Tag: #trilogy

Feature Post and Book Reviews: Brothers in Blue Trilogy by Jeanne St. James

Hi, everyone!

Today I am giving everyone another look at the Brothers In Blue Trilogy by Jeanne St. James. I previously reviewed all of these books separately as they were released.

Below you will find my book reviews for Max, Marc and Matt and author info. Enjoy and give these books a read and/or listen on audiobook if you missed them the first time around. You will not be disappointed.

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RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

BROTHERS IN BLUE: MAX (Brothers in Blue #1) by Jeanne St. James is a HOT contemporary romance read that introduces the reader to a rich, immature party girl that has her whole life turned upside down and a small town cop, who is an ex-Marine and all Alpha.

Amanda Barber is a young, rich girl partying all over Miami with her friends and no responsibilities. Suddenly, she has to move to small town PA to live in her dead father and stepmother’s home to care for her 22 year old special needs half-brother and his dog. She has never met Greg and Chaos due the messy divorce of her parents and has no idea how to deal with him or his needs.

I did not like Amanda at first, but as the story progresses and you see how she is trying to learn to help Greg and stand on her own two feet for a change, she pulled me to her side. You learn her backstory slowly, and like me, the small town folk did not care for Amanda at first either. She makes mistakes, but you also watch her mature quickly. She wants to go back to her old life at first, but things conspire to make her want to stay more and more as the story progresses.

Max Bryson is a third generation police officer in his hometown and the oldest of three Bryson boys. When he first runs into Amanda, he has trouble believing such an immature girl has been assigned the care of Greg, but even as her attitude chafes, he finds her extremely hot. The back and forth between these two was extremely well written. You can see in each encounter the strength in Amanda continues to grow as she stands up to him and takes control her own life and Greg’s. How much Max’s attitude changes towards Amanda is also realistically written. The emotional growth of both Amanda and Max is what makes this an engaging romance.

It was great getting to know all the secondary characters in this story, also. Max’s loving and stable parents and his teasing younger brothers. Not so nice, but necessary to understand Amanda were her mother and ex-boyfriend from Miami. I am looking forward to reading Marc’s story next.

Please Note: Although this is a small town love story it does contain many explicit sex scenes throughout the story. They are well written, integrated into the story and very, very hot!

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RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

Another HOT book about a Bryson brother from Manning Grove!

BROTHERS IN BLUE: MARC (Brothers in Blue #2) by Jeanne St. James has the second Bryson brother having to train the new police recruit who just happens to be female. For an alpha male like Marc, who also happens to still believe there should not be any female officers, being made her FTO (field training officer) by his brother the chief seems like a sick joke.

Leah Grant is determined to be a police officer just like her deceased father. She has fought all the stereotypes and risen to the top of her training class to have no one, but Max offer her a job. Manning Grove is very small town to her old home of Philly, but she is determined to make it, even with the chauvinist beliefs of her FTO.

As Marc and Leah train and ride together, their chemistry starts to override their common sense. They try to keep their work life separate from their increasing attraction, but Marc wants her in his bed as much as Leah wants to prove she is as capable as any male officer. The taboo of trainer and trainee does not stop these two, but they do keep it out of work hours.

These two have explosive chemistry in bed and are so perfect for each other. There are explicit sex scenes that are well written and have a surprising appearance of nipple rings and other sex toys. I also loved that Leah stayed at Marc’s parents’ house when she moved to town so that we continue to be involved with the whole family from Max’s story in Book #1. This romance can be read as a standalone because of its own HEA, but the family ties and small town life carry over.

I love that Ms. St. James has made each of these books in this series unique so far. I appreciate that they are not both the same premise with new names inserted. I am looking forward to what happens with the last Bryson boy, if he ever comes home!

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RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

What a great addition and emotionally charged finale to the Bryson brother trilogy of books!

