Jen TaltyBesprekingen

This book combines romance with a murder mystery. FBI agent Kara is sent to her hometown to help with a murder case, and ends up working directly with her high school/college love, Shane, who she has not seen for 13 years. It leads to a rather complicated relationship while working on an equally complicated case, but it all gets resolved in the end.

This story had a lot of potential, but one reason I’m only giving 3 stars is because of the many grammar mistakes. Even one of the characters’ names was spelled incorrectly several times. The errors sometimes led to some confusion and interrupted the flow of the story.

I received a free ARC copy of this book but my review is completely voluntary.

This book is full of short stories by fantastic authors some I knew before and some are new to me and I have fallen in love with. There are a lot of short stories and some I have not got to yet, but I definitely plan to, so here are my reviews on the stories I have read so far:
Her Mafioso’s Honor by Patricia Eddy:
In this story we are instantly introduced to Evelyn who has been captured by some mafia guys. She is treated horribly but she is strong and can hold her own. Damian is the nephew to the current mafia boss who thinks it is horrible the way his uncle has ran the family into the ground so he is out to right the wrongs and he starts by saving Evelyn from an even worse fate. At first Evelyn is very skeptical a guy like Damian wants to help her and cares for her well being but their attraction is undeniable. The story is a short one, but I loved it so much and enjoyed the characters. A fast paced intense read with an incredible alpha and tough as nails heroine.

Real by Magan Vernon:
In this cute read we get to see the banter between two individuals who entertained me and made me laugh. Wren is starting a paper for her English class and starts to email her professor so she can get a few things approved but the TA answers to response. This TA comes off as abrupt, kind of mean, but she does not know it is not her professor but instead his TA, Wolf the school bad boy. Wolf is smart and knows what he likes, and he knows his stuff when it comes to the class he works for. Their back and forth arguing is so good that you know they love to get a rise out of each other but know it may be kind of forbidden. I loved Wolf and the way he was straight forward with Wren. I also how Wren could give back as good as he could and that they were so attracted to each other just by arguing.

The Cabin Between Us by Dani Rene:
This story was cute, and it followed Calandra who left her hometown to try and make it in Hollywood, but we find out when she left town she left behind her heart. She is returning because her mother has decided to sell their cabin but she has so many memories there it’s hard for her to see it go, but when she gets home Kolton her heart and soul at one point is there. Kolton let the love of his life go but now he has a plan to make up for lost time.

Very complicated for the length! Love it.

Nice to have a female that is savvy and knows and understands her own sexuality!

Major Dylan Sarich is the only brother that is not only still enlisted in the military but also the only single brother. All of his brothers have found their forever. Dylan is married to his job and the elite Delta Force. That is in jeopardy after his last secret mission that ended horrifically with Dylan waking up in a military hospital in Germany. Dylan barely survived that last mission. Now, he's home with his mother to heal for a few months before he returns to Ft. Bragg. He needs the swelling in his brain to go down, his broken ankle to heal, and to come to terms with his PTSD. He also needs to keep his meddling mother at bay. She wants to marry off her last single boy to her lovely neighbor--Dr. Kinsley Maron.

Kinsley is a psychologist that specializes in PTSD and brain trauma at her private practice. She really wanted to tell he kind neighbor that she couldn't help her son. But she couldn't especially after meeting Dylan--and seeing his troubled soul. Moreso, the next day after hearing Dylan screaming from his nightmares. She was also incredibly attracted to Dylan which is why she prayed that Dylan didn't want him as a patient. He didn't want to see a professional for his issues. But Kinsley did tell Dylan that she would be there for him as a friend. They had meals together, watched the sunset while they talked. She helped him find the root to his nightmares.

Until she started to appear in his nightmares. Both Dylan and Kinsley have commitment issues. Neither of them believe in long term commitment. Yet, they both crave it.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Patricia D. Eddy, whose contribution "Her Mafioso's Honor" is about midway through the book, for review. I started with her story, and am slowly making my way through the rest.

I love anthologies like this, especially romance-laden ones, as they give a ton of heat in bite-sized stories that don't have the same kind of pressure to commit as a full-length novel or series (though, who are we kidding - most of these stories are going to send you searching for the full catalogues of the authors within).

