Wolf in Sheep's Clothing Review

Series: Big Bad Wolf #4
Author: Charlie Adhara
Publisher: Harlequin - Carina Press
Release Date:  Mar. 2, 2020
Purchase Link:  Amazon

My Rating:  4 Unique Hearts

*Many thanks to the publisher for an arc of this book.

Agent Cooper Dayton and his partner, Oliver Park, are going undercover—at a retreat for couples who need counselling. They do say the best cover story is one that’s close to the truth…

 Synopsis:
Agent Cooper Dayton is almost relieved to get a phone call from his former boss at the Bureau of Special Investigations. It means a temporary reprieve from tensions created by house hunting with Oliver Park, his partner both in work and in life. Living together in a forever home is exactly what Cooper wants. He’s just not keen on working out the details.

With a former alpha werewolf missing, Cooper and Park are loaned to the BSI to conduct the search at a secluded mountain retreat. The agents will travel to the resort undercover…as a couple in need of counseling.

The resort is picturesque, the grounds are stunning and the staff members are all suspicious as hell.

With a long list of suspects and danger lurking around every cabin, Cooper should be focusing on the case. But he’s always been anxious about the power dynamics in his relationship with Park, and participating in the couples’ activities at the retreat brings it all to the surface. A storm is brewing, though, and Cooper and Park must rush to solve the case before the weather turns. Or before any more guests—or the agents themselves—end up dead.

Review:

If not for a heads-up from a reading buddy, I wouldn't have read Charlie Adhara's Big Bad Wolf series. It just wasn't on my radar.  And what a mistake that would have been as it's quickly become one of my favorites.  Wolf In Sheep's Clothing is the fourth book of this fantastic series . . . a unique and intriguing blend of paranormal, male/male romance, and mystery suspense.  I love that the author devotes special attention to each element - mixing the ingredients to produce the perfect cocktail for readers - one that delivers a potent reading buzz both relationship and case wise.  While you can read any of these books as a standalone, the overall character and relationship development emerges slowly as an over-all story and series arc.  I advise reading the series in order of release.

Picking up soon after the close of the previous book, Wolf In Sheep's Clothing finds Cooper and Oliver house hunting, and it quickly becomes obvious that these two opposites have different ideas about what constitutes the "perfect house".  The banter between these guys is perfection and so much fun - full of snark, wit and snazz.  An unexpected phone call from Cooper's former BSI superior raises concerns about a wolf-shifter who disappeared while working as a ground's keeper at a wolf-oriented couple's retreat, and it brings a halt to their house hunting plans much to Cooper's relief.  Oliver and Cooper are sent undercover posing as a couple seeking counseling to search for information about the missing wolf.  A wide variety of characters are introduced that I found a bit hard to keep straight; however, they provide a unique pool of possible villains that kept me guessing and also serve to introduce more of the previously unknown wolf-lore which I loved.  As the story unfolds, the twisted plot lines intertwine and begin to reveal connections, truths, and hidden pasts and dangers resulting in a story that I couldn't put down.  A storm is brewing both literally and figuratively . . . who will survive?

Adhara's writing flows in a hypnotic manner that quickly drew me in, holding me entranced.  The pace elevates steadily in correlation with the growing suspense throughout.  The author's unique blend of paranormal, mystery and suspense is enhanced by multi-dimensional characters whose development is ongoing and highly addictive.  Cooper and Oliver wear their disguises well, especially when survival hinges on them trusting one another completely with everything.  As much as I love the suspense in this story, it's the character relationship development that held me bewitched through all four books.  Oh!  Did I forget to mention the insane, overwhelming, all-consuming chemistry between this big bad wolf and hardcore human?  Shame on me!  I'll just say don't stand too close because the heat is scorching hot!  Adhara brilliantly renders another story of two strong yet vulnerable men exploring a male/male relationship they're absolutely powerless to control in the middle of a chaotic case.  Oh the emotional turmoil!  I enjoyed every single minute of it and can't wait for book 5 rumored to be coming in 2021!  If you're a fan of paranormal romance, read this book.  If you're a fan of male/male romance, read this book!  If you're a fan of mystery suspense, read this book!  I highly advise everyone to grab the Big Bad Wolf series and carve out some alone reading time because you're entering binge-reading territory, my friends.  Enjoy!

