Pushing Up Posies by Eve Langlais

Title: Pushing Up Posies

Author: Eve Langlais

Narrator: Troy Duran

Series: #1 in the Grim Dating series

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Eve Langlais (January 7, 2021) Audio published by Eve Langlais (January 11, 2021) 

Source: Hoopla

Rating: ☕☕☕1/2

Synopsis: Netflix and Chill takes on a whole new meaning when Posie starts dating the Reaper.

Poor Brody. As reaper leader for the Canadian guild, he and his crew don’t get as much work as other countries until the Dark Lord gives them a new mandate: Establish a dating service on Earth that will facilitate the meeting between citizens of Hell and humans with the end goal being babies.

In other words, become a pimp.

It’s a cruel demotion for a reaper who just wanted to guide souls to their final destination. He is dying to return to Hell, until he meets the stubborn woman living across the hall.

The Devil wants Posie mated, but she is resisting all attempts. What will it take to make her see the light?

And how will she react when she finally discovers that death has been knocking at her door?

My Thoughts: When I finished this audio book, I was adamant in my OMG I loved this book so much! 4 Stars! Totally 4 stars...maybe even 4.5! Once my finished book satisfaction (i.e.: frenzy) wore off a bit I recognized this short book wasn't maybe as fantastic as I initially thought. Sigh.

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: So typically, I discuss the plot (although briefly) and the characters before spending a line or two about the narration but Imma strike that, reverse it, and state upfront...I think Troy Duran's narration stroked all my buttons and boosted my book euphoria into "This is the best book I've ever read!" proportions. So, our black robe shrouded Grim, Brody Reaper, has a deep voice. Thanks to Troy Duran, Brody has a melt your panties off voice. Of course, that probably is just Duran's natural voice and, in that case, the next 3 books in this series are going to have male protagonists who are sure to create panty puddles as well. I'll keep this in mind when I read them and won't fall for the book euphoria that each one will surely create. Am I done talking about the narration yet? Nope, but here is my last thought on the subject. I might even go so far as to say I would seek out a book just because Troy Duran is narrating. Of course, it better be a spicy romance because if it's a thriller him narrating a series killer's thoughts might just ruin things for me.

Now for the regular part of my review.... Character wise. Neither Brody nor Posie are very fleshed out. Posie is Canadian who apparently has agoraphobia maybe anthropophobia (fear of people for those who don't want to stop reading this long enough to open up another window to google) and potentially a fear of not being able to apologize enough but then that might just be a Canadian thing (according to the book anyway)(oh and Eve Langlais is Canadian so I'm thinking she should know)(Can my Canadian friends please let me know if this is true...are y'all predisposition to apologize for everything?) Other than those things we know about Posie we don't know much more. We do learn why she is the way she is but other than that Posie might have just been plopped down in somewhere Canada a fully formed if not mildly cracked human being (with only one facet of her past life being told to us because I'm assuming this one factor is the only thing, we need to know about Posie's past.) Brody is as much a mystery as well. We only get one part of his past life and that was the part that led him to his death and his subsequent life of a Reaper. So why did I like this book so much with characters not even fully dimensional characters? Troy Duran. No! Didn't mean to mention him again. Maybe it was the way the book was plotted out? Maybe.

The Plot or the premise of the story if you will. Lucifer is pissy because the number of his ranks are getting smaller. He blames the humans and their medical science with birth control and the Plan B pill being at the top. He needs higher numbers, so he decides to start a pimp service. Not really. it's a dating service where he matches humans up with his current ranks (reapers, demons, minotaurs, whomever happens to have a penis and is team Hell) to make evil little babies to join him on his quest for chaos and evil fun. What I found I liked about this book as a whole was Hell wasn't all bad, Lucifer wasn't all evil, and angels were kind of assholes. 

There were a couple spicy scenes and a couple really fun scenes where Posie got a backbone and told off a couple of angels.... well, an angel and an Archangel, Raphael, to be precise. The ending, although quick, was good as well leading to my end of book euphoria belief this was an epically great book. It's not but it's fun, short, and spicy (especially if you listen to it!)

In a Nutshell: See all the above. If you're still not sure if I'll be reading more...um listening to more of these books maybe reread the first paragraph in my The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else section.

Some Enchanted Éclair by Bailey Cates

 

Title: Some Enchanted Éclair

Author: Bailey Cates

Series: #4 in the Magical Bakery series

Genre: Paranormal Cozy Mystery

Publisher: NAL (July 1, 2014) Audio version Published by Tantor Audio (July 1, 2014 )

Source: Library Find 

Rating: ☕☕☕1/2

Synopsis: FLOUR POWER

When Hollywood invades Savannah’s historic district to film a Revolutionary War movie, magical baker Katie Lightfoot, and her witches’ coven, the Spellbook Club, take a break from casting spells for casting calls. The witches snag parts as extras, while Katie’s firefighter boyfriend, Declan, acts as on-set security. Katie and her aunt Lucy decide to stay out of the action, but after the movie’s “fixer” fires the caterer, the Honeybee Bakery comes to the rescue, working their magic to keep the hungry crew happy.

