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Book Review: The Hookup Equation (Loveless Brothers #4) by Roxie Noir 

The Hookup Equation
(Loveless Brothers #4)
by Roxie Noir 

 

Amazon / B&N 

Teach me everything.


My whole life, I’ve been a good girl. I follow rules like nobody’s business. I obey guidelines like I was born to it. Show me a line, and I’ll toe it.

I’m even a twenty-two-year-old virgin. Good is my middle name.

And then, I break one tiny little rule. Miniscule. Inconsequential.

Next thing I know, I’m trapped with an incredibly handsome stranger. He’s got eyes like cut emeralds, biceps that makes my head spin, and a smile that has me rethinking all my life choices.

We escape a bar bathroom together. We go on an impromptu date. We share the hottest kiss I’ve ever had, one that leaves me panting for more. We promise to see each other again.

Turns out, we see each other the next morning.

In my calculus class.

Which he’s teaching.

My handsome, sexy date is Professor Loveless, and we’ll be seeing each other plenty. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday all semester.

There’s no choice but to call it off. We both have too much at stake: I could lose my scholarship, and he could lose his entire career.

But I can’t call off the way I feel.

I can’t call off the way he looks when he rolls up his sleeves and explains imaginary numbers.

I can’t call off the heated glances, or the way our hands touch when I hand in my homework, or the memory of his body pressing against mine that night.

I’m a virgin.

He’s my professor.

And if we give in, it could cost us both everything.

But I’m so tired of being a good girl.

The Hookup Equation is a complete standalone romantic comedy with enough steam to fog your glasses.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

I’m a total lightweight, and it only takes a couple of drinks before I’m that embarrassing girl who’s vomiting in someone’s bushes while sobbing that squirrels are too precious for this world.

 

Every single time I find a guy attractive or interesting, I wind up sticking my foot in my mouth so hard I leave teeth marks on my knee.

 

You know, once upon a time I thought that if I kept the five of you alive until you hit eighteen I’d be done with parenting? I was an idiot.

 

Some people believe sharing your secrets cleanses the heart and mends the soul… I think that white lies are the only thing standing between polite society and utter barbarism.

My Review:

 

Roxie Noir is a recent find for me and I enjoy indulging in her special brand of irreverent humor and super-steamy delights. In both of her books I’ve read so far, she has also provided several entertaining and unpredictable storylines populated with uniquely endearing and oddly appealing characters and armed them with clever banter, profound insightfulness, and compelling issues. I started in the middle but have definitely been grooving on this series while kicking myself for being late to the party. I have some catching up to do.

About the Author

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I love writing sexy, alpha men, and the headstrong women they fall for.

My weaknesses include: beards, whiskey, nice abs with treasure trails, sarcasm, cats, prowess in the kitchen, prowess in the bedroom, forearm tattoos, and gummi bears.

I live in California with my very own sexy, bearded, whiskey-loving husband and two hell-raising cats.

Connect with Roxie

Amazon: https://amzn.to/31ab2a6

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2YyYtDh

Twitter: http://bit.ly/2SRXTPK

BookBub: http://bit.ly/2owNy18

Join her reader group The Roxettes: http://bit.ly/2K5fRLU

Stay up to date with Roxie by joining her mailing list: http://bit.ly/2SVTlb7

http://roxienoir.com

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Book Review, Giveaway: Just a Girl (Just a Series) by Becky Monson @bmonsonauthor @rararesources  

Just a Girl
(Just a Series)
by Becky Monson

Amazon  / B&N / GP

What happens when the right girl and the right guy meet at the wrong time?

One thing that can be said about Quinn Pearson is that she has a knack for doing the wrong thing at the wrong time. Like, the worst time ever. Take her job for instance. One little slip of the tongue using the mother of all swear words while reporting the news, and suddenly she finds herself with over 18 million views on YouTube and her employment in jeopardy. If that wasn’t bad enough, when she meets the man of her dreams, she nearly chokes to death on a powdered sugar donut.

