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I’ve been a Maricopa County Sheriff’s deputy for four years. Most folks don’t have a clue about what a cop deals with every day. Like a pack of attack chihuahuas, a monkey with a bad case of diarrhea, a hungry python, a Brahma bull named Bodacious and a six-foot iguana.
And that is just the critters. Now let me tell you about the two-legged varmints. Such as a three-hundred-pound biker who got a bit irate when I zapped him with a stun gun, or a murderous nun, and let’s not forget the senior citizens having an orgy. Ugh. My personal life isn’t much better. Off duty I’m a ballroom dancer which everyone makes fun of. At a dance competition Detective Sergeant Dante Delgado waltzed into my life. Law enforcement isn’t for the fainthearted. Are you brave enough to enter my world? |
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A random shooting in Flint kills the beloved matriarch of the city. Anger ensues and riots begin, mostly incited by outside influences. The EMS guys you’ve met in the previous stories gather to care for the wounded in their city. Even the ones who have left come back to give aid, comfort and caring. And while it was wonderful to meet up with the guys again, the circumstances are sad. This is a story that you must read in order or you won’t understand the pairings. You also won’t understand the depth of emotional attachment the characters have to Flint.
This is a story full of tension and desperation. There is anguish and anger. You can feel it in the interactions of the characters. And yet the couples still can find time to appreciate the love they have found with their partners. The author does a masterful job of showing the full range of emotions the characters go through. The focus isn’t on the sex in this story. I would have liked more about the shooting and the shooter as well as the outsiders that caused most of the problems. Flint's Fury is a Recommended Read!
All that career fisherman Leo Shine wants is to be out on the Alaskan waters with his brother and father at the helm of their own spanking new fishing boat, the Goblin. While working with another crew, Leo learns that the Goblin has been lost, along with his only kin. Clues found in the wreckage speak of contraband and illegal trafficking, something Leo cannot allow himself to believe, setting him off on a journey to find answers and family he never knew, oceans away in Portugal. Piper Pines is fed up with the nomadic, uncertain lifestyle she's led with her fisherman father on England's blustery north coast, and decides to strike out on her own journey of family discovery. It's rare when a book makes you really feel like you're there, in the setting of the story. Author Sue Roebuck does this handily.You can virtually feel the waves and water sloshing around your ankles and the sun and wind beating down on your back. I wouldn't categorize this story as a romance, although it's easy to see that the main characters are destined for one another quite early on. Like the ocean, the currents and swells of the story draw our characters inexorably to the same place and time. It was a treat to be "immersed" in an such an intricate plot, with a bit of mystery to solve along the way. The length of this book allowed for some great character development and a cast of numerous performers that are memorable enough to not get lost in the readers' mind. I could actually visualize Lili screaming epithets in Portuguese and Etta's outfits that were as colorful as her vocabulary! However, the major player here is the breathtaking, timeless, unforgiving sea. The author's knowledge of the sea, of the locale, its language and industry really comes through in this work and keeps you riveted until the end. That's when you know you have a good book in your hands. Rising Tides is a great vacation read. Be sure to take it with you on the next boat you catch! Giveaway:Ms. Roebuck is giving away an Ecopy of her book. The TBR Pile is giving away a book from our prize list. TO ENTER: Comment below on why you love seafaring books?
