Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for SLEEP NO MORE (The Lost Night Files Book #1) by Jayne Ann Krentz on this Berkley Blog Tour.
Below you will find an about the book section, my book review, an about the author section and the author’s social media links. Enjoy!
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About the Book
New York Times bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz returns with the first novel of the Lost Night Files, an exciting new romantic suspense trilogy about a night that changed three women forever—but that none of them can remember.
Seven months ago, Pallas Llewellyn, Talia March, and Amelia Rivers were strangers, until their fateful stay at the Lucent Springs Hotel. An earthquake and a fire partially destroyed the hotel, but the women have no memory of their time there. Now close friends, the three women co-host a podcast called the Lost Night Files, where they investigate cold cases and hope to connect with others who may have had a similar experience to theirs—an experience that has somehow enhanced the psychic abilities already present in each woman.
After receiving a tip for their podcast, Pallas travels to the small college town of Carnelian, California, to explore an abandoned asylum. Shaken by the dark energy she feels in the building, she is rushing out when she’s stopped by a dark figure—who turns out to be the women’s mysterious tipster.
Ambrose Drake is certain he’s a witness to a murder, but without a body, everyone thinks he’s having delusions caused by extreme sleep deprivation. But Ambrose is positive something terrible happened at the Carnelian Sleep Institute the night he was there. Unable to find proof on his own, he approaches Pallas for help, only for her to realize that Ambrose, too, has a lost night that he can’t remember—one that may be connected to Pallas. Pallas and Ambrose conduct their investigation using the podcast as a cover, and while the townsfolk are eager to share what they know, it turns out there are others who are not so happy about their questions—and someone is willing to kill to keep the truth from coming out.
SLEEP NO MORE (The Lost Night Files Book #1) by Jayne Ann Krentz is the first book in a new paranormal romantic suspense trilogy. I always enjoy books by this author whether under Jayne Ann Krentz or Jayne Castle and this book is a good mash-up of her JAK romantic suspense and JC paranormal romantic suspense. This book did start out a little disjointed to me, but once the characters are sorted and the mystery investigation begins, I was engrossed and couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.
This trilogy features three diverse women, Pallas, Talia, and Amelia, who jointly experience an amnesiac day which greatly heightens their slight and varied paranormal abilities. They stick together to discover what happened to them and start a co-hosted podcast titled The Lost Night Files which is for the investigation of cold cases.
Thriller writer Ambrose Drake believes he witnessed a murder during his overnight at the Carnelian Sleep Institute for severe insomnia, but he has been having delusions since his lost night due to amnesia in San Diego. He messages The Lost Night Files for help after his personal investigation gets nowhere.
Pallas Llewellyn believes Ambrose about his lost night and is willing to help him investigate. Using the podcast as a cover, they interview the inhabitants of Carnelian, but not everyone is happy with the publicity. Feeling a sinister sensation of being watched, discovering a drug ring, and more bodies, Ambrose and Pallas work together with their enhanced abilities as the suspense ramps up to discover what is really happening in Carnelian and how it ties to them personally before they end up dead.
I enjoyed this introduction to The Lost Night Files crew and the slow burn romance between Ambrose and Pallas. The characters are all interesting with their differing abilities. This book is a complete romance and mystery which fits perfectly into the overall suspense arc of the trilogy. I am looking forward to reading Talia and Amelia’s stories and discovering answers to the overall story arc.
I recommend this paranormal romantic suspense and I am looking forward to reading the remaining two stories in this trilogy.
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About the Author
Jayne Ann Krentz is the author of more than fifty New York Times bestsellers. She has written contemporary romantic suspense novels under that name and futuristic and historical romance novels under the pseudonyms Jayne Castle and Amanda Quick, respectively. Jayne currently lives in Seattle, WA.
Perfect for fans of J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series and Keri Lake’s Nightshade, Affinity for Pain is a dark paranormal romance that is steamy, action-packed, and full of emotional intrigue.
Hope Turner is the ideal human-hunting assassin, and she is damn good at her job. A daughter of the Chakal, a race of hybrid demons lacking physical sensation and emotion, Hope was always brutally efficient in her work. She never struggled with a case, that is, until she was assigned to take down Ciaran O-Connor – a stubborn, strong-willed bodyguard with a dark past and severe PTSD.
