Fillion by Sean Michael

April 12, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Fillion by Sean Michael
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, LGBTQ, Holiday
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Could the gift of a massage be exactly what Fillion needs to make this holiday his merriest ever?

Fillion Berry is a profitable bookshop owner, but his personal life is less successful. His Daddy left him on New Year’s last year and he’s been floundering. When his friend Chrissy discovers how bad things are getting, he enlists the help of his Daddy, Jerusalem, and together they cook up a plan to bring some holiday joy into Fillion’s life.

Spa owner Rome Aparny holds an auction every year to raise money for charity. When the highest bidder of a full-body massage gifts the item to Fillion with the note “for a lonely boy in need’, Rome thinks he knows exactly what that means and he arrives at Fillion’s store with his massage table, his oils, and the willingness to get to know Fillion better.

Could a little holiday magic turn Christian and Jerusalem’s matchmaking into a success? Find out in this Daddy Boys story.

Fillion owns a successful and prosperous bookshop, but his private life is quite the mess. After his Daddy and long-term partner left him on New Years the previous year, Fillion has struggled to recover from the loss. Fillion’s good friend, Christian, is blissfully happy with his own Daddy and relationship and when Fillion confides that he’s seriously unhappy and lonely, Christian is determined he and his Daddy should help. They purchase a private massage as a Christmas present for Fillion and quietly let the masseuse – Rome – know that he’s a boy looking for a Daddy, something that piques Rome’s interest immediately. Can this be a Christmas neither man will forget?

I found this to be a lovely and sweet short story. It’s part of a much larger series by multiple authors called “A Daddy for Christmas” but I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and I haven’t read any of the others in the series. I found it still stood by itself very well. I really felt a connection to Fillion’s character. Owning a prosperous bookshop means for the most part he’s really got his head screwed on straight and I really liked that. I also was pleased that Rome had noticed Fillion at previous gatherings, but just assumed he was in a relationship with someone. That previous connection helped the situation feel a little less like insta-love and while in a story this short they obviously moved very quickly I did find it still worked well for me.

Readers should be aware that this short story doesn’t have a complicated plot or a long, slow drop into the relationship. The two men recognize what they want from each other and while they do ease into the intimacy it’s exceedingly fast and there isn’t a whole lot of other plot revolving around them. For such a short story I can understand and even enjoy this – but I can certainly understand some readers might want a bit more complexity and plot to their stories.

Fun and sexy, this would be a good introduction to some readers on the Daddy/boy lifestyle and also a good quick taste for this particular author and their style/tone of writing.

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

Identity by Nora Roberts

April 9, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Identity by Nora Roberts
Publisher: Paitkus
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Former Army brat Morgan Albright has finally planted roots in a friendly neighborhood near Baltimore. Her friend and roommate Nina helps her make the mortgage payments, as does Morgan’s job as a bartender. But after she and Nina host their first dinner party—attended by Luke, the flirtatious IT guy who’d been chatting her up at the bar—her carefully built world is shattered. The back door glass is broken, cash and jewelry are missing, her car is gone, and Nina lies dead on the floor.

Soon, a horrific truth emerges: It was Morgan who let the monster in. “Luke” is actually a cold-hearted con artist named Gavin who targets a particular type of woman, steals her assets and identity, and then commits his ultimate goal: murder.

What the FBI tells Morgan is beyond chilling. Nina wasn’t his type. Morgan is. Nina was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. And Morgan’s nightmare is just beginning. Soon she has no choice but to flee to her mother’s home in Vermont. While she struggles to build something new, she meets another man, Miles Jameson. He isn’t flashy or flirtatious, and his family business has deep roots in town. But Gavin is still out there hunting new victims, and he hasn’t forgotten the one who got away.

After growing up as an army brat – never having roots to put down – Morgan Albright is thrilled when she finally purchases her first home. Working two jobs and sharing the house with her best friend, Morgan is determined to finally have what she’s never experienced – a secure, permanent home. Only one night her entire world collapses and in the devastation afterwards everything is taken from her. Can Morgan rebuild her life once more?

I really enjoyed this stand alone novel, finding it everything that I love about a Nora Roberts story. I am very hit and miss with Roberts’ work – some of her books I love and others just really miss the mark for me. I was really pleased this one was wonderful to my mind. I felt a good connection to Morgan and her characters, finding her modern and relatable but also a good blend of strength and vulnerability. I also heartily sympathized with her having to start over again from scratch after her identity was stolen so brutally.