Title: Private Sector
Author: Leigh M Lane Length: 170 pages Genres: Science Fiction, Drama TBR Reviewer: Jean Rating: 3 Stars - A Good Read A not-so distant future... For those that wonder ‘what would the world be like if?’, Private Sector offers some disturbing answers. When corporations become society’s governing body, you can bet that competition is fierce and profit margins reign supreme. The dichotomy of life under such a regime is illustrated by the lives of John and Dianne Irwin, a young couple struggling to make ends meet and provide a secure future for their pre-school son. In a dissipating job market and subjected to rampant capitalism at every turn, the future is anything but certain for this little family. Upon starting this read, I admit I was put-off by the writing style, which I found florid, too-full of redundant adjectives and words that missed the mark of the mental imagery they were attempting to stir. However, I must say that the topic matter and philosophical themes kept me reading! The concepts of a disappearing job market, an only-for-profit economy, a disbanding of public service, and disregard/contempt for arts and culture touched some deep personal chords and describe a world that is not so far removed from the one we live in today. We see in Dianne the most developed character in the story, and along with her innocent and precocious son, two characters that readers can care about and identify with. Who can’t feel sorry for a five-year-old fighting to understand the world around him and assuming that mommy knows best? A philandering husband, a hard-core addict sister and callous, uncaring parents round out the cast of shallow players whom elicit no interest or sympathy. You are inside many, many heads in this story, the most improbable being that of five-year old Junior, whose inner voice manages to spout some impossibly complex vocabulary and rationale. Overall, a good book conveys a profound message, and Private Sector certainly delivers on that front. Though short, the story has the framework for a much longer and in-depth narrative, and I can definitely spot TV and movie material here! Dystopia fans will find this an intriguing read. Lay Me Down to Sleep Author: James Cox Length: 61 pages Genres: M/M romance, futuristic science-fiction romance TBR Reviewer: Amanda Rating: 4 Stars - Recommended Read. Heat: 3 - Blush Worthy In 2999, the majority of the Earth's population is sent to underground hibernation stations in order to let a machine clean the surface of the Earth and set new growth in bloom due to the pollution that has overrun the planet. Glenton wakes as he hears yelling and discovers that the chambers have failed and that very few people have lived. Together, he and his rescuer, Aric, and four other people count down to the time in which they can go back to the Earth's surface. However, during this struggle to survive, Glenton begins to discover things about himself and his feelings that he was unaware of as a thirteen-year-old when he was put into hibernation. The characters in this story are very young - Glenton is only just turning eighteen, so many of the fumbles they face make sense. The limited amount of information they have, especially when taken into account the failures of the machines keeping them alive, leads to an almost idyllic lack of knowledge. Aric's guilty feelings and fear of everyone he loves dying explain so much of the early push-pull between the two young men. Overall, this story felt almost sweet in the romantic aspect and even the science-fiction aspect was not one of huge scientific terms but one of humans fighting for survival against all odds. I really enjoyed seeing what happened as they reached the end of the countdown and finally opened the hatch to the surface once again, and the answer to why the equipment was failing was satisfying as well. Purchase HereMr. Cox is generously giving away 2 ecopies of Lay me Down to Sleep. To enter: Comment below on why you want to read Lay Me Down to Sleep.
French Roast by Ava Miles Genre - Romance Length - Novel TBR Reviewer - Daniella Rating: 3 Stars - A Good Read. Heat: 3 - Blush Worthy. Jill Hale and Brian McConnell were best friends in high school. When Brian tells Jill on graduation day that he will move to New York to attend culinary school, she feels betrayed that the boy who used to tell her everything, he didn't tell her this until it was to late. Jill shuts him out and when Brian comes back to Dare, eight years later, the flames are burning hot between them, but much has happened since they last were friends. They try to rekindle their friendship and explore the deeper relationship between them. Brian seems to have come back a changed man with many secrets and Jill needs to figure out if she can put the hurts of the past behind her. This is the second book in the Dare Valley series. I very much enjoyed the first book and I was really looking forward to reading Jill and Brian's story, which started off in the previous book. I really liked Jill in the first book. She is kind and quirky and caring. Those characteristics still shine through every now and then, especially in her work environment, but a lot of the time she is quick to judge and lays blame on people who shouldn't be blamed. Unfortunately, my interest in Jill and her happily ever after with Brian fell quite quickly. They just fought over stupid things and treated each other quite badly. They have both gone through some traumatizing events, but when a couple has so many more bad moments than good ones, it just doesn't give you that warm feeling. Luckily, this book introduces us to