Review // Tommaso by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

February 23, 2022

Tommaso by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

I had to confront this darkness living inside my head. I'd wasted too much of my life feeling afraid. - Charlotte

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Tommaso by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

Tommaso by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff


Standalone - Immortal Matchmakers, Inc. #2
Release - May 24, 2016
Genre - Paranormal Romantic Comedy
Primarily Dual POV - 3rd person
Heat Level - 3 out of 5/ not much sex, but tons of sexual content
Format/Source - ebook purchase from Amazon
Length - 202 pages
Publisher - Indie


SOMETIMES, HOT MEN CAN BE REAL MONSTERS…

Tommaso Fierro is used to the finer things in life—nice suits, nice car, nice house. Okay, his past isn’t so nice, but that’s in the past. Or at least it was until he blacked out after meeting the woman of his dreams.

Annnd possibly capturing her.

Annnd possibly terrorizing her before she got away.

Annnd discovering that he’s turning into a horrible creature he loathes with all his heart.

Luckily, there’s a cure. Unluckily, it will require him to track this woman down and convince her to give him a second chance. But if he finds her, will she ever believe that he’s really not a monster?

My Two Cents

4 "Annd the hilarity continues" stars

I'm not even sure if I like Cimil, the goddess of the Underworld and all things ridiculous, but mannn... she's definitely entertaining!

Okay, so in this book, Tommaso believes that he's turning (everyone good seems to be turning bad. It's a thing). The only person who can save him is his mate. A mate he doesn't have. When he attends an immortal singles mixer, he catches a beautiful woman fleeing the scene. What is that in the air? Why is he so drawn to her?

After meeting and being rejected by Andrus (who is Tommaso's best friend btw), and then being confronted by the weirdness of people 'believing' they are otherworldly beings, Charlotte runs for her life. And she's good at that. Living in fear of monsters and trying to lay low, she doesn't make time for people. When Tommaso won't take no for an answer, what's a girl to do? Can she confront her demons? Can he?

I enjoyed the way the author told a tale of two broken people that was made light by a ton of hilarity. Charlotte was scared of monsters and going mad like her mother. Tommaso, after losing everyone he'd ever loved, believed he had so much to make up for. And yet, he did everything he could to make Charlotte whole and feel complete.

How could I not love and adore this man?

The heroine was a hard pill to swallow, but Tommaso made this story for me. He was incredible and I wanted more.

Excerpt

PROLOGUE

Lying in bed, I sifted through the darkness with my tired eyes, in search of the strange noise coming from…

Holy crap! It’s above me!

The dark figure came into focus, and I let out a yelp that should’ve been a terror-filled scream. What in the name of fuck is that? I thought, feeling my entire body turn ice cold with fear.

In the yellow light of my alarm clock, I saw the monster’s face hovering over mine, its eyes pits of glowing crimson swirling with black.

Oh shit. Oh shit. What is that? I opened my mouth to finally deliver that scream, but the beast quickly slapped its sickly hand over my lips to muffle the noise.

Oh, God. Help me. He smelled like death and evil. He smelled like desolation and despair—everything bad in this world mixed together.

Knowing I was about to die, I felt my eyes begin to tear.

“Please,” I mumbled through the gaps in its sticky fingers, the unmistakable smell of dried blood filling my nostrils. “Please don’t kill me.”

Slowly, it dipped its head, allowing me to see its face up close.

Christ. He’s human. Or something humanlike, resembling a man covered in black soot and the stench of death.

“Please, I’m begging you—just let me go,” I whimpered.

The man slid his hand from my mouth, studying me. Then there was a flash of something I didn’t expect in their depths: fear.

“Save. Me,” he mumbled in a deep gargle. “Please…save…me…”

What the…? I was the one who needed saving!

“I think it’s the oth-other way around,” I stuttered and then reached for the reading lamp to my side and swung. He stopped it inches from his face, and an icy rage replaced any semblance of kinder, gentler emotions.

