Showing posts with label Romantic Suspense. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Romantic Suspense. Show all posts

Frostbitten by Rebecca Zanetti

January 26, 2024

Frostbitten by Rebecca Zanetti

Find it here: Goodreads * Amazon



Frostbitten by Rebecca Zanetti

Frostbitten by Rebecca Zanetti


Rating - 1/2
Standalone - Deep Ops #6
Release - January 2, 2024
Genre/Trope - Romantic Suspense / pseudo-friends-to-lovers
POV - Dual 3rd person
Heat - descriptive scenes
Source - eARC provided by publisher
Length - 328 pages

Enigmatic. With a wildly gifted mind, and an untamed head of hair to match, petite powerhouse Millicent Frost is brilliant when it comes to gadgets and electronics—less so with people. After an attempt to bust a bank scam goes awry, Millie is in hot water with Homeland Security and targeted by lethal enemies. In the midst of the trouble, she heads home to help out with the family hunting and fishing business. But when their rival competitor and Millie’s ex is murdered, she’s the number one suspect . . .

Irresistible. Former Marine turned lawyer Scott Terentson devotes himself to getting his clients out of tricky binds. A loner, the last thing he wants is to belong to any team, yet the Deep Ops group considers him one of their own—and he pays the price by getting shot at by their enemies. Now Millie is seeking his help—just as he’s dealing with a brutal fail regarding a recent trial. Both are a headache, yet he’s drawn to Millie in spite of himself. They’re opposites, but maybe the old adage is true . . .

Electric. Working together, Millie and Scott soon have more on their hands than they bargained for as the danger escalates—along with the sizzling heat between them. And when a disappearance is thrown into the mix, all bets are off . . .

A lock of his hair fell over his forehead, giving him more of a rebel look than a boyish one. There didn't seem to be anything boyish about the badass ex-marine turned lawyer.


Previous books in the series:
Hidden * Taken * Fallen * Pivot * Broken * Driven * Unforgiven



This better not be the last book of the series!!

Scott was so much more than I expected him to be and I loved him for it. He gave me the edgy, dark, and dangerous vibes I needed and looked forward to in this series. Millie was no slouch. A gadget genius, she definitely gave me Q vibes like Scott suggested.

There was almost a pseudo-enemies quality to the beginning of their relationship, more because of Millie's aversion to lawyers, but I was so glad to see all of her assumptions and misconceptions about this man be smashed to dust. And what grew once she gave him a real chance... I enjoyed every moment of it.

I've found something truly special about this Deep Ops team, and no matter what case, what city, or what horrifying trouble finds them, together they make magic happen. I'm a huge fan of found family and these characters have got that in spades.


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!

Review // Seduced by the Mafia by Aaron L. Speer

November 12, 2023

Seduced by the Mafia by Aaron L. Speer

What you must ask yourself is this: what is your plan now?
Will you go on, living as you have, knowing these psychos will target anyone?
Your friends? Your lovers?
Or will you become who you were born to be?
You can have the power to protect them.
It's yours by birthright.
This family needs a leader.
It needs the son of Carmine Silva.
It needs you.


Seduced by the Mafia by Aaron L. Speer

Seduced by the Mafia by Aaron L. Speer


Rating - ★★★★
Standalone
Release - November 14, 2023
Genre and Trope - Romantic Suspense / mafia
POV - Multiple 3rd person
Heat - several explicit scenes
Source - eARC provided by the author
Length - 274 pages

When Leonardo Silva came into Angel West's life, she assumed he was a fallen star sent directly from heaven. He was gorgeous, attentive and yet something gave her pause, when she wasn't weak at the knees from their passionate nights together. A burden that weighed on him heavily. The family business that he wanted no part in. He wanted her, or so he said. His touch and gaze could burn through to her core, and just when she found herself at his mercy, he disappears without a word.

Later, what returns to her isn't the same man. The destiny that he refused, has taken hold. Leonardo was now a Mafia Don. A man who would take a match to anything that got in his way and Angel learns his disappearance was not all it appeared to be. As much as he has changed, there is one thing that hasn't; the unshakable desire to make her his.

But the forces that caused him to take up the mantle as head of the Silva Crime Family do not rest. The fight for New Haven has only just begun, as has the battle within Leonardo for his very soul. Angel holds the key to the latter and she must choose whether to fight alongside him, or be scattered among the ashes of his enemies.

Seduced by the Mafia by Aaron L. Speer

My Two Cents

All of his life, Leonardo was groomed to rule. He was heir apparent to a mafia fiefdom and yet, all he wanted was to live a normal life. To be happy, find love, have children, and create a new legacy. However, destiny has a way of finding you and Leonardo learns the hard way that the very life that he ran from may be the only thing that can protect the ones he loves.


I loved Leonardo. He was kind and thoughtful, cold and lethal, a man of many contradictions. Every time he handled a situation, I got all tingly. The fact that he was created as quite the generous lover sure didn't hurt.

I liked the idea of New Haven being kind of an urban utopia. As Angel said, "This is New Haven, nothing bad ever happens here." Until it did.

Seduced by the Mafia is full of action, suspense and mystery. I was kept guessing at who the 'bad guy' truly was and I enjoyed the not knowing. Seems like Aaron L. Speer can really write anything.

Previous book in the series:


The Author

Welcome to the Speerverse. Aaron L Speer has been publishing since 2014 and has won 4 Book of the Year Awards* and the Golden Stake Award at the International Vampire Film and Arts Festival held in Transylvania**.

