Feline the Love by Lorelei M. Hart and Aria Grace

Title: Feline the Love

Author: Lorelei M. Hart and Aria Grace

Series: #2 in the River's Edge Shifters series

Genre: M/M Paranormal Romance

Publisher:  Surrendered Press (August 6, 2020)

Source: Kindle Unlimited

Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: An M/M MPreg Shifter Romance

Sometimes love arrives with a purr...

Omega cat shifter Leo needs to get out of city life. He’s sick of people trying to rescue him when he shifts. He’s no domesticated animal—he’s a cat shifter descended from lions for goodness sakes. If only he hadn’t been saddled with a recessive gene that made him the least fierce of his clan...and sent him running to the big city.

A city he now loathed.

It seemed that a move to the country was in order.

Alpha human Ron loves his job as the Deputy of Riverview Township, even with his annoying boss, but he needs more out of life than just his career. If only he had figured that out sooner, back when he still turned a few heads. Now he was just The Deputy and no one looked at him as a potential anything.

Ron’s life is turned completely upside down when Leo moves to town, taking over a fixer upper that was barely standing. There’s just something about Leo that has him wanting to both protect and help him.

Feline the Love is a sweet with knotty heat M/M shifter mpreg romance featuring a cat who finds more in Riverview Township than just a new home, a human who discovers there is an entire world he never knew about, a real estate bargain that very much isn’t one, two men who finally find their place in the world, true fated love, and an adorable little baby. This is the second book in the River’s Edge Shifters series brought to you by the co-writing team of Lorelei M. Hart and Aria Grace and can be read as a stand-alone.

My Thoughts: I very much enjoyed this book and both heroes so much.

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: Another instance of me not doing great on doing my reviews this year so I never did one on book 1 in this series. In this series we have short paranormal books with unconventional shifters set in the Omegaverse. In the first book there was a bunny shifter. In this book we have tabby cat. 

Leo is one of our heroes. A tabby cat shifter who purchased a rundown property in the small town of River's Edge. I adored Ron (not a fan of the names of the heroes in this book especially after the first book's heroes Jase and August.) He's an adorable deputy who loves his job. The romance was really good. Although the series really relies on more of a fated mate trope, we did get to see them fall in love by them spending time together a little while before they fell into bed. The sexy times were spicy but not overly so. The humor of the story made me laugh. Multiple times someone suggested the tabby should be neutered. As the tabby was Leo, it made me laugh quite a bit.

In a Nutshell: A short book but well written. I liked this one as much, if not a little more, than the first. I'll definitely read the next book in the series.

An Omega Bear for Kit by Lorelei M. Hart and Colbie Dunbar

Title: An Omega Bear for Kit

Author: Lorelei M. Hart and Colbie Dunbar

Series: #2 in the Bruin Ridge Bear-Ginnings series

Genre: M/M Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Surrendered Press (May 22, 2022)

Source: Kindle Unlimited

Rating: ☕☕☕

Synopsis: Grant didn't know an omega could become Beta of his Bear Den, but that's exactly what just happened.

Omega bear shifter Grant loves all of the positive changes that his den has seen since their new Alpha arrived. Now that he has food in his bellym, a comfortable place to live, and a taste of the human world, he yearns to take another step and do what no one from his den has attempted--get a college education. If only he was brave enough to ask.

Alpha mountain lion shifter Kit enjoys his life in the city. Great food, fun nightlife, andf best of all... no pack politics. That's until his pack's Alpha sends word he's needed at home. Kit has no choice but to agree and decides to take a detour to the Bruin Ridge shifters to visit his old roommate, their new Alpha. Anything to delay the inevitable.

Kit's short trip is complicated when he scents his true mate and doubly complicated when Grant, his fated, is name den Beta.

An Omega Bear of Kit is the seond book in the Bruin Ridge Bear-ginning series, a sweet with knotty heat M/M Mpreg Shifter Romance by the popular writing team of Colbie Dunbar and Lorelei M. Hart. It features an alpha mountin lion thrown into a role he is woefully unprepared for, an omega bear trying to find his place, a den beginning to thrive, an unexpected position, true lovem, fatedf mates, and of course, an adorable baby. If you love your shifters hawt, your omegas strong, and your mpreg with heart, download your copy of An Omega Bear for Kit today.

My Thoughts: While I didn't like this book nearly as much as the first it held my interest from the first page to the last.

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: So, I honestly don't know why I didn't connect to Grant and Kit as much as I did Aspen and Lucian other than Lucian's plight caught me in my feels and both Grant and Kit were just, well, there. Not saying their tumultuous relationship wasn't worth reading about because it certainly was. I just found it to be more angsty than anything else. They are not necessarily star-crossed lovers but each of the separate lives dictated they were on different paths. It was Kit's situation that made for them not being able to be together and I while I did feel for them, I just didn't like the situation. We had a healthy dose of tyrannical Alphas from the former Bruin Ride Bear Alpha in the first book, so, having yet another one in Kit's pride was a bit too much for me. 

I thought Grant was an exceptional character though and his battle with his bear was captivating. Although Grant was an Omega, I'd venture to say his bear was a little bit alpha with how strong he was. 

The love story between Kit and Grant was lovely and although this was a short novel (as they all are) I felt it was well balanced between the spicy sex, the angsty plot, the fated mate trope, the character development (even though Grant was more fleshed out than Kit), and the insta-love I love you's.

In a Nutshell: I'm still hooked on this series and I'm looking forward to the 3rd book a lot.

Sweeping Ashley by Eve Langlais

Title: Sweeping Ashley

Author: Eve Langlais

Narrator: Troy Duran

Series: #2 in the Grim Dating series

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Eve Langlais (February 10, 2021)

Source: Hoopla Library Find

Rating: ☕☕☕

Synopsis: Sometimes love is messy.