He roared and then grabbed me by the hair, dragging me from my bed.

“Let go!” I yelled, and he did. He tossed me to the floor as if I were completely weightless.

Oh, God. He was so strong.

I yelled for help, but no one was coming. I lived alone out in the middle of the desert.

Looking pleased by my fear, he reached into the waistband of whatever he wore as clothing and drew a buck knife or machete or something one might use to murder an innocent twenty-six-year-old golf instructor who lived ten miles outside of Palm Springs, liked to binge on crunchy food, and owned two Jeeps, a cat that hated her, and four rescue chickens. Yeah. It was that kind of knife. A really, really big fucking knife.

“Oh, God. Please no. Please…I’m sorry,” I cried. “Whatever I did, I’m sorry!” Of course, I wasn’t sorry. I was simply terrified and wanted to live. Unfortunately, the odds were not in my favor.

I watched in terror as the blade barreled down toward my face.

Read more of an excerpt here: http://www.mimijean.net/hidden-page-25.html


About the Author

Mimi Jean Pamfiloff is a New York Times bestselling author who’s sold over one million books around the world. Although she obtained her MBA and worked for more than fifteen years in the corporate world, she believes that it’s never too late to come out of the romance closet and follow your dreams.

Mimi lives with her Latin lover hubby, two pirates-in-training (their boys), and their three spunky dragons (really, just very tiny dogs with big attitudes) Snowy, Mini, and Mack, in the vampire-unfriendly state of Arizona.

She hopes to make you laugh when you need it most and continues to pray daily that leather pants will make a big comeback for men.

Visit http://www.mimijean.net/ for more information

Review // Immortal Matchmakers, Inc. by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

February 18, 2022

Immortal Matchmakers, Inc. by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

She had to admit, there was something about the man that was different. Almost like he was from another world, shamelessly defying all the rules. She, for example, found his attitude repugnant and chauvinistic, yet he'd still managed to get her to gawk. And that body? Sinfully sexy in a way that spoke to some hidden quiet female animal inside her.

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Immortal Matchmakers, Inc. by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

Immortal Matchmakers, Inc. by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff


Standalone - Immortal Matchmakers, Inc. #1
Release - August 21, 2015
Genre - Paranormal Romantic Comedy
Primarily Dual POV - 3rd person
Heat Level - I'm not sure how to rate this. Lots of sex talk, but no sex until the end. A descriptive 3 out of 5
Format/Source - ebook purchase from Amazon
Length - 307 pages
Publisher - Indie


Seven days to go from lethal immortal assassin to Prince Charming? Not likely.

Demigod Andrus Gray may look like every woman’s dream, but when it comes to charm, he sees no point pretending: He has none and makes no apologies for it. Behaving nicely hasn’t made him the deadly assassin he is today. But is that really the reason he’s still single?

The Goddess Cimil—owner of Immortal Matchmakers, Inc.—thinks yes. So when she foresees a mate in Andrus’s near future, she’s determined to make the match happen. That means hiring aspiring actress Sadie Townsend to help the barbarian “act” a little more civilized.

But are seven days really enough? And why does the idea of seeing Sadie everyday excite him more than meeting his mate?

My Two Cents

4 "Utterly ridiculous" stars

If you're looking for a good time, this book is definitely the way to go.

A lethal immortal assassin, Andrus realizes he's become obsolete. After being fired from being the manny-slash-bodyguard of the females he loves, he's left a bit lost. Until opportunity/destiny/fate steps in to sort him out. Enter Cimil and her ridiculousness and a ton of laughs are sure to follow.

Normally, I'd read a book that had a bunch of elements that rub me the wrong way and I have nothing kind to say, but somehow, that's not the case this time. I should be widely irritated. These characters were over-the-top, irrational, nonsensical and idiotic, and yet I had a lot of fun reading about them. Go freaking figure!

Honestly, Sadie drove me a bit nuts, but then again, everyone but Andrus drove me nuts, so I guess it's okay.