Thankfully for Quinn, the dashing Brit, Henry, finds her near death experience quite charming. But just when Quinn thinks her luck is going to change, she finds out her timing is all wrong again. Henry is off limits. Or is he? Maybe it’s time for Quinn to quit settling for what life hands her. Perhaps it’s time for her to become more than just a girl.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Oh, dear heaven above. Handsome Man has an accent. A very British one, in fact… Be still, my beating ovaries. I’ve always been a sucker for a British accent. But of course, I’m standing in front of him, hair askew, my face a nice shade of red, if the burning feeling I’m currently experiencing is any indication. Oh, and powdered sugar down the front of me. I’m also still holding on to the donut. I’m a work of art. A Picasso.

 

I chose kale. I’m not even sure how that’s a food. It tastes like disappointment.

 

Romantic interludes in my life so far have just been more of a mutual “You’ll do” type of scenario.

 

Red is perfect for her—it matches her evil insides… I briefly wonder what kind of machine she uses to file down her horns.

 

Is she for real? She’s like a villain out of a bad campy movie. “Well, I don’t know about that,” I say. “I mean, someday, when your skin becomes Botox resistant, they’ll need to replace you.” I give her my best smirk. Like an automatic reflex, she reaches up and touches her forehead, which hasn’t been able to move since I’ve known her. It’s just frozen in place.

My Review:

 

Oh – happy – day! I have a new favorite author and her name is Becky Monson – and she is brilliant and made me giggle-snort more than once during perusal. I adored every word of this cleverly written missive. In addition to Ms. Monson’s sparkling wit and keenly honed levity; her well-crafted storylines hit all the feels with a bevy of relevant topics and family issues.   Anyone who has ever had the misfortunate experiences of landing their dream job within a toxic work environment, suffered dastardly co-workers, grappled with their weight, dated a lovely man with issues, and/or struggled with a critical and unappeasable parent will find themselves within the pages.

The main character of Quinn resonated deeply with me. Her inner musings were smirk-worthy and highly entertaining. I was quickly implanted within Quinn’s head and under her skin, living her feels, and fully engaged and immersed in her tale.   I am also in total agreement with her stance on kale; it is ghastly!

About the Author

 

Amazon
Goodreads
Website
Facebook
Twitter

By day, Becky Monson is a mother to three young children and a wife. By night, she escapes with reading books and writing. An award-winning author, Becky uses humor and true-life experiences to bring her characters to life. She loves all things chick-lit (movies, books, etc.), and wishes she had a British accent. She has recently given up Diet Coke for the fiftieth time and is hopeful this time will last… but it probably won’t.

Giveaway
Win 2 x $25 Amazon Gift Cards
(Open Internationally)

*Terms and Conditions –  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will be passed to the giveaway organizer and used only for the fulfillment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data.  I am not responsible for dispatch or delivery of the prize.

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Book Review: The Mistletoe Trap (Heart in the Game #2) by Cindi Madsen @CindiMadsen

The Mistletoe Trap
(Heart in the Game #2)
by Cindi Madsen

 

From the moment Julie sees her best friend, Gavin, in the airport, it’s like no time at all has gone by instead of months and months. No matter how long they’ve been apart, their relationship has always been steady, comfortable, and decidedly just friends. Even though their meddling parents have hung what seems like unlimited amounts of mistletoe everywhere she goes this holiday season, Julie knows some things will never change.


Gavin is well-aware his family’s wanted him and Julie to get together since forever, even though he’s been friend-zoned since they could talk—and he’s been happy to play that role. After all, as the new starting quarterback for the San Antonio Mustangs, he’s got enough on his plate without adding romance to the mix.

But between playing elves in the holiday bazaar to nights spent one-on-one watching rom-coms or soaking in their town’s hot springs, suddenly the “reverse parent trap” they’ve fallen into is actually starting to work. But this could be one scheme where letting themselves get trapped might be way too dangerous.

