acclaimed author of THE ICE BENEATH HER, described as ‘Scandi-noir at its powerful bleakest’ by the Daily Mail and ‘unsettling, menacing and compulsively written’ by Heat, this is another slice of tense and twisted drama that will chill you to the bone.

My review:

I seem to be reading a lot of police mysteries/thrillers that are set in Finland/Sweden/Iceland lately. I don’t know why I am drawn to them, but I am. It is a combination of fascination with how their laws work and the culture.

The first 30-35% was slow. I don’t like books with slow beginnings. But, in this case, it worked. This plotline needed to be built up. I needed to read about what happened to Malin and Jake. I needed to see what formed them into the people that they were. I also needed to read about what was happening to Hanne through her diary. Once all the backstories were explained, then the ball started rolling. And man did it catch momentum.

Jake was the character I connected with. He had a lot of turmoil over the past year and kept to himself. It was his secret and what he thought about himself because of it that hurt my heart. His character growth came when he started to read Hanne’s diary. He related to Hanne and started to care for her. Not going to give anything away but Jake was the true hero of the book. He came to accept himself for what he was. His actions at the end of the book broke a cold case wide open and released secrets that were long buried.

I didn’t care for Malin. While she was a great detective, I didn’t care for her on a personal level. Her dislike for her fellow team member had no reason. She didn’t like him. I did agree with Manfred that she was racist. She protested way too much throughout that scene. She wasn’t a sympathetic character. Even with everything that was revealed at the end, I couldn’t help but go “Oh well” when it happened.

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I felt awful for Hanne. I couldn’t imagine what it would be like to be losing my memory. Especially if I had a job where my memory has to be sharp. Hanne’s confusion and sadness came across the pages. I understood why she needed the diary. To be honest, I thought that Peter was drugging her at one point in the book. His secretiveness (or what Hanne perceived to be) was suspicious. I also wondered if she was going to remember everything that happened to her.

I thought that the plotlines were well written. I got involved with the mystery behind who the woman was and how she could be related to the girl found 8 years earlier. The author did a fantastic job of pointing out latent racism. The resentfulness that people had against the refugees could have been pulled from the headlines. Same with the bullying that Jake endured.

I was surprised at the end of the book. I wasn’t expecting the “bad guys” to be who they were. It was a twist that came out of nowhere. I was thinking how Malin and her partner picked up was the killer. Also, the confession was chilling. Talk about no remorse. I was also surprised at how Malin was tied into what happened. Again, a twist that I didn’t see coming.

I would give After She’s Gone an Adult rating. There are sex and sexual references (nothing graphic). There is violence. There is language. There are triggers. They would be imprisonment, refugees, bullying, and homophobia.

I would reread After She’s Gone. 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 After She’s Gone.

All opinions stated in this review of After She’s Gone are mine.

Have you read After She’s Gone.

Let me know your thoughts!!

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Shattered Reflections (McAllister Justice: Book 5) by Reily Garrett

Shattered Reflections: Fire and Ice were never meant to coexist (McAllister Justice Series Book 5) by [Garrett, Reily]

4 Stars

Publisher:

Date of publication: February 3rd, 2019

Genre: Romance, Suspense, Thriller, Mystery

Series: McAllister Justice

Tender Echoes—Book 0.5

Digital Velocity—Book 1

Bound by Shadows—Book 2

Inconclusive Evidence—Book 3 (review here)

Carbon Replacements—Book 4 (review here)

Shattered Reflections—Book 5

Where you can find Shattered Reflections: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

Strong-willed and stubborn, Kathryn Nugle enters a man’s profession, untested, inexperienced, and determined to solve a decades-old puzzle.

Intuition flagged her client’s deception but didn’t solve the mystery of his jacket’s crimson stain, yet blood doesn’t lie. When the victim leaves damning evidence behind, fate throws Kathryn into a cascade of events that will challenge her survival skills.
Mathew McAllister is the eldest of six siblings, all current or former detectives. Practical jokes and pranks are part and parcel of his daily life. The newest addition to the family fold is a wisecracking hacker who mangles his strained equanimity and tests his patience in Morse code, security breaches, and invasion of his cherished privacy.
When a vicious murder paints a target on one of their own, the McAllisters close ranks to ferret out the twisted intentions of a serial killer. For fans of Sandra Brown and Lee Child, Shattered Reflections is an exciting thriller with a romantic twist.

My review:

Katt is a young PI who has gotten in over her head with her current case. What was supposed to be a shut and close case turns into something more. Katt turns to Matthew McAllister after she is assaulted while on the job. As the attempts on her life get more and more brazen, Katt is also forced to face her feelings for Matthew. Will Katt get the man and the bad guy?

Matthew is the eldest of the McAllister siblings. Known for his unshockable demeanor and even temperament, Matt is content in his life. That is until he met Katt. Katt turns is comfortable, boring world upside down. When Katt is targeted by the people who are looking for his client, Matthew steps in to help her. He is also forced to accept that his feelings for Katt. Can he keep Katt safe? Will Matt finally man up and tell Katt how he feels?

