Echo by A. Zavarelli

Wow, like seriously, wow! I grabbed this book because the cover caught my eye. I read the description and found myself intrigued. I started reading a bit afraid that it would turn out to be a primarily darkly kinky sexcapade with little plot. I couldn't have been more off base. This book had twists on top of twists. So many times I was certain I had things figured out only to find myself shocked when the truth was revealed. The characters had so many interesting layers and connections. Don't get me wrong, there was plenty of sex, and it was not of the vanilla variety. I usually end up skipping some of those scenes because they get repetitive. That was not the case here. Just keep in mind that it is described as a "dark" story. I don't really want to give away any of the plot, but I will say that I couldn't put it down. It does end with not a lot of resolution, but book two is out already. I am chomping at the bit to get started reading it!

Wild Card by Aleah Barley

This was definitely a different kind of pairing...a former priest and a former stripper ( well, maybe not so former). I never would have put these two together, but in a weird sort of way it worked. Gina was super tough and blatantly sexual on the outside, but kind of wounded and lonely on the inside. Likewise, Finn had a tough detective's exterior while harboring extreme feelings of guilt and also loneliness. The similarities end there. Finn is a total rule follower and compete innocent. Gina doesn't mind coloring outside the lines a bit. She also quit being innocent a long time ago. When a murder throws these two together and on the run, Finn isn't quite sure what to do with Gina, but he knows he wants to do something. He decides he is going to protect her no matter what because she touches something inside him despite their differences.

It was fun watching Gina shock Finn with her bold behavior and words.  He managed to surprise her too at times. There were several suspenseful moments and a nice slow burn of chemistry between interesting main characters.

I received an ARC from Net Galley for review.

Haunted Destiny by Heather Graham

Though I haven't read all the books in this series, I have been totally into the ones I have and plan to read them all. I was very excited to get a copy of this one. This story begins with FBI agent Jude and his temporary boss boarding a cruise ship in pursuit of a suspected murderer. The suspect quickly disappears, but the agents decide staying on the ship gives them the best chances of catching the serial killer. Jude knows his new boss is known for heading up the Krewe of Hunters which is rumored to investigate things outside the norm. He is not sure why he has been asked to work with this group until his acquaintance with the ship's piano bar performer, Alexi, reveals his own unusual ability. Alexi has always been able to see the dead and speak with them. The ship on which she works is older and rich with history, not to mention ghosts. Her ability along with her uncanny resemblance to the killer's victim profile results in her being both under protection and a part of the manhunt. Jude sticks to her like glue and not just because he can protect her. Their chemistry is fairly instant, and they hook up pretty fast. The question they have to ask is whether their relationship will help them find the killer before he finds Alexi. Thankfully they have ghosts on their side.


I received an ARC from Net Galley for review.

Deadly Obsession by Elle James

Jillian is trying to put down roots, and Chance is running from any appearance of roots.  He shows up to play best man at a friend's wedding with every intention of leaving immediately after. When he meets Jillian, he is immediately attracted to her but believes himself to damaged for a relationship. Jillian is also pretty independent. As luck would have it, Chance always seems to be in the right place when Jillian needs help. The more the danger increases, the more determined he is to protect her. Jillian wants to help Chase as well- help him work through his PTSD nightmares and help him into her bed.

The danger factor is high in this story as is the chemistry. It is pretty easy to connect the dots in the mystery but hard to guess many of the events. Overall, I really enjoyed it despite not having read any other books in this series.

I received an ARC from Net Galley for review.

Stepping Over the Line by Laura Marie Altom

I like this author and her Shamed series. I admit to having avoided stepbrother romances like the plague. I almost skipped this one but tried it simply because of the author and because I was curious about Garrett from previous novels. Thankfully this wasn't as cliche as I was afraid it would be. Garrett has been Savannah's stepbrother since she was a teen. She immediately had a crush on him, but he eventually moves away. The two reconnect ( in every way) as adults despite the fact that Savannah is dating someone else.  When Garrett later ends up defending Savannah's honor, an accident and Garrett's own self blame result in him spending time in prison. Once he is released, things become complicated. Garrett wants to be a part of Savannah's life, but she avoids him at first. She fears retribution from her ex fiance's family. Eventually several suspicious incidents end up causing the two to team up. The question then becomes whether they can remain safe and fight the disapproval of their relationship.

This story was definitely not all roses. Garrett's personality undergoes massive changes, and he becomes a difficult person. Savannah's guilt and grief cause her to develop sharp edges. Thankfully, over time, they begin to soften each other. I enjoyed being Garrett's story.

