You Can't Escape by Nancy Bush

This book is the fourth in the author's Nowhere series. I can honestly say the books in this series read well as standalones since I had only read book 2 before getting a chance to read an early copy of this book from Net Galley. In my opinion, the series is a bit more on the procedural side than the suspense side, but has enough suspense to keep me guessing and just enough romance to keep me interested.

Jordanna and "Dance" are featured in this book (although August and September Rafferty from the previous books are still featured prominently). Jordanna is what some might call a cub reporter while Dance has made a name for himself with hard hitting journalism. Having a bit of hero worship, with maybe a bit of lust tangled in, Jordanna has been following Dance around without his knowledge. When Dance is injured in a bomb blast, Jordanna believes the danger to his life is greater than most believe. She takes it upon herself to devise a crazy scheme to sneak Dance out of town. Surprisingly, Dance goes along with it, and Jordanna whisks him away to the last place on earth she would ever want to visit but the only safe haven she knows...home. Unfortunately, in her efforts to keep Dance safe, she has placed herself directly in the sights of a deranged killer who sees her as tainted and in need of the redemption only death and his branding iron can provide. Dance and Jordanna are left with two mysteries and their future on the line. Will they be able to save each other in the end, or will their pasts finally catch up with them?

Spiraled by Kendra Elliot

I really enjoy this series, and I was thrilled when Net Galley offered me the chance to read it early. In my opinion, the author totally nailed it when she wrote Mason and Ava into life. They are such a realistically believable couple. Nothing is ever really easy for them, but they create an ease and peace for each other. They just seem to truly get each other and relate on a plane that is more actions than words. I like seeing how they not only want each other but now have enmeshed to the point of truly needing each other.

In this story, Ava tends to be the main focus. The vacation she is using to recover from events in the previous book is interrupted when she lands in the middle of a mass shooting in the mall. Ava is trapped trying to save a gravely injured friend and ends up relaying information back to law enforcement via her phone. When the dust settles, so to speak, and Ava is reunited unharmed with a beyond frantic Mason, she uses Mason's assignment to the case as a way to hold her fears and post traumatic stress at bay by inserting herself into the investigation. As Ava and the team uncover more and more clues pointing to a killer mastermind, Ava becomes a target of the killer's hatred.

To add even more tension to the mix, when Ava's mentally unstable twin sister goes off the deep end, Ava finally takes the advice many, including Mason, have given her and stands up to her. She stops allowing herself to be walked all over in an effort to keep the peace and tells her sister how she really feels and how she is affected by her sister's tantrums. The stress of breaking life long patterns shakes Ava, and when her sister takes life threatening action in retaliation, Ava is broken. Mason fears for her sanity and tries frantically to hold her together while Ava fractures on the inside.

Ava tries to use the case to help her focus, but will the case end up saving her or killing her?

This book was the best yet in the series for me. The deepening of Ava and Mason's relationship, the changes Ava tried to make in her relationship with her twin, and the current events type of believable action had me glued to the story. While not at all a cliffhanger, the ending did leave me wondering what's next for Mason and Ava and anxiously awaiting the next book.

Hot Alphas by Lora Leigh, Laurelin McGee, Shiloh Walker, and Kate Douglas

This book is a set of 4 novellas. Personally, I enjoy this type of compilation because it is a very inexpensive way to try out authors with which I am unfamiliar. I liked that these were complete stories rather than excerpts from other books. Some of the stories were suspenseful and some were more romance. Shiloh Walker is a favorite author of mine anyway, so obviously her story was my favorite. If you like alpha heroes and trying out various authors, you should give this book a try.

Blind Ambition by Gwen Hernandez

Blind Ambition is the second book in the Men of Steele series. I read and really enjoyed book one, but I don't think anyone would be lost if they read this as a standalone. The series is based around a protection/black ops/mercenary type agency. Dan is assigned to rescue a kidnap victim, Alexa, with whom he had a brief but meaningful affair years ago. Alexa had never forgotten Dan. If she ever saw herself as capable of being loved, she would want it to be him.  Alexa had allowed years of difficult experiences to warp her view of her own worth and purpose. She can't believe it when Dan rescues her in just the nick of time. Unfortunately, the rescue is just the start of their troubles. They spend the next several days fighting to save several children from a rebel leader and fighting their strong attraction to each other.

I thought Dan was perfect for Alexa. He was firm but patient and willing to take a risk and wait for Alexa to realize they were meant to be together. The story was fast paced and full of action. I can't wait to read book three. Thanks to Net Galley for providing a copy for review.

Colton Cowboy Protector by Beth Cornelison

I'm going to start off with my least favorite aspects. I really didn't like the cover, and I thought the title was cheesy. These two things almost kept me from trying the book, but the preview sounded good so I grabbed it anyway. I'm glad I did, because the writing was so much better than the title or cover would indicate. I enjoyed the big family of one sister with several brothers. Obviously, many of these will get their own book later since a few threads were left unraveled at the end of this story. Jack and Tracy were the focus of this book. Tracy has come to town months after the death of her abusive husband and the death of her cousin. Tracy's cousin left a son who Tracy is desperate to know. Seth is the little boy, and Jack is his highly suspicious and prickly father. Jack's family accepts Tracy before he does. A string of mishaps convinces Jack that trouble has followed Tracy to town. She has no idea why anyone would be after her but doesn't want to put the family, especially Seth, in harm's way. Though she tries to leave, Jack won't hear of it. In the end, it takes both of them working together to keep each other safe.

I really liked the cowboy type ranch setting and the easygoing close family. Seth was adorable. I'm interested in reading more of the series to find out what else is going on behind the scenes with this family.

Net Galley provided a copy of this book for review.

The Guardian by Cindi Myers

Abby and Michael are both veterans trying to find themselves in new professions. Michael is working in law enforcement while Abby is trying to complete work on a grant to study the medicinal properties of plants. In her plant hunting expeditions, Abby meets someone she shouldn't have and ends up stumbling upon a body. Through the process of reporting the murder, she ends up reconnecting with Michael. As the pararescueman who saved her life in Afghanistan, he remembers her, but she doesn't remember him at all. Michael has carried a torch for Abby for years. He is determined not to let danger touch her if he can help it. If it also gives him a chance to get closer to her, he doesn't mind. Abby is scarred both emotionally and physically from her time in the military. She resists Michael's efforts to help her but can't help being attracted to him. In the meantime, something dangerous is happening on federal land, and it is up to these two to figure out what and stop it.

This was a nice afternoon read, and I enjoyed it. Net Galley provided a copy for review.

Kansas City Cover-up by Julie Miller

Although I haven't read any of the other books in this cold case series, I had no trouble following this story. Olivia is a detective on the cold case squad. She comes from a long family tradition of law enforcement and had recently transferred into the cold case squad after as messy breakup with her former partner. Gabe is a highly opinionated reporter who has made it his business to publicly bash the police after Olivia's father failed to solve the murder of the woman he was engaged to years before. When a new murder links back to the cold murder case, Olivia and her partner are called in, and Gabe does everything he can to insinuate himself into the investigation.

Danger follows Olivia and Gabe every step of the way. Someone else is also following Olivia and spying on her. She suspects her former partner but keeps her suspicions to herself.  As the Gabe and Olivia get closer to finding the killer, they found themselves growing closer to each other. Gabe's opinion of the police force begins to change as does their opinion of him. The unlikely pairing has police and reporter working side by side to finally solve the cold case.

I enjoyed the story and the characters.