"Her Mafioso's Honor" serves up the kind of characters you can't help but want to see more of. Evelyn and Damian are both driven by a sense of duty and pride, though stemming from wildly different circumstances, and clash together when Evelyn finds herself over her head. Cue the steam, swoon and that longing to see a so-called "bad boy" take names and save the day. I'm thrilled that we may see more of these characters developed in the year ahead.

Following Eddy's story was "So Much More" by Reina Torres. Somehow the author managed to create that delicate sense of hesitation and slow burn within just a few chapters. The shared history and pining between the two characters made the heat in the story that much more satisfying, and I'd happily read about the hinted back story in a full-length novel.

As I continue through the other stories, I will try to update my review, however, considering this anthology is literally free across all major retailers, I'd highly recommend diving in. With so many stories to choose from, there's bound to be one that draws you in and provides that perfect evening escape.

Won this book in a giveaway on Library Thing. Good read. Some romance, some mystery. It was slow to start, but got better as it went along. Wrapped things up nicely.

This was a really good collection of quick reads. My favorite was "Crash Into You" by JH Croix. I love her writing and this was a wonderful prequel to her series. All of the stories were good and I enjoyed the whole collection. Great way to try new authors.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Christmas Shorts by Mimi Barbour, Mona Risk
The book out of the collection that I was given to review:
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The Chocolate Box Christmas by Josie Riviera
This short story is about Maise who's relocated from Alaska to CA and she's taken a job being a food/writer reporter.
On this assignment she must judge the chocolate contest at a nearby shelter. She knows many of the contestants as she's been around town.
She is able to meet Ben and she discovers his secret as to why he is there. He also finds out why she doesn't really want to be a judge, especially with anything to do with chocolate.
Fun Christmas read, enjoyed it.
Book ends with a note from the author, recipes, and about the author, other works by the author in series format but all can be read as stand alone.
Received this review copy from the author and this is my honest opinion.

Unforgettable Christmas Dreams: Gifts of Joy (The Unforgettables Book 14)
...
A Complete Family by Mona Risk
This story starts out with Melody and she's late again to work at the hospital.
Her job is usually to aide the surgeons and she has a full life with her jobs. The night job is to waitress at the restaurant so she can help pay for her neighbor's medical bills.
The woman on the first floor of their house would look after Stella and the dog when Melody was working. She's now ill and undergoing tests.
Alden the doctor wants to reprimand her but he's in love with her and also can't justify a raise for her.
He follows her home one day to find out just why she's so late to work and she finally opens up to him. He has a plan and implements it to everyone's satisfaction.
The surrogate grandmother has many secrets and they are told while under recovering from brain surgery, just bits and pieces and they don't much to Melanie...
Alden treasures Melody's work and her family and they become more than friends...
Something has to come to the forefront or they will never survive with one another.
Really found this story heartbreaking at times and sad because of all the turmoil and then again it's happy moment and wonderful children's remarks that grab at your heart.
Love the ending, didn't see it coming. Other works by the author are highlighted at the end and a note from the author is enclosed.
I received this review copy from the author and this is my honest opinion.

I enjoyed this unusual romance between physics with many gifts. I received this for free and I voluntarily chose to review it. This is not for the under 18 readers. These physics were being used in a type of warfare. And half the time they were very confused. This was unusual and a little confusing. I gave it a 4* rating.

I enjoyed this romance except it had too much sexual content for my liking. I voluntarily chose to review this. I gave it a 4* rating. This is not for the under 18 readers. In a way this was a second chance at love romance. There was a lot of action in this story and it was evolved around cyber hacking. There were a few interesting bits but not overly so.

Love, Christmas - Movies You Love (The Holiday Series #2) Anthology  
Review: Love, Christmas - Movies You Love (The Holiday Series #2) by Mimi Barbour, Leanne Banks, Joan Reeves, Mona Risk, Rebecca York, Jacquie Biggar, Alicia Street, Nancy Radke, Katy Walters, Stephanie Queen, Aileen Fish, Rachelle Ayala, Dani Haviland, Traci Hall, Taylor Lee, Donna Fasano, Cynthia Cooke, Susan Jean Ricci, Tamara Ferguson, Suzanne Jenkins, Natalie Ann, Ev Bishop, Alyssa Bailey, Stacy Eaton, Jen Talty
 
 
Love, Christmas - Movies You Love is an emotional high. This group of authors blend multiple feelings into one overpowering voice. There is a dreamer in us all and Ayala, Barbour, Banks and Risk help it break free. York gives that sense of danger. While Biggar, Fasano and Hall give us reason to hope. With tons of heart, bundles of laughs and charismatic characters this boxset is an irresistible find.

