Wild Cowboy by Gemma Snow

November 28, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Wild Cowboy by Gemma Snow
The Sinclair Seven
Publisher: Totally Bound
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Action/Adventure, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Submitting to this wild cowboy is one hell of an adventure…

Environmental journalist Reece Prescott never expected to see the mysterious woman from the Turkish marketplace again, so to meet Morgan Tempest in the middle of a summer storm at the top of the Blackleaf Mountains knocks him sideways.

Their instant connection blows him away… and makes him want to return to The Ranch, the secret club he owns with six of his friends. It’ s the closest thing he has to home and the place he always finds himself avoiding when the anniversary of the worst day of his life rolls around. For Morgan Tempest, though, he might just be able to handle it.

Morgan has spent the last year reclaiming her independence and rebuilding her business. She’s in control and saying yes to life now. That includes the wild cowboy she meets in the mountains… and The Ranch, a place where everything she thought she knew about her boundaries—and desires—is challenged.

But before Reece and Morgan can explore everything the other has to offer, the real world comes crashing in, bringing with it climate disasters, armed mercenaries, corrupt politicians and their own troublesome pasts.

If they can survive all that, then maybe, just maybe, they’ll be ready for that next great adventure— falling in love.

Hot and satisfying.

I love a good Gemma Snow book and this one delivered. The writing flowed well and had me on the edge of my seat for the duration. I couldn’t get enough and will certainly look for more in this series. I felt like I was right there at the ranch with these characters. Holy smokes and the chemistry was off the charts.

Morgan and Reece are great together. I loved the instant chemistry and the willingness between them to explore what they needed. I love that this story is set in somewhere not a city club and wholly there for exploration. The real world aspects of the story are plausible and I needed to know what would happen next. I’m glad I did. This story scorched the page and I loved it.

If you’re looking for a solid story, hot characters and plenty of sizzle, then this is the one for you.

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

THE COLLECTION OF THOUGHTS by Shutao Liao

November 28, 2022 By Leave a Comment



THE COLLECTION OF THOUGHTS by Shutao Liao
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Poetry
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

The poet found himself retreating to his own lodge as an observer after long tedious travel, writing down everything across his mind, to reveal a splendor of romantic emotions as well as a profound sense of beauty throughout the words between the lines.

An intimate journey to the kingdom of self salvation.

How does one live a good life? One answer to that question is buried in this book.

Many of these poems explored the differences between outward appearances and what is actually happening in someone’s heart and mind. For example, one poem warned readers not to be distracted by physical beauty because that is no guarantee that a person’s soul is also beautiful. I enjoyed taking note of the various approaches to this topic that were used and how each one illuminated things from another angle. This subject has been covered in poetry many times before, of course, but I thought the author did a good job of explaining why he thought it was crucial to separate what someone looks like from who they are on the inside.

My only piece of constructive criticism for these poems has to do with who the speakers were of them were supposed to be. Some poems had such similar voices that I was almost certain they were written from the perspective of the same character. On the other hand, there were other entries that were so wildly different in their tone and use of language that I couldn’t imagine they were from the same speaker. I’ve enjoyed collections that were written from many different voices as well as ones that were created to sound like the same person or small group of people were talking to the audience throughout them. If I’d known which way I should interpret this book, I would have happily gone with a higher rating.

One of the things I appreciated the most about this collection was how conversational and important it felt. Even though I’ve never met the author and was a brand new reader of his work, I still felt as though we were sitting in a quiet coffee shop somewhere talking about all sorts of meaningful topics. That is not an easy thing to accomplish by any means, but it’s something I enjoy being surprised by in this genre or any other. There is nothing like getting a friendly peek at someone else’s soul which was exactly what happened here.

THE COLLECTION OF THOUGHTS was a thought-provoking read.

Filed Under: Poetry, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Escorting Daddy’s Billionaire Best Friend by Lacy Rider

November 25, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Escorting Daddy’s Billionaire Best Friend by Lacy Rider
Submitting to Daddy’s Billionaire Best Friend, Book 1
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Just one night, that’s all…

I can’t believe what I’d just agreed to. I’ve always been supportive of Stella being an escort; after all, she can do whatever wants to make money. I just never thought I’d go as far as filling in for her.

But, she’s assured me that I just need to be his arm candy for one night. Nothing more is expected. Then, I’ll get a big payday that I desperately need.

When my cab pulls up outside a hotel owned by my father’s filthy rich best friend, everything changes. What would I do if he caught me here, dressed like this?