I found this very much to be a romantic suspense style of story. While the plot moved along at what I thought was a good clip it was quite different to usual action based books or more straight mystery/suspense styles of books. There was a lot of character growth and focus on Morgan’s character and her journey. There was also a really nice – and far slower pace – between the building attraction between Morgan and Miles. I found the slower pace here realistic – Morgan was deeply grieving and suffering when she arrived in Vermont and there was no way I’d find her falling in lust or letting her guard down at all believable. This slower pace also helped sell the book to me as more of a romantic suspense – rather than a straight romance or erotic book. There was plenty of mystery and suspense related to the murderer and I know Roberts is a legend at this balance and making these kinds of books sing.

I find it hard to believe many readers won’t have read anything of Roberts’ in the past – but if you’re that elusive one in a million then this would definitely be one of her better books to give a first try to. I found the pace and characters to be gripping and the plotline to be modern but not over-sold and having been told in a million other similar books. A good story and one I know I will likely reread again in the future.

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

A Team Of One by Brad Lee

April 5, 2024 By Leave a Comment


A Team Of One by Brad Lee
Publisher: Simply Sensible Entertainment Inc
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Action/Adventure
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Former Navy SEAL “Axe” Southmark is enticed out of retirement to help the analyst and the President. But does he have what it takes to save the world?

As a Navy SEAL, Axe was trained to never give up. But after fifteen years on the front lines, it was time to let younger, faster men take the reins.

When he’s enlisted to help the President’s niece search for both a terrorist on the loose and a traitor in the government, he doesn’t hesitate.

It’s what he does: protects the vulnerable and kills bad guys.

With New York City threatened by a virtuoso bomber, there’s plenty of both to be done.

Will they be able to stop a madman before it’s too late? And is there more to the plot than meets the eye?

Find out in this wild ride of a story.

Former Navy SEAL, Axe is trying to settle into civilian life and find his niche when a former colleague reaches out with an enticing offer from left field. The President’s niece has uncovered some unusual activity in her job as a junior analyst, but unwilling to be treated differently she knows she needs more data. As Haley and Axe begin to uncover more, they realise this goes far deeper – and higher, politically – than either of them could have believed. Can they save New York and the country?

I purchased this book on a whim, having never heard of the author before and boy am I glad I did. This is a deliciously woven story with some excellent characters and a solid pace. I enjoyed the fact a little time was spent at the start showing us who Axe is and what he’s capable of. While still enjoyable the first few chapters were more of a scene-setting pace, easing the reader in and allowing them to get conformable with the author’s writing style and get to know the characters. Readers should also be aware that while this book does have a strong military theme the author has seemed to take great care to keep it primarily plot and character focused – there is plenty of gun, action and military detail here, but the characters and plot always seem to take the primary focus which I loved.

Pretty soon though I found the pace grew quicker and more action orientated. By the time we reached the middle of the story I found it exceptionally difficult to put the book down and to go about daily life. As more pieces of the puzzle came together – and as the Big Bad Plan began to take action – the pace really skyrocketed and all I wanted was to read the next chapter and then the next. Be prepared to stay up later than you expected for this one. It’s been quite some time (like a year or more) since I’ve stayed up into the very early hours on a workday just to read “a little bit more” but I truly just couldn’t wait to find out what happened next.

I really felt the author had a good blend of action and adventure along with plot and characterization. I’m always a little nervous of military-heavy sorts of books because while I enjoy some strong details in the story, I find often military-based outlooks can be a bit gun or weapon heavy. This book had a really good balance I feel, it was realistic and detailed enough to satisfy readers who want every piece of information, but the characters and plotting were also detailed – and fast paced enough – to not have me feel bogged down by this. I also felt that while the “taking over the world” sort of overall plot is not very new, this was a different enough take on that to feel fresh and the action and characters certainly kept my attention focused and I didn’t need to skip forward.

Finally, I also was seriously impressed with some of the plot twists towards the end of the book. A section revolving around the president in particular really impressed me and – for me personally at least – it was a unique, outside-the-box type of solution that I’ve never read before. Even now, days after finishing this book I’m still turning it over in my mind and thinking about the book as a whole and how some of these plot aspects unwound. I found the book as a whole exceptional.

