.
Tag Archives: stands alone
The Hunter Becomes The Hunted in Ultimate Prey by Kristine Mason @KristineMason7
Monday Mini – The Gift by Tegon Maus @TegonMaus
.
MY REVIEW
I have seen Tegon Maus’ books around and heard such good things that I had to find out for myself. I was not disappointed.
The story is about Enon, a Jonda and mind reader, and Elisabeth, kidnapped royalty.
Enon would either be a hero or a dead man. The fighting is fierce, but he makes a good showing, even managing to hook up with a woman who has his number. Their verbal banter is more often funny than hurtful.
Would betrayal take the king’s life? Isn’t there always someone hiding in the shadows wanting the kingdom?
The world created is fraught with danger and enemies at every turn. Will the frightened little man become an unwilling hero? Well, all I can say is the journey is long and arduous, and not all will return.
Tegon Maus can sure spin a tale, drawing me in, making me crave more.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Gift by Tegon Maus.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Transformed by a primitive magic beyond a civilized man’s understanding, I was given a horrible gift that no man should possess… It held me, twisted me, turning me at its bidding. I was enslaved by its power, compelled to devour the souls of the dead until I became the monster of my fears. I have seen things I wish never to see again. I have done things of which I wish never to speak. Yet I must if I am to find the answers to fulfill my hope. I have walked upon blue ribbons of molten stone to peer into the depth of a man’s soul. I watched as a promise made at birth brought my friend Enon to sacrifice everything to become whole again – all in an effort to save the life of his child. I have cried without shame for the loss of all I hold dear and for fear that the future will hold more than I can bear. I am Tucker Littlefield. Know all that I say now is true-spoken.
Friday 56 #148 – One Bite With a Stranger by Christine Warren @ChrstineWarren
.
The Friday 56 is hosted by Freda’s Voice.The only rules are to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and find any sentence or a few ( no spoilers) that grabs you and post it.
Please join Rose City Reader every Friday to share the first sentence or 
so of the book you are reading along with you initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires.
Please include the title of the book and the author’s name.
~~~
I enjoyed One Bit With A Stranger by Christine Warren and gave it a 3 star rating on Goodreads. This is the first book in The Others series and I enjoyed it so much, I also read Big Bad Wolf, the second book in the series, and Wolf at the Door. I won these books from Laura at fuonlyknew and boy oh boy are they ever sizzling…
MY 56
He stared into her eyes, his thumb smoothing the skin of her vulnerable throat while his other hand began to rub the furrow between her thighs with firm, steady pressure. She felt like a toy, positioned for his pleasure, dominated and controlled beneath his hands and his eyes and his breathtaking presence.
(Pages 56 in paperback published in 2008)
GOODREADS BLURB
When Regina’s friends insist on setting her up a “Fantasy Fix” to help her get over her cheating ex, she dreams up some kinky out-of-this-world encounters that they could never possibly bring to life. But the next thing Regina knows, her friends have got her laced into a shiny black corset, tight leather pants, and a sexy pair of stilettos. It’s time for some downtown vampire-fantasy fun. . . .
The Vampire Ball in Manhattan’s East Village isn’t really Dmitri Vidâme’s idea of a good time, but as a member of the Council that governs the Others, he has to keep an eye on all the young vamps who prey on the pretenders. After he feasts his dark eyes on fiery Regina at the bar, he knows that he must have her. But for the first time Dmitri meets a woman who is more than a match for his indomitable will. And he may be the fantasy Regina hoped for… until she—and her feisty friends—discover her sexy new lover’s bloodsucking secret…
Must Reads from Bestselling Author Vicki McKeehan @vickiemckeehan
.
The Evil Secrets Trilogy by Vicki McKeehan sticks in my mind to this day. I love strong female characters and this stand alone romantic suspense series contains them in spades. Each novel tells one of the friends story, which is full of thrills and chills and hours of fantastic reading.
I read them early in my blogging days and it is fun to see the progression I have made in writing my reviews.