BROTHERS IN BLUE: MATT (Brothers In Blue #3) by Jeanne St. James has the youngest Bryson finally returning home after several deployments overseas to a job and extended family that he is finding very difficult to deal with due to PTSD.

Matt Bryson believes his mind is broken. He is not ready to accept help except what is forced on him by his brother to keep his job as a police office in their small town. He has buried his emotions and is barely making it day to day.

Dr. Carly Stephens is Amanda’s obstetrician at the local hospital. She is tall, calm and extremely professional working hard to help her elderly parents and save money to adopt a baby of her own one day that she cannot have herself. When Matt ends up being the brother to rush Amanda to the hospital to deliver, he is attracted to Carly’s calm and leadership. Carly is attracted to the hot police office.

They start out as landlord and tenant, but soon agree to a sexual, no commitment relationship. They are just too different and want different things out of life. Matt with his OCD and PTSD believes he will never be able to love and he never wants children. Carly is too busy earning and saving money for her future home and adoption and just wants the hot sex. But can they truly keep to this arrangement? Hot, steamy sex is great, but soon emotions become entangled and they will have to find a way to compromise or break.

Matt had me all tied up in knots emotionally. There are many forms and degrees of PTSD and I feel Ms. St. James handled Matt’s character responses in a realistic way. I especially agree with the way that Matt had to handle a lot of his decisions on his own and in his own time. Carly was an equally strong character because even though she is a doctor, she knows she can’t heal Matt, she can only love and help him. The plot was a delicate back and forth written with empathy and compassion.

It was great reading about all the characters from the previous two books, also. I am going to miss these brothers, the loves they found and the entire extended family. This is an excellent contemporary romance series with plenty of hot and steamy sex scenes. They can all be read as standalones, but is much more fun to read them all in order and get three HEAs.

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Author Info

JEANNE ST. JAMES is a USA Today bestselling romance author who loves an alpha male (or two). She was only thirteen when she started writing. Her first paid published piece was an erotic story in Playgirl magazine. Her first erotic romance novel, Banged Up, was published in 2009.

She is happily owned by farting French bulldogs. She writes M/F, M/M, and M/M/F ménages. Want to read a sample of her work? Download a sampler book here: BookHip.com/MTQQKK

To keep up with her busy release schedule check her website at www.jeannestjames.com or sign up for her newsletter: http://www.jeannestjames.com/newslett…

Book Review: Chance by Carolyn M. Bowen

My Book Review

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

CHANCE (Sydney Jones Series Book 2) by Carolyn M. Bowen is a new fast-paced thriller. This is the second book in the trilogy, but it is easily read as a standalone.

Sydney Jones is a powerful, independent and tough attorney, who heads her own law firm in Atlanta. She will take any case she believes in and up until this latest case her bodyguard boyfriend, Walker would be right by her side on the job and at home. Walker has been framed for a murder so the CIA can get him back on their payroll. He abruptly leaves the love of his life and can have no communication with her.

As Sydney moves on, she accepts the case of a woman accused of murdering her lover, who was the head of the Chinese Black Societies in Atlanta. Sydney’s life is increasingly at risk as she digs deeper into the case. While at the same time, Walker is in Cuba facing life-and-death situations of his own.

Sydney and Walker are on separate dangerous paths. Will either or both survive for any future together?

This is a fast-paced read that will keep you turning the pages. I love Sydney and her strength, no nonsense, take charge character traits. Walker is a great match for her. I did find it a little difficult to get into this author’s writing style. It is very bare-bones and action-oriented with very little in-depth description or dialogue, but the tension and urgency kept me turning the pages. I was pulled into the plot and just had to keep reading until “The End”.

I am looking forward to reading the next book.

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Author Bio and Social Media Links

CAROLYN BOWEN is a mystery author who calls on her life escapades and an adventurous, imaginative spirit to inspire and entertain. Bowen uses travel as a muse to explore cultures and dialogue to bring her stories to life. Her writing credits include: Cross-Ties, a romantic adventure; The Long Road Home, a contemporary crime fiction mystery; The Sydney Jones Series Mystery Thrillers; Book 1: Primed For Revenge, and Book 2: Chance – A Novel.