The Undeadly Secrets (Paranormal Romance) spans six books so far, with the latest Peace Keeper: Part Two released in 2021. Heart Breaker is scheduled for some time in 2023.

Fans of MMA romance welcomed the hard hitting Championship Collection; Undisputed, Unbroken and Unbroken 2 into the world.

2022 will see the release of his first MC offerings as part of the Rebel Souls shared world; Rebel Sacrifice and Rebel Savage

2023 will not only see the release of Heart Breaker but also his first Mafia Romance: Owned By The Mafia

Find out more here: https://aaronlspeer.com

Reviews // Duntroon, Hot Enough to Burn, and Yes Justin

October 31, 2023

Duntroon by Aaron L. Speer


Blurb from Goodreads:

Alicia Hetherington had been promised the world by who turned out to be nothing more than a liar and scum, Wilson Slade. Leaving her high and dry after sleeping with her, and now needing to get back home and forget this experience ever happened.

But fate had other plans.

Not only would she never forget this experience, getting home would not be as easy as it would seem. Sinister forces that craved the opportunity to hunt a young girl for her blood had picked up her scent and were on the hunt, determined to find her before she crossed the border. And they were closing in.

Out of the shadows from where they came, also came something else. A dark guardian. One who even killers like this had labelled "the devil who walks". The question was not only who would find her first, but who would make it out alive come morning?

Rating: ★★★★★

This was written perfectly! I felt immediately ensconced in the Undeadly Secrets world once again. Seeing this prequel featuring Alicia and a mysterious hunter absolutely made my day. There was killing and no small amount of fear and curiosity (mostly mine) and I'm way too excited over here to get my hands on more.


Hot Enough to Burn by Cynthia Eden


Blurb from Goodreads:

Do you believe in monsters? You should, they walk among humans every single day. Reporter Eve Bradley has known the truth about paranormals for a while, and her latest story has taken her inside the mysterious Genesis facility. It’s at Genesis that Eve first meets Subject Thirteen, Cain O’Connor. Big, gorgeous, and truly, truly HOT.

Cain is a phoenix shifter. Every time that he dies, he rises from the ashes…stronger, deadlier, and another step closer to losing his control. And what happens when a phoenix loses control? Welcome to hell on Earth.

Cain feels an instant connection with Eve, a woman who swears she wants to help him. The attraction between them burns hotter than his flames, and soon, Eve is the only link to sanity that Cain has as the world turns to fire around him.

Eve isn’t human, despite the cover she’s used for years, and she is more than capable of withstanding a little heat. But as their enemies plot to trap them, Eve and Cain will be forced to trust each other completely. Be forced to surrender to a desire that cannot be controlled, and soon, if they are not careful, it’s a desire that might just have the power to destroy them both.

If you want something too badly, if you want someone too much…you will never even see the fire coming, not until it’s too late. Be careful. You don’t want to get burned…

Rating: ★★★

I enjoyed the premise of this story, but I failed to connect to the characters. Not my first experience with a phoenix shifter, but I really liked how Cain was characterized. His mannerisms, triggers and powers were very unique. He would die and fire would bring him back to life, a little less sane each time. I was more intrigued by the vampire side character, Ryder, than anything else so I hope there's a story for him out there.


Yes, Justin by Michele Zurlo


Blurb from Goodreads:

After fifteen years and two kids, the romance has fled from Trish’s marriage. She’s a different woman now, and she wants different things. When she stumbles upon an emailed ad from Oasis, an adult fantasy fulfillment service, she seizes the opportunity to spend a weekend having her body and soul mastered by a man who is completely focused on her.

Justin is shocked when he finds out his wife is planning to cheat on him. Willing to do anything to keep the woman he loves, he arranges with Oasis to become the Dom she wants. He’ll carry out her kidnap fantasy, fulfill her desire to be dominated, and force her to confront the reasons she wanted to be there in the first place.

Publisher's This book contains explicit sexual situations, graphic language, and material that some readers may find anal play/intercourse, BDSM theme and elements including/not limited bondage, D/s, spanking, etc.)

Rating: ★★★

I really like how the author broached the topic of distance that is sure to come in most long-term relationships. It's true that we learn to take our significant other for granted sometimes. I like that the pressures of parenthood were added as well. The fact that the husband took initiative to learn what his wife needed and became the Dom to her Sub was hot. The scenes were tasteful and the love shared between them was unmistakeable.


Frozen In Ice by Cynthia Eden


Is he a drop dead gorgeous…killer?

Delilah “Lila” Darrow doesn’t belong in the world of the rich and famous, but for one night, she’s going to wear the fanciest dress she can find and pretend that she does. Her plan—get close to reclusive billionaire Archer Radcliffe and find out…is he a murderer?

She knows exactly what Archer likes. She knows how to slip beneath his guard. She knows how to make him fall for her. With the right tools, Delilah believes she can finally make Archer pay for the crime he committed so long ago.

Payback is calling…and she’s wearing a dress made for sin.

Delilah is part of a group of crime solvers called the Ice Breakers—an online team made up of individuals who have the goal of solving cold cases. Five years ago, Delilah’s sister disappeared without a trace. Since then, Delilah has made it her mission to close as many unsolved cases as possible. Archer Radcliffe will be the latest target in her quest.

Except…Archer turns the tables on her. He sees through her lies. Tries to seduce her. And, he also swears his innocence.

Can she trust him? Or is he playing her?