In exchange for some witchy powers, Ashley promised the Devil her firstborn, but when the time comes to pay her due, she has nothing to give.

With Lucifer insisting that she fulfill the terms of her contract, Ashley turns to Grim Dating for help. There’s only one problem—they’re having a hard time finding her perfect match.

Which is where Derrick comes in.

He’s the company’s problem solver; however, even he has no idea how to get a prim and proper witch to let loose. Frustration leads to him kissing her, but he never meant to seduce her.

…or fall in love.

However, his witch isn’t interested in more than a one-night stand. And when an angel gets involved, the reaper realizes he’d best do a better job of sweeping Ashley off her feet.

Or risk losing her forever.

My Thoughts: While I didn't love this as much as I did the first book in the series it was an OK addition to the series.

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: I really don't feel this book was nearly as good as the first in the series. I loved the first one despite some things others may have disliked. Unfortunately, this one was lacking the intensity I thought the first did. The connection Ashley and Derrick had wasn't really there for me as the couple from the first book was. They definitely had heat though and I liked they got their HEA. As with the first book in the series my very favorite thing was the narration of Troy Duran. His vocals elevated the experience so much but unfortunately it elevated to an average book.

Honestly, I'm living for Lucifer's interference and wish there was more. I still love the idea the "good guys" are Lucifer and his 9th favorite Grim Reaper and 2nd most wicked witch and the "bad guys" are angels. I'm hoping to see more of the "good guys" and more Luc. I love him. 

In a Nutshell: I'll continue on with the series and only on audio based purely on Troy Duran's narration. I don't think if I'd read this book myself I would have liked it nearly as well and continuing on with the series may have not been an option. 

Rancher Bear by Terry Bolryder

Title: Rancher Bear

Author: Terry Bolryder

Series: #2 in the Bear Haven series

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Terry Bolryder (September 20, 2015)

Source: Kindle Unlimited

Rating: ☕☕1/2

Synopsis: Jesse is used to being the calm one of the three overprotective, overbearing Mcallister brothers. But ever since the beautiful, redheaded Bonnie came into town with her two friends, the big bear has been on the hunt for one thing only- her heart.

Bonnie can’t deny that the tall, unfathomably sexy Jesse Mcallister is the hottest thing she’s ever seen on two legs, and that the attraction they feel for each other is undeniable. The only problem? She’s been engaged to a man that doesn’t love her and that Bonnie’s friends believe is all wrong for her. So when things with the ill-fitting finance finally break off, Bonnie sees this at her first, and maybe only chance for true love.

The second the two are together, fireworks go off and Bonnie knows she’ll never be able to get enough of the incredible Jesse. But Bonnie’s ex isn't going down without a fight, and there’s a secret that Bonnie and Jesse share that may endanger their relationship and change everything they ever believed in.

My Thoughts: I really wanted to like this book but both the MCs bugged me to distraction. 

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: Honestly what you have here is a short, fated mate, insta-love, shifter story. That's it. Nothing more. I did give this less than my typical rating for these type of books but only because as a character driven reader I just didn't like or connect with Jesse or Bonnie. With only 118 pages there just isn't enough background on them even though both were introduced in the first book in this series, Mountain Bear. There is even less on world building required for me to fully understand the Lynx shifter part and why other shifters can't sense cat shifters like they can all other shifters. Apparently, cat shifters can sense other cat shifters but a bear shifter can't sense a cat shifter or even if they are shifters at all. Jesse's lineage is mentioned and then not brought back up until the epilogue but only as side note to the story and not something that I, for one, find rather important especially since the McAllister men are actively seeking out mates that aren't bear shifters.

I also think Bonnie's ex, Seth, is a wasted character. He was written to be one we wouldn't like yet his story had the potential to be quite tragic as it appears LGBTQIA+ shifters either don't exist (in a Don't Ask Don't Tell kind of way as long as they still do their duty to their family and breed the next generation anyway) or the author only writes a queer character to be a throw away. I think Seth had more depth than Jesse and was really underplayed within the book. I keep hoping I'll run across an M/M shifter romance by this author featuring Seth. It wouldn't be the first time an author could take a character not written as hero material and flip it to be an amazing story and a worthy hero. 

In a Nutshell: Even though I really didn't care for this book I will absolutely read the rest of the series and the author's other series as well.

Due or Die by Jenn McKinlay

Title: Due or Die

Author: Jenn McKiinlay

Series: #2 in the Library Lover's Librarian Mystery series

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Publisher: Berkley (March 6, 2012)

Source: Purchased

Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: Answering tricky reference questions is excitement enough for library director Lindsey Norris. Until a murder is committed in her cozy hometown of Briar Creek, Connecticut, and the question of who did it must be answered before someone else is checked out--for good.

My Thoughts: A good cozy with interesting characters. 

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: I'm partial to books with a library setting so this series is right up my alley. An added bonus was to have a group within the book actually discussing books. I loved this. I've read books in the past with the same theme, yet no books are really talked about during the course of the book. It's quite frustrating really.

I thought the murderer was fairly easy to figure out, but most cozies aren't super difficult to figure out the whodunit. It would have been nice if more red herrings had been thrown in rather than one giant glaringly easy to see red herring the author used. It is sad when a mystery book has the reader more interested in the personal relationships between the characters than the actual murder plot. Of course, the murdered victim was only introduced briefly, and we definitely were not supposed to like him. For once I'd like a cozy mystery introduce us to a lovely person that we cared about and then bumped them off. Would this go against the cozy code? Probably.