Each book in the Heart in the Game series is STANDALONE:
* The Wedding Deal
* The Mistletoe Trap

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Julie’s dance moves were white-girl-wasted, even sober…

 

In life, there are certain questions that should never be asked. How bad can it be was one of them.

 

No idea why he hadn’t noticed it before, but their mothers were nearing evil genius range.

 

She raised her shoulder and batted her eyes at him, hoping her attempt at coquettish didn’t look more like she was having a seizure.

 

Wow, her guilt trips are intense… Seems like they should require a passport for how far she sends you.

My Review:

 

My first holiday-themed book of the season and it was a light and fluffy friends to lovers romance featuring a socially awkward female brainiac pathologist and a handsome NFL quarterback.   It was a quick and easy to follow read with amusing levity, wit, and a bit of steam and sizzle after a lot of dancing around and parental meddling. The characters were likable and endearingly quirky with a cute and long history as best friends since childhood. It was an enjoyable read and a pleasant way to while away an afternoon.

About the Author

Cindi Madsen is a USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance and young adult novels. She sits at her computer every chance she gets, plotting, revising, and falling in love with her characters. Sometimes it makes her a crazy person. Without it, she’d be even crazier. She has way too many shoes, but can always find a reason to buy a pretty new pair.

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Book Review: Kissing Lessons (Kissing Creek Book 1) by Stefanie London @MissRiki

Kissing Lessons
(Kissing Creek Book 1)
by Stefanie London

 

Welcome to Kissing Creek, where everything has a romance-themed pun for a name and love is lurking around every corner…

Audrey Miller doesn’t believe in happily-ever-after, so she is definitely living in the wrong town. But she’s never getting out of Kissing Creek, because playing pseudo-mom for her younger siblings doesn’t leave time for much else. She’ll do anything to make sure they don’t end up stuck like she is, working as a barista in a college town, serving Pink Passion mochas with Chocolate Smooch donuts.Then Ronan Walsh, a new young professor, and walking cliché, right down to the elbow patches on his blazer, steps in for a coffee and into her life. She knows his type—intelligent and charming, yet sweet as a cinnamon roll, the sort of man she’s inevitably attracted to but is always out of her league. So why does someone like him have any interest in a worker bee with no future?

Her bland-as-oatmeal existence has nothing to offer, but Ronan’s temporary teaching position is only a stepping stone on his way to somewhere else. He isn’t here to put down roots, Audrey’s roots are firmly planted—neither of them is looking for love. And maybe that’s just perfect.

But in a small town called Kissing Creek, sometimes love can be impossible to avoid…

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Ronan didn’t date much these days—he’d tried it once or twice, and it always ended up in tears. Never his.

 

The llama let out the same bleating, hollering sound, which could only be described as Chewbacca on helium crossed with angry cat gurgling. In other words, a sound that would haunt him for the rest of his life.

 

He loved his grandmother to bits… But her stubborn Irish blood made her tough as nails and twice as sharp.

 

Maybe it was the worry festering in his brain about his grandmother getting old. But his resentment was hot and angry, and it was so close to the surface he was sure that if he turned his wrist over he would see it bubbling in his veins.

 

She had dark hair and darker eyes and looked so effortlessly glamorous that Audrey suddenly felt like a cave troll having a bad hair day.

 

“…their coffee tastes like dishwater.” “That’s putting it mildly,” Audrey quipped. “I would have said it tastes like Satan’s backwash.”

 

My Review:

 

I enjoyed this kickoff installment for a new series; it was a fun and cleverly amusing read, yet it hit all the feels with insightful observations, realistic issues, heartbreaking family concerns, delicious sensual steam, and enigmatic personalities.   The characters were appealing and endearing as well as earnest, hard-working, and sincere. I loved that the Rubenesque and uneducated high school dropout Audrey was a trivia genius with a brain bulging with obscure facts on an endless array of topics that could stump a panel of college professors on their best days. I gleaned a considerable amount of UBIs from Audrey that may prove useful someday such as the fact that babies have extra bones, wombats poo in cubical form, and male elephants have highly impressive personal units… all information that was previously unknown to me. I had such a good time with this one I am eager to see what Ms. London does with the rest of the series.

