Review: Lead (Stage Dive, #3) by Kylie Scott (Goodreads Author)

Lead by Kylie Scott
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Okay, the secret is out!!!!

I AM A STAGE DIVE GROUPIE!!!!!!

I have an obsessive adoration for these sexy rockers since the time I read Lick, the 1st book in Kylie Scott’s sweet, sexy and funny rockstar romance series. I fell in love with David and Mal……Jimmy Ferris, the lead singer…wait, this guy was so not “nice” when I first met him………but, WOW!!!!! Was I surprised with his story, Lead, the 3rd book.
Never mind falling in love with Jimmy…….I freaking adored him!!!! This is a gorgeous man!!!
I know…..gushing and star-struck and a total crush on Jimmy! Yep, that’s me!!

THE STORYLINE

Jimmy Ferris, Stage Dive’s lead singer’s life has reached rock bottom. Overdosing on booze, drugs, sex…..He has been given an ultimatum…get your act together or you’re out!!! Out of rehab, he’s trying to keep clean and get back on track.

Lena Morrissey is fed up with most things in her life. She’s tired of dating shallow and stupid men and always falling for the wrong guy. She needs a new and fresh start and that could be the new job offer she has been given.
Her responsibility is to be a kind of sobriety companion/live-in assistant/babysitter to Jimmy Ferris….

Soon their working relationship begins to change into something more and we see how these two opposite characters work through all the drama and the emotional baggage they carry and have to overcome if they are ever to get together.

THE HERO & HEROINE

Jimmy FerrisHe’s gorgeous, sexy, talented, difficult, spoilt, always gets his way with anything he wants, vain and a loner who doesn’t allow anyone close to him.

But that’s how he deals with his inner demons.
Abandoned by his parents early in his life, he has closed off any feeling of emotions. He fights getting to close anyone, even those he loves. We see his vulnerability at Mal’s mother’s funeral. She was the person who saved and loved him and David, his brother, when the two were abandoned by their mother. She was a person he loved and her death left a huge hole in his life. The story he tells at her funeral was so heartbreaking and shows us the real Jimmy.

Lena MorrisseyThis is the kind of heroine I adore. She’s attractive and a bit “curvy” but is not obsessed with her looks, she’s cute, caring, funny, sassy, appealing and lovable but takes no shit from anyone. She says what she thinks and feels. I loved the scene where she tells Jimmy of her feelings about men in general…

She’s the kind of woman I could be really good friends with!! There would never be a dull moment in our lives!!! I loved her honesty….telling Jimmy that she’s fallen in love with him and is unsure how their situation will work with him not feeling the same. Boy that took courage!

THE RELATIONSHIP

What worked for me was how Jimmy and Lena’s relationship progressed and grew over time and not an insta-love one. We see the development and the changes from employee/employer to becoming friends to lovers. The sexual tension, the emotional connection and growing to trust each other slowly unfolds filled with the two discovering who they were…………

One of the funniest parts in the story is seeing Jimmy offering to help Lena get over him when he sees Lena reading a magazine article titled Guide to Getting Over Him.
He arranges blind dates for her and the results are a total laugh. Beyond hilarious. Their “debriefings” were a pleasure to read…..

And when the sexual tension becomes unbearable? More than sparks flying!!!

It’s hot, passionate, sexy, sizzling and with some naughty bits thrown in!!!

Lena was really the shining light in Jimmy’s life….she loved him, she cared for him even when Jimmy struggled with opening up to her. She knew he didn’t love her like she did him and that he loved her as a friend…..but regardless, she would not give up on him…

Lena was definitely my favorite character in this book, if not in the series. There was something about her that drew you to her. I know I’ve said it all before….but let me say it again…….she’s an AWESOME person. And thank heavens Jimmy finally opened his eyes and saw the person he wanted to spend his life with.

Watching Lena and Jimmy’s relationship grow and develop was great. I loved how it took time. It wasn’t rushed or instant. You saw the progression and the changes in both of them. They started at an, then became friends, then… the sparks started flying. And once they do… hot damn. Be prepared for some sexy times. Jimmy’s got a bit of a dirty mouth and their time together was a great combination of passionate and naughty.

