JAKE’S REDEMPTION: THE ANGEL EYES SERIES PREQUEL by Jamie
Schulz Is a full length prequel to a new dystopian, western, sci-fi romance
mash-up series. This story pulled me in right from the first chapter. The
author brings you into a new world order in which females are in charge and the
institution of slavery has reappeared. All of the characters in this book have
survived the war, but some are much more damaged than others.
*WARNING: This book is written with authenticity to the sci-fi
story so there are triggers for more sensitive readers which include scenes of
abuse, torture, non-consent, rape and slavery.
Jake Nichols is trapped and enslaved. After two years of
torture and abuse by his sadistic owner, he is loaned out to a neighboring
fledgling rancher who needs his services as a builder. What he discovers is an
owner unlike his Mistress, who does not believe in cruelty and submission. He
begins to feel like the man he was before he was captured, but this is only a
temporary reprieve. As much as he dares to hope for a future on the ranch with
his new owner, he is afraid he must try to escape before he is returned to his
Mistress. Death would be better than returning.
Monica Avery has given up on finding love. She works instead
at sheltering those under her care from the harsh realities of this new
society. When Jake comes to work for her, she is intrigued by him. He wants
nothing to do with the females on the ranch, but he shows his caring nature
with his treatment of the children and his respect of those who work with him.
Monica wants Jake to care for her, but she knows he has been damaged and is
just starting to trust she is not like other females. Can she rescue Jake from returning
to a captivity that will destroy him?
As the slow burning romance between Jake and Monica grows,
you are introduced to a whole host of secondary characters. Ms. Schulz has done
a great job of world-building. I never felt bogged down by info or character overload.
Every scene was interesting and integral to the plot and world-building. This
is an emotionally charged story of a dark future where it does not seem females
learned their lessons from the past. If you are looking for an extremely well
written new story that is different from the norm, I can definitely recommend this
book to you. I am anxiously waiting for the next book in this proposed six book
series!
Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.
A MERCIFUL FATE (Mercy Kilpatrick #5) by Kendra Elliot is
the latest romantic suspense, mystery/suspense, FBI procedural, who cares what
you call it, cannot put it down read featuring one of my favorite main
characters! This is a series I recommend you read in order because each book
builds on all of the characters’ relationships and secrets besides giving you
new crimes and/or mysteries in each.
Special Agent Mercy Kilpatrick is thrown into a notorious,
decades old bank robbery when the skeleton of one of the robbers is found in a
decaying cabin. The mastermind of the team was captured and put in prison, but
the money and the rest of the gang seem to have disappeared into thin air. Just
as Mercy starts reinvestigating the robbery, a young tabloid reporter shows up
in Eagle’s Nest asking questions that are threatening long buried secrets.
Police Chief Truman Daly gets pulled into the investigation
when the reporter is found dead in her car. Some of the people have secrets and
are not who they appear in the Eagle’s Nest community. Whether they are related
to the old robbery or not, they want them kept secret. Mercy and Truman need to
reveal them all to find the threat to their community and family. Some long
held friends and neighbors are not who or what they seem.
This series just keeps getting better and better. The old,
unsolved robbery is an intriguing crime plot that builds the suspense and threat
level at a rapid rate throughout the story. I was very surprised throughout the
resolution. I love Mercy and Truman’s relationship and how Mercy is learning to
navigate their relationship while balancing everything with her long held prepper
lifestyle. All of the secondary characters are becoming fully fleshed out
characters that I look for now in each book.
My only slight criticism of this series is that I believe
Mercy’s father may have a point. Not his indifference or stubbornness, but the
people around Mercy seem to be injured or killed quite frequently. In most series
the main character is injured or almost killed so many times you wonder how
they can keep recovering and working, but it is those around Mercy who suffer
this author’s wrath.
That said, I highly recommend this series and Mercy! I
always look forward to reading these books and catching up with all of the
Eagle’s Nest community.
