Today I am sharing a Feature Post and Book Review for the new gritty noir DARK RETRIBUTION: SMITTY’S CALLING CARD (Dark Retribution Book 1) by B.R. Stateham for my turn on the Dark Retribution Book Tour.
There have been short stories featuring this character by this author, but this is the first full length novel featuring the mysterious Smitty. Noir is a genre of crime film or fiction characterized by cynicism, fatalism and moral ambiguity and this book has it all. I enjoyed this first book and will definitely be following Smitty on his future adventures!
***
My Book Review:
RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars
DARK RETRIBUTION: SMITTY’S CALLING CARD (Dark
Retribution Book 1) by B.R. Stateham is a suspense/noir crime fiction book
featuring Smitty, a mysterious P.I./hitman/fixer/spook with his own moral code
and an almost paranormal ability to appear and disappear. There are several
short stories featuring this character, but this is his first full length story
and it is easily read as a standalone.
A modern-day Jack the Ripper is brutally killing prostitutes
without leaving even the smallest of clues. One of the police officers working
the case, Artie Jones knows the women being killed and are related on the job to
his sister-in-law who is the leader of this group of working girls. To protect
his sister-in-law, Artie decides to request the help of the mysterious Smitty.
Smitty is as much a mystery man as the killer. There is speculation
and rumor about whether he is a P.I., a security consultant, a mob hitman or
fixer, but no matter which is correct it is an absolute truth that he is a
killing machine who never leaves any evidence behind.
As Smitty works the case, the killer becomes aware that he
is now the hunted and he looks forward to a showdown with Smitty.
This is a fast-paced suspense crime read with a very intriguing new-to-me main character. I enjoy reading about a character that is as morally ambiguous as Smitty. A dark angel or knight is sometimes needed to fight evil. The plot moves at an increasingly fast pace to a climax that satisfies. This is a noir crime genre book with some stereotypes that may seem out-of-date, but can and should be expected in this type of genre book. I do wish that Mr. Stateham had not given Smitty’s elderly black snitch colloquial dialogue; it was not necessary in my opinion.
Overall, it is a great introduction to Smitty for readers
and an interesting crime read. I will be looking for more stories about Smitty
from this author in the future.
***
Short Biography:
B.R. Stateham is a fourteen-year-old boy trapped in a
seventy-year-old body. But his enthusiasm and boyish delight in anything
mysterious and/or unknown continue.
Writing novels, especially detectives, is just the avenue of
escape which keeps the author’s mind sharp and inquisitive. He’s
published a ton of short stories in online magazines like Crooked, Darkest
Before the Dawn, Abandoned Towers, Pulp Metal Magazine, Suspense Magazine,
Spinetingler Magazine, Near to The Knuckle, A Twist of Noir, Angie’s Diary,
Power Burn Flash, and Eastern Standard Crime. He writes both
detective/mysteries, as well as science-fiction and fantasy.
In 2008 the first book in the series featuring homicide detectives
Turner Hahn and Frank Morales came out, called Murderous Passions.
Also, in 2008 he self-published a fantasy novel entitled, Roland
of the High Crags: Evil Arises.
In 2009 he created a character named Smitty. So far
twenty-eight short stories and two novellas have been written about this dark
eyed, unusually complex hit man.
In 2012 Untreed Reads published book two of the Turner Hahn/Frank
Morales series A Taste of Old Revenge.
In 2015 NumberThirteen Press published a Smitty novella entitled, A
Killing Kiss.
In 2017 a British indie publisher, Endeavour Media, re-issued A
Taste of Old Revenge, and soon followed by a second Turner Hahn/Frank
Morales novel entitled, There Are No Innocents.
In 2018 Endeavour Media published a third novel of mine, the first
in a 1st Century Roman detective series, entitled While the
Emperor Slept.
Also in 2018, NumberThirteen Press merged with another famous
British indie, Fahrenheit Press. Soon afterwards, Fahrenheit Press re-issued an
old novel of mine entitled, Death of a Young Lieutenant.
Now, after all of this apparent success, you would think Fame and
Fortune would have sailed into my harbor, making me the delight of the
hard-core genre world. Ah but contraire, mon ami! Fame and Fortune are two
devious little wraths who pick and chooses the poor souls they wish to bedevil.
I remain in complete anonymity and am just as bereft of fortune as I have
always been. And apparently will continue to be for a long time to come.
I am thrilled to share this Feature Post and Book Review for Erin Nicholas’ new CRAZY RICH CAJUNS (Boys of the Bayou Book 4). I have been waiting for Kennedy and Bennett’s story and I am not disappointed!
Below you will find a book blurb, my book review and the author’s bio and social media links. All of the books in this series are short, sexy, hot and HEA romances. Erin Nicholas knows how to bring the heat, fun and heart!
***
Book Blurb:
He
wears suits and ties. He’ll one day inherit a fortune. He has a law degree. He
shines his shoes, for God’s sake. What is she doing attracted to a guy like
him? But she is. She so is.
She
drives air boats on the bayou, drinks and cusses, and gives city boys in suits
a hard time just for fun. Why can’t he get her out of his mind? But he can’t.
He definitely can’t.
A
weekend trip to Savannah for a fancy-schmancy party with his highfalutin family
is the surefire way to prove that they have nothing in common but intense
chemistry. And to maybe scratch this I’ve-never-wanted-anyone-like-I-want-you
itch once or twice. Or five times.
But
it takes only about twenty-four hours for the bayou girl and the city boy to
figure out that they don’t really know much at all–about each other, or about
themselves. And figuring all of this out is going to be downright crazy.
