Thursday, June 29, 2017

Some Kind of Hero Review


Title:  Some Kind of Hero
Series:  Troubleshooters #17
Author:  Suzanne Brockmann
Publisher:  Ballantine Books
Release Date:  July 11, 2017
Order Link:  Amazon

My Rating:  4 Simmering 's

*Many thanks to the publisher for an arc of this book via Netgally.




Synopsis:
Navy men don’t come tougher than Lieutenant Peter Greene. Every day he whips hotshot SEAL wannabes into elite fighters. So why can’t he handle one fifteen-year-old girl? His ex’s death left him a single dad overnight, and very unprepared. Though he can’t relate to an angsty teen, he can at least keep Maddie safe—until the day she disappears. Though Pete’s lacking in fatherly intuition, his instinct for detecting danger is razor sharp. Maddie’s in trouble. Now he needs the Troubleshooters team at his back, along with an unconventional ally.

Romance writer Shayla Whitman never expected to be drawn into a real-world thriller—or to meet a hero who makes her pulse pound. Action on the page is one thing. Actually living it is another story. Shay’s not as bold as her heroines, but she’s a mother. She sees the panic in her new neighbor’s usually fearless blue eyes—and knows there’s no greater terror for a parent than having a child at risk. It’s an ordeal Shay won’t let Pete face alone. She’s no highly trained operative, but she’s smart, resourceful, and knows what makes teenagers tick.

Still, working alongside Pete has its own perils—like letting the heat between them rise out of control. Intimate emotions could mean dangerous, even deadly, consequences for their mission. No matter what, they must be on top of their game, and playing for keeps . . . or else Pete’s daughter may be gone for good.
 

Review:

Rich with unique characters, snarky humor, sizzling romance, and intense suspense, Some Kind of Hero is another great read in the Troubleshooters series!  Brockmann’s signature multifaceted characters and plotlines are prevalent, but to a somewhat lesser extent than some previous books, and as always, heroes are larger than life.
Anyone with dreams of becoming one of the elite Navy SEALS must make it through BUD/S Training and survive Hell Week as in overcome every impossible obstacle that Lt. Peter “Grunge” Greene throws in their path.  Failure is not an option if they are to become one of the elite.  Grunge practices what he preaches in every aspect of his orderly life.  So what stops this big, bad*ss SEAL dead in his tracks, throwing him off his game?  Grunge is suddenly faced with the overwhelming responsibility of raising a teenage daughter he doesn’t know - a mere, mortal 15-year-old.  Should be a piece of cake for a man who whips wannabe SEALS into shape, right?  Wrong.  Rebellious, sullen, unhappy, and mourning the sudden loss of her mother, Maddie isn’t interested in getting to know her father – a man she believes never wanted her - and so she splits at the first opportunity with 20-year-old “Dingo” no less – a kinda weird, possible hippie/druggie who befriended her.  Before the unpacking is done, Grunge has lost track of Maddie!  When it becomes obvious that he’s not the only person searching for her – that she’s in real danger, he hits panic mode and calls in back-up.
Shayla Whitman is a smart, funny, creative single mother extraordinaire raising two boys on her own while penning romance/suspense novels and arguing with voices in her head.  When she sees the sexy SEAL that just moved in across the street flagging down cars and yelling “my daughter is missing,” she does what any Mom would do . . . drives to the rescue with both “mom-barrels” blazing.  Shayla is in for the long haul, ready to share her “mother-of-a-teenager” knowledge along with some of her suspense/mystery solving skills aka romance/suspense book research.  With intense sexual chemistry sparks flying, their journey from strangers to friends to cohorts to lovers begins.
Some Kind of Hero started off with a different vibe for me – not the norm I have come to expect from the Troubleshooter books.  While the scenario of a frantic father looking for his missing daughter is intense, the delivery had a light-hearted tone.  It threw me at first as Peter seemed out of character and came across as a little inept for a SEAL, making some costly *well, duh* mistakes for the professional, well-trained man that he is and often relying on Shayla to tell him what to do.  I realized, however, that he was reacting as an inexperienced scared Dad vs. a take-charge Navy SEAL.
As the story unfolds, it flows more toward what I have come to expect from these books – deeper, more action-intense plot line, past characters riding in to the rescue, slow-burn romance simmering with lots of tension.  And as with many of the other books, a past historic story line weaving its way throughout - connecting past places, times, and characters with the plot of the present - adding yet another rich and heart-touching layer.  Favorites like Izzy help deliver another intriguing Troubleshooter story with just the right blend of snarky humor, romance (with a side of HOT sex), and suspense with a few twists along the way.  Another Must Read in one of my favorite series ever!
My Rating:  4 Simmering 's . . . And that's the truth!