Now that he has Delilah at his side, Archer can finally get the justice—the vengeance—he has craved. The only problem? The beautiful Delilah will be in danger. But Archer intends to stick close to her. So close that the world will believe they are completely in love. So close that a deadly enemy will want to strike. So close that just maybe—if he’s not careful—Archer might begin to fall for the woman he intends to use…

Rating: ★★★

I love this author's writing, but I found this story to be a bit too absurd. Delilah was an agressive investigative reporter who tried too hard to prove that she was more than she was. She irked me and I'm not sure if it was all her or my intense dislike of reporters. Maybe I should avoid stories with reporters as main characters because of my bias.

Archer was supposed to be this cold, commanding and in control man who was accused of murder, but I didn't buy it. He was constantly losing control because of Delilah (spare me) and I found it all to be a bit overdone. Again, it could be because of my personal feelings so please take this review with a grain of salt.

I did really enjoy getting to the reveal of the big bad and finding out the motives and punishment. It did make this read worthwhile.

Review // Want Me, Slow Burn, Stygian

January 21, 2023

Want Me by Cynthia Eden


Standalone - Dark Obsession #2
Release - January 27, 2015
Genre - Romantic Suspense
POV - Dual 3rd person
Heat - 3.5 out of 5
Format - ebook from Amazon
Length - 140 pages

She doesn’t play it safe...

Sophie Sarantos has a weakness for dangerous men. She doesn’t like safe lovers—she likes men with a wild, rough edge. But Sophie may have attracted a lover who is too dangerous, even for her. Someone is stalking Sophie, slipping into her home, watching her day and night. The stranger seems to know all of Sophie’s darkest secrets, secrets that should never be revealed.

Out of options, Sophie turns to ex-solider Lex Jensen for protection. Lex is part owner of VJS Protection, Inc., and Sophie hires him as her bodyguard. She thinks Lex is one of the “good guys” out there, but she couldn’t be more wrong.

He doesn’t play at all...

Lex has his own secrets. Dark, deadly secrets. And as his feelings for Sophie grow, Lex knows that he is going to have to stop pretending to be a gentleman and, instead, he’ll have to show Sophie who he really is. A man trained to kill. A man too used to evil. A man who will take any risk... as long as he can claim Sophie.

Because there is one thing that Lex wants in this world…one person he desires above all others... Sophie. And no one will hurt her, not on his watch.

My Review - 4 stars


When I can’t figure out who the killer is until the author reveals them, that story’s a winner.

Gwen’s got a stalker… or really more than one. Someone wants to protect her. Someone wants her dead. And someone just wants her.

Chance gave up his chance to be with her. Once her bodyguard, he didn’t believe he deserved her. Now that she’s in danger, now that she needs him, he’s not letting her out of his sight. He’ll put himself between her and whoever is out there to hurt her. He’s not giving her up ever again.

Things were intense for the entire book. From the intimacy between the characters to trying to suss out who was doing what, I had a great time. I haven’t looked ahead for this series and I’m hoping Ethan gets a book because dude deserves some happiness.



Slow Burn by Autumn Jones Lake


Standalone - Lost Kings MC #1
Release - October 9, 2014
Genre - Contemporary MC Romance
POV - Dual
Heat - 4 out of 5
Format - ebook from Amazon
Length - 242 pages

President of the Lost Kings MC, Rochlan "Rock" North, hasn't managed to find a woman capable of making him want to curb his wild ways—until he meets sweet, innocent, married lawyer Hope Kendall.

Forced to represent the outlaw biker, Hope is rattled by her immediate attraction to Rock. Hope is a good girl in a good marriage. Rock thrills her, but she's not going to throw away everything she's built on a fling with her criminal client.

Rock respects Hope enough to leave her alone, even as he realizes he's become a little obsessed with her. When their connection endangers her life, he'll have to destroy her in order to save her.

After tragedy strikes, Rock is determined to earn Hope's forgiveness and convince her that even with their staggering differences, they're meant to be together.

My Review - 3 stars


While I was entertained by this story, I failed to really connect with it. Both Rock and Hope came off as one-dimensional characters. Their lives were described with vague references. The only thing I could cling to was their connection. There was denying their feelings for one another. I’m still unsure why she needed to have a husband and go through mourning in order for this story to reach somewhere. If the husband didn’t exist, I guess half the book wouldn’t either.

I did enjoy the writing so I can definitely see myself reading from this author again.



Stygian by Nashoda Rose


Scars of the Wraiths #1
Release - March 19, 2015
Genre - Paranormal Romance
POV - Dual
Heat - 3 out of 5
Format - ebook from Amazon
Length - 277 pages

Danni: Mortal

I remember nothing of my abduction two years ago. Sounds and scents trigger horrific flashes, but it’s all a blur except for one man with brilliant green eyes. When the tatted six foot two Adonis shows up at my door, my knowledge of the world is shattered.

Bound to the immortal Scar by an ancient spell, we are on the run. Because Balen is the hunted.

And if he dies, so do I.

Balen: Scar Tracker

My code of honor was respected without question … until I consumed the blood of a vampire in exchange for a mortal woman’s freedom.

The Scars want me imprisoned. The Wraiths want me dead.

But the woman I can’t forget needs me. And I’ll risk everything to protect her.

Even if it means killing her.

Because in order for her to live—first she must die.

My Review - 3 stars


I am strangely fascinated with the world of Scars and Wraiths. This book, for the first in the series, did feel like I was dumped in the middle of a story, but I did enjoy myself. As lost and confused as I sometimes was… I enjoyed myself. I didn’t have a lot of love for Danni. She was incredibly immature, impulsive, rude, and irrational. I think I liked Balen, but with how vague this story was, I’m still not sure. I enjoyed meeting all of the other characters and am fascinated by them and what their stories might be.

Interested enough to read more from this series?

