Jailbait by Lani Lynn Vale

Standalone - Souls Chapel Revenants MC #3
Release - April 6, 2021
Genre - Contemporary Romance
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 4 out of 5/a couple of scenes
Format/Source - eARC provided by the author
Length - 213 pages
Publisher - Indie

The first time I saw her was across the room at a bar. I had no idea at the time that she was only sixteen. All I knew was that she was beautiful, she was sending me do-me vibes from across the room, and I was fresh off a deployment where there’d been nobody but men for nine of the longest months of my life.

The second time that I saw her was at a court hearing that would decide how long I’d be sent to prison for. She was a cute little curly-haired blonde with wide, expressive eyes, a banging body, and the reason that I’d gone to prison in the first place.

The third time I saw her was through a glass divider of the prison visitation room as she waited for her stepfather, my lawyer, to tell me how sorry he was that he lost my case. Especially when I’d been the one to kill the man that was about to kill his daughter.

The last time, the time that I decided enough was enough, was when I saw her at my bar eight weeks after I’d been set free.

Unlucky for her, I’d stopped being a good guy about two seconds after those bars closed behind me twelve years ago. Now all that was left was a shell of a man that didn’t see the good in anything. Anything except for her.

The beginning of Trick and Swayze's story broke my heart into a million pieces. The middle did its best to mend it, although some parts still shattered me a bit more. And the end... pure sweetness.

From the moment they met, Trick knew his life wouldn't be the same. He just couldn't foresee how much his life would change because of Swayze. In an instant, they clicked and then things went horribly wrong. Twelve years they were separated. Twelve years of their lives virtually lost. Twelve years to allow their feelings to fester. No wonder they were so explosive when they finally met again.


Lani Lynn Vale didn't pull back. This story has pain and heartache, really bad people, and so much love. I'm hopelessly falling more in love with this series and these characters and I can't wait to see how much more LLV can make me feel.

My only issue was that there wasn't much in the way of character background. There were many reveals, but they were only partially given and not enough to give me a clear picture. For example, Swayze stated that she believed her parents were murdered. Then nothing. Trick's mom is mentioned with allusions to her bad parenting... and nothing. Don't even get me started on the bad guys. They weren't fleshed out AT ALL! Other than the odds and ends method of delivery, I was happy with the story I got.

You can find your copy of Jailbait by Lani Lynn Vale at the following retailers:
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/3wm9YjK
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3dqxfIH
iBooks: http://apple.co/3oYGILj
Nook: http://bit.ly/3gRloEC
Kobo: http://bit.ly/3npzH63

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.

Still Beating by Jennifer Hartmann

Standalone
Release - December 30, 2020
Genre - Dark Romance
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 3 out of 5/a few scenes
Format/Source - borrowed through KU program
Length - 459 pages
Publisher - Indie

When Cora attends her sister’s birthday party, she expects at most a hangover or a walk of shame. She doesn’t anticipate a stolen wallet, leaving her stranded and dependent on Dean—her arch nemesis and ultimate thorn in her side.

And she really doesn’t anticipate waking up in shackles in a madman’s basement.

To make matters worse, Dean shares the space in his own set of chains.

After fifteen years of teasing, insults, and practical jokes, the ultimate joke seems to be on them. The two people who always thought they’d end up killing each other must now work together if they want to survive.

But Cora and Dean have no idea their abductor has a plan for them. A plan that will alter the course of their relationship, blur the line between hate and love, and shackle them together with far more than just chains.

WARNING: This is a dark romance. This book contains subject matter that may be sensitive for some readers, including rape, as well as strong language and explicit sex. 18+ only. Please read responsibly.

Find your copy of Still Beating on Amazon — FREE with KU

The other day, I saw this book making the rounds in a few of my Facebook groups and since it came so highly recommended, I knew I had to give it a try. After reading Still Beating, I can definitely see why people were making so much noise about it. To me it read more like a contemporary romance with dark elements. The beginning was extremely dark while the rest was full of angst. Who doesn't love a bit of horror and heartbreak with their romance?

For fifteen years, Dean and Cora had been frenemies. Between moments of witty comebacks and elaborate pranks, they had a routine. When they're both kidnapped, chained to pipes in a serial killer's basement, and at his mercy, they are forced to face some hard truths — maybe all of that hate was hiding a whole lotta love.


I loved how the author tried to make their trauma in the aftermath as authentic as possible. There was no just getting over what they had gone through. It was messy. It was ugly. It was absolutely miserable. The author's writing made their ordeal, their journey, their fight to get to the other side, so very beautiful. I enjoyed the writing, which is always a sure way for a new-to-me author to keep me coming back for more and I will be back. I'm looking forward to Oliver Lynch's story in Lotus.

