Review: Faithless in Death - J.D. Robb

It's a beautiful Spring day in NYC when Lt. Eve Dallas gets an early morning murder call. A talented young sculptor hasn't had such a perfect day in May. Killed by her own hammer, at first it looks like an argument with a jealous partner but it soon becomes clear that there is much more to this case than a lovers' quarrel turned fatal.

Eve finds herself drawn into the dark and dangerous world of a secret order. A world in which white supremacy, misogyny and religious fanaticism are everyday activities. Eve has dealt with some tough cases before but is it too much even for her to take on a wealthy, influential organisation with friends in very high places.....?

In Death Series:
Naked in Death
Glory in Death
Immortal in Death
Rapture in Death
Ceremony in Death
Vengeance in Death
Holiday in Death
Midnight in Death (Novella)
Conspiracy in Death
Loyalty in Death
Witness in Death
Judgement in Death
Betrayal in Death
Interlude in Death (Novella)
Seduction in Death
Reunion in Death
Purity in Death
Portrait in Death
Imitation in Death
Big Jack (Available in the Remember When Anthology or separately)
Divided in Death
Visions in Death
Survivor in Death
Origin in Death
Memory in Death
Haunted in Death (Novella)
Born in Death
Innocent in Death
Creation in Death
Eternity in Death (Novella)
Strangers in Death
Salvation in Death
Ritual in Death (Novella)
Promises in Death
Kindred in Death
Missing in Death (Novella)
Fantasy in Death
Indulgence in Death
Possession in Death (Novella)
Treachery in Death
New York to Dallas
Chaos in Death (Novella)
Celebrity in Death
Delusion in Death
Calculated in Death
Thankless in Death
Taken in Death (Novella available in the Mirror, Mirror anthology or separately)
Concealed in Death
Festive in Death
Obsession in Death
Devoted in Death
Wonderment in Death (Novella)
Brotherhood in Death
Apprentice in Death
Echoes in Death
Secrets in Death
Dark in Death
Leverage in Death
Connections in Death
Vendetta in Death
Golden in Death
Shadows in Death

Faithless in Death

Forgotten in Death

Abandoned in Death

Desperation in Death

Encore in Death

Payback in Death (September 2023)

Visit J.D. Robb's website for more information.

Review:
Faithless in Death was another fantastic instalment in the series, I will never get tired of reading about these characters but a big draw of the books is how well the murder mystery side is written too. J.D. Robb manages to make every single case different from the last and this was the first time Eve is investigating a so-called religious cult that is really just one man using religion to justify his mysogynistic, racist & homophobic views and to force others to adhere to his rules.

The deeper Eve digs into this cult the more of their abhorrent practises she uncovers but the biggest issue will be trying to make the people in charge pay for their crimes before anyone else gets hurt. Eve has really come into her own as a capable leader and she shows here just how well she can pull together a huge operation with involvement of multiple different agencies. I love watching Eve work but I also really enjoy the personal interactions between all the team members, Peabody and McNab are always on hand to add a bit of humour alongside the other detectives in the bullpen and of course Feeny and Mira have that calming parental influence over everyone too. The biggest draw is always the relationship between Eve and Roarke though, total couple goals right there.

Source: Purchased

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Review: Shadows in Death - J.D. Robb

As it often did since he'd married a cop, murder interrupted more pleasant activities. The again, Roarke supposed, the woman lying in a pool of her own blood a few steps inside the arch in Washington Square Park had a heftier complaint.

When a night out at the theatre is interrupted by the murder of a young woman in Washington Square Park, it seems like an ordinary case for Detective Eve Dallas and her team. But when her husband Roarke spots a shadow from his past in the crowd, Eve realises that this case is far from business as usual.

Eve has two complex cases on her hands - the shocking murder of this wealthy young mother and tracking down the shadow before he can strike again, this time much closer to home. Eve is well used to being the hunter, but how will she cope when the tables are turned? As Eve and the team follow leads to Roarke's hometown in Ireland, the race is on to stop the shadow making his next move...

In Death Series:
Naked in Death
Glory in Death
Immortal in Death
Rapture in Death
Ceremony in Death
Vengeance in Death
Holiday in Death
Midnight in Death (Novella)
Conspiracy in Death
Loyalty in Death
Witness in Death
Judgement in Death
Betrayal in Death
Interlude in Death (Novella)
Seduction in Death
Reunion in Death
Purity in Death
Portrait in Death
Imitation in Death
Big Jack (Available in the Remember When Anthology or separately)
Divided in Death
Visions in Death
Survivor in Death
Origin in Death
Memory in Death
Haunted in Death (Novella)
Born in Death
Innocent in Death
Creation in Death
Eternity in Death (Novella)
Strangers in Death
Salvation in Death
Ritual in Death (Novella)
Promises in Death
Kindred in Death
Missing in Death (Novella)
Fantasy in Death
Indulgence in Death
Possession in Death (Novella)
Treachery in Death
New York to Dallas
Chaos in Death (Novella)
Celebrity in Death
Delusion in Death
Calculated in Death
Thankless in Death
Taken in Death (Novella available in the Mirror, Mirror anthology or separately)
Concealed in Death
Festive in Death
Obsession in Death
Devoted in Death
Wonderment in Death (Novella)
Brotherhood in Death
Apprentice in Death
Echoes in Death
Secrets in Death
Dark in Death
Leverage in Death
Connections in Death
Vendetta in Death
Golden in Death
Shadows in Death

