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Book Review: The Viscount and the Vicar’s Daughter by Mimi Matthews

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

THE VISCOUNT AND THE VICAR’S DAUGHTER by Mimi Matthews is the second historical romance I have read and reviewed by this author and it will not be the last. Ms. Matthews sets her romances in Victorian England. They are beautifully written and era appropriate. The plots are character driven with no sex, but swoon worthy romance.

Tristan Sinclair, Viscount St. Ashton is world weary. Years of drinking, gambling and evading the responsibilities of his station have left him with the reputation as a rake and scoundrel beyond redemption. He has made his way to a notorious house party in Yorkshire to escape into drink as the Christmas season approaches, but his father has sent word that he will meet him there for a discussion of his future.

Valentine March is alone in the world and accepts a new position as a lady’s companion. The daughter of a vicar, she is very innocent and does not realize the type of house party she is attending.

When Valentine and Tristan meet, Valentine knows nothing of Tristan and his reputation. When she finds out what others say of him, she vows to avoid him and keep to herself, but one foolish encounter binds them together. As Valentine gets to know Tristan, she realizes that he wishes to be more than his reputation. As Tristan gets to know Valentine, she inspires him with her belief and trust, but she has a secret in her past that she believes makes her unworthy of him. Can these two find happiness together or will their pasts separate them?

The plot may be like others in this genre, but Ms. Matthews brings her characters to life on the page and so it feels completely unique. Tristan and Valentine both have pasts that make them feel lost and alone. They find each other at just the right time. Tristan needs Valentine’s belief in him and Valentine needs Tristan’s love and acceptance. The romance develops at a steady pace and the dialogue is witty and believable. The description of travel, dress and mores demonstrates the author’s exceptional knowledge of the time period.

I am looking forward to reading many more Victorian romance books by Ms. Matthews!

Book Review: Deadly Secrets by Robert Brynzda

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

DEADLY SECRETS (Detective Erika Foster, #6) by Robert Brynzda is another highly addictive addition to the series. I wait anxiously for each of these books to come out so that I can be completely engrossed in a new crime mystery and catch up on all of the characters that I have come to love.

DCI Erika Foster is still recovering from her last case and is finding this Christmas season especially difficult emotionally. Rather than deal with what is sure to be an emotion packed Christmas lunch with the Marsh family, she takes the lead in a horrific murder of a young burlesque dancer. As Erika and her team start to work the case, they find that their murder case may overlap with a separate series of attacks in the same neighborhood. All of the victims have been attacked by a frightening specter in black wearing an old fashioned gas mask.

As the case progresses, Erika receives a call from up north that her father-in-law has had a medical emergency. DI Kate Moss is promoted to handle the case. As the clues come together and the case heats up, Moss finds herself stumbling into a dangerous situation with a soulless madman who will do anything not to be caught.

This book has Erika facing some very difficult personal problems and decisions. Mr. Brynzda humanizes Erika in this story more than in any other. Putting Moss in charge shows her vulnerabilities and strengths in her work and home life. Peterson is back to work and brings a new personal twist to his story. The whole team is facing dynamic personal changes in future storylines.

What appears to be one plot, turns into two diverging plotlines. Each has twists and surprises that had me guessing until the end. It is a fast paced read that kept me turning the pages and hating to set the book down. These books can be read as standalone crime fiction mysteries, but the continued growth and interactions between all of the main characters makes me glad that I read them in order. This is a series that continues to engage, surprise and be on my “Must Read” list!

Thanks very much to Bookouture and Net Galley for allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Heat by Lisa Carlisle

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

HEAT (Underground Encounters Book 5) by Lisa Carlisle is a fast paced novella that returns the reader to the hot and steamy paranormal romance world of VAMPS. All types of paranormal creatures are drawn to VAMPS and this novella features a gorgeous gargoyle shifter.

Tracy is a bartender at VAMPS who has overcome an abusive relationship. She has taken out an order of protection, taken self-defense classes and now focuses her personal life on attending college and spending time with her little brother when not working at VAMPS. Through all her troubles, Tracy has confided everything to the gargoyle statue by the bar. She does not know why she is drawn to the statue, but she considers it an old friend.

Danton is a powerful gargoyle shifter who transforms into human form to protect people in danger, but especially Tracy. He anxiously awaits her shifts at the club and yearns for her as a man. When Tracy’s ex shows up drunk and attacks her, Danton comes to life. Due to a curse, he only has twenty four hours in his human form to convince Tracy to spend the time with him and possibly more?

This novella has Tracy and Danton instantly attracted and having sex. There is a twenty four hour time limit and it is a novella, so it calls for a quick hook-up, but based on Tracy’s past with abuse, I felt very uncomfortable with her decision. The author does take you through Tracy’s thought process and explains her feelings, but I feel it would have made a better novel length story with the topic of abuse. Tracy and Danton are well written for the shortness of the story and I really did like them. As always in this series, Ms. Carlisle’s sex scenes are smokin’ hot and steamy and a new paranormal lover appears in each with interesting world-building and backstory.

I will be looking forward to more stories coming out of VAMPS and the Underground Encounter series.

Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.

Book Review: The Lieutenants’ Online Love by Caro Carson

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

THE LIEUTENANTS’ ONLINE LOVE by Caro Carson is a sweet contemporary military romance with no sex, romantic relationship build-up, misunderstandings and realistic dialogue both online and face-to-face.

