Cover Reveal: Kiss of Vengeance - S. Young

Kiss of Vengeance (A True Immortality Novel) by S. Young

Photo: Wander Aguiar

Cover Design: By Hang Le

A standalone paranormal romance from New York Times bestselling author Samantha Young, writing as S. Young.

Fionn Mór was once a high king of Ireland; a fierce warrior who led his tribes against the invading fae. It was a war he couldn’t win and to save his family he turned consort for the Fae Queen. Fionn escaped as the thing he once despised, and the people he loved betrayed him for it. Now, centuries later, it’s time to reopen the gates to Faerie to take his revenge against the Faerie Queen.

At sixteen Rose Kelly discovered family secrets that changed her forever. Years after, she’s still lost, traveling across Europe in search of that elusive missing ‘something’. When she’s attacked by a vampire, not only is she wrenched into a supernatural underworld she never knew existed, a knock on the head releases a spell on her mind and unlocks powers beyond her wildest imaginings. And with them more questions. Questions Fionn Mór claims to have answers to.

Following the powerful and enigmatic Fionn to Ireland, Rose quickly realizes she’s a pawn in his plan for vengeance. What begins as a passionate battle of wills leads to an inexplicable but undeniable connection. One that will force them to face an impossible choice between the deepest love… and the darkest revenge.

Out March 3rd 2020

Preorder Now:

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Kindle Worldwide – mybook.to/KissOfVengeance

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Review: A Madness of Sunshine - Nalini Singh

UK Cover

New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh welcomes you to a remote town on the edge of the world where even the blinding brightness of the sun can't mask the darkness that lies deep within a killer...

On the rugged West Coast of New Zealand, Golden Cove is more than just a town where people live. The adults are more than neighbours; the children, more than schoolmates.

That is until one fateful summer - and several vanished bodies - shatters the trust holding Golden Cove together. All that's left are whispers behind closed doors, broken friendships, and a silent agreement not to look back. But they can't run from the past forever.

Eight years later, a beautiful young woman disappears without a trace, and the residents of Golden Cove wonder if their home shelters something far more dangerous than an unforgiving landscape.

It's not long before the dark past collides with the haunting present and deadly secrets come to light.

Visit Nalini Singh's website for more information

Review:
I don't usually read thrillers but Nalini Singh is such a favourite author of mine that she's an auto-buy no matter what genre she decides to write in. I was still a little nervous going into A Madness of Sunshine though because I really had no idea what to expect. It was very different to her other books with a much slower and more character driven plot that concludes in an action packed, edge of your seat finale and I found that I just couldn't put it down.

I really enjoyed getting to explore this small sleepy costal town in New Zealand through Nalini's eyes, we get an in depth look at the culture and atmosphere of small town living and it made me want to pack a bag and book a flight so I could go and explore Golden Cove for myself. There are a lot of secrets in this town, everyone seems to be hiding something and there were so many possible suspects that I really had no idea who was the killer. It was actually a bit disturbing the way most of the men in the town had such possessive and controlling feelings about the women around them.

Anahera left her hometown years ago and never planned to come back but after the death of her husband she just needs some time to lick her wounds and it's almost an automatic reaction to return to the place that is most familiar. So much about Golden Cove has stayed the same in her absence but there are some changes, like the addition of a permanent police officer, Will. It's only when a local girl goes missing, bringing back memories of past disappearances that haunt the town, that they realise there might be a killer still living among them.

I loved the slow build romance between Anahera and Will but that definitely wasn't the focus of the story. These are both complex and layered characters who have plenty of secrets to uncover and it was fun getting to know them but I do wish we'd found out a little more about Will, about his family and where he came from before he ended up in Golden Cove. I made multiple guesses about the killer along the way but I was never able to pin down exactly who they were, they were one of my suspects but pretty low down on my list.

A Madness of Sunshine was very different to my usual reads and very different to the books Nalini usually writes but I enjoyed it all the more because of that. I really hope she decides to explore this genre further in the future and I'll definitely be first in line to buy the books if she does.

Source: Received from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

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US Cover

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Review: Lost & Found - Ariana Nash

What use is a blade without a war?

After giving their lives to the Order, the Ashford assassins are in crisis. The battles are over, the war is no more, but assassins cannot retire from who they are.

Trey knows this. He may not have been an Assassin of the Order for long, but it was long enough to leave him scarred. Restless and heartsick, he returns to wandering, traveling from settlement to settlement, delivering tokens of love, not death.

Among his Order brethren at Ashford, he rediscovers the joy of careless pleasures and the thrill of knowing he'll be gone in the morning. But one assassin isn't so easily dismissed. Proud, powerful, and a self-centered prick, Sentinel Venali is everything Trey despises. But he fucks like there's no tomorrow, and right now, sex with no strings attached is exactly what Trey needs.