He also happens to be her soulmate.
When the omaeriku – an inescapable soulmate bond – takes hold of her, Hope is hit with a wave of emotion and physical sensation for the first time in her life. Finding herself unable to kill Ciaran and ending up on her former boss’s hit list, Hope and Ciaran must escape into hiding. Immediately, the chemistry between Hope and Ciaran is electric. However, they must try to direct their focus on finding a way to take down Marcus Dentry, their newfound common enemy, who was both Hope’s former boss and Ciaran’s former captor and torturer.
However, as they spend more time together and succumb to their physical desire for each other, the newfound emotion and pain brought forth by the soulmate bond begin to overwhelm Hope. Can Hope learn to handle her sudden emotions, both the good and the bad, before it drives her away from the only person who can make her feel? And can Hope and Ciaran track down Marcus and exact their revenge before he gets to
AFFINITY FOR PAIN (Newborn City Series Book #1) by R.E. Johnson is an intense first book in a new paranormal/urban fantasy romance that takes you into an exciting new world of demons and humans featuring a demon assassin who feels no pain. This story does have graphic scenes of sex and torture, but it is an integrated part of the story due to a sadistic antagonist.
Hope Turner is a highly successful Chakal demon assassin. Female Chakal demons feel no pain or emotion until omaraeriku, the moment they meet their soulmate. Hope is sent to eliminate a private detective she has been told is killing demons, but for some reason when she hears his voice for the first time she is hit by a wave of emotion and sensation.
Ciaran O’Connor escaped a life of degradation and torture while forced to fight demons in an illegal underground colosseum. Now confronted with an assassin who cannot kill him, they both discover their mutual enemy in Marcus Dentry. The chemistry between Ciaran and Hope is immediate and as they spend time together, even as they are evading assassins sent to kill them, the soulmate bond builds.
Can Hope and Ciaran track down Marcus before he captures them first?
WOW! This is a wonderful new paranormal world and characters to fall in love with. The worldbuilding is very well done so that you believe everything that happens in this world and the plot is fast paced. Hope goes from being an unfeeling killing machine to someone who is still a killing machine but has so many emotions and feelings after the omaraeriku she is made stronger with her emotions and bond to Ciaran. Ciaran is a tortured hero mentally and physically and yet he still has the ability to love Hope. The sex scenes are graphic in this romance, but not gratuitous. The scenes of sadistic torture were difficult to read, but I never felt they were just thrown in for shock value because Marcus was a sadist psychopath. Dimitri, Ciaran’s best friend and unknown type of demon who escaped Marcus’ torture with Ciaran originally was a breath of sarcastic and humorous relief just when needed.
I highly recommend this dark paranormal romance/urban fantasy world and I am looking forward to the next book in the series!
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About the Author
’m an author and copywriter with a major in Professional Writing and a minor in Creative Writing. I’ve been a passionate storyteller and fantasy fan since I was in elementary school. In fact, I wrote my first novel in fifth grade.
Now, when I’m not working, I love creating stories that profess love, respect, and triumph over evil and contain strong female characters who are always ready to throw down – both in and out of the bedroom.
Currently, I reside in Las Vegas, Nevada, where I spend my free time playing Dungeons and Dragons, wrangling my two rambunctious children, and reading all the smut, fantasy, sci-fi, and mythology I can get my hands on.
Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for SWEETWATER & THEWITCH (A Ghost Hunter/Harmony Novel Book #16) by Jayne Castle on this Berkley blog tour.
Below you will find a book description, my book review, an excerpt from the book, an about the author section and the author’s social media links. Enjoy!
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Harriet and Her Pen Collection
Book Description
Welcome to the world of Harmony, where—despite its name, things are anything but—danger lurks just beneath the surface in this new novel by New York Times bestselling author, Jayne Castle.
If there’s something Ravenna Chastain knows, it’s when to end things. And after she almost winds up the victim of a cult that believes she’s a witch, it’s easy to walk away from her dead-end career, ready for a new start. But where to find a job that would allow her to use her very specialized skill set? The answer is clear: she becomes a matchmaker.