I liked how Lindsey's potential relationship with Sully is moving forward and it's really sweet. However, I disliked her flippant attitude with going on a date with the new guy in the book because it's super obvious Lindsey and Sully are going to be together. Some might argue the author's way of ensuring we know Lindsey and Sully are supposed to be together is a bit clunky and lacks finesse but when an author spends more time on their characters, I spend more time enjoying it. Tis the life of a character driven reader. Plot becomes secondary (don't hate on me LOL). Anyway, back to the topic of introducing someone new as a potential match to Lindsey creates an unnecessary love triangle and I am not a fan of those (one of the reasons it's taken me so long to read past the 8th Hannah Swensen book by Joanne Fluke to tell the truth.) I hope the books don't continue with adding more love interests as the series progresses because I'm really wanted to read more of them and would have to shelve them on principle.

In a Nutshell: Of course, I'll read the next book. Potential love triangle aside...there are books, crafts, a library, an adorable puppy named Heathcliff (whom I forgot to mention until now), and a hawt man named Michael Sullivan. Yep, I'm hooked.

Fire by Kristin Cashore

 

Title: Fire

Author: Kristin Cashore

Narrator: Xanthe Elbrick

Series: #2 in the Gaceling Realm series

Genre: YA Fantasy

Publisher: Firebird (October 5, 2009) 

Source: Library Find

Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: It is not a peaceful time in the Dells. The young King Nash clings to his throne while rebel lords in the north and south build armies to unseat him. The mountains and forests are filled with spies and thieves and lawless men.

This is where Fire lives. With a wild, irresistible appearance and hair the color of flame, Fire is the last remaining human monster. Equally hated and adored, she had the unique ability to control minds, but she guards her power, unwilling to steal the secrets of innocent people. Especially when she has so many of her own.

Then Prince Brigan comes to bring her to King City, The royal family needs her help to uncover the plot against the king. Far away from home, Fire begins to realize there's more to her power than she ever dreamed. Her power could save the kingdom.

If only she weren't afraid of becoming the monster her father was.

My Thoughts:   After completely loving the first book in the series I had very high expectations of this book and I'm sad to say I found this book a bit boring. Although it's the second book in the series it's technically a prequel. I'm not sure if that's why I didn't like it as well or because Fire just wasn't Katsa. I thought Fire, as a heroine was *meh 🤷‍♀️.

I chose to listen to this book whereas I read the ebook when I tackled Graceling. There was a lot of dialog that happened in people's minds because of Fire's ability and Xanthe Elbrick's Fire mind voice was, well, dull. Hypnotic but not in a good way.

I didn't care about any of the characters like I cared about Katsa and Po. The only character I seemed to care about was Fire's horse, Small. It was interesting to see King Lec's beginning though. The next book is back in the same time as Graceling and about Po's niece Bitterblue so I'm looking forward to it.

In a Nutshell: I will read the next book but I'm not sure if I'll listen to it or actually read it on my kindle. I don't think the audio enhanced my experience for this book.

Panther's Claim by Eve Langlais

Title: Panther's Claim

Author: Eve Langlais

Narrator: Chandra Skyye

Series: #2 in the Bitten Point series

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Tantor Audio (March 22, 2016 first published March 2nd 2016) 

Source: Audible Escape

Rating: ☕☕☕

Synopsis: 

Cynthia: So I met a man.

Mom: Is he single?

Hitting on the wrong woman finds Daryl regaining consciousness in a motel taped to a chair. Things were looking up--and not just below the belt.

A sexy, cocoa-complexioned veterinarian--with killer curves--wants answers, and he's only too happy to give them to her, for a price, say a kiss, or something more, from those luscious lips. The problem is Cynthia isn't the type to fall for flirty words and panty-dropping smiles. She tempts Daryl into helping her. Teases him into acting. Claims his heart without even trying.

But that was okay because...She's mine...and someone was trying to hurt her.

Hell no.

This kitty isn't afraid to unleash his claws and rescue the woman he wants. An intriguing, hot woman, a mystery, and danger? Sounds like fun, and Daryl is ready to play. He'll do anything to claim Cynthia as his mate. 

My Thoughts: While I really liked the first book in this little series this second book missed the mark a bit.

The Good, The Bad, and Everything in Between: The opening was super fun. It started where book 1 ended, with Daryl being kidnapped. I very much liked the first 1/4 of the book...maybe not quite 25%. While I read the first book on my Kindle, I opted to listen to this one using my Audible Escape (I'm going to miss you AE). I, honestly, thought this was a bad idea as Daryl was coming off as a creepy singles greasy guy trying to hit up women in a bar using super cheesy pick up lines. Had I read the lines it probably wouldn't have been as bad. The attraction between Daryl and Cynthia is off the charts and I sometimes get a little weird when a romance gets a little more into the erotic genre. Erotica isn't my jam but I don't automatically hate all books within the genre. The sexy parts weren't terrible. As a matter of fact I think Langlais does a good job balancing the action with the sex within her books (at least the 2 I've read.) But man! I just couldn't get over the stupid things that were coming out of Daryl's mouth. I think it started with Cynthia's name. She introduced herself and said her friends called her Thea. Daryl immediately said he'd call her Cyn....as in Sin...because her body was so sinful and he wanted to do her. I'd like to say his sexual innuendos got smoother but every single one of them made me cringe.

Honestly, if it weren't for the fabulous connecting plot between the first and second book I may have rated this one lower. I will absolutely continue with this series to find out how the underlying plot will pan out but I may go back and read it rather than listen.

In a Nutshell: Not the best book in the series but nothing I wouldn't tell someone not to read but I'd recommend someone should start with the first one for sure.

The Unexpected Millionaire by Susan Mallery

Title: The Unexpected Millionaire

Author: Susan Mallery

Narrator: Catherine Carr

Series: #2 in the Million Dollar Catch series

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Silhouette Desire December 5th 2006 (audio version March 22nd 2010 by Harlequin Books S.A.)

Source: Audible Escape

Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: Millionaire Kane Dennison's first mistake had been carrying an injured Willow Nelson inside his home, which, as a rule, was off-limits. Of course, she'd needed his help, but his one kind gesture had her believing he was a nice man. He wasn't.