When fellow Order elves begin to take their own lives, the depth of the damage done by the war becomes apparent.

Trey has watched those around him buckle beneath their fears, powerless to stop their self-destructive path. He knows some cries for help are silent. And few need help more than the damaged Venali.

Tomorrow, Trey will be gone. Because staying means loving, and his cracked heart cannot withstand another break.

If only it were that simple to say goodbye.

***

Trey's novella takes place after events in the Silk & Steel trilogy. For the best experience, please read the Silk & Steel trilogy first. This novella does contain spoilers for the Silk & Steel series of novels.

Silk & Steel Series:
Sealed with a Kiss (Prequel short story)
Silk & Steel
Iron & Fire
Blood & Ice
Lost & Found (Novella)
The Black Prince

Visit Ariana Nash's website or Pippa DaCosta's website for more information

Review:
I highly recommend avoiding this novella until after you've read the Silk & Steel trilogy (Silk & Steel, Iron & Fire, Blood & Ice) because it does contain spoilers for the main story arc. However, once you've read that trilogy you really don't want to miss the chance to see Trey get his much earned happily ever after!

I've loved Trey since his first appearance in the prequel Sealed with a Kiss and his character has been brilliant throughout the series so I was really happy when Ariana Nash announced that she was giving him his own story. This is all about the Order Assassins and how a lot of them are struggling to find a new purpose for their lives now that the war is over and the elves and dragons are at peace. They've all watched friends and family members die, they've seen and done terrible things and now they've got to try and come to terms with that and figure out a way to move forward. It's not easy though and an increasing number of suicides amongst their number is starting to raise suspicion.

I don't remember much of Venali from the main series but he turned out to be an exceptional match for Trent. The two of them heat up the pages like nothing else and I think this might even be the hottest instalment in the series (which is really saying something to anyone who has read the other books!). Although their connection starts out with the physical I really enjoyed seeing the emotional connection build as they spent more time together. Throwing in the mystery of what is happening with members of the order and I flew through this novella. This story is highly recommended to fans of the Silk & Steel series and I just can't wait to see what Ariana Nash comes up with next.

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

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Review: Calculated in Death - J.D. Robb

Lieutenant Eve Dallas stuck her frozen hands in the warm pockets of her coat and looked down at death.

On a bitterly cold night on the steps outside an empty office in New York's financial district, a woman lies dead. It seems like a mugging gone wrong, but Eve Dallas soon discovers that the body was dumped there deliberately.

Now she has to find out why.

Eve has a host of suspects for Marta Dickenson's murder. Using her husband Roarke's business know-how and with Detective Delia Peabody by her side - when not distracted by the upcoming premiere they're all to attend - Eve starts examining the motives of some very powerful people in order to catch a killer.

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

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

Review:
When accountant Marta Dickenson is murdered it initially looks like a mugging gone wrong, but something just doesn't quite add up for Eve and Peabody so they decide to take a closer look. They quickly discover that Marta was specifically targeted but what reason would anyone have to kill a normal woman who just did her job to the best of her ability before going home to spend time with her family? The deeper Eve digs the more she starts to see there has been a cover up and it looks like someone powerful will stop at nothing to avoid getting caught.

I don't know how J.D. Robb consistently manages to come up with such different cases for Eve to investigate. The mystery in each book is different to the last and she always manages to find new ways to surprise me. I really enjoyed watching Eve and the others work this case, we know from about the halfway point who is ordering the murders but it takes longer to pin down who is actually carrying them out. We get to see Eve test out the strength of her special Roarke designed coat, Peabody gets to do a little play acting and we also see the whole team invited to the premier of the movie about the Icove case.

There's a lot going on in this book but we still have all the banter and fun moments I've come to expect plus plenty of time with my favourite book boyfriend Roarke. I just love spending time with him and Eve, they never ever disappoint. 36 books in (although that's probably closer to 45 stories by the time you add in all the additional novellas I've read up to this point!) and I'm still totally addicted to this series and I seem to be reading them faster and faster the closer I get to the end.

Source: Purchased

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Review: Christmas in the City - Anthology

Twelve bestselling authors have come together to brighten your holiday with six ALL NEW co-written novels. Travel through six cities and fall in love with these enchanting love stories.

L.J. Shen & Helena Hunting
Just The Tip
It’s not every day you meet a stranger who knows how to jingle your bells…

Corinne Michaels & Melanie Harlow
Baby it’s Cold Outside
My Christmas list did not include a broken heart, freezing temperatures, or my tree stuck in the door to my apartment building, but that’s what I got. Just when I thought Santa had failed me, I got something I never thought to ask for …

Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward
Kissmas in New York
It was just supposed to be a simple kiss with a stranger. I'd done it to prove a point--that I hadn't lost my sense of adventure. But you know what they say about the best laid plans. Maybe I'd get something in my stocking after all this holiday season...

