STARTING OVER AT BLUEBERRY CREEK (Sweetwater Springs
Book #4) by Annie Rains is another wonderful addition to the Sweetwater Springs
contemporary romance series. Ms. Rains has written a friends-to-lovers story
that pulled at every one of my heartstrings.
Brenna McConnell put her college education to become a
teacher on hold to finish raising her younger sister, Eve when their parents are
killed in an accident. Brenna takes over her mother’s catering business with
her aunt and when her sister graduates from high school she fears her sister’s
desire to become a firefighter like their father. Eve is headstrong and
difficult with Brenna acting like a mother instead of the sister she misses
which causes a rift between them.
Firefighter Luke Marini moves next door to the sisters to
start over in a new town. He immediately notices the beautiful brunette next
door, but one of the reasons he moved was to get away from his previous
neighbor and have people not know about his past. Brenna welcomes her new
neighbor even as he seems cold to her neighborly advances, but Luke is finding
he cannot stay away from the temptation of the sweet Brenna.
Luke helps Brenna realize that her sister is an adult, even
though she may not act like one at times and it is time for Brenna to work on
realizing her own dreams. Brenna is used to sacrificing for others and she is
finding it difficult to only think of herself, especially when wonderful
firefighter may be her chance at a future that may be slightly different than
what she always dreamed of.
I love Ms. Rain’s storytelling! It pulls me in to her small-town
characters and lives effortlessly. Brenna and Luke both had so much going on
emotionally, past and present and yet Ms. Rain’s writing makes you feel empathy
and not sympathy. The growth and changes flow throughout the story, including Brenna
and Eve’s relationship. Sometimes what we believe will make us happy, is not
necessarily so and both of the main characters learn that and grow. All the
secondary characters are fully fleshed out and the sex is all behind closed doors.
I love this book and all the Sweetwater Springs books and recommend them all! I want to thank Forever Books and Net Galley for allowing me to read this eARC. It was very much my pleasure.
Today is my turn on the Blog Tour for A VENOMOUS LOVE (The Bloodstone Series Book #3) by Chris Karlsen. I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for the third historical mystery featuring Detective Rudyard “Ruddy” Bloodstone.
Below you will find a book description, my book review, the author’s bio and social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway. Enjoy and good luck!
***
Book Description
A veteran, Detective Rudyard Bloodstone has fought a brutal battle and witnessed war horrors that haunt his nightmares. Now one of those horrors has followed him home from Africa.
A vicious predator, the Cape cobra, can kill a man in thirty minutes. A suspect using the snake as a weapon in robberies is terrorizing London.
When the crimes escalate into murder, a victim’s daughter, Honoria Underhill, becomes the focus of the killer. After several attempts on her life, Scotland Yard threatens to take over the high profile case. With few leads to follow, Bloodstone and his partner must now fight department politics and catch the killer before Underhill becomes another murder victim.
Title: A Venomous Love (Bloodstone, #3)
Author: Chris Karlsen
Genre: Historical Suspense set in Victorian London
A Venomous Love (The Bloodstone Series Book #3) by
Chris Karlsen is the latest historical mystery in this series set in the
Victorian era featuring Detective Rudyard Bloodstone. These are entertaining
reads that give you a snapshot of the people in this era and it also gives you
a look at the limitations of the police to solve crimes. No CSI here, just old-fashioned
legwork and logic with a little luck thrown into the mix.
Detective Rudyard “Ruddy” Bloodstone and his partner Detective
Archie Holbrook are on the case of a thief who uses a unique deadly weapon to
get his victims to turnover their valuables, a Cape cobra. Ruddy knows how quickly
this snakes’ venom can kill having fought against the Zulus in Africa.
When the robberies escalate into murder, Ruddy and Archie wonder
why the victim’s daughter, Honoria Underhill becomes the main focus of their thief.
As they work the case, Ruddy’s brother, Will who has returned from service in
India becomes a bodyguard for Honoria.