But when someone fixes the fixer—permanently—and a spooky psychic predicts Katie will find the killer, the charming baker and her fellow conjurers step in to sift through the suspects…before someone else winds up on the cutting room floor…

My Thoughts: Another good book in an enchanting series. I have really grown to like Katie and her coven although they don't have as big of a part in this book as they have in the past. I liked that Cookie returned (with a surprise in tow) even though it wasn't until the end of the book. I've missed her.

In this book a period piece movie is being filmed in the area and some of Katie's friends and family participate in the making of it. Of course, Katie wouldn't be Katie if she didn't arrive at the set just in time for the discovery of a dead body. If that wasn't bad enough a psychic tells her she will bring justice to/for the victim. So what should a good witch do? Investigate of course.

There were some interesting additions to the woo-woo paranormal witchery this time around with a new someone who can talk to the dead and one already established someone (at this part of the series someone we know well) who can all of sudden channel spirits. This new addition is explained in a way that was satisfying so the "out of left field" feeling went away by the end of the book.

My biggest complaint would be about Declan, Katie's beau. He's kind of a jackass. Super moody and hard to like. He's been pseudo-supportive of Katie's abilities to the point it feels as if he is placating her rather than accepting and encouraging her. In this instance her other (past) beau would have been a much better match but C’est la vie. Honestly the other guy was sketchy anyway but I'm conveniently forgetting about that at this point in time.

I know I haven't discussed much of the plot and my feelings for the plot are just *meh. The book was good. I wasn't pulled out of the story by any weird crap and things were wrapped up well. I am just so much a character driven reader that it completely up to the characters to make the book or break it for me. The plot is always secondary in my eyes. I know that's weird but there it is. LOL

The audio version was ok. Amy Rubinate is Katie for me, but she doesn't necessarily do other voices. I always know who is who but this is more about the writing than the narration. These audio books are just someone reading to me rather than an amazing production. I have always listened to them because they listen quickly especially as I listen at 2X the speed. Amy's voice doesn't chipmunk out too terribly at this speed.

In a Nutshell: Of course, I'll pick up the next book. These books are fun and quick fluff if you need something to fill a space definitely try them. They are especially nice between weightier more thought-provoking books.

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.

Awaken the Darkness by Dianne Duvall

 Title: Awaken the Darkness

Author: Dianne Duvall

Series: #8 in the Immortal Guardian series

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Dianne Duvall (July 10, 2018) Audio published by Tantor Audio (July 10, 2018)

Source: Library find via Hoopla

Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: He awakens encapsulated in dirt with no knowledge of how he came to be there. Riddled with injuries, he can remember neither his past nor who he is. Nor can he remember what he is. But surely no mortal man could survive being buried deep beneath the earth. All he knows with certainty is that the soothing voice and presence of the woman moving around above enables him to endure the agony of his wounds. And he will do whatever it takes to be with her. When Susan first sees the old two-story house for sale, such warmth and longing fill her that--against all reason--she makes an offer. It will take years of hard work and money she frankly doesn't have to fix up the place. So she can't explain why she bought it. She also can't explain what compels her to spend hours one night, digging in the basement until she unearths a man. A man who still lives and breathes despite having been buried alive. A man whose intense brown eyes glow amber with pain, declaring him far more than ordinary. Susan knows she should keep her distance. He has no memory and possesses gifts that would make most fear him. But as the two work together to unravel the mystery of his past, she finds herself drawn in by his teasing nature and tender touch . . . Contains mature themes. 

My Thoughts:  I just love this series. This one heavily relies on past books in the series so although the premise is fully explained the full impact of what the characters have gone through (specifically Stanislav and Yuri not to mention Seth) it is best to read this series in order with the short novellas as well.

With this one we really hadn't had much time to jump on the Stanislav bandwagon as both he and Yuri were introduced only mid series, but I liked the way his book was handled. The continuing story arch connecting the last 2 books is all but paused while Stan's story played out, but I was ok with this.

The romance part of this book was pretty typical of this series. Both Immortal Guardian and their love interest are thrown together with a whole lot of action and turbulence and the I love you's are quick but satisfying. There were some minor battles within the book but not as many (or as epic as the ones that occur in previous books) but because this book is about Stan and his amnesia this too is ok.