Cross My Heart . . . xxx

Sandra


Sunday, June 18, 2017

From Midnight to Moonlight ~ Tantalizing, Seductive Paranormal Romance From One of the Best! A Steal of a Deal . . . Get it While it's Hot!


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Friday, June 16
Authors' Cafe

Saturday, June 17
M. J. Schiller, Romance Author

Sunday, June 18
Cross My Heart Writings & Reviews

Monday, June 19
The Realm of Fantasy & Fiction

Tuesday, June 20, 2017
Melissa Keir

Wednesday, June 21, 2017
What Readers Want

Thursday, June 22, 2017
Romance Me

Friday, June 23, 2017
Loren E. Price

Saturday, June 24, 2017
Paranormal Realms

Monday, June 26, 2017
HBS Author's Spotlight

Tuesday, June 27, 2017
fundinmental

Wednesday, June 28, 2017
Paranormal Dimensions

Friday, June 30, 2017
My TBR Addiction
Midnight Masquerade

Can they escape the shadows of the past?

This time, he could lose his soul . . .

An invitation to join an exclusive D.C. law firm seems like a chance for Nick Flynn to leave his mistakes behind. But it’s his shadowy past and unrealized inheritance that attracted his mysterious employers. Once embroiled in their dark schemes, his struggle for success becomes a battle for his salvation.

And she could lose her life . . .

Loner detective Rae Borden goes undercover as a call girl to discover the truth about her best friend’s death. Her carefully laid plan of revenge and personal redemption becomes a crusade against an unbelievable evil . . . with Nick Flynn in the middle.
Nancy Gideon is one of the best supernatural writers on the market today! — Midwest Book Review: BookWire
Touched by Midnight Series {Book 8}
Just $0.99 for a Limited Time!
By Nancy Gideon
Genre: Contemporary Paranormal Romance
Published by: ImaJinn Books
Release Date: May 4, 2011
Length: 232 Pages

READ AN EXCERPT

Remembered by Moonlight

Because the road to . . .

Clever, cool and preternaturally lethal, Max Savoie is leader of a secretive shape-shifter clan, heir to a mobster’s legacy, and the love of New Orleans’ top cop . . . but he can’t remember any of them. The only way to recover his past, and his rightful place in the arms of the woman who risked all to save him, is to surrender to a mysterious visitor who could use him as a weapon against all he’d loved.

Happily-Ever-After . . .

After rescuing her mate from his ruthless captors in the North, hard-hitting Detective Charlotte Caissie is now painfully vulnerable—a stranger in his eyes . . . and in his bed. The key to his memories is locked in a tortuous past. To reclaim the strength of their passionate bond, Max must learn to trust her enough to face that darkness at her side before the threat it hides exposes the secret Cee Cee carries.

Is never smooth.

When an investigation into grisly deaths in an underground Shifter fight club points to more than just dangerous clan rivalries, Cee Cee enlists Max’s help to find a traitor in their midst while there’s still time to turn a deadly invading tide. But the cost of saving their treasured future may mean sacrificing his past. Especially when the enemy they pursue . . . might be Max, himself.
Every delicious word Nancy Gideon puts on the page exhilarates with a sensuous ferocity. Hopelessly addicted. — Darynda Jones, NY Times Bestselling Author
By Moonlight Series {Book 9}
Just $1.99 for a Limited Time!
By Nancy Gideon
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
Genre: Contemporary Paranormal Romance
Release Date: October 13, 2014
Length: 290 Pages



Nancy Gideon is the award-winning, bestselling author of 60 romances ranging from historical, regency and series contemporary suspense to paranormal, with a couple of horror screenplays tossed into the mix. She’s also published under the pen names Dana Ransom, Rosalyn West and Lauren Giddings. She works full time as a legal assistant in Central Michigan, and when not at the keyboard, feeds a Netflix addiction along with all things fur, fin and fowl.

A prolific writer, Nancy attributes her creative output, which once peaked at seven novels in one year, to her love of history and a gift for storytelling. She also credits the discipline learned through a background in journalism and OCD. The due date for her third book and her second son were on the same day . . . and both were early! When on deadline, she turns on the laptop between 4:30 and 5:00 a.m. to get a chapter in before heading in to her day job. She’s a member of GDRWA, MMRWA, PASIC, FF&P and Novelists Inc. and dotes on her critique group.

For more information on the author, her books, or the “House of Terriot” and “By Moonlight” series, visit Nancy at the links above.