With few leads and the threat of Scotland Yard taking over
the case. Ruddy and Archie are racing the clock to catch the killer before
Honoria becomes another murder victim.
I really enjoy reading these mysteries featuring Rudyard
Bloodstone. Ruddy, his partner and all the secondary characters pull you back
in time with an interesting case to solve. Ms. Karlsen makes you realize how
limited early law enforcement was and the class differences that could also
impact a case. The use of the Cape cobra as a weapon was unique and even though
you know the person behind the crime, the story still keeps you intrigued and
interested.
I recommend this historical mystery and all the books in The
Bloodstone Series.
***
Author Bio
I was born and raised in Chicago. My father was a history professor and my mother was, and is, a voracious reader. I grew up with a love of history and books.
My parents also love traveling, a passion they passed onto me. I wanted to see the places I read about, see the land and monuments from the time periods that fascinated me. I’ve had the good fortune to travel extensively throughout Europe, the Near East, and North Africa.
I am a retired police detective. I spent twenty-five years in law enforcement with two different agencies. My desire to write came in my early teens. After I retired, I decided to pursue that dream. I write three different series. My paranormal romance series is called, Knights in Time. My romantic thriller series is Dangerous Waters. The newest is The Bloodstone Series. Each series has a different setting and some cross time periods, which I find fun to write.
I currently live in the Pacific Northwest with my husband and five wild and crazy rescue dogs.
Today is my turn on the Chemical Attraction Audiobook Blog Tour. This Feature Post and Audiobook Review is for the romantic suspense CHEMICAL ATTRACTION (The Chemical Attraction Series Book #3) by Christina Thompson and narrated by Gary Bennett. This book can be read as a standalone in terms of the suspense plot, but there is a lot of crossover of characters from the previous two books.
Below you will find a book synopsis, my audiobook review, an author interview with a character from her books, the author and narrator’s info and social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway. Enjoy!
***
About the Audiobook
Author: Christina Thompson
Narrator: Gary Bennett
Length: 10 hours 3 minutes
Publisher: 48fourteen⎮2019
Genre: Romantic Thriller
Series: The Chemical Attraction Series, Book 3
Release date: Dec. 26, 2019
***
Book Synopsis:
Working in nanotechnology, Madeline Pierce, a dedicated scientist, has pain in her heart from an abusive relationship. She hides in her research. Charismatic yet brooding, Joe Roberts searches for an instant chemistry with his soulmate, the one person who will love him for his faults not in spite of them.
Dr. Pierce teams up with Agent Roberts to uncover a criminal network within her medical research facility in West Michigan. Feeling an undeniable attraction, they struggle to stay professional while they determine the degree of company involvement.
In the nearby farming town, animals violently attack the residents. Someone is experimenting outside the laboratory. Are human test subjects next? With the help of Joe’s sister Eva, a physician assistant at the local hospital, and her husband Chief Matt Connor, Joe and Madeline hunt for this new bio-weapon before the death toll rises in this gripping third book of The Chemical Attraction Series.
CHEMICAL ATTRACTION (The Chemical Attraction Series Book
#3) by Christina Thompson is the third romantic suspense in this engaging
series. In this story it is Joe’s turn to feel the chemical attraction. The suspense
story can be read as a standalone, but there is a lot of character crossover
between the books in this series. I suggest you read or listen to them all in
order. You will not be disappointed.
Dr. Madeline Pierce is a scientist who specializes in nanotechnology.
She discovers discrepancies on invoices at the medical research facility where
she works. When her questions lead to answers that do not add up, she asks the
FBI for help.
FBI Agent Joe Roberts is sent to meet with Dr. Pierce. The
two use the pretense of a relationship to work together to get to the truth. Joe
never believed he would find the chemical attraction his sisters talk about
until he meets Madeline, but she is his contact on this dangerous case.
As they work together, they struggle to keep their
relationship professional. Joe has a history of being a player and Madeline has
been terribly abused in the past. Can she trust this chemical attraction to be
real? And can their relationship survive as they fight a horrific threat to
humanity?