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Stefanie London is a multi-award-winning, USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romances and romantic comedies.

Stefanie’s books have been called “genuinely entertaining and memorable” by Booklist, and “Elegant, descriptive and delectable” by RT magazine. Her stories have won multiple industry awards, including the HOLT Medallion and OKRWA National Reader’s Choice Award, and she has been nominated for the Romance Writers of America RITA award.

Originally from Australia, Stefanie now lives in Toronto with her very own hero and is currently in the process of doing her best to travel the world. She frequently indulges in her passions for good coffee, lipstick, romance novels, and anything zombie-related.

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Book Review: The Perfect Liar by Beverley Harvey @BevHarvey_ @bookouture

The Perfect Liar
by Beverley Harvey

 

‘Are you sure he’s someone you can trust? We know nothing at all about him. Who is he, really?’

Susanne and her two best friends have been dreaming of a holiday. All of them need an escape. Especially Susanne, who is reeling from the news that her ex is getting remarried. They need the warm Tuscan sun, delicious Italian food and wine, and – most of all – the time to unwind with each other. What they get is Harry.

Handsome, charming, and great company, Harry soon sweeps Susanne off her feet for a holiday fling. And why not? Except that everything he’s told them is a lie.

Who is the man they’ve let into their house – who Susanne has let into her bed? They have no idea what Harry is capable of – what he’s done to get this far, and what he’s prepared to do to ensure he gets his way.

By the time they find out, it will be too late to stop their dream holiday from becoming a nightmare.

An utterly addictive, page-turning thriller with a jaw-dropping twist. If you loved The Girlfriend, The Holiday, and Something in the Water, you’ll be completely gripped by The Perfect Liar.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Harry’s accent is warm toffee sauce poured over ice cream. Everything about his demeanour drips wealth, privilege and confidence…

 

Evie imagines her at the tough south London school where she works, holding the rapt attention of her class. Twenty-odd hormonally charged fourteen-year-olds under her spell, the boys damp with adolescent desire, the girls in awe of her strength and urban style. Evie has never met a lesbian before –well, not that she knows of –and is a little intimidated. Then again, the sensations of wrong-footedness and embarrassment are as familiar to Evie as hunger and thirst.

 

‘You’re a cracking girl, Evie; I’ve always fancied you,’ Roland growls. ‘Discreet, too,’ he adds, before turning over and snoring like a warthog.

 

Evie saw the way they looked at each other when they thought no one was watching, like feral teenagers at a disco.

 

Evie’s so prim and proper, she thinks she’s being radical if she changes the parting of her hair.

My Review:

 

I enjoyed this well-contrived tale. There were multiple storylines with slowly unfolding yet compelling nuances and sketchy characters who were not altogether likable and difficult to fully appreciate, yet oddly managed to elicit my compassion. Other than for dear Evie I kept waffling on whom was more deserving of my empathy.

This was my introduction to the duplicitous word stylings of Beverley Harvey and I was a quick convert.   And for a bonus, Ms. Harvey has provided a new addition to my Brit Words and Phrases List with “kick into touch,” which Mr. Goggle taught me was to halt discussion when it is clear the issue cannot be achieved or solved. I plan to immediately deploy this handy phrase when anyone mentioned the ever hazardous topics of politics or religion.

 

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Throughout Beverley’s many years spent working in advertising and PR, she had always wanted to write fiction. In 2015 a creative writing course inspired her debut novel, Seeking Eden, which was published in 2017. The sequel, Eden Interrupted, soon followed. Beverley’s third novel – her first with Bookouture – fulfills a long-time goal to publish a psychological thriller.

Born in Yorkshire, and raised in Kent, Beverley currently lives in West Sussex with her partner and their adorable terrier. When not writing, you’ll find her reading, walking the dog, or listening to rock music.