I thoroughly enjoyed this first book and was very happy to see it is part of a series. I had ordered the next two books and the first in a different series by this author before I’d even reached the half way point of reading this. I am quite eager to see what’s in store for Axe and Haley in the next installment. A really enjoyable and fast paced read. Recommended.

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

Carnival Blues by Damien Boyd

April 1, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Carnival Blues by Damien Boyd
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Carnival season is off to an explosive start in this thriller from the bestselling DI Nick Dixon crime series.

Detective Chief Inspector Nick Dixon arrives late for Bridgwater’s winter carnival. He’s come to see the squibbing, the traditional firework display that brings the town’s November festivities to a dramatic close. But when the squib of Avalon Carnival Club president Richard Webb is lit, it explodes, engulfing him in flames.

Dixon knows he’s just witnessed a killer making a very public statement. And he can’t help feeling it’s only the beginning.

After his suspicions are confirmed at the Burnham-on-Sea carnival forty-eight hours later, the race is on to find the killer before the next event in a nearby town.

Can Dixon stop the killings before any more lives are lost? And can he do it with police Professional Standards investigators breathing down his neck?

DCI Nick Dixon has arrived late for Bridgewater’s winter carnival, but he’s just in time to join his pregnant fiancée and close friends to watch the traditional fireworks display towards the end of the evening. But when one of the presidents of the fireworks clubs lights his flare, it explodes and engulfs him in flames. Right there on the scene, Nick and his team rush to the man’s aid, then lead up the investigation in the attempted murder. With a number more carnival nights to follow, the team are now racing the clock to try and sort out what’s happened and who might be behind it.

I found this to be an interesting and well-paced British police procedural style of story. While the main plot revolves around the carnival and a series of connected businesses in relation to that, I found that the plot was diverse enough to keep me interested well into the middle of the book. There is also a later secondary plot revolving around DCI Dixon and events that occurred a year or so ago. I feel that readers don’t have to have read any of the previous novels to understand exactly what’s going on with this secondary plot – though do admit it will be a lot more intriguing to readers who have been following along for a while – and I was very pleased with both plots. I do admit I feel this secondary plot felt a little rushed to the conclusion at the very end, though expect that was largely due to the author wanting to tie up the loose ends all in this book and not expand them over to the next one.

I was pleased that the focus remains primarily on the plot and the attempted murder and mystery aspect to the plot. While the secondary plot does add a bit of extra conflict and Nick’s pregnant fiancée – who is also a co-worker – adds quite a bit to the plot and balance of the story, I do like that for the most part this is an interesting and well-paced British police novel. Readers looking for something that is more espionage or action based might not find this fits their needs, but I did enjoy this more traditional mystery flow that the book has throughout.

I’ve been enjoying this series and feel this is an excellent addition. I will be happy to pick up the next book in this series as well and see how things progress from here – especially as Nick and Jane embark on bringing a baby into the world and all the changes – good and bad – that will likely follow.

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

Shadows Of Men by Abir Mukherjee

March 27, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Shadows Of Men by Abir Mukherjee
Publisher: Vintage Arrow
Genre: Historical, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Calcutta, 1923

When a Hindu theologian is found murdered in his home, the city is on the brink of all-out religious war. Can the officers of the Imperial Police Force—Captain Sam Wyndham and Sergeant “Surrender-Not” Banerjee—track down those responsible in time to stop a bloodbath?

Set at a time of heightened political tension, beginning in atmospheric Calcutta and taking the detectives all the way to bustling Bombay, the latest instalment in this remarkable series presents Wyndham and Banerjee with an unprecedented challenge. Will this be the case that finally drives them apart?

When a Hindu religious man is found murdered Calcutta goes to the brink of a religious war. Can Captain Sam Wyndham and Sergeant Surendranath Banerjee find the killer before the streets run riot with blood?

I have greatly enjoyed this series and found this to be an exceptional addition to it. I really in particular enjoyed that this time the chapters frequently alternate between Sam’s perspective and Suren’s which I really felt gave the whole book a lot more depth and complexities to it. I have to admit I really enjoyed Suren’s perspective and being able to see things through his lens and in particular hear him articulate the reasoning behind his actions was fabulous.