I really enjoyed Andrus. I wanted to know even more about him than what was revealed in this story. I got bits of his history and I wonder if there's another book out there that reveals more. Maybe I need to find the story of Helena and Niccolo to figure things out.

With a hilarious HFN ending, this story was wacky, funny, overdramatic, and a real good time. I was thoroughly entertained!

Excerpt

Find Chapter One here

About the Author

Mimi Jean Pamfiloff is a New York Times bestselling author who’s sold over one million books around the world. Although she obtained her MBA and worked for more than fifteen years in the corporate world, she believes that it’s never too late to come out of the romance closet and follow your dreams.

Mimi lives with her Latin lover hubby, two pirates-in-training (their boys), and their three spunky dragons (really, just very tiny dogs with big attitudes) Snowy, Mini, and Mack, in the vampire-unfriendly state of Arizona.

She hopes to make you laugh when you need it most and continues to pray daily that leather pants will make a big comeback for men.

Visit http://www.mimijean.net/ for more information

Review // Deadly Fear by Cynthia Eden

February 17, 2022

Deadly Fear by Cynthia Eden

"You got scared," he charged, the words he'd wanted to throw at her for too long firing out. "I got too close, didn't I? And you had to fcking run."
Monica didn't flinch. Her eyes didn't waver. She just stared back at him. Cold. Like ice.
But he knew how she burned.

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Deadly Fear by Cynthia Eden

Deadly Fear by Cynthia Eden


Standalone - Deadly #1
Release - July 17, 2010
Genre - Romantic Thriller
Primarily Dual POV - 3rd person
Heat Level - 4 out of 5 / a few scenes
Format/Source - ebook purchase from Amazon
Length - 403 pages
Publisher - Forever


TWO BRILLIANT AGENTS
FBI Special Agent Monica Davenport has made a career out of profiling serial killers. But getting inside the twisted minds of the cruel and the sadistic has taken its toll: She's walled herself off from the world. Yet Monica can't ignore fellow agent Luke Dante, the only man who ever broke through her defenses.

ONE DREAM TEAM
Luke has the unique ability to put victims at ease...professionally, he and Monica made a perfect team. Now they're reunited to catch a murderer who uses his victims' deepest, darkest fears for sport - but their investigative skills aren't enough. Luke and Monica will have to face the secrets from their past, the ones that terrify them the most, if they are to have a future together.

BUT CAN THEY CATCH A KILLER WHOSE WEAPON IS...

DEADLY FEAR

My Two Cents

4.25 "Let the games begin" stars

I'm going to try to keep this short and sweet because this book is best enjoyed when going in blind.

Monica is hard to love, but you have to love her. She gets in the killer's head, she gets the job done, and she handles herself like a pro. Except when it came to Luke. With him, she seemed to lose all control. And I happened to love the dynamic between these two. Luke was the go-to protector kind of guy. Alpha without being over the top. And Monica was the kind of woman who could take care of herself. Seriously.

So when a serial killer they're hunting seems to always be one step ahead, who better to have on the case then the best of the best? And trust me, Luke and Monica were incredible together, in and out of bed!

I really enjoyed how the author let us into the killer's head. It added a touch more terror than I would have gotten from the protagonists alone. There is so much involved in this story and I loved getting the chance to figure out all of the little bits.

I'm looking forward to continuing the series!

About the Author

Award-winning author Cynthia Eden writes sexy tales of contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and paranormal romance. She is a New York Times, USA Today, Digital Book World, and IndieReader best-seller. Since she began writing full-time in 2005, Cynthia has written over one hundred novels and novellas.

Cynthia lives along the Alabama Gulf Coast. She loves romance novels, horror movies, and chocolate. Her favorite hobbies including hiking in the mountains (searching for waterfalls) and spelunking.

Visit http://www.cynthiaeden.com/ for more information!

Review // You Can Run by Rebecca Zanetti

You Can Run by Rebecca Zanetti

Part of what pushed her every day in this job was her need to answer that impossible-to-fathom question. Who would do that, and more importantly, why would anybody cause such pain and destruction?

