Tag: #bookdescription

Feature Post and Book Review: Secret Investigation by Elizabeth Heiter

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for Elizabeth Heiter’s new Harlequin Intrigue – SECRET INVESTIGATION (Tactical Crime Division Book #2).

Below you will find a book description, my book review, an excerpt from the book, an about the author section with book purchase links. Enjoy!

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Book Description

Welcome to the Tactical Crime Division, a rapid-deployment joint team of FBI agents specializing in hostage negotiation, missing persons, IT, profiling, shootings and terrorism, with Director Jill Pembrook at the head.

In the wake of a tragedy, the Tactical Crime Division is the first call.

When ironclad body armor inexplicably fails and soldiers perish, the Tactical Crime Division jumps into action. Agent and former ranger Davis Rogers asks to go undercover to find the traitor responsible for the death of one of his friends, and Petrov Armor CEO Leila Petrov is happy to provide access to her company…especially once she discovers she’s being framed. But will their joint efforts be enough to uncover the truth?

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52610660-secret-investigation

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

SECRET INVESTIGATION (Tactical Crime Division Book #2) by Elizabeth Heiter is the second book in a new Harlequin Intrigue multi-author series featuring members of the FBIs Tactical Crime Division. This is a specialized unit of the FBI formed to handle the toughest cases at a moment’s notice anywhere in the country.

FBI agent and former Army ranger Davis Rogers is devastated to learn of the death of a close Army friend when her unit is killed in an ambush when their body armor fails. When Davis learns that his unit will be investigating Petrov Armor, the makers of the defective armor, he wants the assignment. Davis wants everyone responsible to pay to the death of his friend.

Leila Petrov has become the CEO of Petrov Armor after the death of her father. She is shocked when she learns it is her company’s armor worn during the ambush. She is willing to allow Davis unlimited access when he comes into the company undercover, but she also wants to know what he finds and help.

As Davis investigates, even though he blames Leila as the head of her company and responsible for the deaths, he is finding it difficult to not like her and maybe even more. He finds he is losing his objectivity as far as Leila is concerned and he knows he is going to hurt her and the company when the traitor in her company is found.

I loved this addition to the series! The plot is well paced with intricate twists that kept me guessing right up until the end. Davis and Leila are great together. The author shows both as strong and intelligent and as their feelings grow it is at a realistic pace without feeling rushed and it never overshadows the suspense plot. No sex in this book, just a budding romance. The suspense and intrigue are the focus of this story.

The sub-plot with Melinda and Kane added depth to the story and I am looking forward to more from their characters in the future.

I can highly recommend this addition to the Tactical Crime Division series. It is an intense and suspense filled read in a small package.

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Excerpt

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Leila Petrov—When defective bulletproof vests cause the deaths of an army unit, Petrov Armor’s CEO is determined to find the person responsible. But her search makes her a liability to a killer, someone who’s closer than she ever expected.

Davis Rogers—The former army ranger thinks going undercover in Petrov Armor is his chance 

to prove himself in the FBI’s elite Tactical Crime Division (TCD). But it’s also deeply personal. One of the soldiers killed was a friend, and Davis won’t stop until he’s gotten justice.

Melinda Larsen—The deeper this profiler digs into the Petrov Armor case, the more unexpected threats she uncovers—putting her directly in the line of fire.

Kane Bradshaw—Ever since his last partner died on the job, the TCD agent prefers to work alone. But as he’s forced to work with Melinda, he fears history will repeat itself.

Eric Ross—Petrov Armor’s head of sales was Leila’s first love. He’s jealous of Leila’s obvious interest in her new “assistant,” Davis, but is there something more sinister behind his constant appearances?

Joel Petrov—Leila’s uncle has been an integral part of the company since Leila was a child. But is his involvement too convenient? 

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As in the Bureau, dying in the field was a possibility you accepted. You did whatever you could to prevent it, but if it happened, you knew you’d be going out doing something you believed in. But not like this. Not the way Jessica had died, trusting the military, trusting her training, trusting her equipment.

“I want to take the lead on this case,” Davis blurted. Gazes darted to him: from profiler Dr. Melinda Larsen, silently assessing, suspicion in her eyes, as if she somehow knew he had a history with one of the victims. Always buttoned-up Laura Smith was quiet and unreadable, but her Ivy League brain was probably processing every nuance of his words. JC, staring at him with understanding, even though he didn’t realize Davis knew Jessica personally. No one on the team did. “Is your personal investment in this case going to be a hindrance or a help?” Pembrook asked, voice and gaze steady.

Davis’s spine stiffened even more. She was talking about his army background. She had to be. But if she thought he was going to fidget, she underestimated the hell he’d gone through training to be a ranger for the army. “A help. I’m familiar with how the army works. And I’m familiar with the product. I’ve worn Petrov Armor vests.”

Petrov Armor had supplied the body armor Jessica and her team had been wearing during the ambush. That armor—supposedly the newest and best technology—had failed spectacularly, resulting in the deaths of all but three of the soldiers and one of the locals. In his mind it wasn’t the insurgents who had killed Jessica and her team. It was Petrov Armor.

