I am very excited to once again be a part of a Release Blitz for a new Freya Barker book! TRACKING TAHLULA (Police and Fire: Operation Alpha Series, On Call #3) is another GREAT romantic suspense addition to the series!
Below you will find a description of the book, my book review and the author’s info and social media links. Enjoy!
As author Tahlula Rae has discovered; success is a double-edged sword. Leading a quiet and anonymous life, she isn’t prepared for the hateful backlash when her latest book hit the lists, propelling her into the limelight. No longer feeling safe in Denver, she takes her laptop and dog, Luke, and moves to the mountains around Durango, where her peaceful solitude is disrupted when a red-bearded man knocks on her door.
While one of the fire department’s finest, Evan Biel, is relatively content with his life, he can’t escape the sense something’s missing. When on fire-safety housecalls, he finds himself staring into a pair of soulful, copper-colored eyes sparking a deep interest. Discovering the exotic-looking woman may be in more trouble than he can handle, he tries—yet fails—to keep his distance.
When Tahlula offers San Antonio firefighters, Moose and Penelope Jacobs, temporary lodging, as they help fight seasonal wildfires, Evan’s relieved she’s no longer alone on the mountain. Yet when her troubles become outright threats on her life, his focus has to be keeping Tahlula safe.
TRACKING TAHLULA (Police and Fire: Operation Alpha Series, On Call #3) by Freya Barker is a GREAT romantic suspense addition to this series! Ms. Barker always gives me realistic characters that I would love to be friends with out of her books. This book can be read as a standalone, but there are several crossover characters from previous books in this series and Susan Stoker’s Operation Alpha world.
Tahlula Rae is a successful romantic suspense author who is
finding herself in a real-life suspense plot. As soon as she hit the NY Times
bestseller list and had to do live publicity, she seems to be the target of a
stalker for an unknown reason. After a break-in, she moves to Durango from
Denver with her rescue dog, Luke to be closer to her brother and hopefully get
away from any danger.
Evan Biel, Durango firefighter and paramedic is out making fire-safety
house calls. As he rings the bell for a remote home in the hills, he is
surprised by the exotic beauty with the soulful copper eyes who answers the door.
Evan finds he cannot get the feisty, independent, pregnant woman off his mind.
As their relationship grows, Tahlula and Evan work to
balance her independent streak vs. his protective nature. At the same time, the
summer wildfire season threatens the city as the personal dangers to Tahlula
increase. Can Evan and his friends keep Tahlula safe?
I always LOVE Ms. Barker’s characters! They are mature,
realistic, smart and likable. The romantic suspense plots keep you turning the
pages, but it is always the characters that make Ms. Barker’s books a “must buy”
for me. I am happy when I find an author who writes about older characters
finding their HEAs and Ms. Barker does it so well.
I recommend this romantic suspense and the whole series for
great characters and stories. I highly recommend Freya Barker for realistic
mature HEAs.
***
About Freya:
Freya Barker loves writing about ordinary people with extraordinary stories.
Driven to make her books about ‘real’ people; with characters who are perhaps less than perfect, but just as deserving of romance, thrills and chills, and their own slice of happy.
A recipient of the RomCon “Reader’s Choice” Award for best first book, “Slim To None”, and Finalist for the Kindle Book Award with “From Dust”, Freya has not slowed down.
She 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!
I am very excited to be sharing this Feature Post and Book Review for Mary Burton’s new release I SEE YOU (Criminal Profiler Book 2). I highly recommend this romantic suspense, which can be easily read as a standalone.
Below you will find a guest post from 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. Enjoy and as always, good luck on the Rafflecopter giveaway!
***
An Affair (and
a Murder) To Remember with Author Mary Burton
I SEE YOU, my latest romantic suspense, features
two of my very favorite characters: Homicide Detective William Vaughan and FBI
Special Agent Zoe Spencer.
