Feature Post and Book Review: I See You by Mary Burton

Hi, everyone!

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.

Social Media Links

Website: https://www.maryburton.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maryburtonfanpage

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaryBurtonBooks

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15020.Mary_Burton

***

Rafflecopter Giveaway

Direct Link

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/07c2363f247

Embed Code

<a class=”rcptr” href=”http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/07c2363f247/” rel=”nofollow” data-raflid=”07c2363f247″ data-theme=”classic” data-template=”” id=”rcwidget_s1vjg51w”>a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src=”https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js“></script>

Book Review: Don’t Game Me by Zoe Forward

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

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.

Book Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: Dark Retribution: Smitty’s Calling Card by B.R. Stateham

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing a Feature Post and Book Review for the new gritty noir DARK RETRIBUTION: SMITTY’S CALLING CARD (Dark Retribution Book 1) by B.R. Stateham for my turn on the Dark Retribution Book Tour.

There have been short stories featuring this character by this author, but this is the first full length novel featuring the mysterious Smitty. Noir is a genre of crime film or fiction characterized by cynicism, fatalism and moral ambiguity and this book has it all. I enjoyed this first book and will definitely be following Smitty on his future adventures!

***

My Book Review:

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

DARK RETRIBUTION: SMITTY’S CALLING CARD (Dark Retribution Book 1) by B.R. Stateham is a suspense/noir crime fiction book featuring Smitty, a mysterious P.I./hitman/fixer/spook with his own moral code and an almost paranormal ability to appear and disappear. There are several short stories featuring this character, but this is his first full length story and it is easily read as a standalone.

A modern-day Jack the Ripper is brutally killing prostitutes without leaving even the smallest of clues. One of the police officers working the case, Artie Jones knows the women being killed and are related on the job to his sister-in-law who is the leader of this group of working girls. To protect his sister-in-law, Artie decides to request the help of the mysterious Smitty.

Smitty is as much a mystery man as the killer. There is speculation and rumor about whether he is a P.I., a security consultant, a mob hitman or fixer, but no matter which is correct it is an absolute truth that he is a killing machine who never leaves any evidence behind.

As Smitty works the case, the killer becomes aware that he is now the hunted and he looks forward to a showdown with Smitty.

This is a fast-paced suspense crime read with a very intriguing new-to-me main character. I enjoy reading about a character that is as morally ambiguous as Smitty. A dark angel or knight is sometimes needed to fight evil. The plot moves at an increasingly fast pace to a climax that satisfies. This is a noir crime genre book with some stereotypes that may seem out-of-date, but can and should be expected in this type of genre book. I do wish that Mr. Stateham had not given Smitty’s elderly black snitch colloquial dialogue; it was not necessary in my opinion.

Overall, it is a great introduction to Smitty for readers and an interesting crime read. I will be looking for more stories about Smitty from this author in the future.

***

Short Biography:

B.R. Stateham is a fourteen-year-old boy trapped in a seventy-year-old body.  But his enthusiasm and boyish delight in anything mysterious and/or unknown continue.

Writing novels, especially detectives, is just the avenue of escape which keeps the author’s mind sharp and inquisitive.  He’s published a ton of short stories in online magazines like Crooked, Darkest Before the Dawn, Abandoned Towers, Pulp Metal Magazine, Suspense Magazine, Spinetingler Magazine, Near to The Knuckle, A Twist of Noir, Angie’s Diary, Power Burn Flash, and Eastern Standard Crime.  He writes both detective/mysteries, as well as science-fiction and fantasy.

In 2008 the first book in the series featuring homicide detectives Turner Hahn and Frank Morales came out, called Murderous Passions.

Also, in 2008 he self-published a fantasy novel entitled, Roland of the High Crags: Evil Arises.

In 2009 he created a character named Smitty.  So far twenty-eight short stories and two novellas have been written about this dark eyed, unusually complex hit man.

In 2012 Untreed Reads published book two of the Turner Hahn/Frank Morales series A Taste of Old Revenge.

In 2015 NumberThirteen Press published a Smitty novella entitled, A Killing Kiss.

In 2017 a British indie publisher, Endeavour Media, re-issued A Taste of Old Revenge, and soon followed by a second Turner Hahn/Frank Morales novel entitled, There Are No Innocents.

In 2018 Endeavour Media published a third novel of mine, the first in a 1st Century Roman detective series, entitled While the Emperor Slept.

