*Last Seen Alone by Laura Griffin

October 5, 2021 By Leave a Comment


*Last Seen Alone by Laura Griffin
Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Romance, Contemporary
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Larkspur

Up-and-coming attorney Leigh Larson fights for victims of sexual extortion, harassment, and online abuse. She is not afraid to go after the sleaziest targets to get payback for her clients. Leigh is laser-focused on her career—to the exclusion of everything else—until a seemingly routine case and a determined cop turn her world upside down.

Austin homicide detective Brandon Reynolds is no stranger to midnight callouts. But when he gets summoned to an abandoned car on a desolate road, he quickly realizes he’s dealing with an unusual crime scene. A pool of blood in the nearby woods suggests a brutal homicide. But where is the victim? The vehicle is registered to twenty-six-year-old Vanessa Adams. Searching the car, all Brandon finds is a smear of blood and a business card for Leigh Larson, attorney-at-law.

Vanessa had hired Leigh just before her disappearance, but Leigh has no leads on who could have wanted her dead. Faced with bewildering evidence and shocking twists, Leigh and Brandon must work against the clock to chase down a ruthless criminal who is out for vengeance.

Last Seen Alone is an intriguing and fast paced story that I found impossible to put down. This gritty story held me spellbound as I was trying to figure out what direction the story would take and it kept me guessing until the very end.

Brandon, a detective, is investigating a case of a missing woman when he meets Leigh, an attorney. At first, Brandon and Leigh try to fight the sizzling chemistry flowing between them. They are working on an important case and don’t have time for relationships. Plus, they don’t trust each other and are hesitant to share information about the case with each other. However, as time goes on and they are constantly thrown together, they find it impossible to resist each other.

I was biting my nails while reading this riveting story trying to figure out who was guilty, right along with Brandon and Leigh. Time is of the essence, but everything is getting in the way of understanding what is really going on.

This compelling story has just the right mixture of suspense and romance. It is an interesting and realistic story with characters that are layered and easy to connect with. It took me on an unexpected journey and I loved every minute of it. I love trying to figure out where the story is going, but this plot was so intricately woven I never knew what to expect. Unexpected, wonderful and well worth reading.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Runaway Heiress by Meg Tilly

July 28, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Runaway Heiress by Meg Tilly
Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Larkspur

A brave woman on the run from her vindictive husband faces a dangerous path in the thrilling new romantic suspense novel from Oscar-nominated actress Meg Tilly.

Sarah Rainsford has been on the run for more than three years. She’s changed identities yet again in hopes of throwing her violent estranged husband, a police lieutenant, off her trail. Since she’s still legally married to him, and he is willing to bend any laws to get his hands on her inheritance, he’ll stop at nothing to locate her.

With a new name and fake ID papers, she lands a job as a personal assistant to none other than Hollywood’s golden boy director Mick Talford. He’s a difficult client but she senses hidden depths to him. Once Mick and Sarah combine forces in a desperate attempt to keep Sarah out of harm’s way, they build a strong bond . . . but with danger trailing them, is it enough to keep them both alive?

I stayed up late reading The Runaway Heiress because I needed to know what would happen next in this suspenseful, love story about Sarah and Mick. Sarah is on the run from her abusive husband, who also happens to be a cop. Sarah is sweet and nice and doesn’t deserve the life she is now forced to live.

Mick is a successful Hollywood director but his childhood has left him vulnerable and distrustful. He wants more in his life, but he isn’t sure what is missing. He unknowingly becomes Sarah’s savior when he hires her as his assistant. Part of Mick doesn’t want Sarah around, but the other part of him is intrigued by her. Nothing about Sarah seems to add up and Mick wants to figure her out.

I loved Mick and Sarah and I thought they were great together. From the moment they meet, there is a tug of war going on between them. Sarah doesn’t put up with Mick’s outbursts and continually puts him in his place and Mick isn’t used to that. Everyone always says and does exactly what Mick tells them to do, but Sarah isn’t intimidated by Mick’s condescending attitude or his success. Mick isn’t sure what it is, but there is something about Sarah that captivates him, from the moment he meets her.

This story was such a nice surprise. I love suspense with romance and this has both, along with great writing. I was on the edge of my seat wondering what Sarah’s ex would do next and to find out if he would catch her. I was also wondering what would happen between Sarah and Mick. I could feel all the chemistry flowing between Mick and Sarah and I loved all their bantering.

