November 2016 – Page 2 – Avonna Loves Genres

Book Review: Vengeance by Shana Figueroa

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RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

This book is NOT what I was expecting! VENGEANCE (Valentine Shepherd #1) by Shana Figueroa is going to be one of those books and series you are either going to love or hate. Love because of the great characters and plot, hate if you are not into explicit sex scenes in all variations, F/F, M/M, M/M/F and M/F.

P.I. Valentine Shepherd is thrust into a case when her attorney fiancée is run down and killed while trying to get information from an informant to clear his client, Max Carressa, billionaire heir, who is suspected of killing his father. When the informant is shot and killed, Val is chased by the cops who killed him. Max comes to her rescue and they both are on the run now as they try to unravel the reasons for the conspiracy between a mayoral candidate, a crime boss and Val’s dead ex’s attorney dad.

There is also a subplot that will arc over the whole series. Val has been able to have visions of the future since Junior High. She has always considered it a curse as well as a help at times. It seems she has not able to see the future of those she loves before they die, but she has been on occasion able to alter her future in the visions. Max also has the ability to see the future, but he sees it in a series of numbers that he uses in business and he has never been able to alter what he sees. There is a mystery person, who wants these two together no matter the cost.

The plot and subplot are full of great twists and both unfold at a very fast pace. It is a P.I. thriller with psychic abilities in the main characters. Val is a strong female lead character. She was a Sergeant in the Army and then started her own P.I. business with her best friend Stacey. Val will pick herself up and plow ahead through any adversity. Max is super-hot, super-rich and has been severely abused his whole life. He has hidden out in drugs, alcohol and a fast lifestyle until he meets his “Red Raven” vision, Val.

I loved Val and Max and the plot had me reading long into the night. There is a lot of sex throughout, but there is a very unique reason for it. I can’t wait to get the next book in this series. Unique and hot!

Thanks very much to Forever (Grand Central Publishing), Net Galley and this author for allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Feature Post: AVON KissCon at the CCPL

KissCon Diamond Jubilee 11/10/16

I had a blast at the AVON publisher KissCon event at the South Euclid/Lyndhurst CCPL! It was a Diamond Jubilee Celebration and I got to meet two of my all time favorite authors and made new friends with some others. Thanks to AVON for bringing this event to Cleveland and special thanks to our wonderful and award winning Cuyahoga County Public Library system for hosting!

The first hour was a pay for event with food trays, beverages, wines and a meet and greet one-on-one with the authors. We all received an AVON Diamond Jubilee tote full of goodies, a free anthology and a coupon for a free book of our choice.

Susan Elizabeth Phillips!

Linda Howard!

Jill Shalvis!

Shelley Shepard Gray!

All of the authors were great, but I have been reading Susan Elizabeth Phillips and Linda Howard for years, so of coarse I was fan-girling!

The second hour was free for everyone who registered and it was all the authors seated in a panel format. We had a fun Q&A game, the authors talked about their current books and the audience got to ask questions.

The full panel of authors included: Shelley Shepard Gray, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Jill Shalvis, Linda Howard, Linda Winstead Jones, Jennifer Ryan, Katherine Ashe and Toni Blake.

I now have another list of books to add to my TBR and new authors to try. It was a great night! Thanks to AVON and the authors for coming to Cleveland.

Book Review: Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris

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RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

BEHIND CLOSED DOORS by B.A. Paris is definitely be one of my favorite psychological thrillers this year! I find it hard to believe this came from a debut author. The author had me completely engrossed. I devoured this book in one sitting!

Jack and Grace appear to be the perfect couple. Jack is a successful attorney for domestic abuse victims who has never lost a case. Grace is the gracious hostess, superb cook, talented painter and gardener with green fingers. In the eighteen months they have been married, you never see them apart. The perfect couple or is it only a façade?

Grace tells her story alternating between the Past and the Present. She is a successful buyer for Harrods and has complete responsibility of her younger sister, Millie who has Down’s syndrome. Then she meets Jack. She is lonely and he is perfect in every way. He is attentive to both her and Millie. The two come together quickly and Grace soon learns after the marriage that Jack isn’t who or what he seemed. She must find a way to get away from him before Millie is due to live with them and he destroys them both.

Every single scene and narrative in this book shows how Grace, or any woman, can become isolated, controlled or abused both physically and mentally. You see the escalation and signs and keep praying for Grace to escape, but Jack is such a controlling and scary psychopath that you don’t know how she will do it. Her fear keeps you turning the pages because you just have to know what happens. I also loved that this author did not dismiss Millie as a stereotype.

Intense, psychological thriller is the perfect description of this quick, must read!