Also in 2018, NumberThirteen Press merged with another famous British indie, Fahrenheit Press. Soon afterwards, Fahrenheit Press re-issued an old novel of mine entitled, Death of a Young Lieutenant.

Now, after all of this apparent success, you would think Fame and Fortune would have sailed into my harbor, making me the delight of the hard-core genre world. Ah but contraire, mon ami! Fame and Fortune are two devious little wraths who pick and chooses the poor souls they wish to bedevil. I remain in complete anonymity and am just as bereft of fortune as I have always been. And apparently will continue to be for a long time to come.

B.R. Stateham has a blog called, In the Dark Mind of B.R. Stateham – http://noirtaketurner-frank.blogspot.com/

***

Feature Post and Book Review: Crazy Rich Cajuns by Erin Nichols

Hi, everyone!

I am thrilled to share this Feature Post and Book Review for Erin Nicholas’ new CRAZY RICH CAJUNS (Boys of the Bayou Book 4). I have been waiting for Kennedy and Bennett’s story and I am not disappointed!

Below you will find a book blurb, my book review and the author’s bio and social media links. All of the books in this series are short, sexy, hot and HEA romances. Erin Nicholas knows how to bring the heat, fun and heart!

***

Book Blurb:

He wears suits and ties. He’ll one day inherit a fortune. He has a law degree. He shines his shoes, for God’s sake. What is she doing attracted to a guy like him? But she is. She so is.

She drives air boats on the bayou, drinks and cusses, and gives city boys in suits a hard time just for fun. Why can’t he get her out of his mind? But he can’t. He definitely can’t.

A weekend trip to Savannah for a fancy-schmancy party with his highfalutin family is the surefire way to prove that they have nothing in common but intense chemistry. And to maybe scratch this I’ve-never-wanted-anyone-like-I-want-you itch once or twice. Or five times.

But it takes only about twenty-four hours for the bayou girl and the city boy to figure out that they don’t really know much at all–about each other, or about themselves. And figuring all of this out is going to be downright crazy.

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2Z7gV6l

***

My Book Review:

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

CRAZY RICH CAJUNS (Boys of the Bayou Book 4) by Erin Nicholas is another great addition to this contemporary romance series, in fact, it is my favorite. For three books we have been getting glimpses of Kennedy and Bennett sparking off of each other and in this book in the series Ms. Nicholas delivers a romance that is everything I was hoping it would be.

Kennedy Landry runs The Boys of the Bayou Tour office. Kennedy dresses like a goth, tattoo and piercings in rebellion of her years in childhood pageants. She runs the office like a general, swears and drinks like a sailor and cares for her extended family and friends with her whole heart. So why does she have this fascination with the new partner in the suit?

Bennett Baxter is rich, runs his own foundation which works on environmental issues especially in the bayou and wants to fit in with the Landry clan in Autre, LA. He is especially attracted to the smart-mouthed goth who runs the tour office.

Bennett invites Kennedy to his father’s retirement party in Savannah over the weekend. Kennedy is not sure how or if she will fit in with Bennett’s society friends, but she sure wants to get Bennett in bed and try to figure out why she craves him to distraction. Bennett wants Kennedy to be herself and show his parents he is not interested in the path they have laid out for him.

What they both find out is that they have explosive sexual chemistry, but they do not know much about each other and still have a few things to find out about themselves. Can these opposites find their HEA?

Kennedy and Bennett are such great characters. Ms. Nicholas surprised me with the romance starting one way and then… plot twist…with both characters growing and changing in a way I did not anticipate. All the situations during the weekend party had me laughing out loud and/or cheering. Ms. Nicholas always gives her characters entertaining, realistic and sexy dialogue that pulls you into the story. Kennedy and Bennett have explicit sex scenes that burn up the pages. (Wait until you read the shower scene. Smokin’!) They also have great sexy texts and dialogue.

All the books can be read as standalone romances, but I recommend you read them all because they are just so much sexy fun and full of love. They are all short, just 12 chapters each and will have you not wanting to stop until the HEA.

***

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2YTJVDt

AppleBooks: https://apple.co/2MhIZlq

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/CrazyRichCajuns

Nook: http://bit.ly/2TBMSTc

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2Z8PB7C

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Z8oolI

***

Author Biography:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Erin Nicholas has been writing romances almost as long as she’s been reading them. To date, she’s written over thirty sexy, contemporary novels that have been described as “toe-curling,” “enchanting,” “steamy,” and “fun.” She adores reluctant heroes, imperfect heroines, and happily ever afters.