CRAZY RICH CAJUNS (Boys of the Bayou Book 4) by Erin
Nicholas is another great addition to this contemporary romance series, in fact,
it is my favorite. For three books we have been getting glimpses of Kennedy and
Bennett sparking off of each other and in this book in the series Ms. Nicholas
delivers a romance that is everything I was hoping it would be.
Kennedy Landry runs The Boys of the Bayou Tour office.
Kennedy dresses like a goth, tattoo and piercings in rebellion of her years in
childhood pageants. She runs the office like a general, swears and drinks like
a sailor and cares for her extended family and friends with her whole heart. So
why does she have this fascination with the new partner in the suit?
Bennett Baxter is rich, runs his own foundation which works
on environmental issues especially in the bayou and wants to fit in with the
Landry clan in Autre, LA. He is especially attracted to the smart-mouthed goth
who runs the tour office.
Bennett invites Kennedy to his father’s retirement party in Savannah
over the weekend. Kennedy is not sure how or if she will fit in with Bennett’s
society friends, but she sure wants to get Bennett in bed and try to figure out
why she craves him to distraction. Bennett wants Kennedy to be herself and show
his parents he is not interested in the path they have laid out for him.
What they both find out is that they have explosive sexual
chemistry, but they do not know much about each other and still have a few
things to find out about themselves. Can these opposites find their HEA?
Kennedy and Bennett are such great characters. Ms. Nicholas
surprised me with the romance starting one way and then… plot twist…with both
characters growing and changing in a way I did not anticipate. All the
situations during the weekend party had me laughing out loud and/or cheering.
Ms. Nicholas always gives her characters entertaining, realistic and sexy dialogue
that pulls you into the story. Kennedy and Bennett have explicit sex scenes that
burn up the pages. (Wait until you read the shower scene. Smokin’!) They also have
great sexy texts and dialogue.
All the books can be read as standalone romances, but I
recommend you read them all because they are just so much sexy fun and full of
love. They are all short, just 12 chapters each and will have you not wanting
to stop until the HEA.
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Erin Nicholas has been writing romances almost as long as she’s been reading them. To date, she’s written over thirty sexy, contemporary novels that have been described as “toe-curling,” “enchanting,” “steamy,” and “fun.” She adores reluctant heroes, imperfect heroines, and happily ever afters.
Erin lives in the Midwest, where she enjoys spending time with her husband (who only wants to read the sex scenes in her books), her kids (who will never read the sex scenes in her books), and her family and friends (who claim to be “shocked” by the sex scenes in her books).
I am very excited to share this Feature Post/Blog Blitz and Book Review for DYING TO TELL by Keri Beevis. This is a suspense/psychological thriller that had me hooked from page one and I cannot believe I have not heard of this author before now.
Below you will find a book blurb, my book review and the author’s biography.
I highly recommend this book and author!
***
Book Blurb:
As the only survivor of a horrific car crash,
Lila Amberson believes she is on the road to recovery after she is released
from the hospital. Her memories of the accident are blurred though and a series
of unsettling incidents leave her fearing for her safety. Does she have
survivor’s guilt or is something more sinister at play?
Jack Foley is reeling from the shock of
losing his sister in the crash and when he first meets Lila, he lashes out,
blaming her for Stephanie’s death. But when Lila gives him a locket that she
believes belonged to his sister, it presents more questions than answers.
As Lila and Jack work together to find out what really happened on the night of the accident, they are unaware that someone is watching them closely. Someone who has much to lose if the truth comes out, and someone who is prepared to do everything necessary to ensure all loose ends are taken care of.
***
My Book Review:
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
DYING TO TELL by Keri Beevis is a new suspense
filled, psychological thriller that has so many suspects and plot twists, I just
had to keep turning the pages long into the night. Ms. Beevis is a new-to-me
author who knows how to keep you on the edge of your seat with a well planned,
fast paced plot and memorable characters.
Lila Amberson is the sole survivor of a horrific car crash. At
first, when she wakes, she has no memories of the accident, but slowly she
begins to remember. The more she remembers, the more she has a feeling of
dread. After several incidents, she realizes that someone is trying to hurt her
and she has no idea who or why.
Jack Foley is a famous thriller writer who lost his youngest
half-sister in the accident Lila was involved in. When Lila shows up to pay her
respects at his sister’s funeral, Jack is angry and lashes out, but he soon
realizes he was wrong about Lila. He wants to protect her and begins to care
for her romantically.
As Lila and Jack begin talking to people to find out what
happened on the night of the accident, they begin to realize that someone is
watching and does not want a truth to be revealed.
I enjoyed this thriller from page one! Ms. Beevis’ plot has well placed red herrings, increases in intensity and surprised me in the end. The story is easy to read with very likable and believable main characters and a secondary cast of characters that are not just placeholders, but well fleshed out realistically flawed people. I am very grateful I tried this new-to-me author and I will be watching for more books by her even as I go back and check out her previous titles.
I highly recommend this thriller and author!
***
Author Biography:
Keri
Beevis wrote her first novel at age twenty, but it was a further twenty years
before she was published after entering the Rethink Press New Novels
Competition 2012. Her entry, Dead Letter Day, was a winner,
earning her a publishing contract, and the book proved to be a minor hit,
leading to a sequel, Dead Write. However it was Keri’s third
novel, standalone mystery thriller The Darkness Beneaththat gained
her the most success, along with many new fans, both in the UK and the USA.
Born in the village of Old Catton, less than a mile from
where Anna Sewell was living when she wrote Black Beauty, Keri had a passion
for reading and writing from a young age, though her tastes veered more to the
macabre.