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You Can Run by Rebecca Zanetti

You Can Run by Rebecca Zanetti


Standalone - Laurel Snow #1
Release - January 25, 2022
Genre - Thriller
Dual POV - 3rd person
Heat Level - 3 out of 5 / it surprised and delighted me that the author included this
Format/Source - eARC provided by the publisher
Length - 400 pages
Publisher - Zebra Books


Laurel Snow wouldn’t call hunting a serial killer a vacation, but with a pile of dead bodies unearthed near her Genesis Valley, WA, hometown, she’ll take what she can get. Yet something about this case stirs her in unexpected ways. Like the startling connection she feels to Dr. Abigail Caine, a fiercely intelligent witness with a disturbing knack for making Laurel feel like she has something on her. Then there’s Laurel’s attraction to Huck Rivers, the fish and wildlife officer guiding her to the crime scene—and into the wilderness…

A former soldier and a trained sniper, Huck’s thirst for blood is rivaled only by his fierce pursuit of Laurel. He’s been burned by love, wounded by the government, and betrayed before, and to say he has trust issues is the ultimate understatement. Plus, he might be closer to this killer than anybody knows…

Once in the heart of darkness with Huck, Laurel must negotiate her distracting desire for him, her complex rapport with Abigail—and her mission to find a serial killer among a growing list of suspects and a danger that’s far too close to home. So close in fact, Laurel fears she will never find her way back to the woman she once was…

My Two Cents

4.25 "I'm really excited about this series" stars

Laurel has just finished a case when she gets the call — a serial killer is hunting in her hometown and her uncle is a suspect. So of course she hurries home to find out what's going on and possibly solve the case. With little resources, she relies heavily on Huck and his 'team' and some new friends. And through their investigation, one name keeps popping up... Dr. Abigail Caine. Is she friend? Is she foe? And is she their best lead to catch the killer?

I really enjoyed the way this story twisted and turned. It was thrilling and scary and horrifying, but there were also elements of friendship, camaradie, humor, and warmth. I loved seeing Laurel's connection with her family. Her mom gave me such joy. And don't even get me started on what was happening between Laurel and Huck. Gimme more of that please!

The killer gave me chills, not gonna lie and I can always count on Zanetti to keep me guessing. I can't wait to see what happens next in this series!

About the Author

Rebecca Zanetti is the author of over forty romantic suspense, dark paranormals, and contemporary romances, and her books have appeared multiple times on the New York Times, USA Today, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iBooks bestseller lists. She lives in the wilds of the Pacific Northwest with her own Alpha hero, two kids, a couple of dogs, a crazy cat…and a huge extended family. She believes strongly in luck, karma, and working her butt off…and she thinks one of the best things about being an author, unlike the lawyer she used to be, is that she can let the crazy out. Upcoming series are: The Blood Brothers, The Realm Enforcers and The Scorpius Syndrome.

Visit https://rebeccazanetti.com/ for more information!

Blog Tour // The Mastermind by Dylan Allen

February 11, 2022

This time he’s playing for keeps.

The Mastermind, a standalone novella set in the Rivers Wilde World from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Dylan Allen and 1,001 Dark Nights is now available!

The Mastermind by Dylan AllenHe lives under a golden spotlight.
I’m shackled to a past that must stay hidden.

Omar Solomon is the king of the comeback.
Ten years ago his career as a star athlete ended in injury and scandal.
He may have traded in his cleats for Gucci loafers, but he’s been as victorious in the boardroom as he was on the pitch.

He returns to London, wealthy, influential, and powerful beyond measure.
And he spends every weekend in the pub where I work.
A law student with a night job and a dark past,
I’m hardly the type of woman a man like him would notice.

Or so I thought.

When he offers me a no-strings-attached affair,
I forget all the reasons I should say no.
He’s straight out of my dreams—
with a body and a mouth made for sinning.