I received an ARC from Net Galley for review.

Dying for Love by Angel Nicholas

This was a totally new author for me. The cover caught my eye, so I decided to give this a try. I ended up really enjoying it. Matt hired Grace but wished he hadn't because he didn't want to be her boss. He wanted to be more. Grace noticed her handsome boss but tried to act professional. Things rocked along until Matt began to suspect that Grace was in danger. He had the ability to protect her, and he was determined to make her tell him what was going on. Grace had tried to ignore the threatening notes she received, but when her personal areas are invaded and she realizes the stalker can get to her at any time, she decides to let Matt help. The more the two investigate, the more they are drawn back to the past and secrets that would have been best kept buried.

The suspense and action kept me interested, and the chemistry was great. I really enjoyed the story.

I received an ARC from Net Galley for review.

Guilty Pleasure by Lora Leigh

Okay, so menage is not my typical reading preference, but I have come across a couple that were really well done. I decided to try this one because I like this author. This was one of those. For me to read this type of story, it has to have a really solid storyline, not be full of crude talk, and the emotions have to be tied into the relationship. In other words, I want more than just crude sex and the lustful use of each other's body. This story delivered in full. The relationship between Khalid and Marty has been developing for years, and their relationship is the focus of the book. Even though their bedroom is not always exclusive, it is always full of love. Those intimate scenes were HOT. I totally loved Shayne and his involvement with the couple and would love to read a story focused on him. The suspense drove the storyline, and though we know who the bad guy is from the beginning, it keeps you guessing as to what will happen next. I would love to read more in this series, but when I checked they were all price between $8-$10. That's a bit pricey for me since there are so many books in the series. I will definitely be grabbing them if the prices drop.

I received an ARC from Net Galley for review.

So many books, so little time...

Four great books which have been reviewed for this blog are releasing this week! Check them out.

At the Edge by Laura Griffin
Brazilian Revenge by Carmen Falcone
Impossible Ransom by Kathleen Mix
True Peril by Veronica Forand

Jacob by Kris Michaels

I grabbed this book as a freebie and put it in my to be read collection for later. I finally got around to giving it a try and was completely surprised by how much I loved it. As soon as I finished it, I immediately bought the next two books in the series without even reading their descriptions.  I adore military style romantic suspense, and this book gave me just what I like. Guardian is a worldwide contractor of security services. Jacob is the leader of the agency's premier covert team. He disobey mission protocol in order to save a captive American woman who had been tortured beyond recognition. In the course of the rescue flight, he works to keep her calm and ends up making a date to meet her in one year. Once the two reconnect, the chemistry is irresistible. Through her, Jacob is also able to make some connections which are beneficial for his team and the company. Just as things begin to get really serious between the couple, one of Jacob's brothers is captured overseas and his team is tapped for the rescue. He will have to risk his future with Tori in order to ensure his brother gets to return home alive.

The story gets very emotional and tense at times. It is also super sexy and full of great characters I quickly fell in love with. I can't wait to read the next books!

The Haunted Heist by Angie Fox

This is book three in a series, and if you haven't read the first two, I wouldn't recommend starting here. I would, however, recommend that you read the first two. This is a very fun series with great characters, especially Verity.  This book sees things starting to look up for Verity, at least until she gets inadvertently caught up in another murder. When she tries to turn to Ellis for help, she ends up running into his mother instead...that is never a good thing. She resumes her threats to ruin Verity if she doesn't stay away from Ellis. Ellis finally seems ready to openly commit to her, but Verity isn't sure that's what's best for him. In the meantime, some killer ghosts and a real life killer have their sights set on Verity. With the help of her resident gangster ghost, Frankie, Verity and Ellis set out to catch the killer before the killer catches them.

I really liked this addition to the series. All sorts of things finally came out into the open and made me look forward to finding out what will happen next. The series is fun yet emotional at times and a nice clean read.

I received an ARC from Net Galley for review.

Flawless by Heather Graham

Heather Graham's Krewe of Hunters series is one of my favorites, so trying one of her standalone novels was an easy decision. The setting of this novel, a family owned Irish pub, totally appealed to me as did the family themselves. Kieran is the only girl in a family four children. She helps her brothers run the pub at night and works as a psychologist during the day. When her youngest brother makes a huge mistake while trying to do a good dead, Kieran tries to fix things and ends up in the middle of Craig's robbery/murder investigation...not to mention a reluctant local hero. Kieran and Craig are attracted to each other right of, but Kieran's guilt over covering for her brother makes Craig suspicious.  He doesn't let that keep him from pursing her or protecting her. With her face all over the news, someone is afraid she knows something she shouldn't. Her life is in danger, and Craig and her brothers hover like overprotective umbrellas. As things heart up between Kieran and Craig, she doesn't mind his hovering quite so much. She just wishes she could be honest with him about her part in the problems but fears once he finds out he won't want her anymore. If she's not careful, she may not live long enough to tell him anyway.