I loved Katt. Any lingering doubts or concerned (from Carbon Replacements) were smashed in this book. I saw a different side to Katt than what was shown in the previous book. She was softer in this book. She was more transparent with her feelings. I did think that she was a bit immature. She kept taking off whenever her feelings got hurt. That might be the only thing that I didn’t like about her.

Matt annoyed me for a majority of the book. Before I get into why I will say that I did like him. He was a great brother and he put up with a lot from his younger siblings. Now onto why he annoyed me. He kept denying his feeling for Katt. He kept throwing up excuses about her age. Even when he was confronted by Laredo at the hospital and his brothers later on in the book, he still kept denying. I got so frustrated with him. There was a point in the book where I wanted to jump in, smack him upside the head, and say “Dude, just admit that you love her.“

The main storyline in Shattered Reflections was well written. I liked that I knew who the bad guys were, well for the most part. The author did a great job at keeping the suspense level high in the book. I loved not knowing what was going to happen next. It kept me glued to the book.

The secondary storylines were excellent and added depth to the storyline. The one with Katt’s parents was heartbreaking. It explained a lot. I also thought the backstory on the bad guys were interesting. I did like the turn that Denny’s storyline took. I was not expecting it to end up that way!!

The sexual tension in this book was insane. It drove me nuts. I did like that the author used some raunchy humor to offset some of it. The Bob comments were hilarious. As was Matt’s reaction to it. I was dying laughing.

When Matt and Katt finally did have sex, it intense. What I liked is that there was only one sex scene in the entire book and that it was towards the end. So, I went the entire book with them trading sexual barbs and the occasional Bob comment. It was fantastic.

I was sad at the end of Shattered Reflections. Don’t get me wrong, the ending was perfect. The author did a fantastic job at wrapping up all the storylines. What made me sad was that it seems like this is going to be the end of the series. I hope not. But, there are no more siblings. Well, there’s Abby but I think she’s married.

I would give Shattered Reflections an Adult rating. There is sex (not graphic). There is language. There is violence. There are triggers. They would be neglect. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Shattered Reflections. I would also recommend it to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review Shattered Reflections.

All opinions stated in this review of Shattered Reflections are mine.

One Tough Cowboy (Moving Violations: Book 1) by Lora Leigh and Veronica Chadwick

One Tough Cowboy (Moving Violations #1)

4 Stars

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

Date of publication: January 29th, 2019

Genre: Romance, Suspense

Series: Moving Violations

One Tough Cowboy—Book 1

Where you can find One Tough Cowboy: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

First in a brand-new series from #1 New York Times bestselling author Lora Leigh and Veronica Chadwick about one man’s pursuit of justice—and unbridled desire. 

LAW AND ORDER. 
For as long as Samantha can remember, Hunter—a man as strong as steel, with a heart of gold—has been her hero. It came as no surprise to Samantha when she found out that the ranch-hardened cowboy who always protected her from bullies went on to become the town’s sheriff. What does surprise her is how incredibly hot he still is. And how much she still wants him…

PRIDE AND PASSION

And, lo and behold, Hunter still has feelings for Samantha. The long-smoldering heat of their innocent flirtation has grown into a full-raging fire. But when tragedy strikes and their small-town community is shattered, Hunter vows to do everything he can to keep his childhood sweetheart safe. But can Samantha trust that Hunter has her best interests at heart…and that, after all these years, his love is true?

My review:

I needed to read One Tough Cowboy. I had come off a string of books that had some heavy subjects in them. I needed a book that I could read, not worry about the plotline and enjoy. I got that in this book.

The plot of One Tough Cowboy was pretty simple. Samantha has come back to the town she grew up in for her beloved Aunt’s funeral. She is also there to investigate her aunt’s death. See, her aunt overdosed on pain medication. The only thing, she didn’t like to take it and that was a well-known fact. Which made her death very suspicious not only to Samantha but to Hunter, the sheriff for her hometown. The deeper Samantha and Hunter dig into her death, the more danger they both are in. Who killed Samantha’s aunt? And why?

I liked Samantha. She was going to back down when it came to investigating her aunt’s death. As a detective in the Detroit police force, she was tough. She wasn’t going to let anyone stand in her way. I was chanting, in my head, “You go girl” every time she did something that empowered herself. Loved it!!

I wasn’t as big of a fan of Hunter. I liked him at the beginning of the book. He knew something shady was going on. There was a string of suspicious deaths which included his uncle. But he lost his mind as soon as Samantha arrived. Strike that. As soon as he had sex with her. Then it went all downhill from there. He spent all his free time (which seemed to be a lot) in bed with her. People were starting to comment on it. I kinda wanted to shake him and say “Dude, it can’t be that good.” But since it is a book, I had to be satisfied with muttering to myself.