Link – Amazon Exclusively – http://bit.ly/CBChance

Amazon Author Page: http://bit.ly/CBNovels

Carolyn M. Bowen – Website – http://bit.ly/CMBNovels

Twitter Handle: @cmbowenauthor

Book Review: Murder Unexpected by Anita Waller

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

MURDER UNEXPECTED (Kat and Mouse Mysteries #2) by Anita Waller is the second contemporary cozy mystery in this intriguing and entertaining trilogy. Each book has a unique mystery to be solved, but these books are best read in order due to the continuation of the main characters’ interactions and development.

This story picks up just a few months after the end of the first book, which has Kat, Mouse and Doris all waiting anxiously for the birth of Kat’s baby while being wary as Kat’s husband is still a fugitive. The three are being careful and vigilant as they work to grow their detective agency, Connection in the village of Eyam.

When a widow gives the ladies a case to identify the birth mother of her deceased husband something just does not feel right. Judith is not telling the whole truth. While others knew of her husband’s wish to find his birth mother before his cancer diagnosis, no one believes Judith is doing this out of love. When the ladies go to return her retainer and get out of the case, they find Judith murdered.

This murder leads to many twists and turns, with the ladies sharing information with DI Tessa Marsden and Hannah once again.

This second book in the trilogy was even more intense and emotionally riveting than the first. Kat’s continued personal upheaval with her husband, Leon ended with a surprise that was realistic, but I did not expect the author to go there. The murder mystery plot in this book also was not what I was expecting. It had so many twists and turns that drained me emotionally and yet were completely satisfying by its resolution. Ms. Waller has some very clever ideas when it comes to murder.

I love Kat, Mouse (Beth) and Doris. These are strong female characters you feel you want to meet in real life. DI Marsden and Hannah are also intelligent law enforcement characters. Wonderful writing brings these characters to life and the resolutions are clever and thought provoking.

I can highly recommend this book and am anxiously awaiting book #3 of the trilogy!

Thanks very much to Bloodhound Books and Net Galley for allowing me to read this eARC.

Book Review: Murder Undeniable by Anita Waller

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

MURDER UNDENIABLE (Kat and Mouse Mysteries #1) by Anita Waller is the first book in a contemporary cozy mystery trilogy. This author has written three main characters that are as intelligent and realistic as they are entertaining. The start was a little slow, but it was setting up a crime in the past witnessed by a group of friends which ties into the current murders. The suspense and mystery builds after this scene though at a rapid pace.

Katerina Rowe is a Deacon at her church in the village of Eyam. She is happily married and very satisfied with her life. They have just celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary.

As Kat and Leon are exciting into the alley behind his pharmacy, they discover a man shot to death and a woman barely hanging on to life after being shot in the shoulder and kicked in the head. The woman, Beth, called Mouse, by her family was the dead man’s escort for the night. Kat does not understand why, but she is drawn to Mouse and wants to protect her.

At the hospital Kat meets Beth’s nan, Doris and the three woman form a bond. When Beth’s flat is burned down, Kat takes her and her nan in as the peril escalates and more people are murdered. These three will use their skills to dig into the murders and hopefully find the killer before he succeeds in killing Beth.

I love Kat, Beth and Doris. They are unique characters that each have their own talents to bring to the group. I am very glad I will get to revisit them. The setting of the “plague village” of Eyam was interesting to learn about and is perfect for a cozy setting. I was glad that Ms. Waller made the police investigators as intelligent as the cozy sleuths. They were not stupid or inept caricatures. The ending was only a partial surprise, but it was very satisfying.

I am looking forward to reading the remainder of this Kat and Mouse trilogy.