Faithless in Death

Forgotten in Death

Abandoned in Death

Desperation in Death

Encore in Death

Payback in Death (September 2023)

Visit J.D. Robb's website for more information.

Review:
When you're this many books into a series it can be really hard to think of new things to say in a review but the fact that I'm still mad about this series when it's over 50 books in (and am close to finishing my third reread of all of the books and novellas!) should tell you all you need to know. These books are like crack and I especially love the audio versions narrated by Susan Ericksen who does a fantastic job of bringing all the characters to life. J.D. Robb aka Nora Roberts really is the queen of this genre, nobody does it better.

Shadows in Death sees Eve taking on a formidable enemy and one who is targeting the person she cares about most in this world. I always love getting to see more of Roarke's past but it's not often we see him quite so unsettled and it was an interesting change to their dynamics to see Eve comforting him for a change.

The killer in this book may just be one of their most dangerous opponents yet but when you come gunning for one of the NYPD's top Lieutenants and her husband you'd better believe that the NYPD are going to turn out in force to stop you.

This story moves at a fast pace all the way through and it was lovely to see so many people step up and come to bat for Eve and Roarke.

Source: Purchased

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Review: Queen of Volts - Amanda Foody

Return to the City of Sin, where the final game is about to begin… and winning will demand the ultimate sacrifice.

Only days after a corrupt election and brutal street war, one last bloodthirsty game has begun. The players? The twenty-two most powerful, notorious people in New Reynes.

After realizing they have no choice but to play, Enne Scordata and Levi Glaisyer are desperate to forge new alliances and bargain for their safety. But while Levi offers false smiles and an even falser peace to the city’s politicians, Enne must face a world where her true Mizer identity has been revealed… and any misstep could turn deadly.

Meanwhile, a far more dangerous opponent has appeared on the board, one plucked right from the most gruesome legends of New Reynes. As the game takes its final, vicious turn, Levi and Enne must decide once and for all whether to be partners or enemies.

Because in a game for survival, there are only losers…

And monsters.

The Shadow Game Series:
Ace of Shades
King of Fools
Queen of Volts

Visit Amanda Foody's website for more information

Review:
Queen of Volts is the action packed conclusion to Amanda Foody's Shadow Game series. It pics Enne and Levi's story not long after the end of the previous book and they're both struggling to deal with the emotional fallout of everything they've been through. Their relationship is more strained than ever and the trust between them has been completely broken so rather than working together they're now each choosing their own paths. You'll have to read the book for yourself to find out if they manage to work things out or not but there were definitely moments where I wanted to bang both their heads together.

Although the initial game has ended a new, and even more deadly, one has started with all of our favourite characters being forced into taking part. The stakes have never been higher and it's very unlikely they'll all come out of this alive, especially if they can't find a way to work together against a common enemy.

I'm keeping this review deliberately vague because I'd hate to spoil the story for anyone but there was so much action the story kept me on the edge of my seat. While I didn't always agree with the choices some of the characters made it was always easy to understand why they did what they did. We get a few extra points of view in this book which meant we were able to see things from even more angles and that also helped unravel a few secrets and tie some of the ongoing plot threads together.

This was a great conclusion to the series and I'll definitely be waiting eagerly for whatever Amanda Foody publishes next.

Source: Received from HQ in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: A Heart of Blood and Ashes - Milla Vane

A generation past, the western realms were embroiled in endless war. Then the Destroyer came. From the blood and ashes he left behind, a tenuous alliance rose between the barbarian riders of Parsathe and the walled kingdoms of the south. That alliance is all that stands against the return of an ancient evil--until the barbarian king and queen are slain in an act of bloody betrayal.

Though forbidden by the alliance council to kill the corrupt king responsible for his parents' murders, Maddek vows to avenge them, even if it costs him the Parsathean crown. But when he learns it was the king's daughter who lured his parents to their deaths, the barbarian warrior is determined to make her pay.

Yet the woman Maddek captures is not what he expected. Though the last in a line of legendary warrior-queens, Yvenne is small and weak, and the sharpest weapons she wields are her mind and her tongue. Even more surprising is the marriage she proposes to unite them in their goals and to claim their thrones--because her desire for vengeance against her father burns even hotter than his own...