I will say that the sex scenes were scorching hot. The sparks between Hunter and Samantha were hard to ignore. I figured that they would have sex early in the book. But, they had hot sex every single time. Every single time. It was amazing that the author could keep that sexual attraction and tension up the entire book. I mean, with most books, they usually lost it after the first encounter. I also liked that there was a bit of voyeurism in this book. Hunter got caught watching his friend nail a chick outside his house. People kept walking in on Samantha and Hunter as they were messing around. That made the sex spicier and, dare I say, hotter?

The suspense angle was wonderfully written too. You knew who the major players were early in the book. But, what they were doing was kept under wraps until almost the end of the book. I was taken by surprise at what was going on. But, at the same time, I had no problem imagining what was going on actually happening in real life.

There are a few disturbing scenes that are later on in the book. There is an attempted rape (well, there was penetration with fingers. Is that considered rape?). It was graphic and disturbed me.

I didn’t like how the book ended. Not getting into it but I would be pissed if I was woken up and told that. Talk about rushing into something. Jeeze.

I would give One Tough Cowboy an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is violence. There is language. There are trigger warnings. They would be attempted rape, human trafficking, and domestic violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread One Tough Cowboy. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the publisher, the authors, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review One Tough Cowboy.

All opinions stated in this review of One Tough Cowboy are mine.

An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

An Anonymous Girl

4 Stars

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Date of publication: January 8th, 2019

Genre: General Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

Where you can find An Anonymous Girl: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

The next novel of psychological suspense and obsession from the authors of the blockbuster bestseller The Wife Between Us

Seeking women ages 18–32 to participate in a study on ethics and morality. Generous compensation. Anonymity guaranteed. 

When Jessica Farris signs up for a psychology study conducted by the mysterious Dr. Shields, she thinks all she’ll have to do is answer a few questions, collect her money, and leave. But as the questions grow more and more intense and invasive and the sessions become outings where Jess is told what to wear and how to act, she begins to feel as though Dr. Shields may know what she’s thinking…and what she’s hiding. As Jess’s paranoia grows, it becomes clear that she can no longer trust what in her life is real, and what is one of Dr. Shields’ manipulative experiments. Caught in a web of deceit and jealousy, Jess quickly learns that some obsessions can be deadly.

From the authors of the blockbuster bestseller, The Wife Between Us comes an electrifying new novel about doubt, passion, and just how much you can trust someone.

My review:

Jessica is a makeup artist who isn’t living her life to the fullest. Barely making ends meet, her days consist of running around NYC, toting her make up case. Her nights are spent hanging out with her best friends and having one night stands. When she sees a text about a study on ethics and morality that pays around $500, she decides to go and take the girl’s place. She catches the eye of the psychologist running the study, Dr. Shields. As her relationship with Dr. Shields gets more personal, Jessica realizes that she isn’t involved in a study anymore. Instead, Dr. Shields is using her in an experiment. As Dr. Shield becomes more and more demanding and obsessive, Jessica needs to find a way out. Will that happen? Will Jessica be able to end her relationship with Dr. Shields? Or will she be a casualty?

I loved how Dr. Shields side of the story progressed. It was interesting to read how she picked up on Jessica. How she singled her out of the study. The author did a great job of letting Dr. Shields crazy come out in small doses. Her obsession with Thomas and Jessica. Her ability to read Jessica’s mind and to be one step ahead of her. It was all wonderfully spaced out. I will say, though, Dr. Shields did scare me. I had no issue imagining this same scenario playing out in real life. That is what made this book so good to read. It was totally believable.

Jessica’s side of the story was as wonderfully written as Dr. Shields. The authors did a fantastic job of showing how easy someone was to manipulate. All it took was asking the right questions and creating the right atmosphere. I loved watching her transformation from an independent woman to a person who was controlled. But, what I also liked, was how Jessica took her life back. How she fought back against Dr. Shields.

I will warn, for those of you who don’t like it, that Dr. Shields part of the book was written in 2nd person. Myself, I don’t care for it. It makes the story harder to read because the reader never gets to see what is going on from the other people’s perspective. But in this book, it worked. It only worked because Jessica’s part of the book was written in 1st person. I wasn’t only reading the book in 2nd person. Another reason it worked was that we got to see Dr. Shields in two totally different lights. I thought it was fascinating how the author was able to merge the two different people who I associated with Dr. Shields into one person by the end of the book.

The main storyline with Dr. Shields and Jessica was wonderfully written. Like I mentioned above, I love reading how Jessica was manipulated by Dr. Shields. I loved how the author kept the true reason for the Dr’s social experiments under wraps until about the middle of the book. I was as shocked as Jessica when the truth was revealed.

The secondary storylines were alright. Except for April’s storyline, I didn’t get as involved with them. I did have a question about Ben and how he knew to call Jessica “Jess“. I wanted to know how much he knew about the study. The way he acted with her at the meeting made me think he knew more than he let on. It was dropped after that.

