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Book Review: Roll the Dice by Wayne Avrashow

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

ROLL THE DICE by Wayne Avrashow is a political novel that is entertaining and intriguing. A fictional story of an aging rock star who throws himself into the knockdown, drag-out political race for a U.S. Senate seat from Nevada.

Tyler Sloan is a rock and roll celebrity who has decided to run for office. He has led a rock and roll life full of sex, drugs, rehab and privilege, but he has also matured and runs a multi-million dollar fund. He is no stranger to politics. His father was the governor of California and just barely lost in his bid for President of the United States.

Tyler funds his campaign himself and will only accept the help of small, personal contributions. He refuses the campaign contributions of special interest groups and lobbyists. He runs as an independent and campaigns outside of the two major political machines. As past indiscretions come back to haunt him and his campaign, new intrigues can also threaten his run for office.

This was a great look behind the scenes of a major political campaign. Even written as a fictional account of a campaign, you get the feeling that all of these situations could happen today in real life. Tyler was a believable main character, strengths and flaws included, with secondary characters that were perfectly placed. This is a great fictional read for a political junkie like me, but it is advertised as a thriller. Not so much. A fast paced read, campaign and some political intrigue behind the scenes, but not what I would personally call a thriller.

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

Book Review: Wicked Wish by Sawyer Bennett

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

WICKED WISH (The Wicked Horse Vegas, #2) by Sawyer Bennett is a brother’s-best-friend contemporary erotic romance which is a little light on romantic plot, but heavy on sexual interaction and content. Ms. Bennett pushes me outside of my comfort zone and yet I am always pulled into her stories from the start.

Jorinda “Jori” Pearce is thrown out of her home and told by her husband that she is lacking in the bedroom. Jori returns to her hometown and her best friend, Elena to lick her wounds and re-evaluate her life. Elena and Jori decide a trip to The Wicked Horse for their masquerade night is just what Jori needs.

Walsh Brooks has it all. He owns a profitable casino, he is gorgeous and has his pick of any woman he wants. During the masquerade, Walsh sees a beauty with a feathered headdress that he wants to ride on a new machine in the club designed by his best friend, Micah. The experience is more than either could hope for until Walsh sees two scars on his feathered mystery woman.

Walsh is having the experience of his life with his best friend’s little sister. Though both have years of shared experiences, sex has always been considered off limits. Their secret relationship can only end in heartbreak or can it be more?

The writing and pacing are well done. This story does have explicit sex scenes which will make you squirm in your seat, especially the scenes with the mechanical machine in the club. I loved Walsh, but I felt Jori had little to no backbone. I prefer my heroines to stand up for themselves far more than happened in this story.

A hot button issue for some will be the fact that Jori is still married and not to the hero, even though her husband threw her out of their home. I do not mind that she was not divorced, HE THREW HER OUT, but I do wish she would not have made some of the relationship decisions she did with her ex.

A steamy addition to The Wicked Horse Vegas series!

Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.

Feature Post: “What Would Your Heroine Do?” Blog Tour

WELCOME to the “What Would Your Heroine Do?” Blog Tour

I am very happy to share this blog tour post on Avonna Loves Genres!

Three great Romantic Suspense authors, Melinda Leigh, Lisa Renee Jones and Elisabeth Naughton have new books out and have answered some questions regarding “What Would Your Heroine Do?” Also included is a short bio for each author and a Rafflecopter Giveaway. ENJOY!

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What Would These Romantic Suspense Heroines Do With Lisa Renee Jones, Melinda Leigh, and Elisabeth Naughton

This month bestselling authors Lisa Renee Jones, Elisabeth Naughton, and Melinda Leigh are each releasing thrilling romantic suspense novels. But while they write in the same genre, you can expect very different stories.

Lisa kicks off her new Lilah Love series with a bang in Murder Notes. When copycat murders plague her hometown, FBI profiler Lilah Love is sent to investigate. But she returns to find hidden secrets from her past aren’t staying hidden and the danger swirling around her is just beginning.