A Gathering of Dragons Series:
(Chronological reading order as per the author's website)
The Beast of Blackmoor (Novella in the Night Shift anthology)
Silent Night (Free short story on the author's website)
A Heart of Blood and Ashes
A Touch of Stone and Snow (July 2020)

Visit Milla Vane's website for more information

Review:
There is so much I want to say about A Heart of Blood and Ashes that I really don't know where to start. I've tried so many times to sit down and write this review but my concentration is shot to pieces at the moment and I'm finding both reading and blogging really hard. What I can say is that this is without a doubt the best new series I've discovered in a long time. I've already read this book 3 times since January and I love it more every time I pick it back up. I grew up reading fantasy and developed a taste for romance in my teens but books that combine the two are pure joy to me, especially when they're written as well as this one.

I honestly can't think of a single thing that I disliked about this book, Milla Vane (aka Meljean Brook) has created a rich and detailed fantasy world full of barbarian warriors, vengeful gods and goddesses and an ongoing plot to destroy the realms. This is a dark world so I'll warn you now that the characters we love won't have an easy journey but I never felt that the author glorifies the violence or includes things unnecessarily.

I want to talk a little about our main characters. First we have Maddek, barbarian warrior and son of the king and queen of the Parsathians. Maddek has spent years fighting on the frontlines but when he learns of his parent's deaths he doesn't believe the story that the alliance council tells him so vows to find out the truth and to seek vengeance against whoever is responsible for their murders. Something happened when they travelled to Syssia to seek a bride for him and he blames King Zhalen. He initially abducts the king's daughter Yvenne planning on using her to seek his revenge but instead of an unwilling captive he finds himself an ally who hates her father even more than he does.

Yvenne has many reasons to hate her father, the fact that she's been kept imprisoned in a tower for her entire life is just one of them. Zhalen is to blame for so much of Yvenne's suffering but he's also the one keeping her from claiming her rightful place as the queen of Syssia. Yvenne has watched for years as her people have suffered under his rule and she wants Maddek to help her protect them all. I absolutely love Yvenne, she isn't the strongest character physically but she has a mental toughness that few others could match. She's smart, cunning and willing to play dirty to get what she needs and I have a huge amount of respect for her.

Maddek makes a lot of mistakes with Yvenne, there were multiple times when I wanted to shake some sense into him but even when I was so frustrated I could understand where he was coming from and I found it easy to root for them as a couple. The chemistry between them was instantly off the charts and they really had some of the sexiest foreplay scenes I've ever read long before they ever had full sex but it was the slow build of their romance that really pulled me in. Maddek was stubborn and refused to admit what we could all see happening but when he made mistakes he was man enough to admit them, apologise and try to make amends.

I feel like I could rave about this book for hours but I just want everyone to go out and read it for themselves. I knew back in January that this was going to be my favourite book of 2020 and two rereads later that hasn't changed. If you like fantasy romance this is hands down my top recommendation for you, so stop wasting your time reading reviews and just buy a copy already!

Source: Received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Golden in Death - J.D. Robb

'Doctor Kent Abner began the day of his death comfortable and content'

When Kent Abner - baby doctor, model husband and father, good neighbour - is found dead in his town house in the West Village, Detective Eve Dallas and her team have a real mystery on their hands. Who would want to kill such a good man? They know how, where and when he was killed but why did someone want him dead?

Then a second victim is discovered and as Spring arrives in New York City, Eve finds herself in a race against time to track down a serial killer with a motive she can't fathom and a weapon of choice which could wipe out half of Manhattan.

In Death Series:
Naked in Death
Glory in Death
Immortal in Death
Rapture in Death
Ceremony in Death
Vengeance in Death
Holiday in Death
Midnight in Death (Novella)
Conspiracy in Death
Loyalty in Death
Witness in Death
Judgement in Death
Betrayal in Death
Interlude in Death (Novella)
Seduction in Death
Reunion in Death
Purity in Death
Portrait in Death
Imitation in Death
Big Jack (Available in the Remember When Anthology or separately)
Divided in Death
Visions in Death
Survivor in Death
Origin in Death
Memory in Death
Haunted in Death (Novella)
Born in Death
Innocent in Death
Creation in Death
Eternity in Death (Novella)
Strangers in Death
Salvation in Death
Ritual in Death (Novella)
Promises in Death
Kindred in Death
Missing in Death (Novella)
Fantasy in Death
Indulgence in Death
Possession in Death (Novella)
Treachery in Death
New York to Dallas
Chaos in Death (Novella)
Celebrity in Death
Delusion in Death
Calculated in Death
Thankless in Death
Taken in Death (Novella available in the Mirror, Mirror anthology or separately)
Concealed in Death
Festive in Death
Obsession in Death
Devoted in Death
Wonderment in Death (Novella)
Brotherhood in Death
Apprentice in Death
Echoes in Death
Secrets in Death
Dark in Death
Leverage in Death
Connections in Death
Vendetta in Death
Golden in Death
Shadows in Death

Faithless in Death

Forgotten in Death

Abandoned in Death

Desperation in Death

Encore in Death

Payback in Death (September 2023)

Visit J.D. Robb's website for more information.