But even a successful matchmaker can’t find someone for everyone, and Ravenna considers Ethan Sweetwater her first professional failure. After nine failed dates, Ravenna knows it’s time to cut Ethan loose. But Ethan refuses to be fired as a client—he needs one final date to a business function. Since Ravenna needs a date herself to a family event, they agree to a deal: she will be his (business) date if he will be her (fake) date to her grandparents’ anniversary celebration.
What Ethan fails to mention is that attending the business function is a cover for some industrial espionage that he’s doing as a favor to the new Illusion Town Guild boss. Ravenna is happy to help, but their relationship gets even more complicated when things heat up—the chemistry between them is explosive, as explosive as the danger that’s stalking Ravenna. Lucky for her, Ethan isn’t just an engineer—he’s also a Sweetwater, and Sweetwaters are known for hunting down monsters…
SWEETWATER & THE WITCH (A Ghost Hunters/Harmony Novel Book #16) by Jayne Castle is another fun and exciting trip back to Harmony. This paranormal/romantic suspense matches the infamous Sweetwater with a matchmaking fire witch just trying to make a living in Illusion and the dust bunny who adopts her. This book is easily read as a standalone, but characters from previous books do appear and with the overall family and character arcs, I just prefer to read them in order.
Ravenna Chastain is a criminal profiler who volunteers to be the bait for a trap to take down a cult, but she almost ends up in a waking coma when her backup is late to arrive, but a dust bunny appears instead to help. Ravenna is ready for a change and uses her skills to work for the premiere matchmaking company in Illusion. She is excited to be given the chance to match a Sweetwater even though his past may make it difficult.
Ethan Sweetwater has gone on nine terrible dates, and he is demanding Ravenna be his final contracted date. Ravenna takes him up on his demand and then adds her own request for him to accompany her as a “fake” date to a family function. Ethan has gotten what he wants and more than he is willing to admit, but their dates never seem to go smoothly. Ravenna has dates from her past trying to kill her and Ethan’s investigations have assassins coming after them both.
I always enjoy returning to Jayne Castle’s world. The worldbuilding has been interesting from the start with the variety of para talents, the alien Underworld, the generations of families and the dust bunnies. The romance and suspense are equally represented. The banter between Ravenna and Ethan is entertaining as each attempt to keep their heart safe as they increasingly care for each other, even though it is clear Ethan purposefully picked Ravenna. The sex scene was steamy, but it was not gratuitous.
I always love the chance to return to Harmony for a romantic suspense that always satisfies. And the dust bunnies.
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Excerpt
“You can’t dump me,” Ethan Sweetwater said. “I’ve got a contract with this matchmaking agency. You owe me one more date.”
“To be clear,” Ravenna said, “I am not dumping you. I am trying to explain that I cannot help you.”
“I don’t believe it. When my nephew Jeff recommended you, he said you have the eye.”
“Your nephew met me one time, and that was several months ago, when I was doing criminal profiling, not matchmaking. This work is quite different.”
Actually, it was not all that different, she reflected. It turned out that criminal profiling had a lot in common with matchmaking. The emotional drivers were key.
“Maybe you’re not trying hard enough,” Ethan suggested. That was nothing less than an insult.
“I am a professional, Mr. Sweetwater,” She said coldly. “ I assure you I have given your case my closest attention. In fact, all four of us here at Ottoway, including Ms. Ottoway herself, have gone through the files several times trying to find good matches for you.”
She did not add that there were only two reason Ethan Sweetwater—aka the client from green hell—was still on the books. The primary one was the contract. It stipulated that he was to receive a minimum of ten matches. The second reason, of course, was that Bernice Ottoway, the proprietor of Ottoway Matchmakers, was desperate not to lose such a high-profile client. The Sweetwater name carried a lot of weight, not just in Illusion Town but throughout the four city-states. A successful match for a member of the notoriously private clan that controlled a huge chunk of the amber market would give Ottoway a major promotional hit. It also would do a lot for her career, Ravenna thought. Sadly, a successful outcome did not appear to be in the cards.