I do feel this book can be read by itself. While the working relationship and friendship between Sam and Suren is a layered and entwined one that has grown through the previous books the plot of this story and the actions and ramifications of their decisions is very contained within this book. I don’t feel readers will lose much from having just picked this book up on a whim. Currently, this is the last book in this series – though I am glad the door was certainly left open should the author chose to continue this series with more installments. I didn’t feel like the ending was a cliffhanger or that it would be outrageous for this to be the last book in the series should it fall that way.

This book is set in India in 1923 so while historical the characters and setting are relevant enough, I feel modern readers shouldn’t get too bogged down in the historical aspect to the story. I felt the main thrust of the plot – figuring out who the killer was and bringing them to police justice – was relatable enough most readers should enjoy it.

A well written and well-paced historical murder mystery this is a book – and a series as a whole – that I have really enjoyed. Recommended.

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Ice Cold Malice by Rhys Dylan

March 20, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Ice Cold Malice by Rhys Dylan
Publisher: Wyrmwood Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Revenge is a dish best served… ice cold.

While beach combing on MOD property, two young boys stumble across a reeking mound of tangled kelp. But it isn’t the seaweed that stinks. It’s the decomposing corpse beneath it.

Called in to investigate, DCI Evan Warlow’s team are faced with finding out how and why the body of a struck-off doctor ended up on a lonely beach within sight of Laugharne’s famous Boathouse.

But this is no innocent victim. This is a man with more enemies than friends. A fact that muddies the waters no end as Warlow unearths more and more of the dead man’s sordid history. Not to mention a long line of suspects.

With a killer in their midst hell bent on achieving a deadly goal and determined to let nothing and no one stand in their way, the team need to be on their guard.

Unless they want to end up as victims, too.

Returned DCI Evan Warlow and his team are once again called in when the body of a disgraced ex-surgeon washes up on the shore and is found by two young boys. With no shortage of angry ex-clients and ex-colleagues the disbarred surgeon will not be missed by many. But Warlow still knows his duty and is determined to find the culprit.

I’ve been enjoying the slightly darker and grittier aspect to this series set in the Brecon Beacons in Wales. This addition is just as good as the previous two. While I don’t feel readers will need to read the other installments for fully enjoy this I would still highly recommend reading all the series. The plot and characters are very well captured and maintained within this story so I don’t feel readers might get a bit lost with the various histories and previous plotlines.

I was also very pleased that one dangling plotline around DCI Warlow was answered for the readers – a medical mystery that has been alluded to but not resolved in the previous books. I was pleased that it was one of the options I had guessed already to myself but it was nice to have that small thread resolved. There are also still a few more over-arching plots still running around that I expect will be continued in the next few books.

Readers who enjoy police procedural styles of stories – especially British, or in this case Welsh – should find this an enjoyable and well-paced mystery with interesting and varied characters and a strong, complicated plot that I personally found satisfying. I am eager for the next installment.

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

Amour In Avignon by Jennifer Ivy Walker

March 19, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Amour In Avignon by Jennifer Ivy Walker
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Adrift and lonely, Lily Greene travels to Provence to spend the summer with her aunt in the sunny south of France. In the vibrant city of Avignon, she meets Ludo and Auguste, two expert fencers who are also local actors performing in the upcoming Festival of Theater where they will present the classical tragedy, Cyrano de Bergerac.

When Lily joins their thespian troupe, portraying the lead female role, she discovers that real life mirrors the play they are rehearsing, for–just as Cyrano and Christian vie for Roxane– Ludo and Auguste become intense rivals for Lily.
Handsome as a Hollywood movie star, Auguste is used to women falling into his bed. But when Lily spurns his amorous advances, drawn instead to the enigmatic Ludo, jealousy drives Auguste to seek revenge.

Will tragedy strike with a cruel twist of fate? Or will love triumph with Amour in Avignon?

Lily has come to Avignon to spend a few months with her bohemian spirited Aunt Agnes. Agnes rents the small apartment above her shop to her paramour’s nephew, Ludo. A young, strong carpenter. Ludo shares the room with his blond friend, Auguste. Lily feels an instant attraction to Ludo, but Auguste is equally smitten with Lily. Can the three of them find what they really want?