A Delightful, Sexy Romance - Five Stars!

Wow, Jen Talty is straight into all of the action and keeps it coming with this thrilling romance novella, set in Lake George, New York. It is a delightful story that has a bit of everything, from drama and hot desire to tension and conflict, there is something for everyone.

I really like that, in the opening chapter, we are introduced to hot and sexy fire-fighter, Cade Nash. Next, we meet his gorgeous new neighbour, but Heather Holbrook is a dentist and Cade has a deep-rooted fear of dentists, dating back to a bad experience from his childhood. Cade loves to help people in their hour of need so when Heather’s car has a flat battery and she needs a jump-start, he is there to assist.

Heather has recently divorced and is trying to start over in her new neighbourhood. After leaving her abusive husband, she just wants a happy, quiet life.

You could immediately sense that there was an intense physical attraction between Cade and Heather and one of the highlights of the book was following how they dealt with their emotionally-charged feelings for one another.

After some problems with her ex-husband, Heather is forced to rely on Cade more than she would have chosen to, until he oversteps the mark, although his main goal was to protect her. Can Heather forgive him?

I thought both the plot and the character development were great and found the story-line to be very believable. The story is well-told, captivating and engaging. It held my interest right from the beginning and I found myself rooting for both Heather and Cade as they tried to deal with all of their conflicting emotions. This was a short, fast-paced read with plenty of action, some suspense and lots of lust and love. I enjoyed their instant attraction and the banter between them and I laughed-out-loud a few times while reading it. I thought the ending was very appropriate for this great novella.

I have been inspired to read more from Jen Talty and I highly recommend Playing With Fire.

Thank you to Hidden Gems and the author, Jen Talty for a free ARC of this book in exchange for a voluntary, honest review.

REVIEW: “But I’ve spent ten years pretending I’m happy when all I am is content, and that doesn’t make for a life.” Jaden is clear about wanting Piper but there several other suspects that want something different for her. Good suspense and mystery in a small package. This is my voluntary review of an Advanced Review Copy of this book.

DESCRIPTION, NOT REVIEW: Piper Morgan had never wanted fame or fortune, but that had been impossible as the daughter of Calvin Morgan, better known as Cowboy Cal, the mega country singer superstar. Much to her father’s dismay, the shy, reserved Piper chose a career writing song instead of performing them. She couldn’t be happier.

Until someone murders her father and now has their sights set on her, forcing her to seek the help of a man who had broken her young heart.

When Jaden Sawyer left Nashville at the ripe old age of twenty-two and joined the Army, he never looked back. A career on the stage had never been for him, even with a couple of top twenty billboard hits and women dropping at his feet.

But he never forgot the man who had given him his first big break, or the sweet eighteen-year-old girl with the voice of an angel.

Jaden will do whatever it takes to find out who killed Cowboy Cal and protect Piper, even if it means dusting off his guitar and putting himself in the line of fire.

REVIEW: “Love really sucked when your only option was to let it go.” Blaine and Kaylee were married a long time ago. A myriad of misunderstandings had them both running. Now Kaylee is running for her life. Plenty of suspects and sizzling heat. I liked Blaine’s human frailties. Jen Talty’s books just keep getting better. This is my voluntary review of an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.

DESCRIPTION, NOT REVIEW: For the last nine years, Kaylee Mead has been running from her past. Now she's running for her life. Her only chance at survival is to return home and patch things up with her father. When she returns to her home in Thief Lake, Minnesota, she finds her father dead and herself becoming the cop's best suspect for his murder.

Assistant Police Chief Blaine Walker has been trying to put his ex-wife out of his mind for years, but when he finds her hovered over her father's body, he knows that battle is lost. She becomes his only suspect in a case that doesn't make sense. He vows to find the answers and then hopefully rekindle the flame that has never quite died out in his heart.