Zoe Spencer is a member of an FBI criminal profiling team dedicated to finding
the most violent and prolific killers. Zoe, a talented artist and agent,
specializes in forensic reconstruction. She skillfully merges her interview
skills with pencil and paper to create stunning likenesses. And when only bones
remain, she molds clay over bone to recreate the faces of the lost.
Zoe’s work generates a high case-closure rate, which draws the attention of the
law enforcement community. Her lectures at the FBI headquarters at Quantico are
often standing room only. Among those interested in her work is Homicide Detective
William Vaughan.
Detective Vaughan, divorced and raising a college bound teenager, is a man of few words and when he does comment, his observations are always thoughtful and insightful. He not only hears what is said and but sees what is communicated via body language.
The more time Vaughan spends with Zoe, the greater his desire to breach her cool demeanor. He draws upon all his powers of observation, practiced detective skills and his somewhat rusty charm to win her. Though they begin an affair, she still remains elusive.
When a charred skull is found in Vaughan’s jurisdiction of Alexandria, Virginia, he turns to Zoe. Zoe recreates a stunning clay bust that leads to the identification of a girl who has been missing for fifteen years.
As Vaughan and Zoe dig deeper, the cold case heats up when several more women,
similar to their victim, are discovered brutally murdered. This killer, who has
avoided capture for so many years, is still hunting women. It becomes a race
against time to catch a madman who shifts his sights to his next victim: Zoe
Spencer.
I hope you enjoy I SEE YOU and this magnetic couple who I’ve pitted against one of my most chilling villains so far.
***
Excerpt
The
instant Vaughan woke, he knew she was gone. He should not have been surprised.
She never stayed long, but he’d thought last night would be different.
He swung his legs over the side of the bed and
instantly spotted the note on the mirror. It was written on the back of the
fast-food receipt in fluid and graceful handwriting.
Called a car. Didn’t want to wake you.
Spencer. He knew how to make that woman’s body
tighten with desire and how to make her moan in a way that told him she was
fully attuned to his body. But beyond that, she was still a complete stranger.
He flicked the edge of the note, surprised he
had not awoken. Since he had become a cop and father, he had turned into a
light sleeper. Both incarnations, like a doctor on call, were summoned at all
times of the day and night. His ability to shake off sleep in seconds and then
think clearly was well honed. But yesterday had been long, even for him.
He laid the note on his dresser as he glanced
at the pillow that still held the impression of her head. It was not like him
to be sentimental, but he was sorry he likely would not see her for a while.
He showered, and fifteen minutes later he was
dressed, his badge and sidearm on his belt. As the coffee brewed, he scrambled
five eggs before he realized Nate was gone. He toasted a bagel and ate alone at
the kitchen table.
He filled a travel mug with more coffee and was
on the road by six o’clock. Moonlight mingled with the lights looming over
I-395 as he looped around the beltway and headed north toward his exit. The
traffic was already building, and soon it would slow to a snail’s pace.
With luck, the first wave of files from the
Prince case would be in his office. He had been warned that there were a dozen
file boxes, but he did not care. He also had the autopsy of the Jane Doe
stabbed to death in the motel room to attend. It was going to be another long
day.
Fifteen minutes later, he had parked and was in
the break room, refilling his coffee. When he flipped on the lights of his
office, there were six file boxes stacked in front of his desk. A green sticky
note read More to come.
It was too early to call the medical examiner
about his Jane Doe from the motel room, so he set his cup down and flipped
through the first set of files.
He spent the next hour and a half reading
through the detectives’ notes. At the time of Marsha’s disappearance, the
detectives had exhausted every lead and tip that had come into the station, but
in the end came up with nothing.
***
My Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
I SEE YOU (Criminal Profiler Book 2) by Mary Burton
is the second romantic suspense in the Criminal Profiler series. This book focuses
on two suspense plots, a cold case and a present day serial killer case while
still managing to give you a believable romance intertwined with the
investigations.
FBI Special Agent Zoe Spencer is a profiler and a forensic
artist who can use skeletal remains or eye- witness testimony to build or draw a
visual representation for law enforcement. As she works on the reconstruction
of a recently found skull, she brings back the face of a missing teenage girl from
19 years ago.