He didn’t mention the rest. He’d more than just worn the vests. He’d had a chance to be an early tester of their body armor, back when he was an elite ranger and Petrov Armor was better known for the pistols they made than their armor. He’d given the thumbs-up, raving about the vest’s bullet-stopping power and comfort in his report. He’d given the army an enthusiastic endorsement to start using Petrov Armor’s products more broadly. And they had.

“I’m not talking about the armor,” Pembrook replied, her gaze still laser-locked on his, even as agent-at-large Kane Bradshaw slipped into the meeting late and leaned against the doorway. “I’m talking about Jessica Carpenter.” Her voice softened. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

The gazes on him seemed to intensify, but Davis didn’t shift his from Pembrook’s. “Thank you. And no, it won’t affect my judgment in the case.”

Pembrook nodded, but he wasn’t sure if she believed him as she looked back at the rest of the group and continued her briefing. “Petrov Armor won a big contract with the military five years ago. The armor this team was wearing is their latest and greatest. It’s not worn widely yet, but their earlier version armor is commonly used. The military is doing a full round of testing across all their branches. They’ve never had a problem with Petrov Armor before, and they don’t intend to have another.

“Meanwhile, they’ve asked us to investigate at home. We got lucky with the news coverage. We’re still not sure how it was leaked, but not all of it got out. Or if it did, the news station only played a small part. And somehow they don’t have the name of the body armor supplier. Not yet,” she said emphatically. “Rowan, we don’t have to worry about PD this time. I’m putting you on the media. Hendrick can lend computer support if you need it.”

Rowan Cooper nodded, looking a little paler than usual, but sitting straighter.

***

About the Author

Publishers Weekly bestselling and award-winning author ELIZABETH HEITER likes her suspense to feature strong heroines, chilling villains, psychological twists and a little romance. Her research has taken her into the minds of serial killers, through murder investigations, and onto the FBI Academy’s shooting range. Her novels have been published in more than a dozen countries and translated into eight languages. Visit her at www.elizabethheiter.com.

Purchase Links

Blog Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: Truths I Never Told You by Kelly Rimmer

Hi, everyone!

Today I am excited to be on the Harlequin Trade Publishing Spring 2020 Blog Tour. I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for Kelly Rimmer’s new book – TRUTHS I NEVER TOLD YOU.

Below you will find an author Q&A, a book description, my book review, an excerpt from the book and the author’s bio and social media links. Enjoy!

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Author Q&A

Q: What inspired you to write Truths I Never Told You?

A: The idea behind the story started with a curiosity about post-partum depression. I heard the statistic that one in five women develop the condition after the birth of a child and I was so shocked by it. I thought to myself—given how common this is, why don’t we talk about it?

Q: Which character do you relate to the most in Truths I Never Told You?

A: Most of us feel like victims of our circumstances at some point during our lives, at least for brief periods of time. I’ve certainly felt that way before—but writing a character like Grace, who lived in time where she had very little choice over how her life unfolded, really put that feeling into perspective for me. I loved writing the character of Beth too. To me she is loyal, loving and brave—but also ultimately humble and willing to be vulnerable. Despite that, my favorite character in this book was Maryanne—she’s fierce and determined and so courageous in her pursuit of change and knowledge, and that extends to a willingness to learn harsh lessons from life itself. Although Maryanne makes some heartbreaking decisions along the way, she always remains true to her values. A groundbreaking feminist like Maryanne represents something of a bridge between Grace’s powerlessness and the easier access Beth has to a life she can control. 

Q: What message do you hope readers take away from your story?

A: I hope that the story encourages people to talk more about how difficult early motherhood can be, and to be more aware of how new mothers in their lives might be feeling isolated or struggling.

Q: Do you plan your books in advance or let them develop as you write?

A: I’m a compulsive planner – I always know exactly where the story is going to go, before I actually start writing it. I’d never finish writing a book if I tried to wing it, and I’m so impressed by writer friends who can just fly by the seat of their pants!!

Q: Have you ever had a character take over a story, and if so, who was it and why?

A: Because I plan my books, I tend not to let my characters run away with the plot too much, but the way they engage with the action and make the plots unfold sometimes surprises me.

Q: Which one of the characters in this novel was the hardest to write and why?

A: It was very difficult to put myself into Grace’s shoes. Even writing a character with depression is challenging, but trying to immerse myself in the world of a woman who was so isolated with her struggle and so unsupported by her broader community was heartbreaking. I interviewed more than a dozen women as I was researching for Grace and Beth’s stories, and I have so much admiration for them and for all women who walk a journey with postpartum depression.

Q: Which character in any of your books (Truths I Never Told You or otherwise) is dearest to you and why?

A: In my last historical fiction novel, The Things We Cannot Say, I wrote a character named Eddie, who is a seven year old boy with autism spectrum disorder. I wanted to write about a child with ASD who is both loved and loving, and who is defined by his strengths as much as his challenges. Eddie will always be a very dear character to me, and I’ve been so honored by the way readers around the world have responded to him too.

Q: What did you want to be as a child? Was it an author?

A: I knew I wanted to be an author from a very early age. My dad remembers me telling him in Kindergarten that I was going to write books “when I grew up”!

Q: What does a day in the life of Kelly Rimmer look like?

A: Every day is different, especially at the moment when I’m self isolating at home and trying to school my children too!! I always try to fit in some time outside either tending to the garden or walking the trails on our property, but beyond that, it’s generally an unpredictable mix of reading, writing, teaching and cooking or cleaning.