Today’s Feature Post and Book Review is for Tracy Brogan’s MY KIND OF FOREVER (Trillium Bay #2). This blog post includes a message from the author, an excerpt from the book, my book review, the author’s social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway.
I know you are going to love Brooke and all of the entertaining and quirky characters of Trillium Bay. Enjoy this addition to the series, which can easily be read as a standalone and good luck on the Rafflecopter giveaway!
***
Guest Post:
The Risks (and Rewards) of Dating in A Small Town by Tracy Brogan
MY KIND OF
FOREVER is the second book in the Trillium Bay series set on a small island in
Northern Michigan, and tells the story of thirty-five year old Brooke Callaghan
who has just been elected as the youngest, and first female, mayor the town has
ever had. As the oldest of three sisters, Brooke is accustomed to taking charge
and bossing others around, but the stodgy, long-time members of the decisively
not-modern city council are determined to keep the status quo. In fact, the
only one who seems to take Brooke seriously is Leo Walker, the new bartender
whose reasons for being on the island are both short-term and known to him
alone.
Despite a
budding attraction to Leo, Brooke knows she needs to focus on mastering her new
job, especially when rumors of a jewel thief hiding out on the island begin to
circulate and the well-established rumor mills goes into overdrive. And
speaking of rumors, Brooke is more than a little concerned with what the
townspeople might say if they discover she and Leo are spending time alone.
Coming from such a small community, in this case a village with a winter
population of just six hundred people, people’s private lives rarely stay
private, and modest, pragmatic Brooke doesn’t like the extra attention.
Especially since a bad relationship from her past has left her overly cautious.
Although determined to prove to her neighbors and family she’s got what it takes to be a great mayor, with Leo’s encouragement, Brooke comes to realize she’s also entitled to address a few of the more personal aspects of her life, such as finding romance. But when things with Leo get rocky, she falls back into old patterns, believing that love is too elusive and not for women like her. Fortunately, the local community knows otherwise. They see the real Brooke, the one she thinks is hidden. They know her dedication and intelligence and worth, and they know she deserves to have it all. They know she deserves to have a forever kind of love. And so does Leo.
***
My Kind of
Forever Excerpt
“I didn’t mean to eavesdrop,” Leo said after everyone else had
left and I remained seated in the small meeting room holding my aching head in
my hands. “But it sounds like you have your work cut out for you.”
Wow. Did I ever. I’d just spent the past two hours listening to so-called adults
bickering about a litany of arbitrary topics. Should Polly’s Popcorn Shop be
allowed to sell day-old products? Could the street sweepers add five minutes to
their afternoon break? Who was going to play Santa during the Christmas Parade
if Harry didn’t come back in time? And the biggest topic of the day? Did
everyone see the awnings Tasty Pastries had put up, and who on earth had
approved that?
“It’s like they couldn’t even hear me talking,” I said, looking up
at him for a response, just to reassure myself that I was, in fact, speaking
out loud.
He picked up an empty glass with one hand while wiping a ring of
condensation off the table with a damp rag. “I’m not sure they could hear each
other talking. Seemed like a lot of monologuing without any listening.”
“But I had an agenda.” I shook my paper at him, now covered in
notes that I’d scribbled in the margins about all the other things I
wanted to discuss. Things I would have discussed if I could have gotten a word
in edgewise. The only one who didn’t interrupt me was my own father, but that’s
because he didn’t say anything the entire time. Not unusual for him, but I had
hoped to demonstrate a little more power over that cluster of clucking hens.
“They were worse than teenagers. I have so many great ideas, but all they care
about is the awnings.”
Leo wiped another spot off the table. “What ideas?” He gazed down
at me, and I noted how dark blue his eyes were. Depths-of-the-ocean kind of
blue. The kind of eyes that made every glance feel significant, even if it
meant nothing at all. A flutter of something long-forgotten tickled inside my
veins. Attraction. Followed by an immediate need to ignore it.