Sierra Simone & Kennedy Ryan
The Christmas Crown
Noelani, queen of Manaroa, has one mission on her diplomatic visit to the States: forge strategic alliances for her homeland. When she meets brooding security specialist Brock Grimsby, their unexpected alliance heats up the holiday. One night. No promises, but come Christmas, will either be able to walk away?

Penny Reid & L.H. Cosway
Songbird
Two lonely souls find companionship in Dublin for one magical night. Broderick Adams doesn't mind his solitude, until she walks in. Ophelia Kelly sings to heal her heart, but has no idea he's listening.

Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy
EPIC
Jamie and Wes are having a blast living and working in Toronto. Until a scout for another team swoops in to make one of them an offer that might complicate the life they've built together.

CHRISTMAS IN THE CITY is a holiday gift as a thank you! It is available for a LIMITED TIME!

For more information about any of these authors you can visit their websites by clicking the links below:
L.J. Shen
Helena Hunting
Corinne Michaels
Melanie Harlow
Vi Keeland
Penelope Ward
Sierra Simone
Kennedy Ryan
Penny Reid
L.H. Cosway
Sarina Bowen
Elle Kennedy

Review:
Christmas in the City is a collection of six novellas written by twelve bestselling authors being offered free for a limited time. Overall this is a great collection and it contains some really sweet Christmas stories so I'd definitely recommend grabbing a copy while you can!

Just the Tip by L.J. Shen & Helena Hunting

I've read and loved books by Helena Hunting before so I had high hopes for this story but unfortunately it ended up being a total miss for me. There were loads of editing errors that were REALLY noticeable (particularly to me as a Brit but perhaps not so badly for an American) and kept throwing me out of the story but even without those I can't think of a single thing I enjoyed about this story. The romance was ridiculous (he proposed within hours of meeting her!), the humour missed the mark every single time and had me rolling my eyes so hard that they nearly fell out of my head so I came very, very close to DNFing the story even though it's only short.

Baby it's Cold Outside by Corinne Michaels and Melanie Harlow

Imperfect Match Series:
Imperfect Match
Baby it's Cold Outside (novella in the Christmas in the City anthology)

This story restored my faith in the anthology and actually ended up being my favourite in the collection. Corinne Michaels and Melanie Harlow are both new to me authors but I've already gone on to read one of their full length books (Imperfect Match, which is loosely linked to this story and you can actually get a free copy of via a link included in this ebook!). Baby it's Cold Outside had everything I want from a holiday short story, it's a perfect Christmas romance that was sweet, hot, full of holiday cheer and had that feel good factor that leaves you with a smile on your face.

Kissmass in New York by Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward

This was another fun and sweet Christmassy story about a woman who is dared by a friend to kiss a stranger. I'm not going to say much more because it would be too easy to give spoilers but I liked both of the main characters and thought they made a great couple. As a bonus the authors have included a link to download one of their other co-written books, British Bedmate, completely free. I really like their writing style (I've read a couple of Christmas shorts by them now) so I'm looking forward to trying a full length novel by them too.

The Christmas Crown by Sierra Simone & Kennedy Ryan

All the King's Men Duet:
Kingmaker
The Rebel King
The Christmas Crown (Novella in the Christmas in the City anthology)
The Killer and His Queen (2020)

I was a bit nervous starting this one as it's linked to the author's All the King's Men duet which I've not read before BUT that wasn't an issue at all and I really enjoyed Noelani and Grim's novella. It was slightly less Christmassy than the previous two stories but it made up for that with the super high heat level and boy do these two have fantastic chemistry! I've added the original duet to my wish list so I can spend time with Lennix & Maxim (who are just briefly mentioned in this story) but I'm also incredibly excited that we're going to get to see more of Noelani and Grim in a new novella The Killer and His Queen which will be released next year.

Songbird by Penny Reid & L.H. Cosway

Songbird is about two lonely people who spend a magical evening together one Christmas Eve, it was a sweet story and I really liked both of the main characters but it just felt a little rushed and unfinished. I wanted more about these characters and what would happen to them so would love to read a further book / novella connected to this one.

Epic by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy

Him Duology:
Him
Us
Epic (Novella in the Christmas in the City anthology)

This story is part of the Him duology about couple Jamie and Wes. I was a bit nervous going in because I've not read the rest of the series but I thought they were absolutely adorable! I'm sure I'd have enjoyed this one even more if I was already invested in their relationship but this DEFINITELY made me want to go back and read Him and Us so it totally worked as a hook for the series. I was disappointed that a story in a Christmas anthology had absolutely nothing to do with Christmas though, it was set in March so would probably have been more suited to an Easter anthology LOL.