Today she still lives in Norwich, along with her two naughty
kitties, Ellie and Lola, and a plentiful supply of red wine (her writing fuel),
where she writes a comedic lifestyle column for a local magazine. She loves
Hitchcock movies, exploring creepy places, and gets extremely competitive in
local pub quizzes. She is also a self-confessed klutz.
Keri’s
previous books have all been US based and she is looking forward to the release
of her first UK based novel, which is set in her beautiful home county of
Norfolk.
Today I am happy to be a part of the Release Blitz for COMING HOME TO THE COWBOY (Redemption Ranch Book 1) by Megan Ryder.
Below you will find a book description, an excerpt, my book review and author info and social media links. This is an emotional cowboy contemporary romance and I cannot wait to read all of the books in the series.
Champion bull-rider and all-around fun guy Chase Summers is everybody’s friend, but his affable personality hides a lifetime of pain. Having been abandoned as a young child at the steps of a church, he learned young that he was unwanted. The only thing that saved him from isolation was his foster dad and life on Redemption Ranch. Now he spends his time on the rodeo circuit, sending home his winnings to help the ranch succeed, and his nights with buckle bunnies, making sure no one gets close enough to touch the pain deep inside.
The town good girl who saw the good in everyone…
When accountant and small business advisor Hailey Spencer is hired by Redemption Ranch to implement their guest ranch ideas, she and Chase are thrown together. It’s not long before he is introduced to the son that she had with his best friend. The best friend who would’ve following Chase anywhere…even the bull riding circuit with it’s deadly potential. With Hailey hanging on to resentment and Chase racked with guilt, the two try to fight their age-old attraction – in vain. Chase knows Hailey deserves more than a broken-down cowboy for her son and her heart.
Can Chase resist the call of the rodeo and man up for a woman he’s loved for years or will he leave for the allure of the road?
Hailey’s breath caught in her throat and she swallowed hard.
Chase Summers.
Her heart pounded in her chest and the world felt like it tilted under her feet. She had expected to run into him at some point. She had only hoped to have some time to settle in, had time to prepare herself before being confronted with the reality of him.
She drank in the sight of him eagerly, despite the pit in her stomach. It’d been three, no four years since she’d last seen him, since Adam’s funeral. Chase had been a rock for her, solid as the granite the town had been named for. He stood by her side, making sure she had everything she needed while she slept-walked through those horrifying days when she tried to figure out what went wrong and how to move on with her life and raise a two-year-old on her own. He had offered to stay on in Billings and help, but what was there for him to do? So, she’d sent him on his way and tried to get on with finding her new normal.
He’d called a couple of times after Chase died, but she had always responded with a text saying she was busy or something. He’d seemed as relieved as she, and she had no trouble staying away from Grand Junction in the Professional Bull Riding’s off-season, effectively avoiding him, even as a part of heart wanted to be near him. But she had to make her own way, and Chase was too much a loner for her to rely on.
Tara’s head was bopping back and forth between the two of them like a tennis match, with Chase was standing at the top of the porch steps, patiently waiting while Hailey took processed him. She took another step to see him more clearly in the shadows of the porch and gasped.
“Oh my God, Chase. What happened to you?”
He was leaning on a cane and his face had a few yellowed bruises to match bruises on his arms. The T-shirt should have revealed the six-pack stomach she knew he had, but instead it showed a smooth area where bandages were wrapped tightly around ribs. Her gaze fixed on the subtle tightening of his jaw and the muscles around his eyes revealing the tension and pain he must be feeling. Damn that moved that had kept her from keeping up with the circuit, damn this fucking sport that injured him, and most of all damn his adrenaline need to risk his life for the sport that killed her husband.
He quirked a grin at her. “Not a pretty sight, is it? Oleander took offense at me riding him for eight seconds and got his revenge. I’ll be all right in a few weeks.”
“But for now, he’s staying here in the apartment I promised you. I’m so sorry, Hailey,” Tara finished in a rush. “I completely forgot yesterday. I was so excited that you were interested. But the whole house is empty and the rest of the place is planned for a B&B, so the other rooms are all finished but not rented until next season. You and AJ can have the run of the place until then.”
Tara’s words slowly sank in, and Hailey pivoted and stared at her. “You mean, have me and AJ live here with Chase? For how long?”
Chase, too, stared at Tara. “Wait a minute. You never said anything about having a roommate.”
“It’s perfect. Chase, someone needs to make sure you’re okay, especially after your lung injury, and Hailey needs a place to stay.”
Chase’s jaw clenched, but he only aimed a questioning look at her, and she flushed. “I have a place to stay. I just prefer to find somewhere else.”
Tara waved her hand and arched a brow. “Come on. Do you really want to stay with your parents when you can live here?”
Chase started down the steps and both women stopped him immediately. He glared at them both. “I can walk down the damned stairs. It’s just a sprain. I was at the barn earlier today. Tara, can you give Hailey and I a few minutes? I think we need to talk before we agree to being roommates.”
Tara’s gaze shot between them, full of questions, but she nodded. “I’ll go hang with Ty at the barn and be back soon. Don’t run her off. She’s the second-best thing to happen to Redemption Ranch, and we need her.”
Chase grinned. “And you’re the first?”
Tara shot him a saucy grin over her shoulder. “And don’t you forget it.”
***
My Book Review:
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
COMING HOME TO THE COWBOY (Redemption Ranch Book 2)
by Megan Ryder is a new cowboy contemporary second chance romance. The story is
written by a new to me author that satisfied me with everything I look for in a
genre romance. This is the second book in the series, but it can easily be read
as a standalone and I will definitely be going back to read book 1.
