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The Ones Left Behind by Ari Reavis

When Jolie lost her sister, she never thought she would smile again. It was hard enough to go on, let alone think about being happy. But then a stranger walks into the support group her parents force her to go to, and for the first time, in a long time, someone makes her want to know more about them.

Elijah’s been drowning in guilt since his best friend died. Not thinking the support group will actually help but not knowing where else to go, he walks into the room and silently takes a seat. When he looks at the woman a few seats down, something in her eyes makes him think maybe she’s the one person who can truly understand him.

They build a bond through their grief, but then very different emotions begin to come into play. Can they heal from their losses enough to discover what they could have together? Or are the scars caused by the ones who left them behind too deep?

TW: Both of the main characters have recently had a loved one commit suicide. This book deals heavily with this subject, as well as mental illness. The suicide does not take place on page, but is described.



I've pretty much moved out of my contemporary romance phase, but there's something about the way this author writes that keeps making me come back!

I don't know how she made something that should have been incredibly sad into something that was incredibly sweet, but that's exactly what she did.

When you lose someone, especially in the ways that both Elijah and Jolie lost someone, how do you ever get past it? Through it? How does one accept that there will never be answers to their many questions and move on?

The Ones Left Behind told me there's no one answer on how to move through grief. It's different for all of us and not everyone will understand how you feel. And that's okay. Your feelings are valid and if you're really lucky, like Elijah and Jolie were, you'll find someone special who'll truly get it. Who'll stand by you through any and everything. Who will love you through the good and the bad, the happy and the sad.

So while this story could have been heartbreaking, it had too many happy and uplifting moments to really get me down. It was full of hope and honesty and when it feels so real, it's impossible not to love it!


Ari Reavis is a wife and mother of five. Born in New York and raised in New Jersey, she enjoys staying in, devouring books and watching movies. Her kids are running around, her husband is trying to show her martial arts moves, and she's trying to write. Her day in a nutshell.

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Nancy and the Naga by Honey Phillips

Can an alien prince in exile protect an escaped slave who won’t surrender?

A year as a slave in an alien mine is enough to destroy any woman, but Nancy refuses to give up hope. When she sees a chance to escape, she takes it.

Her freedom is worth almost any price, but she didn’t anticipate how hard she would have to struggle to survive. When a strange new alien discovers her, she fears the worst. He’s part man, part snake, and all dangerous - but he makes her feel safe for the first time since she was taken.

Banished from his home planet, former prince Kaiyo has found a place for himself in the dangerous underworld of Kalima. For the right fee, he’ll solve any problem - quickly, efficiently, and with no questions asked. The only problems he can’t fix are his own.

When an uncharacteristically altruistic action leads to the discovery of a fierce, frightened woman, his long-forgotten instincts demand that he protect her - whether she wants him to or not. And the more time he spends with the tasty human, the more he realizes he never wants to let her go.

But Kaiyo’s past is about to catch up with him. He has no intention of releasing his claim on Nancy - but will she be able to handle all of his secrets? And will his people ever accept a human?



I really enjoyed the dynamic that played out between these characters. Nancy was stolen from Earth and now stranded on an alien planet, she tried to make an abandoned residence as 'homey' as she could. When a strange alien enters her new home, she is desperate to stake her claim and make him leave.

Too bad Kaiyo was in the mood to be a gentleman. No way was he going to leave a defenseless human female like that. But how could he stay? And what did an exile have to offer her for a future?

Again, if I were to be kidnapped by aliens, please let me fall into the hands of the ones from this series! Two characters who couldn't find a home found one with each other.


Honey Phillips writes steamy science fiction stories about hot alien warriors and the human women they can’t resist. From abductions to invasions, the ride might be rough, but the end always satisfies!

Honey wrote and illustrated her first book at the tender age of 5. Her writing has improved since then. her drawing skills, unfortunately, have not. She loves writing, reading, traveling, cooking, and drinking champagne - not necessarily in that order.

Visit https://www.honeyphillips.com for more information

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Cold Light of Day by Toni Anderson

What happens when an FBI agent falls for the daughter of the most notorious spy in US history?

Physicist Scarlett Stone is the daughter of the most notorious Russian spy in FBI history. With her father dying in prison, time is running out. Using a false identity, she gains access to the Russian ambassador's Christmas party, searching for evidence to prove her father's innocence.

Former Navy SEAL, now FBI Special Agent, Matt Lazlo, is instantly attracted to Scarlett but when he discovers she lied to him about her identity, he hunts her down with the ruthless efficiency he usually reserves for serial killers.

Not only does Scarlett's scheme fail, it puts her in the sights of people who reward unwanted curiosity with brutality. The FBI—and Matt—aren't thrilled with her, either. As the agents involved in her father's investigation start dying, and the attempts to stop Scarlett intensify, Matt and his colleagues begin to wonder. Could they have a traitor in their midst?



This was my favorite book of the series so far! This author has such a fun way of pulling intrigue, suspense, messed-up-ness, and romance together and it really works for me. I was glued to these pages, hurriedly flipping to find out what the heck was gonna happen next. Each event had me baffled, wondering who was really in control of things. Read it and you'll see. It's messed up.

Scarlett's life was turned upside down when her father, an esteemed FBI agent, was accused and convicted of being a Russian spy. Believing in his innocence, she was determined to find evidence and clear his name. She didn't really think her plan through, trying to do more than she was capable of, putting her right in the crosshairs of the very people who perpetuated the conspiracy in the first place.

Thankfully, despite being deceived by her in the beginning, Matt became the hero that she needed. He had the skills and the resources to get things done, helping her dodge bullets and bombs in the process.

I loved this story and if I were to complain about anything, it would be the lack of a happy ending. This author hasn't given me one yet, but I'm satisfied (for now) with the way the story ends. Happy-for-nows aren't the best, but they're definitely better than the alternative.

This series will be seeing me again and I'll be back with my thoughts on book four!


Toni Anderson writes gritty, sexy, FBI Romantic Thrillers, and is a New York Times and a USA Today bestselling author. Her books have won the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery and Suspense, Readers' Choice, Aspen Gold, Book Buyers' Best, Golden Quill, National Excellence in Story Telling (NEST) Contest, and National Excellence in Romance Fiction awards. She's been a finalist in both the Vivian Contest and the RITA Award from the Romance Writers of America. More than two million copies of her books have been downloaded.

Best known for her "COLD" books perhaps it's not surprising to discover Toni lives in one of the most extreme climates on earth--Manitoba, Canada. Formerly a Marine Biologist, she still misses the ocean, but is lucky enough to travel for research purposes. In January 2016, she visited FBI Headquarters in Washington DC, including a tour of the Strategic Information and Operations Center. She hopes not to get arrested for her Google searches.