“We will be happy to refund your money and refer you to another agency,” Ravenna said. Mentally she crossed her fingers. Bernice Ottoway never returned a client’s money if she could help it, but surely she would understand that Ethan Sweetwater was a hopeless case.
“I don’t want to waste my time starting from scratch at another agency,” Ethan said. “I was assured that here at Ottoway the process would be efficient and professional.”
“It would have helped if you had been more forthcoming on the Ottoway questionnaire,” Ravenna said.
“Don’t try to blame this on me, Ms. Chastain.” I’m the client, remember? The customer is always right.”
He was standing in front of her desk. He reached down somewhat absently to scratch Harriet behind her ears. The dust bunny was in the process of rearranging the pens in the tray. She paused to chortle appreciatively. Ravenna stifled a groan. She and the entire staff at Ottoway might have a problem with Ethan, but Harriet’s relationship with him was just fine. Uncomplicated, she thought. Unlike me.
“I must tell you that, according to the after-action reports I received from the nine dates I arranged for you, your dating technique leaves something to be desired,” she said.
“There you go, blaming the client again. If I’ve got a technique problem, you should help me fix it.”
“Ethan adjusted his black-framed glasses, turned away from the desk, and crossed the office. He took a stance at the window overlooking the quiet residential street.
She liked watching him move, Ravenna thought. He reminded her of a specter-cat, all prowling grace and elegant strength. He had the eyes to match. They were a dark amber gold and infused with the cold heat of controlled power—the eyes of an apex predator. The amber stone in his gold signet ring was the same color.
Eyes like Ethan’s probably made some people nervous, she thought. Maybe that was the reason he chose to wear glasses. Or maybe he thought they went with the rest of his persona.
Jayne Castle, the author of Guild Boss, Illusion Town, Siren’s Call, The Hot Zone, Deception Cove, The Lost Night, Canyons of Night, Midnight Crystal, Obsidian Prey, Dark Light, Silver Master, Ghost Hunter, After Glow, and After Dark, is a pseudonym for Jayne Ann Krentz, the author of more than fifty New York Times bestsellers. She writes contemporary romantic suspense novels under the Krentz name, as well as historical novels under the pseudonym Amanda Quick.
I had such a great time at the Lay All Your Books On Me: Here We Go Again Author Event at the Cleveland Renaissance! As you can see the dates are wrong on the signage, but that is because last years event ran smack into a pandemic and the great organizers, Connie Shingleton Miconi and Krista Venero and the volunteers, worked on the second attempt this year and it was a SMASH!
First, I received a swag bag full of gifts from the authors for having a VIP ticket. Then, I got to meet so many great authors and the after party was fun with people dancing, taking photos and just sitting around chatting.
This is the list of authors attending the event and the actual date of the event with a group photo of all the authors below:
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The first part of the day was spent meeting and talking to all the authors and matching author names from their books with their faces. I was very excited to finally meet one particular author who I have been on-line friends with for almost ten years and then I also met many new authors who I hope are new friends going into the future.
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First table in the door and an author I won a book from on-line before the event was Ginnie Conquest. I enjoyed meeting her, reading her romance and becoming better acquainted at the after party. I hope her writing dream job comes true for her!
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Next, I got to meet in person Hope Daniels and Alicia Dawn. If you like paranormal romance, check them out. They are fun to talk to and I am looking forward to digging into their books.
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Next, I have to say I was surprised to find out that two authors, one I wanted to read and one I have read, are one in the same person! Shhhh…. Don’t tell anyone but, Phoebe Alexander with her smokin’ hot and sexy erotic romances and Christian cozy mystery writer K.L. Montgomery look amazing alike. 🙂
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My next featured author I have been reading for some time. Who doesn’t love a HOT Navy SEAL, intrigue, romance and suspense? And I completely did not realize at first who I was meeting and talking to. Sometimes I am a little slow on the uptake……but Cat Johnson was so great to meet! (And Cat, when you next talk to J.M., she can tell you I showed her all of your books I have on my Kindle.)