Probably.

Review // Fatal Affair by Marie Force

July 16, 2022

Fatal Affair by Marie Force

“Why haven’t you ever gotten married?”
“I don’t know. Just never happened.”
“Surely there had to have been someone you might’ve married.”
“There was this one girl...”
“What happened?”
“She never returned my calls.”

────── ♔ ──────


Fatal Affair by Marie Force

Fatal Affair by Marie Force


Standalone - Fatal #1
Release - June 30, 2021 (new edition)
Genre - Romantic Suspense / second chance
Primarily Dual POV - 3rd person
Heat - 3 out of 5 / a few scenes
Format/Source - ebook purchase from Amazon
Length - 476 pages
Publisher - HTJB, Inc


Washington, D.C., Metro Police Detective Sergeant Sam Holland needs a big win to salvage her career—and her confidence—after a disastrous investigation.

The perfect opportunity arises when Senator John O’Connor is found brutally murdered in his bed, and Sam is assigned to the case. Things get complicated when Sam has to team up with Nick Cappuano, O’Connor’s friend and chief of staff…and the man Sam had a memorable one-night stand with years earlier. Their sexual chemistry still sizzles, and Sam has to fight to stay focused on the case. Sleeping with a material witness is another mistake she can’t afford—especially when the bodies keep piling up.

My Two Cents

4 "Love and... Murder?" stars

Nick, the man behind the man, finds the man in his bed... murdered. And who happens to catch the case? The woman who he hasn't been able to stop thinking about since their one night together. It's been six years since he's seen Sam, but she has never been far from his mind... or he hers.

I really enjoyed this story and how the author meshed the romance with the chaos of the murder investigation. And while I did find Sam's attitude to be too aggressive and irksome on occasion, it wasn't enough to overshadow how truly wonderful she was. It was probably because of how well her character played off of Nick. She constantly had something to prove, but she had her reasons (psycho ex that she should never have married, boys club on the police force, legacy of her cop father, etc.)

I didn't enjoy the way that Sam worked the case. She created theories and tried to fit the evidence to her theories, which wasn't what I would expect from a seasoned investigator. It's like the evidence didn't mean as much as the story she was hoping the murder would tell. I knew from the start that she was offbase, however, I didn't know who the murderer was and loved being surprised.

My favorite person was obviously Nick (with Freddie coming a close second and I'm looking forward to reading more about the virgin homicide detective) and he definitely made this story for me. His compassion, strength of character, and capacity for love and understanding made him a standout in this story. So for every moment I was annoyed by Sam, I had to only remember that Nick was worth it.

Side Note:
I did have issues with the accuracy of police procedure in this book. I've both prosecuted and defended defendants and here in Ontario, the police don't have the power to throw around the way Sam did. She threatened arrests without probable cause, she demanded persons of interest to stay in town under threat, and basically abused the power of her station. Probable cause and evidence didn't seem to carry any weight. Not to mention the way she processed a case. Theories before evidence... just no.

About the Author

Marie Force is the New York Times bestselling author of contemporary romance, romantic suspense and erotic romance. Her series include Gansett Island, Fatal, Treading Water, Butler Vermont and Quantum.

Her books have sold nearly 10 million copies worldwide, have been translated into more than a dozen languages and have appeared on the New York Times bestseller more than 30 times. She is also a USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestseller, as well as a Speigel bestseller in Germany.

Her goals in life are simple—to finish raising two happy, healthy, productive young adults, to keep writing books for as long as she possibly can and to never be on a flight that makes the news.

Visit http://marieforce.com for more information

Review // Broken by Cynthia Eden

November 12, 2021

Broken by Cynthia Eden

"I started LOST so other families would have a choice, so they could find their loved ones and not have to face the monsters out there." A muscle flexed in his jaw. "I didn't want them pushed to the edge the same way I was, because when you're pushed too far —"
"There's no going back," she finished softly.

────── ♔ ──────


Broken by Cynthia Eden

Broken by Cynthia Eden


Standalone - LOST #1
Release - March 31, 2015
Genre - Romantic Suspense / amnesia / serial killer
Multiple POV - 3rd person
Heat Level - 3.5 / a few scenes
Format/Source - ebook borrowed from the library / I own the paperback
Length - 384 pages
Publisher - Avon Books

Ex-SEAL and LOST founder Gabe Spencer is accustomed to the unusual in his job. But when knockout Eve Gray steps into his office, he's rattled. For the mysterious woman is a dead ringer for the heiress thought to be the latest prey of the serial killer who goes by the name Lady Killer.

When Eve awoke in an Atlanta hospital, her past was a blank slate. Then she recognized her own face in the newspaper and vowed to learn the truth. Determined to confront the nightmares hidden in her mind, she never expects to find a partner in Gabe.

As Gabe and Eve work together, their explosive attraction becomes irresistible. Gabe knows that his desire for Eve is growing too strong, bordering on a dangerous obsession, but nothing pulls him away from her. And when another Eve lookalike disappears, Gabe vows to protect Eve at all costs. While Eve may have forgotten the killer in her past, it's clear he hasn't forgotten her.

Purchase Links


My Two Cents

4 "He's closer than you think" stars

When you wake up with horrific scars and no memory of how you got them, the best thing to do is to consult a professional. And that's just what Eve did. She knew that she had survived something terrifying, but whether she was the only surviving victim of a prolific serial killer or just a woman who fell into something rough... she just didn't know. Gabe was the man to call. He had dedicated his life to finding those who were gone without a trace. Finding out who Eve really is might be the only thing that saves her life.