My Rating:  4 Unique Hearts

Cross My Heart . . . xxx

♥Sandra♥

You Are Not Alone Review

Genre: Suspense Thriller
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Release Date:  March 3, 2020
Purchase Link:  Amazon

My Rating: 4 Menacing Hearts

*Special thanks to St. Martin's Press for an arc of this book via Netgalley.

The #1 Bestselling authors of THE WIFE BETWEEN US and AN ANONYMOUS GIRL deliver a thriller about a circle of friends with deadly intentions--where trust is their weapon and revenge is their trigger....

Synopsis:
You probably know someone like Shay Miller
She wants to find love, but it eludes her.
She wants to be fulfilled,t her job is a dead end.
She wants to belong, but her life is becoming increasingly isolated.
 
You probably don't know anyone like the Moore sisters
They have an unbreakable circle of friends.
They live a life of glamour and perfection.
They always get what they desire.

Shay thinks she wants their life.

But what they really want is hers.

Review:

The dynamic duo writing team of Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen have left me speechless once again.  Their talent to deliver compelling, convoluted thrillers time and again is truly amazing.  You Are Not Alone is a chaotic story of deception, revenge, manipulation, and obsession.  Told from multiple points of view and shifting past/present timelines, the story is divided into three parts and hinges on the reader solving the mystery on their own as the story unfolds.

In Part One, characters are introduced and as their paths crossed and they began interacting, my curiosity peaked.  Marketing Researcher Shay Miller is obviously lonely, obsessed with statistics, and in need of a new job, residence, and life.  Once again, she's on the outside looking in just as she's been most of her life.  Completely by chance, she witnesses the horrifying suicide of a woman in a subway station and becomes haunted and obsessed with what she saw. Shay is left in emotional turmoil feeling an unreasonable need to discover more about the woman and what drove her to take her own life.  While Part One moved a bit slow for me, I was intrigued and appreciated the author's meticulous attention to detail knowing it would be important to the story later on.  In Part Two, I was quickly put on high alert by a shift in story ambiance with an increasing sense of malice and suspense.  Shay's obsession has intensified, and as a result she pings on the radar of sisters Cassandra & Jane who befriend her.  At this point, I began questioning everything and everybody and strongly suspected that things were on the verge of spiraling out of control for someone.  In Part Three, the fantastic writing duo's many beautifully intertwined plot threads began to unravel, and my  trepidation quickly elevated.  For me, the tone and sense of urgency was reminiscent of Poe's Tell Tale Heart - rapidly rising along with Shay's paranoia.  Like the assumed sound of the beating heart in Poe's short story, my own heartbeat grew louder and louder and louder in my head as I maneuvered all the twists and turns.  And true to form, the authors withheld the final twist until the end.  While I figured out some things along the way, I in no way saw this final one coming.

After finishing You Are Not Alone in the wee hours of the morning, I looked over to see my husband peacefully sleeping and was indeed glad I was not alone.  Hendricks & Pekkenen excel at writing suspense thrillers with a frantic tone and pace that never fails to sweep readers up and hurl them like an angry wave toward the distant shore.  Short chapters reinforce the dark, edgy, sinister tone as does the writing style.  Characterizations are spot-on, in-depth and complete with background information and glimpses into the questionable mental psyche of these women.  The result is another fantastic, riveting, sinister tale that fans of mystery, suspense, and psychological thrillers will devour!  Highly Recommended!

My Rating:  4 Menacing Hearts

Cross My Heart . . . xxx

♥Sandra♥

Foul is Fair Blog Tour & Review

Welcome to the Foul Is Fair Blog Tour!  Meet Author Hannah Chapin, read my review of this BOLD story, and get sucked in by an excerpt.  And if you think this will be just another stroll in the park, you're in for a shock my friends.  This story will eat you alive!