Elisabeth continues her RITA award Deadly Secrets series with Protected. Fashion designer Kelsey McClane rolls her eyes when her overprotective brothers saddle her with a bodyguard while she is on a press tour, however, she’s more than thankful to have former Army Ranger Hunter O’Donnell on her side when a deadly explosion hits too close to home.

Morgan Dane is back in Melinda Leigh’s unforgettable new story Bone’s Don’t Lie. In this outing Morgan stands by her man as Lance attempts to unearth the secrets of his father’s decades old murder. Morgan quickly realizes that just because the case is cold, doesn’t mean the original killer isn’t out for more blood.

Interested in learning more about these books? Continue reading as the Lisa, Elisabeth, and Melinda play a not-always-nice game of “What Would Your Heroine Do?” that will give you an inside look at their characters and enter the giveaway to win copies of the authors’ full series.

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What would your heroine do if she feels like someone is following her, yet she can’t prove it?

Lisa: Well funnily enough in the first book of my Lilah Love series, Murder Notes, Lilah is being followed, but she can prove it as her stalker is quite blatant and goading with their practices. However, if Lilah couldn’t prove it, she would probably cuss a blue streak, as she’s prone to do, and make herself bait in order to lure her stalker out. She’s definitely not afraid of any danger, she is an FBI agent after all, and she loves nothing more than to best someone at their own game.

Elisabeth: This actually happens in Protected! I don’t want to give too much away, but Kelsey would definitely turn to someone she trusts for help. In this case…Hunter O’Donnell…the hero of Protected.

Melinda: The first thing Morgan would do is determine if she was actually being followed. She’d make some turns then see if the car was still behind her. If it was, she would never drive home and lead a potential stalker to her family. Instead, she’d head somewhere public and call PI Lance Kruger. Together, they’d try to trap whoever was following her.

What would your heroine do if the man in her life was injured and in the hospital?

Elisabeth: Freak out. LOL Actually I think her reaction is dependent on how and when he was injured and whether she thinks she’s somehow responsible.

Lisa: Lilah’s man, Kane, is forbidden fruit. He brings out her dark side. He’s on the wrong side of the law. He helped her do something very bad and she wants to blame him, but really blames herself. She can’t really be with him but she loves him. If he were hurt, she’d try to play it cool. She would put on a strong face at first, but she would go to Kane and the minute he catches her showing that she cares, he’d point it out. He’d make her admit it. She’d, in turn, deny her feelings and tell him in no uncertain terms that he’s screwed with her schedule and he better not f-ing do it again. She’d tell him she hates him for making her worry but that means she loves him, and he knows it, too. She’d try to go after his enemy, and Kane, would go after her.

Melinda: Since, Lance frequently gets himself into trouble, Morgan has some experience with this. She is protective and loyal and always wants to be by his side.

What would your heroine do if she receives an anonymous text accusing her of committing a heinous crime?

Elisabeth: Kelsey would be shocked first. Then become angry and want to track down the sender of the text.

Melinda: Having been stalked in the past, Morgan takes threats seriously. She would want to find out who sent her this text. She would try to trace the phone number, enlisting the help of experienced investigator Lincoln Sharp or computer whiz Jenny Kruger if necessary. In the meantime, she’d be extra vigilant — and so would Lance.

Lisa: In the opening Duet that launches the Lilah Love Series, Lilah isn’t getting text messages, but rather notes, left for her. They are very “I Know What You Did Last Summer” since she really did something bad. She isn’t one to be played with though, so Lilah goes on the attack, seeking out her note writer.

What would your heroine do if she wins a surprise trip to a faraway tropical island?

Melinda: Single mom Morgan has not had a vacation in ages. She’d talk her sister into babysitting her three kids and pack her bags! Or… could she save the trip as a potential future honeymoon?

Lisa: I don’t think I can picture Lilah on a vacation, she’s such a workaholic! But as far as her response to winning it, she’d probably say she has far too many dead bodies to deal with and then handoff the winnings to someone else.