Once again Kirsten Potter does an amazing job narrating. With Immortals from all over the world I fully believe all of her accents and will always listen to these books providing I can get them all easily from my library system.

In a Nutshell: Yep, I'm hooked. I've been binge reading these books. If you know me, you know this isn't how I operate. I get bored easily and will fall off of a particular series fairly quickly. 8 books and counting it hasn't happened yet and I'm not sure if it will anytime time soon. 

Bait and Witch by Angela M. Sanders

Title: Bait and Witch

Author: Angela M. Sanders

Narrator: Rebecca Mitchell

Series: #1 in the Witch Way Librarian Mysteries series

Genre: Paranormal Cozy Mystery

Publisher: Tantor Audio (December 29, 2020)

Source: Library Find

Rating: ☕☕☕1/2

Synopsis: Librarian Josie Way moved to small-town Oregon to lay low. Instead, thanks to newfound magic abilities-and a killer on the loose-she's leapt out of the frying pan and into a cauldron of trouble . . . Josie Way loved working among the Library of Congress's leather-scented stacks-until she uncovered corruption and made herself a target. As Wilfred, Oregon's new librarian, Josie can stay undercover until the case goes to court. But life in this little town isn't as subdued as she expected. The library, housed in a Victorian mansion, is slated to be bulldozed. Still digesting the news that her safe haven is about to become scrap lumber, Josie discovers a body in the woods . . . Almost as shocking, Josie learns that she's descended from a long line of witches-and her powers have suddenly sprung to life. With help from a spoiled alley cat who just may be her familiar, Josie's thumbing through a catalog of suspects, hoping she can conjure a way to save her library-and her life . . . 

My Thoughts:  I thought this was an Ok introduction to a new to me series

The Good,  The Bad, and Everything Else: I really love a library setting and I enjoyed Josie's ability for pulling the right title up in her head for each person who comes to the library seeking a book. I also thought her not knowing she was a witch was interesting, but it does come with issues. She has no control. She has no idea what she can do. She completely does whatever her mom says blindly even though she is a full-on adult. The mystery of who was after Josie (or if anyone really was) was a bit of a stretch as the person died before Josie even got to town. Also, I think if the FBI was involved shouldn't they have put her in protective custody or something?

Anyway, I liked the Oregon setting and liked Sam (even if he was a little sketchy) but didn't warm up to many other people in town and why no one figured out who the murderer was is beyond me because it felt glaringly obvious.

Rebecca Mitchell's narration was decent. She doesn't do different voices but she's pleasant enough to spend several hours listening to. I was able to listen to the book at my typical 2X speed and her voice was ok for this. I wouldn't purposely seek out an audio book because she was narrating though.

In a Nutshell: I will continue with the series though and see where it takes me.

Onyx Dragon by Terry Bolryder

Title: Onyx Dragon

Author: Terry Bolryder

Series: #1 in the Awakend Dragons series

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Terry Boryder (July 25, 2015) 

Source: Kindle Unlimited

Rating: ☕☕☕

Synopsis: The dragons are back, and they're our last chance...

 Isaac Morningstar III, or Zach to the few who know him, has hit rock bottom. Once an immortal, nearly-invincible dragon, he's been awakened only to have his powers and his treasure locked away until he can prove himself to be a trustworthy protector of humans. Since Zach has never liked humans, he's pretty sure he's going to end up back on ice. That is, until he meets sweet, curvy Erin, a human hairdresser who might just turn his world upside down.

Erin has a pretty routine life, but that ends when a tall, gorgeous man appears out of nowhere, claiming to be an ancient dragon with immeasurable power who wants her as his mate. She doesn't know whether to laugh or run for the hills. But when the mysterious stranger saves her life and needs her help she can't just turn away.  Still, the closer she gets to Zach, the more she realizes there may just be something truly magical about him.

But as the forces around them close in, Zach is quickly realizing that the darkness lurking inside him may be greater than he anticipated. And the beast within may not be the only thing they have need to fear. 

Warning: contains ferocious dragons, fearsome fights, fiery love scenes and a fiercely cute three-legged kitten that will steal your heart. The first in a brand-new series with dragons unlike anything Terry has written!

My Thoughts:  Although I found this book to be an average read it did manage to make me want to move right into book 2. To me this is a sign of a good book. It wasn't without some issues. No background on Erin. The setting could have been anywhere, the romance was completely reliant on the fated mate trope with no major epiphany moments,

and it glossed over where Zach's treasure has been kept while he slept or even how much or what it was (other than he mentioned there were jewels) . His ring is a major factor in the story, but I felt its significance was also glossed over.

Despite all these things the book was interesting, had funny moments, some spicy sex, and introduced an interesting M/F/M relationship that appears to be the focal of another series where 2 dragon shifters mate with one woman.