My issues with this story were:
⭐ I could have done without Dean dating Cora's sister for 15 years and on the brink of marrying her before the kidnapping. I get that it was to add angst to any future relationship between them, but it was gross.
⭐ Cora was too wishy washy and timid for me. And for a girl who got around more than the hero did, why was she given a prudish attitude??? It was freaking absurd. I would have liked her to be more honest with him and herself.
⭐ I would have liked if more time was spent on these characters as a couple as opposed to the back and forth and bed buddy behavior. It would have helped me believe in their happy ending more.

Jennifer Hartmann resides in northern Illinois with her devoted husband and three hooligans. When she is not writing angsty love stories, she is likely thinking about writing them. She enjoys sunsets (because mornings are hard), bike riding, traveling, binging Buffy the Vampire Slayer reruns, and that time of day when coffee gets replaced by wine. Jennifer is a wedding photographer with her husband. She is also excellent at making puns and finding inappropriate humor in mundane situations. She loves tacos. She also really, really wants to pet your dog.

Step Into My Web by Cynthia Eden

Standalone - Death and Moonlight #1
Release - October 27, 2020
Genre - Romantic Suspense/Thriller
Dual POV - 3rd person
Heat Level - 3.5 out of 5/a couple of scenes
Format/Source - Kindle purchase
Length - 417 pages
Publisher - Hocus Pocus Publishing, Inc.

Step into my web…and you’ll never get out.

Chloe Hastings doesn’t like rules, and she doesn’t exactly play well with others. But she does have one amazing talent—she can get into the mind of killers like no one else. A police consultant and profiler, Chloe is definitely not like anyone that Joel Landry has ever encountered. From the moment they meet—in the middle of a bank robbery—she throws him off balance and pulls him under spell. She seems to have no fear, she plots constantly, and…Joel quickly finds himself trapped in her web.

She needs a new partner…and he’s just the man for the job.

There’s a sadistic killer hunting in the streets of New Orleans, and Chloe plans to catch him. First, though she needs a partner she can trust, and she’s decided that Dr. Joel Landry is the best fit for the job. Sure, he has a dark past. The doctor was attacked by a serial killer, but Joel survived while his attacker did not. Now the ruggedly handsome doctor has turned to the shadows. He’s learned how to hunt, how to fight, how to kill in a thousand brutal ways—in short, he’s acquired all of the skills that Chloe absolutely adores in a man.

He’s exactly what she wants. She could become the only thing he needs.

Together, they should be a perfect fit. She knows the minds of criminals better than anyone else, and Joel can protect her from any threat that comes their way. They’ll have one hell of a time tracking down the bad guys, provided Chloe and Joel don’t kill each other first. Another unanticipated twist for the new partners? Their attraction to each other is explosive, their desire uncontrollable. One reckless kiss seals their fate, and their need won’t be denied.

And neither will the killer who waits for his moment to attack.

Once you step into a spider’s web, there is no going back.

Author’s Note: Chloe Hastings always has a plan in play. Her investigations are unusual, her friends are generally on the shady side, and her social skills? Well, those are pretty much non-existent. But Chloe solves every case that crosses her path, and she never, ever backs down. When she teams up with her new partner, all bets are off. Joel is gorgeous, sinful, and about to break through every wall that Chloe possesses. He’ll fight for her, she’ll fight for him, and the criminals in their path had better get ready. There is a new crime-solving team in town.

Find your copy of Step Into My Web here:
Amazon * iBooks * Nook * Kobo

And this is why I will never ever question why Cynthia Eden is on my one-click list! Step Into My Web was on the right side of creepy (if creepy could be right) and gave me the thrilling story I was looking for.

After surviving an attack by a serial killer, Dr. Joel Landry was trying to get by. Surviving but not really living. He was scarred both physically and emotionally and Chloe Hastings believed she could offer him a way back. Be her partner. Help her catch a killer. Fall in love. No biggie.


There was so much to love about this story:
⭐ Chloe's mind, her secrets,her insights
⭐ Joel's strength and determination, his fight, his integrity, his endurance
⭐ the side characters that made their team — I hope to see more of them
⭐ the killings. I was seriously caught up in trying to find connections and didn't quite figure out whodunit until it was shown to me. I love to be kept guessing!

My only issue was the part about Chloe's ex, Morgan, who seemed to warrant more of an explanation. However, knowing that there will be another book, I'm hoping it will provide all that I found missing. I will definitely be one-clicking Save Me From the Dark when it releases in April.

"You're changing me. I feel like I've been sleeping. Or, hell, maybe I just haven't been living. Ever since that bastard put me in the ground, I haven't been the same. Nothing mattered. I dug myself out of the grave, but I felt like I was still buried. The days just passed and passed..."

"We should go —"

"Then I met you. You matter, Chloe. You matter." She'd changed everything for him.

She was searching his eyes. Searching —

"Joel?"

"Yeah, baby?"

"Please touch me again."

Please. A fucking magic word. He slid his hand under her chin.

"Lean toward me.

He leaned close.

Her lips pressed to his. A soft, tender kiss. "You matter, too."

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.