Book Review: Kill Without Mercy (ARES Security, #1) by Alexandra Ivy

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RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

KILL WITHOUT MERCY (ARES Security, #1) by Alexandra Ivy is the first book in a new romantic suspense series that has definitely made it on to my must read list! I have read Alexandra Ivy’s paranormal romance books and enjoyed them, but this book is that step above that I am always looking for. The series follows five soldiers, who become a band of brothers that survive and escape a Taliban hellhole. They come home and form their own high tech security company, ARES Security.

Rafe Vargas, a covert ops specialist, is in Newton, Iowa to clear out his grandfather’s house. He just wants to get it done and return to his ranch and the life he is building in Houston with ARES Security. He runs into Annie White at the diner and is instantly drawn to her.

Annie White lived in Newton years ago with her father, who was dubbed the Newton Slayer. She is back because she is having visions that the killings have begun again, but how can that be? Rafe knows she is in danger and vows to protect her and catch the serial killer.

This story keeps you reading because the characters are interesting and you want to find out everything about them. The romance is hot and believable with a sexy alpha male and a beautiful, strong and yet troubled heroine. The plot keeps moving at a fast pace and there are several plot twists with a big twist at the end. I highly recommend this book. I can’t wait to see who the next book features because this one was so good.

Thank you so much to Kensington Books, Zebra and Net Galley for allowing me to read this ebook in exchange for an honest review. It was my pleasure and delight!

Book Review: Dangerous In A Kilt by Anna Durand

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RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

I FALL FOR A HOT SCOT IN A KILT EVERY TIME!!!

Dangerous In A Kilt by Anna Durand delivered! This is my favorite style of romance writing. A hot, but wounded hero, a heroine who is strong on her own, but also needs the hero and sex that will scorch the sheets without any kinks or fetishes.

Erica Teague was an accountant for a prestigious firm who always played it safe until the day she was arrested for embezzling from her firm’s elderly clients’ accounts. She has been set up by her ex-lover and boss, who also happens to be the son of one of the owners. She refuses to make any deals, so before she ends up in prison she sets up an internet date for one wild night of sex and fun.

Lachlan MacTaggart is taking an American vacation in the home of his friend who lives right next door to Erica. He shows up at the local hookup club and walks up to Erica, who believes he is her blind date and can’t believe her luck. A hot Highlander in a kilt. He won’t take advantage of a misunderstanding, but he does propose a one month fling with no attachments to this beautiful American.

Erica wants to experience everything Lachlan can give her before she is imprisoned without explanations and Lachlan wants no attachments and no questions. For two wounded people who discover they care more than they should, emotions just can’t be ignored.

This is a well written, classic but contemporary romance story. My emotions were up and down right along with Erica’s and Lachlan’s. I knew there would be a HEA, but it was the journey, characters and smoking hot sex scenes that kept me turning the pages. The characters were all realistic and I loved Erica’s dog, Casey. Lachlan has two brothers and three sisters, so I hope to be enjoying this family in many more stories to come.

Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.com.

Book Review: Blood Lines by Angela Marsons

blood-lines

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

Brilliant! Thrilling! Suspenseful! Gripping! Intriguing! There are not enough adjectives to describe how I feel about this fifth D. I. Kim Stone book, BLOOD LINES by Angela Marsons. When I think Ms. Marsons has given me everything in a mystery/thriller/British police procedural I could possibly want, she surprises me once again with even more.

Kim and her team start investigating the stabbing death of an apparent carjacking victim, but something just doesn’t feel right to Kim and soon they have more victims with the same stab wound, but nothing else to connect them. No evidence at any of the scenes leaves the team struggling.

Adding to the stress of a tough case, the sociopath psychiatrist, Alex Thorne is back and has worked out a plan to eliminate the roadblocks to her release from prison, permanently. Kim barely kept her sanity dealing with Alex in book two and knows that another sparring match may push her over the edge, but she feels she has no choice. Alex has manipulated everyone around her again, even while in prison and Kim needs to figure out her end game and stop her no matter the cost.

The two plot lines intertwine to perfection in this book. The theme runs through both, but I can’t say more without giving a spoiler. Even the title is perfect for this book. I feel this book is perfectly plotted and paced. I put it down once only due to work. I would have been compelled to read it through in one sitting otherwise.

The characters are realistic and as in all the previous books, I look forward to what new insights Ms. Marsons will reveal about each. Kim is once again facing psychological implosion from her interactions with Alex Thorne and she also throws in the possible release of her mentally ill mother. Bryant is proving once again to be Kim’s rock and best friend besides her partner. Stacey and Dawson also continue to grow into their roles.

This book can be read as a standalone, but to understand the richness of Ms. Marsons’ characters, you really should start at book one and read how they grow. I cannot recommend this series enough! This is a must read series for me!

A huge thank you to Bookouture and Net Galley for allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review. Perfect!