“Oh, all kinds of ideas.” I smiled tiredly and pushed myself up,
because it was nearly five thirty and the Palomino Pub would start filling up
with the evening crew pretty soon. “I’ll get out of the way now so you can have
the room for dinner guests.”
“Speaking of dinner,” he said, “I’m new around here, so I was
wondering, what restaurants do you like?”
“Oh, we have lots of great places to eat. All price ranges. The
Windemere Grill is right down on the corner. There’s the Imperial Hotel dining
room if you want something elegant. The Feast Well Bistro, Carmen’s Café, and
Tate’s Tavern on the Bluff are good, too. At the tavern, you can watch the sun
set behind Petoskey Bridge. It’s a great view. And for breakfast, I recommend
Link & Patty’s Breakfast Buffet. The pink piggy décor is a little much, but
the pancakes are the best.”
“Are you suggesting we have dinner and breakfast?”
His dark eyebrow arched just as the corner of his mouth quirked in a
ridiculously endearing fashion.
I pushed in my chair with an abrupt scrape. “Excuse me?”
“I was inviting you to dinner. You were inviting me to breakfast.”
That flutter of attraction multiplied even as my mouth fell open
for a second. I’m sure it was a great look on me. “I wasn’t. And you weren’t.
Were you?”
He laughed, and even though it might have been at my expense, the
sound of it sent a flush over my skin and a tingle to places that hadn’t
tingled for a very long time.
“I was inviting you to dinner, but not very well, apparently. I’ve
been on the island a few days, but I don’t know anyone here, so would you like
to have dinner with me?”
I was starving. And he was handsome. And new in town. And looked to be roughly my age. There was no history, no baggage, no reason to say no. But it had been so long since anyone had asked me out, it nearly felt improper. Everyone knew me around here. Everyone would know that we’d had dinner, and certainly everyone would have an opinion about it. And it’s not as if we could go someplace private because there was no place private on the entire island. And there was that issue of the flutter. I didn’t want to be fluttering. Fluttering led to heartbreak.
***
My Book Review
RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars
MY KIND OF FOREVER (Trillium Bay #2) by Tracy Brogan is a charming
contemporary romance. This cozy romance has an adult romance with no explicit
sex, an endearing and funny heroine, a handsome newcomer, a quirky island population
and a side mystery to be solved. This is the second book in this series, but it
can be easily read as a standalone.
Brooke Callaghan is the new mayor of Trillium Bay on Wenniway
Island. She is the first female and the youngest person to ever hold that
position. It is quite a change from her role as a school teacher on the island,
but she is excited about the challenge. Between her new job as mayor and dealing
with all the town’s characters and her own extended family, she does not want
to be attracted to this new, handsome stranger. Brooke wants forever, not just
a few weeks.
Leo Walker is a newcomer to the island and is hired as a bartender at the local pub. He is handsome, single and interested in Brooke. Leo says he is on the island for a break after the security company he worked for closed down and to write a book. There is definitely chemistry between Leo and Brooke, but he will not commit to staying on the island.
A strange private investigator shows up in Trillium Bay and
claims there is jewel thief hiding on the island, but Brooke knows of no new
islander except the new bartender. Rumors are all over town and everyone has a
different tale to tell. What will Brooke do when she discovers long held
secrets and the real reason Leo is on the island?
I loved Brooke and all of her family and friends. To have a friend that makes specialty pasties for dancers, a grandmother who wants to send the ashes of her exes up in fireworks and all the others island characters had me laughing several times throughout the story. This is a cozy romance with a mystery thrown in that surprised me with its resolution. I will definitely be looking for more to read from the entertaining Trillium Bay series.
***
About the Book
Title: My Kind of Forever
Author: Tracy Brogan
Release Date: January 22, 2019
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Summary
As the youngest mayor Trillium Bay has ever elected, Brooke Callaghan wants to prove she’s up to the challenge. She’s stepping out of her practical teacher flats and into her sister’s treacherously high heels…with disastrous results. But if she’s going to (literally) stumble her first day on the job, why not fall into the arms of a handsome stranger?