His second mistake had been surrendering to passion after warning Willow to run away. Because a woman like her deserved better than a one-night stand. She believed in soul mates. He trusted no one--needed no one. And not even Willow was going to change him!

My Thoughts: What a gem!

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: I loved this book. The heroine was quirky and optimistic. The hero was brooding and emotionally unavailable (until the right woman came along anyway.) The plot was a little thin and a longer book could have developed some of the storylines better (like the family dynamics between Willow, her 2 sisters, her dad, etc.) This is a straight forward contemporary romance with no suspense, no miscommunication, no love triangles....and I liked it so much for not trying to be something it wasn't. Sure it could have been longer. The love could have developed over a longer period or time. Willow's character could potentially grate on some people's nerves as she's quite quirky in her sense of humor. The sex happened very quickly and was pretty explicit (as Silhouette Desires are known for....the Harlequin Temptations were their doppelgänger...all which were replaced by the Harlequin Blaze line...essentially....all of which featured a lot more explicit sex than other category romance imprints.) None of those things took away from my enjoyment. The epiphany of Kane's love did happen almost off page (not quite but it would have been nice had we seen him literally brought to his knees prior to his declaration to Willow.) He groveled but perhaps not nearly enough for me to bump this book up to a 5 star read. Even though this book is practically 14 years old it didn't feel dated at all. Major plus! Just a side note...I really hate this cover.

The narration was done well and I was able to listen to Catherine Carr's voice at 2Xs the speed without difficulty. I would listen to another book narrated by her but I'm not sure I would purposely seek out a book she reads outside my comfort book zone just because of her narration.

In a Nutshell: I honestly find more diamonds with Susan Mallery books than I do coal. I really liked this book and will definitely read the rest of the series. I'd also recommend this book to my friends who like to read the occasional category romance and ones who read them habitually. 

A Merciful Truth by Kendra Elliot

Title: A Merciful Truth
Author: Kendra Elliot
Narrator: Teri Schnaubelt
Series: #2 in the Mercy Kilpatrick series
Genre: Mystery, Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Audible Audio (June 6 ,2017)
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: Raised by a family of survivalists, FBI agent Mercy Kilpatrick can take on any challenge—even the hostile reception to her homecoming. But she’s not the only one causing chaos in the rural community of Eagle’s Nest, Oregon. At first believed to be teenage pranks, a series of fires takes a deadly turn with the murder of two sheriff’s deputies. Now, along with Police Chief Truman Daly,
Mercy is on the hunt for an arsonist turned killer.

Still shunned by her family and members of the community, Mercy must keep her ear close to the ground to pick up any leads. And it’s not long before she hears rumors of the area’s growing antigovernment militia movement. If the arsonist is among their ranks, Mercy is determined to smoke the culprit out. But when her investigation uncovers a shocking secret, will this hunt for a madman turn into her own trial by fire?

My Thoughts: While I think the first book was a little better I'm enjoying reading about Mercy Kilpatrick and think Kendra Elliot is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine.


The Good, the Bad, and Everything in Between: So, I liked this book a lot but the plot didn't work as well for me as the one in the first book. In this book we not only have preppers, who were the subject of the first book, but we also have militia members. In my head the mindset of the preppers in the first book were a similar to the militia in the second book. There are fundamental differences between the two and the author did a good job of covering them but even from the beginning of book one I thought the preppers were a bit cultish and some of them were even extreme which reminded me of militia. A while back I read Die Trying by Lee Child which was a great book featuring a militia. The reason I bring this up is because that book outlined a leader far superior to the leader of the militia in Elliot's book. He was recruiting but there was no focus on training the recruits. This group would have been doomed from the beginning because the leader wasn't as strong of a leader as the one Lee Child developed. This, of course, is just my opinion and if you've read both books I'd love to hear from you.

In addition I found the identity of the militia leader a bit of a stretch as no one recognized him, not even his own family. There are arguments to be made on why his own family might not have recognized him and I agree there are some possibilities on the lack of identifying, primarily he hadn't seen his family since 1980-ish. I get it, but with the combination of his identity and his questionable leadership, just the idea of him pulling off what he did made this book not quite as good for me as the first.

The progress of Mercy and Truman's relationship is still slowly growing. While I think this is a good thing because I really hate insta-love, it feels as if Truman is a lot more invested in their relationship than Mercy. She continues to hold back, refusing to give everything she can to Truman to support their relationship. Although this drives me nuts it does show Mercy's vulnerability. Her long estrangement from her family and the difficult interactions between them when she finally came home  put her in a delicate emotional state. She longs for her family connections but her loner existence for so much of her life made her reliant on only herself. Trust comes slowly for her and this is where the relationship between her and Truman flounder a bit.

Once again I listened to the audio version of this book through my Kindle Unlimited subscription. Teri Schnaubelt continues to narrate and as I mentioned in my review of A Merciful Death she does an Ok job. Not wonderful but not terrible. I find these books easy enough to listen to so I'm going to continue the series on audio but will no longer mention my thoughts on the audio itself going forward.

In a Nutshell: While many of my points seem negative the actual tension and suspense of this book was top notch and Elliot's writing is really engaging and I'd encourage someone who likes Rom/Susp or even just mysteries (as the romance is not as prominent as the mystery aspect) to pick this series up.

The Governess Game by Tessa Dare

Title: The Governess Game
Author: Tessa Dare
Narrator: Mary Jane Wells
Series: #2 in the Girl Meets Duke series
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: HarperAudio (August 28, 2018 )
Source: Library Find
Rating: ☕☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: He’s been a bad, bad rake—and it takes a governess to teach him a lesson

The accidental governess

After her livelihood slips through her fingers, Alexandra Mountbatten takes on an impossible post: transforming a pair of wild orphans into proper young ladies. However, the girls don’t need discipline. They need a loving home. Try telling that to their guardian, Chase Reynaud: duke’s heir in the streets and devil in the sheets. The ladies of London have tried—and failed—to make him settle down. Somehow, Alexandra must reach his heart . . . without risking her own.