another pairing, Peggy and Mac. Their interactions were so(ooo) good and you could feel the chemistry crackle on the pages. I loved every moment of these two and found myself wanting to be done with Jill and Brian just so I could read more about Peg and Mac. So, definitely gearing up for their book. The writing style in this book was great, just as in the first book, with a lot of witty banter and great characters. I think it just suffered from being a typical "middle book". The added elements of a case to solve didn't exist in this book and it has no clear story from beginning to end, but was rather a build-up to the next book. Purchase HereWhite Chocolate by Lydia Michaels Genre - Romance Length - Novel TBR Reviewer - Daniella Rating: 5 Stars - A Must Read. Heat: 4 - An Erotic Ride. When Kat D´Angelo was seventeen she became pregnant, but her parents who are more concerned with their own social image kicks her out and the father of the baby disappears. For Kat her daughter Mia is the single most important thing in her life. Kat is really on her own, but Kat´s mother decides that despite Kat´s 'scandalous life', a grandchild is important for the family´s image and constantly interferes with and rules Kat´s life by manipulating her daughter. When Kat meets Tyson, her new neighbor she starts a slow journey towards realizing her own worth and that she can and should stand up for herself. I really enjoyed the telling of Kat´s 'coming of age' story. Her growing into an adult started when she had a baby and had to fend for herself, but emotionally she was in many ways in the world of an insecure 17 year-old. In this story Kat is in her early twenties, independent but somehow still stuck under her judging mother´s thumb. She does have a few supporting and loving people around her, and she herself puts her own daughter first. However, when Tyson moves in next door, a new world opens to Kat and she realizes that she may allow to let herself love other people outside her daughter, and that she can trust others with those feelings. Not everyone is going to use them against her like her mother has always done. All the characters were emotionally complex and although Tyson was supposedly the mature one, both he and Kat developed emotionally through the course of the book. I also very much liked the fact that although, there were a lot of bumps in the road for the couple, there wasn´t a lot of angst due to any miscommunications or them not talking to each other. The journey was a struggle, but it ended very happily. I really enjoyed this book, with interesting characters and a good story about the power of love and about personal growth. Purchase HereThe Winning Season Author: Alison Packard Genre: Romance Page Count: 369 TBR Reviewer: Jessica Rating: 4 Stars - Recommended Read. Heat: 3 - Blush Worthy. The Winning Season is an angst-filled romance of love and baseball. Matt Scanlon is a professional baseball player who has just been traded to the San Francisco Blaze after a tumultuous year of making headlines with his unexplained erratic behavior. Still bitter about being traded by his beloved Dodgers, Matt also find himself stuck with a reputation of being a loose cannon who parties too much, drinks too much and sleeps with strippers and porn stars. Kelly Maxwell is the head of media relations for the San Francisco Blaze who's job it is to handle publicity for the team, arrange interviews and handle the fallout if and when the players make the news for all the wrong reasons. Kelly and Matt have a history. While brief, they met one night at dinner with mutual friends, and rather than sending sparks flying, these two went head to head flinging nasty insults at each other. Now, almost a year later, Matt has been traded and the two are forced to work side by side while Matt tries to redeem himself and his reputation. Both fighting demons from their pasts, and carrying personal secrets, an unexpected attraction blooms. This book really surprised me. I was pulled into the story from the very first page and could not put it down. The story is jam packed with angst and drama and sexual tension, all must-haves in my opinion. I am so impressed with the author's writing and creativity. The characters are so well developed, each with diverse personalities and histories. I loved the dynamics between Matt and his teammates, both the good and the bad provided such an interesting edge to the story line. Kelly's relationship with her family, her friends, co-workers and her roommate all added so much depth to this story. The icing on this very delicious layered cake was, of course, is the intensity between Kelly and Matt. This story doesn't begin like most other drama filled romance... there's no love loss between these two. The story begins with a genuine dislike and zero attraction between these two. What ends in sexual tension certainly did not begin that way. The story that takes root and grows from that mutual disdain really sets this story apart from others like it. This book has it all... heartbreak, humor, loss, joy, love and hope. It's such an original story. Without having read anything else by this author, I assumed it would be like all the other sports-themed romances I've already read. However, it really broke away from the expected and continually threw curve balls my way. This author knocked it out of the park with this book! Purchase HereGiveaway: The author is giving away an Ecopy of The Winning Season to one lucky winner! The TBR Pile is giving away a Ebook from our prize list to one lucky winner! To ENTER: Comment below on why you want to read The Winning Season.