Tonight, I’ll be submitting to a forbidden billionaire…

Hot, jarring and dangerous.

I picked this book up on a lark. It looked hot and might be fun for a short read. It was interesting, to say the least.

This is told in first person, and it was nice to get both points of view, but this is entirely too short. I have no idea much of the background of the characters. I barely knew what they looked like. I will say the chemistry between them is good, but it’s so quick. I didn’t form much of an emotional bond with them. I wish I’d have known what made them tick. I get that it’s a short story, so I went along for the ride. I also have to add that I was a bit shocked by how fast things progressed. It’s the high heat kind of story, so there’s that and it delivered. It was scorching. It’s also a cliff-hanger, which could be a turn-off to some readers. It worked for me as I wanted a morsel story, not a full novel.

If you’re looking for something hot and about a half-hour read, then this might be the one for you. I see there are more books in the series, and it would be nice to get to know these characters more, so I’d encourage reading those next. I will be.

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

The Infirmary by LJ Ross

November 24, 2022 By Leave a Comment


The Infirmary by LJ Ross
Publisher: Dark Skies Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

No man is an island…​

In the stifling summer heat of 2014, a killer has been stalking the streets of Newcastle causing city-wide panic. When the officer in charge of the case turns up dead, it falls upon Detective Chief Inspector Ryan to take up the baton and find the person responsible.​

To the close-knit team of police in Northumbria CID, Ryan is still an outsider; aloof and uncompromising. He’s lived a charmed life and has an unbroken track record to match. But, as The Hacker’s death toll rises, Ryan realises this is one adversary he’ll never bring to justice on his own… ​

Murder and mystery are peppered with dark humour in this fast-paced crime thriller, set amidst the iconic North-Eastern landscape.

​
In the summer of 2014, a killer has been stalking the streets in Newcastle. The officer in charge of this growing case is found dead, and DCI Ryan is put in charge. Still fairly new, he hasn’t yet become solid friends with the close-knit group and as the death toll rises, the members of the team realise they need to work together, or all will be lost.

I was a little surprised to find that this, the 11th book in the DCI Ryan series (the spine of the book clearly states it’s book #11) was actually a prequel. I’m very pleased this is quite clearly shown as a prequel on the title/cover page because I’m not convinced that the opening chapter being set in 2014 would have been enough for me to cotton on immediately and I very well might have been confused for a while otherwise. DCI Ryan and his team have been through a number of cases and history together and so I expect a certain level of friendliness, connectedness and the weight of that history between them all. As this is a prequel the tone and rapport between them all – while still present – is definitely different to my mind, and had I not realized before starting that this was going back in time, that could have been very jarring.

I have to admit though, it was interesting to turn back the clock for a bit and see some of those very early relationship building experiences between the team members. In particular I found it wonderful – though admittedly bittersweet – to see Ryan interacting with his sister. A cornerstone of the series as a whole was how life – and career – changing the death of Ryan’s sister was in this exact case. So, seeing the before and after, watching the events actually unfold even knowing exactly where it would end up was lovely – though at times quite emotionally difficult to read.

I believe as long as readers know clearly and up front that this is a prequel – in fact “the” story of the Hacker and Ryan catching the serial killer who ended up killing his sister – this should be an excellent addition to the series for fans. I could understand some readers will find it jarring to mid-way through the series go back before the beginning and find that a bit hard to wrap their heads around – but overall, I think most readers should really enjoy this. I found this to be a well-paced police procedural style of story with a gripping plot and even though readers who have followed this series will know all the main points and know exactly who the bad guy is and how this ends up, I don’t feel that detracts from the book in the slightest. Highly enjoyable.

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

The Tower’s Peculiar Visitor by Lesley-Anne McLeod

November 23, 2022 By Leave a Comment


The Tower’s Peculiar Visitor by Lesley-Anne McLeod
Publisher: Uncial Press
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Romance, Historical
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Jane Gladwyne enjoys her work, and she enjoys her life as a general secretary and governess at Kenning Old Manor. When she is told of the propensity of the ancient Red Tower, part of the ruined Kenning Castle, to allow people of other times to arrive in 1825, she is at first disbelieving. The household at Kenning Old Manor accept this oddity as fact however, and eventually Jane too acknowledges the impossible reality. She is thankful the Red Tower is not her responsibility, but that of Caleb Debray, son of the estate steward.