Lieutenant Chloe Michaels is ready for her first posting in the military police company at Fort Hood. She has focused on this day through her years at West Point and never had the time for a real romance, but she does have an anonymous friend online, Different Drummer. Matched through a website that only allows messages and texts, no pictures, they have been friends for 8 months as Chloe has moved across the country training. She values their friendship and Drummer’s advice as they grow closer and closer. She especially values him as her real life work colleague, Thane Carter proves difficult.

First Lieutenant Thane Carter is at the height of his success as senior platoon leader of his military police company. His love life is not on the same track. His does not want to play the field and wants a real relationship with someone to share his life permanently. He may not have a real-life girlfriend, but he does have Ballerina Baby online.

From the beginning of her new posting, Chloe and Thane each wish the other could be more like their online friend and less irritating. When the two decide to meet, Thane learns that his Ballerina Baby is Chloe. Now, he has to wrap his mind and emotions around the fact that his online love is at the desk right next to him at work and fraternization could lead to them being kicked out of the job and service they both love.

Even though the plot is not new, the addition of the military ramifications gave it an interesting twist. The story is fast paced and easy to read. I feel the author’s writing shines in her dialogue, especially the contrast between their online and real life interactions. I feel it was very realistic and it kept me entertained as well as engaged throughout the book. Chloe and Thane made me cheer for their HEA. (There may have even been a happy tear in my eye at the ending.)

Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.

Book Review: The Butterfly Conspiracy by Vivian Conroy

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

THE BUTTERFLY CONSPIRACY (A Merriweather and Royston Mystery #1) by Vivian Conroy is an entertaining historical cozy mystery that pulled me in from the start. I love mysteries set in Victorian times, with all the new discoveries and inventions and the societal conventions that are still in place, but on the verge of change. This is a great start to a new historical cozy mystery series that is both fast paced and easy to read.

Miss Merula Merriweather would much rather be in her conservatory hatching exotic butterflies and studying all things zoological than worrying about the latest fashions and balls. Left as a toddler to be raised by her mother’s sister and husband, Merula has been encouraged in her interests by her uncle. Because of the times in which they live, her uncle Rupert must take credit for her discoveries and accomplishments.

When she releases her latest hatchling at a meeting of the Zoological Society to prove it is real, it lands on Lady Sophia’s arm and she immediately falls over dead. Uncle Rupert, who everyone believes is the true butterfly expert, is immediately accused of her murder and arrested. Merula believes that her butterfly had nothing to do with Lady Sophia’s death, but how to prove it?

Lord Raven Royston feels responsible for the arrest of Merula’s uncle and believes the authorities will come after her when they find out she is the true butterfly expert. It was because of his belief the butterfly was fake that Merula released it at the meeting. Lord Raven helps Merula to escape the police and they both start to try to piece together the real cause and reason for Lady Sophia’s death.

I love Merula and Raven! The author has brought the main characters to life in description and dialogue. Each has a partial backstory revealed during the book that added depth and I am sure will lead to future adventures. Throughout the book their friendship grows and I hope it will turn into more in future books. The secondary characters of Galileo, Bowsprit and Lamb add to the realism of this time period and its class system. This is a great cast of characters that I am looking forward to following into future mysteries. The plot was full of red herrings and I felt the execution of the murder was ingenious. I cannot wait for the next book in this series!

Thank you so much to Crooked Lane Books and Net Galley for allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Scent of the Jaguar by S.E. Gilchrist

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

SCENT OF THE JAGUAR (Deadly Forces #2) by S.E. Gilchrist had me on another action packed romantic suspense adventure in the steaming Amazon jungle. This book features Kitarna Ashford’s older sister, Bernie and the other band of passengers from their downed plane being hunted by mercenaries through the deadly jungle.

Bernadette “Bernie” Ashford is an archeologist on her way with her botanist sister to a new dig that could turn into an important major discovery. Before they make it to the site, the sister are warned through a static filled call from their father that their lives are in danger from “El Jaguar” and to leave the area immediately. As they are flying away over the vast jungle, Bernie realizes that the plane is too low and they are suddenly told to brace for a crash landing.

Zane MacIntosh was on a previous dig with Bernie and mysteriously disappeared the same day as a valuable artifact. Bernie cannot believe he is on the plane and is suspicious of his motives. She is sitting with Zane and his mother as the plane goes down. She gets a brief glimpse of her sister after the crash, but they get separated as the two groups flee from the mercenaries chasing them.

Zane and Bernie work together to get their group to safety. As they are being chased by mercenaries, they are also vulnerable to all the dangers of the Amazon. The heat, humidity, native bugs, reptiles and animals all add to the misery and despair as the group tries to survive. As Zane and Bernie learn to trust one another, they wonder if there is a traitor in their little group? Bernie keeps praying that Kit has survived and Zane’s mother seems to be more than a retired school teacher.

This is a suspenseful and action packed read that sets a fast pace with an ever increasing threat to the survivors. Zane and Bernie were well written, resourceful and realistic main characters. Zane’s mother was a surprise and an intriguing addition. The sex scenes fit well in the story. This is the second book in this duet of stories and can be read as a standalone, but if you are interested in the first book it is Beat of the Jungle by Erin Moira O’Hara. Both are excellent reads.

Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.