Hannah Capin is the author of Foul is Fair and The Dead Queens Club, a feminist retelling of the wives of Henry VIII. When she isn’t writing, she can be found singing, sailing, or pulling marathon gossip sessions with her girl squad. She lives in Tidewater, Virginia.

Publisher:  Wednesday Books
Genre:  Young Adult Thriller
Release Date:  Feb. 18, 2020
Purchase Link:  Amazon

My Rating:  4 BOLD Hearts

*With special thanks to Wednesday Books for an arc of this book via Netgalley

Foul is Fair is a bloody, thrilling revenge fantasy for the girls who have had enough. Golden boys beware: something wicked this way comes.

Synopsis:
Elle and her friends Jenny, Mads, and Summer rule their glittering LA circle. Untouchable, they have the kind of power other girls only dream of. Every party is theirs and the world is at their feet. Until the night of Elle’s sweet sixteen, when they crash a St. Andrew’s Prep party. The night the golden boys choose Elle as their next target.

They picked the wrong girl.

Sworn to vengeance, Elle transfers to St. Andrew’s Prep. She plots to destroy each boy, one by one. She'll take their power, their lives, and their control of the prep school's hierarchy. And she and her coven have the perfect way in: a boy named Mack, whose ambition could turn deadly. 

Review:

In the past year or so, I've expanded my reading boundaries to include genres I've previously shied away from like Young Adult.  And the rewards have been tenfold!  I've discovered amazingly talented authors spinning fantastic tales in the genre, and as a matter of fact, one of my favorite books of 2019 was of the Young Adult genre.  Go figure! lol  So to say Foul Is Fair is out of my reading wheelhouse is a gross understatement.  So why did I love it so much?  I honestly can't say other than it spoke to me on a deeper level, sparking a dying flame.  And I'm happy to say it rewarded me with another Young Adult favorite author and book!

 Hannah Capin's rendering of Foul Is Fair is BOLD, brutal, violent - with inspiration drawn from a teen Macbeth, no doubt.  Through edgy and daring prose and first person point of view, the story of Elle and three of her closest friends is told.  Drugged and gang raped at a Prep Party at the age of sixteen, Elle is the banner-child for the old saying, "Don't get mad, Get even!"  And heaven help me, I cheered for her all the way as she and her friends methodically planned and served up vengeance to the boys who violated Elle in such a despicable way.  I'm not going any deeper into the story or plot lines, but I will say that the author's brilliant writing sucked me into this story much more than I anticipated.  However, beware the trigger warnings of rape, language, and extreme violence as it is prevalent in this book.

Author Hannah Capin takes on real world issues faced by girls and women in their daily lives in Foul Is Fair.  Through a dark narrative, she spotlights the good-old-boy mentality as people's willingness to turn a blind eye to the violence often perpetrated against girls and women is prevalent. This story also features the issue of a bullying mentality often found among students as they seek to climb the social ladder and reign supreme over their school mates, holding court with their own little clique of friends. Issues of class, race, and sexuality often dictate ones place in the hierarchy.  The fact that I felt empathy and actually pulled for Elle and her friends during their reign of terror and deliverance of vengeance to her abusers is simply amazing.  I kept thinking I should find their brutality revolting...but I didn't.  I can only credit that to the amazing story telling abilities of Capin.  She sold me this story hook, line, and sinker.  Could it have been told in a lighter, less violent manner?  Maybe, but there's little doubt it wouldn't have had the same dramatic impact as Foul Is Fair.  Raw, dark, and gritty, this story sends a warning to bullies and abusers who manage to elude justice - Beware...we're coming for you.  You picked the wrong girl this time.  Or should I say the right girl?  A fantastic read in the genre!  Highly recommended!

My Rating:  4 BOLD Hearts

Cross My Heart . . . xxx

♥Sandra♥

Book Excerpt:

Jenny ran back out barefoot in her baby-pink baby-doll dress and flung herself into the back seat across Summer’s lap, and Mads was out of the lot and onto the road, singing through six red lights, and everything was still slow and foggy and almost like a dream, but when Jenny threw the box onto my knees I could see it diamond-clear. Hard black Cleopatra bangs on the front and the label, spelled out plain: #010112 REVENGE. So I said it out loud:

REVENGE

And Mads gunned the engine harder and Summer and Jenny shrieked war-cries from the back seat and they grabbed my hand, all three of them, and we clung together so tight I could feel blood under my broken claws.