When a visitor from the future arrives in the Tower however, she is seconded to Debray as his assistant. And the fact of time travel is all too real, as between them, Jane and Caleb attempt to conceal the visitor’s origins, curtail his activities, and cope with his ebullient personality. The task brings them into constant contact and, as they become better acquainted, a warmth grows between them.

When the visitor’s actions endanger the family that owns Kenning Old Manor, Caleb and Jane must protect the household. When the traveler’s suggestions endanger Jane’s peace of mind, she must make difficult decisions. And when the visitor’s presence threatens Caleb’s future happiness, he takes decisive action.

Eventually the explorer decides to travel on, risking his life again through the Tower portal, and Caleb cannot be sorry. But the visitor’s arrival and his presence have changed everything for the inhabitants of Kenning Old Manor. Balance and normality will be difficult to recapture, and happiness could be elusive.

Nothing remains the same forever.

It was intriguing to read a time travel novel from the perspective of characters who must suddenly cope with a visitor who is so uninformed about their culture and way of life. I can’t say I’ve ever read anything like it before, and it made me look at time travel in a new light. What may be exciting to the person travelling to the past can also be puzzling or even sometimes irritating to the individuals who must explain everything and have their routines thrown out of order.

I struggled with the slow pacing, especially later on once the main characters had all been introduced and the visitor from the future began to settle into rural life in 1825. While I wouldn’t expect this storyline to move as quickly as something set in the present day, there were plenty of opportunities for more conflict and adventure here that never came to fruition.

The world building was solid and dependable. Jane lived in a time and place when change happens slowly and, with the exception of the turning of the seasons, one day was generally more or less just like the one that came before it. Ms. McLeod explained the benefits of this sort of society nicely, and I enjoyed the subtle touches she added to explain certain social mores that are no longer culturally relevant for the average reader today. While they weren’t strictly necessary for understanding most scenes, they added a vibrant undercurrent to the plot that made me curious to find out what would happen to these characters next as Zeke accidentally disrupted everything.

The Tower’s Peculiar Visitor was a thoughtful read.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , ,

Death Sentence by Damien Boyd

November 21, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Death Sentence by Damien Boyd
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Fern

The body of an elderly man is found in an abandoned World War Two pillbox beside the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal. With no obvious motive and no credible suspect, DI Nick Dixon starts digging into the victim’s past.

The more he digs, the deeper Dixon is drawn into a case that takes him from the cave systems beneath rural Somerset to the heart of government, and threatens to expose a military cover-up at the highest level.

Blocked by a wall of silence, Dixon must unravel a dangerous conspiracy before the killer strikes again.

When the body of a Veteran is found in a World War Two pillbox DI Nick Dixon at first struggles to find any kind of motive that makes sense. But as he and his team peel back the layers the military cover-up and resounding silence that meets them leads Dixon into very dangerous territory.

I have been enjoying this series and really enjoyed this newest addition. I was very pleased that the author kept a series of strong and believable links between what happened in the past and how it was relevant and still effecting people in the present – I feel this kept the book from dwelling too hard on the history and kept it modern and far more relatable.

I also really appreciated how – tempting though it might have been for the author – the story didn’t have many flashbacks to the past. This also really helped me feel like the story was centered and rooted in the present and I was very happy with this. One slight critique would be that there is a short opening scene at the start of the book set in some underground caves and while I thoroughly enjoyed this scene is it not referenced or linked in any way to the rest of the book until well after the halfway mark of the story. Indeed, around the halfway mark I went back to that opening scene and reread it to make sure I hadn’t missed anything as I could not see at all how it related to the rest of the book. It felt like an incredibly long time to not know how it fit in and I really wonder if it needed to be the opening scene – well written and attention grabbing as it was – or if it would have been better served later on in the story.

That said I really enjoyed this British police procedural style of story. I definitely feel readers can pick it up and enjoy it even though it’s part of a series. While some of the secondary characters feel a little thin – more of a support than a standout character – DI Dixon and the main characters are strongly written, and I found thoroughly enjoyable.

An excellent book. Recommended.

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

A Pirate’s Love by Johanna Lindsey

November 17, 2022 By Leave a Comment


A Pirate’s Love by Johanna Lindsey
Publisher: Harper Collins
Genre: Action/Adventure, Romance, Historical
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Sailing westward toward the Caribbean sun, young Bettina Verlaine obediently sets out to fulfill the promise made by her father–but not by her heart — a prearranged marriage destined not to be…once the notorious Captain Tristan’s pirate ship appears on the horizon.