These fabulous covers create a brand for the trilogy. You sure don’t want to mess with these ladies and their lovable, hunky male partners.
MY 5 STAR REVIEWS: Just Evil / Deeper Evil / Ending Evil
I still love the cover for Just Evil the best. The colors are rich and vivid and the tree is descriptive of the story, encompassing all the characters and subplots, branching out from the main storyline. Which do you like best?
I have also read a couple other novels by her and loved them too. She is a fantastic writer and crosses genres with ease.
The Sky Cree romantic suspense series has another strong female character, a warrior, with a Nez Perce Indian heritage. These novels stand alone, but I look forward to continuing the series. You can see my 5 star review by clicking on the cover, which has the old cover. Which do you like best?
Vicki McKeehan’s Pelican Pointe romance series is another hit. I would have grabbed Promise Cove just because of this gorgeous cover and the location. The Goodreads book blurb says it will hold me breathless to the last page, how about the last sentence. You can read my 5 star review by clicking on the cover. What do you think of the cover? Does it make you want to grab it…NOW?
Which series appeals to you most and why? Did you grab one for yourself?
Friday 56 #144 – Kill and Run by Lauren Carr @TheMysteryLadie
.
The Friday 56 is hosted by Freda’s Voice.The only rules are to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and find any sentence or a few ( no spoilers) that grabs you and post it.
Please join Rose City Reader every Friday to share the first sentence or so of the book you are reading along with you initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires.
Please include the title of the book and the author’s name.
~~~
I have been a huge fan of Lauren Carr for a long time. I love her fun writing style.
You can see my 4 star review Here.
MY 56
Murphy was skeptical. “That’s what they always say when an attractive man gets onn the fast track anywhere.”
“I don’t think General Graham is all the attractive, do you?”
“Buttercup, I don’t think any man is attractive.”
Pressing her long, elegant index finger against his chest, she narrowed her eyes until there were violet slits framed in lush long eyelashes. “You were the one who called him attractive, Honey Buns.”
(Pages 56 in paperback published in 2015)
GOODREADS BLURB
Five women with seemingly nothing in common are found brutally murdered in a townhome outside Washington, DC. Among the many questions surrounding the massacre is what had brought these apparent strangers together only to be killed.
Taking on his first official murder case, Lieutenant Murphy Thornton, USN, believes that if he can uncover the thread connecting the victims, then he can find their murderer.
Before long, the case takes an unexpected turn when Murphy discovers that one of the victims has a connection to his stepmother, Homicide Detective Cameron Gates. One wintry night, over a dozen years before, her first husband, a Pennsylvania State trooper, had been run down while working a night shift on the turnpike.
In this first installment of the Thorny Rose Mysteries, the Lovers in Crime join newlyweds Lieutenant Murphy Thornton and Jessica Faraday to sift through a web of lies and cover-ups. Together, can the detectives of the Thorny Rose uncover the truth without falling victim to a cunning killer?
HE is a Stalker and he is Waiting for Wren by Cate Beauman @CateBeauman
.
Oh yeah, I am back for more Cate Beauman in Waiting for Wren. I am so loving these ladies that come to Ethan Security for protection and eagerly anticipate each new story I receive. A million thanks to you, Cate Beauman.
Each book will stand alone, and if you are into Romantic Suspense, this is a series you will want on your reading list.
I love the covers for the series. The subject matter pertains to the stories and the colors are so bright and vivid, I know I would never be able to pass by them on a bookshelf.
Cover: Streetlight Graphics
Goodreads / Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA
MY REVIEW
As soon as Tucker heard the rustles in the woods, I knew what was coming and I am so POed. The mystery has begun and I wonder where Ethan Security comes in.
Right from the getgo, we have plenty of danger, sexual tension, and verbal foreplay. My anticipation is at a foot tapping, sitting on the edge of my seat level.
Wren is independent. No wonder, her parents might as well have been nonexistent for the attention they paid her. She wasn’t used to being afraid, having a babysitter, and she could do a lot worse than Tucker.