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Last, but definitely not least is my on-line and now in-person author friend J.M. Madden! (Fangirl moment!) I have been reading Jennifer’s books since her first “Lost and Found” series book was published. The characters are all memorable, especially John, and the books are some of my all time favorites. It was a meeting postponed for a year, but it was worth the wait!
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Door prizes, DJ, dancing, snacks and a bar at the after party where everyone relaxed and got to reconnect. (Sorry, I was too busy talking to take more pictures.)
This was a fun event where I got to meet some great new-to-me authors, besides favorites and I hope more events come to Cleveland soon!
I love getting a few box sets for my summer reading so there is no waiting on the next book in that series that I am engrossed in reading. A sizzling hot paranormal/urban fantasy series that I have previous reviewed now comes in three different box set groups right now.
Check out Lisa Carlisle’s – VAMPS: Underground Encounters Box Set 1 with gargoyle shifters, vampires, and witches; SHIFTERS: Underground Encounters Box Set 2 with shapeshifters, vampires, and rockstars, or you can get them both together in Underground Encounters Box Set (2 Book Series)!
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VAMPS: Underground Encounters Box Set 1 with gargoyle shifters, vampires, and witches
OVERALL RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars
Book 1 – CURSED
CURSED (Underground Encounters Book #0) by Lisa Carlisle is the start of the paranormal/urban fantasy series featuring gargoyles, vampires, shifters, witches and demons. I have read other books in this series and have loved them all and this short story did not disappoint.
This story introduces the French gargoyle shifter brothers, Lucan, Danton and Mattias who are happily living with their clan. Lucan starts seeing a witch, who believes their relationship is more than just the fling Lucan believed it to be. When she comes across the brothers discussing her and Lucan, she believes they are speaking disrespectfully of her and she curses them with a black spell that locks them in their stone forms and clouds their memories of her.
As the brothers adapt to their cursed lives, they find that when they see someone in danger, they are released from their stone forms for 24 hours.
Are they to be cursed forever? Or will the brothers be able to find a way to break the curse?
This is an intriguing introduction to the gargoyle brothers, Michel their vampire boss and VAMPS the underground alternative goth nightclub. Ms. Carlisle has done a good job of worldbuilding in such a short book. I do not usually like cliffhangers, but since I read this book after the book that gives us Danton’s story, I was not upset and did not have to wait.
Once you start reading this series, you are going to be hooked!
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Book 2 – SMOLDER
SMOLDER by Lisa Carlisle is the revised novella start to her Underground Encounters paranormal romance series which was originally released in 2012 as Smoldering Nights. I love Ms. Carlisle’s various series, but this novella still lacks the depth of character and originality I look for in her books.
Nike is a firefighter who loves to let off steam with her best friend, Maya on the dance floor of Vamps, the local goth night club. On one of their nights at the club, she sees the man she has a crush on from her rock climbing gym. He has a French accent, a gorgeous body and beautiful eyes. She cannot believe her luck when Michel asks her up to accompany him to a private room upstairs, but she is about to get an education in other creatures that coexist with mortals.
Michel is a nightwalker. He does not know what draws him to Nike at the club or the gym and he knows he should not get involved with a mortal, but he finds her irresistible. When he gets Nike to agree to accompany up to the private rooms, they are attacked by an old enemy right when things begin to get interesting.
Michel and Nike go on the run. The attraction is too much to resist and they begin to explore their sexual attraction and also begin to wonder if it could become more. Can they have a future or will Michel’s enemy find them once again and destroy them both?
This novella was a very quick read and a good introduction to the Underground Encounters series. Nike is a strong heroine who can stand on her own which I loved. Michel is sexy and a dream, even with the fangs. There just was not enough depth to the characters due to the shortness of the story and it does end abruptly.
You have to start this series. It is a fun intro and the sex scenes are steamy, hot and well written.
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Book 3 – FIRE
FIRE (Underground Encounters Book 2) by Lisa Carlisle is HOT!
I am very glad I continued on in this paranormal romance series, even though the first novella in the series had a few problems for me. This story begins a year after the fire at Vamps and follows Maya. It can easily be read as a standalone, even though it does bring characters from the first novella back.