The end of An Anonymous Girl underwhelmed me. It was anti-climatic with how it was ended. I was left scratching my head and going “Huh” afterward. I should have seen what happened coming but I didn’t. The epilogue added to it.

I gave An Anonymous Girl a 4-star rating. I enjoyed reading this book. The plotlines were beautifully written and I was kept on edge the entire book. I connected with the characters. The only thing that affected my rating was the ending. It was not what I thought it would be. I was left wondering why.

I would give An Anonymous Girl an Adult rating. There is sex (not graphic). There is language. There is violence. There are triggers. They would be sexual assault and suicide. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread An Anonymous Girl. I would also recommend this book to family and friends. I would include a warning about the triggers.

I would like to thank St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review An Anonymous Girl.

All opinions expressed in this review of An Anonymous Girl are mine.

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

Have you read An Anonymous Girl?

Love it? 

Hate it?

Meh about it?

Let me know!!!

Exposed Fury by Marie Flanigan

Exposed Fury

4 Stars

Publisher: Red Adept Publishing

Date of publication: August 7th, 2018

Genre: Mystery, Suspense

Where you can find Exposed Fury: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

Annie Fitch, a former police detective, struggles to make ends meet as a private investigator in the sleepy town of Leesburg, Virginia. On partial disability because of gunshot injuries, she’s relegated to doing surveillance gigs and background checks. But things are looking up, since her on-again, off-again relationship is back on and might stay that way.

When Annie is hired by Laura Carlton to follow her husband to get evidence of cheating, Annie is certain the case won’t take long. Nick Carlton grew up with money and privilege and has a sex addiction dating back to his high school days. But things go sideways when Annie finds her target dead in an alley just a few blocks from her own home.

Working with her former partner, Gunnar Jansson, Annie digs deeper into Carlton’s background, slowly excavating his past to reveal the multiple suspects and motives. The list includes his many lunch-hour-tryst partners, a local shop owner, and his business partner, among others. Layer by layer, Annie uncovers a truth that runs deeper than anyone expected.

My review:

Annie is a detective turned PI. Forced off the squad due to a brain injury that occurred when she was shot on the job, Annie is struggling to make ends meet. She is also struggling with not having the physical or mental abilities that she had before she was shot. So when Laura contacts her to follow her husband and get evidence of cheating, Annie agrees. What Annie was not expecting was to find Nick’s body during her walk with her dog. She also doesn’t expect to get drawn back into the investigation when Laura hires her to find out who killed Nick. Working with her former partner, Gunnar, Annie digs through the tangled mess that was Nick Carlton’s life. But she is in for a surprise when she figures out who killed Nick and why. Who killed Nick? What was his/her motivation? Can Annie come through this investigation unscathed?

I have come to appreciate a good mystery. A good mystery needs to draw you in and keep you engaged in the story. Which is tricky because the author has to keep the clues to the mystery a secret but at the same time give out hints about what is going on. It’s a balancing act and sometimes, the author slips. There have been books where I have figured out what was going on or who did it by the middle of the book. But with Exposed Fury, that wasn’t the case. Marie Flanigan did a fantastic job of keeping who killed Nick and why under wraps until the end of the book. I will get more into that when I discuss the ending.

I loved Annie. The author did a fantastic job of creating a character that I could relate to. Annie didn’t let her disabilities get in the way of trying to get back on her feet. While she wanted to be back on the force, she understood that it wasn’t going to be. So she decided to become a PI. Her strength came off the pages. I also liked how she knew that she needed help with things and wasn’t afraid to ask. She also had a strong sense of family. While her father drove her nuts, she understood that he was afraid and that was coming from love. Her devotion to her brother was sweet.

The mystery angle of the book was amazing. The author did a fantastic job at keeping who killed Nick a secret until the end of the book. I was in shock over who it was. I had another person pegged for it. So when the plotline did a sudden turn and pointed in another direction, I was shocked. I was also shocked at why that person did it. Another shock.

The author also did a great job at portraying Annie’s continuing recovery from her brain injury. She made a point to let us readers know that Annie was not the same person she was before the brain injury. Annie was a, for lack of a better word, gentler, more emotional person. She empathized with people easier. From what I gleaned from the plot, Annie was more uptight and not as emotional before the injury.

The main plotline, the investigation of Nick’s murder, was interesting and wonderfully written. The author took me on a rollercoaster journey. She fingered so many people who I had a list of suspects to pick from. Red herrings were thrown out left and right. Normally, I would get irritated when that happens. But in this case, it was great and worked with the plotline.

The plotline with Annie’s on again, off again boyfriend was kind of “meh” with me. Not that I didn’t like Ford, I did, but I didn’t like that he was leaving Annie all the time. Like Annie, I would have been upset over his constant coming and going. Plus, he never mentioned what he did for work. Just that it was for the government and he was sent into high-risk areas (like Afghanistan). I wish that there could have been more stability with him. I would have loved more clarity with what he did.