CHARACTERS
The character development is fantastic. We have seen the changes, the conflicts and the growth that the band has gone through.

One of the things that I love about this series is how the author makes her characters feel so real. These are people who you could be friends with…yes, I know they’re rockstars but they seem like attainable people….like your next door neighbor, like one of your friends. Like…just NORMAL PEOPLE!!

How refreshing to see the kind of the women the band is with. Not the usual vacant and size 000 supermodels but women who are real, down to earth with no pretensions.

The interaction between the characters is nicely done with some of the most humorous banter.
Their connection, their love, their loyalty and their bond with each other is a joy to see.

The depiction of David and Jimmy’s mother was something else!!! What a character! One of those that I just love to hate. Another was Lena’s sister. Wow, talk about an insensitive and stupid woman!

And not forgetting Killer, the puppy!!

“Interesting. I'm going to tell you what I told Killer at puppy training today when he tried to mount a teacup poodle he'd only just met. If she means something to you, you gotta do the woo, son. You can't just be trying to stick it in.

THE WRITING

I love the author’s writing style and voice. It’s unique, smooth and flowing making it easy reading.
The dialogue is absolutely amazing. I could hear it in my mind….it felt as if I was listening in to the characters conversations.


AND FINALLY
If you love rock stars that are endearing, lovable and totally relatable…….READ THIS SERIES!!!!
I can’t wait to get stuck into Ben’s story next in book #4, Deep.

I leave you with this message….never mind that it may be a spoiler….of course everyone knows that in love and romance, this is true……..


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Review: Wild Cat (Leopard People, #8) by Christine Feehan (Goodreads Author)

Wild Cat by Christine Feehan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

2,5 stars

WILD CAT is the 8th installment in Christine Feehan’s contemporary paranormal, erotic romance Leopard Series.

Christine Feehan is one of my favorite PNR romance authors and I have read all her series, and whilst I like her Leopard Series, her Carpathian Series is still my favorite.

Having met Elijah Lospostos in previous books I was looking forward to his book.. Sadly, I was rather sad after I finished reading his story.
In fact, I was more than unhappy with Elijah and his character….never mind that he was domineering and aggressive towards his colleagues and friends but how he behaved towards the heroine, Siena Arnotto, was beyond not acceptable.

I get that the men in this series are portrayed as dominant and controlling, but no way can one condone or excuse the manner in which he treated Siena, in the beginning, when she’s asked by her grandfather to deliver a present to Elijah, who believes that she’s part of a plan to kill him…..His actions………..he forceful and violently takes her virginity, tears her clothes, grabs her by her long hair, pulls her out his front door, calling her a whore and a slut, that she’s the worst f….k he’s ever had, shuts the door on her, leaving her almost naked on the doorstep!!!!

The violence continues….Siena returns home and gets beaten very badly by one of her grandfather’s henchmen, who threatens to kill her if she doesn’t marry him. Her grandfather does nothing.
This all happens to this poor woman in the first two or three chapters.

She escapes from the family wine estate after her grandfather is murderer and fearing for her life, goes to Jake Bannacone, who has a security company, wanting to hire someone to protect her. Well, surprise, surprise. Elijah works for the company and he offers to be her bodyguard. Are you kidding me???? Siena can’t face him and runs off and is kidnapped by Paolo, her grandfather’s guard and the one who had beaten almost to death the day before. What other horrible things must this poor woman have to endure?
Well, she’s again violently attacked by Paolo and Elijah and his men just barely get to her on time.

Okay, let me keep it short here…..she’s taken to Elijah’s home where he can better protect her. She wants nothing to do with him.
So, does he apologize? Are you kidding!!! No way…..he just TELLS her that she HAS to forgive him….because he’s had a terrible life so far….and wait for this….and that he’s always loved her since he met her all those years ago. How she’s the only woman for him…his true mate! Is that groveling????? Pleeeeez…..He knows what he did to her was wrong…but she just has to deal with it!!!!! She has to do everything he tells her to do. He’s the boss!!!

Okay!!!! Caveman moments much!!!

