Review: Eternally North (Eternally North, #1) by Tillie Cole

Eternally North by Tillie Cole
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I knew from the time I opened page 1 of Eternally North, by Tillie Cole, that I was just going to love this book!!!!
And I was absolutely right…..this book……………

So what’s this well-written, hilarious, entertaining and sweet story all about? Apart from the insane English wit and beyond quirky characters………..

“This is the whistle-stop memoir of how a lower-middle-class girl from the north of England one day changed the way she lived her life and set off on a bumpy path that ultimately led her to her own slice of the happily-ever-after pie.”

I fell in love with Natasha Munro – how could anyone not….she’s such an endearing character…

I’m a twenty-eight-year-old high school teacher from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne in England – well, a farm just on the outskirts of town – and I’d class myself as fun with a bubbly personality, and before you ask, n – that’s not code for me being ugly, but heck, I ain’t no Cindy Crawford either! But I am fab-u-lous and totally know how to work it!

I am not fat by any means, but I am not skinny or slender either – I like to think I’m a whole lot of va-va-voom tied up in a coke-shaped bottle.

Okay, so Natasha catches her “boring” boyfriend in bed with a bimbetto, runs off to cry on her BFF’s shoulder…….John aka Tinkerbelle aka Tinks…….

oh I want a BFF like him. Believe me, this is one hell of a true friend and totally totally LOVABLE…and he definitely has better taste in hats than….you know who!!!!

So, after many drinks and tears….both friends fly off to a new life in Canada…….and what delightful adventures they have. Love, happiness, laughs…………the whole “enchilada”…..

Natasha finds her HERO…..a famous movie star, no less….how lucky can a girl get!!!!!!
Tudor North……how more cooler can a hero have such a name??????? He’s mysterious and gorgeous….he has to be….he’s the hero here…

So, this guy blows hot and cold, hides a BIG secret from our fav girl, Natasha……but this just helps their relationship grow and grow…..and yes, of course they have a HEA together………this is after all, a romantic love story…well, with a bit of angst, tears and some serious tribulations along the way…but LOVE always sorts out those problems…right!!!!! And hey…..Natasha says it all……..

“I am addicted. I, Natasha Munro, am a Tudaholic.”

There are two scenes that stand out for me………will I ever forget what “onesies” are?? Natasha & Tinks, getting comfortable to watch movies, when Tudor comes visiting, with his adorable assistant, Tate…who Tink has eyes for………

And the scene, where Natasha and Tinks go roller-skating on “black ice”…….OMG…..my tummy ached from so much laughing……………

The writing and the dialogue is totally WICKED….that’s amazing in England English to those of you who are not au fait with the Queen’s language!!!!!!!!!!

“I know what you’re thinking: surely these two amazing kids were in the popular crowd? But alas, John was as bent as a butcher’s meat hook, and I was as fat as a pig.”

“If there’s a sure-fire way to stop the awe of meeting a celeb, it was for them to be a complete and utter twat.”

“I don't know what bothered me more: the ménage a trios invitation or the fact that Little Miss Twig had continued slowly grinding on my soon-to-be-ex-boyfriend’s dick like a Black and Decker drill bit whilst he explained”

I want to end this review by saying…..Tillie Cole…

for introducing me to two of the most endearing, lovable and unforgettable characters – NATASHA MUNRO & TINKS!!!
And yes, Tudor, Natasha does bring sunshine into people’s lives….

So, what are you waiting for????? Get this book now and be prepared to be enchanted!!!!


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Review: Live to See Tomorrow by Iris Johansen

Live to See Tomorrow by Iris Johansen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Catherine Ling, the dangerous and beautiful CIA agent and superspy is back!!!

I was really looking forward to this book after https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... , which I enjoyed a lot.

Catherine is travelling to Hong Kong, to spend time with Luke, her son, who she had left in the care of her friend Hu Chang, whilst she was on her last mission.

Of course, things never work out as he plans. Venables, her CIA boss asks her to rescue Erin Sullivan, an American journalist being held as prisoner by a ruthless criminal, in the Tibetan mountains. Pulled by her wanting to be with Luke and wanting to save Erin, she agrees to the mission, which she hopes will be an easy and quick retrieval.

During the rescue mission – jeez, Catherine is some super agent…climbing up mountains, scaling monasteries…
From Kentucky to Hong Kong, to the mountains in Tibet and the streets of San Francisco Chinatown,
Catherine is soon running from ruthless killers with the help of the mysterious Cameron, known as the Guardian, who seems to have paranormal abilities…and is part of a group trying to keep the secret of Shangri-La hidden….
The incredible telepathic communication between Catherine and Cameron is mysterious and incredible. Their affair is sensual and hot and both are drawn inexplicably to each other. Whilst I found their relationship very interesting, I was rather sad that John Gallo was out the picture for Catherine!!!!
Because there’s a definite strong connection between her and Cameron, which we see growing with each moment they are together, not only physically but otherwise…remember he can get into her head!!!!!! This is hot sexual chemistry!!!

I loved the secondary characters in this story. Luke, Catherine’s son is an incredible boy.