Q: What do you use to inspire you when you get Writer’s Block?

A: I try to have two manuscripts on the go at any one time. If I get really stuck, I just switch books. I also skip scenes if they aren’t coming easily. For me, finishing a draft is all about momentum – so if I hit a point in the story where I can’t quite keep the words flowing, I’ll just write around it and come back to it later.

Q: What has been the hardest thing about publishing? What has been the most fun?

A: I still really love the way it feels to picture a story, and the challenge of trying to translate the ideas in my mind into words on the page will always thrill me. It’s taken a while for me to learn how to balance that creative side with the more pragmatic aspects to publishing. As a writer at home tapping away at your keyboard, you’re master of the story and it’s an intoxicating power – but as an author working with a whole team of people at your publisher, you have to learn how to be flexible. I’ve slowly learned that for my books to be as good as they can be, I don’t just need to endure editorial feedback, I need to learn to relish it. When I’m immersed in the story, I just can’t see the big picture the way my editors can. The author’s name goes on the spine, but the best books are the result of the work of a whole team of people at the publishing house too. 

Q: What advice would you give budding authors about publishing?

A: No word you write is ever wasted, even if it doesn’t end up in a book. Most writers I know have thrown out entire manuscripts at different points during their career. You have to learn how to okay with the idea that sometimes you’re writing just to refine your voice or to figure out what does and doesn’t work for you. You have to love storytelling enough to be willing to do it even if the manuscript is never destined to become a book.  

Q: What was the last book you read?

A:I’m currently reading (and loving) an advance copy of The Imperfects by Amy Meyerson, which will be published in late April.

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Book Description

After finding disturbing journal pages that suggest her late mother didn’t die in a car accident as her father had always maintained, Beth Walsh begins a search for answers to the question — what really happened to their mother? With the power and relevance of Jodi Picoult and Lisa Jewell, Rimmer pens a provocative novel told by two women a generation apart, the struggles they unwittingly shared, and a family mystery that may unravel everything they believed to be true.

With her father recently moved to a care facility because of worsening signs of dementia, Beth Walsh volunteers to clear out the family home to prepare it for sale. Why shouldn’t she be the one, after all? Her three siblings are all busy with their families and successful careers, and Beth is on maternity leave after giving birth to Noah, their miracle baby. It took her and her husband Hunter years to get pregnant, but now that they have Noah, Beth can only feel panic. And leaving Noah with her in-laws while she pokes about in their father’s house gives her a perfect excuse not to have to deal with motherhood.

Beth is surprised to discover the door to their old attic playroom padlocked, and even more shocked to see what’s behind it – a hoarder’s mess of her father’s paintings, mounds of discarded papers, and miscellaneous junk. Her father was the most fastidious, everything-in-its-place man, and this chaos makes no sense. As she picks through the clutter, she finds a handwritten note attached to one of the paintings, in what appears to be in her late mother’s handwriting. Beth and her siblings grew up believing Grace Walsh died in a car accident when they were little more than toddlers, but this note suggests something much darker may be true. A frantic search uncovers more notes, seemingly a series of loose journal entries that paint a very disturbing portrait of a woman in profound distress, and of a husband that bears very little resemblance to the father Beth and her siblings know.

A fast-paced, harrowing look at the fault in memories and the lies that can bond families together – or tear them apart.

Truths I Never Told You : A Novel 

Kelly Rimmer

On Sale Date: April 14, 2020

Imprint: Graydon House

9781525804601, 152580460X

Trade Paperback

$16.99 USD, $22.99 CAD

Fiction / Historical 

352 pages

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

TRUTHS I NEVER TOLD YOU by Kelly Rimmer is an intense new women’s fiction/historical mystery/suspense novel. This story follows a mother in 1957 and her daughter in 1997 with two simultaneous intertwining plot lines.

Patrick has been a beloved single father for many years and now his four children are finding it difficult to come to terms with placing him in a care facility due to his dementia and heart disease. When the youngest, Beth begins to clear the family home, she finds a disaster of paintings, papers and garbage behind the locked attic door. The siblings discover a trail of personal papers which lead them to question what they were told of their mother’s death in a car accident when they were very young.

Grace fell in love with Patrick and married young. Their family started immediately as they were strict Catholics that did not believe in birth control and money was always a problem. The twins came next and then little Beth. Patrick always promised to help, but not being able to deal with his wife’s difficulties, he turns to drink. All the children were barely over a year apart and after each birth Grace lived in a state of despair and depression. When Grace discovers she is once again pregnant, she knows she cannot go through with it and asks for help from her older sister, Maryanne.

Beth Walsh and her husband finally have a baby after years of fertility treatments, but since Noah’s birth Beth has not been herself. Her husband and sister finally get her to see a doctor and even though she is a child psychologist by profession, she fails to realize her own severe post-partum depression.

As Beth pieces together the mystery in the attic, she discovers her mother may have had the same difficulty with post-partum depression, but they were different times for her mother in the 1950’s. She and her siblings also want to find out about the mysterious Maryanne. Will the loving family be able to withstand their family secrets?

