Fatal Strike

In Fatal Strike by Shannon McKenna, Miles Davenport has spent the last few months isolated, camping in the woods. Surviving a psychic attack that not only put Miles into a coma, but when he woke up he discovered his senses were so enhanced if he didn’t get away from civilization he would go crazy. To overcome sensory overload, Miles creates an almost impenetrable mind shield.Read More

Haunted Chemistry

In Haunted Chemistry by Lindsey R. Loucks Alexis unexpectedly meets up with her old lab partner as she is going to do laundry in the basement of her building. The same lab partner who inexplicably stood her up then never contacted her again. Alexis still has feelings for him, but has no desire to have her heart broken.

When strange things suddenly begin to happen in the laundry room cupboards and then her apartment cupboards, her and Ian are suddenly together trying to figure out what is going on! Something hauntingly evil seems to be after them, something they can't explain, and they won't have long to figure it out and save each other from ??? As this is happening, through their fear, Alexis discovers why Ian stood her up...but will they have the chance to try again?

Haunted Chemistry was a really quick, somewhat confusing read. To be honest the plot was difficult to follow and figure out, and I found this to be very distracting from the characters. I felt the story jumped around a bit too much, leaving too many unanswered questions.

I do feel if Haunted Chemistry was longer and the whole concept and relationship expanded on, it might be more than a 2 star rating.

2/5 stars

The Bridesmaid

In The Bridesmaid by Julia London, Kate is trying desperately to get across the country for her cousins wedding without crushing her bridesmaid dress...Joe is also trying to get across the country to start another job in another city.  Thanks to mother nature, cancelled flights, and a strike, Kate and Joe end up travelling together to Seattle by car, train and plane!  They set off on a hilarious journey and quickly get to know and like each other.  With Kate only in Seattle for a wedding and Joe moving there, is there any chance for a future between them?

I loved this novella by Julia London!  She had me laughing on the first page!  The Bridesmaid is a fun, romantic adventure with two great characters who have great chemistry between them.  Julia writes a great, fast paced novella that won't let you put it down!

Highly recommend!!

Christmas at Angel Lake

Christmas at Angel Lake by Edie Ramer not only has a gorgeous cover, but it is another great romance by Edie!

Maddie is broke, homeless, single and pregnant.  She is on her way to stay at her sister's while she regroups, but instead thanks to a little kitten that comes out of no where in the snow, her car ends up in the ditch.  Maddie's car has come to a halt at the end of a driveway of a house that hasn't been lived in for 4 years.  Coincidence or fate?  When Alma, one of the caretakers of the house happens by and assumes Maddie is there to live in the house, Maddie doesn't correct her.  For 5 years Maddie and her son live in the old, Christmasy house in the town she has come to love.  Through the years Maddie has put aside money to give to the owner, as well as helped others in need, to give back what she's taken.

When Logan, who inherited the house from his Grandma, shows up and finds this stranger living in his house, before he can get angry and kick Maddie out, or worse, call the police, he finds himself intrigued and entertained by her.  Logan is a screenwriter who is getting over the loss of his 'dark queen' who left him for another man.  His intention was to hole up and try to write - alone.  But he agrees to let Maddie and her son stay, on one condition.  Maddie has to tell Logan a story each night...and Logan thinks Maddie just might be his new muse.

Logan has lost part of himself, not to mention his writing over the last few years, something he comes to realize clearer and clearer as he spends more time with Maddie.  He also feels an undeniable attraction to Maddie, something that Logan knows is a bad idea...Maddie is attracted to Logan also, but with her son in the house she needs to keep things under control.  For the last 5 years though, no man has made her feel the way Logan does.  Through her stories she has told him more about herself than most people, and she also makes him see himself through her stories.  But will Logan ever really be over his "dark queen"?  Can Maddie compete with her?  Does she want to, when it's not only her heart at stake but her son's too?

Interwoven throughout Christmas at Angel Lake is the story of Dog, who is searching for his human.  Dog's story and his emotions are just as heart stopping, if not more so, as Logan and Maddie's story.  I loved Dog, and as much as I wanted Maddie and Logan to work out, I really wanted Dog to find his human!

Edie Ramer has done it again with Christmas at Angel Lake!  She weaves a magical love story with just enough mix of reality and fairy tale to make it believable.  But who knows, maybe we all do have a fairy godmother, and maybe Dog's do think like that! :)  Edie's plots are always unique, but adding in the animals just makes it more so.

I loved Logan and Maddie, they were both great characters and watching them come together was fascinating!  The way they poked at each other, yet deep down understood each other made them real people.  Their life realities may be different, but inside they are more similar than they think.  They are both strong characters, but I honestly feel like Maddie is the stronger one in Christmas at Angel Lake.  This might be because she couldn't run and hide when the going got tough, whereas Logan really did want to hide out - but Maddie didn't give him a chance to!

I also loved Maddie's stories to Logan each night...a fun mix of children's stories and reality.  Both hers and his!

I easily lost myself in Christmas at Angel Lake and admit to staying up way to late reading it!  It is a light hearted romance with just enough drama to keep things spicy!  Christmas at Angel Lake is a story of love, dreams, hope and lots of laughter!  I love it when a book can make me laugh...because laughing is part of loving and living, which is what Logan is learning to do again too.