Review:
I can't quite believe that I've actually caught up with this series, let alone that fifty books (plus multiple novellas) in and I'm still totally in love with this world and the characters. That's some kind of magic right there, but come on this is J.D. Robb aka Nora Roberts, queen of romance, so it probably shouldn't be that surprising! I was intimidated by the length of this series and put off starting it for a long time but once I got hooked in I couldn't stop reading and I'm amazed by how quickly I got through these books. I'm not sure what I'll do with myself while I wait for the next one to publish, perhaps I should start a reread?

Anyway, if you're a fan of this series then you'll already know exactly what to expect from Golden in Death, it has the same humour, the same brilliant and often quirky characters, the futuristic gadgets and the weird murders that Eve has to work her butt off trying to solve. It has strong friendships, one of my favourite fictional romances and my ultimate book boyfriend. All the magical ingredients that will keep me coming back for more even if there are another fifty books published in the future. I'm definitely not done with this world yet.

Source: Purchased

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Review: Night of the Dragon - Julie Kagawa

Evil and hope clash and burn in the epic and shocking conclusion to the Shadow of the Fox trilogy.

All is lost.

Kitsune shapeshifter Yumeko has given up the final piece of the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers, in order to save everyone she loves from imminent death. Now she and her ragtag band of companions must journey to the wild sea cliffs of Iwagoto in a desperate last-chance effort to stop the Master of Demons from calling upon the Great Kami dragon and making the wish that will plunge the empire into destruction and darkness.

But even with their combined skills and powers, this most unlikely team of heroes knows the forces of Evil may be impossible to overcome. And there is another player in the battle for the scroll, a player who has been watching, waiting for the right moment to pull strings that no one even realised existed...until now.

Shadow of the Fox series:
Shadow of the Fox
Soul of the Sword
Night of the Dragon

Visit Julie Kagawa's website for more information.

Review:
I've been a fan of Julie Kagawa's writing for years but I honestly think that the Shadow of the Fox series is her best one yet. I've been caught up in this world from the beginning and I'm really sad that it's now time to say goodbye.

It's so hard to review the final book in a trilogy because I want to encourage everyone who hasn't started this series yet to dive straight in but I don't want to go into too much detail because I don't want to give away spoilers. What I've loved most about these books has been the fantastic Japanese mythology and all of the wonderful yokai & kami creatures that Julie Kagawa has introduced us to along the way. Our band of characters has been through so much since the first book but it all comes to a head in Night of the Dragon and they're facing more danger than ever before.

I'm not going to lie and tell you this is an easy end to their journey, this book prefers to grab you by the throat while it slowly rips your heart out, but what I will say is that I loved every minute of it. There are definitely heartbreaking moments in this book but there are also really sweet and heartwarming ones to balance that out and it was definitely a fitting end to a much loved series.

Source: Received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Of Flame and Fury - Cecy Robson

Taran Wird, the loudmouth mistress of flame and lightning, didn’t want to attend the formal gathering of the supernatural elite. She did so only to help to unite the supreme beings in attendance in one common goal: protecting Taran’s sister, Celia.

Celia is pregnant with alpha werewolf Aric Connor’s child, the same child prophesized to save the world from uprising evil. Evil wants this child dead before he is born and, more importantly, before he can grow strong enough to stop it.

Taran and her werewolf lover, Gemini, put plans in place to protect Celia. Master Vampire Misha Aleksandr and his clan also swear their allegiance to Celia and vow to keep her from harm. The witches even cast protection spells around the manor to curse anyone with malintent who enters. Nothing was supposed to go wrong, except everything did.

Creatures that shouldn’t exist stalk the grounds and invade the premises, and every curse meant to shield the guests turns against them. No one counted on the powerful being who arrived uninvited. But he’s here, manipulating the magic enclosing the estate to work in his favor.

As body counts rise and allies become enemies, chances are Celia won’t survive the night. But evil never counted on how hard Taran Wird would fight, even at the expense of her life.

Weird Girls Series:
Gone Hunting
A Curse Awakened (Novella)
The Weird Girls (Novella)
Sealed with a Curse
A Cursed Embrace
A Cursed Moon (Novella)
Cursed by Destiny
A Cursed Bloodline
A Curse Unbroken
Of Flame and Promise
Of Flame and Light
Of Flame and Fate
Of Flame and Fury

Visit Cecy Robson's website for more information.

Review:
With Celia heavily pregnant with the child that is supposed to save the world the whole supernatural community, from the Pack to the vampires and even the witches, have come together to keep her safe. Their enemies are converging though and they are equally determined to kill Celia before the child is born. This battle will be the fiercest one yet and Taran will do anything to protect her sister, even if it means making the ultimate sacrifice.