Maya Winters is missing her best friend and decides Halloween is the perfect time to return to Vamps and blow off some steam dancing after a long shift working as a firefighter. As she is dancing away to her favorite tunes, she suddenly feels eyes on her. When she sees the tall, dark and brooding bad boy staring at her she feels an instant attraction.
Tristan Stone is the new, mysterious owner of the rebuilt Vamps. Tristan is from a long line of Salem witches. He stays away from people due to what he considers his curse, because he has only ever been able to see darkness around people and it drains him. When he comes up from his underground lab beneath the club one day to check on things, he immediately spots a woman dancing because of the brilliant light surrounding her. This has never happened before and he has to find out why she is different.
Maya and Tristan combust when they are together. The two opposites are light to dark and outgoing to cautious. Tristan thinks Maya may be the answer to his curse, but he has never told anyone about it outside of his family. Maya is harboring a secret of her own that she has never shared. The sex is hot, but can a relationship with secrets last?
Maya and Tristan are main characters that are perfect together. Ms. Carlisle has given these characters depth that is as fun and entertaining as it is serious. The sex scenes bring the fire and heat.
With the return of Nike and Michel, I cannot wait to see what happens next in this series!
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SHIFTERS: Underground Encounters Box Set 2 with shapeshifters, vampires, and rockstars
OVERALL RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
Book 1 – IGNITE
IGNITE (Underground Encounters Book 3) by Lisa Carlisle is now my favorite of this series!
Vamps underground nightclub is the epicenter of each book in this paranormal romance series that are all easily read as standalone stories. Ms. Carlisle’s world of vampires, shifters, witches and gargoyles just keeps getting better and better.
Book 3 has Lily Everett celebrating a promotion with her friend at Vamps. Lily works hard at her job, works out hard at the gym and is an avid reader who has occasional sex with no commitments. Lily’s night out is interrupted by The Velvet Cocks lead singer and she is not thrilled until she hears him sing. He has a sensual voice that captivates her. Lily is interested, but very guarded and a loner because she has a furry secret that she never shares.
Nico Bedrosian aka Leggy Bones is a rock star by night and a computer geek by day. He is intrigued by the golden eyed beauty who does not seemed interested in him. He gets Lily to let him in enough to be a friend with benefits and those benefits are extremely hot!
Real feelings begin to grow on both sides, but Lily refuses to share why they can never be together. Nico wants to break down Lily’s walls and find out why she is so afraid to commit, but can he really handle the truth?
Lily and Nico are both well fleshed out characters that have many layers to their personalities that make them unique. You can feel for Lily having to grow up with her secret and being too afraid to share. Nico is just perfect with his rock star looks and voice, literary knowledge, geekiness and English accent. These two have explicit, steamy, smokin’ hot sex scenes throughout the story, but they are well placed and realistic to the building relationship.
Ms. Carlisle has built an intriguing paranormal world around Vamps and each book has increased my interest and love of the series. I cannot wait to see who will be introduced next!
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Book 2 – BURN
BURN (Underground Encounters Book 4) by Lisa Carlisle is another sizzling addition to the VAMPS paranormal romance series. When you sit down to read about Devon and Layla, clear your schedule because you are going to want read this one from start to finish.
Layla flees London for her immortal life. She has been framed for a theft from a master vampire, who does not believe in her innocence. She returns to America and reinvents herself as “Angelica”, the new lead singer for an 80’s heavy metal cover band.
Devon St. Clair has a reputation as one of the best bounty hunters for hire. Ruthless and relentless, he always gets his man or woman. Aided by his years in Royal Special Forces, he is also a shifter. He can shift into any animal form and every one of them hates vampires. When he catches up to Layla at VAMPS, he is entranced by her and her voice, but he cannot let that get in the way of his job, can he?
This series just keeps pulling me in and I have to say that I especially loved Layla and Devon! Layla is petite and yet mighty, in character and physical strength. Devon is all hot, tough shifter and yet has softer, vulnerable moments that appear for Layla. The sex scenes are smokin’ hot and steaming. The plot is not unique, but Ms. Carlisle puts some interesting twists into this world of paranormal creatures that makes them unique.