In a Nutshell: So yes 100% I'll read more in this series. It's also offered on KU... if you already pay for this service, you have nothing but a little bit of time to lose.

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.

Claimed by JR Ward

 

Title: Claimed

Author: JR Ward

Narrator: Jim Frangione

Series: #1 in The Lair of the Wolven series

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Gallery Books (July 27, 2021) Audio published by Simon & Schuster Audio

Source: Library Find

Rating: ☕☕☕1/2

Synopsis: Lydia Susi is passionate about protecting wolves in their natural habitat. When a hotel chain develops a tract of land next to the preserve, Lydia is one of the most vocal opponents of the project—and becomes a target.

One night, a shadowy figure threatens Lydia’s life in the forest, and a new hire at the Wolf Study Project comes from out of nowhere to save her. Daniel Joseph is both mysterious, and someone she intrinsically wants to trust. But is he hiding something?

As the stakes get higher, and one of Lydia’s colleagues is murdered, she must decide how far she will go to protect the wolves. Then a shocking revelation about Daniel challenges Lydia’s reality in ways she could never have predicted. Some fates demand courage, others require even more, with no guarantees. Is she destined to have true love... or will a soul-shattering loss ruin her forever?

My Thoughts:   I have read 7 books in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series and liked them a lot and was excited to see what this new series was about. Ultimately, I liked it more than average but thought it was a slow start. There isn't a lot of world building as it's set in the Black Dagger Brotherhood universe but there was still a lot of back story to establish. There is a large connection to John Matthew's mate Xhex which I was a bit disappointed in because I'm literally up to Lover Mine in the other series which is JM's and Xhex's story. I knew they would be together, but I wished I'd have read it first.

So this book was a slow start. I enjoyed Lydia's passion for protecting the wolves (I believe in this cause very much). I kept waiting for the big reveal of what exactly Daniel Joseph was considering the BDB world this book was set in. I was very surprised by the twist even though it really took a long time to get to it. The ending was on a To Be Continued note which I hated especially since the 2nd book in the series isn't out yet.

I listened to this on audio and it was narrated by Jim Frangione and I thought he did a good job and his Lydia voice wasn't super annoying either. 

In a Nutshell: I will definitely read the next book when it comes out and it jumped started my desire to pick up the next Black Dagger Brotherhood book as well.

Shelter for Sophie by Susan Stoker

Title: Shelter for Sophie

Author: Susan Stoker

Series: #8 in the Badge of Honor: Texas Heroes series

Genre: Romantic Suspense 

Publisher: Stoker Aces Production LLC (August 15, 2017)

Source: Kindle Freebie

Rating: ☕☕1/2

Synopsis: She’s shy, he’s stoic…not the hardest personality traits to overcome, but Sophie Carson and Roman “Chief” Proudfit have their work cut out for them.

Sophie has a crush on the silent-but-studly firefighter next door. She’s been pining away silently while secretly helping the hardworking man by mowing his lawn—which he thinks is being done by her nonexistent husband and/or boyfriend. He’s definitely not big on neighborly chitchat, but with her stutter, that suits Sophie just fine. But now a misunderstanding at a bar has put him even further out of her reach.

Roman’s difficult upbringing on an Indian reservation is a sore spot, so when he thinks Sophie is taking advantage of poor people for medical trials at her workplace, he lets her know exactly what he thinks. But when he discovers he misunderstood, he’s man enough to admit it…and also that he should have opened his eyes to his beautiful, sensitive neighbor sooner.

As the couple gets closer, each helping the other overcome lifelong pains, for the first time in years, Roman has something to live for other than his job. And, as he discovers when Sophie puts herself in danger, something even bigger to lose…

** Shelter for Sophie is the 8th book in the Badge of Honor: Texas Heroes Series. Each book is a stand-alone, with no cliffhanger endings.

My Thoughts:  While I didn't fault the actual writing of the book (this being my first Susan Stoker book) I just had issues with the story. The characters were perfect. Sophie was beautiful with white, blond hair and blue eyes and Chief kept mentioning she looked like an angel. She helped underprivileged people, befriended the homeless, and mowed her neighbor's yard. To make her not perfect Stoker gave her a stutter. To make it even more annoying there was so much dialog with her stuttering her s's and m's in every line. Anyway, I really got tired of both the H and h being so perfect. Their relationship was even perfect. The relationship was really quite sweet, so it was startling when Chief dropped the F bomb. It just felt gratuitous, and I certainly wasn't expecting the pretty spicy sex scene with dirty talking. With sweet on sweet the spicy bits were jarring.