REVIEW: Mystery, suspense, and second-chance romance. All my favorite elements are combined in this book. The characters are interesting, all dealing with different aspects of loss. Shane attempts to return to his homicide detective role while still struggling with his pain. The brutal murder scenes almost undo him. When the FBI is called in, his first love, Kara, comes back to her home town. There are plenty of suspects and lots of plot twists. This is my voluntary review of an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

DESCRIPTION, NOT REVIEW: Special Agent Kara Martin has spent the last thirteen years doing whatever she could to obliterate memories of her hometown…and haunting reminders of her parents' murders. She had every intent of avoiding Rochester…until a congressman's daughter is murdered, and she finds herself not only back to a place she said she'd never return, but working with a man she thought she'd never see again.

A man who once loved her… until she broke his heart. Detective Shane Rogers lost his wife and a year later nearly lost his son when his rare heart condition took a turn for the worst. Battling back from personal devastation, his son is now thriving after a successful heart transplant and Shane can finally return to his second love…his career as a homicide detective.

His first case is the gruesome murder of a local congressman's fourteen-year-old daughter, bringing in the FBI and putting Shane face to face with his first love.

Shane and Kara are thrust together in one of the toughest cases of their careers while pieces of their pasts crop up to taunt them.

As they begin to face their pasts and find forgiveness, the bodies pile up. With each new murder, the killer takes a different organ that is commonly harvested. An organ they had received in the form of a transplant.

And now Shane's son has been kidnapped…½

REVIEW: Perfect combination of suspense, hot romance and quirky humor. --I feel fortunate to have received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. I loved it and am happy to provide a voluntary review. Brooke’s life spiraled down in less than a week. The death of her grandfather was the final straw after losing her boyfriend and her job. While she feels crushed by life, someone else is working to get rid of her. Her call for help is answered by trooper Tristan Reid. He doesn’t recognize the number but Brooke is no stranger to Tristan. Her grandfather spent his last year letting Tristan know that he was the perfect partner for Brooke. Secrets abound and hostilities gather. A beautiful approach to working through grief and loss to find lasting love.

DESCRIPTION, NOT REVIEW: Brooke Fowler lost her job, her boyfriend, and her grandfather in less than week. So, when she finds out she inherited her grandfather’s run-down old house on Lake George, NY, she decides to take what little savings she has, plus a loan, and plans to flip the house. Only bad things seem to follow Brooke wherever she goes. When the house is broken into and vandalized, not once, not twice, but three times, and she’s nearly broke, she decides it’s time to act and calls the name on the business card tacked to her grandfather’s corkboard.

New York State Trooper Tristan Reid normally didn’t answer his phone when he didn’t recognize the number, but sometimes he liked to have a little fun with the tell marketers. However, the person on the other end was no salesman. Having remembered Brooke’s grandfather, he goes to the house out of respect. What he finds is a beautiful woman who is way out of his league, but with a problem he can help solve.

Together, they a unravel fifty-year-old mystery that could solve all of Brooke’s financial problems, giving her the freedom to flip the house and move on…or perhaps she wants to stay put...with Tristan.

REVIEW: Political manipulations lose to an enduring love -- Her parents have been manipulating Maddox’s life since he fell in love with Avery. First to send him away to the Marines and then by holding the financial key to his mother’s cancer treatment. The dream of political power overshadows whatever parental concern may have existed for Avery. Her mother is headed to the White House and her General father will do whatever is necessary to reach that goal. Avery is just a support piece in a dangerous game. Maddox is hired to protect Avery but nothing can keep them safe from the love started seven years ago. The viciousness of the mother seems a little overdone but adds to the suspense of the story. I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
DESCRIPTION, NOT REVIEW: Jessica Roads, the Social Media Coordinator for the Miami Thunder, spent a year with the wrong man. While at a local watering hole, she runs into her ex, with his wife. She’s over him, but wants to drive the point home, so when her best friend dares her to kiss the next man who walks through the door, Jessica is all over it.

Don’t dare me…

Nolan Greer, the new Offensive Coordinator for the Miami Thunder, has had a rough couple of years. After a knee injury, he contemplated retiring. However, he made the decision when he found out he was the father of a one-year-old little girl with a birth defect that needs surgery, and her mother jut died. All Nolan wants is to get to know his daughter without being in the public eye. He never meant to keep her a secret…but no one knows he has a child.

Sparks flew the moment Jessica and Nolan kissed, but it immediately tosses them into a media frenzy, putting Nolan and his daughter in the middle of it, while someone is trying to destroy Jessica’s reputation.

Can Nolan dare to risk his heart…and his daughters?