Ms. Rimmer did an amazing job of researching post-partum depression in both the 1950’s and present day and her empathy is apparent as you progress through the story. She made the inner secrets and feelings of both mother and daughter intertwine in a realistic portrayal for both their generations. I felt completely immersed in both timelines as they alternated throughout the story. Even as you are reading the intense mother/daughter stories, the author also brought Maryanne, Patrick and her three siblings lives to life on the pages. I loved how Beth cherished the written pages from her mother in the attic as a way to understand and connect with her. It is hard to not get completely immersed in this book, but it is also an emotionally difficult book to read.

I can highly recommend this novel!

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Excerpt

PROLOGUE

Grace

September 14, 1957

I am alone in a crowded family these days, and that’s the worst feeling I’ve ever experienced. Until these past few years, I had no idea that loneliness is worse than sadness. I’ve come to realize that’s because loneliness, by its very definition, cannot be shared.

Tonight there are four other souls in this house, but I am unreachably far from any of them, even as I’m far too close to guarantee their safety. Patrick said he’d be home by nine tonight, and I clung on to that promise all day.

He’ll be home at nine, I tell myself. You won’t do anything crazy if Patrick is here, so just hold on until nine.

I should have known better than to rely on that man by now. It’s 11:55 p.m., and I have no idea where he is.

Beth will be wanting a feed soon and I’m just so tired, I’m already bracing myself—as if the sound of her cry will be the thing that undoes me, instead of something I should be used to after four children. I feel the fear of that cry in my very bones—a kind of whole-body tension I can’t quite make sense of. When was the last time I had more than a few hours’ sleep? Twenty-four hours a day I am fixated on the terror that I will snap and hurt someone: Tim, Ruth, Jeremy, Beth…or myself. I am a threat to my children’s safety, but at the same time, their only protection from that very same threat.

I have learned a hard lesson these past few years; the more difficult life is, the louder your feelings become. On an ordinary day, I trust facts more than feelings, but when the world feels like it’s ending, it’s hard to distinguish where my thoughts are even coming from. Is this fear grounded in reality, or is my mind playing tricks on me again? There’s no way for me to be sure. Even the line between imagination and reality has worn down and it’s now too thin to delineate.

Sometimes I think I will walk away before something bad happens, as if removing myself from the equation would keep them all safe. But then Tim will skin his knee and come running to me, as if a simple hug could take all the world’s pain away. Or Jeremy will plant one of those sloppy kisses on my cheek, and I am reminded that for better or worse, I am his world. Ruth will slip my handbag over her shoulder as she follows me around the house, trying to walk in my footsteps, because to her, I seem like someone worth imitating. Or Beth will look up at me with that gummy grin when I try to feed her, and my heart contracts with a love that really does know no bounds.

Those moments remind me that everything changes, and that this cloud has come and gone twice now, so if I just hang on, it will pass again. I don’t feel hope yet, but I should know hope, because I’ve walked this path before and even when the mountains and valleys seemed insurmountable, I survived them.

I’m constantly trying to talk myself around to calm, and sometimes, for brief and beautiful moments, I do. But the hard, cold truth is that every time the night comes, it seems blacker than it did before.

Tonight I’m teetering on the edge of something horrific.

Tonight the sound of my baby’s cry might just be the thing that breaks me altogether.

I’m scared of so many things these days, but most of all now, I fear myself.

Excerpted from Truths I Never Told You by Kelly Rimmer, Copyright © 2020 by Lantana Management Pty Ltd. Published by Graydon House Books.

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About the Author

Kelly Rimmer is the worldwide and USA TODAY bestselling author of Before I Let You Go, Me Without You, and The Secret Daughter. She lives in rural Australia with her husband, two children and fantastically naughty dogs, Sully and Basil. Her novels have been translated into more than twenty languages. Please visit her at www.Kelly.Rimmer.com 

Social Media Links

Facebook: @Kellymrimmer

Twitter: @KelRimmerWrites

Instagram: @kelrimmerwrites

Buy Links

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Truths-I-Never-ToldYou/dp/152580460X/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1573152440&sr=8-1

IndieBound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781525804601

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/truths-i-never-told-you-kelly-rimmer/1132362557?ean=9781525804601

Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/truths-i-never-told-you/id1460246211

Books-A-Million: https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Truths-Never-Told/KellyRimmer/9781525804601?id=7731552460675

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=x1-TDwAAQBAJ

Feature Post and Book Review: 48 Hour Lockdown by Carla Cassidy

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for Carla Cassidy’s new Harlequin Intrigue – 48 HOUR LOCKDOWN (Tactical Crime Division Book #1).

Below you will find a book description, my book review, an excerpt from the book, an about the author section with book purchase links. Enjoy!

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Book Description

The Tactical Crime Division—TCD—is a specialized unit of the FBI.They handle the toughest cases in the most remote locations.

When TCD learns of a school invasion turned lockdown, every agent is ready to engage. With children in jeopardy, the stakes couldn’t be higher. But it becomes personal for hostage negotiator agent Evan Duran when he learns Annalise Taylor is one of the captives holed up with the students in a school for the gifted.