One last thing for a book with a Native American main character giving him a nickname of Chief is in bad taste. He's a firefighter but not the fire chief so the nickname makes no sense. Oh, but it must be ok because he said the nickname didn't offend him. Ugh!

In a Nutshell: Ok for a book that I really didn't like I'm not sure why I'm intrigued to carry on with the series. I love me some fire fighters and the skill in the writing sucked me in but make no mistake this book wasn't good.

Wrong Alibi by Christina Dodd

 

Title: Wrong Alibi

Author: Christina Dodd

Series: #1 in the Murder in Alaska series

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Publisher: HQN  (December 29, 2020)

Source: NetGalley

Rating: ☕☕☕

Synopsis: WRONG JOB

Eighteen-year-old Evelyn Jones lands a job in small-town Alaska, working for a man in his isolated mountain home. But her bright hopes for the future are shattered when Donald White disappears, leaving her to face charges of theft, embezzlement—and a brutal double murder. Her protestations of innocence count for nothing. Convicted, she faces life in prison…until fate sends her on the run.

WRONG NAME

Evelyn’s escape leaves her scarred and in hiding, isolated from her family, working under an alias at a wilderness camp. Bent on vengeance, intent on recovering her life, she bides her time, patiently searching for the man who took everything from her.

WRONG ALIBI

At last, the day comes. Donald White has returned. Evelyn emerges from hiding; the fugitive becomes the hunter. But in her mind, she hears the whisper of other forces at work. Now Evelyn must untangle the threads of evidence before she’s once again found with blood on her hands: the blood of her own family…

My Thoughts: The potential for an amazing suspense filled book was all there but it fell flat in a few ways.

The Good, The Bad, And Everything Else: While I honestly didn't enjoy this book as much as I wanted I could be persuaded to read the second book in the series to see where Dodd takes us. The Alaskan setting during the flashback of Petey's first full on dark winter was really interesting and I wished the author would have incorporated that sense of overwhelming fear throughout the book. Petey's  past was interesting particularly her escape and 10 years in hiding. 

Unfortunately I also found the book to have some issues. The book skips from the present to sudden flashbacks making me confused a bit until I realized where in time the story was happening. I also really didn't like any of the characters. Petey/Evelyn is really TSTL....she was a naïve young woman and we're told she becomes quite the badass but we really don't witness any badassery. She does claim to use her long braid as a cutting whip. I don't think this made her seem more kickass but just weird.  The book also tried to be so many things and suffered for it. A romance introduced into the last third of the book was not an asset to the story and just felt wrong considering who they paired Petey up with. We also spent so much time in the past she really didn't feel like an adult to me which made the romance even worse IMO.

In a Nutshell: I'm not sure if I'm willing to give the Murder in Alaska series another try but I definitely will continue to read Dodd.

Bears Behaving Badly by MaryJanice Davidson

 

Title: Bears Behaving Badly

Author: MaryJanice Davidson

Series: #1 in the BeWere My Heart series

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (March 31, 2020)

Source: NetGalley

Rating: ☕☕1/2

Synopsis: These social worker bear shifters give the term "mama bear" a whole new meaning! Bestselling author MaryJanice Davidson is back with this brand-new paranormal romance series featuring a foster care system for at-risk shifter babies and teens.

Werebear shifter Annette Garsea is a caseworker for the Interspecies Placement Agency. When a selectively mute and freakishly strong teen werewolf is put in her custody, Annette has to uncover the young girl's secrets if she's to have any hopes of helping her. And not even the growling of a scruffy private investigator can distract her from her mission...

Bear shifter David Auberon appreciates Annette's work with at-risk teen shifters, but he's not sure if her latest charge is so much a vulnerable teen as a predator who should be locked up. All that changes when he, Annette, and her motley band of juveniles find themselves dodging multiple murder attempts and uncovering a trafficking cartel that doesn't just threaten the kids, but risks discovery of the shifters by the wider world of homo sapiens.

My Thoughts: I really really really wanted to love this book. I didn't.

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: So, I a long time ago I was in love once. In love with MaryJanice's sense of humor and everything Queen Betsy. Then over the years what was once an amazing love story between a girl and her fictitious besties The Vampire Queen and her consort Sink-Lair became a systematic relationship breakdown. I started to notice Betsy just wasn't who I thought she was. She's not a smart independent strong woman. She's actually quite distracted by shiny things and spends most of her time in her own head with internal rando thoughts. So, you may be asking, what does the Queen Betsy books have to do with the first book in the BeWere My Heart series...technically nothing unless you mistakenly confuse Annette Garsea with Betsy Taylor. 