The infamous rake

Like any self-respecting libertine, Chase lives by one rule: no attachments. When a stubborn little governess tries to reform him, he decides to give her an education—in pleasure. That should prove he can’t be tamed. But Alexandra is more than he bargained for: clever, perceptive, passionate. She refuses to see him as a lost cause. Soon the walls around Chase’s heart are crumbling . . . and he’s in danger of falling, hard.

My Thoughts: After a couple days I still am having trouble putting all my thoughts into words...well better words than Wow and Amazing anyway.

The Good, The Bad, And Everything Else: I love witty banter and humorous dialogue and Tessa Dare mastered that in this book. The interactions between Chase and Alex are funny and I loved every minute of them but what stole the show was the many different ways the youngest ward, Daisy, came up with for her doll, Millicent, to die. Once Millicent succumbed to dysentery, or consumption, or a bowel obstruction, or a dozen other things Daisy and her sister insist Chase participate in the funeral for the deceased with Chase presenting the eulogy. At which point I was so sad I opted to listen to this book on audio instead of e-book because I would have been highlighting the crap out of some really great moments.

The super sexy parts were quite steamy and I did enjoy them even though Alex's thoughts on sex without the sanctity of marriage is very forward thinking. I kind of thought they were a bit too modern but not enough for me to enjoy this book any less.

The character of Chase was a bit over the top because he is 4th in line for Dukedom and through one tragedy after another puts him as the number one heir rather than a distant spare. He never thought he'd be a Duke so his attitude was that of the "Spare". Drinking. Gambling. Womanizing. He does it all with a grin and a lackadaisical attitude. You'd think he wouldn't be likable but he is. He truly is.

I listened to the audio version of this book and Mary Jane Wells is a new to me reader. I felt she did a pretty good job but I did have to slow my normal speed down because I found with the British accent her voice didn't really chipmunk out but I had a hard time understanding all the words. I slowed it down from 1.8X's to 1.4X's. I felt this was a good speed for her voice. I do have the first book in this series waiting for me from the library on audio and I'm looking forward to getting to it. Yes I "read" this series out of order.

In a Nutshell: I am such a fan of this author and can't wait to read more in this series. Reading out of order was not a deterrent so if you can't get the first one but have this one just jump in! It'll be fine. I promise.

The Bride Test by Helen Hoang

Title: The Bride Test
Author: Helen Hoang
Series: #2 in the Kiss Quotient series
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: LLC Dreamscape Media  (May 7, 2019)
Source: Library Find
Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: Khai Diep has no feelings. Well, he feels irritation when people move his things or contentment when ledgers balance down to the penny, but not big, important emotions—like grief. And love. He thinks he’s defective. His family knows better—that his autism means he just processes emotions differently. When he steadfastly avoids relationships, his mother takes matters into her own hands and returns to Vietnam to find him the perfect bride.

As a mixed-race girl living in the slums of Ho Chi Minh City, Esme Tran has always felt out of place. When the opportunity arises to come to America and meet a potential husband, she can’t turn it down, thinking this could be the break her family needs. Seducing Khai, however, doesn’t go as planned. Esme’s lessons in love seem to be working…but only on herself. She’s hopelessly smitten with a man who’s convinced he can never return her affection.

With Esme’s time in the United States dwindling, Khai is forced to understand he’s been wrong all along. And there’s more than one way to love.

My Thoughts: This was a pretty great book that had my feelers all over the place.

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: Esme was a strong independent woman who just wanted better for her child. Better, meaning America, rather than the poor side of Vietnam.  I liked Esme quite a bit but I fell in love with Khai. Over my lifetime I spent 1/4 of it working with people with developmental disabilities some of whom had Autism. I felt Helen Hoang did an amazing job fleshing out Khai and his traits.

I wish Esme would have researched Autism when Khai brought it up. She looked up Accounting when it was mentioned. Her character seemed curious and needed to learn so this oversight seemed odd. Had she researched she would have understood the things Khai did much sooner. Of course the book would have ended a lot sooner without the major epiphany Khai had towards the end. I also wished Esme would have told everyone about her daughter way sooner. As much as she loved Jade I'm just not sure why she would have hidden her. Especially once she determined her and Khai were not suited.

I enjoyed the audio version of this book a lot. Emily Woo Zeller was the narrator and to date this book is the first one I've listened to that she has done. I don't speak Vietnamese and the proper way to pronounce the various names would have tripped me up a lot. I was able to listen at my regular speed which is not quite 2X's the speed.

In a Nutshell: Although this book is the second book in the series, it's the first book I've read by this author. Reading out of order didn't spoil my enjoyment and there doesn't seem to be much connecting the books other than a theme and family. I would definitely recommend this book and will go back and read the first book myself.

**Early Review** Texas Trouble by Gerry Bartlett

Title: Texas Trouble
Author: Gerry Bartlett
Series: #2 in the Lone Star series
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Lyrical Liaison (June 4, 2019)
Source: NetGalley
Rating: ☕☕1/2

Synopsis: Scarlett Hall followed a job and a friend to Texas, but that cost her more than she’d bargained for. Now, wounded but determined to get past one of the worst days of her life, she decides she has to pull herself together. First step: cover up the physical scars left from her ordeal. That’s easy. But the emotional scars are proving harder to handle . . .

Then she meets Ethan Calhoun. This bad boy seems ready to make his own changes and might be just what she needs to start a new chapter in her life. When he offers her a job as manager of his new bar, she decides to go for it. A change of pace and a hot guy who makes her forget her troubles while she’s in his arms are a great cure. But it soon becomes clear that danger will be in Scarlett’s life no matter how many changes she makes. As Scarlett comes face to face with her worst nightmare, it seems happiness was just an illusion. Maybe Texas is just too much trouble . .