Tenacious, smart, brave…..he’s totally fearless and I just loved seeing the relationship between mother and son slowly growing closer. Hu Chang is still as enigmatic as ever…plotting and manipulating. And I adored Celia, the woman who befriends Catherine in San Francisco. I would love to get more of her in future books.

Great story that at times have you thinking…..could this really happen?? Is it at all possible???
But never mind, it’s great entertainment and an ending that just damn grabs you…..and still, I’m left with the question………..

WHO IS RICHARD CAMERON????

Hopefully, we will have that answer, soon!!!!

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Review: What Doesn't Kill You (Catherine Ling, #2) by Iris Johansen

What Doesn't Kill You by Iris Johansen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Since meeting Catherine Ling in Chasing the Night, where Eve Duncan helps her find her lost son
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8... , I was hoping for her own book and I am totally so happy that she has….

A beautiful and dangerous CIA operative, who was recruited by Venables, the crafty CIA head from the Eve Duncan series, when she was living by her wits in the streets of Hong Kong, she has finally been reunited with her long lost son.

Soon, she’s on a dangerous mission to save her friend and mentor, Hu Chan, who has designed a very dangerous poison that many want to have. She teams up with John Gallo, Bennie’s father, who had been imprisoned in Asia for many years. There’s an immediate attraction between Catherine and John and the sexual tension between these two soon becomes totally explosive. I’m hoping that these two will be a couple in the future.

We discover more about Catherine’s past, which was really great. This is a total kick-ass heroine and I adored her. We are also given an insight on her feelings regarding her son. How the two try to bond and find each other.

And what more could I ask for a setting like Hong Kong….one of my favorite cities in the world!!!!

Action-packed, fast paced, entertaining thriller that leaves you wanting more.


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Review: Tempestuous Reunion (Harlequin Presents, #1551) by Lynne Graham

Tempestuous Reunion by Lynne Graham
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wow….what a tempestuous reunion it was!!!!! A Lynne Graham vintage – secret baby, sweet and innocent heroine seduced by a gorgeous and chauvinistic Italian billionaire, amnesia, kidnapping…ooh filled with so much melodramatic moments….and yes, I did get hooked!!!

Catherine Parrish - is eighteen, working in an art gallery has always felt abandoned and unloved by her family, has a disability (view spoiler)[ she’s dyslexic (hide spoiler)] meets the successful businessman, Luc, who shows an interest in her but ignores her for weeks on end. When he finally contacts her, she falls like a ton of bricks. She gives him her virginity…yes, of course she’s a virgin…remember, alpha males love those!!!!!!!.....then spends the next two years being his mistress – he makes it quite clear to her that she’s not good enough material for a wife…uneducated and no background to speak of!!!

Just get rid of this guy I kept saying…and then she does. Enough is enough. When Luc leaves on yet another business trip, she leaves their home and then………disaster!!! Before she can fone him to tell him she made a mistake, she’s hit by a car and is in a coma for 3 months. But the good news!!!! She doesn’t lose their baby and she decides not to go back to Luc!!!

Five years later and Luc finds her….yes, apparently he’s been searching years and years for her…why I wondered!!! Didn’t he think her not good enough when she was with him????

As usual, Catherine has been used once again by people…..she’s far too trusting and kind-hearted….but that’s who she is. Anyway, Luc forces her back to his pad, they have an argument, and she hits her head on a table when she stumbled and the next thing…..SHE HAS AMNESIA!!! She’s forgotten the last five years of her life – no idea she has a child…thank heavens little mini Luc was staying with her friend for a few days otherwise….visions of little one all on his own, no food, no Mommy!!!

Luc continues being a total unlikeable guy….he doesn’t tell Catherine about their split, spirits her in his private jet to his castle somewhere in Italy, where he makes lots of love to her and even gets her to marry him. Yes, a total so not nice guy. Allright, he has no idea that he has a son that is somewhere without his mother!!!!
So, Catherine is besotted and sooooo in love and now married to her soul-mate….things seem to be going well with this couple when Catherine suddenly regains her memory. Oh my goodness. She has to tell Luc about their son but ….hell, things just seem to not be working for her….because he discovers the secret son and – just as I thought…turns again into a nasty twit!!!!

Let me just clarify something about Luc…yes he had trust issues too. A hard childhood and all of that and he just finds it hard to express his feelings to Catherine….oh dear…he loved her all along…all those years he pined for her!!!

Well, why did he not tell Catherine how much he loved her then?????
It’s really weird…despite this guy’s behavior, by the end, I really liked him. He actually turns out to be a nice guy….and a great dad too!!!! Yes, he meets cute and beyond smart son, who falls in love with Dad IMMEDIATELY!!!!!

It is a rather cheesy and sometimes OTTT story but I was so engrossed that I couldn’t get enough of these characters.

If you are a LG fan…like me….read this one. It’s really a good and fun story.


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Review: The Tudor Plot (Cotton Malone, #7.5) by Steve Berry

The Tudor Plot by Steve Berry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this short story which is a prequel to The King's Deception.

Cotton Malone is in London on the hunt for the people that want to destroy the British Royal Family.

