Destined Prize by Bailey Bradford

February 17, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Destined Prize by Bailey Bradford
Publisher: Pride Publishing, Totally Entwined
Genre: Paranormal, Erotic Romance, LGBTQ, Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Sam’s imagination was never this wild.

Coywolf shifter Emil Akers is still trying to find his own place in their world, with his dominant tendencies making him butt heads with his big brother and alpha, Casey. After trying to strike out on his own, Emil’s back, farming his own ranch, the Lone Pine, and taking care of his sexual needs with one-nighters, usually far from the small town his pack lives in.

Sensing a story in the accounts of unearthly wild creatures in a small Wyoming town, aspiring reporter Sam Brannigan comes to Britton to research, not have a one-night stand. But after a few drinks and a dark promise from tall, dark and buff in cowboy boots, he happily submits. Submits totally, in fact.

The problem is that the one-nighter proves the two of them are destined mates. Another snag is that both Emil and Sam, two men from two very different backgrounds, are keeping secrets—and Emil’s could shatter Sam’s world.

And when someone seems determined to make the existence of shifters known, Emil and Sam are caught in the crossfire. All hell’s breaking loose, and what they both have to do to ensure the other survives could make their relationship one of the casualties.

All his life, people told Sam he was too imaginative. But he could never have imagined anything this wild…

A one night stand leading to forever? It just might happen.

I love the books of Bailey Bradford. As soon as I saw this one, I had to read it and I’m glad I did. The plot moves along swiftly, it’s hot and ticks all the right boxes. The writing is good, and I couldn’t get enough.

I liked Emil and Sam. They’re good together. I liked their dynamic, too. I love a good, destined mates story and this one fit the bill. Stories like this prove true love can happen and fast, if the conditions are right.

The mystery was good, and I liked how I wasn’t able to figure it right out. That’s always a plus for me. Now add in the steam and it’s a winner.

If you’re looking for something hot for a chilly night, then this might be the one for you.

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

Syndicate Rising by Amy Craig

February 16, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Syndicate Rising by Amy Craig
Publisher: Totally Entwined
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

A one-night stand turns serious…

Nina’s neighbor sets her up on a blind date with a handsome insurance salesman. After a candlelit dinner, Nina hooks up with him in a posh New York hotel room, but she writes off the date as a one-night stand. Returning home, she discovers her neighbor’s death, her dog’s abduction and the salesman’s possible involvement.

Traipsing across the city with her date in tow, she realizes he’s a quarrelsome billionaire and that her dog may never return. Grieving her losses, she accompanies her date to a ‘billionaire summer camp’ in Sun Valley, Idaho, but the idyllic setting revolves around his whims—and the person who took her dog follows them.

Suspenseful and intense.

It seems I’ve found the motherlode of suspense and intense stories of late. This one is no different. It’s steamy, but there’s a good mystery and fascinating characters. The writing plugs along well and kept me interested throughout. I needed to know what would happen next.

Nina goes on a blind date and ends up with Alessio. It’s not what either expects and that’s what I liked about it. It was not the normal blind date trope. The mystery is compelling. I wanted to know more. This is a fast paced story, too. I didn’t mind the pacing, but it did cause me to go back and reread a few times to be sure I caught everything.

It’s a hot story and I would’ve liked to have known what happened after the story, but that’s a testament to the author’s ability to make me care about the characters. I wanted more and it’s a good thing.

If you’re looking for a story with heat, heart and a mystery, then this might be the book for you.

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

Five Fortunes by Barbara Venkataraman

February 16, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Five Fortunes by Barbara Venkataraman
Publisher: Next Chapter
Genre: Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), Romance, LGBTQ, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

When five fourteen-year-old girls get their fortunes from an arcade machine just for kicks, it turns their world upside-down and their close-knit group of friends starts to fall apart.

Misunderstandings abound as allegiances shift and outsiders start to come between them. The fortunes seem to be self-fulfilling prophecies – whether the girls believe in them or not.

Do our beliefs color our perception of the world? Do we ever see ourselves the way others see us, and why is change so hard?

Budding romance, angry bees, teenage fashion influencers, and parents who just don’t get it make Barbara Venkataraman’s ‘Five Fortunes’ a fun story you won’t soon forget.