Hailey Spencer returns to her hometown to help her mother
after a stroke. It is a chance for her young son, AJ to spend time with his
grandparents. She is also looking for a job so that she can stay in the area,
when an old high school friend introduces her one of the owners of Redemption
Ranch. She accepts the position as business manager and is excited to start,
but she also is worried about running into her dead husband’s best friend,
Chase.
Chase Summers is a champion bull-rider. After a terrible
accident on his last ride, he has returned home to recuperate. He is grateful
his foster dad brought him to the ranch and saved him from the foster care
system. Since high school, he has spent his time on the rodeo circuit riding
bulls and sending part of his winnings home to help the ranch succeed. He is a
fun-loving, cocky cowboy who never lets anyone get too close.
Hailey and AJ move onto the ranch and under the same roof as
Chase. Hailey has old hidden feelings for Chase even though she married his
best friend and Chase has always had a secret crush on Hailey, but he also
feels guilty for Hailey’s husband’s death. As Hailey and Chase’s attraction
grows so does AJ’s attachment to Chase. Can Hailey and Chase overcome their
pasts or will the rodeo win once again?
I felt so much as I read this romance! Ms. Ryder has written
a beautiful story that is heart-breaking, heart-warming and everything in between.
Family, hope and love are all interwoven into this story which draws you in and
refuses to let you go until the last page. Hailey, Chase and AJ are realistically
written characters that I felt could walk right off the page and I will be excited
to meet them again in future books in this series.
I highly recommend this cowboy contemporary romance and I am
looking forward to reading all of the books in the Redemption Ranch series!
***
About the author:
Ever since Megan Ryder discovered Jude Deveraux and Judith McNaught while sneaking around the “forbidden” romance section of the library one day after school, she has been voraciously devouring romance novels of all types. Now a romance author in her own right, Megan pens sexy contemporary novels all about family and hot lovin’ with the boy next door. She lives in Connecticut, spending her days as a technical writer and her spare time divided between her addiction to knitting and reading.
Today I am excited to share this Feature Post and Book Review for Catherine Bybee’s new book SAY IT AGAIN (First Wives Club Book 5). I am very excited that Ms. Bybee gave the mysterious Sasha a feature story and it is a page-turner!
Below you will find a Q&A with the author, an excerpt from the book, my book review, a book summary, the author’s bio and social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway. I read the entire book in one sitting and I could not put it down. As always, good luck on the Rafflecopter giveaway!
***
Author Interview: Catherine Bybee
1) Sasha, from your newest novel Say it Again,
is unlike any character that most readers will have encountered. Can you give
us a rundown of your heroine?
Sasha is a female James Bond with all the skills that kick ass and the sexy
that opens doors. She’s a master of disguises, speaks more languages than
anyone should…and has a razor-sharp mind that doesn’t sleep. In all her
badassery, (pretty sure I just made up that word) Sasha has a soft spot—a
vulnerability that makes her want to protect the innocent. She’s a true to life
superhero who walks the fence between right and wrong. She really doesn’t have
any issues breaking laws to get what she wants. And that’s what makes her so
fun to read, and for me to write.
2) Fans have been following Sasha throughout your First Wives series. Did
you always know you wanted to write her story?
No! Not at all. The first four books in the series were going to be it.
However, Sasha commanded attention the first moment she walked on the page and
I couldn’t get enough of her once I dreamed her up. I was almost finished
writing the first book when I decided that Sasha was
not going to be a bad guy. Yes, I’m a pantser, and have no real outline before
I sit down to write. I think the fact that I didn’t know she was one of the
good guys made her all that more believable. I don’t even think she knew she
was going to be on the side of right and justice until the end of Fool
Me Once.
3) While many of your novels have a mystery or suspense element, you dive
head first into action and spy-games in this book. How easy was this transition
for you?
It was super easy and tons of fun. In fact… I think I may have a spin off of a
spin off rolling in my head with all the fun characters I played with while
writing this book. Neil was one of my very first book boyfriends from the
Weekday Brides. And having him come back in this book just reminded me how much
fun it is to write all the action and intrigue. I hope my fans love it enough
for me to continue the theme with new books.
4) When AJ is first introduced he seems pretty average—just a guy looking
for answers about his sister’s death. But in reality, there is nothing average
about AJ. How would you describe him?
The best picture in my mine that I can describe with all clarity is Brian
O’Connor, Paul Walker (RIP), from Fast and Furious. Innocent until
he isn’t.
I would say that AJ is exactly what Sasha needed to open up and accept that she
too can be loved. I wanted AJ to come off as average until he wasn’t. Sasha is
such a strong character that she needed someone who wasn’t going to try and
overpower or overshadow her badassery (love that word). AJ does that. Yet he
has some badass moments himself and that is what makes her fall for him even
more. He is in no way perfect and neither is she.
5) AJ and Sasha have something in common—they are both characters with lots and
lots of secrets. What makes them open up to each other? What else do they have
in common?
Trust through time. That’s the best way for me to describe how they evolved in
my head. There is a common respect the moment they “acquire” the other’s phone.
A moment where they take notice and begin to respect the other. Honor among
thieves as they say. I think the common ground that isn’t apparent until the
story evolves is how they want the love of a family. AJ is much more open to it
than Sasha, but they both have to fight for it in the end.
6) While you have written books with scenes in foreign countries, this story
takes place internationally. Have you visited the same places as your
characters? Where do you hope to take readers around the world in the future?
