The Last Time I Saw Her by Karen Robards

This is the final book in the Charlie Stone series and definitely not a standalone. I have read this series with both hope and trepidation having no idea how a HEA could ever be possible, especially a HEA that made sense, worked with the story, and didn't feel contrived. Even fearing how this was all going to end, I couldn't make myself stop reading. I have really loved this series!

This story begins right after the last book ended with Charlie still grieving for Michael who was ripped away right before her eyes after saving her life. Even though Tony (Mr. FBI) it's in love with her and is actually alive, nothing blunts the grief Charlie feels for Michael's loss and the fear she is experiencing as she worries (with good cause) about where he was taken..is he stuck in Spookville or somewhere much worse? Charlie receives the shock of her life when Michael shows up out of the blue and fully alive, only something is off, and this guy who looks like Michael isn't. He looks like Michael, but he is actually seeking Charlie out in order to get access to her files about Michael. Charlie is legally bound to comply with the request, but before she can, total chaos ensues at the prison, and the inmates of death row escape. Charlie's life is on the line along with several others, but Michael is no longer with her to protect our help her...or is he?

I don't want to give up any more details of the story because it would spoil it, but let's just say I completely loved it. When I hesitantly started reading this series I never really though I could ever get into a relationship between a woman and a ghost. I mean how's that actually going to work, and where would the chemistry and passion come from? I just couldn't picture it, but Karen Robards obviously could. Honestly, the passion and romance in this series is breathtaking, some of the best I've read. Michael with his super gruff nature is is one of my favorite overall book love interests. I was both thrilled and also petrified when at around ninety percent finished with the story, I still had no idea how it would end. By the time I reached one hundred percent, I had decided the author was a genius in the way she brought things to a close. It totally made my heart happy.

I received an ARC for review from Net Galley.

Revealed to Him by Jen Frederick

This is the third book in this series, but while I think reading the previous two prior to reading this one would be helpful, it is definitely not necessary in order to enjoy this story.  While many of my favorite characters from books one and two made small appearances, this book primarily focused on Jake. After having lost his left foot and hand while serving in the Army, Jake has built up his own security and investigations company. A famous pro football player hires Jake to find out who is harassing his cousin, a young lady who is confined to her apartment by her overwhelming fears. Jake begins communicating with the young lady, Natalie, through text and quickly finds himself attracted to her quirky humor and angered by the events that have predicated her fear. He is determined to make things better for her in any way he can, and finds himself drawn closer and closer to her. Even though Natalie can't even bring herself to let Jake in her home at first, it doesn't keep this story from being extremely sexy. Let's just say they get really creative until they finally get together physically, that's when the sparks really begin to fly. Unfortunately, whoever is targeting Natalie is covering tracks very well. When the truth comes out and all the betrayals are revealed, it may be the ultimate setback which keeps Natalie locked away forever.

I've enjoyed all three books in the series. I hope there are more to come, especially the story of Sabrina and Kaga!

I received an ARC for review from Net Galley.

Bad to the Bone by Wendy Byrne

Sammie was raised by her uncle after her parents allowed themselves to bee overcome by drug issues, so when that same uncle is accused of dealing drugs, she knows it cannot possibly be true. She immediately relocates temporarily to Florida to help keep his business afloat and found a way to clear his name. Enrique is a sexy bad boy customer at her uncle's bar. Sammie does her best to avoid both the man and her attraction to him knowing that bad boys are her typical MO and that she needs to break the habit. Enrique is having none of it and is determined to worm his way under Sammie's defenses and into her investigation. When he proves his ability to help and protect her, Sammie lets Enrique in not knowing that his secrets could destroy her. Enrique is actually an undercover DEA agent, the one who arrested her uncle and wants to make his arrest stick. The more Enrique investigates with Sammie, the more he begins to doubt her had the whole story. He wants to help Sammie even as he knows that once his duplicity is revealed he will lose her forever.

The story had plenty of mystery and action mixed with the emotion of a good romance. I really enjoyed it.

I received an ARC from Net Galley for review.

The Skeleton in the Closet by Annie Fox

Verity and her ghostly sidekick, Frankie, are at it again. Book two of this series finds Verity and Ellis still in the beginning stages of their relationship and still keeping it undercover. Verity continues to struggle making ends meet and dealing with the way Ellis's mother vilified her to the community after she left Ellis's brother at the alter. In fact, things actually get even worse between Verity and her infamous not quite mother in law when her ex, Beau, lands back in town and resumes his pursuit of Verity. As if that wasn't enough, a murder occurs at the town library, and Verity's sister becomes the prime suspect. When Verity's investigation to clear her sister threatens to not only rewrite town history but to also turn Ellis's family on its ear, Verity's life gets dangerous.