Source: Downloaded for free via Amazon

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Kindle:

Review: Sleigh Bells Ring - Jodie Griffin

Vixen loves Nicholas, but as her stay in the North Pole grows short, this reindeer-shifter worries that her time spent with the Master Elf has ruined her for any other dominant out in the real world. But Nic has other plans for the little doe who caught his eye . . . and his heart.

This story was published at the author's website as a free holiday story: http://jodiegriffin.com/2015/12/sleigh-bells-ring/

Visit Jodie Griffin's website for more information.







Review:
Sleigh Bells Ring is a short but spicy free Christmas story that you can read on Jodie Griffin's website here.

Just imagine that Santa's reindeers are actually shifters and think about all the kinky things they could get up to with Master Elf Nic during all those long winter days while they wait for Christmas.

The trouble for Vixen is that she's fallen in love with the immortal elf and she knows she'll never be happy when she's finished her time working for him and has to return to her mortal life and the real world. Luckily for her Nic has no plans on letting her go.

Like I said before this was a really quick read but it was also a really fun one with lots of interesting uses for peppermint candy canes and icicles. It's not for the faint of heart - these reindeers all have their kinks and there are lots of multi-partner situations going on not to mention some BDSM elements but I enjoyed the story and thought reading it was a fun way to pass 20 minutes.

Source: Read for free on Jodie Griffin's website

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Review: Girls' Night Out - Kit Rocha

Caution: this story is not meant to stand alone. The Beyond Happily Ever After stories are vignettes and outtakes showing the O’Kanes in their daily lives, in between the adventures and often after their happy endings. These stories were written exclusively for readers and fans of the series, and will probably not make very much sense to anyone not familiar with the characters.

Fight Night is part of our Girls Night Out series of shorts, written for our Patreon supporters. In it, Nita, Ana, Laurel, Grace & Avery are scouting out locations for Maricela’s big pre-wedding bash…with hijinks to follow. Their first stop: Fight Night.

(Note: Patreon stories are exclusive to subscribers for the first six to nine months. After that, they’ll be available to download free on our website.)

Length: ~3000 words
Characters: Nita, Grace, Laurel, Ana, Avery, Jyoti, Nessa
Timeline: Set after Ivan

Beyond Series:
Beyond Shame
Beyond Control
Beyond Denial (A Beyond Happily Ever After free short story)
Beyond Pain
Flash (Free short story)
Beyond Temptation (Novella in the Marked Anthology or as a separate ebook)
Beyond Jealousy
Beyond Solitude (Novella in the Alpha's After Dark Anthology or as a separate ebook)
Beyond Addiction
Beyond Possession (Novella)
Beyond Innocence
Closed Doors (A Beyond Happily Ever After short story)
Blank Canvas (A Beyond Happily Ever After free short story)
Beyond Ruin
Beyond Ecstasy
Beyond Surrender
Creative Incentives (Free short story)
Beyond Doubt (An O'Kane for Life novella)
Cravings (Free short story)
Beyond Forever (An O'Kane for Life novella)
Dessert (Free short story)
Ravished (Free short story)
Efficient (Free short story)
Memorial (Free short story)
Fierce Protector (Free short story)
A Little Bit Bad (Free short story)
Diplomacy (Free short story)

Gideon's Riders Series:
(Spin off series)
Ashwin
Makhai (Free short story)
Deacon
6th Sense (Free short story)
Ivan
High Priestess (Free short story)
Girls' Night Out (Free short story)

Visit Kit Rocha's website for more information.

Review:
Girls' Night Out is a short story that was originally available through Kit Rocha's Patreon page where you can sponsor the author and read a short story every month. After six months these stories become available on Kit Rocha's website so you can now read this one for free. These stories aren't meant to be standalone, they're written to give fans of the series a chance to catch up with favourite characters and just give us little glimpses into what's happening in this world now that the main series has finished.

In Girls' Night Out we see a bunch of the women from Sector One head to the O'Kane Fight Night. They're on a mission to find a suitable venue for Maricela's bachelorette party, I'll let Nita explain exactly what they're looking for in this quote:

“So, I don’t know what a bachelorette party is supposed to be like. What are we looking for?”
“It’s not really a Sector One tradition,” Nita replied. “But it should be. I have researched this extensively and according to all vids we need intense fun, mild debauchery and maybe some light crime.”

This was a really fun snippet & I hope we get to see the girls try out a few of the other venues mentioned, as well as the actual hen night, in future stories!

Source: Read for free on Kit Rocha's website

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