Alexandria homicide detective William Vaughan has been
called to the scene of a brutally murdered teenage sex worker. Just as he
begins investigating, he gets a call to assist on Zoe’s cold case. He is
interested in the case and is happy to once again work with his on-again,
off-again lover.
As William and Zoe reconnect with the sister of the cold
case victim, they are shocked to get a call that the sister’s husband has been
stabbed and the sister and her daughter have been abducted. There are deep
secrets in this family and as the investigation heats up, more bodies are being
found. Can William and Zoe find out who and what connects the past with the present
and if they are connected stop the killing spree?
I love all the layers in these suspense plots from the past
and present and how they were tied together. Ms. Burton kept me guessing and
changing my mind on who was guilty with an ending that satisfies, but also
leaves a scary question mark for the future. William is a steady, strong hero
who does not overshadow Zoe, who is a very strong heroine on her own. The
romance was believable because they were both at a point in their lives where
they were both ready to move on. The sex scenes are steamy and intimate, but
not gratuitous.
I highly recommend this romantic suspense and author. Ms.
Burton always gives me intriguing cases to solve, strong and intelligent heroes
and heroines and a romantic HEA.
***
About the Book
Title: I See You
Author: Mary Burton
Release Date: October 8, 2019
Publisher: Montlake
Summary
FBI special agent Zoe Spencer uses skeletal remains to recreate
the faces of murder victims through sculpture. Though highly scientific, the
process is also sensitive and intimate; she becomes attached to the individuals
she identifies, desperate to find justice for each.
As Zoe examines old remains, she sees a teenage girl looking back at her—the
victim in a cold case from over a decade ago. Zoe wants nothing more than to
tell this young woman’s story and to bring her killer to justice.
Zoe’s case leads her to the victim’s hometown and to homicide detective William
Vaughan, Zoe’s on-again, off-again lover. As the two become more involved in
the case, they quickly realize that it isn’t as cold as they first believed:
someone’s still out there hunting women. And with more women gone missing,
time’s running out. Can they work together and stop this madman before he kills
again?
***
Author Biography
New York Times and USA Today bestselling
novelist Mary Burton is the popular author of thirty-five romance and suspense
novels as well as five novellas. She currently lives in Virginia with her
husband and three miniature dachshunds. Visit her at www.maryburton.com.
DON’T GAME ME (The Game Lords Book 2) by Zoe Forward
is the second romantic suspense in The Game Lords series. I have been anxiously
waiting to see what Symphis would do next to try to destroy NJ Legacy and its
owners and I was not disappointed. The characters are all involved in the world
of video gaming, creating and programming video games and I am not, but the
romance and suspense plot are the focus of the story and kept me intrigued and turning
the pages.
Becca Harrison is a brilliant programmer. She took a job in
California to separate herself from her brother, Noah and his best friend, Jake
who created NJ Legacy together and made it one of the premier gaming companies.
When Becca becomes involved with an illegal gaming consortium, they blackmail
her into using her new spy program to steal financial information from her
brother’s company.
Becca is to return home to attend Noah and Tori’s wedding
and Symphis has demanded she do anything necessary to get close to her brother’s
business partner, Jake to get the financial information she needs to destroy NJ
Legacy. Becca has always secretly wanted Jake, but if she does what Symphis
wants she knows she will only have one night with Jake.
Jake Allen has a reputation. He is a rich, brilliant
businessman, but he only does one-night stands with beautiful women. When Becca
returns home and asks Jake to be her wedding hook-up, he does not know what to
do. He has secretly always wanted Becca, but he has been afraid of his past and
of losing his best friend and the rest of the Harrison family if he crossed the
line with Becca.
Becca and Jake have an attraction that neither can ignore,
but Becca’s plans to protect her family leave no room for a future with Jake.