This story had plenty of tension, great atmosphere, fun characters, hot chemistry and (my favorite) suspense with plenty of twists and turns.

Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC to review.

Deep Dark by Laura Griffin

I have read every book in the Tracers series, so I had no doubt I would like this book. I was, however, surprised to discover how much I absolutely loved it. I was totally hooked in from the beginning and got so frustrated when my busy life made me have to leave the story for several hours. The irony of the older, gruff, set in his ways Reed falling for the much younger spunky compute hacker Laney was perfect. Since I grew up with parents eleven years apart in age, the storyline really appealed to me. Laney need the patient consistency which came with Reed's experience while he needed the fire and boldness Laney only let out with him. They were a great couple.

On the suspense side, Laney may know more than she's telling about a recent string of murders, and Red knows she's hiding something important.  He doesn't let that keep him away from her, but he does keep a more vigilant eye on her for her protection. Laney knows deep down that the killer may view her as the ultimate prize, but sharing that information might get her pulled from the case. She just isn't willing to risk anything going wrong. The only problem is whether or not she will tell Reed enough to help him save her when the killer comes.

Obviously, this was my favorite book in the series so far. I was thrilled to receive an ARC from Net Galley.

Impossible Ransom by Kathleen Mix

Nick and Val had a hot and heavy fling from which Nick promptly disappeared without a word. Val is therefore shocked and irritated to find they are paired together to crew the same charter boat. Both are determined to after clear of each other for the duration of the charter, but when the boat is hijacked and Val finds she is the target of a ransom kidnapping, she knows she will need Nick's help to escape. Out in the ocean with little options, the two hatch an of the cuff plan and act on it with no time to fully prepare. They do the best they can, but they will face the fight of their lives to survive.

This was a very adventurous story with plenty of action and nice chemistry.

I received an ARC from Net Galley for review.

Brazilian Revenge by Carmen Falcone

Mar 03, 16  ·  edit

it was a

Leonardo and Satyanna had some seriously hot chemistry from the very start despite the fact that their first meeting was a set up neither was aware of. Unfortunately, Leonardo thinks Satyanna set him up to be robbed and acted as a distraction. Her swift disappearance cemented this idea in his mind, and now a year later, he has found her again. He has her at a disadvantage, and he is determined to press for her cooperation in returning his property. She will have to go against the one person who has been a constant in her life, her "father". She knows he has used her in the past, but when the depths of his betrayal become known, she is not the only one harmed by his actions. She will stop at nothing and even sacrifice her own future to help Leonardo once all is revealed. The chemistry between the couple is just as strong as ever, but can Leonardo ever move beyond the past to see Satyanna as she truly is before it's too late?

I love the Entangled Ignite line of books, so I was not all surprised to love this story.

I received an ARC from Net Galley for review.

Dangerous to Know by Dawn Ryder

Wow! Talk about being willing to really do whatever it takes to get the job done. Mercer was ruthless and unapologetic about the tactics he uses to get close to his target, Zoe. He has been led to believe she is a traitor sacrificing American lives, when in actuality, she is completely in the dark about what is going on. She totally falls for Mercer only to find out she was just a job. Unfortunately by then it is too late to get away from him. Some powerful people have decided to use her as a pawn in their moneymaking schemes and plots for revenge, and once Mercer realizes her life is in danger, nothing is moving him from her side...not even her contempt.

This was my first book by this author, but it won't be the last. I was caught up from the beginning and can't wait to read more of this series.

I received an ARC from Net Galley for review.

Queen of His Heart by Lena Hart

This was my first book by this author. It was a bit suspenseful, a lot steamy, and a nice afternoon read. Judith is a good girl. She does her job, stays out of trouble, and keeps to herself. Carlos has been hooked on her since he first saw her. He is full of funny flirty come ons and always ready with a smile. While Judith also feels the attraction, she knows she can't act on it and risk exposing her secret. She keeps Carlos at a distance until someone else threatens to expose her. She needs Carlos's help, and he gives it freely not even knowing all that he is getting into. He proves his loyalty over and over until Judith has no choice but to trust him with everything.

I enjoyed the story. It had nice chemistry and some great action toward the end. Also, I really liked the cover.

I received an ARC from the author for review.