Tag Archives: hollie smurthwaite

Memory Surgeon – The Color Of Betrayal by Hollie Smurthwaite @H_Smurthwaite

Posted on by
Couple
Words: The Color
Words: of Betrayal
https://amzn.to/3QFZlVb

Amazon / KindleUnlimited / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I will warn you about The Color of Betrayal by Hollie Smurthwaite. There are triggers involve: explicit sex scenes that are smokin’ hot, alcoholism, violence and plenty of profanity. Sounds right up my alley, how about yours? LOL

Jolene is a memory surgeon working for the Agency, a spy. She could read people’s memories, but did her best not to remove them. If she did, they became hers and that is a heavy load to bear. She has no family, losing her best friend when the Agency faked her death. Exercise is her panacea, being still an impossibility. Jogging made her feel free.

Their team consists of five people: Jolene, Stadler, Sara, Ryan and Jorge. Ryan was the older brother, Sara is the rebel sibling, Stadler is the father figure, Jorge is the younger brother, and Jolene is the fucked up child.

She meets Cass in the coffee shop and is immediately smitten. She has no time for a relationship and too many secrets to keep. Their dialogue, as their relationship builds, has me cracking up, but he has his secrets too.

The deeper into the story I go, the more I choose the characters I will root for and those I want to see go down. The danger rises as secrets are exposed and betrayals come to light. I was so surprised at The Agency and never saw that coming, though any group that keeps secrets to work outside the normal boundaries, can be considered armed and dangerous.

Jolene will be put to the test all right. Will she be stronger for it, or will it be the end of her? Who can she count on for support? Can she have a romantic life?

Even though the books in the series can be read as stand alones, I highly recommend starting with the first, because the characters will be making an appearance in future books and knowing their backgrounds adds extra to the stories to come.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars
book quotebook cover with flowersChristmas scene and book cover

GOODREADS BLURB

Jolene, a recovering alcoholic with the psychic ability to experience people’s memories, helps a secret government agency take down drug syndicates.

No secret is safe . . .

As a memory surgeon, Jolene can slip into other people’s memories. She can see them, experience them, even steal them. To atone for her past, she’s been using her psychic gift to help the Agency, a secret government entity, taking out drug lords across the US. After a screw-up on an assignment, she’s back in Chicago, where her own worst memories live.

The last thing she needs while trying to make up for her mistake is a sexy distraction. Cass is a little sweet and a lot gorgeous. The only problem: she can’t have him and the job. But when he offers his friendship, she can’t resist.

While Jolene and Cass try to pretend there is nothing beneath their friendship, her mission spins out of control. Now, both their lives are on the line. Will her growing powers be enough to save her? Or will secrets send her right back to the darkest depths of her past?

The Color of Betrayal is a steamy paranormal romantic suspense novel with psychics, spies, twists, and dark themes. Great for fans of KF Breene, Jeaniene Frost, and Kim Harrison.

Although this is book two of the series, it can be read as a standalone. The main characters change each novel.

Content warning: Explicit sex scenes, references and depictions of physical violence (NOT between the protagonists), alcoholism, profanity and not just a little.

  • Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Supernatural, Suspense, Thriller
  • 343 pages, ebook
  • Published October 31, 2022 by Hollie Smurthwaite
  • Series: The Psychic Colors Series, Book 2

ABOUT HOLLIE SMURTHWAITE

Hollie Smurthwaite is a paranormal romantic suspense author of The Color of Trauma and The Color of Betrayal. The Color of Trauma was the winner of the 2020 Soon to Be Famous Illinois Author Project in adult fiction. She lives in Chicago with her husband, son, and too few pets. In past lives, she’s been a checkout clerk, massage therapist, office manager, recruiter, magazine staff writer, pepper spray hawker, and belly dancer.

MY HOLLIE SMURTHWAITE REVIEWS

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.no
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Giveaway & Review – The Color Of Trauma by Hollie Smurthwaite @H_Smurthwaite

Posted on by

.

MY REVIEW

The Color of Trauma by Hollie Smurthwaite was an awesome surprise for me. I thought it would be a good fit. The premise had a twist and finding something different is very unusual. Needless to say, it made the book very hard to put down in the wee hours of the morning.

I love that Kiera is not a ‘young adult’, but a mature woman. She has a gift that leaves her with few friends, spending many hours alone, and sex…well, she has a friend that money can buy.

She is a memory surgeon. She does most of her work for free, taking on one or two big paying jobs a year. She couldn’t tell you why she does them, but it does give her clients a little bit of peace. She takes a traumatic experience a person has suffered, erases the facts from their mind yet leaving the memory that something bad did happen, and takes it as her own. She has a driver, no need for a license, because her ‘job’ has triggers that muddles her mind and her actions, making it too dangerous to drive.

Chicago has a serial killer and Dean Matthson is the head detective on the case. He, and others at the precinct, call her and others like her memory munchers. It is an apt description, though it does sound kinda rude. He knows it is frowned on using them for an investigation, but he is going to do it anyway. The clock is ticking and it won’t be long before another life is lost.

I love the character of Kiera. She may come across as weak, but stand back when she gets her hackles up. She can take care herself, doesn’t back down from a fight, and has some spicy language. I love that she finds humor amongst the darkness, in the dialogue. It’s not bad enough that the trauma she takes into her mind, her home life left a lot to be desired. Her scars were invisible, but that doesn’t mean there is no pain, pain that can be debilitating.

If Kiera ever wrote a memoir, which she would never do, she would title it The Color of Trauma Is Pink…The worst memories were always a shade of pink.

I can understand someone’s fear over memory surgeons abilities, but everything good can be used for bad. Some major damage could be done, but so much good could come from it too. It’s that age old question: Just because you can do something, should you?