I have been waiting for Joe to meet his “one” and this story
did not disappoint. I love when a player is brought down by a strong and
intelligent woman. Even with her past and some insecurities, she is a heroine that
fits with Joe. The suspense plot is well paced, realistic and terrifying in that
aspect. There are some graphic scenes, but they are in line with the plot so
for me they were not gratuitous. I enjoy Eva and Matt being active participants
in this story and crossovers from “The Kindred Code”, book #2 in this series.
None of the characters in this series have it easy in love or danger.
I listened to the audiobook this time after reading the
first two books in this series. Gary Bennett narrated this audiobook and this
was my first time listening to him. I enjoyed his voice and I would definitely
look for other audiobooks with his narration.
I recommend this audiobook and all the books in the Chemical
Attraction series!
***
Author Character Interview:
Matthew Connor from Chemical Attraction
Hello Everyone! I’m Christina Thompson, the author of Chemical Attraction, a romantic thriller. I’m joining you today to promote Chemical Attraction’s Audiobook narrated by Gary Bennett.
I’ve had the privilege of getting to know the people in this story. Eva Connor and Joe Roberts are siblings by choice. They’ve told me their story, and I wrote about their amazing journey. These interviews take place just after their adventure. [trivial spoilers/no plot spoilers]
Ruggedly handsome with a calm demeanor, Matthew Connor had pushed any romantic life aside to focus on raising his eight-year-old son, David. Then, he met Eva and watched her take his hometown by storm. Now as the police chief, he helped Joe on his FBI case.
CHRISTINA: When you first saw Eva with David, what was your first thought?
MATT: Mesmerizing came to mind. She definitely spiced up my life. The first time she visited my home, she turned the town upside down. I didn’t think the Allenton gossip circuit could travel faster than the speed of light. Boy, that weekend it had.
CHRISTINA: How hard was it to be a single dad for the first eight years of David’s life?
MATT: Tough. Like I mentioned before, gossip is big in this town and stereotypes are even bigger. I’ve been the chief for nine years, but I’m still known as the guy who knocked up his high school girlfriend. Beth gave up her rights to David right after he was born while I embraced fatherhood. I wouldn’t have changed a thing though. David makes me a better person, and I strive to be the man he looks up to.
CHRISTINA: Uncovering a criminal network in your town, Joe created tension by not informing you about his case from the beginning. How’s your relationship with him?
MATT: Man, I don’t want him to visit us anymore … too much drama when he’s around. Joking aside, I love Joe like a little brother. Years ago, I helped him out of a sticky situation, which cemented a brothers’ bond. I could do worse than having a federal agent as a brother.
CHRISTINA: I get the feeling that your responsibilities take over much of your life. What do you do for fun?
MATT: Ha. Not having much fun these days. I enjoy spending time with my wife and I crochet to relax. It’s meditative. My mother taught me years ago. I made David’s first baby blanket, and I donate the baby blankets I make now to our local hospital. After seeing the basket of yarn next to our sofa, Joe gave me a hard time until Eva told him what I did with the finished ones. Boy, did he feel bad. His niceness lasted for a month. It really creeped Eva out.
Thanks for stopping by. You can find the audiobook of Chemical Attraction on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Chemical-Attraction-Book/dp/B0833H7YSV/
***
About the Author: Christina Thompson
Christina Thompson has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology from Nazareth College in Kalamazoo, Michigan. She is a certified massage therapist from the Health Enrichment Center’s School of Therapeutic Massage in Lapeer, Michigan. She also has a Diploma in Traditional Chinese Acupuncture from the Midwest College of Oriental Medicine in Racine, Wisconsin.
Her background in biology gave her a love of science and an insight into the physical realm of the body. Her holistic understanding of Traditional Chinese medicine taught her that the mind and spirit affect the body in powerful ways.
As a former holistic practitioner with over 20 years of knowledge, experience, and service, Christina now enjoys writing about the physical science, the emotional workings of our mind and heart, and the spiritual energy that taps into our passions.