Of Flame and Fury is the final book of the Weird Girls series told from Taryn's point of view but I don't believe it will be the last book in the series. I'm not sure which sister will be up next but I'm already looking forward to continuing the adventures! This book was pretty much non stop action from beginning to end, their enemies are out in force and its going to take everyone working together if they want to save Celia. Taran has to make some difficult decisions but alongside Gemini, Aric, Shayna and Emme they will never give up.

While I loved the battle scenes in this book I have to admit I would have liked some more quieter moments where we just got to spend time with the characters we know and love. There was less humour in this book because there was so much danger and I missed that a little here. It was still a fab instalment though and I'm more eager than ever to get to Emme and Shayna's stories so I hope we don't have to wait too long for the next one!

Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Come Tumbling Down - Seanan McGuire

The fifth installment in Seanan McGuire's award-winning, bestselling Wayward Children series, Come Tumbling Down picks up the threads left dangling by Every Heart a Doorway and Down Among the Sticks and Bones

When Jack left Eleanor West's School for Wayward Children she was carrying the body of her deliciously deranged sister—whom she had recently murdered in a fit of righteous justice—back to their home on the Moors.

But death in their adopted world isn't always as permanent as it is here, and when Jack is herself carried back into the school, it becomes clear that something has happened to her. Something terrible. Something of which only the maddest of scientists could conceive. Something only her friends are equipped to help her overcome.

Eleanor West's "No Quests" rule is about to be broken.

Again.

The Wayward Children Series:
Every Heart a Doorway
Down Among the Sticks and Bones
Beneath the Sugar Sky
In an Absent Dream
Come Tumbling Down

Visit Seanan McGuire's website for more information

Review:
I've loved the Wayward Children series ever since I read Every Heart a Doorway so I always look forward to the latest instalment. Seanan McGuire is constantly surprising me with her creativity and she manages it again in Come Tumbling Down. I thought that we'd seen the last of Jack and Jill in Down Among the Sticks and Bones but we quickly discover that their story is not over when this book opens with Jack returning to Eleanor West's School for Wayward Children in desperate need of help from her friends. Things have gone badly wrong in the Moors and Jack had nowhere else to turn to for help so it looks like the students are going to have to break the rules once more to go on another quest.

I don't really want to give any details about the problem Jack needs help with because it's far more fun for you to discover that yourself when reading the story. What I will say is that I enjoyed this second trip into the world she calls home. We get to catch up with some familiar faces but also explore the world far more than we did in our first visit and I found it interesting seeing what both Jack and Jill have been up to since we left them last.

It was great to see Kade, Christopher, Sumi and Cora come together to help Jack, they're totally out of their comfort zone in the Moors but that doesn't stop them doing what needs to be done to keep Jack safe. I can't wait to read all of their stories though, there are so many different worlds we're going to get to explore in this series. These books always leave me wanting more and I can't wait for my next visit with the Wayward Children.

Source: Received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: Love Hard - Nalini Singh

New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh brings you the next sizzling story in her Hard Play contemporary romance series…

Jacob Esera, star rugby player and young single father, has worked hard to create a joyous life for his six-year-old daughter. After the death of his childhood sweetheart soon after their daughter’s birth, all Jake wants is safety and stability. No risks. No wild chances. And especially no Juliet Nelisi, former classmate, scandal magnet, and a woman who is a thorn in his side.

As a lonely teenager, Juliet embraced her bad-girl reputation as a shield against loneliness and rejection. Years later, having kicked a cheating sports-star ex to the curb, she has a prestigious job and loyal friends—and wants nothing to do with sportsmen. The last thing she expects is the fire that ignites between her and the stuffed-shirt golden boy who once loved her best friend.

Straitlaced Jacob Esera versus wild-at-heart Juliet Nelisi? Place your bets.

Rock Kiss Series:
Rock Addiction
Rock Courtship (Novella)
Rock Hard (Crossover with the Hard Play series)
Rock Redemption
Rock Wedding

Hard Play Series:
(Spin off from the Rock Kiss series featuring the Bishop brothers)
Cherish Hard
Rock Hard (Crossover with the Rock Kiss series)
Rebel Hard
Love Hard

Visit Nalini Singh's website for more information

Review:
He's a star on the rugby field but Jacob Esera's main focus has always been his family, especially his six-year-old daughter Esme. Jake has been a single father since his childhood sweetheart Callie died not long after Esme was born and it hasn't been easy but with the help of his family he's made it work and become a wonderful father. He's been so focused on Esme that he's forgotten how to unwind and have fun as an adult so when Juliet comes barrelling back into his life she's like a breath of fresh air.