You'd think a dingbat Vampire Queen wouldn't have anything in common with a professional social worker who takes her charges seriously, right? True story....unless you read this book and see every time Annette opens her mouth to speak, or worse yet witness all of her unsaid thoughts (the many many many internal musings)(in parenthesis)sometimes italicized but mostly occurring in the middle of another person's dialogue. She was freakin' Queen Betsy in a Werebear hybrid body!

The plot itself was fairly interesting....OK not the Annette wanting but not wanting to want David's body plot....which was what I interpreted as the main plot of the book but rather the plot of child shifter trafficking. That plot was actually really interesting but it was a very deep subject matter for such a lighthearted silly book and took a back seat to the sexual attraction between David and Annette.

In a Nutshell: Overall, I'm super disappointed in this book. I was looking for something humorous but better than the Queen Betsy books. I got a Queen Betsy book starring Shifters instead. I'm not sure I'll read the next book...maybe if it's free...even then, maybe not.

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 Substitute Millionaire by Susan Mallery

 Title: The Substitute Millionaire 

Author: Susan Mallery

Narrator: Savannah Richards

Series: #1 in the Million Dollar Catch series

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Harlequin (November 7th 2006)

Audio Version: Harlequin Books S.A. (March 16, 2010 )

Source: Audible Escape

Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: Successful businessman Ryan Bennett had agreed to masquerade as his wealthy cousin for a blind date.

But from the moment Ryan saw Julie Nelson to the moment he should have said good-night, he was captivated and couldn't resist an invitation to share her bed. In the hazy afterglow of their heated lovemaking, Ryan confessed his true identity, claiming the passion between them was real despite his deception, but Julie wasn't buying it. Obviously she considered him the enemy.

Except now she was having the enemy's baby…. 

My Thoughts: Another great older category romance by Susan Mallery.

The Good, The Bad, and Anything Else I Might Want to Mention: I'm always hesitant to read category romances because so many just let me down either because of insta-love or because there is not enough room to create a viable plot. This one was a straight forward contemporary romance with a mistaken identity (on purpose) and a surprise pregnancy (not on purpose). I like that there wasn't a whole lot of added things to detract from Ryan and Julie's budding relationship. The main conflict within the book was Julie and her inability to trust Ryan. She was constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop so she could throw it in Ryan's face. I understand why but after awhile it got tiresome.

The whole concept of Grandma coming into the girls' lives after they were adults and trying to control their lives and the lives of her great nephews was a bit odd and although her absence is explained it didn't do much for how controlling she was. Factor in she wasn't in contact with her own daughter for over 20 years because of the rift between her second husband and her daughter...her current controlling behavior doesn't jive well with her inability to stand up for her daughter and with her daughter against her husband back then. This is also explained away as if but the whole thing is just weird.

Despite those things I actually did like the romance even if the love part was quick to come. I enjoyed the banter between Ryan and Julie a lot and the interaction between Julie and her two sisters was enjoyable as well. 

Savannah Richards' narration was great. I'd absolutely listen to another book with her.

In a Nutshell: A nice quick read. I'd recommend it to anyone who likes Susan Mallery or enjoys a good category romance.

Testing the Limits by Kira Sinclair

Title: Testing the Limits

Author: Kira Sinclair

Series: Stand-alone

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Harlequin (January 1, 2014)

Source: NetGalley

Rating: ☕☕1/2

Synopsis: Wanting him was wrong, but it felt so right…

Social worker Quinn Keller sees the best in people…and the worst. When she rescues a prominent businessman's battered wife, Quinn is targeted by the woman's violent husband. Her only option is to place her safety in the hands of Ranger Jace Hyland—tattooed, scarred, incredibly hot…and the brother of Quinn's deceased fiancé. An entirely different kind of dangerous!

Quinn is the woman Jace has always wanted—and she's strictly hands-off. But keeping her safe means taking her to his small apartment…and his bed. So for one unforgettable night, Jace will give in to the temptation he can no longer resist. One night of forbidden hunger. One night he prays will be enough to satisfy a lifetime of longing….

My Thoughts: Sometimes you really can judge a book by the cover. I've done it and won. Sometimes, like this one, a hot tattooed guy coupled with an intriguing synopsis proves, once again, you shouldn't. 

The Good, The Bad, And Everything Else: I rarely read Harlequin Blaze imprints. Mostly because I find many of them tend to have more sex and less character development and sometimes even less fully developed plots. In this case I should have stuck with my original thought pattern and skipped this one but first let's discuss the characters.

Quinn is a social worker and Jace is an MMA fighter and ex-Army Ranger. Honestly the set up couldn't have been better for me to really love these characters. Unfortunately, they are so consumed by guilt over the loss of Quinn's fiancé who happens to also be Jace's brother. The rehashing over and over about Jace taking on added responsibilities that aren't his cross to bear gets tedious. Also, Quinn's nonchalance attitude over an abusive man's threats to her, directly contradicted her characterization of a strong social worker who gives victims second chances at life. 