Our passion turns my gray existence into a vibrant, colorful life.
But it has an expiration date.

When his time in London is over, we will be, too.
And it will be for the best.
Because he can never find out who I really am.

But my Mastermind has set his sights on a new goal: me.
And this time he’s playing for keeps.

**Every 1,001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you'll enjoy each one as much as we do.**

Grab your copy today!
>
Exclusively on Amazon
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3qnzXH1
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/TheMastermindDA

The Mastermind by Dylan Allen

Check out my review:

The Mastermind by Dylan Allen

Excerpt

He cuts through the crowd of people in glamorous garb, crystal cut tumblers or fragile flutes in their wildly gesticulating hands. Yet they seem to move just as he wants them to so that he doesn’t need to turn sideways to accommodate his broad shoulders or taper his remarkably long strides.
Long strides that are bringing him straight toward me.
I barely have time to spin around before he’s right behind me.
“Scotch on the rocks,” he tells the bartender when he slides onto the empty barstool next to me. I disguise my gasp as a cough, place a hand on the bar to steady myself, and stare straight ahead.
The young man nods and grabs a glass. “We’ve got Macallan 18 for the masses, but I’ve got a bottle of Craigelachhie that might be more to your taste.”
“I don’t really care, whichever,” he responds in a voice that’s not rude but doesn’t match the adoration in the server’s. Undeterred, the young man leans forward across the bar and lowers his voice to a loud whisper. “I know you’ve been gone a while, but I’m still a huge fan, Mastermind. Can I snap a selfie?”
To my surprise, Omar doesn’t rebuff the bartender. “Only if you promise you won’t post it for a bit. No one knows I’m in London yet, and I’d like to keep it that way for just a few more weeks.”
I watched an interview from very early on in his career when he was asked about his dislike of public availabilities.
He explained that he understood it was part of the job. So he did it. “I play for the love of the game, and if I had my way, I wouldn’t do any interviews at all. I don’t even know why you want to interview me. I say everything I need to out on that pitch. I get it. I had sports heroes, too. But when they fall off the pedestals you put them on, you swoop in and eat them alive.”
That interview would prove prescient when he left Chelsea years later. The press tore him to shreds for sitting out an entire season, leaving as soon as he became a free agent and basically abandoning London, his fans, and his team.
He still doesn’t talk to the press regularly, but he doesn’t leave their accusations unanswered. He became his own press secretary and posted videos on social media pushing back on false headlines. And when they lost interest, he started sharing his private pictures. And sued newspapers that used his images without his permission.
I watch the exchange between him and the bartender out of the corner of my eye and am giddy that the wickedly sweet dimple is as deep as I’d imagined. And God, I want to lick it. One day, my pretty.
This has to be a sign. He’s so far out of my league, I shouldn’t be able to see him. And at the pub, I wouldn’t dare approach him.
But here I am, close enough to see and touch. And I look good tonight. I’m glad I took special care to send my most fashionable friend off.
The bustier I invested in makes my otherwise unimpressively small breasts look their very best in the very low neckline of my scarlet red minidress. It’s hugging every inch of a body that even CrossFit and a vegan diet couldn’t kill the curves on.
The lighting in this ballroom sets off the healthy glow of my bare legs, shoulders, décolletage, and back that is courtesy of my homemade sugar scrub. It leaves me smelling like a tropical garden at midnight.
Liquid courage and my heels give me height and confidence that override my nerves, and I shoot my shot.
“Do you want to dance?” I ask loudly so there’s no way he won’t hear me.
Those wolf eyes slant down to look at me, unblinking, the smile he’d given the bartender long gone. There’s no flicker of recognition, but there’s no mistaking the interest as he stares at me. He’s never done more than look past me at the pub, so I don’t know why I’m disappointed that he doesn’t recognize me.
“Excuse me? I didn’t hear you,” he says when he finally speaks. His voice. It’s deep, smooth—no gravel but a lot of bass. And is there anything sexier than an American accent? I smile as widely as I can manage, the punters at the Effra call it my traffic stopping smile. Then I break my golden rule and repeat myself. “Would you like to dance?”
He doesn’t return my smile, and when he turns to look at the dance floor, that scowl reappears. “I don’t dance,” he comments without looking back at me.
I follow his gaze. “Childhood trauma on the dance floor?” I ask with a teasing grin.
His lips tug up a little, but he doesn’t smile. “No. General observation. People look ridiculous when they dance.”
I can’t deny that. But I shake my head in disagreement. “They’re having fun, not putting on a show.”
He shrugs. “That’s not my idea of fun. Like I said, I don’t dance.” He reaches into his jacket pocket, pulls out his phone, and glances at it. He gives me a quick, stiff smile. “I’m sorry, but I have to take this call.” He doesn’t sound sorry at all and doesn’t wait for me to respond before he walks off.
“Ouch,” the bartender drawls, and I want to glare at him and tell him I didn’t ask for his feedback. But he’s so right I can’t be mad.
“I know,” I groan.
“For what it’s worth, if I wasn’t working I wouldn’t have said no.” He grins, and I wish I was attracted to him instead of Omar.
I smile gratefully and take the refill he hands me. But a few sips of it while swaying by myself to a song I’ve never heard before only makes me feel worse.
I put my glass on the tray of a passing server and head to the coat check to collect my things.