Fourteen is such a confusing age.

This was exactly the emotional rollercoaster I was hoping it would be! Not only are young teenagers dealing with the many changes that puberty brings, they’re also learning how to have friendships that are closer to the mature and complex relationships adults have than the ones little kids tend to have. It takes a lot of trial and error to make this transition, and the author captured that perfectly. I nodded along as the characters worked on their emotional regulation and figured out how to have more nuanced reactions to friends who disappointed or angered them.

I loved this story and all five of the main characters. My only criticism of them is how little time each character had to shine. This would have been a five-star read for me if it had either focused on only one character or been expanded into a full-length novel that could devote more time to developing all five protagonists and diving more deeply into their personalities, interests, and character development. There were delightful references to all of these things in this novella, but they didn’t have the space to show the audience enough of themselves for me to feel comfortable giving a higher rating even though I yearned to.

One of the other things I thought Ms. Venkataraman captured beautifully is how contradictory the expectations of teachers and parents can be of girls this age. Some of the characters were expected to look after their siblings or take on other adult responsibilities without also being given the freedom that generally comes with all of that extra work for the average adult. I remember feeling frustrated by that sometimes when I was their age, so it was nice to see it acknowledged and explored here. The author had some sensible things to say about the balance between responsibility and autonomy that I think some parents and teachers should take note of just as much and maybe even a little more than young teens should.

Five Fortunes was heartwarming.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Bad to Worse by Gin Vane

February 15, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Bad to Worse by Gin Vane
Publisher: Pride Publishing, Totally Entwined
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, LGBTQ, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Both detectives know that there’s different kinds of dangerous—the obvious threat you clock on approach, and the one you never see comin’…

Colt Harkan’s not much of laughing man, or he might more appreciate the biggest joke of his life. Fresh from his time undercover, that first day at Mason PD finds him partnered with Everett Kane—a man determined to stumble through life and still come up the golden boy.

Makes it all look so easy, talking to people with his sun-bright smile. Everett just…cares. It’s like the man can’t help it.

But even in Mason, Colt sees darkness at the fringes, and catching that State Rodeo case starts two unexpected obsessions: proving Patrick Combs was a murder, and screwing around with Ev in the backseat of their car. Seems to work out fine for them both, when Ev isn’t busy with his women or his wife.

One of these days, Everett’s gonna find the rock bottom he’s digging for, and Colt can’t help but push him along. Because the bosses won’t admit it, but Combs was a murder, and that bigshot Richard Edwards knows something for sure.

Ev would say it makes him a pessimist, but Colt just has that feeling, an ice-sharp truth learned in days spent dodging death. Gettin’ honest words from Edwards and Everett both might be what kills Colt yet.

Intense and full of suspense.

I wasn’t sure what to think when I picked up this book. I liked the cover and was intrigued by the blurb, so I dove in. It’s an original story and complicated, which is good. I like mysteries where I can’t figure them out right away and am taken away on the ride of the story. This was one of those books.

I have to admit the flashbacks and switches in time period confused me at first. I got a bit thrown off by trying to keep up what was happening. I understand what the author was trying to do–give away information in pieces, rather than a dump–and it worked. I’d suggest reading this story twice, though, to make this all make sense.

Colt and Everett are interesting characters. They’re complicated, warped and unconventional. Colt’s been undercover for too long and he’s tired. He’s also a brilliant detective. I liked how he had that sixth sense with the scene and could tell things others couldn’t see. That was good. Everett was a bit more of a mystery to me and I have to admit I wasn’t his biggest fan. He’s working through stuff, sure, but there was something about him that I just didn’t like. He’s cheating on his wife and mistresses with Colt, so if that’s something that is a trigger, maybe steer away. If that’s not a bother, then keep reading. For me, it was a bit of a bother.

Still, I liked the gritty crime drama feel of the story. If you’re looking for something original, fresh and gritty, then this might be the book for you. I suggest checking it out.

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

Dead And Buried by John Carson

February 15, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Dead And Buried by John Carson
Publisher: Vellum
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Fern

Sometimes, the past is better left behind…

Detective Chief Inspector Harry McNeil had found himself back in CID after a leave of absence saw his team disbanded. Now he’s been temporarily assigned to an existing Major Investigation team, working alongside his old friend, Detective Inspector Frank Miller, after Miller’s DCI dies suddenly.