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Thursday, June 8, 2017

A Ghost in the Glamour: A Linx & Bogie Story Review



Title:  A Ghost in the Glamour: A Linx & Bogie Story
Author:  Elizabeth Hunter
Publisher: E. Hunter
Release Date:  June 21, 2017

My Rating:  3.5 Nostalgic Hearts


*Many thanks to the author for an arc of this book.




Synopsis:

Linx Maxwell’s life is on the verge of greatness. She’s finally graduated from street fairs and hopping chain link to making art that pays the bills. Her family life is… not dull. And it looks like her van might just be able to exist on hope and duct tape.

If only she could get rid of the ghost who’s plagued her since the eighth grade.

Frank Bogle is a detective who lost his life in the line of duty. Everyone on the other side knows that the Maxwell women are the best mediums in the business, but did he have to get attached to the one whose hair had been attacked by a weed wacker?

Frank doesn’t like his afterlife any more than Linx does. He just doesn’t know how to leave.

Linx & Bogie is a stand-alone, short fiction, paranormal series by Elizabeth Hunter, author of the Elemental World, the Irin Chronicles, and the Cambio Springs Mysteries.


Review:
Quirky, colorful LA artist & medium Linx Maxwell is finally making a living off her art and so close to achieving her dreams she can almost taste it.  She really doesn't have the time or inclination to placate the ghost of LAPD Detective Frank "Bogie" Boyle who was murdered in his prime while investigating a murder case back in the 50's.  There's just one teeny, weeny, little problem. . . Bogie is bound to Linx and is not going anywhere.  They haven't a clue as to why he can't move on and so they're stuck making the best of a bad situation which leads to some hilarious scenes.

Linx and Bogie's story has a bit of an old school vibe to it - reminiscent of the era of Bogart or Sinatra - a mystery with a classic cigarette smoking, fedora wearing, jazz listening detective on the case . . . only this time, he's a ghost attached to a medium.  The two couldn't be any more different if they tried which sets the stage for some witty, snarky humor as Bogie gives Linx dating advice, and Linx helps Bogie solve cases.  When Bogie asks Linx for help solving the old case that got him murdered, she sees it as an opportunity to learn more about his past and maybe, just maybe help him move on.  But is this really what either of them wants?

As the story unfolded, I found myself intrigued by the mystery of what had happened to Frank/Bogie all those years ago.  Linx has to allow Bogie into her mind so that she (and thus the reader) sees the past scenes play out first-hand through his eyes, thus skillfully weaving his past story into the present.  While short on pages, I found this story to be a unique read with a great blend of strong characters, intriguing plot, and snarky humor.  A great introduction to this world and characters!  I hope we see more of Linx and Bogie!  Another Must Read by Elizabeth Hunter!  

My Rating:  3.5 Nostalgic Hearts . . . And that's the truth!

Cross My Heart . . . xxx
Sandra






Tuesday, June 6, 2017

IWSG: Quitting is Not an Option . . .


The Insecure Writer's Support Group is a community of writers who share ideas and encourage other writers. It's a great place to express doubts and concerns as well as offer and receive tribulations and guidance from other writers. IWSG posts the first Wednesday of every month. I think you'll find it to be a great writer's resource that's well worth your time. Be sure to stop by and visit with some of the other IWSG writers/bloggers at IWSG Members.

The awesome co-hosts for the June 7 posting of the IWSG are JH Moncrieff, Madeline Mora-Summonte, Jen Chandler, Megan Morgan, and Heather Gardner!  

Quitting is not an option ~ Finish what you started . . . If I had a dime for every time I heard that growing up, I'd probably be laid back on some white sandy beach drinking pina colada's while my favorite bbf massaged coconut oil into my sun-kissed skin.  If my dear southern mama said it once, she said it a million times.  One thing everyone knew about her was she didn't know the meaning of the word "quit" - it was never an option.  And in hindsight, I understand she used it to motivate us into finishing our chores, homework, and projects before she had to take more drastic measures.  Oh, what I wouldn't give to hear mama's voice ringing in my ears now:

Sound familiar?  One thing I know to be true . . . If my sweet mother were still here, she would be telling me in no uncertain terms to continue writing and finish what I started.  As a child, my nose was always stuck in a book - either reading or writing.  While I  never lost my love of either, I did occasionally veer off course - getting sidetracked by real life and yes, even periods of disbelief in myself.  And yet, I've never given up on writing - I've simply not finished what I started yet.  

So in answer to this month's IWSG question: Did you ever say “I quit”? If so, what happened to make you come back to writing?

