All Scot and Bothered Review

Author: Kerrigan Bryne

Series: Devil You Know #2

Genre: Historical Romance

Publisher: St. Martins Press

Release Date: Sept. 29, 2020

Purchase Link: Amazon

My Rating: 3.5 

A special thank you to St. Martins Press for an arc of this book.

They are a dangerous duke, a fierce lord, and an infamous earl—dark, bold, brave men who know exactly what they want. And there is only one woman who can bring them to their knees...

Review:

All Scot and Bothered is an enemies to lovers historical romance with a lot of sizzle and pop between the hero and heroine.  Cecelia Teague is a smart, creative woman who just learned she's inherited a gambling empire that includes a few ladies of ill repute.  Unfortunately, this places her under the scrutiny of Lord Chief Justice of the High Court Cassius Gerard Ramsey who's determined to shut the place down.  When they first meet at a dinner, Ramsay doesn't have a clue who Cecelia is and sparks fly between them.  Later, when he comes to the gambling establishment on official business, Cecelia's in disguise and he doesn't immediately recognize her.  In the meantime, their attraction and chemistry spike as she works to keep her identity hidden.  The story that unfolds is heated in more ways than one!

Author Kerrigan Bryne brings a lot of heat to historical romance with sexual tension that's explosive.  I enjoyed Cecelia as another strong heroine with a spine of steel and a mind of her own.  It took more time for me to warm up to Ramsay as some of his actions are particularly harsh, but the interaction between these characters set the stage for an intriguing story with surprising depth.  While this isn't my favorite by this talented author, it's perfect for fans of historical romance with a twist . . . and lots of chemistry.

Synopsis:

He is first and foremost—at everything. A man who's made his own way in the world through ruthless cunning and sheer force of will. A strong and imposing Scot who can turn on the charm but does not suffer fools. His title: Lord Chief Justice of the High Court. His name: Cassius Gerard Ramsay. His mission: To investigate the goings-on at London's most notorious gaming hell, owned and operated by one of the most intriguing and desirable women he's ever met.
IN THIS GAME OF LOVE, THE RULES DO NOT APPLY
Cecelia Teague was an orphan facing a rather dire future—until a secret benefactor from her mother's scandalous past swept into her life. Sent to prestigious boarding school and later to university, Cecelia believed high society was at her fingertips...Then, from out of nowhere, she became the inheritor of a gambling establishment. Now Cecelia must live two lives: one as a proper lady who finds herself undeniably drawn to Lord Ramsay and the other as a savvy gaming hell owner trying to save her business from the very same man. He has no idea she is both women...and Cecelia would like to keep it that way. But what happens when consuming passion and escalating danger threaten to reveal the truth? 

If you're anything like me, the best night is one spent with a brawny highlander, a mysterious werewolf, a conflicted vampire, or a hot-headed Irishman. My stories span the spectrum of romantic fiction from historical, to paranormal, to romantic suspense. But I can always promise my readers one thing: memorable and sexy Celtic heroes who are guaranteed to heat your blood before they steal your heart. Lose yourself in the enchanted Celtic Isles, you never know who, or what, will find you...

Namesake Review

Duology: Fable #2

Author: Adrienne Young

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Release Date: March 16, 2021

Order Links: Amazon  

Barnes & Noble

My Rating: 5 Churning Hearts

*Many thanks to Mary Moates @ Wednesday Books for an arc of this book. You guys are dominating the genre right now!  You never let me down.

Filled with action, emotion, and lyrical writing, New York Times bestselling author Adrienne Young returns with Namesake, the final book in the captivating Fable duology.

Review:

Finishing the Fable duology left me with dueling emotions churning inside like a choppy sea.  I'm captivated by this fantastic story, amazing world and dynamic characters.  And yet, I hated reading the last page knowing it was The End.  Now I'm mourning the loss of Fable, West, Willow, Saint and the rest of the motley crew I've come to love.  Young does an incredible job of weaving everything together and bringing plot lines to a satisfying closure in Namesake.  I'm just not ready to give these characters up, and I don't think you'll be either.  You MUST read Fable, book one first and avoid all spoilers for both books.  If you do, this story will sweep you away like a riptide.

The Fable duology is hands down one of the best young adult fantasy stories I've ever read - that includes both books!  Like a siren's song, this tale lured me in with rich, expressive sights, sounds, smells, and oh so many feels.  Namesake continues where Fable left off.  If you've read Fable, you know that Fable (the protagonist) is blindsided at the end of book one by a notorious foe using her as a pawn in a complex power game.  Stormy seas are ahead for Fable as she calls upon her strength and special talents to persevere and survive against all odds.  And just when she and readers think she's worked her way through all the deceit and betrayals, a storm of secrets unravel inundating her with more shocking truths.  What will Fable have to sacrifice to protect loved ones?  Will she lose everything?