A body is found in the city centre, torn to pieces. It’s reminiscent of a cold case from years ago and the victim is quickly identified, bringing the old murder enquiry back front and centre.

There’s new management in the Edinburgh police division, and old friends have been replaced by new enemies. Not everybody wants to see Harry McNeil succeed.

But that’s not going to stop him and Frank Miller from tackling the cold case head on, with help from a couple of Glasgow detectives.

But nothing is what it seems. Starting with the death of Miller’s DCI.

Harry and the team find out that some cold cases were meant to be left alone, and that sometimes the past should be left dead and buried…

It’s been months since DCI Harry McNeil lost his wife Alex, and while he’s recovered from some time away to get over the initial shock, things haven’t settled down too much just yet. His old team has been disbanded and Harry has been temporarily assigned to an existing Major Investigations team. When one of DI Frank Miller’s CIs dies unexpectedly Frank and Harry find themselves working together to solve a new case. But they find that some old friends have been replaced by new enemies and not everyone wants to see Harry – or Frank – succeed in finding justice.

I was pleased to find this book was quite a bit longer than a number of others in this series. With the cast of well-known secondary characters growing and the world of both Harry and Frank growing larger I was glad to see the length of the story has equally grown in size. I felt quite a bit of sympathy for Harry – he’s had a pretty rough time of it in the last few months and with his team disbanded – and the loss of the emotional and working comforts that provided – added to the loss of his wife and previous professional partner there’s been some major upheavals for Harry and getting his new rhythm hasn’t been easy. In some respects, this has to have added to Harry’s burden, but I found it also cleared the slate a lot for readers who might not have read all (or many) of the previous books. Harry is starting out with a bunch of new colleagues and the crimes and criminals are all quite new – so much of the backstory and weight of the previous books in the series isn’t there and won’t be a deterrent to readers new to the series.

That said there are still plenty of friendly faces and characters the readers should know and there’s plenty of support for Harry as well. I found these new cases were well plotted and interesting enough to keep me eagerly turning the pages trying to solve what was going on before Harry and his team could. Readers who enjoy a lot of banter and wit along with their Scottish Police procedural style of crime novels should definitely find this an enjoyable and well-paced story.

A solid book with plenty of twists and turns and a stack of interesting characters (both good and bad) this is a fun and enjoyable Scottish police procedural style of mystery/suspense story and well worth a read. Recommended.

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

Paper Cut: A Love Taboo by LNora

February 14, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Paper Cut: A Love Taboo by LNora
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

English literature teacher and erotica writer Mark Jones grows up not knowing much about his family. This curiosity has left him with a void and desire to know love and his history in a profound way. Fate steps in one day when Mark meets Miranda Parker who he falls for but soon discovers she beholds a dark secret. Through an odd twist of fate, Mark discovers from one of his students’ papers some disturbing news about who Miranda is and the life she leads. Will fate be enough to keep the couple together once the shocking discovery is revealed?

Complicated, sexy and not what I expected.

I picked this book up because it looked different, and it was. I’m glad. I wanted something refreshing and this was certainly a change of pace. The writing is good and the story compelling.

First, some quibbles. This story is good, but it could’ve used a tiny bit more editing to make it great. That’s not to say I wasn’t entertained. I was. It just needed a little more of a finishing touch to make it shine.

Now on to the characters. Miranda and Mark are complicated and that’s what I liked about them. They’re not the usual he loves her, she loves him, get them together cookie cutter characters. They have real feelings and it’s a tangled mess. I liked that. It’s relatable. I have to say that if one reading this isn’t so much for reading a story with cheating, then this might be a trigger and something to avoid. If that’s not a problem for the reader, then by all means, keep reading. It’s a good story.

Mark has his issues and he’s trying his best to cope. The relationship between him and Miranda is even more complicated, and that twist was great. Miranda has her own issues and who doesn’t? She’s struggling because she’s in a marriage where she’s not feeling loved and finds something with Mark. I liked the twists and turns for the couple and couldn’t wait to see what would happen next.