Can Jessica dare to trust another man who’d kept a secret from her?

Short, sexy and suspenseful
REVIEW: “…most would say he flirted with disaster.” Ramey was an experienced top test pilot. When he suspected sabotage, his teammates implied that Ramey was unstable. Trusting only his brothers on the Omega Team, Ramey asked for a special investigation. Little did he know that his life was about to change with a little Tequila. That was Ms. Tequila Ryder, a new team member investigating for the Omega Team. A quick, hot read. I am voluntarily reviewing an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.

DESCRIPTION, NOT REVIEW: Ramey Sarich graduated from West Point Military Academy with honors and a broken heart. Swearing off relationships, he dives into his career as a test pilot for the Army. But when one of the planes he’s testing goes down, he uncovers it was no accident. Wanting an outside source, he contacts his brothers and they send help in the form of an ex-military female pilot now part of the OMEGA TEAM. Ramey is prepared for anything, except Tequila Ryder.

Tequila Ryder has spent the last few years raising her half-sister’s son. Now that he’s settled in college, Tequila is eager to jump back in the field with the OMEAG TEAM. The first day she’s with Ramey, his helicopter is forced into an emergency landing and between the reports she’d read on the other crash, and what she experienced, she knows without a doubt, someone is either trying to destroy Ramey’s career.

Or kill him.

…together unravel a twisted plot, while entangling their hearts.

REVIEW: This is just the type of series I like. It is fast paced with just enough of a glimpse of more stories to be told. But the book is stand alone. The sisters of Raven Agency are spunky and talented. Together with the Phoenix Agency, they are fated to do great things. The fact that Brett and Hazel experienced an amazing first time together is almost minor to the number of times they have crossed psychic paths in their thirteen years apart. Great imagination in creating the characters and storyline. Would like to see more, especially if the books are a little longer. This is my voluntary review of an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.

DESCRIPTION, NOT REVIEW: Hazel Raven is a psychic with precognition abilities. She and her sisters have formed the Raven Agency (private investigators) to help find the lost and heal the broken.

However, when she foreshadows her sister’s disappearance, and arrives at the scene too late, she and her sisters hire THE PHOENIX AGENCY for assistance.

Brett Radcliffe is new to the Agency, brought in for his remote viewing capabilities. Finding one of the Raven sisters is his first assignment. He’s excited and at the top of his game, until he comes face to face with Hazel and a past he’s never quite forgotten.

Together they begin to unravel betrayal and treason in search of the missing sister and in the process, they find they are not only cut from the cloth, but they are the future of the collective order.

THE PHOENIX AGENCY: They served their country in every branch of the military – Army Delta Force, SEALs, Air Force, Marines. They are pilots, snipers, medics – whatever the job calls for. And now as private citizens they serve in other capacities, as private contractors training security for defense contractors, as black ops eradicating drug dealers, as trained operatives ferreting out traitors. With the women in their lives who each have a unique psychic ability, they are a force to be reckoned with. Risen from the ashes of war, they continue to fight for those in need. They are Phoenix.

This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers. The story was easy to follow although there were some editing errors. I must confess that I am not into romantic books although I admit that there was more suspense than romance in this novel. Trying to figure out who was out to get Kenzie kept me guessing right to the end and I am comfortable in giving this book a 3 star rating.
05-22-2017

I got book 3 as an early reviewer. I realized it was the 3rd in the series and obtained them all. I enjoyed the whole series.

Won this book in a giveaway here on Library Thing. Good read. Some romance, some mystery. It was slow to start, but got better as it went along. Wrapped things up nicely.

Jake left his family's farm and Kenzie when he was a teen. Ten years later he came back and had a one-night-stand with Kenzie, then was gone again. A few months later, his father was poisoned so Jake went back to run the farm and figure out who wanted his father dead. Being a cop made the investigation easy for him but finding out that the real target was Kenzie, who had worked at the equestrian center since she was 16 and was now Chief Operation Manager, complicated things. She was also pregnant with Jake's child, but he didn't know about that yet. Long held secrets were uncovered as Jake tried to figure out who was trying to hurt the people he loved.

This was an enjoyable romantic suspense though it was short on romance and high on suspense. Trying to figure out who was out to get Ethan and Kenzie kept me guessing. But I would have liked this story more if had been edited.

I won a copy of To Protect His Own from LibraryThing in exchange for an honest review.