Leo Walker is a rarity on Wenniway Island. Not only handsome, he’s also single, funny, and—most importantly—interested in Brooke. Unfortunately, his reasons for being on the island are temporary, so in spite of the undeniable chemistry between them, he’s not a forever kind of guy.
When a private investigator arrives with news of a jewel thief hiding on the island, Brooke finds herself dealing with one kerfuffle after another, and Leo proves to be a delicious distraction. What does she really know about him, though? And the biggest question of all? Does this short-term romance hold the possibility of long-term love?
***
Author Biography
Amazon and Wall Street Journal bestselling
author Tracy Brogan is a three-time Romance Writers of America RITA finalist
for her Bell Harbor series. She writes fun, funny stories about ordinary people
finding extraordinary love, and she lives in Michigan with her two brilliant daughters
and their two intellectually challenged dogs. She loves to hear from readers,
so check out her website at www.tracybrogan.com.
You can also follow her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/tracybroganwriter.
Hopefully by now you have all checked out my Feature Post for Kendra Elliot’s new book “A Merciful Fate” and entered the Rafflecopter giveaway.
This Feature Post and Book Reviews are to entice you to read the whole series! I LOVE Mercy and I highly recommend this series. Below you will find my reviews of Mercy Kilpatrick Books 1-4 by Kendra Elliot and the author’s social media info.
Happy Reading!
***
RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars
A MERCIFUL DEATH (Mercy Kilpatrick #1) by Kendra Elliot is
the start of a new series that is a cross between romantic suspense and
mystery/suspense. This type of series is always difficult to categorize for me,
but it is similar to Melinda Leigh’s Morgan Dane series and/or Marie Force’s
Fatal series which are must reads for me. The balance between romance and
mystery/suspense varies depending on the plot in each book.
FBI Special Agent Mercy Kilpatrick grew up in rural Eagle’s
Nest, Oregon in the shadow of the Cascade Mountains. Until the age of eighteen,
Mercy was raised in a family of preppers. After a falling out with her father
that had him disowning her, Mercy left town to build her own life. Her lifetime
of being prepared for disaster has stayed with her though and is a necessary
part of her life even though she hides it from her colleagues.
When there are a series of elderly male preppers murdered in
Mercy’s hometown. What would normally be a local case catches the FBI’s
attention when the preppers large caches of weapons are also stolen. This
raises the possibility of domestic terrorism. Her FBI supervisor sends her and
her partner to work with the nearby Bend office and local law enforcement.
Eagle Nest Police Chief Truman Daly is the nephew of one of
the murdered men. Raised in the community only on summer breaks, he is just
starting to be accepted in a community that has its own ideas about the
government and police. As Truman works with Mercy on the murders, he learns of
her family ties to the community and begins to suspect, she did not completely
leave her prepper life behind.
Mercy discovers that these current murders are eerily
familiar to two unsolved murders in the town’s past. With her sister now
involved, Mercy and Truman must capture a killer who has been free in their
community for much too long before her sister suffers the same fate.
Mercy is a wonderfully unique and flawed character. I find her so interesting and want to know much more about her and her family. Truman has his own interesting history and I hope this budding romance continues. He has his work cut out for him with such an independent heroine who does not like to share her secrets. The plot was interesting and tied in well with the older cases, but this is also why I gave this book four stars instead of five. I found Mercy’s brother’s actions not believable. (No spoilers, so you will have to read it and see if you agree.) Overall, a good start to this series and I am looking forward to reading the next book.
***
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
A MERCIFUL TRUTH (Mercy Kilpatrick #2) by Kendra Elliot is
the newest book in this continuing romantic suspense/mystery/suspense series. I
have been looking forward to reading more about Mercy!
