The Last Widow

Title:  The Last Widow
Series:  Will Trent #9
Author:  Karin Slaughter
Publisher:  Harper Collins/William Morrow
Release Date:  Aug. 20, 2019 (USA)
Purchase Link:  Amazon


My Rating:  5 Thrilling Hearts


*With special thanks to the publisher for an arc of this book!

From the No.1 bestselling author comes a gripping new crime thriller featuring Will Trent and Sara Linton

Synopsis:
It begins with an abduction. The routine of a family shopping trip is shattered when Michelle Spivey is snatched as she leaves the mall with her young daughter. The police search for her, her partner pleads for her release, but in the end…they find nothing. It’s as if she disappeared into thin air.
A month later, on a sleepy Sunday afternoon, medical examiner Sara Linton is at lunch with her boyfriend Will Trent, an agent with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. But the serenity of the summer’s day is broken by the wail of sirens.
Sara and Will are trained to help in an emergency. Their jobs – their vocations – mean that they run towards a crisis, not away from it. But on this one terrible day that instinct betrays them both. Within hours the situation has spiralled out of control; Sara is taken prisoner; Will is forced undercover. And the fallout will lead them into the Appalachian mountains, to the terrible truth about what really happened to Michelle, and to a remote compound where a radical group has murder in mind…

Review:
The Last Widow is one of my most anticipated books of 2019.  After reading it, I can say it's a powerful, relevant story that I won't soon forget.  Slaughter clearly spent a great deal of time researching social and political issues of our time as well as the radical, militia style groups that emerge, along with the idealistic views of people who tend to join them.  The author captures the atmosphere and essence of a cult group practicing segregation as they believe it their duty and right to do whatever it takes to keep their bloodlines pure.  This is the type group that is at the center of the story in The Last Widow.

First let me say, The Last Widow is part of a fantastic series, but this author includes everything you need to read and enjoy this book as a standalone.  However, the character and character relationship development are huge in this series so I highly recommend you read them in order.  The setup is clear from the blurb so I'll only touch briefly on it.  A month after a scientist working for the Center of Disease Control is kidnapped, Sara and Will are spending an afternoon with her family.  Some of these early "domestic" scenes play out through both Will and Sara's eyes which fascinated me as it clearly demonstrates how they still have different views and manners of coping with their developing relationship.  Well done, KS!  When their afternoon is interrupted by explosions in a nearby city, Sara and Will race toward the scene to assist, running straight into a situation that results in Will being badly injured and Sara being kidnapped by a group of radical domestic terrorists.  In a race against time, Will works with his partner Faith Mitchell and other law enforcement led by Amanda Wagner to find and infiltrate the group to free Sara and save society.

The Last Widow is intense, graphic, and rich in detail as can be expected from this author.  It emphasizes the practice and horrors of pedophilia, the superiority of males over females, senseless murder, and biological warfare as well as the dangerous atmosphere that breeds militia-style cults.  The suspense builds at a frantic pace as the story unfolds from two narrators - Will and Sara.  Through Will's eyes, the focus is on the efforts of law enforcement to find the cult, the dangers of going undercover, and his panicked frame of mind which includes major guilt over what he perceives as his failure to keep Sara safe.  There are interactions with Will and Sara's mother/family during this time that are priceless gems for readers of the series.  Fantastic, telling scenes!  Through Sara's eyes, readers view life within the terrorist camp, and it's there that the depravity of their leader and horror of their plan become apparent.  

Slaughter's ability to manipulate characters through a highly visual, atmospheric setting is key to the rising, menacing tone throughout.  Her mastery of plot, character, and character relationship development is brilliant, as always, as she pulls every single thread together by the end.  The Last Widow is a taut, fast-paced, graphic thriller with a timely message that people everywhere should heed.  And by the way,  I read the last page several times over before closing the book with a smile on my face.  Great setup for the next book in one of my favorite series ever!  May our wait be short!  For suspense and thriller fans, this is one you don't want to miss.