The plotline with Annie’s father drove me nuts. I completely understood where he was coming from. His kid almost died and suffered a brain injury. But he didn’t support her career choice. He kept harping on it. Every single scene he was in, he kept mentioning how she should go back to college, get another job. Annie did brush him off, for the most part, but I got sick of it. I wanted to jump in the book and say “Leave her be!! Support her, darn it.”

Like I mentioned above, I loved the end of the book. The author did a fantastic job at wrapping up Nick’s murder plotline, as well as a couple of the secondary ones. She did leave the one with Annie’s father and Ford open. Like I mentioned above, I was surprised at who did it and the motive behind it. Talk about a plot twist. I did not see it coming at all. And I loved it!! I am hoping that the author will write another book with Annie in it!!

I gave Exposed Fury a 4-star rating. This book was one of the best mystery books I have read to date. The author did a great job at keeping me engaged with the story. There were no dropped or forgotten storylines. I was surprised at the ending. I did not care for Ford or Annie’s father’s attitude.

I would give Exposed Fury an Adult rating. There is sex but it is not graphic (mentioned but no detail). There is language. There is violence. There are trigger warnings. They would be brain injuries, cheating on a partner, the death of a sibling. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Exposed Fury. I would also recommend this book with family and friends. I would mention the triggers.

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review Exposed Fury.

All opinion stated in this review of Exposed Fury are mine.

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

Have you read Exposed Fury?

Love it? 

Hate it?

Meh about it?

Let me know!!!

Tetterbaum’s Truth (Just Call Me Angel: Book 1) by S.R. Claridge

Tetterbaum's Truth (Just Call Me Angel Book 1)

4 Stars

Publisher: Global Publishing Group

Date of publication: August 16th, 2015

Genre: Romance

Series: Just Call Me Angel

Tetterbaum’s Truth – Book 1

Traitor’s Among Us – Book 2

Russian Uprising – Book 3

Where you can find Tetterbaum’s Truth: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

Angel Martin plans to marry Tony and live happily ever after until Tony disappears. Nursing a broken heart, she takes a job at Tetterbaum’s Pub, unaware it is the most prestigious Mafia hangout in Chicago. She finds herself suddenly caught in the middle of a revengeful scheme from a past she’s never known and a blackmail scandal that has left several dead, and she’s next on the hit list. Racing to find answers, Angel’s life is left hanging in a twisted balance of deception and revenge, and the only way out is to expose the truth… TETTERBAUM’S TRUTH

My review:

I am not normally a huge fan of Mafia-inspired thrillers but when I read the blurb for this book, I had to read it. I am glad that I did read this book because it was good. It was a little slow to start but once I got past the chapter explaining Angel’s background and her relationships, the book picked up steam. And the ending was excellent!!!

Tetterbaum’s Truth is the first book in the Just Call Me Angel series. Angel Martin has become content with her life. She owns a successful pub. She also has an on again/off again relationship with a man she only knows as Grayson. But that changes when she gets injured in a car accident that kills Grayson. Everything that Angel knew about herself and her past is revealed to be false. While she is coming to terms with who she is, she is also dodging hitmen. She is also trying to solve the mystery behind a massacre that turned the four Mafia families against each other. Who can she trust? Can she expose who was behind the massacre?

I couldn’t believe what Angel went through in this book. It was unbelievable. Car accident? Check. Finding out that she had a mysterious past? Check. Being stalked by strange men who wanted to kill her? Check. Getting kidnapped? Check. I kept thinking to myself “Her therapy bill is going to be HUGE“. I thought her reactions to Grayson’s death was a bit much. I mean, she demanded to see his body and then she broke into his house to cry. I got some serious obsessive vibes from her. On the flip side, I thought that her reaction to her past was fantastic. I would have acted the same way. Not believing until evidence is shown.

Andrew rubbed me the wrong way. When he was introduced in the book, I thought that something was off about him. He was always on the verge of saying something. I don’t understand why he didn’t tell Angel everything when he told her about her past and the danger she was in. Heck, he even put her in danger himself. There was a point in the book where I wondered what his deal was. Plus, I don’t like it when a guy calls a woman “sweetheart” if they aren’t in a relationship. It makes them sound condescending. Plus, putting a tracker on someone screams stalkerlike behavior to me.

I liked Grayson. He was mysterious and Angel couldn’t keep away from him. I was rooting for them to get together, even after it was revealed who and what he was. And, man, I was beyond upset when what happened. I threw down my Kindle and said a few choice words.

The secondary characters made this book. From Olga to Tony, they created a rich background for the story to be set against. They made Angel’s story much more poignant to read.

There were two major plotlines in Tetterbaum’s Truth. Both of those plotlines were filled with action and suspense. The author did a great job at keeping who Angel’s father Compare was. She also did a great job at keeping exactly where Tetterbaum’s tapes were. When the storylines were merged, they were merged in such a great fashion. I was scared for Angel at that point.