I found a lot of enjoyment with this story. There were a wealth of suspects, at least in my mind, and I loved how the author didn't give me enough to draw my conclusions too early. I honestly didn't know who the killer could be. All I knew was that he was creepy and scary and somewhat hilarious.

While the relationship developed pretty quickly between Gabe and Eve, it worked. They were in an intense situation, which would obviously draw out some intense emotions. The way they worked together, without the heroine trying some crazy stunts, only made me enjoy this story more.

Broken by Cynthia Eden

Excerpt

“Do you think I’m a con artist or a victim?”

“I think you’re a woman who has been hurt.” No denying that. “One of my team members, Wade Monroe, is contacting the Montgomery family. We’ll get DNA from them and find out—”

“If I’m Jessica.” There was hope in the words. Enough hope to break his heart.

Gabe nodded.

“When will we know?”

It would take a few days, even with the strings that he could pull. “As soon as possible,” he said, not wanting to give her a specific timetable.

“Thank you.” Then, just like that, she was across the car, giving him a tight hug. “Thank you.”

His arms wrapped around her, an instinctive response. She smelled faintly of flowers, a sweet scent that teased his nose, and her body was soft against his.

She tried to pull away, as if realizing what she’d just done.

For an instant he was tempted to hold her, to keep her close.

She’s a client. Focus.

He let her go, but his body ached.

“I … um … I should get inside.”

Yes, she should. While he was still clutching tight to his control. The control that said he shouldn’t push her. Shouldn’t want her so much. Not when she’d already been hurt so badly.

Her fingers reached for the door.

“Let me,” he said, voice rumbling, and Gabe climbed from the Jag. In seconds he was on the passenger side, opening her door for her. She rose, and her body brushed against his.

He stepped back. Distance. He seriously needed to put some distance between then. But even with some fast steps back, he could still smell that light and sexy scent that clung to her body. And he still wanted her.

“Your shrink asked me a lot of questions about you,” Eve told him as she stood temptingly close.

Gabe inclined his head. “I’m sure—”

“I think she wanted to know why I respond so much to you.”

Oh, hell, she’d just said … He cleared his throat even as part of his body surged in quick response to her. “It’s a tense situation, you’re—”

“You don’t look at me as if I’m a victim.”

He stopped talking.

“I mean, you know what I am, but you still look at me and seem to just see me … as a woman.”

“Others see you the same way.” Doc Tyler sure did. Bastard.

“It’s different with you,” she murmured as she stepped even closer to him. Her head had tilted back so she could look into his eyes. “I don’t know what I’ve felt for other men before.”

Why did the idea of others have his body knotting with tension?

“But I know that when I see you, I want.” A hushed confession. “I just … I needed to tell you that.”

And he needed to make his self-control a hell of a lot stronger. Her lips were just inches from his, and he wanted her mouth beneath his. Wanted her lips open. Needed to taste her.

“You’re the first man I’ve wanted since I opened my eyes in that hospital.”

He could actually feel his control splintering. Client. Cli—

“You probably don’t want me. I—I might not be your type.”

Now her gaze had fallen, as if in embarrassment. Had she really just asked if she was his type? She was probably every damn man’s type.

“But you make me feel normal again, so I had to tell you—”

His fingers curved under her chin. “Eve …”

Her smile was a little too big. Too bright. “I don’t think I can handle anything else right now, I’m …” She pulled away. Stumbled onto the sidewalk. “I just wanted to tell you how I felt,” she told him again.

Then she walked into the shelter, her steps hurried. As if she were running.

From him.

He stared after her. She wanted him.

And she was so f--king beyond his reach.

About the Author

Cynthia Eden

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 // No Escape From War by Cynthia Eden

September 12, 2021

No Escape From War by Cynthia Eden

There is nothing I would not do for you.
In order to keep you safe, I would like, cheat, and kill.
Know it.

────── ♔ ──────


No Escape From War by Cynthia Eden

No Escape From War by Cynthia Eden


Standalone - Trouble for Hire #1
Release - May 25, 2021
Genre - Romantic Suspense / second chance
Primarily Dual POV - 3rd person
Heat Level - 4 out of 5 / a few scenes
Format/Source - ebook provided by the publisher through Inkslinger PR
Page Count - 217
Publisher - Hocus Pocus Publishing, Inc.

Revenge. Oh, it was going to be sweet.

Warren “War” Channing finally has the chance to nail his beautiful, lying ex. And, no, he doesn’t mean “nail” in the down and dirty sexual way…War means he has the opportunity to send the lovely and infuriating Rose Shadow to jail. Turned out, the woman who had shattered his heart beneath her high heeled shoes was wanted for murder. She was on the run, and he was just the man to hunt her down and toss her into the nearest cell…War could hardly wait.

He was the last man she expected to need.

The breakup had been ugly. Painful. It had ripped out her heart and left her in a sad, crying heap as she ate her ice cream, but Rose had moved the hell on, and she had sworn to never, ever need War again. Except, well, now she did need him and his sneaky skills because Rose was in trouble up to her eyes. The kind of trouble that could wreck a woman’s life.

He’ll make her pay.

Rose has cracked the story of a lifetime. She’s uncovered a brutal serial killer who has been hiding in the shadows—only now, she is his next target. The cops think she’s involved in the string of murders because maybe her DNA had been at a crime scene and maybe she’d been spotted by witnesses at another location, but Rose is a reporter—she’d been at the scenes because she was tracking down the real killer. Now, though, because War has caught her, Rose is out of time and options. War is former special ops. He’s the best PI in town. And he’s the man who gave her more pleasure than should be legal…Too bad that he’s also the man who hates her the most.