If you’re looking for something that’s a little different and a whole lot intense, then this might be the book for you.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Trusting Tennyson by KD Ellis

February 13, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Trusting Tennyson by KD Ellis
Out in Austin, Book 3
Publisher: Pride Publishing/Totally Entwined
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Contemporary, Erotic Romance, LGBTQ
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Book three in the Out in Austin series

Tennyson thought this would be just another undercover assignment. Catching feelings for two traumatized men wasn’t part of the plan.

When FBI Agent Liam Tennyson was embedded in the La Familia cartel, he didn’t expect to meet not one but two young men whose terrified eyes haunt his dreams—and stir up feelings he thought long buried.

Asher Downs left his homophobic family behind the day he earned his high school diploma. With little more than a bus ticket to his name, he moves to Austin to meet his online boyfriend, Devon. Unfortunately for Asher, life doesn’t always go according to plan.

Misha might have been born as Dimitri, but now he answers to whatever name Master gives him. Snaring another innocent young man into this life is the last thing Misha desires. But Master gets what Master wants—and Master wants a matching set of toys to play with.

When a mole in the justice department compromises Tennyson’s identity—and jeopardizes his plan to rescue Misha and Asher—Tennyson is left with no choice but to go on the lamb. Can the two traumatized boys learn to trust him to keep them safe?

One word for this story…Intense.

I love a good story by KD Ellis and this was certainly one of them. The story plugged along well and kept me in my seat needing to know what would happen next. I got emotionally involved with the three men and wanted to see them have a happy ending. Who wouldn’t?

This story has quite a few triggers in it. Misha and Asher have been through the wringer with their master. He’s a true piece of work. He’s hard on the boys and restrictive. He isn’t with them for love and rather for their use. It’s not good and if that makes one squeamish, then this might be a reason to pass. It’s a good story and worth the read, don’t get me wrong, but if these triggers (abuse, restriction, multiple partners, lack of concern for the sub’s safety) are things that bother one, then maybe pass.

Liam is a strong man. I liked how he took the situation in hand and figured out a way to save the boys. The healing didn’t take place over night and I’m glad the author showed this. I felt their feelings and liked the progression.

If you’re interested in a story with a thruple, with lots of emotion, turmoil and want something compelling, then this might be the book for you.

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

So Much Snow by Kristen Schroeder

February 8, 2023 By Leave a Comment


So Much Snow by Kristen Schroeder
Publisher: Random House Studio
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

A beautifully illustrated, rollicking read-aloud about forest animals who are caught—literally up to their ears and antlers—in a snowstorm.

On Monday, it starts to snow.
Silent swirling.
How high will it go?

Follow seven forest creatures, from a tiny mouse to a giant moose, as they hunker down in a snowstorm. As the week progresses, the snow piles up and up–even past Moose’s antlers!

On Sunday, the sun starts to melt the snow, and it seems that, as the next week passes and it grows sunnier, spring has finally sprung. But wait…is that more snow?! This cumulative picture book is at once beautiful and lyrical and playful and joyful, with charming illustrations by a highly acclaimed illustrator.

Anything can change in an instant on a winter’s day.

The repetition was well done. I found it soothing to repeat the same themes and even some of the same words in multiple scenes. It was almost like listening to a lullaby about characters who might temporarily be in a little danger but who you somehow just know will live happily ever by the end. I’ll leave it up to other readers to figure out if that prediction of mine was correct!

I would have liked to see more attention paid to developing the storyline. The basic outline of it was there, but Ms. Schroeder could have done so much more with her ideas about what wild animals think of snowstorms and how they survive in them. I would have happily given this a higher rating if those questions had been better answered.

With that being said, I enjoyed the gentleness of this story. The characters were playful creatures who adored the first day or two of the storm. Seeing them invent new games to play as more snow kept falling made me wonder what they’d come up with next. It was a delight to watch them explore their winter wonderland and figure out how to deal with more snow than they were expecting.

So Much Snow was a peaceful look at late winter in the woods.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , ,

Down Among The Dead by Damien Boyd

February 6, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Down Among The Dead by Damien Boyd
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Somerset’s bloody past meets a dangerous present in this thriller from the bestselling DI Nick Dixon crime series.

When a badly decomposed body is discovered during an archaeological dig on the Sedgemoor battlefield, Avon and Somerset police are notified immediately. The remains are recent, and Detective Chief Inspector Peter Lewis knows exactly who they have found.