I am a total addict when it comes to the Royal family....love all the going-ons and all the gossip about them...i know, i know....silly, right!!! But I adore all the history and pomp.....so, this quickie read was just up my "alley".
Mystery, history, city of London, bad guys, good guys....and wow....Cotton Malone a knight!!!!!!!!!!!!

Read this and find out why!!!! Then get to the King's Deception to get more about English history - read - kings, queens......twists and turns...and more.

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Review: The Devil's Gold (Cotton Malone, #6.5) by Steve Berry

The Devil's Gold by Steve Berry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a short and quick read that ties in and provides a back-story to The Jefferson Key.
Jonathan Wyatt, former colleague of Cotton Malone, who he blames for destroying his career, discovers some secrets about Hitler’s hidden bounty and something about what happened to Eva Braun & Martin Bornman.
Introducing new characters that will play a major role in the tie-up book.
So, we go on another WHAT IF that journey only Steve Berry can take us on.

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Review: The Third Secret by Steve Berry

The Third Secret by Steve Berry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The three prophecies that three children received from the Virgin Mary at Fatima, Portugal in 19171 is regarded as one of the intriguing mysteries of modern Catholicism.

Two of the secrets were revealed by Lucia Santos in 1941 – the first was a vision of Hell on earth, the second predicted a 2nd World War and the problems that Russia would encounter unless people prayed and dedicated themselves to the Virgin Mary. The 3rd and final secret was kept in a sealed envelope by the Vatican and only made public in May 2000, by the Vatican that revealed calamitous times ahead for the Catholic Church, which created a lot of interest and controversy. How could it do to something like the Fatima occurrence, which is so important to devout Catholics, should it come out that could mean the end of the Catholic Church??

The Third Secret is Steve Berry’s take on “WHAT IF THERE WAS MORE TO WHAT WAS REVEALED BY THE VATICAN? And as we come to expect from this author, the subject is incredibly well researched – so much so, that after a while, I was asking myself….what is fiction or not!!!
The Vatican and it’s politics, intrigue, secrets, deceit, power hungry men who will stop at nothing to gain power, going as far as committing murder and destruction to ensure their goals.
The ailing Pope’s Secretary, a priest that is doubts his beliefs and struggling with the deep feelings he has for a woman is soon entangled with a power plot inside the Vatican that takes him on a journey filled with danger and treachery.
A fast-paced thriller filled with twists and turns, with some really bad and good guys and priests…………a total “spinning” journey that kept me turning page after page wanting to discover more about this Fatima phenomena.
Great read.


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Review: The Warlord Wants Forever (Immortals After Dark, #1) by Kresley Cole

The Warlord Wants Forever by Kresley Cole
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Immortals After Dark has become one of my favorite paranormal romance series.
I read this novella after I had read most of the books in this series and I found it a really entertaining story. I always wanted to find out more about Nikolai & Myst, after meeting them in other books and how the series began.

Nikolai, a human turned vampire general is on the lookout for his Bride, the one woman who can make him breathe again, make his heart beat and make him become stronger.
He’s just not expecting someone like Myst, a Valkyrien warrior to be the one.

I really liked seeing these two get together. A vampire hater who is supposedly “the one” …of a vampire!!!!
He’s sexy, alpha and struggling with the feelings he has for the totally zany, quirky, sassy, devious and gorgeous Myst.

I loved their interaction and their banter was an absolute laugh a minute.

He drew in closer and lowered his voice to ask in all seriousness, “You’re mad, aren’t you?”
“As—a—hatter,” she whispered back conspiratorially.

She blinked at him. “You don’t want to send me back. Who will entertain you? I can deal poker
and make shadow animals.”

I had to laugh in the scene where Myst tells us about Wroth being a celebrity in martial circles of the Lore…..and she gets all the gossip from the Lore magazine, called Tiger Beat.

I find the Valkyrien women totally fascinating and are definitely my favorite characters in this series.

They love clothes,
make-up and bright and shiny things.
They have the best lines ever….

”He just dragged you down to B-moviedom.”

Regen added, “Oh for Freya’s sake Myst. He’s a vampire. Let him fricassee.”

Fantastic dialogue, humor, lovable characters and the zany world of the Lore that you just want more and more………
And, yes Myst is Nikolai’s One……

Really glad I read this story, even though it was a bit short but it gave me a bit of insight into the world the author began creating. And best of all…..we get to meet the gorgeous V girls!!!


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Review: The Death Factory (Penn Cage, #3.5) by Greg Iles

The Death Factory by Greg Iles
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A novella filling in between the author's previous book, The Devil's Punchbowl and the next, Natchez Burning.

A bit of a catch up with Penn Cage since his last adventure.

His father has a heart attack and fearing death as asked for Penn as he needs to tell him a secret.But when Penn arrives at the hospital, his father denies ever saying that.

Most of the story is really about a case Penn had worked on years before when he lived in Texas and how it has always remained in his mind.
He talks about his deceased wife, Sarah and how her last days had affected the whole family. It was nice to know a bit about her.

There's something in this story that is connected to the next novel - we are left with a cliffhanger, which happens suddenly, with no warning whatsoever....I can't wait to see where that leads to next.



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