REVENGE, they said back to me. REVENGE, REVENGE,

REVENGE.

So in the bathroom, an hour later and alone, I dye my hair revenge-black, and I feel dark wings growing out of my back, and I smile into the mirror at the girl with ink-stained fingers and a silver sword.

Then I cut my broken nails to the quick. Then I go to bed.

In the morning I put on my darkest lipstick before it’s even breakfast time, and I go to Nailed It with a coffee so hot it burns my throat. The beautiful old lady with the crooked smile gives me new nails as long as the ones they broke off last night, and stronger.

She looks at the bruises on my neck and the scratches across my face, but she doesn’t say anything.

So I point at my hair, and I say, This color. Know what it’s

called?

She shakes her head: No.

I say, REVENGE.

She says, Good girl. Kill him.

Fatal Accusation Book Review

Fatal Accusation
Series: Fatal #15
Author:  Marie Force
Narrator:  Eva Kaminsky
Publisher: Harlequin Audio
Release Date: Dec. 17. 2019
Purchase Link:  Amazon

My Rating: 4.5 Intimate Hearts

Synopsis:
9 hours, 49 minutes

A deadly serious affair...

The story breaks as Metro PD Lieutenant Sam Holland attends a dinner party with her husband, Vice President Nick Cappuano: President Nelson is accused of having an affair. More shocking still, campaign staffer Tara Weber claims the president fathered her newborn son - while the First Lady was undergoing secret cancer treatment.

When a high-profile murder case hits Sam’s desk, she’s shocked to uncover a connection to the presidential scandal. With the department caught up in its own internal scandals, and the chief’s job hanging by a thread, Sam questions who she can trust as her team uncovers information that clouds an already-murky case. And with calls for the president to resign getting louder by the minute, Sam needs to close this case before she finds herself living at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.... 9 hours, 49 minutes

A deadly serious affair...

The story breaks as Metro PD Lieutenant Sam Holland attends a dinner party with her husband, Vice President Nick Cappuano: President Nelson is accused of having an affair. More shocking still, campaign staffer Tara Weber claims the president fathered her newborn son - while the First Lady was undergoing secret cancer treatment.

When a high-profile murder case hits Sam’s desk, she’s shocked to uncover a connection to the presidential scandal. With the department caught up in its own internal scandals, and the chief’s job hanging by a thread, Sam questions who she can trust as her team uncovers information that clouds an already-murky case. And with calls for the president to resign getting louder by the minute, Sam needs to close this case before she finds herself living at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.... 9 hours, 49 minutes

A deadly serious affair...

The story breaks as Metro PD Lieutenant Sam Holland attends a dinner party with her husband, Vice President Nick Cappuano: President Nelson is accused of having an affair. More shocking still, campaign staffer Tara Weber claims the president fathered her newborn son - while the First Lady was undergoing secret cancer treatment.

When a high-profile murder case hits Sam’s desk, she’s shocked to uncover a connection to the presidential scandal. With the department caught up in its own internal scandals, and the chief’s job hanging by a thread, Sam questions who she can trust as her team uncovers information that clouds an already-murky case. And with calls for the president to resign getting louder by the minute, Sam needs to close this case before she finds herself living at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.... 9 hours, 49 minutes

A deadly serious affair...

The story breaks as Metro PD Lieutenant Sam Holland attends a dinner party with her husband, Vice President Nick Cappuano: President Nelson is accused of having an affair. More shocking still, campaign staffer Tara Weber claims the president fathered her newborn son - while the First Lady was undergoing secret cancer treatment.

