The Fine Art of Deception by Alyssa Richards

I admit I was completely lost when I first started reading this novel. The author's very introspective style paired with so many elements introduced at once ( ghosts, past lives, psychometry, pushing thoughts ) left me somewhat struggling to sort it all out. I suppose if this had been my usual genre, I might have had less trouble, however, I was totally out of my element. Since Net Galley had offered me a free copy to review, I wanted to give the story a fair chance. I kept reading and found myself drawn to Addie and wondering how she would overcome the despair that was encroaching upon her life. Fortunately, after a few chapters, I had everything sorted out and was drawn into the story. Addie is gifted with the ability to touch objects and read their histories. This ability enables her to determine with just a touch whether art is authentic or a forgery. Someone desperately needs her ability and is willing to do anything to be able to use her. Blake is tasked with getting close to her and securing her cooperation. Since he has ulterior motives of his own to look after, he agrees. Once Blake meets Addie, everything changes. Sparks fly, and a deeper connection than should be possible is immediately evident. Blake immediately recognizes the origin of the connection though Addie does not. He makes it his mission to help her remember while protecting her from those who wish to harm or use her. Addie is sure she should not trust him, but can't resist the pull she feels even as she resists his efforts to push his will on her. A web of stolen art, missing people, and mafia connections make this story even more interesting. All in all, I ended up enjoying the story and rooting for Addie and Blake. This is the first book in a new series. Thankfully, it did not end in a cliffhanger. Many things are resolved, but plenty of little threads are still hanging out there to continue the story into the next book. I can't wait to see what happens.

Want Me by Cynthia Eden

If you like hit super alpha guys and plenty of them, this is the book for you. Lex is the hero for you. Alpha doesn't even come close tho describing it really. In the first book of this series, Lex saved Sophie from a lethal attack. He has wanted her ever since but has kept his distance. Sophie knows there is chemistry between them, so when she is once again attacked, she turns to Lex and his company for protection. Lex wasn't more than to just protect; he wants to possess.Sophie knows he is the one man who could make her break her one night only rule, but she needs his help. As people start dying and suspicion turns on Sophie and her friends, Lex must put his life on the line to trust her. Will she risk her life to save him? I really enjoyed this story. It was super hot and very sexy without neglecting the plot. The action started right off the bat, and the hits just kept coming. I didn't want to quit reading. Thanks to Net Galley for providing a copy for review!

Hot Ice by Lynne Raye Harris

Hot is definitely the right word for the title of this book. Although I have read some of the books in this series, I haven't read them all. Thankfully, they work well as standalones. This one was by far the sexiest one I've read yet. The "Iceman" meets the woman he believes is the spoiled and haughty ice queen. He has been assigned to protect her, but he can't help comparing her to his manipulative ex wife. Grace is an ultra introvert scientist who had a secret everyone wants. She has difficulty interacting with others and completely lacks self esteem. Garrett, Iceman, has enough self confidence for them both, however, he reads Grace's discomfort as disdain. The two end up on the run together, and Garrett begins to see more in Grace than he though was there. Unfortunately for their relationship, he allows sex to become primary and tramples Grace's feelings. Fighting off those who want to steal Grace's research and use it as a weapon, the couple runs further away from anyone who could help them. In the end, they are left to determine whether their relationship is just sex or something more permanent. I enjoyed the combo of sexy foul mouthed Garrett and timid Grace. She toned him down, and he heated her up. The language was about what you would expect for military style suspense. The sex was frequent but didn't take over the plot. Overall, I thought it was a wonderful addition to the series. Net Galley provided a copy for review.

Southern Spirits by Angie Fox

I was excited about this new series by an author I wasn't familiar with. I was not disappointed at all. The action started right off the bat as Verity inadvertently dumped the ashes of a long dead gangster into her rose bushes and somewhat tied his spirit to her and her house. She adjusts quickly and ends up working as a team with her ghost in order to save her home. In order to do so, Verity needs $20,000. Her quest to obtain the money leads her and her ghostly companion right to Ellis, the brother of Verity's lying cheating ex. Ellis sides with his family in their dispute with Verity but needs her help with a poltergeist. He agrees to pay her the money she needs if she can get rid of the violent spirit. With the help of Frankie, her ghost, Verity sets out to earn the money. In the meantime, she ends up spending a large amount of time with Ellis. Eventually, he begins to realize his preconceived notions about Verity are way off base. Sparks begin to fly, and a mutual attraction starts to develop. Danger, ghosts, and even a bit of romance can't stop Verity from doing everything in her power to save her house and take care of those she cares about. I really enjoyed the story and will definitely be waiting to check out the next book in the series! Net Galley provided a copy for review. :-)

Wild Hearts by Sharon Sala

I really enjoyed this first book in a new series. I have read one other series by this author which I really enjoyed, so I decided to give this one a try. The story begins in the past with a bit quite specified violent crime and the near death of 3 teens. In the present day, one of those teens is murdered, and his daughter, Dallas, returns to town to deal with her father's death and prove that it was a murder. First in line to help her is Trey, the man she lived but left behind for a big city high profile job. Rather than hold it against her, Trey still loves her and wants to help her. Dallas is resistant at first but soon realized she needs Trey. The two begin working together to discover the truth behind her father's death, but meanwhile other dangers intrude from a totally different front and complicate things. The action and suspense kept me locked into this story, and the romance was also perfect. Trey was tender yet take charge and the ways he expressed his feelings to Dallas was truly swoon worthy. Although not all aspects of the story were resolved, the couple did get their HEA, and I was left very interested in discovering what will come next in this series. Net Galley provided a copy of this book for review. :-)

The Marine's Temptation by Jennifer Morey

I enjoyed the first novel in this series, so I decided to give this one a try even though it was by a different author. It turned out to be an easy read with plenty of action, an independent heroine, and a sexy hero. The main conflict between the couple is money. While I didn't really love that consistent focus, learning more about the mysterious kidnapping from the past was interesting, as we're the clues related to the murder of Carson's father. There are definitely some unfinished issues, but the book was not what I would consider a cliffhanger. I recommend reading book one prior to this one since there are reoccurring characters, but, that said, it could btw read as a standalone. I received an advance copy from Net Galley.

Bridged by Kendra Elliott

I completely loved this book. As with any good series, this second book was even better than the first. It was more exciting, more romantic, and more suspenseful. I really enjoyed the first book, so I had high expectations. They were all meet. I love Mason and Ava together. He is so supportive of her, and even though he has his bossy alpha moments, he realizes when he needs to back off and be supportive. Ava is strong and won't let Mason dominate her but also isn't afraid to lean on him when she needs help. She definitely needs a lot of help this time. Her drug addicted twin is back in her life, her relationship with Mason is ready to take some big steps, and a killer is leaving bodies hanging off local bridges. Mason and Ava end up on the same task force hunting the killer. The search is slow and progress is hard to come by until the killer's misdirected focus lands on Ava. The hunt becomes a race to see if Mason will be able to save Ava or whether his life will end up at risk too. I really enjoyed this book and appreciate the copy provided by Net Galley for review.