I really enjoyed this short story. I felt the pace of both the plot and the romance was really well balanced – fast enough it didn’t feel like it dragged, but slow enough I loved getting to know a bit about Lily, Ludo and Auguste before their relationships tangled together. I strongly felt all three characters were both realistic and relatable and I definitely think most readers will find the appeal of them a good draw into the book. Aunt Aggie was also a delightful free spirit and a great addition to the small cast of characters giving light and vibrancy to the book as a whole.

I thought the author added a lot of wonderful charm and realism into the story that really gave the vibe of sun-drenched Avignon. There were a number of small French customs – the food, the greetings and such – and this really had me feeling like I could immerse myself in the feel of the town and setting. While I did feel the book lacked freshness with the plotline of the theatrical trope’s play mirroring the complicated relationship between Lily, Auguste and Ludo, I also did enjoy that Lily’s actions were quite modern and she stuck to her guns. While there are plenty of stories out there where plays and real life cross over, I was glad Lily made her own decisions and showed a good backbone without being bitchy or overbearing. I feel Lily’s character really should appeal to a wide range of romance readers.

With some delightfully sensual love scenes and the mirroring of a play within the book there was plenty of things going on in this story and I strongly feel it should hold readers attention from start to finish.

Readers who enjoy a sizzling romance with plenty of action, jealousy and an exotic location as the setting should find this quick read a wonderful story to greatly enjoy.

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

A Perfect Death by Kate Ellis

March 18, 2024 By Leave a Comment


A Perfect Death by Kate Ellis
Publisher: Piatkus
Genre: Contemporary, Historical, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

When a woman is burned to death in Grandal Field in Devon, it looks like it could be a case of mistaken identity. Until DI Wesley Peterson learns of a legend involving a woman who died in similar circumstances in the thirteenth century.

It seems clear that there is a link between the mysterious legend and the recent murder when Wesley discovers that records of a previous site excavation have vanished, and two archaeologists involved in the dig died tragically.

The case echoes a story of twisted love and obsession from many centuries ago, and Wesley realises that edging closer to the truth brings unexpected danger . . .

DI Wesley Peterson and his wife are enjoying a short holiday in France, with nothing more important to do other than decide which restaurant to enjoy their next meal in. But while out on one of their walks Wesley bumps into Ian Rowe, a former fellow student from his archaeology days, and Ian seeks Wesley’s help with a missing friend. When Wesley returns to Devon he discovers there’s a far bigger mystery surrounding this situation. Can Wesley and his team discover what’s really going on?

I enjoyed this addition to the series and found the usual blending of current police procedural crime linked with the archaeological history as gripping as ever. The main thing that stood out for me personally, however, was that the author slid into the main storyline a very good way to finally bring Pam – Wesley’s wife – around and somewhat redeem her character. I feel with the author having Pam invested and interested in the mystery Ian brings Welsey on their vacation, as well as her continuing enthusiasm and curiosity bodes well for her being more invested in Wesley’s police career. Pam’s impatience with Wesley’s divided attention – even though he clearly makes a concentrated effort to spend as much time as possible with his family and children – has rankled me for a while now. I am very hopeful this might be Pam finally turning a corner here.

Outside of this rather large character arc change, the mystery itself was very well handled I felt. I was pleased that it took the police quite some time to identify the woman who was murdered and burned, and there were a number of different events surrounding the death that muddied the waters to a good degree. I feel readers who enjoy a complicated mystery and a lot of police procedural detective work should enjoy this plot and pacing. While there is a good element of archaeology in this story – as there usually is within this series – I did feel this took somewhat more of a back seat and so readers who prefer the archaeological side to these books might feel that this is lacking somewhat in this particular book.

With a strong and interesting plot and a cast of well known and long-standing characters this is a good read and a strong mystery book.

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

Deep Freeze by John Sandford

March 15, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Deep Freeze by John Sandford
Publisher: G.P Putnam’s Sons
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Virgil knows the town of Trippton, Minnesota, a little too well. A few years back, he investigated the corrupt—and as it turned out, homicidal—local school board, and now the town’s back in view with more alarming news: A woman’s been found dead, frozen in a block of ice. There’s a possibility that it might be connected to a high school class of twenty years ago that has a mid-winter reunion coming up, and so, wrapping his coat a little tighter, Virgil begins to dig into twenty years’ worth of traumas, feuds, and bad blood. In the process, one thing becomes increasingly clear to him. It’s true what they say: High school is murder.