About the Author

Dylan Allen is a Texas girl with a serious case of wanderlust.
A self-proclaimed happily ever junkie, she loves creating stories where her characters chase their own happy endings.
When she isn’t writing or reading, eating or cooking, she and her family are planning their next adventure.

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2kAg2VP
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Review // A Heart Of Bitter Poison by Brynne Weaver

February 08, 2022

A Heart Of Bitter Poison by Brynne Weaver

"Ashen is a demon, Lu. If you give your heart to a creature of the shadows, you have to learn how to love the darkness as much as the stars."

────── ♔ ──────


A Heart Of Bitter Poison by Brynne Weaver

A Heart of Bitter Poison by Brynne Weaver


The Shadow Realm #2
Release - January 27, 2022
Genre - Paranormal Romance / vamps, demons, angels
Heroine POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 4 out of 5 / several scenes
Format/Source - eARC provided by the author
Length - 376 pages
Publisher - Indie

Goodreads * Amazon (FREE with Kindle Unlimited)

An executioner and a bounty. A soldier and a weapon.
The hunter and the prey that won’t go down.


After centuries in hiding, the last of the original sirens took a chance on love.

And it blew up in her face.

Imprisoned by the Shadow Realm, Lu's days now pass in a haze of torture and tears. She's the most ancient vampire siren, the weapon they can't work out. Halfway to a hybrid of immortal creatures, she could be the key to their plans for war against the Realm of Light... if only they could figure out how to finish the transformation.

After a daring escape, Lu finds herself on the run with an unlikely set of allies. Their enemies have a head start in the race to find the oldest vampires, and Lu will stop at nothing to keep them safe from a fate worse than death. If they can't find them in time, it will end in the war of the ultimate superpowers. But every move she makes, Ashen is there. The demon that she trusted. The executioner she loved. The Reaper that poisoned her heart with his betrayal. And as secrets of the Shadow Realm and her own history start to collide, Lu begins to question everything she knows... including the motives of the enigmatic demon she can't seem to escape.

She's promised herself she'll never go back.
She's determined not to fall in love.
If only she knew whom to trust...

My Two Cents

4.5 "There better be more books to this series" stars

When I found this new-to-me author, when I read A Shadow in the Reaping, I knew that she was someone to keep my eye on. She had me hooked to this story and I was willing to give her just about anything to get my hands on the next book. Well here it is and thankfully the wait wasn't that long.

Seriously, if I thought she had the goods in the first book, I KNOW she's got them after reading this one. HANDS DOWN one of THE BEST sequels I have ever read!!

You already know I can't stand a story told from just one perspective, but the author made it work!