Book Review: Gone in the Night by Anna J. Stewart

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

GONE IN THE NIGHT (Honor Bound #3) by Anna J. Stewart is the 5 STAR conclusion to the Honor Bound trilogy. This entire romantic suspense trilogy is a roller coaster ride that is packed with strong, but emotionally vulnerable heroes to swoon over and heroines that are wounded and yet at the top of their professions and know how to kick butt. Book three is the conclusion to the overall story-line arc that tied this trilogy together. I believe these books should be read in order.

Allie Hollister is a psychologist who is one of three friends who are all still haunted by the unsolved death of their childhood best friend, Chloe. The past seems to have invaded her present with the kidnapping of one of Allie’s patients, Holly Kellan, who is almost a twin to her friend who was killed 20 years earlier. As the friends work the abduction of Holly, it seems to mirror their cold case and the two cases start to converge.

Max Kellan was a firefighter who has moved to Sacramento to help with his niece, Holly as his brother goes through a contentious divorce. When the police, FBI and Allie appear on his brother’s doorstep, Max knows something is terribly wrong, but he also realizes he is not getting the whole truth from the law or Allie.

Max and Allie search for Holly and try to piece everything together from both the current kidnapping and the cold case with all the friends from the previous two books. Allie cannot believe the timing as she finally is starting to be attracted to Max. Max, for all his anger and mistrust of mental health doctors is only calm and focused with Allie around. These two come together in a slow burn that intensifies throughout the book, but will it last?

Allie projects a calm even cold analytical exterior that hides her fear and yet she can physically fight like a SEAL. Max is a ball of anger since what happened to make him leave firefighting. Yet the two of them find a way to get through to each other and the banter is light, fun and sexy, even in their stressful situation. I loved these two together, the friendship of all the women carried throughout all three books and the fast paced plots.

I highly recommend this trilogy! I will be looking for more Anna J. Stewart romantic suspense books in the future.

Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.com.

Book Review: Reunited With the P.I. by Anna J. Stewart

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

I had high praise in my previous review for the first book in Anna J. Stewart’s Honor Bound trilogy “More Than a Lawman” and it continues in book two “REUNITED WITH THE P.I. I got immediately sucked into each story and the lives of all the characters. The overall arc that ties all three books together, the suspense plot of each individual book and the main romance in each book flows seamlessly throughout the entire book in this author’s capable hands.

Reunited with the P.I. is a second chance romantic suspense. I feel the trilogy does need to be read in order even with each book focusing on a different H/h and suspense plot because there is a strong overall plot arc between the three heroines and their pasts that is prevalent in each book.

Simone Armstrong is a driven Assistant District Attorney nicknamed “The Avenging Angel” due to the fact that she does not lose and she always wears all white. She is about to go to trial, when she is notified that the witness that her whole case is built on has disappeared. She no longer knows who she can trust in her office. She knows she has to get outside help from a private investigator and the one she wants has major problems with her. She helped put his brother in prison and he is her ex-husband.

Vince Sutton is an ex-Marine, P.I. and now owns and runs his own sports bar and restaurant The Brass Eagle. The last person he expects to come to him with an appeal for help is his ex-wife. After the problems on his last case, he wants to tell her no, but she makes him a deal he can’t refuse. Even with the three year separation, Vince has never gotten over Simone. As he and Simone get drawn further into her present case and he finds out about the threats from a cold case, he vows to protect her, whether she wants it or not.

Simone is as complex a heroine as Eden was in the first book. Simone is driven to put as many bad guys away as possible to make up for her past guilt that she still carries. She does not let anyone in because she is afraid they will be hurt and she does not know how to handle not being in complete control of any situation. Vince comes from an abusive background and also has to deal with what he saw during the war. These two were so realistically written and the author did a great job of bringing them back together at an authentic pace while keeping the suspense growing and the sexual tension high.

I am really looking forward to reading the finale to this trilogy. Ms. Stewart knows how to write romantic suspense that pulls you in and brings you back for more!