When a high-profile murder case hits Sam’s desk, she’s shocked to uncover a connection to the presidential scandal. With the department caught up in its own internal scandals, and the chief’s job hanging by a thread, Sam questions who she can trust as her team uncovers information that clouds an already-murky case. And with calls for the president to resign getting louder by the minute, Sam needs to close this case before she finds herself living at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.... A deadly serious affair…
The story breaks as Metro PD lieutenant Sam Holland attends a dinner party with her husband, Vice President Nick Cappuano: President Nelson is accused of having an affair. More shocking still, campaign staffer Tara Weber claims the president fathered her newborn son—while the First Lady was undergoing secret cancer treatment.

When a high-profile murder case hits Sam’s desk, she’s shocked to uncover a connection to the presidential scandal. With the department caught up in its own internal scandals, and the chief’s job hanging by a thread, Sam questions who she can trust as her team uncovers information that clouds an already-murky case. And with calls for the president to resign getting louder by the minute, Sam needs to close this case before she finds herself living at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue…

Review:

Shocking news of President Nelson's affair with a former campaign staffer breaks during a dinner party attended by Metro PD Lieutenant Sam Holland and her husband Vice President Nick Cappuano.  Accusations that Nelson fathered a child - all this as his beloved wife secretly battled cancer - infuriates his colleagues and the public.  Calls for his resignation are rampant and the last thing Nick & Sam want to hear.  To make things worse, a murder investigation lands on Sam's desk with links to the President, and she's not sure who to trust anymore.  If she and her team aren't able to solve this case quickly, hopefully clearing the President's name, her new address could be 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

One of the best things about following a continuing series is getting to know reoccurring characters like family.  It's always great to catch up with them, follow their development, and see what's happening in their lives.  It's one of the things I love most about the Fatal series.  Force does a fantastic job with character development and the weaving of plot threads from book to book.  The next book picks up right after the previous timewise which lends a steady flow of story from one book to the next.  I've had issues in some of the recent books with Sam's display of extreme immaturity given her position as both Second Lady and a police lieutenant, but I'm happy to say it's not a problem in Fatal Accusation.  Sam's courage, gritty determination, and just plain doggedness (a dog with a bone comes to mind!) is evident in this one.  In fact, this book is my favorite of the series in quite some time.  

A strong sense of family in every sense of the word shines through in Fatal Accusation.  The story is personal, intimate, and believable - brimming with tension and emotion.  I have to mention that this is my first audiobook of this series, and the narration by Eva Kaminsky is excellent as it brings these characters to life.  I will be listening to all future releases in the series.  Force has written another well plotted story, tugged on past storylines, and charged her main characters with getting the job done.  A fantastic addition to a great series.  Highly recommended.

My Rating:  4.5 Intimate Hearts

Cross My Heart . . . xxx

♥Sandra♥

One Last Child Book Review

One Last Child (Tallman's Valley Detectives #1) 
Author: Anni Taylor
Genre:  Mystery Suspense
Publisher:  Books Go Social - Amazon Publ.
Release Date:  Jan. 15, 2020
Purchase Link:  Amazon

My Rating:  4.5 Gut-Wrenching Hearts

A special thank you to the publisher for an arc of this book.


Synopsis:
It was summer in the mountains when five small children vanished from their nursery school picnic. The heat was stifling that day, the tinkle of an ice-cream van in the air.
Three and a half years later, in the dead of winter, the children are returned by their abductor... one by one.  All except for Ivy - the granddaughter of homicide detective Kate Wakeland. The other four children say Ivy is dead.  Speculation grows that the kidnappings were revenge for an offender that Detective Wakeland put in jail years before.  She engages in a battle of wits between herself, the kidnapper and the cold, vast expanse of mountains in between.

Review:
The cover and synopsis of One Last Child drew my attention like a moth to a flame.  I immediately knew it wasn't a matter of if I'd read it, but when.  And after the publisher offered me a copy, I knew the time was now.  Clueless to the fact that the story setting was in Australia, I began reading and quickly came to appreciate the author's utilization of environment to set an ominous tone in this heartfelt, gut-wrenching story.  I highly advise readers to skip all spoilers as the suspense building element of this story depends on the unknown. 