Picking up right where the last one left off, this book was full of angst, torture, heartbreak, fighting, bravery, evil, and so much freaking love. So much love!

Lu and Ashen... I cannot get enough of this couple and I'm hoping (I'm looking at you, Mz Author Lady) that there will be another book in this series. It's necessary!!

Reapers are after Lu. Ashen, also a reaper, is determined to keep her safe. Her friends are also there to lend support and their might. And there's the love again. I'm so in love with all the love in this book. And the sexy times between Ash and Lu... Damn, these two were so freaking hot together.

And I want more. The end (yes Queen) was great, but not enough. Not for me. I'm greedy, I've never denied it, and I need more.

The writing... magnifique. The plot... incredible. The characters... stunning. And I want more!!

A Heart Of Bitter Poison by Brynne Weaver

Excerpt

"Stop," I whisper. Fat tears are still rolling across my skin. He brushes one of them away.

"Stop what?"

"Just stop," I say. I don't know whether I'm talking to Ashen or myself. It felt like a game only this morning. But I can't play and win like this. My gaze falls away from him but I don't move from his touch. "Stop making me want to feel for you what I shouldn't."

Ashen sweeps stray locks of hair from my cheek and holds my face in his palms. I meet his gaze for only an instant and regret it as soon as I do. I'm not the only one hurting. It's all laid bare in his eyes. "Feel what, vampire?"

"Don't." I pull from his grasp and keep my eyes down on the stone beneath my feet. I don't want to be so vulnerable out here in the open. I feel like a tiger without claws. A snake without fangs. My legs feel leaden when I back away and skirt around him to slip into the solitude of night.

"I will tell you one more thing I did not do, vampire," Ashen calls after me. There's a note of anguish so pained in his voice that I stop moving. The silence between us stretches long enough that I turn to look at Ashen where he stands shrouded in the shadows of the tunnel. But I can still see him clearly. I see the tension in his jaw, the way his brows knit together. I see how hard it is for him to gather a breath. "One more thing I did not do, it was the worst thing."

My heart plummets. Fingers of ice trace my spine. I don't think I can handle some deadly admission right now. But I guess that makes it the perfect time to strike. I steel myself for something awful but my voice comes out weary rather than strong. "What?"

Ashen comes forward from the shadows. Every step is careful, like I might run, or combust, or simply disappear. "I never told you how I felt. You asked me, in your ways, and I never answered."

He stops in front of me. The light of a nearby streetlamp casts his face in a haunting glow.

Ashen's eyes search mine, probably finding all the evidence of fear and distrust and confusion that lurk within them. Centuries of loneliness seem to surface in Ashen when he finds it, and he takes a steadying breath. "I never told you how the lifetimes I have spent taking souls have eroded my own. I did not tell you about everything I have lost over decades of time. I should have told you then, how every moment spent with you brought me out of the shadows. How being with you was like landing on a paradise shore after swimming through a sea of grief. How being apart from you is like being cast into a cold and merciless darkness." Ashen's fingers trace my cheek and I close my eyes. I want to lean into his touch. I want to fall into his words. I fight myself with every heartbeat. "I tried to stay away and could not. I tried to push you away and failed. I tried to protect you and failed at that too."

Ashen steps closer. His palms warm my cheeks. His breath heats my skin. He places a gentle, careful kiss to one closed eye, then the other.

"Look at me, Lu. Please," he whispers. And I do. He looks back at me with such determination and longing that I know without any doubt that what I see is true. "The worst thing was that I never told you I love you, Lu."


About the Author

Brynne is a fan of velociraptors, the Alien movies (well, most of them), red wine, and wild adventures.

She can relate nearly anything you say to a line from the movie Hot Fuzz. She has been trying unsuccessfully for years to convince her husband that they should acquire a pet mink to add to their menagerie of animals (what could possibly go wrong with that plan?!).