This book can easily be read as a standalone in this series, but I bet if you love paranormal romances as I do, you will want to read them all.
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About the Author
USA Today bestselling author Lisa Carlisle loves stories with dark, brooding heroes and independent heroines. She’s honored to be a multi-published author writing in different genres since she’s wanted to be a writer since the sixth grade. For much of her professional career, she’s written non-fiction — but she’s discovered writing romance is the most fun. Her romances have been named Top Picks at Night Owl Reviews and All Romance Ebooks.
When she was younger, she worked in a variety of jobs, moving to various countries. She backpacked alone through Europe, and lived in Paris before returning to the U.S. She owned a bookstore for a few years as she loves to read. She’s now married to a fantastic man, and they have two kids, a cat, and many fish.
It is time for my third and final stop on the Blog Tour for another book in The Mer Chronicles. OUTRUSH (The Mer Chronicles Book #3) by Errin Stevens. This book features Maya and Aiden’s second chance for love.
Below you will find a book synopsis, my book review, author and narrator info and a giveaway. Enjoy and as always good luck on the giveaway.
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About Audiobook #3
Author: Errin Stevens
Narrator: Sean Posvistak
Length: 11 hours and 16 minutes
Publisher: Errin Stevens⎮2019
Genre: Romantic Fantasy
Series: The Mer Chronicles, Book 3
Release date: Jul. 17, 2019
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Book Synopsis:
“Falling, falling…. Maya was airborne again, suspended between a landless platform above and an inscrutable expanse of water below.” Maya’s headlong rush into marriage isn’t working out…and it isn’t the only collision course she’s on these days. Her saltwater distractions aside, her father-in-law wants her gunned down for reasons unknown, and her pesky bodyguard – when he’s around – seems intent on drowning her in want and regret.
Maya is desperate to hold onto any small part of herself she understands. When escape becomes her only option, she finds herself in a race against a past – and a man – she can’t outrun.
OUTRUSH (The Mer Chronicles Book #3) by Errin Stevens is the
third paranormal/urban fantasy story in the world of the Sirens of Griffin Bay
though this addition to the series takes the listener/reader all over the US. The
story picks up seven years after the events of Breakwater and focuses on the
second chance romance of Maya and Aiden.
Maya has tried for years to make her marriage to her college
sweetheart work, but when she catches him having sex with another at a party at
her in-laws, she finally accepts there is no fixing their broken marriage. As
she works through the revelation, her father-in-law catches her in his office.
He believes she has seen incriminating papers and to save himself he orders her
followed and killed if she goes to authorities.
Aiden may not be married to Maya, but he feels bonded and
therefore goes against all efforts of the Siren community to keep them apart. Using
his powers to cloak, he stays on the periphery of Maya life and marriage. When
he learns of the danger she is in, he helps her get away, but their troubles
are just beginning.
I have to say that I was once again drawn into the Siren
world of Ms. Stevens and enjoyed all the characters. I was happy when Maya
stood on her principles and strength to continue with her medical education and
practice, even with all the chaos around her. She is a strong independent female
character, which is why I had some difficulty listening to the first part of
the book. It is a lot of internal struggle over several chapters that if she
was so strong should have been more limited and resolved sooner in my opinion.
I also love Aiden and his devotion to Maya, but the mind manipulation bothered
me in some instances. Even with these two complaints, I still cheered their
romance on. I was glad to see Ms. Stevens added the proof of Maya and Stu’s
divorce before Maya and Aiden came together, also.
There are several subplots going on in this story that I am
looking forward to listening/reading about in future books in this series. Once
again there is plenty of romance, action, adventure and intrigue in The Mer
Chronicles that keeps me coming back for more.
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About the Author: Errin Stevens
Errin Stevens writes paranormal romantic suspense stories from her home in Minnesota. When not wrestling with unruly narrative – or reading literary and commercial fiction like a fiend – you’ll find her poring over seed catalogues (winter) or gardening (the other three days of the year).Twitter⎮Facebook⎮Goodreads⎮Instagram⎮Pinterest
About the Narrator: Sean Posvistak
Sean is an aspiring game developer who’s used his years of work on Youtube to excel at audiobook narration.