Namesake is a majestic tale of courage, power, betrayal, sacrifice, secrets and risking it all for  love.  The characters are bigger than life - potent and colorful and flawed and real.  I want more stories about this heart-stealing cast.  The setting and world building are unbelievably good - magnificent, overwhelming, unexpected and ever changing like the sea.  Fast paced action drives the story and readers forward as plot lines tangle and twist.  I planned to read Namesake over a long weekend . . . talk about famous last words.  I started reading page one Friday night and finished the book in the wee hours of Saturday morn.  There's no stopping once you begin, my friends.  Beware and set some time aside because you won't be able to put this one down.  Namesake is an epic tale of survival, sacrifice, and the search for truth - the search for "home".  I highly recommend both books - Fable & Namesake to readers everywhere.  This is a journey you don't want to miss, my friends. 

 

Synopsis:

Trader. Fighter. Survivor.

With the Marigold ship free of her father, Fable and its crew were set to start over. That freedom is short-lived when she becomes a pawn in a notorious thug’s scheme. In order to get to her intended destination she must help him to secure a partnership with Holland, a powerful gem trader who is more than she seems.

As Fable descends deeper into a world of betrayal and deception she learns that her mother was keeping secrets, and those secrets are now putting the people Fable cares about in danger. If Fable is going to save them then she must risk everything, including the boy she loves and the home she has finally found.

Adrienne Young is a born and bred Texan turned California girl. She is a foodie with a deep love of history and travel and a shameless addiction to coffee. When she’s not writing, you can find her on her yoga mat, scouring antique fairs for old books, sipping wine over long dinners, or disappearing into her favorite art museums. She lives with her documentary filmmaker husband and their four little wildlings beneath the West Coast sun.

For information on release, appearances, ARCs, giveaways, and exclusive content, sign up for the newsletter at https://adrienneyoungbooks.com/

Instagram: @adrienneyoungbooks
Twitter: @adriennebooks

Waiting On The Rain Review

 

Author: Claudia Connor

Series: McKinney/Walker #3

Genre: Romance

Release Date: Dec. 31, 2020

Order Link: Amazon

My Rating: 4 Beautiful Hearts

A special thank you to Author Claudia Connor for an arc of this book.

Review:

After twenty long years away, Luke Walker is home for his brother Zach's wedding hoping to make amends and reconnect with the siblings he walked away from at age seventeen. Luke's at loose ends, a bit lost after his sudden decision to leave military life not knowing what his future holds.  And then he meets UN interpreter Ava Bennet who's home for a few weeks to help her mother care for her father during his rehabilitation.  Ava's been blind since birth and without the familiarity of her New York City surroundings and public transportation, she's dependent on others which she hates.  Both Luke and Ava carry secrets and regrets - each choosing to remain alone rather than risk disappointment and hurt again.  When the two share a dance at Zach's wedding, the connection and chemistry are immediate and intense.  Waiting On The Rain is their story - tender, intimate, loving.  But Happily Ever After?  Highly unlikely.

Claudia Connor's skill at weaving intimate, heartwarming love stories is evident in Waiting On The Rain.  She excels at drawing readers' into the midst of large families - the gatherings, meals, rivalry between siblings, support system - where they quickly become entangled and hopelessly in love with the characters.  I was immediately drawn to Luke - his fears, anxiety, regrets and the same with Ava with her own self-doubts and ghosts.  I love that the author showcases Ava's strengths - her independence and ability to adapt in unknown situations as well as Luke's easy acceptance of her unique challenges. 

Waiting On The Rain is a beautiful story of two different people with two separate lives learning to trust each other against all odds as they fall in love when there's every reason in the world why it won't work.  The relaxing quiet small town and open country setting is conducive to a transformation in both characters as they explore their feelings and question what they thought they wanted in a future even as they learn to put the past at rest.  Can a city girl and a country boy make it work?  Both have their doubts and fears to overcome.  And yet . . . the chemistry and desire sparking between them is off the charts as are the bedroom scenes.  Rest assured, Connor has no issue including steamy lovemaking into her happily ever after stories.  

Waiting On The Rain is low angst romance at its best.  It's a touching, intimate and beautiful story of two people learning to let go of the past while finding the trust to build a future together.  I read this book in one sitting as I just couldn't put it down once I met these characters and became engrossed in their lives.  I highly recommend it to fans of romance as well as those who just enjoy a good, heartwarming story. 