 

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Book Review: Hell and High Water (Maeve Malloy Mystery #3) by Keenan Powell @KeenanPowell6 @TLCBookTours @levelbestbooks

Hell and High Water
(Maeve Malloy Mystery #3)
by Keenan Powell

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound  | Apple

 

Alaskan attorney Maeve Malloy isn’t sure she’s cut out to be a lawyer. All she wants is to be treated like everyone else. Hiding her past, she takes a kitchen job at a remote lodge while she sorts out her life. The day after she lands at Fox Island, a tourist is killed and a rampaging bear has trapped her and the lodge’s guests inside.

The local cops can’t get to the lodge because of a storm so they ask Maeve for help. Her cover is blown and she’s thrown back into investigating the who, why, and wherefore of the murder before a killer among them can strike again.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

His shaggy eyebrows lifted briefly, came together, wiggled, and then settled back down. They looked like caterpillars trying to escape.

 

Mother Superior used to say if you connected the dots on Maeve’s face, they’d spell “Erin Go Bragh.”

 

She surveyed the room. One narcissistic tourist with an inebriated husband, a couple of nuns, a crazy old biker chick, a New Age woman, also drunk, her pot-smoking husband, and an awkward botanist. No one normal. Just her luck.

 

He didn’t trust nuns. What a strange Catholic thing, women cutting off their hair, giving up sex, wearing ugly clothes. He’d seen them in flocks back in Chicago and never thought he’d have one in his home, much less as an in-law. Back when he hooked up with Bernie, Iggy wasn’t a nun, she was a cop. He wasn’t sure which was worse.

 

Nothing he fixed worked right afterward. He didn’t talk much. At first, Roger wondered if that was because he was stoned all the time; lately, he’d suspected it was because Lester knew he was an idiot and didn’t want anyone noticing.

My Review:

 

Slowly unwinding, perceptively written, and shrewdly paced – this tautly written mystery held my attention and kept me on edge and guessing throughout perusal. Packed with a bracingly odd assortment of alcoholic personalities, mostly within one extended family unit, the fatally faulty characters’ development was brutally and insightfully observant and occasionally amusing in their descriptions.   These were not people most of us would invite into our homes for an enjoyable dinner party, or really, for any sane reason.

Hidden glints of levity were cleverly and unexpectedly sprinkled in to balance out the constant familial tension as well as the diabolical and heinous nature of the background issues. The histories of crimes were handled sensitively and thoughtfully despite being dishearteningly realistic and wretchedly relevant to the world we live in.   This was my introduction to Ms. Keenan Powell and her uniquely flawed yet keenly intelligent, Mauve Malloy, Alaskan based J.D. Esquire. And while this is the third in the series and although I’m sure I would also enjoy reading the first two books and would have possibly gotten a bit more out of the tale if I had, this installment has the strong legs of a mogul skier and can easily stand on its own.

About the Author

Keenan Powell is the award-nominated author of the Maeve Malloy Mystery series. Her first publication was illustrations in Dungeons and Dragons, 1st edition, while in high school.

Art seemed to be an impractical pursuit – she wasn’t an heiress, didn’t have the disposition to marry well, and hated teaching – so she went to law school instead. The day after graduation, she moved to Alaska, where she continues to practice law.

In 2009, there was a string of homeless deaths which the Alaska Medical Examiner had ruled were the result of natural causes. While attending a legal seminar, she learned of a little-known law that permits the medical examiner to declare death by natural causes without performing an autopsy. These deaths and that loophole inspired her to write Deadly Solution.

She won the William F. Deeck-Malice Domestic grant which led to a three-book deal with Level Best Books. Deadly Solution was published in January of 2018 and was nominated for a Lefty, Agatha, and Silver Falchion.

When not writing or practicing law, Keenan can be found connecting with readers on social media, chatting with fellow mystery authors in the Bouchercon and Crime Bake community, oil painting, or studying the Irish language.