Elisabeth: Kelsey is skeptical of everything so I’m pretty sure she’d assume the surprise trip was a scam.

What would your heroine do if she has the choice to confront someone threatening her?

Elisabeth: The answer to this really depends on whether this confrontation happens at the before Protected or after. Kelsey’s journey through the book is really one of empowerment. At the start of Protected I don’t see her being confrontational with someone threatening her, but by the end she really comes into her own. She’s never going to be a kick-ass heroine like some of my other heroines, but she can definitely take care of herself.

Melinda: Morgan comes from a law enforcement family. Her father and grandfather, both former cops, taught her to defend herself when she was young. She would rather not get into a physical altercation unless it was absolutely unavoidable. She prefers to talk her way out of trouble. That said, she carries a gun and knows how to use it.

Lisa: Lilah does this on a daily, if not hourly basis. She sometimes even provokes the threat, so her response would be colorful, as are all of her responses, with a hint of condescending humor and her own threat in return.

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About the Authors

Before topping multiple bestseller lists—including those of the New York Times, USA Today, and the Wall Street Journal—Elisabeth Naughton taught middle school science. A voracious reader, she soon discovered she had a knack for creating stories with a chemistry of their own. The spark turned into a flame, and Naughton now writes full-time. Her books have been nominated for some of the industry’s most prestigious awards, such as the RITA and Golden Heart Awards from Romance Writers of America, the Australian Romance Readers Award, and the Golden Leaf Award. When not dreaming up new stories, Naughton can be found spending time with her husband and three children in their western Oregon home. Protected is the third book in her Deadly Secrets series, following Gone and Repressed, which was a 2017 RITA winner in romantic suspense. Learn more about Elisabeth at www.ElisabethNaughton.com.

Lisa Renee Jones is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the highly acclaimed Inside Out series; the Dirty Money series; the White Lies duet; the Tall, Dark, and Deadly series; and The Secret Life of Amy Benson series. Murder Notes is the first book in the Lilah Love series. Visit her at www.lisareneejones.com.

Wall Street Journal bestselling author Melinda Leigh is a fully recovered banker. A lifelong lover of books, she started writing as a way to preserve her sanity when her youngest child entered first grade. During the next few years, she joined Romance Writers of America, learned a few things about writing a novel, and decided the process was way more fun than analyzing financial statements. Melinda’s debut novel, She Can Run, was nominated for Best First Novel by the International Thriller Writers. She’s also garnered Golden Leaf and Silver Falchion awards, along with nominations for a RITA and three Daphne du Maurier Awards. Her other novels include She Can Tell, She Can Scream, She Can Hide, She Can Kill, Midnight Exposure, Midnight Sacrifice, Midnight Betrayal, Midnight Obsession, Hour of Need, Minutes to Kill, Seconds to Live, Say You’re Sorry, and Her Last Goodbye. She holds a second-degree black belt in Kenpo karate; teaches women’s self-defense; and lives in a messy house with her husband, two teenagers, a couple of dogs, and two rescue cats. You can learn more about the author at http://melindaleigh.com.

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Book Review: Everything To Lose by Gordon Bickerstaff

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

EVERYTHING TO LOSE (A Lambeth Group Thriller) by Gordon Bickerstaff takes you back to the world of scientist, Gavin Shawlens and the secretive Lambeth Group. This time around Mr. Bickerstaff has Gavin being protected and handled by an SAS Captain, Zoe Tampsin. Zoe is a great addition to this series. She is professional, highly trained, kicks butt, takes no prisoners and does not like to lose.

In this thriller, Gavin is still recuperating and grieving over incidents from “Deadly Secrets” which leave his readiness for this new assignment in question. The Lambeth Group assigns SAS Captain Zoe Tampsin and her small team to go undercover on this assignment with Gavin. Their assignment is the investigation of a sports enhancement liquid which is making impossible claims. The university professors believe they will make billions off of this new product, but are being kept in the dark of the provenance of this drug by the criminals producing it. The athletes who inject the liquid die horrible deaths.