She is the author of the romantic thrillers in The Chemical Attraction Series, which include Their Rigid Rules, The Kindred Code, Chemical Attraction, Chemical Reaction, and an anthology of short stories, Searching for Her. She has also written the romantic adventures, The Trucker’s Cat and The Garden Collection.
Narrator Gary Bennett is a SAG-AFTRA audiobook narrator. He was born and raised in California and then in Bozeman, Montana, and is the oldest of 4 children. He now calls the greater Seattle area his home, and he’s a huge fan of the Seattle Seahawks
He’s always been passionate about not just telling a story, but telling it well! From reading bedtime stories with his children to performing in front of the microphone, bringing a story truly to life is one of his greatest joys.
Gary has pursued his career in audiobook narration with zeal, investing in not only personal coaching from some of the best in the field, but in also some of the best equipment for his professional home-based studio. There are few things he enjoys more than stepping into his StudioBricks home studio and recording his favorite books!
Gary is also a licensed electrical engineer and a private pilot, loves to listen to and play music and is an avid outdoor enthusiast.
A Favor for a Favor (All In Book #2) by Helena
Hunting is a contemporary romance that will have you laughing out loud and/or teary
eyed more times than you can count throughout this fun and entertaining read.
This is the second book in the “All In” series featuring alpha professional hockey
jocks from Seattle’s new expansion NHL team, but it is easily read as a standalone
romance.
Stevie Bowman is excited to surprise her boyfriend returning
from her trip early to her and her boyfriend’s new apartment in time for her
birthday. But the surprise is on her when she walks in and finds him in bed
having sex with someone else.
Her brother, Rook helps her out by letting her live in his
team apartment he is not using while she gets back on her feet. As she stumbles
in late at night, she wakes her neighbor, who is not happy to be woken up. Stevie
just wants to hide and get away from this jerk of a neighbor.
Bishop Winslow cannot believe his strait-laced team captain
is keeping a side piece in his apartment. He already hates that Rook was made
team captain instead of him and this makes it even worse. Imagine his surprise
when he finds out the mistress is actually the hot younger sister.
Bishop suffers a severe groin injury in the very first
pre-season game. Stevie offers Bishop a deal. She will assist with his rehab so
he can return to the ice sooner, if he will give her a letter of recommendation
which will help advance her career in sport physiotherapy. Can they keep it
strictly professional?
I absolutely love Bishop and Stevie. They are perfect
examples of “do not judge someone because you don’t know what they are going
through privately.” The underwear war had me laughing out loud.
I am fast becoming a huge fan of Helena Hunting’s romances. The
characters are realistic, full-fleshed and the dialogue is pitch perfect. She
captures the sex appeal and down-and-dirty language and foibles of young
professional male athletes. The women she creates are strong, but surprisingly
quirky and/or have an emotional impediment that I would never think would work as
a match for these men and yet each is the perfect match.
I highly recommend this contemporary romance and author!
***
Author Biography:
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Helena Hunting lives on
the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly tolerant family and two moderately
intolerant cats. Helena writes everything from contemporary romance with all
the feels to romantic comedies that will have you laughing until you cry.
Today I am very excited to be posting on the Harlequin February 2020 Series Blog Tour. My Feature Post and Book Review is for Debra Webb’s new Intrigue – WITNESS PROTECTION WIDOW.
Below you will find a short author Q&A, a book description, my book review, an excerpt from the book and an about the author blurb. Enjoy!
***
Debra Webb Author Q&A
1. Did you always want to write for Harlequin?
A: From the moment I read my first Harlequin Intrigue novel, I knew I wanted to write them!
2. Share your favorite memory of reading a Harlequin romance
A: I write romantic suspense so sometimes something light is a great way to relax. My fav memory is of laughing out loud while reading a Stephanie Bond Harlequin romance!
3. What is a recent book you have read that you would recommend?
A: In The Dark by Loreth Anne White
***
Book Description
Can the witness protection program keep her identity secret?