Yes, I have been to all the places I have written about. I was in Berlin a
couple of years ago at a book signing and managed to get their by taking the
train from London, through Amsterdam etc. So yes, I’m blessed to have visited
these places which makes the story that much richer in my opinion. Richter, the
school in the story, is from my imagination. I did some fact checking and
learned that post Hitler’s Germany, military boarding schools were not welcome
in the country. So I made one up and made it as great and awful as I could
while still making it believable.
I have placed most of my travels, or experiences from them, in my books. And as
I travel the world, I will bring my readers along…eventually.
7) Say it Again wraps up your First Wives series. What have you
learned while writing these books? Will these lessons affect your writing in
the future?
On a personal level, I will say that I’ve leaned to write with a great deal of
personal turmoil. There have been times I’ve doubted my process and this final
book in the series has told me to never do that again. I would like to always
keep the door open for more books because of characters like Sasha. I love
writing fast moving romantic suspense and intrigue and can see Claire, Cooper
and the whole of Neil’s team as a great setting for future books. Yeah… I’m
liking that idea more and more. I hope my readers do, too.
***
Excerpt
AJ was being
stood up.
It was half past noon and Sasha wasn’t there.
The Brandenburg Gate was one of the busiest tourist
attractions in Berlin. The square was filled with families and walking tours
led by someone holding a colored flag on a stick and talking into a microphone while
a line of dazed, zombie-like visitors followed behind. Aside from those in the
square learning about the history of the place, there were a dozen police
officers and security guards moving around. Considering the American, British,
and French embassies were all within a stone’s throw of each other, AJ was
surprised there wasn’t a stronger military presence.
AJ kept scanning the crowd in search of Sex on
a Stick in black leather pants and a bad attitude.
Nothing.
Left without options, AJ dialed his phone
number on her phone and waited. It rang twice.
Behind him, the riff of “Bad to the Bone,” his
ringtone, shot through him. He dropped his hand from his ear and saw a blonde
standing three feet away, her back to him.
Slowly she turned.
“Whoa.”
Sasha stared back at him, wearing white capri
pants and a bright floral top. The blonde wig overdid it but completely
camouflaged her in broad daylight. She took a step closer, reached out her hand
holding his cell. “Hello, AJ.”
They switched phones. “How long have you been
standing there?”
“Half an hour, give or take.”
He looked her up and down. She looked like a
typical American housewife, minus the kid in the stroller. “Impressive.”
“I wanted to make sure you were alone.”
AJ glanced around at the passing tourists. “Is
there a reason behind the cloak-and-dagger?”
She moved closer, lowered her voice. “You’ve
come here to look for your sister’s killer. You think there is some connection
to Richter. Went so far as to go there asking questions. You’re stalking the
local pub and hitting on, not to mention stealing from, the patrons . . .”
Sasha waved her phone in the air before tucking it into her back pocket.
“I’m calling pot to kettle on that last
accusation.” Although all the rest she pointed out was spot-on.
“I like to go unnoticed. If someone followed me
here, they lost me the second I made the city limits and went clothes
shopping.”
“What if someone followed me?”
“Then I would have seen them watching in the
thirty minutes you’ve been standing around looking like a lost child without a
parent.” She turned and started walking toward the gate.
AJ had no choice but to follow.
“What makes you think anyone is following
either of us?”
She smiled, didn’t answer his question. “I used
to help your sister on her agility training,” she told him.
The mention of his sister brought his attention
back to what he should be focused on. “She wasn’t the most athletic woman.”
Amelia took after their mother, who didn’t grow more than five feet five inches
tall and had a sweet tooth that always kept her rounder than she’d liked. At
least that’s what she’d blame when she went on one of her many diets.
“No. But she held her own most of the time. Everyone
at Richter was pushed to do at least that.”
“Her coworkers said she had recently started
taking morning walks before work,” AJ said.
“Which explains the police report about her
being murdered in the park and tossed in the river.”
AJ stopped walking. “You looked her up.”
“Only because I knew her.”
He jumped in front of her, stopped her from
moving. “Then you’ll help me.”
“There is nothing to suggest that Amelia’s
death is at all linked to Richter.”
AJ looked over Sasha’s shoulder and noticed a
man eating an ice cream cone and staring at Sasha. The middle-aged guy turned
his attention away and took a few steps in the opposite direction.
“Maybe she . . .”
AJ felt eyes, turned to his left.
No one.
“What is it?” Sasha asked.
“The guy with the ice cream, over your left
shoulder.”
She grinned, cocked her head to the side. “We
did this last night.”
“Yeah, only I’m not asking you to lay a lip
lock on me. Tempting as that might be.” Truth was, he’d thought about that kiss
more times than he wanted to admit. “If how you’re dressed is any indication,
you’re the expert on all things undercover. You tell me if you feel the weight
of someone’s stare.”
Sasha paused, then looked over her shoulder.
“That him?” she asked, thumbing toward the guy with the ice cream.
“Yeah.”
She grabbed AJ’s hand and walked directly
toward the guy he thought for sure was watching them.
“What are you doing?”
She didn’t answer. “Excuse me?” Her voice rose
a full octave, her smile was sickeningly sweet. Any accent he’d detected from
her voice was gone . . . or changed.
The man with the cone turned toward them.
“Yes?”
“Are you American? You look American.”
“I’m, ah . . . yeah.” The guy looked directly
at AJ.
Sasha kept going. “Good. Would you mind taking
our picture? I can’t get the gate behind us with a selfie.”
Again the guy offered AJ unblinking eyes. “Ah,
sure.” He reached for the phone Sasha was handing him.