Unlike Jake, Juliet never had the support of her family, in fact the only person she was ever able to rely on was Callie who was her best friend throughout school. Jake and Juliet were like chalk and cheese and never really got along but their love for Callie bonded them until bad girl Juliet was sent to Samoa to live with family. It's been years since they saw each other last and sparks start to fly the moment they meet again but they're both wary about getting into a relationship. Jake is scared to love again because he can't bear the thought of losing someone else while Juliet has been hurt before when her ex betrayed her and is totally off men in general but sports stars in particular. Destiny has a way of throwing them back together though and in the long run neither of them are able to resist temptation.

I absolutely love all of the Bishop-Esera brothers, Gabriel has always been my favourite (and we get to see the T-Rex make an honest woman of his mouse in this book as the story starts with their wedding!) but Jake came very close to topping him. In general I tend to prefer my romances child free but there was something so adorable about Esme that I enjoyed her role in the story. The main thing that kept me hooked was the chemistry between Juliet and Jake though. Their relationship is like throwing a lit match on a can of oil, they're argumentative and often clash but when they're on the same page it's absolutely explosive.

The two of them were seriously hot but there were also some really sweet emotional moments between them. I loved that Callie felt like a part of their story too, she was such an important person in both of their lives and it kind of felt like she was somehow responsible for bringing them together. We get to spend time with the whole clan and I don't think I'll ever get enough of this family. I'm already looking forward to Danny's book and hope we'll get stories for some of the other rugby team members after that. Nalini Singh can do no wrong in my eyes, I'm a paranormal girl at heart so I'll always love the Guild Hunter and Psy-Changeling series but her contemporaries always hit the spot too and leave me with a happy buzz.

Source: Received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Fragmented Loyalty - Tonya Burrows

All I want is to leave my past of criminal hacking behind. Oh, and ditch the blackmailer who has been dogging my every move for the last three years.

The plan: Hack my way into being part of Class Alpha, a training program for a secretive organization that rescues hostages the government can’t or won’t go after. Save the world and make enough money to pay back my blackmailer—solves all my problems, right?

The complication: Sweet, nerdy, and unbearably sexy Eric “Harvard” Physick. Harvard is my ideal man, but he’s also my instructor. Seriously a no-go, except we can’t seem to keep our hands off each other.

My blackmailer isn’t willing to let me off the hook, though, and a series of freak accidents—deadly accidents—sends Class Alpha into a tailspin. And the more I get to know Harvard, I start to realize his past is just as troubled as mine.

Am I the cause of this chaos...or is he?

HORNET Series:
SEAL of Honor
Honor Reclaimed
Broken Honor
Code of Honor
Reckless Honor

Wilde Security Series:
Wilde Nights in Paradise
Wilde for Her
Wilde at Heart
Running Wilde
Too Wilde To Tame

HORNET: Class Alpha Series:
Fragmented Loyalty

Visit Tonya Burrows' website for more information

Review:
It's been a couple of years since Tonya Burrows published the last book in the Hornet series but I was always hoping we'd get a book for Harvard so I was really happy when I found out about this new spin off series Hornet: Class Alpha, starting with Fragmented Loyalty. Although this series is focusing on the team Hornet have been training Harvard is a member of the original group and you'll see a lot of familiar faces from the previous books showing up as teachers and mentors. I think you could probably start with this book but you'll definitely have a much fuller reading experience if you read the original series first.

Harvard is Hornet's tech wiz and he's been instrumental in many of the team's rescue missions thanks to his surveillance skills and the backup support he's offered. He's an expert hacker and a total nerd, also really sweet and very protective of his team. All Harvard has ever wanted is to find a place to belong, as a child genius who graduated school far earlier than most he never really fitted in with his peers and with a vindictive alcoholic mother he never had much support at home either. The Hornet team have become his family and what he wants more than anything is to prove himself to them.

Sami is also a hacker extraordinaire but one who got caught up with a bad group and crossed some lines as a child and was sent to juvie at the age of 14. Her family disowned her after she was released so she was left completely alone at 18 with nothing and nobody. She made the mistake of agreeing to a favour to a mystery benefactor in exchange for the money she needed to survive and three years later she's still waiting for the hammer to drop. Being accepted into Hornet's training program was a chance for Sami to turn her life around, she wants to make something of her life but when her benefactor finally calls in their favour things go downhill fast.

I was so happy to be back in this world, as far as the series timeline goes not much time has passed, in fact some of this book touches on previous events just from a different perspective, but in reality it's been a while and I enjoyed catching up with the characters. I worried for a minute that I wouldn't remember everyone but it all seemed to fall back into place very quickly. Harvard and Sami are both great characters, I loved the geeky banter between them as they fan out on things like Star Wars and Game of Thrones and it was very easy to imagine being friends with them. They have a lot in common and they had wonderful chemistry but I did find it a little frustrating that neither of them opened up about their secrets a little sooner. It worked for the story but put a bit of a downer on their budding romance. It wasn't too hard to look past that though and I was totally rooting for them to work it all out.