My Thoughts: Ugh. This book took me forever to finish and honestly, I found various parts of it a bit ridiculous.

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: The chemistry between Scarlett and Ethan was off the charts and their work time together was a nice way to develop the characters and their connection more. Even though Ethan's character sometimes felt too young. There were quite a few "baby brother" comments that just didn't bode well for Ethan's potential Book Boyfriend Roll.

I did feel that I was thrown into an already existing storyline as this book recaps Scarlett's PTSD from an event that happened, I'm assuming, in the first book of the series. I know reading series books out of order can be tricky and normally I would not do this but when I got the opportunity to review a Gerry Bartlett book I was excited. I've been hearing about this author for years and never read one of her books before. Unfortunately reading book 2 before reading the first book was probably not the best idea as this book definitely had a part 2 feel to it. As if this were a continuation of book 1 rather than it's own entity. Everything from the original terror Scarlett had when she was kidnapped in the last book to Scarlett and her brother Rhett's names. Why were they named after Gone With the Wind characters? I have no idea.

The suspense aspect was lacking as well. There was a convoluted feel to the suspense part because there ended up being 2 different sets of "bad guys" with 2 sets of motives/plot lines running simultaneously. None of the baddies really caused me to be on the edge of my seat with worry either. Leroy Simms, who is a cop killing psycho, kept having tender thoughts about his woman running amok in the "I'm going to torture and kill Scarlett" plot thread. I just couldn't find anyone to root for in the book. Yes I root for bad guys just as often as I root for the good ones.

In addition, there was a whole lot of He-man chest beating in the form of "I carry a gun. I just wish I Leroy Simms would make an appearance 'round here. I could use the target practice." type crap. Ugh!!!

In a Nutshell: Overall a rather disappointing romance which makes me a sad panda. I really wanted to like this book. I will give Gerry Bartlett another try but will definitely go with one of the Real Vampire ones and steer clear of these Rom/Susp books. They just aren't for me.

Gone to Her Grave by Melinda Leigh

Title: Gone to Her Grave
Author: Melinda Leigh
Series: #2 in the Rogue River series
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Montlake Romance (October 21, 2014)
Source: NetGalley
Rating: ☕☕☕

Synopsis: In Solitude, Oregon, everyone has secrets…and some will kill to keep them.

When she believes a teen is falsely accused of drug dealing, social worker Carly Taylor takes on a high-risk case and her estranged husband—the detective in charge of the investigation—to prove the boy innocent. A deadly new designer drug has taken hold of her small rural hometown of Solitude, Oregon, and Carly is determined to find the real dealer and clear the teen’s name. But the deeper she digs into the case, the more danger she unearths, until someone decides it’s time for Carly to move on…permanently.

Investigator Seth Harding knows he can’t stop his wife when she has a child to protect. But he risks any chance of reconciliation with Carly if he can’t learn to accept her dangerous job. When a drug dealer decides Carly is getting too close, will Seth lose her altogether?

A pulse-pounding Rogue River novella, Gone to Her Grave is the second exciting addition to the new romantic suspense series from Melinda Leigh and Kendra Elliot.

My Thoughts: While I really enjoyed the first installment in this series I thought the lack of conclusion in this book was more pronounced than the former.

The Good: I liked the suspenseful moments where Carly was making home visits to a family in a really bad situation. This smacks of realness and it made me identify with Carly and the fact that she didn't run headlong into danger was a plus. I liked seeing Stevie once again even though she had a very small part in this book.


The Bad: The continuing storyline that connects all four novellas in the Rogue River series didn't really move forward even though the death of Carly and Stevie's dad is being investigated now. If it weren't for the rehashing of the big bad drug craze happening in the small town there wouldn't have been much to connect the two stories.

Also, the romance was problematic because Seth and Carly are married yet separated throughout the entire book. There was huge communication issues between the two because of Seth. I couldn't connect with him because he was a macho-my job is more important than yours is-jerk. I could see how they might be able to work it out but only if Seth does some major soul searching and changes his attitude. A novella just didn't give a warring couple time to work out their differences.

In a Nutshell: I'm invested in Rogue River and will continue reading the next two books.

Promise Not to Tell by Jayne Ann Krentz

Title: Promise Not to Tell
Author: Jayne Ann Krentz
Series: #2 in the Cutler, Sutter, and Salinas series
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Berkley (January 2, 2018)
Source: Library Find
Rating: ☕☕☕

Synopsis: A painter of fiery, nightmarish visions throws herself into the sea—but she leaves her secrets behind . . .

Seattle gallery owner Virginia Troy has spent years battling the demons that stem from her childhood time in a cult and the night a fire burned through the compound, killing her mother. And now one of her artists has taken her own life, but not before sending Virginia a last picture: a painting that makes Virginia doubt everything about the so-called suicide—and her own past.

Like Virginia, private investigator Cabot Sutter was one of the children in the cult who survived that fire... and only he can help her now. As they struggle to unravel the clues in the painting, it becomes clear that someone thinks Virginia knows more than she does and that she must be stopped. Thrown into an inferno of desire and deception, Virginia and Cabot draw ever closer to the mystery of their shared memories—and the shocking fate of the one man who still wields the power to destroy everything they hold dear.

My Thoughts: While I found the mystery interesting this book just won't stick with me in the long run.

The Good: The underlying cult theme that started in the first book moved forward during this book which I actually enjoyed even though I don't gravitate towards books with cults in them. I'm looking forward to seeing how JAK wraps it up in the last book of this trilogy but having to wait until January of next year seems like such a long wait. I liked some of the supporting characters in this book especially Anson (Cabot's dad) and Xavier (Cabot's young cousin). The pacing of the book is really good as the suspense and tension starts right away and continues to grow through out the book.