He’ll need every resource available at TCD and every ounce of his expertise to turn this disastrous situation into a rescue mission—and if he succeeds, maybe reunite with the woman he never stopped loving.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50217728-48-hour-lockdown

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My Book Review

RATING: 3.5 out of 5 Stars

48 HOUR LOCKDOWN (Tactical Crime Division Book #1) by Carla Cassidy is the start of a new Harlequin Intrigue four book, multi author series featuring members of the FBIs Tactical Crime Division. This is a highly specialized unit of the FBI formed to handle the toughest cases at a moment’s notice anywhere in the country.

Annalise Taylor is a computer teacher at the Sandhurst School for gifted, underprivileged students. When she is with three of her most gifted young students, they are taken hostage. They are being held by an unknown armed group in their schoolroom.

Evan Duran is the best hostage negotiator in the FBI and a member of the Tactical Crime Division. When he hears of the lockdown, he is ready to go. With children in danger, he knows the stakes are high and when he learns that their teacher is Annalise, it has become personal.

This is a fast-paced romantic suspense with the introduction of the Tactical Crime Division, a second chance romance and suspense plot all intertwined well throughout the story. Annalise and Evan worked well together. The romance is what I call a cozy romance because there are no sex scenes, but the romance did progress realistically. The suspense plot through the hostage situation kept me glued to the page, but when the reason for the hostage taking was revealed, the remainder of the plot for me was not realistic. If you can suspend some belief in some of the plot in the second half of the book, you still have a fast, exciting read and are happy with the solution of the crime and the HEA.

I am looking forward to reading more about the other members of the team in future books.

***

Excerpt

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Evan Duran—Special Agent Duran is a hostage negotiator for the Tactical Crime Division, a specialized branch of the FBI.

Annalise Taylor—A teacher held hostage at a private school. She’s also Evan’s ex-lover. She’d broken his heart several years before, and now he holds her life in his hands.

Jacob Noble—Is he the leader of a charitable church or the dangerous leader of a cult?

Gretchen Noble—Jacob’s wife, who is not afraid to abuse or kill. Will she kill Annalise before she can be freed?

Hendrick Maynard—Brilliant tech agent for the Tactical Crime Division. Will he be able to get the information Evan needs or will he be destroyed by old painful memories?

Walter Cummings—Chief of police in Asheville. Would his incompetence be the death of the hostages?

###

As he drove he made a few phone calls, and he finally pulled up in front of the nondescript brick building where TCD’s offices were located. He parked, got out of his car and hurried inside. As he strode down the hallway toward the main meeting room, he could hear Director Jill Pembrook apparently still conducting the morning meeting.

The main conference room was the heart of the office. It was where assignments were handed out and situations were brainstormed. The agents sat at a long, highly glossed wooden table. On one wall was an oversize FBI logo, and opposite that was the TCD emblem. A large, digital flat screen was mounted on the far side of the room, and a tablet lay at the head of the table.

Evan burst through the door. Director Jill Pembrook looked at him in surprise. “Agent Duran, how nice of you to join us on your day off.”

The director was an attractive, stylish woman of substance with cropped steel gray hair and a penchant for dark, custom-tailored suits.

She’d been with the FBI for over forty years, and she was definitely a force to be reckoned with. Her blue eyes could be warm and friendly or they could frost a puddle of water into a sheet of ice.

“I just saw the news out of Pearson,” he stated. “I need to get there… It’s Annalise.”

There was a collective groan from some of the other agents. Evan ignored it. “I’ll need you to arrange a plane to be ready for takeoff. Also, I’ll need Hendrick’s help on this. And I’m taking Agents Brennan and Lathrop with me.”

“Call off the SEAL team, Duran is on the case, everyone,” “Agent at Large” Kane Bradshaw murmured as the three men headed for the door.

Evan ignored him. While he liked Kane okay, there were times in the past they had butted heads when Kane could sometimes be a bit of an arrogant jerk. Director Pembrook though tolerated his glib attitude. And while Kane had no official rank as an agent with the bureau, he had an extensive background with deep black ops.

Hendrick Maynard, the tech guru nodded. “You got it,” he answered without hesitation. “Heading to my desk now. I’ll send you any relevant info ASAP.”

The director narrowed her eyes, and Evan felt the frost radiating from her. “Agent Duran, you are way out of line.” She paused and continued to hold his gaze. “Ten minutes ago North Carolina state officials called for federal help…” She paused and he was wondering if he should offer to submit his resignation. “You will also take Special Agent Rogers along with the others. This is an all hands on deck situation. Rowan as usual will accompany you and provide team support.”

Rowan Cooper, an attractive woman with long dark hair who worked as a liaison between the local police departments and the TCD team members, also rose and followed the men out the door. She accompanied any crew that deployed to a different location. Her specialty was smoothing over any personality difference or turf wars among different law enforcement units on scene. But her main responsibility was arranging overnight accommodations and making sure the agents had what they needed in order to remain focused on the task at hand.

“Yes, ma’am,” he replied to the director. He knew he’d overstepped boundaries by barging in, but he’d felt the need to act immediately when he’d heard about the situation… About Annalise…

“Plane leaves in twenty minutes. Now go,” Di-rector Pembrook said. To him she added, “Duran…don’t pull this kind of stunt again.”

Evan would have offered to quit after the assignment if he met any resistance from the director to him heading up the detail due to his personal connection to Annalise. Nothing was going to keep him from negotiating this hostage situation.