I highly recommend this and all of Edie's books!  This is book #2 of Edie's Rescued Hearts books, but it is a definite stand alone (but I'd highly recommend reading the first one too because it's just as great!!).

Unbound

I went into Unbound by Cara McKenna totally blind, didn’t read the blurb or even see the cover, so I had no idea at all what to expect! I loved, loved it!! Cara managed to pull me in as soon as I met Merry, and she kept me there, immersed in a fantastic story!

unboundSince Merry’s mother died a year ago, Merry has made some big life changes. But she also feels like she doesn’t know who she is anymore. To take time for herself, to celebrate herself, and to see where her mother was from, Merry takes a 3 week solo hiking holiday in Scotland. Read More

Through the Smoke

In Through the Smoke by Brenda Novak, Truman Stanhope, the Earl of Druridge, is searching for answers about the fire that scorched his house and took the life of his wife and her unborn child (of another man!).  His search leads him to Rachel, who he is sure knows more than she's telling about the fire.

Rachel is very conscious of her place in society and how things are perceived.  She does not want to do anything to hurt her young brother or her mother.  But when Lord Stanhope offers a Doctor's services for her dying mother in return for the answers to a few of his questions, Rachel can not say no.  Unknown to her, with this action, Rachel sets in motion a chain of events that will have the community ostracizing her, her business failing, and Rachel desiring a man she has no business desiring.

Lord Stanhope is not easily put off, and he is determined in his pursuit of answers...even when it seems everyone already assumes he is the guilty party.  Despite the gossip, he and Rachel feel more and more for each other as they see more of each other.  Rachel is everything his late wife was not.  Lord Stanhope is a man Rachel thought she could only ever dream about.

As the search for answers becomes more dangerous for both of them, and Lord Stanhope may have to resort to outside help, is their growing love for each other destined to never be realized?

Brenda does a fabulous job of writing about life as a young woman in England in the 1840's.  The 2013 woman in me wants to scream at the injustice of life as a woman then, but another part of me is proud of the strong, independent woman that Rachel is for that era.  Through the Smoke will take you right to small town England where you can smell the coal dust.  Brenda brings the characters to life, especially Rachel.  Both Rachel and Lord Stanhope come across as very genuine people, and despite the centuries of difference between then and now, the feelings the characters experience are ones that are timeless.

Through the Smoke will have you wondering how things could possible end up.  Brenda describes the class differences and expectations vividly, sometimes you will feel like you are right there in the pages with Rachel, Lord Stanhope and the mysteries surrounding them.  You can actually feel the disdain that Lord Stanhope's head housekeeper feels for Rachel.

I really found myself hoping that there could be a way for the Earl and the commoner to be together!

I don't read many historical romances, but with Through the Smoke Brenda kept me enchanted (and through very good writing annoyed about the oppression of women), and wondering if Lord Stanhope would ever find out the truth before it was too late.  I am very happy I took the chance on this historical romance!  I would recommend Through the Smoke to anyone who enjoys historical romance with suspense, great characters, and just enough heat between them!

4/5 stars

Mine to Keep

Mine to Keep by Cynthia Eden is book 2 in the Mine series.  In Mine to Keep we continue with Skye and Trace's story.  Skye and Trace have found each other again after 10 years apart.  They have a stong, unique bond that started when they first met in foster care.  They have both always cared deeply for the other, despite the separation.

Trace has taken Skye to a private tropical island as she tries to recover from being stalked, atacked, and being taken captive.  Now that he has Skye with him again, Trace has no intention of letting her go.  He will do anything to protect her.  Back in their 'real' world, Skye is moving in with Trace, and is putting a ring on her finger.  But he is still keeping so much of himself and his past from her, something Skye is not happy about.  She wants to know all of him, to love all of him.  Trace worries his dark side will drive her away.

When happenings from Trace's past catch up to them both and the one person he loves more than anyone is threatened, Trace will use all his resources to find the who, what and why.  It will be a fine balance for him between protecting Skye and smothering her.  He's going to have to risk opening up and being as honest with Skye as she is with him.  Will it be enough to keep them safe and catch a killer bent on revenge?  Trace has promised Skye forever...but can they both keep that promise?

Cynthia gives us a fast paced, intense romantic suspense with Mine to Keep.  You will either love or hate the characters.  Trace seems so dark, secretive, and dangerous...we are left guessing for a long time about him.  His borderline obsessive possesion of Skye was a little over the top...but as long as he was honest with Skye she seemed ok with it (more so than me, lol!!).  Trace is a very strong character, one you want on your side for sure!  Skye is much stronger than I think even Trace gives her credit for.  She wants to be with him, but she wants to maintain some independence at the same time...and she wants to be trusted.

Cynthia brings the mystery to life and has your heart bounding ... sometimes in fear, sometimes in anticipation!  We learn more about Skye and Trace in Mine to Keep, and I think Cynthia does a really good job of portraying what some kids go through.  In Mine to Keep Cynthia will leave you guessing until the end, taking you where you don't want to go in real life, but with her writing a story you love reading about. 

It was great to see the characters from Mine to Take making a reappearance, such as Alex.  We also meet some new characters who I'm sure we'll see in the next Mine book (can't wait!).

I love Cynthia's writing and highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys some hot romantic suspense!