FBI Special Agent Mercy Kilpatrick and her partner, Eddie have
transferred to the Bend FBI field office. Eddie likes the wilderness of central
Oregon over Portland and Mercy wants to be closer to Truman and her family.
Mercy is getting closer to her sisters and mother, but her father and brother
blame her for the violence and change in her family from book #1.
Eagle’s Nest Police Chief Truman Daly is investigating a
series of small fires that he believes are being started by teenagers. When a
barn is set on fire, everything changes when two county sheriffs are shot and killed
when they respond. Arson has become murder. At the next fire the murdered body
of an unidentified man is found at the scene. No one is talking and Mercy and
Truman have no idea why these fires are being set or who is setting them.
As they investigate the unidentified dead man, Mercy’s niece
is learning that the teenagers her new boyfriend is hanging out with are
trouble and that her boyfriend is having second thoughts about working at his
job on a large secluded ranch outside of town. There are rumors of many outside
men coming to town and living on the ranch. Mercy’s brother is also somehow
tied to the ranch and reciting a lot of anti-government hate rhetoric.
The closer Mercy and Truman get to the truth, long buried
secrets are exposed and their personal danger escalates.
I loved Mercy in the first book and I am now hooked for good. Her character is so interesting. The balance between her life as an FBI agent and her hidden life as a prepper makes for very interesting reading. I love that Truman “gets” Mercy and her unique life and does not try to change her. Mercy’s family and all of the secondary characters are becoming more fleshed out and interesting. The plot builds in intensity and wraps everything up at the end. This book can be read as a standalone, but like so many other similar series, the relationships grow and change in each book as in real life, so I recommend reading them in order. This has become a must read series for me!
***
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
A MERCIFUL SECRET (Mercy Kilpatrick #3) by Kendra Elliot
returns you to Mercy Kilpatrick’s world of rural central Oregon. This series
gives you intriguing mystery/suspense plots and a view into the world of
preppers, survivalists and anti-government sovereign citizens.
FBI Special Agent Mercy Kilpatrick is surprised at night on
a rural road close to her hidden cabin by a young girl who flags her down from
the side of the road. Mercy is led through the woods to a cabin where the
girl’s grandmother is dying from multiple stab wounds. The Sabins, three
generations of women; grandmother, mother and daughter have lived isolated in
the woods and are rumored to be witches.
Mercy is later to learn a judge, hundreds of miles away is
found slain in the exact same way brings her friend and fellow FBI agent from
Portland to investigate both murders. Not one to be kept on the sidelines,
Mercy along with Chief of Police Truman Daly insert themselves into the
investigation. An old friend from Mercy’s high school days is implicated along
with the daughter of the slain woman.
Rumors and secrets keep hindering the investigation until
the explosive surprise climax.
This series just keeps getting better and better. The mystery plot in this third book is fast paced and the resolution was a surprise to me. This book also contains some flashback scenes from one of the suspects which add depth and understanding to her character and others. Mercy and Truman’s relationship takes a big leap after the climax of this story and I cannot wait to read more. I found it difficult to put this book down and I am anxiously awaiting the next book in the series!
***
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
A MERCIFUL SILENCE (Mercy Kilpatrick #4) by Kendra Elliot is
a cross between romantic suspense and mystery/suspense genres. Each book has a
standalone mystery/suspense plot, but it also has a building romance involving
the main characters of the series which may or may not be prominent in each
story. The current book leans more towards being a police procedural with
emotionally charged murders in the past and present with extremely high stakes
for Mercy and Truman.
FBI Special Agent Mercy Kilpartrick is called to the scene
of a washed out road which exposes human skeletal remains. As she works to
discover the identity of the remains, she remembers two families that were
murdered in the exact same manner 20 years ago. The killer has always
maintained his innocence and is still in prison. Copycat or has the wrong man
been in prison all these years?