After Allison James finally escapes her marriage to a monster, she becomes the star witness in the case against her deceased husband’s powerful crime family.
Now it’s up to US Marshal Jaxson Stevens, Ali’s ex-boyfriend, to keep the WITSEC widow safe. But as the danger escalates and sparks fly, will Jax be able to help Ali escape her ruthless in-laws.
***
My Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
WITNESS PROTECTION WIDOW (Winchester, Tennessee Book #5) by Debra Webb is the February 2020 Harlequin Intrigue romantic suspense second chance romance and since it is written by Debra Webb, I knew I would be getting a great story even in this shorter format. I was NOT disappointed. Though this book is part of the Winchester, Tennessee series, it can easily be read as a standalone.
Allison James Armone has been trapped for several years in
an abusive marriage to the son of the head of the Armone crime family. She has
been planning and waiting for her chance to escape. At the weekly meeting between
father and son, Allison witnesses the father shoot the son and kill him.
She makes her escape and becomes the star witness in the
case against her father-in-law. When the US Marshall guarding Allison (aka
Alice Stewart) is involved in an accident, he calls on one of his best friends
in the Marshalls to fill in. It is only a few days until the trial and Ali’s
life is at stake.
US Marshall Jaxon Stevens cannot believe his assignment is
his young foolish mistake in love. Can Jaxon convince Ali he wants and deserves
a second chance even as he works to keep her alive to testify?
Ali is a great heroine. After everything she has been
through, she refuses to back down and wants to testify no matter the danger to
herself. She made a mistake that cost her, but she has come out on the other
side and is strong and determined. I also liked that her main concern is for
Jaxon’s safety and not her own. Jaxon is a strong alpha protective hero, but he
also must come around to understand how Ali got caught up in her marriage and
to understand his own feelings about wanting her back even though he left her
before for his career. There are a lot of emotions and misunderstandings to get
through in this book even as physical danger is just around the corner. My only
concern is Ms. Webb never revealed who changed their travel plans and set them on
the run from the bad guys. Other than that, this is a fast-paced story that
intertwines the suspense and the romance perfectly.
I love sitting down with a Harlequin Intrigue and an author
I enjoy because I know I can be entertained with a romantic suspense that
engrosses me in the story and is a quicker read than a full-sized novel. I
recommend this second chance romantic suspense.
***
Excerpt
She shivered. The fire had gone out. She kept on her jacket
while she added logs to the fireplace and kindling to get it started. Within a
couple of minutes, the fire was going. She’d had a fireplace as a kid, so
relearning her way around this one hadn’t been so bad. She went back to the
kitchen and turned on the kettle for tea.
Bob growled low in his throat and stared toward the front door.
She froze. Her phone was in her hip pocket. Her gun was still in
her waistband at the small of her back. This was something else Marshal
Holloway had insisted upon. He’d taught her how to use a handgun. They’d held
many target practices right behind this cabin.
A creak beyond the front door warned that someone was on the
porch. She eased across the room and went to the special peephole that had been
installed. There was one on each side of the cabin, allowing for views all the
way around. A man stood on the porch. He was the typical local cowboy. Jeans
and boots. Hat in his hands. Big truck in the drive. Just like Marshal
Holloway.
But she did not know this man.
“Alice Stewart, if you’re in there, it’s okay for you to open
the door. I’m Sheriff Colt Tanner. Branch sent me.”
Her heart
thudding, she held perfectly still. Branch would never send someone to her without
letting her know first. If for some reason he couldn’t tell her in advance,
they had a protocol for these situations.
She reached back, fingers curled about the butt of her weapon.
Bob moved stealthily toward the door.
“I know you’re concerned about opening the door to a stranger,
but you need to trust me. Branch has been in an accident, and he’s in the
hospital undergoing surgery right now. No matter that his injuries were
serious, he refused to go into surgery until he spoke to me and I assured him I
would look after you, ma’am.”