A single stab wound from a curved blade implicates convicted serial killer Daniel Parker, who Lewis arrested fifteen years ago.

With Parker’s appeal hearing imminent, Lewis comes under intense pressure to pin this new murder on him quickly and quietly. It’s an open and shut case—and Lewis should know—so why then does he insist on assigning it to DI Nick Dixon?

As Dixon starts to re-examine the original investigation, shocking revelations come in from the forensics team. And just as Dixon’s worst fears begin to surface, another body is found…

Fifteen years ago, DCI Lewis was just an underling who happened to be in the right place at the right time for a major arrest – that of a notorious serial killer. Only, in his gut, Lewis never felt the conviction was right and he hasn’t enjoyed an easy sleep since what he felt might be the wrong man was imprisoned. Now, as a new body is discovered on the very cusp of this prisoner having his appeal heard, there is only one man Lewis can trust to do the investigation right and not bow to any pressure – no matter how high up it comes from.

This is an interesting and enjoyable British police procedural murder mystery. There is a tiny bit of archeology and historical re-enactment that I thoroughly enjoyed, and I thought added well to the plot. I also was glad the author did an excellent job of laying out the groundwork for a few moving parts of the plot including both the victims and police working both in the past and present. I felt this was a well plotted story and it absolutely kept my attention right from the beginning.

I was also pretty relieved that a number of the more regular members of DI Nick Dixon’s team were back in play. The last few books Dixon has been working with a few other divisions and officers and while his regular team has always remained in the background, I was pleased to see the team come back together and I greatly enjoyed the familiarity and smooth way they all meshed back together and worked as a team. I strongly feel this added to the appeal I had for this story. I also was pleased Dixon’s fiancé – and her half-sister – added to the storyline. I was pleased the author seemed to be returning Dixon back to his roots a bit more.

Readers looking for a heavily action base plot or something really fast paced won’t find that here. I definitely felt the investigation moved at a decent clip, but this was solidly a police procedural and smaller town type of murder mystery – no massive car chases or helicopters or movie style of shenanigans here. This was a well written and very well plotted British police mystery and exactly what I was hoping for.

A good story in a great series I definitely enjoy.

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

Angie and Me by Sam Telpin

February 6, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Angie and Me by Sam Telpin
Publisher: Shalchufa Books
Genre: Middle Grade (8 – 12 y.o.), Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Sam loves his home and social life but hates his new teacher, Ms Brown. She enjoys humiliating Sam and his friends (or, at least, he believes she does). After a classroom incident, Sam’s best friend, Angie, decides to take matters into her own hands. Angie knows it won’t be easy for her to get Ms Brown fired, but, whatever it takes, she’s determined to make it happen. Even if it means lying to adults, deceiving parents, bullying friends and stealing money from a charity. Sam has to reconcile his desire for Ms Brown’s downfall with his conscience as Angie hatches, reveals and executes her ruthless plan.

Justice can only be delayed for so long.

Even one year with an awful teacher can seriously damage a student’s self-esteem, grades, and interest in learning. I loved the way this book showed how all of these things can happen and why it’s so important to recruit kind and emotionally stable teachers who love spending time with kids and teaching them. Readers had plenty of opportunities to discover why Sam and his classmates disliked their teacher and why she should have never been hired to work in a school.

I found myself wishing for more descriptions in this book. For example, it was hard to imagine what the characters looked like because of how little time was spent on that topic. The settings were given more attention, but even some of them were difficult for me to picture in my mind as well. I would have happily gone with a higher rating if this hadn’t been the case as the storyline itself was humorous and memorable.

While I totally understood Sam’s anger about how terribly his teacher was treating him, I also found it interesting to see how his behavior affected someone whose patience for the typical antics of kids his age was already paper thin. His mischievousness could be disruptive in class, and he didn’t always listen the first time he was told to do something. This is in no way a defense of the horrible way Sam was treated, but it did show off memorable portions of both his personality and his teacher’s personality in ways that I don’t think either of them were necessarily aware of. It’s cool to discover stuff like that in stories, and it made me curious to check out more of the author’s work.

Angie and Me made this reader smile.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , ,
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