When the sole survivor of one of the old murdered families
returns to town, Mercy is not sure what to make of the woman. She asks for
Mercy’s help because she believes she is being stalked. Mercy feels she knows
more than she is telling about that long ago murder. Is she somehow a part of
the current murders or is she a lose end that needs to be eliminated?
As Mercy works her case, Eagle’s Nest Chief of Police Truman
Daly has a unique traffic stop with a young man who shows illegal ID and claims
to be a sovereign citizen. While jailed, he sends Truman a letter claiming he
owns him 3 million dollars for an illegitimate arrest. Truman does not know
whether to take this seriously or as a joke. These sovereign citizens do not
want anyone interfering in their business. Truman and his police vehicle
disappear and there is blood on the driveway.
I could not put this book down!
Mercy and Truman both go through so much in this book. Even
as they are apart, it is the fight to get home to the other that gives them
their strength. Mercy realizes no amount of prep can prepare her for
everything. She learns it is OK to sometimes rely on family and friends. Truman’s
love for Mercy is his strength and reason to continue on even when he thinks he
cannot. This was definitely an edge-of-your-seat read with both cases having
such high stakes.
I believe you should read this series in order as the characters grow and change in each book as in real life. I highly recommend this series. Mercy is a memorable character.
***
Author Biography
Kendra
Elliot has landed on the Wall Street Journal bestseller list
multiple times and is the award-winning author of the Bone Secrets and Callahan
& McLane series, as well as the Mercy Kilpatrick novels: A Merciful
Death, A Merciful Truth, and A Merciful Secret. Kendra is
a three-time winner of the Daphne du Maurier Award, an International Thriller
Writers finalist, and an RT Award finalist. She has always been a voracious
reader, cutting her teeth on classic female heroines such as Nancy Drew, Trixie
Belden, and Laura Ingalls. She was born, raised, and still lives in the rainy
Pacific Northwest with her husband and three daughters, but she looks forward
to the day she can live in flip-flops. Visit her at www.kendraelliot.com.
Below is the Feature Post for Kendra Elliot’s current release A MERCIFUL FATE (Mercy Kilpatrick #5). Included is an excerpt from the book, a book summary with info and social media links for the author . You will also see a Rafflecopter giveaway for a $25 Amazon gift card and a digital copy of the book.
As you know, I would normally include my Book Review with the Feature Post, but I am on book #4 and I just cannot read these books out of order. The suspense/mystery in each book can standalone, but I just cannot skip ahead in Mercy and Truman’s lives. I LOVE these two characters and just cannot miss a minute of their relationship. My books review will be posted soon for this book.
As always, good luck on the Rafflecopter giveaway and you really have to get to know Mercy! Good reading!
***
Excerpt: A Merciful Fate by
Kendra Elliot
“Sit.”
Mercy
sat on a stool that was too high for the makeshift table. She didn’t care. They
could sit on the ground and she’d be happy with Truman. Currently the home had
plywood subfloors and open framing, but part of Mercy loved the empty, bare
look; it promised that something fabulous was coming.
Fabulous
and practical.
Truman
leaned over and poured red wine in the plastic cup by her paper plate. She
sighed and buried her nose in her cup. The fragrance was deep and bold, with
hints of plum and smoke.
“Italy,”
she mumbled into the wine.
“What?”
asked Truman.
“I
want to visit Italy. How does a honeymoon in Italy sound?”
A
grin filled his face, and the sensation of butterflies fluttered up her spine.
Or maybe it’s the wine.
She
took a sip of her wine as she studied his face. So familiar and dear to her.
A
smile to stop traffic. Eyes that crinkled in happiness. Several scars that
testified to his love of law enforcement. Her attraction to him was more than
skin deep. She was in love with the person he was. He was a natural leader and
easily commanded respect. His people turned to him, followed him, admired him.
His natural sense of honor was a magnet for her.
No. It’s not the wine.
He gets me.