Synopsis:

Being blind doesn’t hold Ava Bennet back in the least. With her work, her shopping, and public transportation within walking distance, she’s totally at home in the big city. But she’s not in the city now. Temporarily back in her small home town to help her father has her struggling in a big way.
 
Luke Walker is done running from his troubled past. Finally home after years in the military, he’s ready to make amends with his family and set down some roots. But adapting to civilian life is much harder than he ever expected.
 
She has no intention of sticking around. He has no plans to run again. All they have is one month together. Will it be enough for Luke to prove he’s everything Ava needs—in light, in darkness, and most importantly, even in the rain?   
  

Claudia Connor is the author of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling series, The McKinney Brothers.

Claudia writes, warm, heartfelt contemporary romances with a bit of steam, a lot of family and always a happily ever after. Claudia attended Auburn University, where she received her undergraduate and masters degrees in early childhood education, and completed her studies in Sawbridgeworth, England. When she's not writing, she enjoys movies, reading, and travel, with a heavy dose of daydreaming during all three. Claudia lives near Memphis, Tennessee, with her husband and three daughters.

You can find out more about Claudia’s books at http://claudiaconnor.com

or stop by and say hello on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/ClaudiaConnor. 

Finlay Donovan Is Killing It Review

Author: Elle Cosimano

Genre: Mystery

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Release Date:  Feb. 2, 2021

Purchase Link:  Amazon

My Rating:  4 Hilarious Hearts

Many thanks to Minotaur Books for a paperback arc of this book. #MinotaurInfluencers #FinlayDonovanIsKillingIt

Edgar-Award nominee Elle Cosimano’s adult debut Finlay Donovan Is Killing It is the first in a witty, fast-paced mystery series, following struggling suspense novelist and single mom Finlay Donovan, whose fiction treads dangerously close to the truth as she becomes tangled in real-life murder investigations...

Review:

Author Elle Cosimano's adult mystery debut Finlay Donovan Is Killing It is a breath of fresh air in the genre. The story features Finlay Donovan aka single mother of two, romance suspense writer and suspected contract killer and cohort Vero aka the on again, off again nanny and accomplice. Everything about this story is an exaggeration, larger than life - from the mystery of the murder to the untimely appearance of dead bodies to the hilarious antics and banter of our relatable protagonist and her sidekick. Finlay Donovan Is Killing It has it all – intriguing mystery, wacko characters, brisk plot line, and ludicrous comedy. The only real danger in reading this book is expiring from laughter while you're imprisoned in the pages with no desire to escape.

Finlay, a recently divorced, romance suspense writer nursing a bad case of writer's block and another missed deadline, is staring down another bad day when she meets with her agent at a local restaurant to discuss her progress, or lack thereof, on her next book. After a lady seated nearby who showed blatant interest in their conversation leaves, Finlay discovers a mysterious note left behind – one that will change the course of and secure her future but not without consequences. The next thing she knows, she and Vero are in the middle of a murder investigation while doing their best to skirt the local law and organized crime. The end results are hilarious - a comedy of errors wrapped around a good if barely believable mystery.

Finlay Donovan’s a strong if sometimes foolish protagonist who's easily identifiable. The author’s skill at portraying Finlay as a real life single mother struggling to do it all is golden, making her relatable and likable while drawing readers’ empathy. Single mothers will recognize and commiserate with Finlay and have no issue justifying her actions. Likewise, the dynamics of the relationship between Finlay and Vero and the portrayal of Vero as a witty sidekick rather than the typical scheming nanny is perfection. The growing camaraderie between these two women as they dare each other into making yet another bad decision makes for delightful, laugh out loud, exaggerated scenes filled with witty banter – a perfect portrayal of true friendship. A support cast of maybe, maybe not boyfriends and unreliable suspects with too many motives to count serves to keep the mystery of whodunit alive, and even though I recognized where this was headed, the author's youthful writing style and wry sense of humor kept me thoroughly entertained throughout. Cosimano's skillful utilization of a writer passing what’s essentially a spoof of her own current situation off as a fictional mystery to deliver the plot is brilliant as is the manipulation of larger than life characters and scenes that twist and turn right through the final aha moment. This may not be the best executed mystery ever written, but it wins my vote for most hilarious.

Finlay Donovan Is Killing It is the first in a series featuring these characters. I'll definitely be tuned in to see where the author takes this in the future. Highly recommended to fans of mystery, comedy, and dark satire.

 

Author of NEARLY GONE, HOLDING SMOKE, THE SUFFERING TREE, SEASONS OF THE STORM, and FINLAY DONOVAN IS KILLING IT (Feb 2, 2021 from Minotaur Books). Represented by Sarah Davies of The Greenhouse Literary Agency.