I have never said the words "I quit writing" to anyone . . . not even myself.  It's simply not an option.  But I have thought, "What's the use?" on more than one occasion during periods of time when life became a little too heavy for me to carry more.  I have definitely let writing simmer on the side burner way too often and long.  So why would I bother making it a priority now?  The short answer is I need to finish what I started.  The truth is "I have to write because for me - quitting is NOT an option . . . not when it comes to writing."  Mama said so.

How about you?  Have you ever given up on writing only to return later?  Why?

Saturday, June 3, 2017

The Red Review


Title:  The Red
Author:  Tiffany Reisz
Genre:  A standalone novel of Erotic Fantasy
Publisher:  8th Circle Press
Release Date:  July 11, 2017
Buy Link:  Amazon

My Rating:  4 Carte Blanche 's

*Many thanks to the author & publisher for an arc of this book.



Synopsis:

Never make a promise you don’t intend to keep…

Mona Lisa St. James made a deathbed promise that she would do anything to save her mother's art gallery. Unfortunately, not only is The Red painted red, but it's in the red. She soon realizes she has no choice but to sell it.

Just as she realizes she has no choice but to sell it, a mysterious man comes in after closing time and makes her an offer: He will save The Red if she agrees to submit to him for the period of one year.

The man is handsome, English, and terribly tempting...but surely her mother didn't mean for Mona to sell herself to a stranger. Then again, she did promise to do anything to save The Red...


Review:

*Posted May 10, 2017 - I have no idea how to rate or review this book so I'm going with 4 right now but reserve the right to change that when I can wrap my head around what I just read. Raw, graphic, hardcore sexual fantasy that defies the realm of reality. One thing's for sure - I'll never look at a piece of Artwork the same way again...ever! Full review coming closer to release date.
June 3, 2017 – Full Review:

Mona Lisa St. James (yes, Mona Lisa!) finds herself in danger of breaking the deathbed promise she made her mother to save The Red art gallery at any cost.  Just when she’s about given up all hope, a mysterious Englishman appears, offering her a deal.  He’ll help her save the gallery in exchange for one year Carte Blanche rights to her body – anything goes be it pleasure or pain.  Sell the rights to her body to a stranger for a year?  No questions asked?  Can she do that?  Apparently, she can and does. 

Through a series of erotic, dream-like sexual escapades, Mona and Malcolm’s story unfolds.  You won’t find any spoilers in my review as there’s no way in h*ll you’d believe me even if I could find the words to tell you all the insane things that occur.  Mona finds herself playing the starring role in several fantasy worlds created by Malcolm – worlds that rely heavily on famous works of art.  She’s often left wavering on the edge of reality –  awakening the day after wondering if it was a fantasy, a dream, or maybe a drug-induced hallucination.  But the evidence left on her skin and in her bed speaks loud and clear as does her desire for more. 

Tiffany Reisz (with Siren Nora Sutherlin) does what she does best in The Red – she writes about the forbidden, the shocking, the sinful, the No-She-Didn’t things that no one is willing to talk about, but everyone wants to know!  Though The Red is heavily laden with raw, hardcore erotica, an underlying plot emerged that intrigued me enough to keep me turning the pages seeking answers.  Like Mona, I needed to know if Malcolm was a dream, fantasy, hallucination, or real.  I needed to know his story.  Tiffany Reisz’s forte is writing about the forbidden – her gift is making you love it!  A Must Read for those who dare!
My Rating:  4 Forbidden 's . . . And that's the truth!

Cross My Heart . . . xxx
Sandra


Blood Vow (Black Dagger Legacy #2) Review


Title:  Blood Vow
Series:  Black Dagger Legacy #2
Author:  J.R. Ward
Publisher:  Ballantine Books
Release Date:  Dec. 6, 2016
Buy Link:  Amazon

My Rating:  5 Addictive Hearts







Synopsis:

The Black Dagger Brotherhood continues to train the best of the best to join them in the deadly battle against the Lessening Society. Among the new recruits, Axe proves to be a cunning and vicious fighter—and also a loner isolated because of personal tragedy. When an aristocratic female needs a bodyguard, Axe takes the job, though he’s unprepared for the animal attraction that flares between him and the one he is sworn to protect.

For Elise, who lost her first cousin to a grisly murder, Axe’s dangerous appeal is enticing—and possibly a distraction from her grief. But as they delve deeper into her cousin’s death, and their physical connection grows into so much more, Axe fears that the secrets he keeps and his tortured conscience will tear them apart.

Rhage, the Brother with the biggest heart, knows all about self-punishing, and he wants to help Axe reach his full potential. But when an unexpected arrival threatens Rhage and Mary’s new family, he finds himself back in the trenches again, fighting against a destiny that will destroy all he holds most dear.