I enjoyed this second story in the series as much as the first. I felt the threat level was heightened even more in this book and the surprise twist involving Symphis in the end made me even more anxious for the next book in the series. Becca and Jake’s romance is hot and intense as they learn to trust in each other and reveal their secrets and fears. The sex scenes were explicit and yet tender as Jake was especially responsive to Becca’s insecurities. I did feel a bit irritated at times when Becca held too much back from Jake (and the reader) in regards to her actual actions and plans with the NSA and FBI and they were only revealed after the fact. It was great to reconnect with the characters from book 1 and it is best to read the books in order to follow the overall story arc that ties them all together.
Overall, this is another fast-paced, suspense filled romance
in The Game Lords series and I will be waiting to see if Michael is the next
Harrison pulled into Symphis’ nefarious plan.
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.
SECRETS NEVER DIE (Morgan Dane Book 5) by Melinda
Leigh is a romantic suspense/PI mystery. I cannot get enough of Morgan, Lance
and the whole cadre of secondary characters. The only reason I put this book
down was because I had to go to work.
Tina Knox comes home from work to find her husband, a retired
sheriff shot dead in the den and her teenage son, Evan missing. Tina calls PI
Lance Kruger for help because her son is on Lance’s hockey team for at risk
teens. As the evidence begins to come together, Evan goes from being considered
a missing person to the prime suspect.
Lance and Morgan work together to locate Evan and find evidence to prove him innocent. Just when the trail goes cold, another deputy goes missing. Is his disappearance connected?
Also, Lance and Morgan do not believe that Tina is telling them the whole truth. What is she hiding and is it connected?
Lance and Morgan fear Evan is the killer’s target. Will they
be able to find Evan alive and unravel family secrets that put everyone in
jeopardy?
Once again, Morgan and Lance go all out to prove the innocence
of their client. It is difficult to not give away secrets because I want
everyone to see how clever Ms. Leigh is with her plotting. She gives you a fast-paced,
page-turning, intense read with plot twists that always surprise me. Morgan and
Lance’s relationship continues to develop and they are a powerhouse couple at
home and on the job. I always look forward to catching up with all the
secondary characters, also.
This is my favorite series by Ms. Leigh and I am going to be
very sorry to see it end. Until then, I highly recommend this book and the
whole series for great reads!
Today I am excited to share this Feature Post and Book Review for Susan Stoker’s new release CLAIMING SARAH (Ace Security Book 5). This is the final book in this romantic suspense series, but it is easily read as a standalone and it will make you want to go back and read the previous couples’ stories.
Below you will find a guest post from the author, an excerpt, my book review, a book summary, the author’s bio and social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway. Enjoy this romantic suspense with heart and as always good luck on the Rafflecopter giveaway!
***
Opposites
Attract: When Cole Claims Sarah
In Claiming Sarah, Cole
Johnson is co-owner of one of his town’s most popular gyms. He’s extremely busy
since his partner, Felicity, is out of town. He makes an appointment to meet
with Sarah Butler, to arrange for some self defense training for her, but he
almost loses his chance when she overhears him telling his secretary he’s too
busy and to give her an excuse as to why he can’t meet her. The couple
(obviously) works out that awkward first meeting and Sarah begins learning how
to defend herself from a creepy man who keeps giving her inappropriate
presents. Of course the more time Cole spends with Sarah, the more he likes her
and they end up dating. When she disappears it’s up to Cole, and Ace Security,
to put together the clues to find her before it’s too late.
Cole Johnson is a man who’s used to
plowing through his day and when he needs or wants something, he simply gets
it. Sarah Butler is more reserved. As a kid who didn’t feel wanted until she
was finally adopted she was used to being in the background. Cole and Sarah
compliment each other perfectly. Cole is able to ferret out what Sarah wants
and needs and he delivers. And in return Sarah keeps Cole grounded. She smooths
out his jagged edges.
I think that’s how good relationships
work, at least in my books. The Hero is there to protect and shield his woman
from anyone or anything that might want to hurt her, and she’s there to keep
him grounded and to support him. It seems to just work.