Gavin stirs the pot by letting it be known that he believes he can solve the problem that is killing the athletes who use the drug. When Gavin goes missing, Zoe and her team work to locate him before he becomes the next victim.

Not only are Zoe and her team fighting international drug criminals, but past events in Gavin’s life have made him a target of the U.S. government. Gavin, himself has no idea why and before the English government can turn him over, Zoe’s superior sends Zoe and Gavin underground and on the run.

As I have stated in many previous reviews, I usually do not like cliff-hangers, but this one had me so excited and it really did fit the situation and timing of this story. This thriller combines dangerous and credible science with action and plot twists that just do not stop. Gavin is a wonderfully flawed character that is perfectly paired with the professional and resourceful soldier, Zoe. I absolutely cannot leave them hanging! On to the next book in this series.

Book Review: Wicked Favor by Sawyer Bennett

RATING: 3 out of 5 Stars

WICKED FAVOR (The Wicked Horse Vegas, #1) by Sawyer Bennett is the start of a new Wicked Horse series set in Las Vegas. This is an erotic contemporary romance series with explicit sex scenes including fetishes and multiple sexual partners.

Jerico Jameson owns both The Wicked Horse, an elite sex club and the Jameson Group, a private security company that does contract work for the CIA. Jerico primarily runs the sex club and never spends more than one night with any of his sexual partners, but he always makes sure they enjoy their time with him.

Trista Barnes shows up at The Wicked Horse, beaten and bruised to ask Jerico to help her out of a financial mess. She is claiming the favor owed to her brother. She does not understand why Jerico hates her brother, but she is desperate and will take his help any way she can get it. Jerico hires her to work at The Wicked Horse and opens her up to a world of sexual freedom.

Jerico shows Trista a world of sexual pleasure with no guilt and no regrets. As Trista becomes more liberated, Jerico becomes more possessive which has never happened to him before and he is no longer sure he can use her for his revenge against her brother.

I enjoyed this story, but I had trouble liking Jerico until after I found out why he was so hot to get revenge on Trista’s brother. Until that point, I felt he was truly just using Trista sexually and that was a problem for me with a romance hero even with the heroine enjoying her liberation. I also had a hard time believing that these two would fall in love within the month time limit. So although Jerico and Trista end well, I have enjoyed other characters written by Ms. Bennett more. I will continue on in this series based on my love of other books by this author.

Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.

Book Review: David Bowie: A Life by Dylan Jones

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

DAVID BOWIE: A LIFE by Dylan Jones is classified as a biography, but it is not written in the traditional style. The entire life of David Bowie is laid out chronologically, but told in more of an oral history style by people who have been involved in or impacted by Bowie’s life either for a short time or many years.

This book clearly shows that David Bowie was the artist and innovator, while David Jones was the charismatic and flawed human. David Jones was influenced by his schizophrenic older brother and learned at a young age how mental illness can effect a family. He escaped the suburbs of London to live a life of continual self-reinvention, absorption of ideas and a lifelong love of learning and world travel.

The many voices that tell of his life are what make this book different. There are friends who were with him for many years and give their views of what David meant to their lives and careers and there are those voices that feel that they were used for a short time and then discarded. All say that David could turn on his charisma at will and make you feel the center of his world, but he could also cut you to the quick if he was done with you.

The author does not shy away from the sex and drugs of the 60’s and 70’s that were pervasive in the rock and roll culture, but he has people on both sides tell of the abuses and how they perceived them and how some were able to conquer them. It is told in a non-judgmental way. There are personal and professional stories of love for Bowie as well as jealousies. I do wish there were more passages by Bowie himself, but I really believe this book is like his life, it is all about what you experienced and what you personally took away from his music and art.

On a personal note: I saw David Bowie perform on his “Serious Moonlight” tour when he came to the Richfield Coliseum for my birthday many years ago. It was an amazing show with the most charismatic singer I have ever seen in concert. I have followed him through every incarnation and have always loved his voice, lyrics, fashion and smile.

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