Erin lives in the Midwest, where she enjoys spending time with her husband (who only wants to read the sex scenes in her books), her kids (who will never read the sex scenes in her books), and her family and friends (who claim to be “shocked” by the sex scenes in her books).

Social Media Links:

Website: http://www.erinnicholas.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ErinNicholasAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ErinNicholas

Release Blitz/Feature Post and Book Review: Coming Home to the Cowboy by Megan Ryder

Hi, everyone!

Today I am happy to be a part of the Release Blitz for COMING HOME TO THE COWBOY (Redemption Ranch Book 1) by Megan Ryder.

Below you will find a book description, an excerpt, my book review and author info and social media links. This is an emotional cowboy contemporary romance and I cannot wait to read all of the books in the series.

Author: Megan Ryder

Genre: Western Contemporary Romance

Release Date: September 23, 2019

Cover Designer: Tule Publishing and Lee Hyatt

Hosted by:Buoni Amici Press, LLC.

Buy links:

Amazon:  https://amzn.to/2H5xUQj

Apple books: https://apple.co/33vOouH

Nook: http://bit.ly/2MgQzNk

Kobo: http://bit.ly/33yqJd9 

***

Book Description:

The town bad boy with hidden pain…

Champion bull-rider and all-around fun guy Chase Summers is everybody’s friend, but his affable personality hides a lifetime of pain. Having been abandoned as a young child at the steps of a church, he learned young that he was unwanted. The only thing that saved him from isolation was his foster dad and life on Redemption Ranch. Now he spends his time on the rodeo circuit, sending home his winnings to help the ranch succeed, and his nights with buckle bunnies, making sure no one gets close enough to touch the pain deep inside. 

The town good girl who saw the good in everyone…

When accountant and small business advisor Hailey Spencer is hired by Redemption Ranch to implement their guest ranch ideas, she and Chase are thrown together. It’s not long before he is introduced to the son that she had with his best friend. The best friend who would’ve following Chase anywhere…even the bull riding circuit with it’s deadly potential. With Hailey hanging on to resentment and Chase racked with guilt, the two try to fight their age-old attraction – in vain. Chase knows Hailey deserves more than a broken-down cowboy for her son and her heart. 

Can Chase resist the call of the rodeo and man up for a woman he’s loved for years or will he leave for the allure of the road?

Goodreads book link:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14121151.Megan_Ryder

***

Excerpt:

“Hello, Hailey. I didn’t expect to see you here.”

Hailey’s breath caught in her throat and she swallowed hard.

Chase Summers.

Her heart pounded in her chest and the world felt like it tilted under her feet. She had expected to run into him at some point. She had only hoped to have some time to settle in, had time to prepare herself before being confronted with the reality of him.

She drank in the sight of him eagerly, despite the pit in her stomach. It’d been three, no four years since she’d last seen him, since Adam’s funeral. Chase had been a rock for her, solid as the granite the town had been named for. He stood by her side, making sure she had everything she needed while she slept-walked through those horrifying days when she tried to figure out what went wrong and how to move on with her life and raise a two-year-old on her own. He had offered to stay on in Billings and help, but what was there for him to do? So, she’d sent him on his way and tried to get on with finding her new normal.

He’d called a couple of times after Chase died, but she had always responded with a text saying she was busy or something. He’d seemed as relieved as she, and she had no trouble staying away from Grand Junction in the Professional Bull Riding’s off-season, effectively avoiding him, even as a part of heart wanted to be near him. But she had to make her own way, and Chase was too much a loner for her to rely on.

Tara’s head was bopping back and forth between the two of them like a tennis match, with Chase was standing at the top of the porch steps, patiently waiting while Hailey took processed him. She took another step to see him more clearly in the shadows of the porch and gasped.

“Oh my God, Chase. What happened to you?”

He was leaning on a cane and his face had a few yellowed bruises to match bruises on his arms. The T-shirt should have revealed the six-pack stomach she knew he had, but instead it showed a smooth area where bandages were wrapped tightly around ribs. Her gaze fixed on the subtle tightening of his jaw and the muscles around his eyes revealing the tension and pain he must be feeling. Damn that moved that had kept her from keeping up with the circuit, damn this fucking sport that injured him, and most of all damn his adrenaline need to risk his life for the sport that killed her husband.

He quirked a grin at her. “Not a pretty sight, is it? Oleander took offense at me riding him for eight seconds and got his revenge. I’ll be all right in a few weeks.”