Forty-eight hours…then jail.

They make a grudging deal—she’ll pay him anything he wants if he just gives her forty-eight hours before he turns her over to the cops. During that forty-eight hours, he will help her track the real killer. When the clock runs down, she’ll be out of his life for good. Except…a whole lot can change for two people in forty-eight hours. Hate can turn into desire. Need can rage out of control. And a love that you thought was long dead? It just might flash to life again.

Provided, of course, that the murderer hunting Rose doesn’t manage to kill her before she and War can catch him. Forty-eight hours. The countdown starts now…

Author’s note: The Trouble For Hire romance series features hot, former military heroes…and these guys truly are the best kind of trouble. All of the books are stand-alones with guaranteed happy endings. Danger, romance, action, suspense, humor…oh, it’s definitely time to find some trouble…

Purchase Links

Amazon CA * Amazon US


My Two Cents

Romance, suspense and a ton of laughs... No Escape From War gave me just what I needed.

☑ a brooding, handsome, and more than capable ex-SEAL, Alpha hero
☑ a sassy, beautiful, and fierce heroine
☑ a stalker-murderer who has our heroes in his crosshairs
☑ a sexy, second chance at love

Seriously, what more could one ask for?

Despite the fact that I guessed the identity of the killer early on, I thoroughly enjoyed the journey. I loved how the author gave both characters easily relatable flaws. War found it hard to trust and the smallest things could (and did) set him off. Rose had walls and when War had hurt her, she found it hard to bring them down for him again. He was a bit of a brute and she wanted to tame him. It was an interesting dynamic that fed this story.

And although I've already met Odin, I loved getting to see him introduced in this book. And there it was. Pure Odin. The guy who would have your back in an instant even if he was pissed as hell at you. A friend straight to the core, through blood and pain and battles. You're gonna love Odin too!

Cynthia Eden has been a must-buy author for me for a long time and I rely on her for a juicy plot, demanding characters, fantastic chemistry, and must-read romance. With No Escape From War, she delivered.

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 // No Rep by Lani Lynn Vale

July 27, 2021

No Rep by Lani Lynn Vale

"I don't feel pity for you... I feel anger for you. Passion for you. Need. Desire. Want. I'm pissed you didn't tell me. Sad that I don't get to see you every day. Mad that you keep ditching me because you think that's what I want. But I most definitely don't feel any damn pity for you. Not when you've persevered. When you've turned into this person that overcame a huge obstacle and made you into the woman that I see today."

No Rep by Lani Lynn Vale

No Rep by Lani Lynn Vale


Standalone - Madd CrossFit #1
Release - July 27, 2021
Genre - Romantic Suspense
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 4 out of 5 / several scenes
Format/Source - eARC provided by the author
Page Count - 208
Publisher - Indie

Buy it here: Amazon


Taos was tired.
Tired of everything that came with living. Not to the point where he was suicidal or anything, but tired enough that he just didn’t give a crap anymore.
He’d seen all the ugliness this world had to offer due to his job as a police officer for way too many damn years of his less than stellar life. After finding a way to sustain his spending habits that didn’t include having criminals point guns at his face, he quits without a backward glance.
Only, he just can’t step away from old habits.
Old habits that have to do with a beautiful young woman that makes his heart feel like it isn’t nearly as broken as it is.
Fran has experienced more than her fair share of crap. After an attack that nearly took her life, she stays hidden in her house, fearful that stepping out of her comfort zone will be the final nail in her coffin.
Then her sister forces her to face her fears, and she joins Madd CrossFit.
There, she meets the man that saved her life a year ago, and realizes rather quickly that he doesn’t even realize who he is to her.
He’s everything she ever thought a man should be and wants nothing to do with her.
Maybe she’ll have to give him a reason to look her way.
And damned if she doesn’t find a way to do it.
She didn’t plan on nearly getting killed for that to happen, though.
At least not again.

No Rep by Lani Lynn Vale
No Rep was written in such a refreshing way that I was honestly surprised by the tone this story took. As a long time LLV fan, I. Was. Shook!

While there were plenty of familiar things, such as the light and fun vibe typically found in an LLV novel, it was a touch more serious. And it had to be. Fran survived a serial killer and Taos hunted them. Makes sense. On top of that, there was no rush for the intimacy that was growing between the main characters. It wasn't a slow build, but it did grow organically.

Am I a fool for hoping that one day the author ages up baby Vlad to give him his own story? Man, that baby was sooooo cute!

I have digressed...

Fran almost fell victim to a serial killer. Taos was the cop who rescued her. She disappeared from life due to fear until her sister tried to inject some hope inside of her. That's where Taos' crossfit gym came in. Fran came out of her shell and she blossomed. Was it being around other people? Testing and building her strength? Or was it all due to Taos?

I'm going with a huge helping of Taos!

I enjoyed the suspenseful elements of this story. I couldn't figure out who the new serial killer was and it was exciting to see how everything would unfold. I loved what eventually grew between Fran and Taos and the way their happily ever after developed. I also appreciated meeting all of the side characters and I'm looking forward to reading their own stories. Jerk It, the story of Murphy and Mavis, is next!

No Rep by Lani Lynn Vale

My Notes

It didn't make sense that Fran would avoid Taos after he learned of how they originally knew each other. It was already established that she was into him and that they were building something together. I didn't get the purpose of her hiding anything from him or pushing him away because she was worried about how he would treat her. It was beyond obvious that something had happened to her, and that she lived with fear as a constant companion, even without knowing the details. So why would he treat her differently after knowing the specifics?