The plot is overshadowed by the sex within the book mostly because the synopsis clearly defines the book as a romantic suspense which is what I expected. The really great beginning fizzled and really made me scratch my head a bit as the suspenseful part failed to be brought up again until the 30% mark. At that point Jace and Quinn decided she'd be safer at Jace's apartment. This seemed a clunky way to get them to "have" to share a bedroom/bed as I really felt Jace, with his Ranger background, should have been able to protect Quinn in her own home without having to relocate to his apartment. Also, on a side note, if a crazy stalker man casually walks into your home to threaten you just to prove he can do as he likes the right response would be shout out to the hot Army Ranger just outside. You know...the one who was there to protect you??? Of course hot Army Ranger guy really couldn't protect Quinn as the bad guy literally kidnapped her in front of him. Um....I've never read a book with a special ops hero (either currently enlisted or retired) who wasn't capable of taking down a bully who only seems to be able to beat on women. What a rip off. I hope he never got tattooed....you know the Ranger brotherhood ones all special ops men tend to have....if he did he'd have to get it removed because he's a disgrace.

Ok I hated the characters. I equally hated the plot...because...what plot? The Quinn and Jace have sex plot? Since this was the only plot that seemed to have enough pages dedicated to it I have to assume this was the main point of the book. If you follow any of my reviews you should know I'm not all about sex just for the sake of it in my romances. Sex does not equal love no matter what some authors want you to believe. Kira Sinclair did not fall completely into this negative trope but since the footwork of the Quinn/Jace I love you parts happened off the page...we don't necessarily see them fall in love. It's just assumed with their history they've always kind of been there even though at the beginning of the book they admit to sharing semi-regular awkward meals together to keep up appearances of the brother and sister-in-law act. Highlight on the awkward part. 

In a Nutshell: What a stink-a-roo for me. I am not sure I'll pick up another Sinclair book even though some reviewers claim there are better books out there by her. I would stick a label on this book to my friends "Read at Your Own Risk" but may ask them to try it out just as an experiment of sorts. I want to know if I'm all alone in my dislike/hatred. Christina Out.

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. 

With a Hitch by RC Boldt

Title: With a Hitch

Author: RC Boldt

Narrator: Jennifer Mack and JF Harding

Series: Standalone

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: RC Boldt Publishing LLC (March 19, 2019)

AudioBook Published: Audible Studios (May 7, 2019) 

Source: Audible Escapes subsription

Rating: ☕☕☕☕1/2

Synopsis: Amazon bestselling author RC Boldt brings us a smart, sexy new standalone about a matchmaker/dating coach who's faced with the challenge of finding Mrs. Right for the city's beloved NFL wide receiver...

———————————————————

She’s playing it safe. He’s playing for keeps.

DARCY

Growing up in the foster system, I learned the hard way that lasting love doesn't always come easy. Dating in the modern era can be daunting; the bar scene and dating apps leave you wondering if there's any hope in sight.

That's where I come in. Helping you break the “swipe-right” cycle, I’m dedicated to matching you with the love of your life.

Finding Mrs. Right for Dax Kendrick should be a piece of cake. Except nothing about this man is simple.

DAX

The NFL has given me more than I ever imagined—a roof over my head, food on the table, and a chance to provide for the family who sacrificed everything while I chased my dreams.

Maintaining a squeaky-clean image for my sponsors when my paycheck and the fruits of my endorsements are all women want is a hefty challenge.

I’d nearly given up when I hired Darcy Cole. Yet the more I’m around her, the less I care about finding my perfect match.

Because it might be right in front of me. 

My Thoughts: A surprisingly good friends to lovers romance from a new to me author. 

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: Being so character driven it's not surprising how I was completely sucked in by Dax. He is everything a book boyfriend could be. When Darcy has menstrual cramps he baked her turmeric muffins and went over to her house to watch chick flicks with her. He started a fundraiser for Gainesville Florida after a natural disaster that raised millions which he matched. Oh did I mention he's a hawt football player with a multimillion dollar contract and endorsement deals? Book Boyfriend people....Book Boyfriend. Darcy was a little harder to like because she's ruled by fear when it comes to accepting a relationship with Dax. Yet.... she proved herself by trying to protect him from harm showing she really did care for him. She's driven and a smart business woman who came from nothing to make something of herself. I ended up liking her more than I thought I would. The secondary characters were notable and I really need to read more about them especially his teammate Kyler.