Frankie continues to keep Verity searching for a way to underground his ashes, and several new ghosts end up helping Ellis and Verity get to the bottom of the secrets and lies their town has been built upon. To my supreme happiness, the relationship between Ellis and Verity continues to build. I really do love Ellis!

I received an ARC from Net Galley for review.

Wrong Number, Right Guy by Elle Casey

This is the first book in a new series called The Bourbon Street Boys. I don't recall ever reading anything by this author, and honestly, I decided to try this book because I thought the cover was really striking and sexy. I hate naked and even half naked covers. I prefer to imagine for myself, and this cover lends itself to plenty of imagining. 😁 Right of the bat, this book had me giggling out loud over a hilarious text conversation. The amusement continued throughout the story and totally complimented the suspense. The basic gist of the story is May, a gifted photographer with a sort of cutesy girl next door image, receives an SOS text from what she believes is her sister's new phone. She braves a sketchy biker bar in her efforts to rescue her sister only to find herself in danger and being rescued by what might be the sketchiest guy in the place, Ozzie. When the sketchy guy turns out to be the opposite of what she thinks and offers her not only protection but the chance at a job much more exciting than her current occupation, her life not only gets more exciting, but also much more complicated. She may even have to decide which she wants more, her job or her boss.

I really enjoyed the story. The characters were great, and the author did a wonderful job of building important relationships between them. May was hilarious, and I loved being first person inside her head. I will not be missing any of the future books in the series.

I received an ARC for review from Net Galley.

Escaping Reality by Lisa Renee Jones

If you like your books passionate, deeply emotional, and intriguingly mysterious, this is the book for you. It had tons of twists and turns and had me completely questioning what reality truly was. Amy's life had me mystified and dying to find out what happened to her in the past and who is manipulating her in the present. Liam is only slightly less of a mystery. He shows up at an opportune moment out of the blue and inserts himself right into the middle of Amy's messed up life and refuses to let he go. I really liked the two of them together, but I was also curious about Jared and where he fits in all the craziness. Although the book ends in a bit of a cliffhanger with nothing resolved, I didn't mind since books two and three are already out. I will absolutely be grabbing book 2 as soon as I finish this review.

I received an ARC from Net Galley for review.

Lone Wolf Lawman by Delores Fossen

I enjoyed this author's Sweetwater Ranch series, so when I found this book on Net Galley, I immediately requested a copy for review. The story focuses around Addie who has not only discovered recently that she is the biological daughter of a serial killer but had also found out she is pregnant by the man who seduced get for there glorious nights then left her without even his real name. With the help of her family, she is making the best of it until Wes, her former lover, shows up out of the blue with the news that her biological father wants to kill her. He reveals his real name and his position with the Texas Rangers then shares his plan to use get as bait to draw her father out. The only problem is that he has no idea she carries his child. When the danger picks up and you throw in a few of Addie's overprotective law enforcement type brothers, things get pretty interesting. The story had plenty of action, suspense, and twists. While the couple from this story gets a resolution, a few loose threads are left dangling to continue the series. I really enjoyed Addie's brothers and can't wait to read their stories.

Never Surrender by Rosie Miles

Maggie and Quinn were a couple but have been apart for about a year. They fought over Maggie's insistence that she wanted to work undercover. Quinn knew the physical and emotional hazards of that kind off life and didn't want that for Maggie. She took his concern as an insult to her abilities and walked away without looking back...much. Now, Maggie has the undercover career she wanted, but it has cost her too much and left her in danger without backup. She does the only thing she can think to do...call Quinn. Despite how badly things ended, he knows she must be desperate to have broke her silence and called him. He shows up to help her and ends up on the run and in danger along with her. The enemies she has made are powerful, and they will stop at nothing to keep Maggie from revealing their illegal trafficking operation.

I liked Maggie and especially Quinn. Their history was complicated, but they could depend on each other when it counted. The story had plenty of suspenseful twists and turns and a bit of police type procedure as well.

I received an ARC from Net Galley for review.

Primal Force by D.D. Ayres

This is the third book in this series I've read, and I've enjoyed all of them despite the fact that I'm admittedly not a pet person. The author has a talent for personifying the animals in the stories and actually showing how they function in their jobs. It adds a unique element to the stories. I particularly liked this book because Lauray and Jori were great characters, an ex con and an amputee suffering from PTSD. Both had been robbed of many of their dreams for the future. Jori has done her best to move forward with her life and make the best of a situation out of her control. Lauray has handled his amputation well but is still stuck in the past dwelling on the death of his military K9 partner. He is coerced into trying a service dog by his half sister, but he really wants nothing to do with the cute girly dog he is given. He wants the dog's trainer, Jori, but only for a quick night between the sheets, nothing permanent.