And Siena….she’s always loved him and no other man has come close to him in her heart. She thaws and gives in and forgives him. Hell, Elijah is some lucky male!!! Me, I would have him on his knees, crawling on the floor, begging for forgiveness!! But this is Elijah….he’s a male, she’s a female, and it’s a man’s duty to care and protect his woman. All she has to do is follow his orders. If he wants something or tells her something..he HAS THE LAST WORD!!

What I liked about Siena – she may listen to his in charge/control tirade but she‘s not going to lie down and just submit to his demands. Loved the way she turned things around when Elijah tried to keep her in the dark about the situation with the leopard people and their power struggles.

Actually, I did rather like Siena. And the best part about her….how she deals with Elijah!!!!

She’s gone through a lot of bad stuff in her life but it hasn’t made her hard. A life filled with loneliness, no friends to chat with. I liked her openness, her caring and loving nature…..and she’s totally cute.
One of my favorite parts in this book was the time Siena wanted to surprise Elijah but cooking his favorite dish…..okay, so she can’t cook but anyone can make a dish using a recipe!!! Well, not really!!! Burning hands and face, steaming eyes as she inhales the chilies that she’s trying to cook!!!
It put a smile on my face!!!!

Now, I haven’t mentioned the sex!!!! So much sex!!!! More sex pages than plot pages!!!!

Elijah and Siena have a lot of sex!!!! Every chanced they get!!! A knock at their bedroom door informing him that there’s someone who wants to meet with him downstairs……….quick, let’s have a hot and speedy go together before I go to the meeting!!!!

Look, I like steam and hotness in a story….but when sex scenes pop up every couple of pages…….let’s say that I did skim a few, well maybe a lot of the sex scenes which were becoming a bit more repetitive and tedious.

The secondary characters making an appearance have become familiar….Jake and Emma and their kids, Eli and Cat, Joaquin and Tomas Estrada, Drake Donovan, Evan and Joshua Tregre, who I am sure is going to play a huge part in the future. The new and interesting character introduced in this story is Alonzo, Siena’s former bodyguard and who sees himself as her protector.

I like the world the author has created and developed, and how the leopard people’s struggle to continue existing in the human and with each other. The character development since the 1st book in the series is really good.

This was not one of my fav’s in this series. It was more like an OK!!!

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Review: Relatively Famous (Famous, #1) by Heather C. Leigh (Goodreads Author)

Relatively Famous by Heather C. Leigh
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Relatively Famous is the 1st book I’ve read by this author, Heather Leigh.

The series was recommended by one of my GR friends and being the Hollywood junkie that I am, I couldn’t resist!

I enjoyed the story but there was something about it that didn’t make me feel….WOW!!!

The heroine, Sydney is the daughter of a Hollywood movie power couple, who have being “abandoned” …check..divorce….by her father disappears to NYC to live her life away from all the glitz and glamour and where no one knows who she is. She’s not interested in relationships and casual and infrequent one night stands suit her just fine.

She meets a sexy and gorgeous man, Drew Forrester, who she falls for. He has something that just grabs her.

The two have loads of sex….jeez…and I mean loads and loads….they are attracted……..even though they are both keeping BIG secrets from each other. Big big problems await these two!!!!!

Okay, so what did I like about this story?

I adored Drew Forrester. He was a really nice and caring guy, despite being such a huge superstar. He never pushed Sydney, he was never overbearing, demanding and arrogant. Of course, he was also beyond gorgeous and sexy and famous and very rich…private planes, private island, private villas……….hell, I wanted him for myself!!

”I trust you. If you say you’re not upset, then I’ll let it go for now. Just understand that I won’t let anything or anyone hurt you, not even me.”

SWOON…SWOON…SWOON………..

I liked Drew’s private driver…he was such a sweet man.

“Okay, I guess I do need a little help.” He opens the door for me and as I pass through he smiles, “I’m Bruce by the way.” I can’t help but smile back. “Sydney. Nice to meet you Bruce. Thanks for taking pity on me and my inability to stay upright.” “It happens”

Sydney’s BFF, Leah. She had a craziness and sweetness about her that was really endearing. The shopping trips she did with Sydney were a total laugh a minute. Designer name dropping? Check!!! I hope that she will have her own book in the future.