He
understood how her mind worked, and they fit together like a couple of
complicated puzzle pieces. She’d been painfully aware of her missing puzzle
piece when he’d been taken away, chained by men planning to kill him, and then
rescued thanks to Ollie. The two weeks when no one knew his fate had been the
worst of her life. When he’d been returned to her, she’d known she couldn’t
waste any more time.
He’d
been of the same mind-set and had proposed.
“I’ll
try Italy.” He dished spaghetti carbonara onto their plates.
“And
what’s on your agenda for tomorrow?” he asked over the rim of his plastic cup.
She perked up. “The bank confirmed the money bags are from the Gamble-Helmet
Heist. And I have the go-ahead to visit Shane Gamble at the Two Rivers prison
tomorrow.”
“What
are your thoughts on the remains?” Truman asked. “Did the medical examiner get
to them yet?”
“Yes.
They spent the afternoon removing the remains, and Dr. Lockhart was going to
start an examination tonight. The woman never takes time off.”
“Same
could be said for you.”
“Only
when I’m deep in a case.”
“I
guess this means your weekends are booked for a while?”
Mercy
sighed. “I know. The two of us are supposed to be working on the interior of
this place … We’ll get it done at some point. It’ll have to wait awhile.”
A
grin filled his face.
“What?”
she asked.
“You’re
not the same person I met last fall. Back then, if the cabin had been in the
half-completed state it is now, you’d be climbing the walls with anxiety
because your safety net wasn’t perfect.”
“You’re
right,” she agreed. “I had a similar thought earlier, but nearly all my
supplies are still intact, so it’d be rough living but doable. I can
temporarily live with that for now. Especially with this case to distract me.”
His
lips twisted.
“Jealous?”
she asked with a grin. “It’s an amazing case, isn’t it?”
“It
is. Considering there have been no leads for decades, and the robbery is
practically modern folklore. It’s like a buried treasure hunt, and Ollie found
the first clue.”
“Is
Ollie okay after his morning?” she asked with a small wince. She’d nearly
forgotten the teen had made the grisly discovery.
“He’s
okay. I spent some time with him and he was very quiet, but I could tell he was
processing it. He’s dealt with death before.”
“He’s
been through a lot,” sympathized Mercy.
They
silently ate for a few moments until he glanced up and caught her staring at
him. Longing shone in his eyes, an appetite and craving that had nothing to do
with food, and she struggled to find her breath.
How does he do that to me?
“You
know,” he said, his voice low and tempting, “this place hasn’t been christened
yet.”
Mercy
blinked. “People do that to homes?”
Patience
filled his features. “That’s not what I meant.” His brown gaze held hers.
“Ohhh,”
she breathed as heat flashed through her.
“Dessert.”
His smile was sinful, and energy pulsed between them.
She
melted. “Yes. Dessert.”
***
About the Book
Title: A Merciful Fate
Author: Kendra Elliot
Release Date: January 15, 2019
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Summary
Raised
by preppers, survivalist and FBI agent Mercy Kilpatrick has a deep-rooted need
for a safe place. Her getaway in the Cascade Foothills is her secret. But when
skeletal remains are unearthed—those of a murdered man linked to a notorious
heist—Mercy realizes she isn’t the only one with something to hide.
Thirty
years ago, an armored-car robbery turned deadly. The mastermind was captured.
Four conspirators vanished with a fortune. One of them, it appears, never made
it out of the woods alive. For Mercy and her fiancé, Police Chief Truman Daly,
their investigation opens old wounds in Eagle’s Nest that cut deeper than they
imagined. Especially when a reckless tabloid reporter draws fresh blood. It’s
clear to Mercy that somebody in this close-knit community is not who they seem
to be.
Some are still shattered by the heist. Some still have reason to be afraid. But which one will kill again and again to hide three decades of secrets? To land this case, it’s up to Mercy to unmask a familiar stranger before someone else dies.
