Tag: #series

Book Review: Murder Girl by Lisa Renee Jones

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

MURDER GIRL (Lilah Love #2) by Lisa Renee Jones is the second book in this thriller/suspense FBI profiler series and picks up right where the first book’s overall plotline left us hanging for more. You can pick up this book which has a great synopsis of book #1 in the beginning, but the first book was just as well written, so I really do recommend you take the time to read it, too.

Lilah Love is one of the best profilers in the FBI. She can get into the mind of the killers’ she profiles without emotional involvement hampering her job and so the nickname “Murder Girl”. Her present case has her returning home to the Hamptons and her ex, Kane Mendez is waiting for her. Lilah believes in law and order, but is drawn to the dark, while Kane is the bad boy, millionaire business man who could be all bad, but he continually tries to fight the dark for Lilah.

Lilah is piecing together the clues of a series of murders others believe are not connected, but she believes are done by an assassin and are all tied together. Each time she gets another piece of the puzzle, she is taken down another path that may go back years and could connect to a secret in her past and her family.

Lilah has to find the assassin, deal with her continually conflicted relationship with Kane and hopefully keep everyone she cares about alive.

Lilah is a great main character. Foul mouthed, beautiful and seriously devoted to catching killers. Her romantic interest in Kane can go so many ways and I am looking forward to seeing if the author can work out their differences enough to bring them together or if he remains more of a character who helps Lilah and just has benefits. Lilah’s FBI supervisor and the assassin, Ghost, are both going to make future books very interesting, also.

I definitely recommend this book and series. It is well written and a page turner that just keeps throwing new twists and revelations at the reader. Bring on book #3, please!

Thank you very much to Montlake Romance and Net Galley for allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for and honest review.

Book Review: Blaze by Lisa Carlisle

RATING 5 out of 5 Stars

BLAZE: A GARGOYLE SHIFTER ROCKSTAR ROMANCE (Underground Encounters #6) by Lisa Carlisle is another great addition to the paranormal romance series based around VAMPS nightclub. These books are all romances, all have paranormal creatures and can be read as standalones, but they are also intertwined and building a unique world with crossover characters.

Mike is the lead guitarist of the Velvet Cocks. Outrageous rock star by night and computer geek by day, Mike has taken full advantage of the girls who want to sleep with him for one night stands, never more. One night in VAMPS, he runs across a scene that has the head gargoyle/bouncer telling him to take a pretty blonde out of there and protect her. When he takes the girl out of there, she seems familiar, but he cannot remember her name.

Allana “Ally” is humiliated and mad. Mike was her fantasy one night stand several months ago and here she is with him again and he does not even remember her name. Mike’s personal quirk though is he does not remember any names, but he remembers everything else about Allana. They both feel an attraction and agree to see each other again, but to keep it casual.

Allana has a past that no one knows about and she is not willing to risk her heart on a man who does not know how to be in a relationship. Mike cannot seem to stop thinking about only Allana and wants to spend every minute with her. He has an overwhelming urge to protect her, which leads to a discovery of his heritage that he knows nothing about.

This series is one of my guilty pleasures. I always know I am going to get an entertaining paranormal story with great characters and plenty of steaming hot sex scenes. Allana and Mike, even with the paranormal twists are portrayed with emotions that anyone can relate to. The romance, plot and paranormal and/or human characters all pull you right into the story. Ms. Carlisle’s worldbuilding has witches, vampires, gargoyles and shifters that make me want to meet them all at VAMPS.

Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.

Book Review: Oceanside by Michelle Mankin

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

WOW! I am once again blown away by the emotions and realism of this series. Ms. Mankin consistently makes me feel all the highs and lows of a second chance romance. I am completely invested in all of the H/h’s HEA journeys. I recommend you read this series in order for the maximum investment in all of the characters.

OCEANSIDE (Rock Stars, Surf and Second Chances #3) by Michelle Mankin is a contemporary romance that deals with an emotional second chance love story and true-to-life sexual and health issues that are written with empathy and truth.

Ashland “Ash” Keys, the drummer for the Dirt Dogs is done. He is done with the rock star lifestyle, the touring, the drugs and the groupie sex. He and his cousin start their own recording label in OB. His life is solitary and full of regrets. He has to be in control and he holds his secrets close. Only his closest friends are let in and then not all the way.

Fanny Bay has always been a fan of the Dirt Dogs, but especially the beautiful, blonde haired drummer. They meet briefly, are captivated by each other, but are on two different life paths.

They come together two years later, by chance after Fanny is viciously attacked. Both have so many secrets and trust issues. Fanny’s light and hope to Ash’s darkness and regrets. Can these two learn to trust each other enough to become whole as one, or are some things too hard to overcome and not meant to be?