The attraction is quick, instalove, maybe, but when you feel the spark how do you avoid the fire? It would take a special person for her, but also for him. Dean is a homicide detective. He never knew when he would be called out or when his shift would end. They both have baggage and I am eager to see how they handle it. I feel confident there will be some kind of happy ever after…won’t there?

The psychopath serial killer finds a target and zeroes in on her. He had researched her, reading lots of articles. He thought if he ever wrote a memoir, he would name it The Psychopath And The Empath. I knew this would happen, but that’s okay.

There was one blip that bothered me, but maybe because I saw something similar in one of my favorite TV crime shows. I thought about it for a minute or two and wondered how much time passed during that blip. That could make a huge difference that is not always easy to determine.

I am loving the The Psychic Color series by HollyieSmurthwaite and I can hardly wait to see what she does in Book II, The Color Of Betrayal, Jolene and Cass’ story.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Color Of Trauma by Hollie Smurthwaite.

4 Stars




The Color of Trauma
The Psychic Colors Series
Book One
Hollie Smurthwaite

Genre:  Paranormal Romantic Suspense, PNR
Publisher: Hollie Smurthwaite
Date of Publication:  August 30, 2021
ISBN:978-1737118916
ASIN: B09B2QWV52
Number of pages:  358
Word Count: 95,000 words
Cover Artist: Sarah Hansen at Okay Creations

Book Description:

Experiencing another’s past could end her future . . .

Kiera Brayleigh is a memory surgeon. In the ten years since her “gift” manifested, she’s helped dozens of women deal with trauma by removing their horrific memories—burns, rapes, tortures.  It pays well, but she holds those moments, making her a fiery mess. The bizarre request from a Chicago homicide detective is the last thing she needs.

Detective Dean Matthson is burdened with an uncanny ability to get inside the minds of criminals. In a dead-end hunt to capture a serial killer, he risks his hard-earned reputation by doing the unthinkable: recruiting a memory surgeon to probe the mind of a comatose victim.  

Kiera might appreciate the cop’s dimples and his commitment to the job, but only an idiot would agree to experience a rape-murder victim’s last memories. Kiera, it turns out, is that idiot. Dean’s dedication and calming presence challenge Kiera’s distrustful nature, and she finds herself falling for Dean even as he struggles with his own demons. 

Can two broken people find love? 

When the killer discovers Kiera’s on the case, he realizes she is exactly what he needs to relive his kills. Dean and the killer both close in on their targets, and it becomes a race to catch the monster before he catches Kiera.

The Color of Trauma is a thought-provoking paranormal romantic suspense novel with an unconventional heroine, dark themes, and psychological drama.

Amazon      Kobo      BN      Indiebound


“I’m not sure how much Ms. Morten has shared with you, but—”

Kiera lifted a finger; thankfully, her index. “Dr. Patty told us you had questions about memory reading as it might apply to one of your cases. Read memories aren’t admissible in court. You’re wasting your time.”

“I don’t need evidence like that,” Dean said, deciding not to point out that Patty hadn’t graduated yet and wasn’t, technically, a doctor.

“Whew,” the blond he didn’t recognize said. “It’s one of the frustrating things about what we do.” The memory surgeons all winced when she spoke, though the blond didn’t appear to notice.

“What’s your name?” he asked.

She beamed. “Amy Carter.”

“Do you mind telling me what’s your specialty?”

“Bitching and complaining,” Kiera replied in a tight voice.

Amy’s lips compressed, but she didn’t say anything. Was Kiera the group’s bully? Was that how she controlled the narrative? Everyone looked to her, even Patty.

Kiera sighed. “Dr. Schwartz is the expert in the field. Look into his research. Gilfoile and Roberts are hacks, and the rest don’t know shit but still want to capitalize on the memory-surgeon thing.”

He wrote down “Schwartz” in his notebook, surprised at her generosity. “Thank you.”

She stared at him with those blue eyes that didn’t blink enough. “That all?”

“Not quite.”

“Yeah, I figured.” She shook her head. “They don’t fully understand how memory works, so it’s going to be a while before they figure out how we’re able to access people’s memories and how they can be removed and kept in someone else’s mind. We can’t help you with the science stuff.”

“I’m more interested in how it works from a practical standpoint.” He directed his questions at everyone else, but the only one looking directly at him was Kiera. Fine. If he won her over, the others would follow. “I’m trying to ascertain what you can and can’t do.”

“Why?”

No time to finesse. With his attention still on Kiera, he handed Brittany Kolchek’s picture to Ramon and asked him to look and pass it on.

“I’ve never seen her before,” Ramon said. “Is she missing?”

Dean waited until everyone had viewed the photo, because he didn’t want to give them the opportunity to refuse.

Beth looked last, and she studied Brittany for several seconds. “She seems nice.” Then she walked the photo back to him.

“Her name is Brittany Kolchek,” he said. “She’s in a coma.” As a group, they cringed, even Kiera. Good—they cared. “The doctors say she won’t wake.”

“You don’t want information. You want one of us to jump into her memories,” Kiera said, her face as hard as her voice.

“We believe she’s the third victim of a serial killer targeting young women. All three scenes have little physical evidence. This might be our only chance to catch a break.” When nobody spoke or moved, he added, “He’ll kill again.”


About the Author: 

Hollie Smurthwaite is a paranormal romantic suspense author of The Color of Trauma and The Color of Betrayal. The Color of Trauma was the winner of the 2020 Soon to Be Famous Illinois Author Project in adult fiction. She lives in Chicago with her husband, son, and too few pets. In past lives, she’s been a checkout clerk, massage therapist, office manager, recruiter, magazine staff writer, pepper spray hawker, and belly dancer.












a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can see my Giveaways HERE.
You can see my Reviews HERE.
If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.
Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
Thanks for visiting fundinmental!