***
Excerpt:
“Do you ask out every woman you train
at your gym? It just seems . . . fast.”
Cole stared at her for a long moment,
and when he frowned, Sarah felt as if she’d somehow disappointed him.
“No, I don’t ask out every woman I
train. Not even close. It’s been a long time since I’ve asked anyone out.
And believe me, Sarah, I’m looking at you—and I like what I see. A lot. You’ve
got an air of innocence about you that I find fascinating. You’ve had a tough
life, but haven’t let it harden you. I respect you, and I . . . I’d like to get
to know you better.”
She bit her lip and took a deep
breath, but didn’t immediately protest, so he went on. “I have a feeling simply
being around you will make me a better person.”
Sarah shook her head. “Don’t do that.
Don’t put me on a pedestal. I’m not some paragon walking around sprinkling
glitter throughout the world.”
Cole laughed. Threw his head back and
laughed as if she’d said the funniest thing he’d ever heard.
Sarah tugged on her hand again,
somewhat offended, but he still refused to let go.
When he got himself under control, he
said, “I know you’re not perfect. You’re too trusting. You see the good in
everyone, even when there isn’t any there. You probably neglect your own health
in order to do something good for someone else.”
“You make me sound like an idiot,”
Sarah grumbled, despite being secretly kind of flattered.
“You’re not an idiot. You’re
refreshing. And I’m not. I’ve got more than my share of flaws that I’m sure
you’ll discover sooner rather than later. But as I said, if you let me get to
know you, go out on a few dates with me, I’m hoping you’ll find that you like
me back . . . just a little.”
Sarah frowned. “I already like you,
Cole, but I don’t understand you. You don’t know anything about me. I could
totally be lying to you right now, and you just bought my lies hook, line, and
sinker.”
He smiled again. “You’re not lying.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I’m an expert at reading body
language. I’ve been around some bad people in my life, angel. You are who you
say you are. What you see is what you get.”
Sarah licked her lips nervously, and his
gaze immediately followed the movement.
Cole persisted. “Say you’ll go out
with me, Sarah.”
“I thought I was here to figure out
how to defend myself.”
“You are. And we’ll get to that.
Agreeing to go out with me in no way affects whether or not I’ll teach you some
basic moves that will allow you to get away from someone and get to safety.”
“But if I say no, things could get
weird.”
“Then say yes,” Cole cajoled. “I swear
you’ve got nothing to fear from me. I’ll even get references if that will make
you feel safer.”
“It’s not that. I think I feel safer
with you than anyone I’ve ever been around . . .” She
hesitated.
“But?”
“I’m afraid once you get to know me,
you’ll decide I’m annoying. Too much work or something. I work odd hours, weird
shifts. And I looked you up online. I know about your friend and what happened
to her. And about the Andersons. The last thing I want is my stalker getting
upset when he sees us together—because he will—and taking out any anger on you
and your friends.”
“Breathe, angel. Take a breath.
Nothing is going to happen to them.”
“You can’t control people, Cole,”
Sarah pressed. “They’re unpredictable.”
“Fine. Then we’ll meet with Logan,
Blake, Nathan, and Ryder, and make sure they know everything about this Owen
guy. We’ll let them investigate and figure out what will make him back off. In
the meantime, we’ll hang out at my place. Or here. Or your house. We won’t
shove our relationship down Owen’s throat. We’ll be discreet. How’s that
sound?”
Sarah could only gape at him. “How’d
we go from me wanting some tips on protecting myself to having Ace Security
investigating Owen and you and me hanging out at each other’s houses?”
He smiled at her again, but didn’t
answer her question.
She took a deep breath and gave him
the only answer she could. “Okay.”
He beamed. “Okay,” he said quietly.
Then he finally let go of her hand and stood, before immediately reaching the
same hand down to her again. “Time for your first lesson.”