The first major plotline dealt with Angel and her past. While I didn’t like how she was told (Olga should have told her), I thought she did a fantastic job at processing everything that was told to her. I know that if it was me, I would have noped the heck out of there. I also loved her full name!!!

The secondary plotline dealt with the Mafia, Tetterbaum’s tapes and how Angel was going to right past wrongs. I learned more about the workings of the Mafia from this book than I ever knew. There were different terminology that I have never heard before. I also liked how the author had Angel figure out where Tetterbaum’s tapes were. I would have never thought to look where she did. I enjoyed how Angel got to the truth of what happened to her father and cleared his name.

Tetterbaum’s Truth fit right into the mystery/thriller/suspense genre. I liked how the author tried to throw in a bit of a love triangle in there. It will be interesting to see who Angel will end up with.

The end of Tetterbaum’s Truth was great. I liked how the author wrapped up all the storylines. I was surprised at who Angel’s Compare was. I was also surprised at the measure that he went through to get Tetterbaum’s tapes. But justice, Mafia-style, was served. I did a fist pump when justice happened. I was also surprised at what Angel did at the end of the book. Is she ready for that? I am eager to read book 2. Only because I have some questions that concern Andrew and Tony.

I gave Tetterbaum’s Truth a 4-star rating. I enjoyed reading this book. It was a fast-paced read that kept me on the edge of my seat. I didn’t like how Angel was continuously kidnapped or had guns held up to her head in the book. There are triggers in Tetterbaum’s Truth. They are extreme violence, kidnapping, and attempted rape.

I would give Tetterbaum’s Truth an Adult rating. There is extreme violence. There is language. There is sex, but not graphic. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Tetterbaum’s Truth. I would also recommend this book to family and friends. I would tell them about the triggers, first.

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review Tetterbaum’s Truth.

All opinions stated in this review of Tetterbaum’s Truth are mine.

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

Have you read Tetterbaum’s Truth?

Love it? 

Hate it?

Meh about it?

Let me know!!!

Carbon Replacements (McAllister Brothers: Book 4) by Reily Garrett

Carbon Replacements (The McAllister Justice Series #4)

4 Stars

Publisher: 

Date of publication: September 9th, 2018

Genre: Romance, Suspense, Thriller, Mystery

Series: McAllister Justice

Tender Echoes – Book 0.5

Digital Velocity – Book 1

Bound by Shadows – Book 2

Inconclusive Evidence – Book 3 (review here)

Carbon Replacements – Book 4

Where you can find Carbon Replacements: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

The killer held a knife to her throat—the ultimate decision locked within a dark and deviant gaze.

Determined and dedicated, forensic pathologist Remie Tallin validates her talent by discerning a victim’s last moments of life. Returning to Portland signified her new beginning where a psychopathic stalker designates her a pawn in a seductive game of intrigue. 

The lines between predator and prey blur in hunting a medical genius bent on resetting the laws of nature. Evidence has never failed to point Remie in the right direction, yet conflicting discoveries mock the legal system and defy the scientific arena for clarification.

Detective McAllister’s return from leave includes a new assignment along with a partner well versed in subtle sarcasm and innuendos. Discovering the new medical examiner unconscious at the scene of a grisly murder forces him to unite with his brothers against a world of chaos where reality shifts according to a psychopath’s desire.

My review:

Romantic thrillers are a favorite of mine to read. So when Reily approached me to read Carbon Replacements, I jumped on it. Not only because it is a romantic thriller but also because it is the next book in the McAllister Justice series.

Carbon Replacements takes place sometime after the ending of Inconclusive Evidence. Remi Tallin is a forensic pathologist that had moved back to Seattle after the death of her mother. When her next door neighbor comes to her after being attacked by a John, Remi is drawn into a game where her every move is watched and reported. Billy McAllister is back from leave. He comes into Remi’s world when he is the one to find her after she was attacked by the same John who murdered her neighbor. But not everything is what it seems. Billy and Remi are drawn into a dangerous game of cat and mouse with a psychopath called The Sandman. The secret that he is hiding could change the world. Can Billy and Remi outthink him or will they become his victims?

I loved the storyline. From the beginning, when Remi was sitting in the car with Gena, I was drawn in. The author did a fantastic job of keeping me interested in the story. The side storylines of Royden/Abby and Katt/Matt were a welcome distraction when Billy/Remi’s storyline got too much. The author did a wonderful of tying them all to the main storyline at the end of the book.

The thriller angle of the book was very well written. This book did a great job of taking sudden twists and turns. Just when I thought I had the bad guy figured out, the author threw a wrench in it. I also liked the idea that was behind everything. I have never heard of bioprinting organs before and I was unaware of the controversy surrounding it. The role that it played in this book was frightening. I had no issue imagining someone wanting to do what The Sandman wanted to do with a bioprinter.