Rockers, surfers, sex, drugs, abuse, regrets, healing and love are all covered in these books, but this one has an additional health issue that is handled with empathy and facts by this author. Sexual orientation is also covered with an openness I have not found often in other romances. I was emotionally involved throughout this story and it is worth every angst ridden moment right up to the surprise in the epilogue.

This is a great series that I highly recommend. I cannot wait to get my hands on the next book!

Book Review: A Cowboy’s Sweetheart by Crista McHugh

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

A COWBOY’S SWEETHEART (Rodeo Academy Book 1) by Crista McHugh is a YA contemporary romance. To be honest, I requested this book by mistake because I am not interested in YA books, but this author pulled me in with her writing, setting and characters. I had to finish the whole story and I enjoyed it.

Kensington “Kensi” Pope is a spoiled, NYC society rich girl. Her jet-setting parents provide her with all the money and things she wants until a party gets out of hand. She is exiled to her aunt and uncle’s Rodeo Academy in Wyoming. The one activity Kensi does truly love is being a champion dressage rider, but can she be ready for her next international competition on a ranch set up for training rodeo competitors?

Javier Cruz is working hard on the ranch to prove himself, but it is an up-hill battle. When he turns eighteen, he wants to gain guardianship over his younger brothers who are in foster care after a horrific crime occurred with his parents. He takes one look at the spoiled rich girl and knows she is trouble, but as he gets to know her, he realizes there is more to Kensi than meets the eye.

Kensi and Javier begin to open up to each other, but trust is not easy. Kensi has a plan to return to NY after her competition and not the ranch, but she is finding she actually feels loved and a part of a family on the ranch. When tragedy strikes her cousin, will Kensi just go back to her old life, or will she make a place for herself with her Wyoming family?

This is an entertaining romance for any young adult who loves a sweet, clean, love story, horses and ranch life. It is also good for those who like a clean read. This book, though not an actual cliffhanger, does leave some questions unanswered for readers to follow the series both in Kensi and Javier’s relationship and all the other family members. I also enjoyed the ranch setting and that it may bring in other styles of horse competitions in the future. This is a well written start to a new series.

Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.

Book Review: Connecting Strangers by Rachel Carrington

RATING: 3 our of 5 Stars

CONNECTING STRANGERS (Discovering Emily #1) by Rachel Carrington is a Contemporary romance with an element of suspense. It is also the first in a series with a small cliffhanger to entice you to continue on in the series.

Emily Jacobs is on the run from an abusive boyfriend with powerful connections. She leaves with nothing and is lucky enough to find a woman who understands her, her situation and wants to help. She also seems to have attracted the eye of the handsome sheriff, Adam Madison. There is an instant attraction. Emily has secrets, but so does the sheriff. Can the two come together and overcome an ex on the hunt for revenge?

The story has some interesting characters, both good and bad. The small town feeling of acceptance and warmth where Emily ends up was a great contrast to where she came from. I hope there are people like Francine out there in the world.

Ms. Carrington’s writing style was very readable, but there were too many tropes and unbelievable situations for me to really get into this story. Emily was a character that I wanted to empathize with and cheer on to a HEA, but an instant attraction put me off. Personally, I would have preferred a guardian relationship and then a growth into attraction over the story arc. I also had a problem with how often she fought the help she was offered. Even if she was afraid of her ex finding her and felt she was putting others in danger, she had nothing.

For me this was just an O.K. read for which I had to suspend realistic belief one too many times. The author’s characters and writing style are what kept me reading, but I will not be continuing on in this series.

Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.

Book Review: Riptide by Michelle Mankin

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

RIPTIDE (Rock Stars, Surf and Second Chances #2) by Michelle Mankin is a second chance contemporary romance that just blew me away! It is an emotional rollercoaster of a read. I loved the first book in this series and this book made me even more deeply invested in all of the characters. These books can be read as standalones, but I recommend they be read in order because there is a lot of character crossover in the scenes from the past.

Karen Grayson is a California golden girl who lives to surf and be by the Pacific Ocean, but she has been existing in an emotional limbo. She moves back home to OB to help her mom with her father and to try to find a way to move on with her life.

Ramon Martinez has returned to OB after the break-up of the Dirt Dogs to finally claim the one girl who has always held his heart. Karen and Ramon have been friends since high school, but he backed off when his friend and bandmate Dominic “Patch” claimed Karen. Ramon stayed Karen’s friend and over the years was the only person who truly understood who she really was and what she needed. He hopes to help her find her future with him.

Ms. Mankin has written a beautiful story told from the two main characters alternating points of view with flashbacks that are intertwined seamlessly with present day. This story covers everything from lust for the “bad boy”, fidelity, loyalty, friendship and love. Karen and Ramon had me in tears as well as fanning myself during the hot sex scenes. Ms. Mankin writes tragedy with empathy and leads her characters to forgiveness of others as well as themselves. I was not sure I would like a series that is based on rockers and surfers, but this author’s way with words has made me love them and want to come back for many more.

I cannot recommend this series enough!