“Never,” Evan replied before turning to leave.

***

About the Author

Carla Cassidy is a New York Times bestselling author who has written more than 125 novels for Harlequin Books. She is listed on the Romance Writer’s of America Honor Roll and has won numerous awards. Carla believes the only thing better than curling up with a good book to read is sitting down at the computer with a good story to write.

Purchase Links

Harlequin.com: https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9781335136398_48-hour-lockdown.html

Feature Post and Book Review: Cross Her Heart by Melinda Leigh

Hi, everyone!

I am so excited to be sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for Melinda Leigh’s CROSS HER HEART (Bree Taggart Book #1). This book has everything I look for in this genre and a protagonist I cannot wait to follow into future books!

Below you will find a book description, my book review and the author’s bio and social media links. Enjoy!

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Book Description

A homicide detective’s violent family history repeats itself in #1 Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Melinda Leigh’s novel of murder, secrets, and retribution.

For more than twenty-five years, Philadelphia homicide detective Bree Taggert has tucked away the nightmarish childhood memories of her parents’ murder-suicide…Until her younger sister, Erin, is killed in a crime that echoes that tragic night: innocent witnesses and a stormy marriage that ended in gunfire. There’s just one chilling difference. Erin’s husband, Justin, has vanished.

Bree knows how explosive the line between love and hate can be, yet the evidence against her troubled brother-in-law isn’t adding up. Teaming up with Justin’s old friend, former sheriff’s investigator and K-9 handler Matt Flynn, Bree vows to uncover the secrets of her sister’s life and death, as she promised Erin’s children. But as her investigation unfolds, the danger hits close to home. Once again, Bree’s family is caught in a death grip. And this time, it could be fatal for her.

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RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

CROSS HER HEART (Bree Taggert Book #1) by Melinda Leigh is the first book in a new romantic suspense/thriller series that has everything I look for in this genre. A strong, intelligent female protagonist, an engaging cast of secondary characters and a thrilling, intense plot that keeps you on the edge of your seat which all come together in this exceptional debut.

Philadelphia homicide detective Bree Taggart receives a call for help from her younger sister, Erin. She drops everything and returns to her hometown. When she arrives, it is to a nightmare which is eerily reminiscent of her traumatizing childhood. Erin is dead and the main suspect is her estranged husband, Justin who is missing. Bree vows to get justice for Erin and her children.

Bree is not alone in her search for Justin. His best friend, former sheriff’s investigator and K-9 handler Matt Flynn knows Justin has problems, but he loved Bree and he does not believe he is capable of murder. Bree and Matt work together to uncover Erin’s secrets and to find Justin.

Bree and Matt do not realize how closely the killer is watching. Once again, Bree’s family is in danger and she may be the next Taggart in the line of fire.

This book is Melinda Leigh at her best! Bree and Matt are realistic, multifaceted characters that work very well together and complement each other. Bree and all the characters in this story come to life immediately. I found Bree’s compassionate handling of Erin’s children to be a great example of her internal character. The plot has a myriad of twists and turns that had me continually surprised and turning the pages.

I highly recommend this first book in the Bree Taggert series and I am anxiously waiting for the next in the series!

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Author Bio


#1 Wall Street Journal and #1 Amazon Charts bestselling author Melinda Leigh is a fully recovered banker. A life-long lover of books, she started writing as a way to preserve her sanity while raising her kids. Over the next few years, she learned a few things about writing a book. The process was much more fun than analyzing financial statements, and she decided to turn her hobby into a career.

Her debut novel, SHE CAN RUN, was nominated for Best First Novel by the International Thriller Writers. Since then, she has garnered numerous publisher awards, including two Silver Falchions and three Golden Leaf Awards. She is a two-time RITA® Award Finalist and has earned three Daphne du Maurier Award nominations. Melinda’s books have sold over 8.5 million copies.

She holds a 2nd degree belt in Kenpo Karate. She’s dabbled in Arnis stick fighting, studied Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and taught women’s self-defense. She lives near the beach with her family and a small herd of spoiled rescue pets. With such a pleasant life, she has no explanation for the sometimes dark and disturbing nature of her imagination.

Social Media Links


Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melindaleighauthorpage

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MelindaLeigh1

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/melindaleigh1/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5141609.Melinda_Leigh

Blog Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: Wyoming Special Delivery by Melissa Senate

Hi, everyone!

Today I am excited for my turn on the April 2020 Harlequin Series Blog Tour. My Feature Post and Book Review is for Melissa Senate’s Special Edition book – WYOMING SPECIAL DELIVERY.

Below you will find a book description, my book review, a letter from the author, an excerpt from the book and an about the author section. Enjoy!

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Book Description

Their feuding fathers never could have predicted this…

He came to claim the Dawson Family Ranch…but was Daisy Dawson’s heart part of the deal?

Harrison McCord was sure he was the rightful owner of the Dawson Family Ranch. And delivering Daisy Dawson’s baby on the side of the road was a mere diversion. Still, when Daisy found out his intentions, instead of pushing him away, she invited him in, figuring he’d start to see her in a whole new light. But what if she started seeing him that way, as well?