Abducted by the bold and handsome brigand, the pale-haired beauty surrenders her innocence in the warm caress of the tropical winds — detesting her virile captor for enslaving her. . .yet loving him for the passionate spell he casts over fragile, yearning heart.

He’s hot and he’s demanding…he’s also in charge.

I was given this book as part of a recommended reading list and I can’t say I didn’t enjoy it. The writing flowed well and it’s certainly a throwback romance. I’ve never read a Johanna Lindsey before now, but I’m glad I did. I’m headed to check out more of her work after this one.

Tristan is everything a romance hero should be–he’s in charge, he’s dangerous and he’s demanding. He’s also a hot pirate, so that doesn’t hurt. Bettina is inexperienced, as I expected in a book like this, and he’s about to give her that experience. I liked the pairing because as much as he’s pushing her, she’s giving it right back to him. They play off each other well.

This is a bodice-ripper, though. He pushes to the point where it’s almost not attractive. I wasn’t a fan of him for most of the book, to be honest. He was just too…much for me. Bettina was a bit much, too. She’s a firebrand and she detests him, but she likes being with him. The push-pull got tiresome at times. I also wasn’t fond of the way the word rape was thrown around. I get it was dubious consent. Oh, boy, I got that. For me, it took me out of the story to have that word used so much.

Still, this was hot and there were times of tenderness. It’s a good read and one I’m glad I ticked off my reading list. You should, too.

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

The Sufficient Loss Protocol by Kemi Ashing-Giwa

November 16, 2022 By Leave a Comment


The Sufficient Loss Protocol by Kemi Ashing-Giwa
Publisher: Tor Books
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

When an alien entity sneaks aboard a corporate spaceship, with no motive besides sabotaging the mission and murdering those aboard, commander Uzoma Ifiok launches an investigation—despite knowing that the real danger isn’t the one picking off her crew.

Who cares what happens to those pesky civilians as long as there’s money to be made, right?

Uzoma wasn’t someone I’d ever want to cross paths with, but they sure were an interesting protagonist. I was intrigued by their willingness to do anything for money, up to and including being a contract killer as mentioned in one of the earliest scenes. Their reasons for doing this sort of grisly work are best left up to other readers to figure out for themselves, but I kept trying to figure out where this person’s limits were and what might happen if they were pushed past their comfort zone. This was an excellent example of how to write an arrogant and unlikeable but also incredibly memorable character.

I did find myself wishing for more world building. Yes, there are companies in our world who get away with killing people for profit through faulty products and other such things, but the amount of murders mentioned in this short story made me wonder what on Earth – or, rather, in space – the governmental system in this setting was doing while the corporation who hired Uzoma continued to give this character orders that would lead to the deaths of countless innocent people. It would have been helpful to know whether their government was unable or unwilling to step in and how all of those deaths were explained to the general public.

Some of my favorite scenes were the ones that explored the assumptions we all make about things we’ve done a hundred times before. It’s easy to fall into a pattern and not necessarily pay attention to little things that might be different this time around. I liked the fact that Uzoma stuck to what they knew just like anyone else probably would in their shoes. As terrible as some of their life choices were, it made this character feel more human and relatable.

The Sufficient Loss Protocol was a wild ride.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , ,

Dying Fall by Elly Griffiths

November 15, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Dying Fall by Elly Griffiths
Publisher: Quercus
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Forensic archeologist Ruth Galloway investigates a heart-stopping case: an old university friend and fellow archeologist murdered in an arson attack.

When Ruth Galloway learns that her old university friend Dan Golding has died in a house fire, she is shocked and saddened. But when she receives a letter that Dan had written just before he died, her sadness turns to suspicion. The letter tells of a great archaeological discovery, but Dan also says that he is scared for his life.

Was Dan’s death linked to his find? The only clue is his mention of the Raven King, an ancient name for King Arthur. When she arrives in Lancashire, Ruth discovers that the bones reveal a shocking fact about King Arthur—and that the bones have mysteriously vanished.

The case draws in DCI Nelson, determined to protect Ruth and their eighteen-month-old daughter, Kate. But someone is willing to kill to keep the bones a secret, and it is beginning to look as if no one is safe.