One of the things I liked about Sydney was her intelligence, talent and independence. And she did show a joie de vivre at times that made her appealing.

I liked Sydney’s mother a lot…even if she didn’t have a huge part in this story. She’s interesting and looking forward to more of her.

Loved the exotic locations…NYC, Hollywood and the Caribbean.

What irritated me:

Are you telling me that someone with a Hollywood past, living in NYC, has never owned a TV, read a newspaper or magazine…..what does she read????......knows nothing about movies or movie stars!!!! I found that very unbelievable. Was Sydney living in a cocoon!!!!

How Sydney could not get over her past and move on. Hell, a lot of people go through what she did but they don’t moan and whinge about it…but get on with their lives. I kept wanting to shake her and get over it. In the beginning I just couldn’t engage with Sydney but thankful she turned out a bit better than I was expecting.

I wanted a bit more dialogue.

The ending left us with some questions about Sydney’s relationship with her father and I am also looking forward to where Drew and Sydney will find themselves next.

An enjoyable read.

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Review: Come Away with Me (With Me in Seattle, #1) by Kristen Proby (Goodreads Author)

Come Away with Me by Kristen Proby
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I don’t even have to think twice…what was one of the worst books I read this year…..Come Away with Me, the 1st book in Kristen Proby’s With me in Seattle Series.

After seeing all those 4 and 5 star ratings….I asked myself….is this the same book I read????? I gave up halfway….and that’s saying something about me….because I do not like DNF reading a book!!! But seriously, I could not turn another page and read about how beautiful Natalie Conner is and how beautiful….
.
Oops, sorry, the hero in this story is not Edward Cullen…I just got a bit confused with the hero, whose name is Luke Williams, who happens to be an ex super movie star who acted in 3 blockbuster movies about vampires…..apologies for the mistake!

Okay, let me start again!

Natalie is taking fotos on the beach early one morning when she’s suddenly confronted by the most BEAUTIFUL man who wants to rip her camera from her and demands why she’s taking fotos of him. Of course, she’s taken no photos of the guy…even though he’s beyond beautiful.

So, everything is sorted out eventually and Luke Williams, hiding his famous identity from Natalie, is suddenly struck with lust for the sexy Natalie…..

Natalie is just as struck with lust for Luke…..he’s beautiful, he’s gorgeous, he’s beautiful

“Clearly, Mr Beautiful Blue Eyes and Sexy Greek God Face is a loony tune.”

Hell, Luke Williams is doing something to me…..never mind to poor old Natalie, with all her body issues!!!!! She can’t believe this Greek god thinks she’s beautiful. A guy like him……

““I’ve fallen in love with a beautiful, sexy, sweet, jealous control freak.
Shit.”

My head is spinning….Luke Williams is causing me some problems…..

Right, insta-love occurs. These two people are beyond besotted with their beautiful partners…..

Sorry, am I repeating myself???? Just want to make it very clear that these are extraordinary BEAUTIFUL people, who are so in love…..a real LOVE STORY here!!

By now it should be clear how the word BEAUTIFUL applies to EVERYONE and I mean EVERYONE in this story….the hero/heroine are beautiful, the heroine’s bff is beautiful, the hero’s mother, father, sister are beautiful….in fact, these people are totally superficial and so not deep…but never mind…because……

All the drama, all the jealousy…………hell, never mind having my fingers in my mouth half way through this story…it was more of something like this….

This is the 1st book I read by this author…….am I going to read any other by her??? Not sure!!! But what I am sure is that I don’t think I will continue with this series.

Of course, there are so many other readers who loved this book……and I totally understand that it works for some…for me….it did not!!!!

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Review: Shadow Woman by Linda Howard

Shadow Woman by Linda Howard
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

SHADOW WOMAN by Linda Howard opens up with a spectacular prologue. US president shot by his wife! Cut to Chapter 1 – Lizette Henry wakes up one morning and doesn’t recognize her face in the mirror. She remembers what she looked like and it’s certainly not the face looking at her from the mirror. She also remembers the last two years of her life…before that she has no recollection.