The story has everything I'd expect from a Hornet novel, great romance, lots of intrigue and a nice amount of action. I'm enjoying getting to know the rest of the Alpha Class and I'm very happy that Wolfe's book is up next.

Source: Received from Entangled Publishing in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Bishop's Endgame - Katie Reus

Read the final book in the Endgame trilogy where blood is thick, but passion is thicker...

He kidnapped a princess to exact revenge.

Set up for a crime he didn’t commit, Ellis Bishop takes the law into his own hands to exact justice and clear his name. Unfortunately, that means he has to kidnap a crime boss’s daughter—a perfect mafia princess, set to become queen of a dirty empire. What he didn’t count on was falling for his mortal enemy’s daughter.

He wasn’t supposed to fall for her.

Arianna hates the man who kidnapped her, but soon she realizes that things aren’t what they seem. Ellis was framed by her stepfather and is trying to clear his name. If she helps him, it means betraying her family. But how can she turn her back on him when he’s innocent… when her stepfather turns out to be a monster she never really knew at all?

Endgame Trilogy:
Bishop's Knight
Bishop's Queen
Bishop's Endgame

Visit Katie Reus' website for more information.

Review:
Ellis spent years working undercover for the DEA but when his partner and best friend is killed by a mob boss Ellis finds himself set up for the murder and has to go into hiding. He's been trying to clear his name for months but knowing at least one dirty DEA agent helped set him up he has very few people he can turn to for help. All of his leads bring him to Ariana, the step-daughter of the mob boss who murdered his friend and with bank accounts in her name full of drug money she's in this mess up to her eyeballs and Ellis is more than happy to use her to make her father pay.

What Ellis doesn't realise is that Arianna is just as much a victim as he is, her stepfather has been setting her up too and she has absolutely no knowledge of any of his dodgy business dealings. Now their only choice is to work together to find out exactly what her stepfather has planned and find a way to prove both of their innocence.

I've enjoyed every minute of the Endgame trilogy, the first two books were great but I think Bishop's Endgame was my favourite of them all. We've known about Ellis since the first book, he's only made a very brief appearance up to this point but his brother and sister have both been trying to figure out how to help him clear his name so I already felt like I knew him. I'm going to admit things didn't start out great between him and Arianna, it's not often I find myself rooting for a kidnapper hero that's for sure. But Ellis had good reason to believe that Arianna was just as dirty as her stepfather so it was hard to blame him for his actions. Especially when he was so quick to apologise and try to make amends when he realised what a huge mistake he'd made.

Ellis was actually a really great guy, he'd been pushed to terrible lengths trying to get his life back but he was devastated by the loss of his best friend and the betrayal of another agent that he should have been able to trust. Yes he makes mistakes in the beginning but even when he believes Arianna is part of the mob he never physically hurts her or crosses any unforgivable lines. Arianna has absolutely no idea that her stepfather is a criminal so she's horrified when she realises the kind of man he is. She could have chosen to just go back to her safe and normal life but her family is responsible for the position Ellis is in and she wants to do what she can to help him get his life back.

I thought the two of them worked really well together and I liked that they didn't immediately jump into bed together. Things to happen over a fairly short timeline but they still got to know each other before falling into a relationship. It was great to see characters from the previous books pop up too and I thought this was a fitting end to the trilogy.

Source: Received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Stuffed Stockings - K.A. Mitchell

Have a holly, very jolly Christmas…

Lucas doesn’t usually do the anonymous holiday gift exchange. But when his office crush, Zane, extends an invite, how could he say no? A little holiday cheer might be nice for a change.

What he doesn’t expect are the bonus presents accompanying the bulge in his Christmas stocking—increasingly kinky gifts that have him wishing he’d torn into them in the privacy of his bedroom.

Though Lucas can’t stop fantasizing—in vivid detail—that his seductive Santa is Zane, he can’t quite believe it’s true. That is, until Zane starts dropping clues that have Lucas blushing almost as much as the erotic gifts themselves.

One thing is for sure: Christmas may be right around the corner, but waiting to unwrap his final sexy surprise is going to be a challenge…

This book is approximately 26,000 words

One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise: all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise!

The Dirty Bits from Carina Press: what you want, when you want it. Over-the-top sexy microromances designed to be read in an hour or two.

Visit K.A. Mitchell's website for more information

Review:
Coming in at around 90 pages Stuffed Stockings is a fairly short read that is very easy to read in one sitting which is a great thing because once I stared reading about these two I couldn't put it down! Lucas is shy and socially awkward with people he doesn't know well, he's not great at reading social situations and tends to be pretty oblivious when someone is flirting with him so he hadn't picked up any signals at all from his sexy colleague Zane. Zane on the other hand is much more confident and outgoing, he knows exactly what he wants and he sets out to get it by convincing Lucas to join in the company's secret Santa gift exchange.