I was confused by the whole 'Taos has a biological brother named Greer that Fran is determined to find' storyline. I understand that he was adopted out and that despite Taos being a cop, he couldn't be found. Then by the end of the story (eight years later), Fran and her grandmother have found him. And.... nothing. She didn't even tell the man that she found his long-lost brother! Where would these details be found? Is there another book that will make this clearer?

No Rep by Lani Lynn Vale
Lani Lynn Vale is married to the love of her life that she met in high school. She fell in love with him because he was wearing baseball pants. Ten years later they have three perfectly crazy children and a cat named Demon who likes to wake her up at ungodly times in the night. They live in the greatest state in the world, Texas. She writes contemporary and romantic suspense, and has a love for all things romance. You can find Lani in front of her computer writing away in her fictional characters world...that is until her husband and kids demand sustenance in the form of food and drink.

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

Review // Don't Play With Odin by Cynthia Eden

July 17, 2021


She smiled at him. Those dimples would be the end of him one day.

Don't Play With Odin by Cynthia Eden


Standalone - Trouble for Hire #2
Release - July 13, 2021
Genre - Romantic Suspense / ex-military / serial killer
Mainly Dual POV - 3rd person
Heat Level - 4 out of 5 / a couple of scenes
Format/Source - eARC provided by the publisher
Page Count - 302
Publisher - Hocus Pocus Publishing, Inc

Buy it here: https://amzn.to/3rgIIRk


Big, bad, and currently out of his element...

Odin Shaw thought he’d spend his life on a battlefield. But fate had other plans, and now the ex-Special Forces operative has just landed a new job at his best friend’s PI office. It’s one hell of a life change, and the giant “Viking” is trying to adjust, fast, but then she walks into his life.

Delicate, beautiful, and hunting a killer…

Maisey Bright has been following the news. She knows that the small PI firm just helped track a killer and get the perp locked away—so Maisey figures that the towering man sitting behind the massive desk will be perfect solution for her current predicament. The cops don’t believe her story, so Maisey has no choice. She wants to hire Odin. The job in question? Well, she needs him to help her find proof—irrefutable evidence—that her next-door neighbor is a serial killer.

The gorgeous ones are always a little bit crazy…

Odin figures the case will be a snap. He’ll prove that Maisey’s neighbor is most definitely not a serial killer. He’ll do it in record time, and he’ll score some extra cash for the PI firm. Maybe he’ll even score some points with the lovely—but obviously way too crime-enthusiast-obsessed—Maisey. Piece of cake.

It’s not a piece of cake. It’s a freaking nightmare.

When Odin steps into Maisey’s world, things seem off from the very beginning. Her neighbor is suspicious as hell, and when Maisey is nearly kidnapped after leaving her job, Odin realizes there is much more to the case than meets the eye. A whole lot more. He moves into Maisey’s place to protect her—and to keep an eye on her neighbor. But the close proximity to the maddening Maisey stirs a fierce desire inside of Odin. Maisey is smart, off-beat, sexy…and when he kisses her, Odin is a goner.

But first, the killer…

Odin and Maisey set off to uncover the truth about her neighbor, and as they dig deeper into the disappearances that have plagued the town for the last year, Odin begins to suspect that Maisey may be dead right. He also realizes that he is falling for a woman who now seems be the target of a killer. Looks like it might be time for Odin to go to battle once more. Because there is no way—no way—that anyone will hurt Maisey.

Author’s Note: Calling all true-crime enthusiasts! Maisey is your girl. She spends her nights listening to podcasts and sleuthing, but when she suspects that a killer is living next door, Maisey knows that she needs a professional partner…so Odin Shaw enters the picture. Odin has muscles for days, and he doesn’t even blink when he faces danger. He’s just the PI that she wants. Danger, romance, twists—time for their story to begin.

When it comes to the PI firm, Trouble for Hire, it seems that serial killers are lurking around every corner! Maisey Bright believes that her neighbor is a killer. Some things about him are just not adding up, and with the way women disappear around him, including her close friend, she needs him caught and for justice to be served. Realizing she can't do it by herself, she hires her own personal PI to get the job done.

Odin Shaw was an ex-military, PI extraordinare. After making headlines over their last case, his firm was known to catch some serious bad guys. Upon meeting Maisey, he thinks she's way off base with her assumptions, but she's too darn cute to turn away. Then he finds the trail of clues and quickly realizes that he will do anything to protect 'his girl'.
"You put yourself in front of me." A hard step toward her. "Don't ever do that sh!t again."
Her shoulders squared. "You put yourself in front of me all the time. It's kinda been your thing since we met."
Another hard step. "Damn straight it's my thing." He towered over her. "In case you missed it, I'm bigger than you, stronger than you, and a million times meaner than you. I can take a threat. I can take an attack."
I loved how quickly these two characters connected on an emotional level. It was intense and the suspenseful events only made their bond stronger. I'm here at the end of the book and I want more. I still have to read War's book, which started it all, and Jinx's book is next, which promises to be hilarious, passionate and fierce. I do hope that there will be a book for Ramsay. I'd love to see if his lost love will ever remember him and how much he meant to her.


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.

For more about this author and her books, check out her website: http://www.cynthiaeden.com/

Review // Mercury Striking by Rebecca Zanetti

July 15, 2021


He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster.

And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.