My Rating:  5 Thrilling Hearts 

Cross My Heart . . . xxx

♥Sandra♥

The Year I Left Blog Tour & Review

Title:  The Year I Left
Author:  Christine Brae
Publisher:  Vesuvian Books
Release Date:  Aug. 20, 2019
Purchase Link:  Amazon


My Rating:  4 Emotionally Charged Hearts


*With many thanks to Vesuvian Books for an arc of this book.



Synopsis:
Carin Frost doesn’t understand what’s happening to her. A confident businesswoman, wife, and mother, she begins to resent everything about her life. Nothing makes sense. Nothing makes her feel. Maybe it’s the recent loss of her mother in a tragic accident. Or maybe she’s just losing her mind.

Enter Matias Torres. As their new business partnership thrives, so does their friendship—and his interest in her. Carin is determined to keep her distance, until a work assignment sends them to Southeast Asia where a storm is brewing on the island. In the midst of the chaos, Matias asks her to do something unimaginable, exhilarating, BOLD. Carin knows the consequences could be dire, but it may be the only way to save herself.

An honest look at love and marriage and the frailties of the human heart, this is a story of a woman’s loss of self and purpose and the journey she takes to find her way back.

Review:
The Year I Left is a story for anyone who's ever felt lost and adrift in a life that no longer gives them what they need to thrive and grow and feel alive.  A story for anyone who's ever felt the need for something more out of life.  A story for anyone who's ever yearned for something they can't define or grasp but know they need like their next breath.  It would be easy to say this is a story for women . . . and I suppose it is.  But truthfully, I think it applies to both men and women.  It's a story for anyone who's ever asked themselves the question:  Is it ever okay to put your own personal needs first . . . especially if they come at the expense of loved ones?

Carin Frost is a wife, mother, and successful career woman who appears to have it all - fabulous home, business, and lifestyle, gorgeous devoted husband and child.  So why is she so unhappy and unsatisfied with her life?  Carin is sleep-walking through life, going through the motions and playing her expected role while silently screaming for help.  Until she meets her new business partner Mattias Torres - a man who gives her a taste of the life she can have if she's willing to give it and him a chance.  A co-business trip to Southeast Asia results in a life or death situation where a split-second joint decision drastically changes both their lives.  For the first time in forever, Carin feels alive.  But can she live with the consequences of her actions? 

This is my first book by Christine Brae, and I'm highly motivated to seek out more.  Her lyrical, descriptive writing style enhances this emotionally charged story that I think will hit close to home for many.  Brae tackles some tough issues like depression, responsibility to others as well as to ones self, resentment, guilt, and redemption - all part of life choices and lessons.  Told in a unique voice that reads like a journal written by Carin, The Year I Left conveys a range of emotions from deep sadness to giddy joy and everything in between.  The author delivers some life lessons through Carin and Mattias's story with reminders that you can't continuously live your life for everyone else at the expense of your own happiness; however, for every action, there is a reaction that includes living with the consequences.  Every individual must decide if true personal happiness is worth any cost.  What some will view as a selfish choice may feel like a lifeline to others.  The Year I Left is a poignant, heartfelt romance that touched this reader's heart and soul, still resonating within me days after I read the final page.  I'll add here (without spoilers) that I loved the way the author chose to end this story, leaving readers a little leeway to interpret the ending.  This is a fantastic Must Read for anyone who's ever wondered if they're truly living life to the fullest!

My Rating:  4 Emotionally Charged Hearts . . . And that's the truth!

Cross My Heart . . . xxx

Sandra

About the author:  Christine Brae is a full time career woman who thought she could write a book about her life and then run away as far as possible from it. She never imagined that her words would touch the hearts of so many women with the same story to tell. Christine is the author of The Light in the Wound, His Wounded Light (2013), Insipid (2014). Her latest book, In This Life, released in 2016 and is currently under option for TV and Film.