Next thing AJ realized, he was standing beside
Sasha, her arm slipped around his waist, and he was smiling like all of the
other tourists surrounding them while the man he thought was spying on them
took their picture.
The stranger holding Sasha’s phone, while
trying to balance his ice cream cone, looked completely out of place.
“Take a second one, just in case.” Sasha
giggled.
The sound of her voice didn’t suit her. The
hand on his waist, however, suited him just fine. The feel of her there, the
warmth, the softness he knew she would hate if he pointed it out, felt a little
too right.
“Thank you so much.”
The stranger handed her phone back with a nod.
“Have fun.”
She waved. “We will . . . thanks.”
And he was gone.
AJ watched the man slip away as Sasha removed
herself from AJ’s side.
He missed her warmth, instantly.
“Any self-preserving spy wouldn’t have made
contact,” Sasha told him.
The two of them walked toward the center of the
square. “Okay,” AJ started. “Maybe I’m a little paranoid.”
“You’re a lot paranoid.”
AJ paused in the middle of the plaza and stared
at the massive horses that sat atop the gate. The image of his sister at
Christmas the previous year surfaced. It was the last time he’d seen her alive.
“I know Amelia’s death wasn’t random, Sasha. I feel it with every breath I
take.”
She sighed. “I know you do.”
He looked at her. “You don’t believe me.”
“I believe you believe.”
He lowered his head, studied the
salt-and-pepper colored stones beneath his feet. “You’re not going to help.”
Damn it . . . he was back to ground zero.
Another heavy sigh from the woman at his side.
“I will help you.”
AJ snapped his head up. “What?”
She placed a hand in the air as in warning.
“Not because I think you have anything other than grief inside you. The not
knowing, or never accepting the facts, can eat you alive.”
Not ground zero. He wanted to kiss her. Not
that she would be receptive to that kind of thing. “Why are you doing this?”
There wasn’t anything in it for her. Sasha turned away from him and focused her
attention on the Brandenburg Gate.
“Because I’m not bored.”
***
My Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
SAY IT AGAIN (First Wives Club Book 5) by Catherine Bybee
is the last romantic suspense in this series and features the mysterious Sasha,
who has made intriguing appearances since book 1. This is a well written series
of books that have unique suspense and relationship plots that can be read as
standalones, but the relationships between all of the “First Wives” evolve and
change, so in my opinion it is best to read the series in order.
Sasha Budanov has grown up learning to only ever depend on
herself. She was raised and hidden in a boarding school in Germany. Richter is
bastion of secrets. From a young age the students are trained in languages, stealth,
firearms and militarized survival through high school and college. When she
finds herself discontent and not knowing what direction to take in her life,
she decides to return to her old school.
AJ Hofmann has travelled all the way from Florida to Germany
searching for answers. His sister was killed and he believes when he discovers
her roommate from Richter was also killed that the answers to the murders lie
in her old boarding school. He wants answers and he needs Sasha’s help.
Sasha always works alone, but something about AJ just keeps
pulling her to help and keep him close. As the two work to uncover secrets the
danger escalates and they become the hunted. It will take all the training
Sasha has and the help of some old friends to unmask a killer.
I love that Ms. Bybee gave Sasha a full story. She has
always been so mysterious and isolated. AJ is not the type of character I would
have thought could bring out Sasha’s softer side, but he did and it worked. The
dialogue between Sasha and AJ was entertaining and at times very emotional. The
romance builds right along with the suspense. I was surprised by the climax,
which followed a page-turning read. I read this book in one sitting and it was
worth the time spent. The sex scenes are explicit, but not gratuitous.
There is a wrap up with all the couples from the previous
books at a Christmas get together which ends the series nicely. This is an
exciting read and another great addition to this series.
***
About the Book
Title: Say it Again
Author: Catherine Bybee
Release Date: September 24, 2019
Publisher: Montlake
Summary
Protector-for-hire Sasha Budanov is accustomed
to life as a loner. Always on the move, she’s now reached a crossroad. Looking
for answers about her shadowy youth, she’s returned to the strict boarding
school in Germany where she was raised. It’s also where she was trained in the
stealthy, militarized art of survival. But behind its gleaming gates, Richter
is a fortress of secrets, including those buried in Sasha’s mysterious past. To
uncover them, she’s clinging to her first rule of defense: stay guarded.
If anyone can challenge Sasha’s rules, it’s devilishly sexy stranger AJ
Hofmann. He wants answers, too. And he needs Sasha’s help. The recent deaths of
several of Richter’s former students—including AJ’s own sister—have aroused his
suspicions. He’s arousing something more in Sasha. Never one to surrender to
her emotions, she senses something tempting in AJ. She trusts him. He’s
fearless. And he kisses like a demon. Sasha’s found her match.
But treading Richter’s dark halls—and following their hearts—has its risks. As the decades-old secrets of the past are mined, Sasha and AJ are falling deeper in love . . . and into danger.
***
Author Biography
New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal,
and USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bybee has written thirty
books that collectively have sold more than five million copies and been
translated into more than eighteen languages. Raised in Washington State, Bybee
moved to Southern California in the hope of becoming a movie star. After
growing bored with waiting tables, she returned to school and became a
registered nurse, spending most of her career in urban emergency rooms. She now
writes full-time and has penned the Not Quite Series, the Weekday Brides Series,
the Most Likely To Series, and the First Wives Series. For more information,
visit www.catherinebybee.com.
I am very excited to share this Feature Post and Book Review for SAVE YOURBREATH (Morgan Dane Book 6) by Melinda Leigh. I have loved this romantic suspense/PI mystery series since Say Your Sorry, book 1 in the series.