Burn with Me by Christle Gray Genre: Science Fiction, Romance, Erotica TBR Reviewer: Brutally Honest Rating: 5 Stars – A Must Read. Heat: 4 – An Erotic Ride. Sarah is on a planet conquered by nasty Raknorg. It’s only her niece and herself alive in this small shack of a home trying to survive until an invisible space ship crash lands. She now has to save Draco by keeping him hidden and see if there’s any hope of saving her niece. This book was fabulous! Seriously, the more I read the more engrossed in the story I became. The emotion was off the charts and I did tear up some. The author did a wonderful job with the sex, sensual and hot but not too graphic. Really well done. The characters were so well written. I’m very excited to read more from this author and see great things in her future. You know I was set on giving this book 4 stars because it did need a bit more work building but after I finished it, the characters stayed in my head. This book is one of the rare gems out there and after some thought, I have to changed it to 5 shiny stars. I really, really (Yes, another) really, enjoyed this book. I WANT more from this talented author! Purchase HereMenage a fairy by Anna Keraleigh Genre: F/F/M, F/F, fantasy, erotica Length: Novella TBR Reviewer: Brutally Honest Rating: 5 Stars – A Must Read. Heat: 4 – An Erotic Ride. This is a continuation of the fairy series by Anna Keraleigh. This is all about a fairy man, Wick, and a lesbian, Jayn, going after the same woman, Annalise. There’s also a major war about to begin with the nasty trolls. The book was fabulous. I couldn’t put it down. From the hot sex to the explosive ending that had me on the edge of my seat. Yes, I got all misty eyed when a particular character died. He shall be missed! However, I liked that the author took a chance by killing off a beloved character. It made the story seem more real, more emotionally challenging rather than an average happy ending (Which there is for the three characters this story is about.) Does this mean Valen will be coming back into the mix? That man was hot! What about the baby princess? What about the prophecy from the first book? So many question I have and I'm really excited to see how they get answered in the next book. The ending was so damn good! I really enjoyed this series. It has a lot of plot mixed with a hot sexy threesome. There is f/f action so if you’re not into that I suggest you skip those parts. Don’t miss this book though, really fabulous read. I liked the world building or destroying (hint, hint) and I’ve come to enjoy the relationship, as crazy as it is, between the fairy, the lesbian and Annalise. Very hot. Menage a Fairy is a wild, hot adventure with fairies, nakedness and explosion’s to keep you on the edge of your seat! Purchase HereGIVEAWAY: Ms. Keraleigh is giving away an Ecopy to two lucky winners! The TBR Pile is giving away a book from our Prize List. To ENTER: Comment below on why you want to read Menage a Fairy!
Title: The Billionaire's Unwanted Virgin Author: Doris O'Connor Page count: 147 Genres: Contemporary TBR Reviewer: Victoria Rating: 4 Stars - Recommended Read. Heat: 5 - Orgasmic Alice Wunderland (I had to double-check the cover to be sure this wasn't one of Evernight's kinky fairytales, because of that name) is in need of a lot of money in a very short period of time to cover medical needs for her niece's child who's been diagnosed with a nasty cancer. She decides to raise that money by auctioning her virginity. Lakota ends up "inheriting" Alice when his brother, who actually bid on Alice's virginity, dies in a car wreck just before the auction closes. To help his respectability, Lakota uses that bid and the two get married. After some bumps and emotional roller-coasters, the two find their way to each other. Alice is a desperate woman and who can blame her and who wouldn't do anything and everything they could to protect/help a sick loved one. The emotions raised by her caring were awesome and part of my 4-star rating. That she would be willing to do what she did (first auction her virginity and then actually marry a man...) was wonderful. Yes, she could have been a bit of a martyr, but she didn't really end up coming across that way. I have to say I was surprised to learn that there might be actual programs in Native American culture in England. Classes, maybe, but not a degree. So I learned something. This is relevant only because it's mentioned several times, and it plays a growing part in who and what the hero, Lakota, is and, conveniently enough, Alice's advanced studies were in Native American culture, so she understands about him. And, lest I forget, I have to say way to go Alice, for the verbal slap she gives the villain of the book in the hospital right before the end of the book. Lakota ... probably not my favorite Doris O'Connor male, but still decent enough, though he had a bit of a stick up his rear when it came to his father. Thankfully, they worked through that problem. So, if I liked this book and clearly I did, why didn't I give it a 5-star rating? A few reasons. First, I found it a bit difficult to believe that when the newspaper articles came out, that Lakota and Alice would turn on each other the way they did. Alice had been a fighter and I was disappointed that she didn't fight harder right out of the gate, just took his crap and moped. Second, the cartoony nature of the villain. And finally, because Lakota still had a major stick up his rump when it came to his real father even after it was revealed the truth about the lack of acknowledgment from his parent. The Billionaire's Unwanted Virgin is a recommend read! Purchase Here |
Tristan needs a wife. Elinor needs a future. It's a perfect match... Except he's an earl. She's a commoner.
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