Find out more about Keenan at her website, and connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

 

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Book Review: The House at Magpie Cove by Kennedy Kerr @KennedyKerr5 @bookouture

The House at Magpie Cove
by Kennedy Kerr

Amazon  / B&N / GP/ Apple / Kobo

 

The Cornish beach house creaked in the salty sea wind and, from the weathered wooden porch, Mara watched a lone magpie circle above. It was silly to think that her mother’s spirit was still with her, but Mara felt as if there was something keeping her here. A secret that needed to be told…

When Mara Hughes inherits her late mother’s tumbledown beach house overlooking the bright, sandy sweep of Magpie Cove, it couldn’t have come at a worse time. With her marriage on the rocks and her husband threatening to take the family home, the beach house – with all the bittersweet memories it holds – might be the thing that finally sends Mara’s world crashing down around her. She tells herself she’ll only spend a few days there: sell it and move on to rebuilding her life.

When Mara arrives, the house is in a worse state than she feared – holes in the bedroom ceiling, birds’ nests in the attic, and the beautiful, wrap-around porch on the brink of collapse… but she loves it anyway. With all its history it feels like the last link to her late mother and, determined to do whatever it takes to keep it in the family, Mara strikes a deal with local handyman – and town heartthrob – Brian Oakley to save the crumbling cottage from ruin.

But when a box of unopened old letters arrives on her new doorstep – a bequest from her mother’s will – Mara’s resolve to save the beach house will be tested to the limit. Because Mara’s mother’s perfect childhood in Magpie Cove was forever spoiled by one haunting day in July, and the letters contain a secret about her family that Mara can scarcely believe to be true…

A story of secrets, family, and forgiveness, this heartfelt read set in beautiful Cornwall is perfect for fans of Susanne O’Leary, Fern Britton, and Rosanna Ley.

  

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

He gave the air of considering himself too important for something as fanciful as reading a novel or a play or a poem. Privately, Mara had always thought that anyone who didn’t like books was either boring or an idiot. Turns out, I was right.

 

Life’s always easier when you’ve got your hair done and a good pair of knickers on, in my experience.

 

Ugh. I am sick and tired of men, she thought. Maybe I can go and live on some kind of women’s commune where everybody is nice and eats cake and plants lovely vegetable gardens and we have monthly moon rituals and community sing-songs and I could train to be a medicine woman, and no one would ever be mean or unreasonable.

My Review:

 

This was an engaging, fairly quick, and entertaining read with relevant and relatable issues and knowable characters. There were several periods I wanted to give the main character of Mara a swift kick to dislodge her misplaced noggin from her colon and shake loose a few stagnate brain cells and some self-confidence in the process, but thankfully she saw the light before too much damage was done. The storylines were well constructed and smartly paced. I see this is only the author’s second book and I would never have guessed as the writing style was well developed with a smooth and inviting flow. Well done, Ms. Kerr, I am duly impressed.

About the Author

Kennedy Kerr is the author of A Spell of Murder, a witch-themed cozy mystery, and The House at Magpie Cove (November 2020), and The Café at Magpie Cove (coming in 2021). She adores beaches, lochs, and magical places, and loves writing about small communities, mysteries, and family secrets.

Kennedy also loves cooking and baking all types of food, which is almost as much fun as eating it.

 

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Book Review: The Girl Who Never Came Home by Nicole Trope @nicoletrope @bookouture

 

The Girl Who Never Came Home 
by Nicole Trope

 

They find her just as the sun is beginning to rise in the early morning mist. They had begun at dawn, the group of searchers keen to get going. A missing child spurred everyone on. In the end, it was a flash of colour, a bright neon pink that caught her eye. They had been looking for pink.

Nothing tests your faith like being a mother. The first time your children walk to school alone, their first sleepover when they finally fly the nest. As a parent, you have to believe that everything will be OK.

It’s why, when Lydia’s sixteen-year-old daughter Zoe goes on a school camping trip, she has no idea of the horrors that will unfold. It’s why, when Lydia gets a call saying that her daughter has disappeared, she refuses to give up.

As she searches the mountains, her voice hoarse from calling Zoe’s name, she imagines finding her. She envisions being flooded with relief as she throws her arms around her child, saying, ‘you gave us such a scare’. She pictures her precious girl safely tucked in bed that evening.