As she begins to remember more, she realizes that something was done to her and that she’s in danger from unknown people, who have been keeping tabs on her for the last two years.
Forced to go on the run, trying to avoid being killed and determined to find out what happened to her.

Dangerous people involved in a conspiracy that are determined to do anything to kill anyone who poses a danger to them.

I liked the first couple of chapters. The tension and suspense as Lizette tries to finding the answers to what had been done to her.
Being chased by the bad buys and followed by the shadowy Xavier, who is part of the conspiracy but happens to be the good guy here.

I would have liked Lizzie and Xavier to have more interaction with each other. They only get together almost at the end and most of the story is the thoughts in their heads. The lack of romance was lacking….again nothing happens until the end ….except for Lizzie’s erotic dreams about a dark man that she’s named X.

I found the plot interesting and intriguing and the ending where all is revealed, quite clever even if a bit implausible.

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Review: Never Die Alone by Lisa Jackson (Goodreads Author)

Never Die Alone by Lisa Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lisa Jackson is one of my favorite romance suspense authors and I have read a load of her books.

Never Die Alone, the 8th book in her New Orleans Series featuring Detective Rick Bentz and his partner, Reuben Montoya, are on a desperate chase to find a killer, whose victims are young women who are about to turn 21 years and who they believed had been locked away.

A mystery filled with twists and turns and actually a good read.


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Review: All Dressed in White: An Under Suspicion Novel by Mary Higgins Clark (Goodreads Author), Alafair Burke (Goodreads Author)

All Dressed in White: An Under Suspicion Novel by Mary Higgins Clark
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


All Dressed in White by Mary Higgins Clark and the 2nd book in the Under Suspicion Series, written in collaboration with Alafair Burke, featuring
Laurie Moran, a television star, who has her own show that investigates cold cases.

Laurie is asked by a distraught mother, Amanda Pierce, who wants her to investigate the disappearance of her daughter on the night before her wedding five years ago. Labeled all those years ago as the Runaway Bride crime, it had never been resolved.

Laurie’s producer agrees to her doing the show, she immediately gets the wedding party from that event together at the place where the wedding was supposed to have taken place.

It felt a bit like an Agatha Christie novel…..get all the possible suspects together in one place and gather more information about the night of the bride’s disappearance.

Having accepted to appear in her show are the missing bride, Amanda Pierce’s parents, her groom who has since married Meghan White, her friend and bridesmaid, Charlotte Pierce, her sister, Kate Fulton, friend and bridesmaid, Henry Pierce, her brother and the groomsmen, Nick Young and Austin Pratt. All seem to be keeping secrets and grudges.
Revelations include family drama, deception, rivalry, money that ends in the most unexpected and shocking climax.

The writing style is smooth, clever misdirections about who could be the killer, great plot, likeable characters, fabulous location, romance, suspense, mystery…all adds up to another great read by these authors.

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Review: Sight Unseen (Kendra Michaels, #2) by Iris Johansen (Goodreads Author), Roy Johansen (Goodreads Author)

Sight Unseen by Iris Johansen
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Sight Unseen the 2nd book in Irish and Roy Johansen in the Kendra Michaels Series.

Mediocre…not even passable!!!

A copycat serial killer is recreating the kills of a serial killer about to be executed that are all linked to the woman who helped with putting him behind bars.

Sorry, that would be Kendra Michaels, a music therapist, who regained her sight after being blind for twenty years.

She’s back! To find the serial killer that is obsessed with her. He thinks he’s so much smarter than her…but really, we know no one is smarter than Kendra Michaels.

She knows exactly how to take this evil killer down!! After all, she’s smart, kick-ass, brave and takes no shit from anyone…including the FBI…..we know what she thinks of them!!!!

She orders the agents working the case around…..yes, we know, she thinks that they’re idiots and cannot the job as well as she…..because they don’t see the picture like she does…remember, regaining her sight gives her special powers….