The Bad: Once again, as with the first book, I found the romance just not quite right. I didn't see their attraction and despite JAK having dialogue to support it (in the form of "I want to kiss you,") it just wasn't there. There were no epiphanies of "I can't live without you". There were no instances where I just felt they had to be together.

In addition, the mystery was subpar. Although, Cabot is a PI, and we follow his methods to investigating Hannah's death they seem to jump to conclusions a lot. Even with Cabot explaining to Virginia they can't rely on speculation as facts they seem to make some conclusions just because it fits the storyline instead of relying on just the facts. "Follow the money" makes perfect sense but to draw a conclusion that the entire thing was about money with no hard evidence seemed a stretch. Also, the number of murderers in this one, similarly to the first book, seems more complex than necessary.

In a Nutshell: So, even though these are only average reads and there are way better Romantic Suspense books out there I'm going to read the last book when it comes out. I want to read how the underlying story-arc pans out.

Compulsion by Allison Brennan

Title: Compulsion
Author: Allison Brennan
Series: #2 in the Maxine Revere series
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Minotaur Books (April 7, 2015)
Source: Library Find
Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: Investigative reporter Maxine Revere has a theory: that the five New York City murders for which Adam Bachman is being tried are just part of his killing spree. In probing the disappearance of a retired couple who vanished the prior summer, Max uncovers striking similarities to Bachman's MO and develops a theory that Bachman wasn't working alone.

Max wins a coveted pre-trial interview with the killer, whose disarming composure in the face of her questions is combined with uncomfortable knowledge of Max's own past. She leaves the room convinced, but unable to prove, that Bachman knows exactly what happened to the missing couple. The D.A. wants nothing to jeopardize his case against Bachman and refuses to consider Max's theory. With no physical evidence, Max has to rely on her own wits and investigative prowess to dig deep into Bachman's past. The picture that Max puts together is far darker and more deadly than she ever imagined.

As Max gets closer to the truth, she doesn't realize that she's walking down a road that has been paved just for her. That every step she takes brings her one step closer to a brilliant, methodical sociopath who has been waiting for her to make just one small mistake.
And when she does, he'll be there waiting.

My Thoughts: While the first book in this series was just ok for me I really enjoyed this second one a lot!

The Good: Maxine was a little hard to like in the first book. As an investigative reporter she digs for the truth often to the point of causing some people emotional distress, like her family. In this one she is forced to acknowledge her shortcomings (and there are many). It was nice to see her so vulnerable. We also got to know more about David and Marco. Love David by the way.

The suspense did take nearly half the book to really take off. The first half is interesting though because we see Max's methodology in researching the cold cases in addition to the beginnings of a trial. These aspects, I felt, were really well written. And oh boy! When the suspense took off it did. Maxine proved she is not only a strong independent woman but a kick ass survivor.

The Bad: Even though I really liked this book I thought the mystery kind of got really convoluted and complex. I think simpler might have been a little better but ultimately I did enjoy the mystery as well. Also just an FYI this is light on the romance so if you're looking for some hotness this one is really mild with the smooching and the wet parts.

In a Nutshell: I totally liked reading this second book in the Maxine Revere series and I'm really looking forward to the third book.

The Apprentice by Tess Gerritsen

Title: The Apprentice
Author: Tess Gerritsen
Series: #2 in the Rizzoli/Isles series
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Publisher: Ballantine Books; 1st edition (August 20, 2002)
Source: Purchased
Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: It is a boiling hot Boston summer. Adding to the city's woes is a series of shocking crimes, in which wealthy men are made to watch while their wives are brutalized. A sadistic demand that ends in abduction and death.
The pattern suggests one man: serial killer Warren Hoyt, recently removed from the city's streets. Police can only assume an acolyte is at large, a maniac basing his attacks on the twisted medical techniques of the madman he so admires. At least that's what Detective Jane Rizzoli thinks. Forced again to confront the killer who scarred her - literally and figuratively - she is determined to finally end Hoyt's awful influence . . . even if it means receiving more resistance from her all-male homicide squad.
But Rizzoli isn't counting on the U.S. government's sudden interest. Or on meeting Special Agent Gabriel Dean, who knows more than he will tell. Most of all, she isn't counting on becoming a target herself, once Hoyt is suddenly free, joining his mysterious blood brother in a vicious vendetta. . . .
Filled with superbly created characters and the medical and police procedural details that are her trademark, The Apprentice is Tess Gerritsen at her brilliant best. Set in a stunning world where evil is easy to learn and hard to end, this is a thriller by a master who could teach other authors a thing or two.

My Thoughts: This is a re-read for me because I'm reading this series with a group of buddies on GoodReads. Originally I'd read the first six books in the series way back when each of them had been released and time tends to make specifics a little hazy. This makes for practically brand new experiences with re-reads. So yay for that! Boo on not remembering what I did yesterday.

The Good: As super villainous Hoyt was in the last book I wasn't sure how Gerritsen would come up with an equally bad guy for her second go round in this series. She did it. She did it in a wicked gruesome way. I loved every nasty, bloody, disgustingly evil thing our villains did in this book. You read that right, kids. Villains. Plural.

Jane Rizzoli is totally in the good column in this second book. In the first book her abrasive personality grates. In this one she mellows and becomes likable even. She is no one's victim even after being victimized. Those who might not have liked her in the first book should have no problem warming up to her in this one. Oh and for those of you wondering where Isles is....well, this second book is still all about Rizzoli.

The Bad: As a warning, new to this series readers really need to read The Surgeon first. Not many people would think this is a bad thing but I do. I like to be able to grab a book and read it without having to worry about if I'm reading a book in the proper order. This is just a peeve of mine and some who insist on reading series books in order will have already read The Surgeon so no harm no foul.

In a Nutshell: Such a good second book. If you love Thrillers and haven't started this series you really need to. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series!