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48393162-wyoming-special-delivery 

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My Book Review

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

WYOMING SPECIAL DELIVERY (Dawson Family Ranch Book #2) by Melissa Senate is a contemporary romance and the newest addition to the Dawson Family Ranch series. This story can easily be read as a standalone, but it was so engaging that now I want to read about all the Dawson siblings.

Daisy Dawson is abandoned at the alter and decides to leave on her own to her honeymoon hotel, but on the way her car breaks down and her baby decides it is time to be born. Stuck on the side of the road and in labor, the mystery man from Cabin 1 comes along just in time to help deliver Daisy’s baby. She cannot thank him enough, until she returns home and finds out why he is on the ranch.

Harrison McCord has come to settle a ten-year-old score for his deceased father and terminally ill aunt. He is the rightful owner of the Dawson Family Ranch. When Daisy returns, Harrison gets the family together and tells them his reason for being on the ranch. The family is ready and willing to fight him in court, but Daisy has another plan.

Can Daisy show Harrison what the ranch has meant to the Dawson family for generations and help him change his mind about his father’s last request? Will Harrison be able to keep this as strictly business and not let his growing feelings for Daisy and her baby interfere with his decisions?

This is a cozy romance with no sex scenes, but a lot of love. The romance happens quickly with a lot of emotional ups and downs. I enjoy how Ms. Senate gave both Harrison and Daisy valid points of views and sides in the feud that had to be worked out for the HEA. This was an enjoyable read, but for me this plot would have been more realistic over a longer timeline.

I will be anxiously waiting for Daisy’s brothers’ stories and hoping they find all the love that Daisy wishes for them too.

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A Letter from the Author

Dear Reader,

The nine-months-pregnant single heroine of Wyoming Special Delivery, Daisy Dawson, is one of six siblings and the only female. But when she goes into labor on the side of a Wyoming road in the dead of summer without a cell phone or a spare brother, she’s beyond grateful when the handsome, mysterious guest at her family’s dude ranch turns up—and delivers her baby boy.

But Harrison McCord has a secret reason for staying at the Dawson Family Ranch. A reason Daisy will not like one bit. Bringing her newborn son into the world, though, changes everything for the both of them.

I hope you enjoy Daisy and Harrison’s story. Feel free to write me with any comments or questions at MelissaSenate@yahoo.com and visit my website, melissasenate.com for more info about me and my books. For lots of photos of my cat and dog, friend me over on Facebook.

Happy spring and happy reading!

Warmest regards,

Melissa Senate

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Excerpt

Late the next afternoon, Daisy stood in the farmhouse nursery with Noah and Sara and gasped as she looked around. She gently put down Tony’s infant carrier and unbuckled him, carefully cradling him along her arm as she stepped around the room. The nursery sure looked different than it had a day and a half ago. She’d had the basics of the room set up for a couple months now—the crib, the dresser with its changing pad, the glider—all gifts from Noah a few days after she’d told him she was pregnant. But now there were surprises everywhere. In one corner was an adorable plush child’s chair in the shape of a teddy bear for Tony to grow into. And someone had stenciled the wall facing the crib with the moon and stars. Tony’s name was also stenciled on his crib, which was Sara’s handiwork. And there were stacks of gifts in one corner that she knew were baby clothes and blankets and burp cloths. She wouldn’t have to buy anything for Tony for a long time.

“Ford and Rex did the moon and stars,” Noah said. “For novice stencilers who had to read the instructions twice and watch a tutorial, they did a great job.”

“And Zeke and Axel hit up BabyLand and bought that adorable polka-dot rug and the yellow floor lamp,” Sara added. “I didn’t even go with them to make sure they didn’t buy anything weird or clashing, and what they picked out is absolutely perfect.”

The room was so cozy and sweet. “You guys are going to make me cry,” Daisy managed to say around the lump in her throat as she surveyed the nursery. She used her free hand to swipe under her eyes.

She couldn’t say she and her brothers were close—well, except for Noah these days—but they were always there for her. And they’d all been there to meet Tony the day he was born. That was the one lucky thing to come out of her nonwedding—her whole family had already been at the ranch.

This place had always held bad memories for all the siblings, but after inheriting the ranch from their father, they’d all invested in rebuilding and renovating and reopening the Dawson Family Guest Ranch. Noah had done the lion’s share on his own; Daisy had been too pregnant to help much when she’d arrived a few months ago, and the four other Dawsons couldn’t get away from the ranch fast enough.

Ford had once said hell would freeze over be-fore he’d come back here, a sentiment shared by the other three brothers as well, but Ford, Rex, Axel and Zeke had surprised Noah and Daisy at the grand opening this past Memorial Day weekend. And now Axel was staying at the ranch for a bit. That meant three out of six Dawsons at the ranch at the same time. It was a start. And Daisy was going to run with it.

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About the Author

Melissa Senate has written many novels for Harlequin and other publishers, including her debut, SEE JANE DATE, which was made into a TV movie. She also wrote seven books for Harlequin’s Special Edition line under the pen name Meg Maxwell. Melissa’s novels have been published in over twenty-five countries. She lives on the coast of Maine with her teenaged son, their sweet shepherd mix, Flash, and a comical lap cat named Cleo. Visit her website MelissaSenate.com.