I disliked Kendra Michaels a lot in this story. She was so arrogant and cold to everyone, including Adam, FBI and ex-lover. Oh wait, she thinks that she may like him but treats him like shit!!!! The poor guy even arranges a doctor to check her out after she’s jumped off a 2 story house to escape the serial killer who was in her home…..and all she does is moan and groan!!!! What’s with this “I can take care of myself” thing she has!!!
Oh, because she’s now able to see after all those years of blindness…right…it gives her something of an edge to us poor average human beings…

I more than struggled to finish this book….I gave up a few times but I was determined to reach the end….hoping that something would make me forget all the previous pages I so did not get into….because I spent a lot of time doing something like this…

….and no, the end…..naturally we are left with a cliffhanger!!! Hoping we will read book #3 next.

Will I be one of those to read it? You see, I love Iris Johansen, so I am probably going to read it!!!!

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Review: Close Your Eyes by Iris Johansen (Goodreads Author), Roy Johansen (Goodreads Author)

Close Your Eyes by Iris Johansen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

2,5 stars

Close your Eyes is the 1st novel in the Kendra Michaels Series by Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen.

I have been a huge fan of Iris Johansen since reading the 1st book in her Eve Duncan Series, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... and have read the entire series and a lot more of her other series, so I was looking forward to reading more about Kendra Michaels, who made an appearance in one of Eve Duncan latest books.

I can’t exactly say why this one was such a disappointment.

I found the premise of the story really good…..a woman who regains her sight after being blind for twenty years and uses her talents to help people with problems by doing music therapy and she also helps the FBI solve cases. Kendra Michaels is reluctant to help the FBI again after some not so good interactions with them in the past.
When her ex boyfriend and FBI agent, goes missing and her ex lover FBI agent, Adam Lynch asks for her help, she agrees. But not without giving the FBI agents a hard time.

The agents are portrayed as totally stupid and ineffective and only KENDRA MICHAELS is the smart one!
The bad guys are so idiotic that I could have solved the case myself.
The romance between Adam and Kendra..sorry, did I say romance??? No, there’s not even a flicker of heat between these two!!
Their interaction became so damn tiresome after a while.

I didn’t exactly hate this book…..just didn’t do it for me!!! Maybe book #2 will be better!!!

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Review: Dead By Midnight by Beverly Barton

Dead By Midnight by Beverly Barton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Dead by Midnight by Beverly Barton is the 1st novel in her Dead By Trilogy and is part and #11 in the Griffin Powell’s Series.

It takes off from the previous book, Silent Killer and focuses on Lorie Hammonds, Cathy Cantrell’s best friend and Mike Birkett, the sheriff of the small town of Dunmore.

Jeez……..for a small town there’s a lot going on there!!! Gossip-mongers, murders, people with secrets….and a lot more!!!

Lorie Hammonds and Mike Birkett had been in love and engaged when she left for Hollywood seeking fame and fortune. Things didn’t work out quite what she expected and she returned home 9 years later to discover that Mike had married and had two children. She has never stopped loving him and has been trying to connect with him again…..he’s now a widower….but he’s not interested. In fact, he wants NOTHING to do with her. She regrets her past in Hollywood but she’s determined to make a new fresh life in her hometown.

Mike Birkett’s heart was broken by Lorie and he has never forgiven her for leaving him and for what she did in Hollywood. Posing for Playboy and acting in one porno movie. She’s not the person he knew….everyone in the small town has seen the pictures and the movie and she’s seen as nothing more than a slut!!!

When she receives a second threatening letter directed at her, she asks the local police force to help her discover the identity of the sender. And when the connection is made to the one porno movie she made, she realizes that’s she’s on someone’s list to kill everyone involved in that movie.

Such a good and unique plot. Chilling and scary as we see it from the killer’s POV, the way he plots each kill. Terrifying. And I could understand Lorie’s fear…..when would it be her turn!

I liked Lorie and how she changed her life around, learning from her mistakes and just trying to make a clean fresh start. How she dealt with the town’s bigots and the townspeople’s judgments.

The other characters I found endearing were Mike’s son, MJ, daughter, Hannah and his mother Nell. Their love for Lorie was never based on what she had done but the kind of person she was…kind, caring, loving and honest.

Mike did not feel the same as his family…he spent most of the time being downright cruel and horrible to Lorie and I thought he was damn not good enough for someone as good as Lorie….but he did redeem himself in the end.