Wren only has one suspect, but I have several. I think I’ve figured it out and if I have, he is truly evil, watching and reveling in her suffering. I wonder if he steps away and laughs. At least Tucker and Ethan, her brother, have not ruled out anyone, but I don’t think they see him…or do they?
Lots of stuff going on and it is torture as I wait for HIM to make his move on her and Wren to let Tucker in.
HE is jealous, determined, on the attack. I hope she doesn’t do the usual and go off without Tucker. She does get the hell out of Dodge, but it is with Tucker, as he takes her to the only safe place he can think of, Park City and the bad memories from his past.
“At some point during the drive from Salt Lake City, Rico Suave vanished and, Broody Bummer Man appeared. She wanted Rico back.”
It’s Cate Beauman’s writing that keeps me coming back for more. I love some humor with my suspense…and romance. We all know it’s coming, but…so far…it’s hands off for both of them, though the dance has begun. How long can she hold out, because one move from her and he’ll be putty in her hands. She can deny the pull as much as she wants, but I know it will win out.
Tucker has his own problems…I love multiple plots and wonder…are they related? Will they come together in the end? Will the mystery that’s haunted Tucker finally be solved and Wren set free at the same time? When’s it coming? I’m waiting…
I love that Cate Beauman makes me wait…Dragging out the suspense on every page. I think doom is coming. This ominous feeling hangs on every word, on every page and I am at 50%, on pins and needles…I can only imagine what evil Cate is bringing my way.
I loved when Wren finally ‘manned up’ and told Laura off. I could picture Wren stomping around the room, cussing her out in Italian…Is she a spitfire or a fireball?
It’s too soon to make life changing plans. Wren needs to stay in Limbo, for now, and I didn’t like this part at 52%.
HE’s getting more and more angry. Stalking is no longer enough. It is time to up the ante.
I do hate, that at 77%, Wren is still running from Tucker, but that is the nature of the romantic suspense beast. Gotta keep that sense of anticipation and fear for the characters at a high level, and Cate Beauman does that in a superb fashion.
I wonder what she has on the table for me next. *rubbing my hands together in eager anticipation* 😈
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Waiting For Wren by Cate Beauman.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Wren Cooke has everything she’s ever wanted—a thriving career as one of LA’s top interior designers and a home she loves. Business trips, mockups, and her demanding clientele keep her busy, almost too busy to notice Ethan Cooke Security’s gorgeous Close Protection Agent, Tucker Campbell.
Jaded by love and relationships in general, Wren wants nothing to do with the hazel-eyed stunner and his heart-stopping grins, but Tucker is always in her way. When Wren suddenly finds herself bombarded by a mysterious man’s unwanted affections, she’s forced to turn to Tucker for help.
As Wren’s case turns from disturbing to deadly, Tucker whisks her away to his mountain home in Utah. Haunted by memories and long-ago tragedies, Tucker soon realizes his past and Wren’s present are colliding. With a killer on the loose and time running out, Tucker must discover a madman’s motives before Wren becomes his next victim.
ABOUT CATE BEAUMAN
International bestselling author Cate Beauman is known for her full-length, action-packed romantic suspense series, The Bodyguards of L.A. County. Her novels have been nominated for the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award, National Indie Excellence Award, Golden Quill Award, Writers Touch Award, and have been named Readers Favorite Five Star books. In 2015, JUSTICE FOR ABBY was selected as the Readers’ Favorite International Book Award Gold Medalist, while SAVING SOPHIE took the Silver Medal. SAVING SOPHIE was also selected as the 2015 Readers Crown Award winner for Romantic Suspense and FALLING FOR SARAH received the silver medal for the 2014 Readers’ Favorite Awards.Cate makes her home in North Carolina with her husband, two boys, and their St. Bernards, Bear and Jack. Currently Cate is working on Deceiving Bella, the eleventh novel in her popular Bodyguards series.