Hello, Again by Brenda Novak

Title: Hello, Again
Author: Brenda Novak
Series: #2 in the Evelyn Talbot Chronicles
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: St. Martin's Press (October 3rd 2017)
Source: Library Find
Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: SHE CAN MAKE SENSE OF A COMPLEX CRIMINAL MIND.

Evelyn Talbot, a psychiatrist at a maximum-security prison in Alaska, studies some of the world's worst serial killers. But she’s about to meet her most elusive patient at Hanover House yet: Dr. Lyman Bishop, AKA the Zombie Maker given his fondness for performing ice-pick lobotomies on his victims. A brilliant cancer researcher, Bishop is either the most cunning psychopath Evelyn has ever encountered―or he is wrongly convicted.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A CRIMINAL CAN SEE INTO HER OWN?

When a new ice-pick fatality occurs, it seems Bishop really was wrongly convicted. Except...Evelyn has a personal connection to the victim and that suggests the killer may be someone from her own past: Jasper Moore, her high school boyfriend who tortured her and left her for dead when she was only sixteen. Jasper also murdered three of her friends―and was never caught. Is he trying to send a message with this copycat crime? The only thing Evelyn knows for sure is that if Jasper is on her trail, she might not be able to escape again . . .

My Thoughts: Just when you thought no one could be more evil and creepy than Evelyn's psycho stalker, Brenda Novak gives us The Zombie Maker and I love her for it!!!!

The Good: I have to admit I was completely ignoring all adulting responsibilities while reading this book. I couldn't help it. This book sucked me in and wouldn't let me go until I knew Evelyn was going to be OK. I'd hate to use the tired cliché  "I couldn't put it down" because then I'd have to punch a baby, so I'm just going to imply my ability to release this book from my non-baby punching hand may have been hindered by the awesomeness of said book.

What I mean to say is this book is chock full of suspense. Between Evelyn's career at Hanover house, the psycho inmates, the psycho outmates (I may have just made up that word but just go with me on it, mmmkay?), I just was one nail-biting session from needing new fingertips. Thank goodness there was a nice blend of romance and other things to balance this book out. Seriously, where would I find new fingertips anyway? Bed, Bath, and BodyParts?

Speaking of romance, in the first book and novella I was getting annoyed with her hang-up with the age difference between her and Amarok. I'm glad it wasn't as prevalent in this book. Their romance is progressing at a slower pace than other books Novak has written but based on the Evelyn's established history it feels organic and not forced. 2 big thumbs up for not being a big sloppy thrown together insta-love couple.

The Bad: As much as I enjoyed this book I was really hoping this would be the end of Jasper. Not so much. His part in Evelyn's life and these books are still dangling. Can you say cliffhanger? (albeit a little one) I really wish there was some closure on this story arc.

In a Nutshell: Even with the minor cliffhanger I gave this book a solid 4 stars and I'm really looking forward to the next book coming out sometime in 2018.

EARLY REVIEW: Before the Dawn by Cynthia Eden

Title: Before the Dawn
Author: Cynthia Eden
Series: #2 in the Killer Instinct series
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: HQN Books (July 25, 2017)
Source: NetGalley
Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: Ex-SEAL Tucker Frost knows that the world is full of evil. He saw it in the face of his own brother, Jason Frost, a cold, methodical, sadistic killer. A killer Tucker put down with his own hands in order to save Jason's final victim—Dawn Alexander, the only girl who got away from the infamous "Iceman."

It's Tucker's up close and personal experience with evil that's made him perfect for Samantha Dark's experimental profiling division in the FBI. Samantha wants agents who have personal ties with killers, who have unique insights into the minds of monsters. And when women start turning up murdered with the same MO used by the Iceman, Tucker is sent back to Louisiana to investigate.

The last person he expects to see is his ex-lover, Dawn. Ten full years have passed since the night that Tucker faced down his brother…and since he last saw Dawn. But the dark need still burns just as hot between Tucker and Dawn. As they grapple with a desire that never died, they must also face the shared shadow from their pasts. Both Tucker and Dawn have the same question—has Jason Frost come back from the dead to hunt again? And this time, will he succeed in killing the victim who got away?

My Thoughts: Cynthia Eden can write romantic suspense with the best of them. I loved reading this book and want to dive right into more by her.

The Good: The opening sequence was written so well. It captured my attention exactly as it was meant to do and made me want to keep reading. The momentum continued throughout the book as well. Nothing sucks the life out of a Rom/Susp that can't keep up with it's own prologue. The characters are well thought out and I liked that we continued to learn and understand them throughout the book. The secondary characters are intriguing, especially Macey and Bowen who are part of the special task force Tucker is on. I also enjoyed the investigation aspect of the book. From the precinct, to the morgue, to the hospital, we were with the team every step of the way. The mystery suspense aspect in the story was well balanced with the romance as well. There weren't a lot of annoying misunderstandings between Tucker and Dawn and the characters didn't constantly push each other away (even though at one point it felt like it was almost going that way.)

The Bad: I went into this book with no knowledge of the series, the book order, or even what this book was about. With that in mind I need to say that even though this book was easily read without any other background of the characters or the special FBI unit Tucker is part of I am now very aware of who the perpetrator was in the first book, After the Dark. I'm not sure if this was common knowledge, meaning if the identity was known from almost the beginning of that book, but I'm a bit disappointed in knowing the killer's name and his ties to the other characters. So with that said, I'd recommend reading this series in order. I would prefer to read books as I pick them up and since you really shouldn't in this case I find it a negative. I also thought the killer's identity was a bit of a stretch and his reasoning a bit sketchy but nothing that would prevent me from recommending this book to lovers of these subgenre.

In a Nutshell: A very good book to what appears to be a good series. I'm looking forward to reading the others and if I didn't already have several books lined up I would even consider reading them all back to back. I never binge read so that says something about this book.