Below you will find an interview with the author, an excerpt from the title, my book review, a book summary, the author’s bio and social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway.
This book, like every book in the series is a page turner! Enjoy and as always good luck on the Rafflecopter giveaway.
***
Author Interview: Melinda Leigh
1) Your newest release features two of your most
popular characters, attorney Morgan Dane and P.I. Lance Kruger. While this
couple has a habit of getting involved in difficult (and dangerous) criminal
cases, the mystery in this book is much more personal for them.
In Save Your Breath, Morgan and Lance aren’t
working for a client. They’re looking for Sharp’s girlfriend, Olivia Cruz, who
vanished from her home in the middle of the night. After Olivia goes missing,
Sharp realizes his feelings for her run much deeper than he’d thought. As the
investigation continues, with no trace of Olivia, the usually calm and centered
PI begins to unravel. Morgan and Lance had always depended on Sharp for his
insight and stability. Save Your Breath reverses these
established roles.
2) How does the personal nature of the crime affect the
other characters?
Morgan and Lance are also thrust into unaccustomed roles.
In the previous five books, Sharp has been the source of stability. He is their
rock. Now Morgan and Lance have to step up and help him hold it together. The
book deliberately challenges the cohesiveness of the team.
3) The story starts with a terrifying scene where Olivia is
kidnapped. It is raw and visceral and plays on everyone’s worst fear—being
unsafe in our own home. How do you get into the mindset for crafting this kind
of scene?
I close my eyes and envision the scene in my mind from
beginning to end. Everyone has been woken by a strange noise in the middle of
the night. We’ve all stared at the ceiling, listening for the sounds of a
stranger moving through the house. Being attacked in our sleep is a basic,
primal fear. That’s the vulnerable feeling I wanted to generate in the reader,
so I imagined it happening to me. Basically, I’m channeling the overactive
imagination that got me into so much trouble as a child.
4) Morgan and Lance are planning a wedding and solidifying
Lance’s place as a step-dad to the Dane girls, all the while dealing with
terrible crimes around them. How do they disconnect from the violence around
them in order to create a space just for themselves and their family?
The family demands their full attention, and in their world
of chaos and crime, their home is what keeps them sane. Both Morgan and Lance
operate best when they have the support and love of their family to return to
at the end of the day.
5) Can you give readers any hints of what’s next for Morgan
Dane and her crew?
I wrote Save Your Breath as the final book
in the Morgan Dane series, but my next project is a spin-off. The Bree Taggert
Series will take place in Grey’s Hollow. Morgan and the crew will likely make
appearances.
***
Excerpt: Save Your Breath by Melinda Leigh
Her weekly dinner
with her family had distracted her earlier in the evening. Her mother had
served frijoles negros, Olivia’s favorite traditional Cuban dish. Olivia had
overindulged, and the minute she’d left her parents’ house in Albany to make
the hour drive back to Scarlet Falls, her true crime research had flashed right
back into her mind and unsettled her stomach.
Chewing an antacid, she mulled over her
stunning discovery. The implications of what she’d learned further stirred the
black beans and rice in her belly. As a journalist, her job was to seek the
truth, not play judge or jury. But should she choose to pursue and publish this truth, other people could pay the price for her
revelation—possibly with their lives.
Her new book proposal was overdue, but Olivia’s
predicament felt like a no-win situation. Ignoring the truth went against all
her principles. Then again, so did putting other people in danger.
But how much risk was involved? Could she live
with being responsible for even a single innocent person’s death?
Obsessing about her book research had
translated into three consecutive nights of insomnia. Enough was enough. Olivia
didn’t need to make this decision alone. What she needed was outside
perspective. She brought the antacids with her into the bedroom, picked up her
phone from the nightstand, and checked the time. Eleven o’clock. She sent a CALL ME IF UR UP text message to Lincoln
Sharp, her . . .
The word boyfriend seemed silly at their ages. She was forty-eight. Lincoln was
fifty-three. They’d been dating for several months, and they spent the night
together once or twice a week. She assumed their relationship was exclusive,
although they hadn’t specifically discussed it.
Labels weren’t important to either of them, but
when she saw him or he called unexpectedly, the stirrings of excitement and joy
in her blood made her feel like a teenager. Beyond her attraction to him, she
respected him both personally and professionally.
So why had she been stewing over her decision
instead of asking for his opinion?
Lincoln owned and operated a private
investigation firm. As a retired police detective, his practical experience
with the legal system—and his knowledge of criminal behavior—exceeded hers. She
valued his insight and trusted him to keep her research confidential. If she
decided to pursue the story, she would hire his firm to help with the
investigative legwork anyway. She may as well bring him on board now.
She burped. Her indigestion began to burn its
way up her esophagus. She chewed a second antacid, the chalky taste coating her
mouth. She reached for the glass of water on her nightstand and sipped.
A few seconds later, her phone rang, and she
pressed “Answer.”
“Is everything OK?” Lincoln asked in a worried
tone. Her late-night text was unusual.
“Yes,” Olivia assured him.
“I’m sorry I missed dinner with your parents
again,” he said. “I wrapped up my case tonight. I should be able to make dinner
next week.”
He didn’t talk much about work, which was fine.
She understood his professionalism and appreciated his need to maintain client
confidentiality. But he had mentioned the case had involved a great deal of
evening surveillance.
“They understand,” she said. “I called because
I’m stuck in my research, and I’d like your opinion. Are you free sometime
tomorrow afternoon? I can come to your office.”