I loved how the relationship between Remi and Billy evolved. It went from a typical police/victim relationship to one where they had feelings for each other but refused to act. So no Instalove. The chemistry between them was amazing. With every glance they shared, the chemistry became more charged. There was a point in the book where I was like “Just DO IT, already“.

Speaking of sex, there wasn’t a lot in this book. Which was refreshing because I could focus on the storyline without wondering when they were going to have sex. The sex that Billy and Remi had was amazing because of the chemistry.

The end of the book was amazing. Who The Sandman was a surprise. A surprise because of why The Sandman did what he did. Talk about frightening and twisted. I also liked how the author lined up the next romance. I wasn’t surprised at who it was because you could see it going there the entire book.

What I liked about Carbon Replacements:

A) the storyline

B) the side storylines

C) The relationship between Remi and Billy

What I disliked about Carbon Replacements:

A) The Sandman

B) What happened to Abby (not mentioned in the review so read the book!!)

C) Remi’s stalker (again, not mentioned in the review. See above)

I gave Carbon Replacements a 4-star rating. This book is a thrilling read. I didn’t know when or where the plot would twist and go in a totally different direction. The Sandman was a truly despicable villain.

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

I would reread Carbon Replacements. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank Reily Garrett for allowing me to read and review Carbon Replacements. 

All opinions stated in this review of Carbon Replacements are mine.

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

Sadie by Courtney Summers

4.5 Stars

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books

Day of publication: September 4th, 2018

Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

Where you can find Sadie: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

Sadie hasn’t had an easy life. Growing up on her own, she’s been raising her sister Mattie in an isolated small town, trying her best to provide a normal life and keep their heads above water. 

But when Mattie is found dead, Sadie’s entire world crumbles. After a somewhat botched police investigation, Sadie is determined to bring her sister’s killer to justice and hits the road following a few meager clues to find him.

When West McCray—a radio personality working on a segment about small, forgotten towns in America—overhears Sadie’s story at a local gas station, he becomes obsessed with finding the missing girl. He starts his own podcast as he tracks Sadie’s journey, trying to figure out what happened, hoping to find her before it’s too late.

My review:

I had seen reviews for Sadie on various blogs that I follow. All them good. I thought to myself “This book can’t be THAT good.” I had gotten Sadie as an ARC a few months back but due to school vacation, I fell behind on my reviews. So I went into reading this book with a fair amount of skepticism. Well, let me take back everything I thought to myself. Sadie was amazing. There are very few books that I will get completely immersed in and Sadie was one.

I loved the way it was written. It was split between being told as a podcast and from Sadie’s POV. Not only did I get to see the effect of Sadie’s leaving had on people. But I also got to read about what Sadie was thinking when she started off on her journey to find Keith.

I loved how the author dangled parts of the plotline. Instead of giving everything all at once, she broke things up into little pieces. You know that Mattie, Sadie’s younger sister, was killed. You know that Sadie didn’t deal with it well. It’s the underneath that the author takes her time revealing. It was drawn out. Sadie would reveal something then it would switch to McCray as he is doing this podcast. What was revealed was explained after the fact, by the people affected. It was interesting because not everything was told to McCray.

McCray was trying to do good with his podcast but it seemed like he was always 3 steps behind Sadie. At one point, I got mad because he kept running into dead ends. But, Sadie did make it easy for him to follow her. She left clues. I could see McCray getting more and more involved in this case the more time he spent on it. He went from an impersonal radio host to a human being trying his best to find a missing girl. It was interesting to see that transformation.

I should have seen what Keith did to Sadie coming. It wasn’t addressed until after Sadie found those pictures. Then, I understood while she was doing this for Mattie, she was also doing it for herself and the other girls that Keith victimized. If Keith had stayed away, Sadie would have gone on with her life, caring for Mattie. But he came back and bad things happened. That broke Sadie. So yes, I wasn’t surprised that she decided to go after him.

I was angry with Sadie’s mother. She was the catalyst for everything. Either she didn’t know or she turned a blind eye to what was going on. But, when he dared to attempt something on Mattie, she threw him out. Even with Mattie dead and Sadie gone, her mother mourned only for Mattie. I don’t think she had it in her to love Sadie (even though she said she did). May Beth, the surrogate grandmother, shed more tears for Sadie than her own mother. That showed how empty Sadie’s life was.

I couldn’t believe the ending. I tried to flip to the next page because I refused to believe that the author ended it that way. I might have shouted “Seriously!!!” Talking about frustrating. But genius of the author. Because it made you think. And, unfortunately, it ended as it would have in real life. With more questions than answers.

What I liked about Sadie:

A) Relatable characters

B) How it was written

C) Was able to get completely immersed in it.

What I disliked about Sadie:

A) Keith

B) Sadie’s mother

C) The ending

I gave Sadie a 4.5-star rating. I was completely immersed in this book from page 1. This was a fantastic book to read. The only downside to it was the ending. Other than that, a great book to read.