Once again, may sub-plots in the story. Maleah Perdue, Jack Perdue’s sister and Griffin Powell’s employee, and Derek, profiler and also working for Griffin, still snarling at each other. Hell, when are these two going to get it together???

The ending was a bit of a disappointment for me….okay, the serial killer is caught….and surprise….someone I suspected….there were so many red herrings that I had a few suspects in my head….but not that one, exactly. What I didn’t enjoy was the chapters after the killer was revealed. We get another killer/s that have no connection to this storyline…..well, the connection is really to Griffin Powell…but it left me feeling a bit up in the air!!!

A nice suspense filled with romance, mystery and some interesting characters.

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Review: Silent Killer (Griffin Powell, #10) by Beverly Barton

Silent Killer by Beverly Barton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the 10th novel in Beverly Barton’s fantastic Griffin Powell Series.

Silent Killer is a really a thrilling read. The author has written an engrossing and gripping tale set in a small town in Alabama, where a serial killer is murdering church ministers.

Someone is killing church ministers “men of god” in the most horrifying way….torching them and leaving them to die a most painful death.

Cathy Cantrell, who witnessed her husband, Mark’s death and checked herself into a health facility after having a breakdown, is now back home and wanting to get her life together again. She’s also trying to get custody back of her son from her in-laws, who believe that she’s not well enough to have him back.

Jackson Perdue has returned home after many years. He had been listed as MIA during his stint in the Middle East, where he had been seriously injured during a mission.

Jack and Cathy have a history. They had been in love as teenagers and made promises to wait for each other. But when Cathy heard he was MIA, she had married Mark Cantrell, a church minister, with whom she had a son with.
They still have feeling for each other and

Jack has been asked by the local sheriff, Mark Berkitt, to work on some of the cold cases that have never been resolved.
When another minister is torched, they realize that there’s a serial killer in their town.

Some parts are written through the killer’s POV that gives you a look into their thoughts and the reason why. I must own up and say that after a while I skimmed some of those parts….all that religion and bible quotes got a bit much for me.

There are a load of sub-plots involved in the story that involved characters from previous books. It didn’t bother me too much but it made it a bit difficult at times to keep focused on the main plot.

I liked most of the characters and their development. One of my favorite characters in this series is Griffin Powell’s and we see a bit more about his past life and his connection to Sanders an Yvette Meng (another favorite of mine!)

The ending was done really well……after all the twists and turns and me thinking….oh I know who the villain is…..no, not really! Because I was totally surprised when we learn who the person was and the reason for their actions.

Another solid and well-written story by one of my favorite romance suspense authors.

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Review: The Guilty (Will Robie, #4) by David Baldacci (Goodreads Author)

The Guilty by David Baldacci
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Guilty, 4th book in David Baldacci’s Will Robie Series, continues with the life of a government assassin that finds himself at a crossroad in his life. Will Robie’s past is having an emotional effect on his job and he will have to face it head-on before he can move forward with his life.

His last assignment, where he killed an innocent bystander has resulted in him questioning his capabilities and adding to his problems is that he’s been informed that his father, a former marine, who he hasn’t seen since leaving home at 18, has been arrested for murder in his hometown.

Deciding to confront his demons from his past, he thinks back about his parent’s marriage, the love he left behind as he travels to his hometown, the small town of Cantrell, Mississippi. He’s amazed to discover that his father was the town’s judge and had become very wealthy since he had last seen him. He also finds that his father had remarried and fathered a son and his half-brother.

His father’s attitude towards Will’s offering to help him is just as he expected. Rejection and coldness but Will is not going to give up. He needs to do this for his father if he’s ever able to overcome the past in his life.

The author creates a small town with believable characters and all their daily life intrigues. Where everyone knows everyone’s business and how Will’s sudden appearance gets everyone involved in what is happening in the small place.

Jessica Reel makes an appearance again….so happy about that!!! Love this character. Not only because of that…but she actually “pops” up and saves Will’s life once again!!!

The character development is absolutely amazing including secondary characters.