“Sure.” Interest brightened his voice. “How
much time do you want me to block out?”
“An hour should do.” She considered his
associates. Lincoln’s business partner, PI Lance Kruger, and Lance’s fiancée,
defense attorney Morgan Dane, could also provide useful insight on Olivia’s
dilemma. Morgan’s legal advice might be particularly helpful. “I’d like Morgan’s
and Lance’s thoughts as well. Could you see if they’re available?”
“Hold on. Let me check their digital
calendars.” The line went quiet for a few breaths. “Lance should be here in the
afternoon. Morgan has a client meeting at nine a.m. Her calendar is clear the
rest of the day. How about I put you in the one p.m. spot?”
“Perfect.” Olivia lowered the phone and made a
note in the calendar app. “I’ll see you tomorrow then.”
“You know, when you texted”—Sharp’s voice
deepened—“I had hoped this was a booty call.”
A little thrill rushed through her, followed by
another burp. Olivia rubbed the fire behind her breastbone. “Tonight isn’t a
good night. I ate way too much of my mother’s food.”
He snorted. “That happens. She’s an incredible
cook. Get some rest and feel better.”
“Good night.” Olivia lowered the phone.
Satisfied he would help her make her decision,
she slid into bed and picked up a book. At midnight, she still wasn’t sleepy.
She set down the book and redirected her mind. Lincoln was teaching her to
meditate. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on her breaths. She conjured a mental
image of the beach in her mind and synced her breathing to the ebb and flow of
the imaginary waves. At first she had trouble concentrating, but eventually her
body felt heavy.
Olivia jolted, her heartbeat quickening, sweat
dampening her T-shirt.
What was that?
A glance at the clock on her nightstand told
her hours had passed. It felt as if she’d just closed her eyes, but she must
have fallen asleep. She scanned the darkness of her bedroom. Her gaze passed
over her dresser and chair. Had she heard something real, or had it been a
dream?
She concentrated, listening hard to the sounds
of her house, but she heard nothing unusual. A thunk and hum signaled the
heater switching on. Hot air blew out of the floor vent and moved the sheers
that hung over her windows.
The alarm hadn’t sounded. She reached for her
cell phone. It was far too early to rise for the day. She double-checked the
security system app on her phone. The house was secure. She needed to go back
to sleep.
She shifted her legs under the covers, closed
her eyes, and tried to get comfortable.
Something whooshed. Her eyes snapped open. A
large shape rushed toward her. A heavy body landed on top of her, pinning her
to the mattress. The weight and size of her attacker felt male. She flailed and
tried to push him off, but her arms and legs were trapped as he straddled her.
She was cocooned in her comforter like a swaddled baby. Her throat constricted.
She couldn’t scream.
Panic sprinted through her bloodstream as she
stared up at the dark assailant looming over her. His face seemed distorted,
his features brighter and flatter than normal. He was wearing a mask.
With a bolt of gut-twisting horror, she recognized the character as Michael Myers from the movie Halloween.
A flash of terror shot up her spine. She inhaled, preparing to
force a scream out of her tight throat.
He slapped her across the face. Pain, bright
and sharp, sang through her cheekbone but faded in seconds as her adrenaline
surged. The scream died in her chest.
***
My Book Review:
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
I love this book! I love this series! I am so terribly sad
that this is the final book in the series!
SAVE YOUR BREATH (Morgan Dane Book 6) by Melinda
Leigh is a romantic suspense/PI mystery and this time the focus is on Lincoln
Sharp and Olivia Cruz, but the danger still has a way of finding Lance and Morgan.
True-crime writer Olivia Cruz has disappeared. Lincoln and
Olivia have been dating for a few months now and he knows the type of criminals
she interviews and fears the worst. She attempts to leave a few clues, but she
is taped, tied and then drugged. Sharp gets Lance and Morgan to assist in going
through her files of her current book looking for clues.
They find Olivia was writing about two cold case murders.
The mother of one of the convicted men committed suicide right outside Morgan’s
office after Morgan turned her down as a client the same day they find Olivia
missing.
The suspects increase as the suspense builds and it is a
race against the clock. Will Sharp find Olivia and will she be alive? And has
Morgan and Lance’s involvement in the case made them targets of the killer?
I love all the characters in this book and series. I always
look forward to each book knowing I can pick it up, reconnect with Morgan,
Lance and all the secondary characters and immediately be immersed in a mystery
that pulls me into the story and their lives once again. Ms. Leigh knows how to
keep you on the edge-of-your-seat and turning the pages. I am very sorry this
series is ending, but I know I will be going back to reread them again.
I highly recommend this book and the entire series! All the
books have memorable characters and well plotted mysteries. I do recommend they
be read in order to follow all the personal connections and changes.
***
About the Book
Title: Save Your Breath
Author: Melinda Leigh
Release Date: September 17, 2019
Publisher: Montlake
Summary
When true-crime writer Olivia Cruz disappears with no signs of foul play, her new boyfriend, Lincoln Sharp, suspects the worst. He knows she didn’t leave willingly and turns to attorney Morgan Dane and PI Lance Kruger to find her before it’s too late.
As they dig through Olivia’s life, they are shocked to discover a connection between her current book research on two cold murder cases and the suicide of one of Morgan’s prospective clients.
As Morgan and Lance investigate, the number of suspects grows, but time is running out to find Olivia alive. When danger comes knocking at their door, Morgan and Lance realize that they may be the killer’s next targets.
***
Author Biography
#1 Amazon Charts and 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 two nominations for a RITA and three Daphne du
Maurier Awards. 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.