Dr Ruth Galloway heads north when an old University buddy gets in contact with her. Wanting Ruth’s expertise in bones and with her sterling reputation in forensic archaeology Ruth is compelled to go searching the answers when her friend is unexpectedly murdered. Ruth and Nelson once again cross paths as Nelson has returned home with his wife for a short summer break to visit each of their families and his ties with the local police remain as strong as ever.

I found this an interesting and enjoyable archaeology-based murder mystery. While the entire book is solidly set in the present, I did love how the author managed to make so much of the history feel equally modern but still factual and historically accurate. I greatly enjoyed the characters – though readers who have enjoyed previous books in this series should be warned that Nelson, his wife, Ruth, Kate and Cathbad are really the only main characters that have significant amounts of time in the book. I did enjoy getting an update on Judy though – that helped tie this book in with the recent events in the few previous books.

Readers should know I feel this book can definitely stand exceptionally well on its own. I feel a lot of my emotional investment in the characters comes from having read the previous installments – but the plot absolutely is self-contained in this story and there aren’t too many ties threading this book with the others. I feel readers should be able to easily pick this book up with no prior knowledge and thoroughly enjoy it.

I thought the mystery was solid and well-paced. While it is definitely a mystery novel there is a lot of history and archaeology as well in this story. Personally, I feel it was very well balanced and made for a lay person to read quite easily. I found it enjoyable and very readable having no real experience or knowledge about British history and/or archaeology. I found it really interesting and the plotlines themselves very well woven.

A fun and enjoyable read, I’m looking forward to more books in this series.

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

Longstone by LJ Ross

November 7, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Longstone by LJ Ross
Publisher: Dark Skies Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Between the devil and the deep blue sea…

Viking treasure is discovered beneath the icy waters of the North Sea and local historian Doctor Anna Taylor is called in to help catalogue the most exciting hoard in living memory. But when a shipwreck diver washes up dead, she’s soon out of her depth. Luckily, she knows just the person to call…

When DCI Ryan arrives at the picturesque fishing town of Seahouses, he’s faced with an impenetrable wall of secrets and lies. As he juggles marine archaeology and the cutthroat world of shipwreck diving, another murder blows the case wide open. To uncover the truth, Ryan must delve deeper into the hearts of those around him to find what lies beneath…

Murder and mystery are peppered with romance and humour in this fast-paced crime whodunnit set amidst the spectacular Northumbrian landscape.

After years of searching, a university professor contacts Dr Anna Taylor-Ryan, excited beyond belief he’d found an intact Viking ship and treasure beyond belief. Agreeing to meet the following morning, Anna is shocked to discover her colleague drowned mysteriously overnight. DCI Ryan is called in to investigate, but the small coastal town has plenty of secrets and no one appears eager to divulge any of them.

I have been enjoying this series and while this – the tenth book – is not blindingly new or breaking new ground, it has all the hallmarks of a really good British police procedural storyline and a gripping who-done-it murder mystery plot. Given the small, coastal town and the limited number of potential murderer’s readers could be forgiven for thinking the mystery element might be a bit lacking – but I was delighted to find that assumption couldn’t be more wrong. While superficially the motive for murder is clear cut, I was pleased that DCI Ryan’s investigation uncovers a complicated web of interlocking parts, and the entire plot was shown to be delightfully complex.

Readers who have enjoyed the previous stories might be a little bummed that a number of the regular main characters – particularly other members of DCI Ryan’s team – are very much on the periphery of this investigation until about halfway through the book. I thought this was a double-edged sword for the book. On the one hand I really enjoyed the fact this plot and mystery very much stood properly by itself – an exceptional and well contained story that could be picked up, read and thoroughly enjoyed by anyone even had they not read a single previous book. That is always a very bright spot in a series and an excellent way to draw new readers in who otherwise might not be keen to start a series mid-way through. That said, I spent most of the first half of the book struggling not to skim ahead to see how some of the characters – particularly Jack – pulled up after the events of the last two books. While this will easily make a re-read of the book later far more enjoyable, I do feel it was a bit of a shame the author left it so late into the book to answer those questions left dangling from the previous two books.

I greatly enjoyed seeing plenty of Anna and Ryan though and was pleased to see such a self-contained plotline back in England. The mystery itself was quite interesting and there were enough subplots, red herrings and other goings-on in the small town that kept me invested and eagerly turning the pages. I feel this would be a good book for readers new to this author and series to dip into – virtually no pre-existing knowledge of the characters, world or set up is needed to properly and thoroughly enjoy this story.

An interesting read for those who enjoy British police procedural style murder mysteries.

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