Automatically, she reached up and let
him help her off the floor. She wasn’t sure what she was expecting. A kiss to
seal the deal. A hug. A discussion about when and where their first date would
be. But so far, Cole hadn’t done anything the way she expected him to.
“First lesson for today will be how to
get a guy to let go of your hand if he’s been holding on too long and you’re
uncomfortable.”
Sarah knew he was referring to her
feeble attempts to pull her hand out of his, and blushed. But he was right,
this was something she should know. It would come in handy at the hospital too,
just in case one of the patients or family members got a little too familiar,
as they’d done in the past.
Concentrating on his instruction, she
did her best to put her nerves about dating Cole behind her.
***
My Book Review:
RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars
CLAIMING SARAH (Ace Security Book 5) by Susan Stoker
is the last romantic suspense book in the Ace Security series. This story does
have crossover characters from the other books, but it is easily read as a
standalone and makes me want to go back and read the others.
Sarah Butler is a nursing assistant who loves her job, but
she is now having difficulty with the son of an ex-patient who keeps sending
her intimate notes and gifts. There have been no threats, just a weird feeling
on Sarah’s part, so the police and Ace Security do not believe there is a
problem and just tell her to take self-defense classes at Rock Hard Gym and let
them know if she receives an overt threat. When she shows up at the gym, she
overhears the co-owner trying to get the receptionist to brush her off and she
walks out.
When Cole Johnson realizes he just sent the “Sarah” that Ace
Security sent his way, he runs out to apologize and try to get her to come back.
Cole has an instant and intense attraction to Sarah; her gentleness and innocence
make her his “angel”. Sarah also cannot explain why Cole makes her feel safe,
but her fears disappear when he is around. Cole believes Sarah’s instincts and
gets Ace Security working on her case as they become closer. Sarah has a premonition
she will disappear and no one will come looking for her or be able to find her.
Sarah’s premonition becomes reality and Cole will stop at
nothing to find his “angel”.
I loved everything about Sarah. She is sweet, loving and
forgiving. I agree with Cole that she is a special person who needs to be
protected and I wish there were more people like her in this world. Cole is a
great hero for Sarah with his alpha attitude, rough edges, tattoos but a core
of love and protectiveness for her. The sex scenes are explicit and steamin’ hot.
I was very satisfied with the compassionate way Ms. Stoker handled the
resolution of the climax of this story, also.
This is a suspenseful romantic suspense with a lot of heart
and memorable characters.
***
About the Book:
Title: Claiming Sarah
Author: Susan Stoker
Release Date: September 10, 2019
Publisher: Montlake
Summary:
Sarah Butler isn’t flattered. She’s
angry and unnerved. She’s been getting intimate gifts from a man she barely
knows. Nothing threatening yet, but there’s just a weird vibe she can’t ignore.
Her recourse is Ace Security. Their solution: self-defense lessons at Rock Hard
Gym with a personal, hands-on instructor. One look at the bearded, tattooed,
green-eyed alpha is enough to take Sarah’s breath away.
Cole Johnson is definitely the man for the job. He’s eager to train her. Eager
to get closer. And when it comes to Sarah’s instincts, Cole knows she’s not
imagining things. He’s also not imagining the intense attraction between
them—and his desire to protect her is growing. But so are Sarah’s fears, the
worst of which come true when she disappears.
Enlisting the help of Ace Security, Cole will stop at nothing to find the love of his life . . . before she vanishes forever.
***
Author Biography:
Susan Stoker is the New York
Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling
author of Claiming Felicity, Claiming Bailey, Claiming Grace, and Claiming
Alexis in the Ace Security series. A lover of alpha heroes, Susan is
also the author of the Badge of Honor: Texas Heroes, SEAL of Protection, and
Delta Force Heroes series. Married to a retired Army noncommissioned officer,
Stoker has lived all over the country—from Missouri and California to Colorado
and Texas—and currently lives under the big skies of Tennessee. She is a true
believer in happily ever after and enjoys writing novels in which romance turns
to love. To learn more about the author and her work, visit her at www.stokeraces.com.