Jori thinks she can handle one night with no strings attached, but something about Lauray (Law) gets to her. She wants to help him, but instead he prides into her past and offers to help her instead. He wants to use her to find out what happened to him and his K9 in Afghanistan and offers to help her clear her name in exchange. He thinks he can keep his distance from Jori, but he quickly discovers he cares more than he wants to. He becomes her defender, and she becomes his protector. In the meantime, Law begins to bond with his service dog, Sam, despite his determination to return her. Sam proves her loyalty to Law daily and begins to make herself indispensable. In the end, it takes Law, Jori, and Sam working together to find the answers they both need.

I was totally caught up in the story and enjoyed seeing how the relationship between Law and Jori developed.

I received an ARC from Net Galley for review.

Deadly Trouble by J.L. Hammer

I admit that this book started off a bit slow for me. I just didn't love Lily at first, although I thought Cooper was charming and interesting. I might not have kept reading past the beginning if I hadn't been given an ARC from Net Galley. I feel if someone gives you a few book, the least you can do is read all of it. So, I kept going thinking I would probably decline to review it. The more I read, the more I liked it. As soon as the action and suspense picked up, I was all in. Lily grew and changed through the story, and I found myself liking her better and better.

The story starts as Lily takes a vacation to Belize unexpectedly alone. Over a meal, she meets Cooper who is a researcher trying to find a cure for a deadly disease using a plant found only in Belize. Cooper and Lily form a sort of friendship, but when Lily witnesses the aftermath of a murder and the kidnapping of a young boy, she has no recourse but to take off on her own. Through a series of twists and turns, she ends up at Cooper's research village. He offers his help, and the couple begins their search for the missing boy. Drug dealers, cartel bosses, and corrupt police all stand in their way. At times it seems they may be closer to being locked up than the bad guys. Through it all, the couple begins to form a deeper connection.

Overall, I ended up enjoying the story and interested in what was happening to the couple. I was curious where the ending might take them. I'm glad I stuck with it.

Men Under Fire by Jacki Delecki

This book is book 3 of the Grayce Walters series. I had not read the first two books, so I really had no idea what to expect. I simply saw the book on Net Galley and thought the description sounded interesting, so I requested a copy for review. I quickly discovered the series focuses on a pet acupuncturist clinic and the people who work there. I admit that seemed like a weird concept to me, especially since I'm not much of a pet person. Thankfully for me, the story focused on the developing relationship between Hollie ( a prickly goth looking young woman on her own) and Nick (a soldier from a big family who has returned home with his bomb sniffing dog to recover from some PTSD type issues) more so than the animals, although I have to say Nick's dog was endearing.

While things start off rather slowly between the couple, the mystery is revealed right off the bat. Grayce and Hollie are honoring the request of a friend by trying to locate two missing female marines. Nick inserts himself into the investigation as a way to get closer to Hollie and to give his days a bit of purpose. While the danger to Grayce heats up and her boyfriend goes caveman overprotective, Nick and Hollie discover their attraction to each other along with the possibility of an imminent attack by an eco-terrorist group.

I liked Nick and Hollie as a couple and thought this story wad a unique departure from what I typically read.

Wilde at Heart by Tonya Burrows

I'm going to start by saying that this cover is hot. I loved it, and it was what initially drew made to this book, well that and the fact that I have great luck with this publisher in finding really good reads. This book is the third in a series of which I have read none of the others. I had no problem keeping up though. I did go back and add the first two books to my Amazon wish list.

Reece and Shelby have known each other for a while, long enough for Reece to know that Shelby is trouble. Unfortunately for him, he wants her anyway. Shelby is attracted to Reece, but she knows she has some dangerous secrets that could maybe even be deadly. When a chance but steamy encounter between the two of them leads to a devious blackmail scheme, Reece and Shelby make a spur of the moment decision which sets their families in an uproar and has lasting consequences. Instead of keeping danger at bay, it seems to only draw it closer.

Throughout the book, my heart hurt for Shelby. It seemed like everyone who ought to love her constantly put her down and made her feel worthless. Everyone wanted her to change. I thought she was such a great character, and the ending of the story couldn't have been better for her. I loved the story.

I received an ARC from Net Galley for review.