This is an intriguing story with captivating storytelling. I had a soft spot for Sarah, she deserves something good in her life and some happiness. Mick is a good guy underneath his gruff exterior. He senses Sarah is in some kind of trouble and he wants to help her.

I liked the intricate plot weaving and the two main characters and I was really getting into the story, until about the last quarter of the book. Then, the story veered off in an unexpected direction. So, although I was a little disappointed towards the end of the story, I still enjoyed reading it and I would definitely recommend it. I haven’t read any of Meg Tilly’s other books and I now want to read them all. If you like to read romantic suspense and stories about Hollywood, you will like this one.

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Rules for a Proper Governess by Jennifer Ashley

April 7, 2015 By 4 Comments

PROPER
Rules for a Proper Governess by Jennifer Ashley
Publisher: The Berkley Publishing Group (Penguin)
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (276 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

To Kiss A Thief…

Scottish barrister Sinclair McBride can face the most sinister criminals in London – but the widower’s two unruly children are a different matter. Little Caitlin and Andrew go through a governess a week, sending the ladies fleeing in tears.

Roberta “Bertie” Frasier enters Sinclair’s life by stealing his watch – and then stealing a kiss. Intrigued by the handsome highlander, Bertie winds up saving his children from a dangerous situation and returns them to their father. Impressed with how they listen to her, Sinclair asks the lively beauty to be their governess, never guessing that the unconventional lady will teach him a lesson or two in love

Reading this novel was like coming home and finding old and new friends waiting for me with amazing tales to tell.
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Sinclair and Bertie were a wonderful couple. I got a kick out of Bertie making the first move, and the second and I adored Sinclair’s response. I liked the hero’s children and their personalities. I laughed at some of Andrew’s exploits and I had great empathy for Caitriona’s shyness and pain. There is a wonderful family dynamic that is explored and expanded upon that made reading Rules for a Proper Governess a rich and rewarding experience.

Bertie was a treat. I think her charm came from her being willing to go for what she wanted, say what needed to be said and how she just loved everyone around her. She gave everyone a chance and each and every person was a gateway to a new adventure for her. It was delightful watching her grow to love Sinclair and his children.

Sinclair was a tough nut to crack. He was suffering the loss of his first wife and he was acting like an automaton. He loved his kids – he just didn’t LIVE anymore – until Bertie stole his watch and set in motion an amazing series of events that led the hero to rediscover passion, laughter and the determination to fight for the woman he eventually came to love. His journey is one of the reasons this book was such a page-turner.

There’s nefarious side of the tale that dogs the hero’s footsteps. He keeps getting letters that are very disturbing and so far, there’s no clue as to whom it could be. During the telling of the tale, I had an Aha! moment that ended up being right. I enjoy figuring out a mystery, but meanwhile, as Sinclair slowly gets closer and closer to confronting the villains, the suspense and not knowing was delightful as it kept me on the edge of my seat. The scuffle and chase was exciting, well written and quite dramatic. In fact all of the action scenes were well written and effective.

Beware of the seduction. Ms. Ashley has written a very detailed, romantic and extremely sensual love scene when Sinclair introduces Bertie to the passion she has hidden inside. It’s so well done and beautiful that I was moved. Of course Bertie, irreverent as she is, laughs, is delighted and simply embraces the joy and heightened passions as she falls in love for the first time. Bertie’s character makes me smile.

There are quite a few characters that pop in from books past but for me, any time Ian Mackenzie is on scene, I melt. I adore his cryptic comments because anyone who’s read The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie will understand why his saying anything is momentous and special. Ms. Ashley has kept his character true whenever he pops in during any of the novels in this series. His story will always have a special place in my heart so his briefly being in Rules for a Proper Governess was a major treat. True, this book can standalone just fine, but that feeling of family and continuity comes from having read the previous books.

Rules for a Proper Governess is another gem and a must read from the talented Ms. Ashley. I loved it, I enjoyed myself and I heartily recommend it to any romance reader who loves a story about a man who finds love after believing he’d never love again. It’s got it all: adventure, drama, suspense, love, laughter and characters that touch the heart. It’s a keeper.

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