Worry joined the mixture of fear and dread churning inside her.
She hoped Branch wasn’t hurt too badly. He had a wife and a daughter.
She opened her mouth to ask about his condition, but then she snapped it shut. The man at her door had not said the code word.
***
About the Author
DEBRA WEBB is the award winning, USA Today bestselling author of more than 150 novels, including reader favorites the Faces of Evil, the Colby Agency, and the Shades of Death series. With more than four million books sold in numerous languages and countries, Debra’s love of storytelling goes back to her childhood on a farm in Alabama.
Today it is my turn on the Toxic Deception Blog Tour. I am excited to share my Feature Post and Book Review for Toxic Deception (A Jordan Reed Mystery Book #1)) by K.C. Gillis, who is a new to me author.
Below you will find a book blurb, my book review and the author’s bio and social media links. This is a fast-paced, entertaining start to a new thriller series. Enjoy!
***
Book Blurb
Strange symptoms. Bloody secrets. Can one reporter solve a medical mystery before she ends up in a body bag?
Jordan Reed put her world on hold to hunt down corruption. So when the gutsy journalist gets tipped off about blood money changing hands at a pharmaceutical factory, she dives into the story. With an otherwise healthy worker dropping dead of multiple organ failure, Jordan suspects something far more sinister than a simple accident…
Daring to go up against big pharma, she gains an ally on the inside and recruits two friends to join the investigation. But after a string of false leads and tight-lipped witnesses, she ties her case to disturbingly similar evidence in a medical trial on the other side of the globe. And if she doesn’t expose the lethal conspiracy soon, Jordan is terrified she and her team could be the next victims of the lethal cover-up.
Can Jordan take down a greedy corporation before they sacrifice more lives in the drive for profit? Toxic Deception is the first book in the gripping Jordan Reed thriller series. If you like tenacious heroines, underdog stories, and edge-of-your-seat action, then you’ll love K.C. Gillis’s page-turning tale.
***
My Book Review
RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars
TOXIC DECEPTION by K.C. Gillis is an engrossing new
thriller by a new to me author. A junior staff reporter versus an amoral
biochem/pharmaceutical company and it just picks up in speed and suspense as it
progresses.
Jordan Reed is a staff reporter on the metro beat at a small
newspaper. She returns home one day after her morning swim to find an envelope
taped to her door. It contains an obituary for a young husband and father who
died under mysterious circumstances. Jordan is not a crime reporter, but when
she starts to ask questions, she finds she has a story that may tie the pharmaceutical
company and its COO back to an experimental drug trial that killed her mother.
With help from her ex-fiance, still best-friend Travis and her
friend Charlie Choi who works at the CDC, Jordan fights to learn what the
company is hiding. This lethal conspiracy needs to be uncovered before there
are more victims, including Jordan and her friends.
I enjoyed this introduction to Jordan and her friends from
K.C. Gillis. The thriller plot is an interesting investigation into the biochem/pharmaceutical
industry and the massive amounts of money that corrupt the entire system. Jordan
makes an interesting new journalist protagonist to follow, but she is at times
a little too naïve to believe for her position. That said, she will hopefully
be a little more careful in her decisions in future books. She is inquisitive
and caring and I do not want those qualities to change. The secondary
characters are well fleshed out and I hope to read more about Travis in future Jordan
Reed books.
I recommend this thriller for a fast-paced, entertaining
read.
***
About the Author:
K.C. (Kevin) Gillis is the author of the Jordan Reed mystery series.
Despite being a lifelong lover of stories and books, writing took a distant
back seat as his professional career travelled through the Canadian Air Force,
a decade as a chemist, followed by a long and continuing run in corporate
America. With writing no longer in the back seat (but not quite yet in the
front seat), Kevin has the initial novels (plus one novella) in the Jordan Reed
series well under way. His personal interests focus on endurance and water
sports, and obviously a lot of reading!. Having grown up in the Canadian
Maritimes, he now lives in the US northeast.