Undercover With the Enemy by Sharron McClellan

Kane and Holly couldn't be more opposite. Though they have worked together briefly in the past and have known each other marginally for a couple of years, the two tend to avoid each other. They know their investigative styles are inherently different. Kane is a rule follow of the highest order. Holly had an extremely unorthodox upbringing with has made her into a very creative and brilliant risk taker. When these two mix, they both end up frustrated. Unfortunately for them, an undercover operation goes wrong and leaves them no choice but to pretend to be engaged. As the danger kicks up, so does their chemistry and Kane's protective nature. Holly has other plans and knows she is the one who can and should do the protecting. The story had plenty of action and was also amusing. I enjoyed it and thought the ending was just perfect.

I received an ARC from Net Galley for review.

Hot and Bothered by Lynn Raye Harris

Let me just start by saying how much I love this series. I really enjoy military style suspense, and Lynn Raye Harris is one of the best in this genre. This particular book focuses on Emily and Flash. Emily was introduced to this series in book 6, Hot Rebel, when her sister, Victoria takes some crazy risks to rescue Emily from a terrorist organization she has mistakenly married into. Emily has a problem past. She got into a lot of trouble when she was younger and then married impulsively and moved with her husband across the world. By the time Emily realized her husband had converted to a radical religious terrorist organization, she was in too deep to get out with her life. Victoria, with help from the HOT team rescues Emily, but not before she is forced to kill her husband. When she returns to the U.S., her life is very different. Despite having killed her terrorist husband, her actions and allegiance are still suspect. She is on watch lists, no fly lists, and restricted from holding many jobs. She finds herself depressed and lonely with the exception of one friend who is willing to accept her, Ryan (Flash).  Wanting more but knowing a relationship with her is a career killer for Flash, Emily accepts a risky job offer which promises to clear her name and clear the way for her to be with Flash if she survives it. The night before she disappears for her job, she can't resist a goodbye fling with Flash.

Flash wakes up to find Emily gone. His fear turns to anger after days turn into months. Meanwhile, his team is tasked with rescueing a group of hostages overseas. He deploys only to discover a wan and sick Emily is already there working undercover. Even his fierce anger does not negate his concern for Emily. Unfortunately the news from her doctor only increases his anger and frustration with her. Emily, though sick and terrified, feels the weight of her freedom hanging heavy over her. Flash is pressuring her to quit, but she knows if she does, she will never be free and will never be able to be with him. Together, they have to figure out a way to complete Emily's mission, rescue the hostages, and clear Emily's name ask without getting killed or killing each other in the process.

I completely loved the pairing of Emily and Flash. I also enjoyed how " big brother", Nick, kept Flash in line and stood up for Emily. Ian Black also reappears in this book and we get to learn a bit more about him. I can't wait until he gets his own book and a woman who makes his heart beat again. As is typical for this series, the story had lots of authentic feeling action, plenty of steamy chemistry, and a super sexy alpha who has met his match. I hope this series just keeps on going until infinity, because I plan to keep on reading.

Tons of thanks to the author for gifting me a copy for review.

To Be His by Terri L. Austin

This book is a novella told in first person from Trevor's perspective. It is a companion story to the book told from Allison's perspective, His Every Need. Personally, I really enjoyed getting the male perspective. The basis of the story is a desperate Allison willing to do anything to save her family from eviction and worse misunderstands Trevor's joking offer to forgive the debt in exchange for acting as his mistress and fulfilling his every need. She takes him up on it and he feels obligated to continue the ruse even though he has no intention of actually taking advantage of her. Eventually, he finds himself sorely tested and his "mistress" not as unwilling as he expected. The two had a lot of heat between them , and the story left off with some interesting possibilities in the mix.

Several hints were thrown out about what is going on in Allison's family, but Trevor never allowed explanations. I'm interested in finding out what's really going on.

I received an ARC from Net Galley for review.

The Colton Bodyguard by Carla Cassidy

I have really enjoyed The Colton's of Oklahoma series. Throughout the series, little questions and suspicions kept popping up about Greta. Finding out about Greta's "evil twin" aft the end of the last book was a shocker as was who took a risk to get Greta out of trouble...her fiance's brother. Tyler was super sexy and completely blunt about his desire for Greta. His compete lack of pretense seemed to both catch Greta off guard and also turn her on. It doesn't take long for Tyler to find out what has been going on in Greta's family and discover why she is in danger. He is interested in her although not yet willing to determine how much. He decides to protect her as best he can and figure out the rest later. With Tyler and her brothers all looking out for her, Greta feels safe but discovers her twin can still get to her. The twin wants to steal her life, and Greta is not sure if anyone would even know the difference. It is up to Tyler to prove her wrong.

I thought this was a great way to wrap up the stories of the Colton siblings. I was happy to see Greta ditch her fiance and find someone who was more of a match for her.

I received an ARC from Net Galley for review.