In the run up to the holidays the secret Santa is supposed to leave two gifts a week for their partner and they'll only reveal who has been giving them the gifts at the office Christmas party. Zane has made sure he is partnered up with Lucas and let's just say the gifts get more and more kinky as the weeks go by! Lucas spends a lot of his time fantasising about using the gifts with Zane but in spite of the increased flirting he still isn't sure whether Zane is actually the one leaving the presents.

Stuffed Stockings was the perfect combination of really sweet and incredibly spicy. Yes, you have to suspend belief a little that colleagues would take quite so many risks with gift giving in the workplace but I was enjoying the story so much that I was able to completely gloss over that aspect. I loved both Lucas and Zane and really enjoyed getting to know them. Lucas had a hidden dominant side that was just waiting for Zane to bring out while Zane appeared super confident but had a more vulnerable side once you got to know him better. They made a ridiculously adorable couple but damn their chemistry was intense. The addition of the secret Santa gifts was perfect and I was just as eager to see what was inside each parcel as Lucas was! I would LOVE another story about this couple, not because their story felt unfinished but because I was having so much fun reading about them, either way I definitely need to check out more books by K.A. Mitchell.

Source: Received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Wicked Hour - Chloe Neill

The second pulse-pounding novel in the bestselling Heirs of Chicagoland series sees vampire Elisa Sullivan get drawn into the shifting sands of Pack politics.

As the only vampire child in existence, Elisa Sullivan grew up with a heavy legacy. Alongside shifter Connor Keene - the only son of Pack Apex Gabriel Keene - she faced down a supernatural evil that threatened to destroy Chicago forever.

After the dust has settled, Elisa is surprised when Connor invites her to a Pack event in the north woods of Minnesota, and by the warm welcome she receives from some of Connor's family, even though she's a vampire.

But the peace doesn't last. The shifters tell tales of a monster in the woods, and when the celebration is marred by death, Elisa and Connor find themselves in the middle of a struggle for control that forces Elisa to face her true self - fangs and all.

Chicagoland Vampires Series:
Some Girls Bite
Friday Night Bites
Twice Bitten
Hard Bitten
Drink Deep
Biting Cold
House Rules
Biting Bad
High Stakes (Novella in the Kicking It anthology)
Howling for You (Novella)
Wild Things
Blood Games
Lucky Break (Novella)
Dark Debt
Midnight Marked
Phantom Kiss (Novella)
Blade Bound
Slaying It (Novella)

Heirs of Chicagoland Series:
(Spin off set approximately 20 years on from the end of the Chicagoland Vampires series)
Wild Hunger
Wicked Hour

Visit Chloe Neill's website for more information

Review:
Wicked Hour is the second book in Chloe Neill's Heirs of Chicagoland series which focuses on Merit and Ethan's daughter Elisa. As the only born vampire in existence there is a lot that Elisa doesn't know about herself and her abilities and she has nobody else to ask either so she's forging her own path. Her biggest struggle is controlling the darkness inside and it's a battle she's been fighting alone because she doesn't want to worry her parents.

The only person who knows the full extent of her trouble is Connor, her childhood frenemy and the future Pack Apex. Her relationship with Connor has changed a lot in recent months so she is surprised but pleased when he invites her to accompany him to a secret pack ceremony in Minnesota. It's a perfect opportunity for them to spend time together and decide what kind of future they might have but Elisa knows that members of the pack are unlikely to be pleased with the appearance of a vampire at a sacred werewolf ritual.

I'm always impressed with how easy Chloe Neill makes it for readers to step back into this world, I've loved the original series for such a long time now and it looks like I'm going to enjoy the spin off just as much. Elisa is a great character, she's had a pretty privileged upbringing as the pampered princess of Cadogan House but she's worked hard to gain her own independence and spent years living away from her parents. She's worked hard to train as a warrior just like her mother did but she has no plans on working for her parents as she'd rather make her own way. I find the idea of her inner monster really interesting and I'm enjoying watching her fight for control as she tries to figure out how to stop the darkness from taking over.

I really love the banter between Elisa and Connor, they've known each other for their entire lives and spent most of their childhood teasing and fighting each other. They have no secrets and often bicker like the children they once were but at the same time they're building a strong friendship now where they always have each other's backs. The slowly building romance between them has been spot on so far and I can't wait to see what the future holds for the pair of them.

This story was interesting because we got to spend more time outside of Chicago and learn more about life in a werewolf pack. The Minnesota wolves live a fairly simple life but there are definitely different factions building as the older and younger members have very different ideas about how they want the Pack's future to look. Add in the mystery of a killer monster on the loose and things get very interesting for Elisa and Connor.

This series has definitely been added to my auto-buy list and I'm already looking forward to reading more about these characters in the future.

Source: Received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

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