Virgil Flowers is back in the town of Trippton, Minnesota after a woman is found dead in the river – frozen into a block of ice. Many of the locals remember Virgil from a previous investigation he concluded in their town, but this time everything initially seems linked to a twenty-five-year high school reunion planning meeting. But as usual, Virgil’s case is complicate when the new governor also wants him to help a Private Investigator run down the source of some bootleg Barbie dolls – ones that have rather X-rated additions added on for adults only. As usual, can Virgil piece together exactly what’s going on while keeping himself out of some serious trouble?

I’ve been a big fan of John Sandford for many years now – enjoying all three of his main series, Kidd, Lucas Davenport as well as Virgil Flowers. This book can absolutely be read by itself, but I feel fans who know a number of the main characters will get a deeper level of enjoyment out of the antics and crossovers between the series.

One thing I always enjoy about the Virgil Flowers stories is there is usually an element of the absurd to them, whether it’s dog-napping rings, stealing animals from the zoo or – in this case – grown up amendments to bootleg Barbie and Ken dolls. I think it would be near impossible for anyone to read this book and not crack a smile, if not a few downright chuckles. Just the situations that seem to spiral out of control and the amusement Virgil and many of the other characters seem to use to embrace the crazy and just take it all in stride. I find it endearing and endlessly fun to read – and reread again later on.

I found the two main plots were very well woven and executed, Sandford really is a star when it comes to writing these and weaving things together without actually making any huge leaps or annoying “just happens to overlap”. Indeed, I enjoyed the fact the two cases remained distinct cases and they didn’t dovetail together towards the end of the story. Each case finished up on its own merit and I really enjoyed that.

I feel readers who pick this up fresh might enjoy a funny and well plotted murder mystery style novel set in the freezing cold, wintery Minnesota, but readers who have read at least a few of Sandford’s previous books will definitely enjoy reconnecting with Virgil and enjoy his latest antics. An excellent book and well worth having a look at.

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

Mutiny in Chapter Three by Shelby Morgen

March 14, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Mutiny in Chapter Three by Shelby Morgen
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Paranormal
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Amy’s having a bad year. She’s lost her husband and her job and all she’s got left is a house with a mortgage and a book that refuses to be written. But she’s got Marley Davis, a great critique partner who never gives up on her, and a dozen Chapter Threes that just need to be turned into books. If only she could get past the sex scenes.

Jean and Danny — or whoever their names are in this chapter — have been stuck in these files far too long. They’ve had enough. Time for the characters to take over. It’ll take everything they’ve got, and maybe a little help from Marley, to save this book, but they’re not going down without a fight. It’s Mutiny… in Chapter Three.

Having lost her husband and her job, Amy is having a rough year. Her mortgage is becoming urgent and the book she’s trying to write just is not working. Marley, her critique partner is excellent and won’t give up on Amy, but all these Chapter Threes need to get past the hurdle of the first sex scene. Meanwhile Jean and Danny – or whatever their names are in this particular edition of the chapter – are tired of languishing in the files. They’re ready to get out and if it takes mutiny to get there, then so be it.

I found this to be a fun and lighthearted quick story. I loved the fact the characters in many senses were “real” and despite the fact they were all in Amy’s head in this story they helped direct their own story. I also found it deeply amusing that all the chapters in the first half or so of the book were various editions of the dreaded “Chapter Three”. Readers who are looking for something a bit more humorous and not afraid to take itself lightly should find this a hilarious read. Grab a drink, sit back and enjoy the ride.

Readers looking for a complicated plot or a story that’s intense won’t find that here. This is a fun rollick – rather like a cheesy 80s movie with a lot of fun, humour and banter. I thought this would be a lovely story for a quick pick-me-up when you’ve had a rough week or for a bit of steamy, laughter filled sexy reading time before you go to sleep. The first half of the book is a mishmash of the characters trying to work out exactly what’s going on and get themselves organized, then for the second half the book progresses a bit more logically with a steamy and still fun conclusion.

For a very different, and laughter filled quick read this is a good and fun story that I feel sure should make you smile and leave you feeling satisfied.

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