Brynne has been everything from an archaeologist to a waitress, a deep-sea core analyst to an advertising account executive. For the last several years, she has been working in the field of neuroscience clinical research. Brynne has been writing since childhood and has published a non-fiction book under her real name, but she won’t tell you what it is unless you provide a live, fully trained velociraptor.

When not busy at her day job or writing, Brynne can be found working with her husband and their son on their family farm in Nova Scotia, Canada, or enjoying her other passions which include riding horses, reading, and spending time with family and friends around a raclette and a bottle of wine.

The Diviner is her debut novel.

Find Brynne Weaver here:
Goodreads * Facebook * Instagram * Amazon

January 2022 Bookish Recap

February 05, 2022


Hello everyone and welcome to another recap of whatever the heck I'm reading (and otherwise). Happy New Year and I hope it's been a happy and safe one for you so far.

I'm still suffering from reader's block (is that a thing?) and reading whatever I choose, however I choose. It's still working for me and I'm of the mind that what ain't broke shouldn't be fixed.

January turned out to be an interesting reading month for me. I got to tackle my TBR and I even dedicated some time to ARCs. How awesome is that?

So here's what January looked like for me book-wise:
Total Books Read: 13
Total Pages Read: 4396
DNFs: 1
From my TBR: 10
Avg. Rating: 3.7

All the Books

My favorite books of the month were...



The other books I found worthwhile (and would recommend) were:
Archangel's Consort by Nalini Singh
Every Last Breath by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Dark Needs at Night's Edge by Kresley Cole
Wicked All Night by Jeaniene Frost
Always Someone's Monster by Lani Lynn Vale
The Mastermind by Dylan Allen

Book Haul

* Taste: an anthology - ebook
* Imperfect by Ari Reavis - paperback
* Just Fake It by Ari Reavis - paperback
* Remember Ramsey by Cynthia Eden - paperback

Added to my TBR

Infernium by Keri Lake



I did amazing this month and I can only hope February is just as good!

What are you looking forward to next month? I hope you find only the best reads!

Talk soon,


xo, Natalie

FREE BOOKS & BOOK DEALS - 02/04/2022

February 04, 2022


Hello everyone and Happy Friday!!

I'm back with a new list of books that are either free or for sale for less than $2. Some we've already seen, some haven't been on sale for a very long time. Whatever the case, these books are cheap and we should grab them up at these prices while we can.

I hope your weekend is happy, healthy and safe! Happy Hunting xo

Please Note: All books are listed for $2 or less (prices valid at time of post). I apologize in advance if the sale is over by the time you found yourself here.

I only list books I've either read or plan to read. If you know of any deals that are missing that you'd like to share, that I'd probably enjoy, please let me know in the comments section below :)

────── ♔ ──────


Amy Harmon


Anna Zaires


Brenda K. Davies


CD Reiss


Carly Phillips


Carrie Ann Ryan


Celia Kyle


Chelle Bliss

  • FREE - Flame (Men of Inked: Heatwave #1)

Colleen Hoover


Cynthia Eden


Danielle Lori


Elle Kennedy


Gena Showalter


Giana Darling


Helen Hardt

  • FREE - Craving (Steel Brothers Saga #1)

Helena Hunting


Honey Phillips


Ivy Smoak


J. Kenner


J.R. Ward


J.T. Geissinger


Jana Aston

  • $1.99 - Wrong (Cafe series #1)

Jay Crownover


Jay McLean


Jewel E. Ann


K Webster


Kennedy Fox


Kristen Callihan


Kym Grosso


L.A. Casey


L.J. Shen


Laurelin Paige


Lauren Landish


Layla Hagen


Lili St. Germain


Lisa Renee Jones


Meghan March


Meghan Quinn


Meli Raine


Melissa Foster


Nana Malone


Nikki Sloane


Pam Godwin


Piper Rayne


Pippa Grant


Rachel Van Dyken


Ruth Cardello


S.T. Abby


Sara Ney


Stacey Marie Brown


Susan Stoker


Sylvia Day


Tessa Bailey


Willow Winters


Winter Travers


Zoey Ellis