WYOMING SPECIAL DELIVERY by Melissa Senate:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Wyoming-Special-Delivery-Dawson-Family/dp/1335894489 

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wyoming-special-delivery-melissa-senate/1133990068 

Google: https://books.google.ca/books/about/Wyoming_Special_Delivery.html?id=W1e2DwAAQBAJ&redir_esc=y 

Indie Bound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781335894489 

Harlequin.com: https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9781335894489_wyoming-special-delivery.html



Release Blitz/Feature Post and Book Review: Absolving Blue by Freya Barker

Hi, everyone!

I am very excited to be posting for the Release Blitz for Freya Barker’s new Police and Fire Operation Alpha Book – ABSOLVING BLUE (On Call Book #4). This is another great addition to the series and it can be read as a standalone, but there is crossover of characters from other books in the Police and Fire Operation Alpha Books.

Below you will find a book description, an excerpt from the book, my book review, an about the author section with social media links. Enjoy!

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Book Description

For long-time Durango Fire Department EMT, Ava ‘Blue’ Navarro, her teammates at Station 3 represent a family more loyal than her own.

However, when patients start dying on her watch, she draws the attention of local law enforcement. In particular the smooth-talking detective she’s successfully evaded for years, fearing he might stir up her quiet existence.

Detective Tony Ramirez considers himself a likable guy, which is why the perpetual cold shoulder from the athletic blonde first responder is confusing.

Now he finds himself in charge of a murder investigation that threatens to shake his world both personally and professionally. A situation that won’t earn him any brownie points. 

When medical examiner, Calder Stonewall, is called in to assist, it only seems to throw more suspicion Blue’s way, and Tony has to pull out all the stops to prove her innocence while securing her heart.

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Title: Absolving Blue (On Call, #4) 

Author: Freya Barker

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release date: March 10th

Amazon: https://amzn.to/30wen47Grab the rest of the series: https://amzn.to/377sOhv

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Excerpt

“I really hate this,” she says when I lift my head. 

“I must be losing my touch, then,” I joke, and she slaps my chest.

“Not that, you idiot. I hate being weak.” 

“Now who’s being an idiot?” I lightly shake her. “If you sprained your ankle, would you think it weak to see a doctor? Do you think the people you tend to on a daily basis are weak?” When she reluctantly shakes her head, I push my point home. “So how’s this any different? We’re just talking about another part of you that needs some healing. Shit, if you think that makes you weak, you’re calling every cop in Durango a pussy. Wait ‘til I tell the guys.”

“You wouldn’t,” she snaps, her eyes spitting fire.

“If you keep spouting that nonsense, I might.” 

Goodreads book link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50286724-absolving-blue

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

ABSOLVING BLUE (Police and Fire Operation Alpha Series, On Call Book #4) by Freya Barker is another great romantic suspense addition to this series. This book can be read as a standalone, but there are several crossover characters from previous books in this series and others from Susan Stoker’s Operation Alpha world. I have enjoyed reading all the “On Call” books in order.

Durango Fire Department EMT, Ava “Blue” Navarro holds her own with all her teammates at Station 3. She considers them her family, but no one knows anything about her biological family. Blue works hard and volunteers at the humane society, but she does not get close to anyone to date.

Detective Tony Ramirez has had his eye on the tiny, athletic first responder, but he receives nothing but the cold shoulder from that direction. Tony finally gets a way into Blue’s life by offering to share responsibility for her new rescue dog. As the two begin to see each other, Blue opens up to the handsome detective, but it could all be derailed when Tony’s new investigation involves patients dying after emergencies that Blue has ties to.

As Tony works to prove Blue’s innocence, her past returns to threaten her new life. And even as the growing evidence is incriminating Blue, Tony and all of his colleagues work to prove her innocence. Her life will depend on what they discover.

I love this series and this book was another great read from this author! I have been waiting for Tony to meet the woman who was right for him and Blue is perfect even with all of the past and present drama she brings with her. The romance moves at a realistic pace as Blue opens up and begins to share with Tony who is being very supportive. The sex scenes are explicit, but not gratuitous. I love how Ms. Barker gives me mature characters to read about; both Tony and Blue are in their forties. The suspense story kept me on the edge of my seat even knowing who they were looking for it was still a page turner.

I loved this book as I have all the books in this series. Ms. Barker never fails to give me realistic, genuine, mature and likable characters. She is a must buy author for me.

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About Freya:

USA Today bestselling author Freya Barker loves writing about ordinary people with extraordinary stories. 

Driven to make her books about ‘real’ people; she creates characters who are perhaps less than perfect, each struggling to find their own slice of happy, but just as deserving of romance, thrills and chills in their lives.

Recipient of the ReadFREE.ly 2019 Best Book We’ve Read All Year Award for “Covering Ollie, the 2015 RomCon “Reader’s Choice” Award for Best First Book, “Slim To None”, and Finalist for the 2017 Kindle Book Award with “From Dust”, Freya continues to add to her rapidly growing collection of published novels as she spins story after story with an endless supply of bruised and dented characters, vying for attention!

Social Media

Facebook: http://bit.ly/FreyaFacebookTwitter: http://bit.ly/FreyaTwitter
Instagram: http://bit.ly/FreyaInstagram
Web: http://bit.ly/FreyaWeb
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/FreyaGoodreads
Newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/Freya_Newsletter Bookbub: http://bit.ly/FreyaBookBub