- Friedrich Nietzsche

Mercury Striking by Rebecca Zanetti


Standalone - Scorpius Syndrome #1
Release - January 26, 2016
Genre - Romantic Suspense / post-apocalyptic
Multiple POV - 3rd person
Heat Level - 4
Format/Source - Kindle purchase
Length - 384 pages
Publisher - Zebra Books

Buy it here: https://amzn.to/3ialOqW


After a killer outbreak, a doctor searches for the one man who can help her find a cure.

The deadly Scorpius Syndrome has decimated North America. Now the few remaining survivors struggle to avoid infection and rebuild society. Dr. Lynne Harmony believes she can find a cure—but she knows she can’t do it alone. With nothing but rumors to lead her, Dr. Lynne Harmony has trekked across a nightmare landscape to find one man—a mysterious, damaged legend who protects the weak and leads the strong.

Former military man Jax Mercury is more than muscle and firepower—and in post-plague L.A., he’s Lynne’s only hope. But with powerful forces searching for Lynne, and some in Jax’s camp desperate enough to betray him, they’ll have to keep close if they want to survive.

I wondered how a story about post-apocalyptic horrors and zombies could be wrapped around a love story. However, I wasn't worried. Rebecca Zanetti is one of my favorite authors for a reason and with this introduction to The Scorpius Syndrome, she's shown a whole new side to what she can create and I'm impressed!

Jax Mercury was a military man. Once a gangbanger, he was now the protector of so many survivors. He was just trying to keep everyone alive, defending against other territories and gangs who wanted to take the meager supplies they had. He became a hero without intention. Oh... and he was delicious!
She'd seen good-looking men before. This one took handsomeness to deadly in a way that stirred her blood too much.

...tall and powerful, strength among ruin. Sexy and masculine, and just as damaged as she.
Then there's Lynne. Once the head of her department at the CDC, she was seen as the reason why the human race was becoming extinct. With a distinctive blue heart due to the Scorpius bacteria, she was viewed as either the harbinger of death... or the cure. Hunted, she believed that her only hope was finding Jax and taking advantage of his legendary heroics.
Lynne Harmony was stunning as well as desperately wounded. Delicate and fierce.
There was plenty of action and intrigue to be found here. One particular death scene left me stunned. I hate when a character I adore ends up dead 😭😭😭

There was no love lost between Lynn and I for most of this story. She kept secrets, tried to manipulate Jax, and turned me off in too many ways. It took me a while to warm up to her, however, I did by the end. I absolutely loved Jax! He was in denial about so many things, including the hero he had become. He was sexy, protective, dominant, brave, and determined. There's just something about an alpha ex-military hero done right that really does it for me. And Zanetti did it right here.


Despair hungered in the darkness, not lingering, not languishing . . . but waiting to bite. No longer the little brother of rage, despair had taken over the night, ever present, an actor instead of an afterthought.
Lynne picked her way along the deserted twelve-lane interstate, allowing the weak light from the moon to guide her. An unnatural silence hung heavy over the barren land. Rusting carcasses of vehicles lined the sides; otherwise, the once-vibrant 405 was dead.
Her months of hiding had taught her stealth. Prey needed stealth, as did the hunter.
She was both.
The tennis shoes she’d stolen from an abandoned thrift store protected her feet from the cracked asphalt, while a breeze scented with death and decomposing vegetation lifted her hair. The smell had saturated the wind as she’d trekked across the country.
The world was littered with dead bodies and devoid of souls.
A click echoed in the darkness. About time. Predators, both human and animal, crouched in every shadow, but she’d made it closer to what used to be Los Angeles than she’d hoped.
A strobe light hit her full on, rendering sight impossible. The miracle of functioning batteries brought pain. She closed her eyes. They’d either kill her or not. Either way, no need to go blind. “I want to see Mercury.” Since she’d aimed for the center of Mercury’s known territory, hopefully she’d find him and not some rogue gang.
Silence. Then several more clicks. Guns of some type. They’d closed in silently, just as well trained as she’d heard. As she’d hoped.
She forced strength into her voice. “You don’t want to kill me without taking me to Mercury first.” Jax Mercury, to be exact. If he still lived. If not, she was screwed anyway.
“Why would we do that?” A voice from the darkness, angry and near.
She squinted, blinking until her pupils narrowed. The bright light exposed her and concealed them, weakening her knees, but she gently set her small backpack on the ground. She had to clear her throat to force out sound. “I’m Lynne Harmony.”
Gasps, low and male, filled the abyss around her. “Bullshit,” a voice hissed from her left.
She tilted her head toward the voice, and then slowly, so slowly they wouldn’t be spooked, she unbuttoned her shirt. No catcalls, no suggestive responses followed. Shrugging her shoulders, she dropped the cotton to the ground, facing the light.
She hadn’t worn a bra, but she doubted the echoing exhales of shock were from her size Bs. More likely the shimmering blue outline of her heart caught their attention. Yeah, she was a freak. Typhoid Mary in the body of a woman who’d failed. Big time. But she might be able to save the men surrounding her. “So. Jax Mercury. Now.”
One man stepped closer. Gang tattoos lined his face, inked tears showing his kills. He might have been thirty, he might have been sixty. Regardless, he was dangerous, and he smelled like dust combined with body odor. A common smell in the plague-riddled world. Eyeing her chest, he quickly crossed himself. “Holy Mary, Mother of God.”
“Not even close.” A silent overpass loomed a few yards to the north, and her voice echoed off the concrete. The piercing light assaulted her, spinning the background thick and dark. Her temples pounded, and her hollow stomach ached. Wearily, she reached down and grabbed her shirt, shrugging it back on. She figured the “take me to your leader” line would get her shot. “Do you want to live or not?”
He met her gaze, his scarred upper lip twisting. “Yes.”

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!