***
Author Biography
Kendra
Elliot has landed on the Wall Street Journal bestseller list
multiple times and is the award-winning author of the Bone Secrets and Callahan
& McLane series, as well as the Mercy Kilpatrick novels: A Merciful
Death, A Merciful Truth, and A Merciful Secret. Kendra is
a three-time winner of the Daphne du Maurier Award, an International Thriller
Writers finalist, and an RT Award finalist. She has always been a voracious
reader, cutting her teeth on classic female heroines such as Nancy Drew, Trixie
Belden, and Laura Ingalls. She was born, raised, and still lives in the rainy
Pacific Northwest with her husband and three daughters, but she looks forward
to the day she can live in flip-flops. Visit her at www.kendraelliot.com.
You all by now know how much I LOVE Freya Barker’s romances and this is her new one Burning for Autumn (On Call #1) starting off a new series in Susan Stoker’s Police and Fire Badge of Honor world.
Below you will find a description of the story, my book review and Freya Barker’s author info and social media links. Also you have a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card at the end of this post. Good luck on the Rafflecopter giveaway and I know you will fall in love with this HOT romance!
When Autumn McCoy accepted a temporary work contract in Durango, she thought it would be a safe way to add some spark to her existence. She may be getting more than she bargained for when she finds herself the target of impending danger.The outspoken forty-two-year-old isn’t prepared for that spark to ignite flames threatening to engulf every aspect of her life.
Buried under the weight of responsibilities, all interim Chief of Police, Keith Blackfoot, wants is to get back to good old-fashioned detecting. He gets his chance when an encounter with a feisty redhead seems to incite a wave of arson cases. Although a visit from friend and firefighter, Roman “Chief” Proudfit, provides some direction, he’s left to battle an invisible menace fueling fires that could leave his town—and his heart—in ashes.
Goodreads book link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42967192-burning-for-autumn-police-and-fire?from_search=true
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My Book Review:
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
BURNING FOR AUTUMN (On Call #1) by Freya Barker is the first
romantic suspense in a new series in Susan Stoker’s Badge of Honor World focused
on Police and Firefighters. I LOVE Freya Barker’s writing and was very excited
to see her entering one of my favorite romance worlds. This book is smoking hot
and does not disappoint!
Autumn McCoy accepted a one year work contract for a special
program in a new burn unit in Durango. She is sad to leave her girlfriends
behind in San Antonio, but she believes she needs to shake up her staid life.
She knows she needs to get out and when she takes up the invite of a new friend
to meet at The Irish, a local pub where firefighters and police hangout, she
runs into an arrogant, but handsome man. Two strong personalities butt heads,
but there are sparks there that Autumn is not sure she wants to explore.
Acting Chief of Police, Keith Blackfoot is sick of the
politics and responsibilities of being Chief. He wants to go back to being a
detective only. He takes a break for the night and runs into a feisty redhead
who sets off an interest that he has never felt before. When that redhead seems
to have caught the attention of a serial arsonist, he will do anything to
protect her even as she fights his protectiveness at every step of the way.
Autumn and Keith are both strong, independent characters who
have to learn to trust that what they have found with each other is special
before an arsonist destroys their future in flames.
Once again Ms. Barker’s writing pulls me into a story and
makes me believe. She breathes life into her characters and expertly twines
suspense throughout the romance. I especially love her characters because they
are middle age and have either been burned by love before or are career oriented
and never bothered with a long-term relationship. I enjoy reading about
characters with worries about folds or wrinkles from age when they enter into a
new sexual relationship occasionally instead of 20 somethings with perfect
everything. She makes her characters very sexual. They are older and know what
they want in bed and out and it is HOT!
I highly recommend this book!
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About Freya:
Freya Barker inspires with her stories about ‘real’ people, perhaps less than perfect, each struggling to find their own slice of happy.
She is the author of the Cedar Tree and Portland, ME Series, the Northern Lights Collection and the Rock Point Series. She is also co-author of the SnapShot Series.
To see Freya’s complete backlist, or to find out what is coming down the pipe, visit freyabarker.com.