This is a very complex plot filled with the most unexpected revelations. Nothing that I was expecting. And even when everything is revealed and when it feels a bit unbelievable….the actual villain ….wow, I never expected that….it somehow seems real….is that a bit weird or not!!!

David Baldacci is such a great storyteller. I just kept turning the pages and wanting to find out more.

A great series and looking forward to the next Will Robie book!

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Review: Wild Justice (Nadia Stafford, #3) by Kelley Armstrong (Goodreads Author)

Wild Justice by Kelley Armstrong
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wild Justice by Kelley Armstrong is the 3rd book and conclusion in her Nadia Stafford Trilogy and whilst I’m a bit sad to say goodbye to Nadia Stafford, part-time hit woman extraordinaire…..

I was quite pleased how it ended. Really, what a great finale!!!

This series kicked off with Exit Strategy…. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... where we are first introduced to Nadia Stafford, a former disgraced cop, now owner of a wilderness retreat lodge in the Ontario region and part-time contract killer for a Mafia family. We meet her Jack, her mentor, Quinn, the FBI agent and friend and Evelyn, a tough old bird and friend and also Jack’s mentor. They team up to hunting down the serial killer named Helter Skelter.

Followed by Made to be Broken, https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... , Nadia works on finding one of her employee that has vanished with her baby. We also get to see the love triangle that comes up between Nadia and Quinn and Jack and which left it up in the air.

In Wild Justice, Nadia is confronted with one of the hardest mission in her life. Jack has given Nadia information regarding the whereabouts of her cousin Amy’s killer, who disappeared after he had not been brought to justice after his crime.

Soon everyone she cares about is in danger when she discovers that there’s something more than what it seems about the case, especially when the killer is wiped out by someone else before she gets to him. She will also have to face her feelings for Jack and Quinn.

I love the way the author makes you engage with characters that kill for money …..she makes you see their flaws and the goodness that exists beneath that cold and calculating exterior.

Great character and plot development. Twists and turns keeping you guessing until the end. Fantastic writing. Dark humour. Sexual tension. Romance.

Although I’m pleased with the conclusion to this trilogy, I am still hopefully waiting….maybe we will see Nadia Stafford and her friends in the future!!!

A great series and worthwhile read.

A quote I liked:

“It's so easy to screw up. To make a choice that seems right. Then time passes and you look back and you say, 'How the hell did I do that?' Attitudes change. Insights change. Eventually things you were so damned sure were right become...incomprehensible.”

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Review: Made to Be Broken (Nadia Stafford, #2) by Kelley Armstrong (Goodreads Author)

Made to Be Broken by Kelley Armstrong
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the 2nd book in Kelley Armstrong’s Nadia Stafford Trilogy about an ex-cop turned contract hit woman.

I really like this series. Kelley Armstrong has created such a fascinating character in Nadia Stafford. A woman who believes that justice has failed her and how she becomes upon herself to free the world from the evil and wicked. Despite that she also does it for a financial reason doesn’t detract one from liking her. We see the soul-searching she does about justifying her kills and where does she draw the line between good and bad.

The storyline involves one of her newest employee’s, Sammi, a young mother with a baby, who disappear suddenly without leaving any clues of her reason for that.
No one in the community is interested in her disappearance as Sammi is seen as a piece of trash and no one to worry about.
But Nadia does. Sammi’s disappearance touches something inside her that is part of her past. Nadia is determined to find out what’s happened to Sammi and her baby. The guilt she feels not having been able to get justice for her own sister, Amy, who had been raped and killed, fuels her quest in trying to do it for her missing employee.

The author’s characterization is amazing. The development in Nadia and Jack’s relationship and with Quinn is really good.
I can’t help wanting Nadia and Jack, her mentor, to be together. I see something in Jack that gets to me….and despite his denial for what he feels for Nadia….and how remote and cold he can be with her…deep down, he does feel a lot for her…

It's not like that," Jack said.
"No? Nadia is yours, and it's about time you had the balls to do something about it.”

I am so interested in seeing where Nadia and the relationship she has with both Jack and Quinn goes next.

Well plotted, smooth writing, humorous dialogue and suspense that starts slow and pushes forward with a bang.

Such a good read….such a great series….and I can’t wait for book #3

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