I gave Sadie an Older Teen rating. There are sex and sexual references. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 16 read this book.

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

I would like to thank St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Sadie

All opinions stated in this review of Sadie are mine.

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

Dagger’s Edge (Brute Force: Book 2) by Lora Leigh

Dagger's Edge (Brute Force #2)

2 Stars

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

Date of publication: August 28th, 2018

Genre: Romance, Suspense

Series: Brute Force

Collison Point – Book 1

Dagger’s Edge – Book 2

Where you can find Dagger’s Edge: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

#1 bestselling author Lora Leigh is back–with a vengeance–in her latest novel of passion and intrigue, Dagger’s Edge, featuring the men of Brute Force. 

Ivan Resnova wants nothing more than to escape his hard, brutal past. Starting over is not so easy once you’ve been a powerful crime boss but now, instead of being punished for his alleged crimes, Ivan fears that the one woman he can’t forget is in danger of paying the price.

Crimsyn “Syn” Delaney thought the danger she’d faced was over, and that she could resume her life. She never imagined it would return with a vengeance and throw her back into Ivan’s world. But when an attempt is made on her life, she needs Ivan more than ever to keep her safe–even if she is in danger of falling deeply and dangerously in love. . .

My review:

I have a personal goal of not DNFing any book. I like to give books a chance. Sometimes a book will start rocky and then morph into a great book. I have never been challenged to finish a book until Dagger’s Edge. I had to talk myself out of deleting this book and sending a DNF to the publishers. I had to force myself to finish this book.

Dagger’s Edge is the 2nd book in the Brute Force series. Journey (aka Crimsyn “Syn“) is on the run from her family. Being pressured to married Beauregard and to restore favor to the Queen Mother, she leaves. She runs into Ivan, who she has always had a thing for. Besides being her best friend’s father, Ivan is the one man she wanted to run to. But can she trust this dangerous man? Will he be able to protect her?

When a book leaves me confused after the prologue, I know that it isn’t going to be good. That is what Dagger’s Edge did to me. Left me confused and going “What the heck is happening here” I reread the prologue to make sure I didn’t miss anything. I paged back to see if there was something before the prologue. Nothing. So I was left confused. And I stayed confused the entire book. I have a feeling that if I read book 1, then I would have a better understanding of what was going on. But I didn’t….so yeah.

That confusion trickled down to the characters and their relationships. I could not connect with Journey. At. All. She went between acting like a child and a mature woman for most of the book. She made life choices that had me questioning how she survived so long on her own. Seriously.

I respected Ivan but I didn’t like him. He rubbed me the wrong way. I did think at one point “He must have a lonely life.” So when he went all in with Journey, it didn’t fit in with the image that was projected.

There was sexual tension between Journey and Ivan. What I liked is that the author was able to keep the level of sexual tension for the entire book. There was no dip. It was thick in this book, which was one of the few enjoyable things in the book.

Let’s talk about sex. Journey and Ivan had a lot of sex. They were like freaking bunnies. In a van, in a plane, in a limo, the list could go on. One look and he was ripping her panties off. Which would have been great except, sex was related to pleasure/pain in every sex scene. I couldn’t get past it. Listen, I know a little pain is good during sex. I also know that there are people who get off on pain. But in this book, nothing was mentioned about that. It seemed like having sex was actually hurting her. To have it brought up all the time ruined the sex scenes for me.

The secondary plotline involving Journey’s family made me sick. The abuse she suffered at their hands was horrible. No wonder she took off. I don’t understand why she didn’t tell the Queen Mother?? Going with the plotline involving her family, I couldn’t understand why her cousin didn’t scoop her up like she said she could. Instead, she got bent over Ivan having her and got in his face. Which almost didn’t end too well for her.

The other storyline, which I won’t talk too much about, I saw coming from a mile away. Even with Ivan telling himself certain things, it still happened.

The end of the book was a cluster. Storylines were left wide open. I am hoping that is because the author is going to write a 3rd book. Minor things got resolved but all the major things didn’t. I was left scratching my head and going “OK” after the last chapter.

What I liked about Dagger’s Edge:

A) Ivan. Well, I respected him. Doesn’t equal to like

B) The sexual tension was kept up for the book

C) The ending. Because the book was over.

What I disliked about Dagger’s Edge:

A) Confusion while reading

B) The sex.

C) The secondary plotline

I gave Dagger’s Edge a 2-star rating. This book was a mess to read. I was confused for most of the book. Which is a turn off for me while reading. But, saving it from a 1-star review was that  I respected Ivan. Also, the sexual tension was kept up for the entire book.

I gave Dagger’s Edge an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is explicit language. There is explicit violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would not reread Dagger’s Edge. I also would not recommend this book to family and friends. I also wouldn’t read any more of this series.

I would like to thank St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Paperbacks, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Dagger’s Edge.

All opinions stated in this review of Dagger’s Edge are mine.

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