The plot is fairly simple as far as the friends to lovers part goes but it did add an added layer when a nefarious character is introduced and ultimately a #MeToo additional storyline came into play. I couldn't be more please with this. I thought it was tastefully done even if it was wrapped up with the best possible outcome, which isn't always reality....thus the reason for the movement and it's importance. Overall, despite the sunshine and rainbows outcome of the storyline I am happy to have it included in a book that could have just been all fluff.

Towards the middle of the book begins the sexy times (remember it's friends to lovers and Boldt did a great job of creating the foundation for an amazing and believable friendship.) The steamy parts were pretty hot and I'd go as far as to say almost erotica in nature (minus all the over the top 50 Shades fetish sex.) Darcy and Dax have great chemistry despite both stating neither one is their typical type.

The audio was done well and the dual narration of JF Harding and Jennifer Mack helped make Dax and Darcy come alive. Both narrators are new to me and I'd absolutely listen to another book by either one or both again.

In a Nutshell: I picked this book up to satisfy a reading challenge I'm doing. These random books can be hit or miss and I'm happy this was an absolute hit for me. I'm 100% going to read more by this author. Just an FYI While this book is touted as a standalone there is a book written prior to this one that involves Darcy's sister and one of Dax's ex-teammates.

The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros

Title: The Last Letter
Author: Rebecca Yarros
Series: Standalone
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Entangled: Amara (February 26, 2019)
Audio version Published: Audible Studios (April 23, 2019)
Source: Audible Escape
Rating: ☕☕☕☕1/2

Synopsis: Beckett,

If you’re reading this, well, you know the last-letter drill. You made it. I didn’t. Get off the guilt train, because I know if there was any chance you could have saved me, you would have.

I need one thing from you: get out of the army and get to Telluride.

My little sister Ella’s raising the twins alone. She’s too independent and won’t accept help easily, but she has lost our grandmother, our parents, and now me. It’s too much for anyone to endure. It’s not fair.

And here’s the kicker: there’s something else you don’t know that’s tearing her family apart. She’s going to need help.

So if I’m gone, that means I can’t be there for Ella. I can’t help them through this. But you can. So I’m begging you, as my best friend, go take care of my sister, my family.

Please don’t make her go through it alone.

Ryan

My Thoughts: Did I love this book? Maybe. Did ugly cry during it? Absolutely.

The Good, The Bad, and Whatever Else I Want to Say: The longer I listened to this book the longer it felt. The longer it felt the more I was irritated by, Ella, the heroine. So, why was I going back and forth between rating this book 4 Stars or 5? Because it had two adorable kids, a dog, a military man, and it made me cry...more than once.

First off, Ella...she has major trust issues and it really started to get on my nerves because she couldn't trust Beckett because she just knew he'd be like all the other men in her life and leave. Through the whole book she was just waiting for Beckett to prove he wasn't trustworthy so she could say "I knew it." Yet I didn't hate her. I actually liked her a lot. She was actually a really great character and Yarros did an amazing job of fleshing her (and the other characters) out.

Colt and Maisy, Ella's twins, are adorable. I think they stole the scenes they were in every time. They acted and talked more like little adults rather than the 6 year old's they were but I still liked them a lot anyway. Beckett Gentry was also fleshed out well and despite his keeping part of his identity a secret from Ella he was very upfront with his intentions and thoughts. I liked him a lot. Are you seeing a pattern here?

The supporting characters are just background noise and not that remarkable but with everything going on with the storyline their additional input wasn't necessary. Speaking of the storyline...how much should one person have to go through? Honestly it was too much. Bad things happen to good people. It's a fact. Also, just because a person goes through one really bad thing doesn't mean they are exempt from more bad things from happening in their life. This sucks but true as well. With that said, I've decided this book is a standalone because everything that could have possibly taken place in a sequel took place in this book. There is nothing left that could happen to these characters but good gravy WHY? Because Rebecca Yarros wanted to make us cry. It's the only thing that makes sense in my mind. She wanted to make her readers sob to the point of red puffy eyes and lots of snot....AKA ugly cry. Yet I still liked this book a lot.

The Audible experience was a good one. Teddy Hamilton (who I've listened to before) and Jennifer Stark dual narrate which is always a great way to listen to dual POVs within a book. Teddy's voice is great for Beckett and Ok for Ella....this is pretty typical in audiobooks. Men are great narrators but when it comes to their women voices they all come out a bit weird to me. Jennifer's voice was new to me but I thought she did a good job. I was able to listen to the book at 2X the speed easily and would pick up another book narrated by her.

In a Nutshell: I picked up this book because it fit into a reading challenge I'm doing. I've never read a book by Rebecca Yarros before and even though I overall really really liked this book I'm not sure if I'd pick up another book by her any time soon. I love a book that can run my feelings from warm and tingly to sad and crying and back again but this book was just too much. I don't like to ugly cry.