“But for now, he’s staying here in the apartment I promised you. I’m so sorry, Hailey,” Tara finished in a rush. “I completely forgot yesterday. I was so excited that you were interested. But the whole house is empty and the rest of the place is planned for a B&B, so the other rooms are all finished but not rented until next season. You and AJ can have the run of the place until then.”

Tara’s words slowly sank in, and Hailey pivoted and stared at her. “You mean, have me and AJ live here with Chase? For how long?”

Chase, too, stared at Tara. “Wait a minute. You never said anything about having a roommate.”

“It’s perfect. Chase, someone needs to make sure you’re okay, especially after your lung injury, and Hailey needs a place to stay.”

Chase’s jaw clenched, but he only aimed a questioning look at her, and she flushed. “I have a place to stay. I just prefer to find somewhere else.”

Tara waved her hand and arched a brow. “Come on. Do you really want to stay with your parents when you can live here?”

Chase started down the steps and both women stopped him immediately. He glared at them both. “I can walk down the damned stairs. It’s just a sprain. I was at the barn earlier today. Tara, can you give Hailey and I a few minutes? I think we need to talk before we agree to being roommates.”

Tara’s gaze shot between them, full of questions, but she nodded. “I’ll go hang with Ty at the barn and be back soon. Don’t run her off. She’s the second-best thing to happen to Redemption Ranch, and we need her.”

Chase grinned. “And you’re the first?”

Tara shot him a saucy grin over her shoulder. “And don’t you forget it.”

***

My Book Review:

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

COMING HOME TO THE COWBOY (Redemption Ranch Book 2) by Megan Ryder is a new cowboy contemporary second chance romance. The story is written by a new to me author that satisfied me with everything I look for in a genre romance. This is the second book in the series, but it can easily be read as a standalone and I will definitely be going back to read book 1.

Hailey Spencer returns to her hometown to help her mother after a stroke. It is a chance for her young son, AJ to spend time with his grandparents. She is also looking for a job so that she can stay in the area, when an old high school friend introduces her one of the owners of Redemption Ranch. She accepts the position as business manager and is excited to start, but she also is worried about running into her dead husband’s best friend, Chase.

Chase Summers is a champion bull-rider. After a terrible accident on his last ride, he has returned home to recuperate. He is grateful his foster dad brought him to the ranch and saved him from the foster care system. Since high school, he has spent his time on the rodeo circuit riding bulls and sending part of his winnings home to help the ranch succeed. He is a fun-loving, cocky cowboy who never lets anyone get too close.

Hailey and AJ move onto the ranch and under the same roof as Chase. Hailey has old hidden feelings for Chase even though she married his best friend and Chase has always had a secret crush on Hailey, but he also feels guilty for Hailey’s husband’s death. As Hailey and Chase’s attraction grows so does AJ’s attachment to Chase. Can Hailey and Chase overcome their pasts or will the rodeo win once again?

I felt so much as I read this romance! Ms. Ryder has written a beautiful story that is heart-breaking, heart-warming and everything in between. Family, hope and love are all interwoven into this story which draws you in and refuses to let you go until the last page. Hailey, Chase and AJ are realistically written characters that I felt could walk right off the page and I will be excited to meet them again in future books in this series.

I highly recommend this cowboy contemporary romance and I am looking forward to reading all of the books in the Redemption Ranch series!

***

About the author:

Ever since Megan Ryder discovered Jude Deveraux and Judith McNaught while sneaking around the “forbidden” romance section of the library one day after school, she has been voraciously devouring romance novels of all types. Now a romance author in her own right, Megan pens sexy contemporary novels all about family and hot lovin’ with the boy next door. She lives in Connecticut, spending her days as a technical writer and her spare time divided between her addiction to knitting and reading.

Social Media links:

Website:  https://www.meganryder.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MeganRyder1

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MeganRyderAuthor/Newsletter:  https://www.meganryder.com/subscribe.html

Feature Post and Book Review: Say It Again by Catherine Bybee

Hi, everyone!

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.

Social Media Links

Website: www.catherinebybee.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCatherineBybee

Twitter: https://twitter.com/catherinebybee

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2905789.Catherine_Bybee

***

Rafflecopter Giveaway

Direct Link

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/07c2363f246

Embed Code <a class=”rcptr” href=”http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/07c2363f246/” rel=”nofollow” data-raflid=”07c2363f246″ data-theme=”classic” data-template=”” id=”rcwidget_gkfy0fz7″>a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src=”https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js“></script>