As Axe’s past becomes known, and fate seems to be turning against Rhage, both males must reach deep—and pray that love, rather than anger, will be their lantern in the darkness.

My Review:
I’m kicking myself all over the place for waiting a while to read the Black Dagger Legacy series. Why would a BDB addict like me hesitate? Because I found myself fearing I’d be a little disappointed with this spin-off series. Ha! That crazy notion was dispelled as soon as I took the leap of faith and read Blood Kiss. Now, upon finishing Blood Vow, I’m once again held spellbound by Ward’s magic touch. Like an alcoholic and/or drug addict, I’m already craving my next fix. How will I make it to Jan. 2018?!!

I fell for Axe, BDB Trainee, hook, line, and sinker in Blood Vow. Damaged, kinky alpha badboy?! H*ll yeah! Damaged, kinky alpha badboy with a heart of gold?! I’m a goner! Watching him crave yet deny himself what he thought he didn’t deserve – wasn’t good enough to have in Elise was heart-touching and yet so dang HOT! Their desire alone set the pages on fire and that was before they ever kissed. Whew! I wasn’t sure about the aristocratic Elise being the right one for Axe, but the girl sure enough strutted her stuff and went after the life and man she wanted. Great intense story between these two.

The continuation of Rhage, Mary, and Bitty’s story is special and one I’m so glad I didn’t miss. So many intimate, family moments. To see their joy, the happiness radiating off all three of them is heart-warming. To see that happiness threatened – devastating. I couldn’t turn pages fast enough to see how their story would play out. I love how all the BDB brothers stepped up to surround them in a warm cloak of support, encouragement, and love in an awesome display of what it means to be family – whether bound by blood or choice. Add the introduction of Ruhn – who it seems may play a prominent role in future storylines – and a lot of face time from everyone’s favorite angel Lassiter, and you’ve got a near perfect read! Funny, heart-wrenching/heart-warming, and intense with enough erotic sex to set the book ablaze, Blood Vow is a Page Burning Must Read! I loved it!

My Rating:  5 Addictive Hearts . . . And that's the truth!

Cross My Heart . . . xxx
Sandra




Way Down Deep Review


Title:  Way Down Deep
Authors:  Charlotte Stein & Cara McKenna
Release Date:  June 6, 2017
Buy Link:  Amazon

My Rating:  4 Raw, Seductive Hearts

*Many thanks to the authors, publisher, and Netgally for an arc of this book.



Synopsis:

An erotic romance…told entirely through text messages.

The words he typed were never meant to be read, yet they found their way to her. Two wounded strangers, prisoners of their own lives, brought together by a wayward text.

Without ever hearing each other’s voices, a friendship blooms between them. Without ever seeing each other’s faces, an attraction grows. Without ever touching, the two become lovers.

But when words suddenly aren’t enough, will this bond be able to tear down the walls that keep them apart…or was it only ever fantasy?
 

Review:

Lonely, hurting, and more than a little drunk, a person reaches out with a distress signal via text - not really expecting an answer. Shockingly, someone responds - tossing out a lifeline via a return text – offering a willing ear, a few encouraging words. And thus slowly, a friendship begins that grows over time to an intimate affair . . . all via texts. I admit I was skeptical going in – not sure an erotic romance could be adequately relayed without any personal contact between the characters. I’ll have to say these authors proved me wrong.

Through text messages, two people are stripped naked as they each bare their souls to a stranger – each safe in their own little world. At first, they have no idea whether they are “talking” to a male or female – not knowing the other’s name, age, physical attributes, or personal situation. As the story plays out, they begin to engage in a type of game ultimately sharing more personal details including their most intimate desires and fantasies. Safe in their cloak of secrecy, – after all, they both know they’ll never meet - their games grow to an erotic fever that erupts into a shared intimacy that many couples never accomplish in the flesh. To say it’s erotic and hot is a gross understatement – it is indeed as flammable as gasoline! Lost in an avalanche of desire, they cross a line that neither may survive.

Way Down Deep is a raw, riveting, seductive character driven story that I read in mostly one sitting. Surprisingly, it has a very intimate and honest feel to it as it becomes clear these two lost characters were brought together by fate. The plot line is intriguing as there are other things at play here that I won’t reveal due to spoilers, but through a series of twists and turns, readers learn what brought each person to this place and time. I had my doubts that a virtual erotic romance was possible – but in this case, it works! A Must Read!

My Rating:  4 Raw, Riveting, Seductive Hearts . . . And that's the truth!

Cross My Heart . . . xxx
Sandra