For information on Cate’s new releases, monthly giveaways, and upcoming events, sign up for her newsletter at: http://www.catebeauman.com/author/home.html#!newsletter-sign-up/c9td
Contact Cate: Amazon Author Page / BookBub
Social links: Twitter / Website / Facebook / Goodreads / Instagram
MY REVIEWS FOR CATE BEAUMAN
Giveaway – Brash by J C Valentine @AuthorJCV @IndieSagePR
BRASH
by J.C. Valentine
Spartan Riders, #4
Cover Designed by: Sara Eirew
Publication Date: October 19, 2017
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, MC Romance, Bikers, Standalone
#PREORDER YOUR COPY NOW!
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2xxzxA5
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2hxeB8N
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2wi7EL7
Amazon AUS: http://amzn.to/2fnOsEZ
SYNOPSIS:
USA Today and International bestselling author J.C. Valentine is back with the latest in her captivating, enigmatic, and rousing world of the Spartan Riders MC…
She has a secret she’s desperate to keep…
j Taking refuge in a nearby town, she builds a new and comfortable life under the radar, but when trouble comes knocking on her door, she finds that the one thing she’s worked so hard to protect is about to be exposed.
He has a desire that won’t be denied.
Curtis “Taco” Nash, the Spartan’s road captain, has always marched to the beat of his own drum, his only loyalty to that of his brothers and the club. Only one person has ever successfully clawed their way under Curtis Nash’s skin, and when she disappeared from his life without so much as a goodbye, he wrote her off—at least, he tried to. One mention of the one who got away, and he’s consumed with desire—and anger. He wants answers. He wants her. He’s about to get a lot more than he bargained for.
As the war between the cartel and the Spartans heats up, Taco has to decide if he’s going to protect his brothers or the new life that’s waiting for him. When everything hangs in the balance, one thing is clear: No one is safe. Will Bambi and Taco be able to come together and find the strength to take a leap of faith before time runs out?
EXCERPT
She’d witnessed the good, the bad, and the ugly of club life, and she’d gotten close enough to the flame to get burned. She should know better by now not to put her heart on the line, but it was already too late for that.
Hips flexing involuntarily—or maybe completely on purpose—Curtis didn’t even try to hold back his pained moan. “I want to fuck you so goddamn hard.”
“Then do it,” Bambi urged, surprised at herself for encouraging him when there was no way this could end well. They had so much water under the bridge, broken trust being among the biggest of their problems. But she wanted him. God help her, she wanted him so bad. It was as if all of those nights she’d tossed and turned, dreaming of this moment had finally come true. How could she turn him away now, when it was within her grasp?
“I don’t think you understand,” he said darkly. “I want to ram my cock in you so hard, you see stars. I want you to scream in pleasure and in pain. I want to hurt you, dollface, just like you hurt me.” He squeezed her breast again, releasing a warm rush of milk that soaked his hand and her shirt. “I want to see your pretty face stained with tears while you beg for more.”
Yes! God yes, she wanted it. She wanted his rough hands on her body, his harsh words in her ears. She wanted this man and all his brutality. She welcomed the punishment, needed it.
“Is that what you want? Because if it’s not, say so now, and I’ll walk back out that door.”
Her eyes widened in panic, remembering when he’d left early and how much that had hurt. She didn’t want that to happen ever again.
ABOUT J.C. VALENTINE
J.C. Valentine is the USA Today and International bestselling author of the Night Calls and Wayward Fighters Series and the Forbidden Trilogy. Her vivid imagination and love of words and romance had her penning her own romance stories from an early age, which, despite being poorly edited and written longhand, she forced friends and family members to read. No, she isn’t sorry.
Living in the Northwest, she has three amazing children and far too many pets. Among the many hats she wears, J.C. is an entrepreneur. Having graduated with honors, she holds a Bachelor’s in English and when she isn’t writing, you can find her editing for fellow authors.
Sign up for J.C.’s newsletter and never miss a thing! http://bit.ly/1KxXWWB
Website • Twitter • Facebook •
ENTER THE GIVEAWAY