The first half of One Last Child deals with the ongoing search and investigation of five children who go missing while on a daycare picnic.  A search for the missing children turns into a three and a half year nightmare.  I can see why some readers might find the pace a bit slow during this time, but I greatly enjoyed the author's meticulous attention to the smallest of details while crafting this suspenseful story chapter by chapter.  Taylor sets and maintains a dismal tone of impending doom as a few slim leads turn into dead-ends.  Her manipulation and development of characters throughout the story is fantastic, keeping readers off-balance as they attempt to figure out the who, where, how & why.  The second half of the book picks up the pace when prayers are answered and four of the missing children are returned, and the case shifts to focus on why the grandchild of Homicide Det. Kate Wakefield isn't returned with the others. Four families celebrate while one family grieves.  Why wasn't Ivy returned with the others? I'm not often left in the dark throughout most of a book, but this story kept me mystified until the end.

One Last Child is an emotional, raw, intense, heartfelt story that tugged on my heart strings time and again. I found myself reading late, burning through pages, praying for answers and a happy-ever-after for each family.  The author's ability to set a despondent tone, build suspense and trepidation while keeping readers guessing is nothing short of brilliant in this stunning mystery suspense story.  I know I held my breath through much of it.  The author drops a small bombshell near the end that appears to be the set-up for the next book in the series, and I can't wait!  I'm grateful to have discovered and read this hidden gem in the mystery/suspense/thriller genre.  Highly recommended!

My Rating:  4.5 Raw, Emotional Hearts

Cross My Heart . . . xxx

♥Sandra♥

ISWG: When Is A Picture Worth A Thousand Words?

A database resource site and support group for writers and authors. Featuring weekly guests and tips, a monthly blogfest gathering, a Facebook group, a book club, and thousands of links – all to benefit writers! #IWSG

Website / Facebook Group / Twitter / Book Club

Make sure to stop by to visit each of February's co-hosts as well as all of our other awesome members!  A big thank you to:
Lee Lowery,  Ronel Janse van Vuuren,  Jennifer Hawes, Cathrina Constantine, and Tyrean Martinson!

IWSG Question:  Has a single photo or work of art ever inspired a story? What was it and did you finish it? 

Photos, artwork, and pictures of any kind can be great a inspiration when it comes to sparking curiosity and fueling the old who? what? when? where? why? mentality.  As for myself, I'm drawn to old pictures and photos like those often found in old family albums.  Ones that have been passed down generation to generation.  One of the first things you grab in case of a fire.

My husband has an old family photo that immediately comes to mind when I think about this question.  It's a photo of my husband's grandfather playing a fiddle at an old timey barn dance.  This was a man that farmed, hunted, and trapped furs for a living - to house, clothe, and feed his family of twelve.  Times were tough, but come rain or shine they held a barn dance and played music on Saturday night.  Neighbors came from miles around to visit, eat, dance, and generally shed the stress of day to day survival.  My husband's grandfather was a skilled fiddle player, and this particular photo shows him and a few friends playing music, toes tapping, lanterns glowing, an old stone jug sitting nearby, and a circle of dancers high-stepping around the floor.  When I first saw this picture, it just sparked something in me, filling my head with  visions of days long lost to modern technology.  My husband's father loved to share stories about his father and the good old days - his memories of a simpler time.  The photo inspired me to try my hand at writing a historical story featuring a man and his family in the early 1900's.  The partially written manuscript is tucked away in a drawer now - my one and only shot at writing historical fiction.  No, I haven't finished it as I eventually figured out historical fiction isn't my strong suit.  I moved on to the Suspense/Thriller genre where I feel more at home.

So, when is a picture worth a thousand words?  When it sparks creativity in any form!

I'd like to add that I'm probably more inspired by music than photos.  Songs, voices, melodies . . . they take me to another place.  Sparking a flutter in a spot way down deep in my soul.  A song can soothe me or agitate me, make me sway or sit in a trance-like state lost in the words.  The right song at the right time paints a picture in my head, and ideas for characters and storylines sprout and grow.

How about you?  Where do you find  inspiration and ideas for stories?