Two more books, Eight Goodbyes and The Year I Left are scheduled to be released in 2018 & 2019.

When not listening to the voices in her head or spending late nights at the office, Christine can be seen shopping for shoes and purses, running a half marathon or spending time with her husband and three children in Chicago.

Christine is represented by Italia Gandolfo of Gandolfo Helin Literary Management.

On the Corner of Love and Hate Review

Title:  On the Corner of Love and Hate
Series:  Hopeless Romantics #1
Author:  Nina Bocci
Publisher:  Gallery Books
Release Date:  August 20, 2019
Purchase Link:  Amazon


My Rating:  3 Stubborn Hearts


*Special thanks to the publisher for an arc of this book!


Synopsis:
For fans of Christina Lauren and Lauren Layne comes a delightfully sassy and sexy romance about a campaign manager who reluctantly works with the local Lothario to help revamp his image for the upcoming mayoral elections, only to discover that he’s hiding something that can turn both their lives upside down.

What’s a campaign manager’s worst nightmare? A smooth-talking charmer who’s never met a scandal that he didn’t like.

When Emmanuelle Peroni’s father—and mayor of her town—asks her to help rehab Cooper Endicott’s image, she’s horrified. Cooper drives her crazy in every way possible. But he’s also her father’s protégé, and she can’t say no to him without him finding out the reason why: Cooper and her have a messy past. So Emmanuelle reluctantly launches her father’s grand plan to get this Casanova someone to settle down with and help him lose his lothario reputation.

Cooper Endicott wanted to run for Mayor, but he never wanted the drama that went with it. Now that he’s on the political hamster wheel, the other candidates are digging up everythingfrom his past. Even though he’s doing all the right things, his colorful love life is the sticking point for many of the conservative voters. He wants to win, badly, and he knows that if he wants any chance of getting a vote from the female population, he needs to change his image. The only problem? He might just be falling in love with the one person he promised not to pursue: the Mayor’s off-limits daughter.

Review:
On the Corner of Love and Hate is a small town, enemies-to-lovers romance featuring childhood friends turned enemies Emma Peroni and Cooper Endicott.  Emma's father (outgoing mayor) talks her into being Cooper's campaign manager in an effort to revamp his shady ladies-man image and help him get elected as the next town mayor.  Emma reluctantly agrees to it even though she continues to hold a long-time grudge against the man who once broke her heart.  As they begin working together, the sarcastic remarks fly . . . and so do the sparks!

One of my favorite tropes in romance is small town and enemies-to-lovers!  The author does a great job with setting up a small town scene, including the prevalence of everybody-knows-everything-about-everybody atmosphere . . . a town where it's hard to outrun your past mistakes as you're constantly reminded of them.  The town people are authentic, adding a special ambiance to the story.  Bocci also excels at writing realistic dialogue with some much needed humorous banter which I enjoyed.  

This story unfolds through Emma's point of view which understandably doesn't paint Cooper in a very good light.  While I wanted to be sympathetic to Emma's plight, I found her to be so consumed by past betrayals that she continuously took one step forward and then two steps back, causing her to appear too stubborn and wishy-washy.  Unfortunately, Cooper doesn't fare much better.  His in-your-face immature attitude is flaunted a bit too often as are his womanizing, alley-cat ways.  He shows growth by the end which is a plus, as does Emma; however, it became a case of too little, too late for me to feel much empathy with either character.  The result is a lack of true chemistry between these two main characters, making it hard for me to identify with either.

While I liked the premise of On the Corner of Love and Hate, I think the story would have resonated more with me if it had concentrated more on the romance building between Emma and Cooper and less on their ongoing feud over a broken past.  Having said that, there are some great humorous scenes that I enjoyed.  Fans of enemies-to-lovers stories should check this one out.

My Rating:  3 Stubborn Hearts . . .

Cross My Heart . . . xxx

Sandra