It’s why, when they find Zoe’s body, Lydia can barely believe it. It is unthinkable. Her little girl has gone.

Something terrible happened, she is sure of it. Something made Zoe get out of her sleeping bag in the middle of the night, walk out of the warmth and safety of the cabin, into the darkness of the mountains. Driven by the memory of her youngest child, Lydia needs to find out the truth. What kind of mother would she be if she didn’t?

A heartbreaking, redemptive, and beautifully crafted novel which brings to life a mother’s worst nightmare, questioning how well we ever really know the people we love the most. Fans of Jodi Picoult, Kerry Fisher, and Liane Moriarty will be blown away by this stirring, unforgettable tale.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

I have a bit of a soft spot for Leeanne, for how awkward the poor girl is, with her perpetually hunched shoulders and the glasses that slip to the tip of her nose as soon as she moves her head, for how dreadful her skin is, for how she makes me see myself at sixteen. Leeanne is, as I was, the smartest girl in the year… I have often told her that as long as she sticks with her dream, she will one day be able to look back at her school years and see them as a growth opportunity rather than a trial to be endured.

 

I was incandescent with rage…

 

Guilt weighs me down, slows my steps, steals my sleep and my appetite. Guilt is the only emotion I deserve to feel.

My Review:

 

I argue that justice was not served by the end result as the punishment was too severe and not at all deserved, and I’m referencing the true victim in this piece – and just to be clear – I’m not talking about the dead girl. There were many victims in this tale as the recently deceased teen, Zoe, was quite the heinous little madam. Zoe was vile and vicious and a monster of her mother’s creation by a lifetime of overindulgence. I despised the bratty she-devil while I deeply resented her shortsighted mother, but I had overflowing buckets of empathy for everyone else.

The storylines were taut with tension, well-crafted intrigue, and tantalizingly slow revelations. I thoroughly enjoyed the insights reaped from the multiple points of view and although there appeared to be an unending plethora of fractured and wounded people to keep up with who had been brutalized in some manner by the cruelty or repercussions of Zoe’s selfish schemes and reprehensible behaviors, it was easily done once the characters were semi-established. I found it highly interesting how they all suffered from guilt by their limited knowledge of and inactions leading up to and during the main event. This was my second foray into the sly and artful deception and cunning word-stylings of Nicole Trope and I can only hope for many more such unscrupulous outings.

About the Author

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Nicole Trope went to university to study Law but realized the error of her ways when she did very badly on her first law essay because, as her professor pointed out, ‘It’s not meant to be a story.’

She studied teaching instead and used her holidays to work on her writing career and complete a Masters’ degree. In between raising three children, working for her husband, and renovating houses, she has published six novels. She lives in Sydney, Australia.

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Book Review: The One Before by Miranda Smith @MSmithBooks @bookouture

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The One Before
by Miranda Smith

I love him. I trust him… But what if I’m wrong?

Whisper Falls is a fresh start for Madison and her fiancé Cooper. The safe, quiet town on the shores of a beautiful lake is the perfect place to spend the rest of their lives.

But then Madison learns that Cooper’s high-school girlfriend Celia disappeared after a party. Three days later, her body was found in the lake.

And the town thinks it wasn’t an accident.

Madison loves Cooper, but she can’t help wondering. She has to know the truth.

But if she starts asking questions, what other secrets will be revealed? Will she meet the same fate as the woman who came before her?

A dark, gripping psychological thriller with a brilliant twist, The One Before is perfect for fans of Karin Slaughter, Gillian Flynn, and Rachel Caine.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

I feel slighted by her unnecessary comment, but I don’t think she can help herself. In the half-hour I’ve known her, I’ve picked up on her innate ability to aggravate people.

 

“That’s what we do in Whisper. We choose our side and defend it to the death.” I roll my eyes again. Regina will take some getting used to, but there’s truth in what she says… This town certainly takes sides.

 

Mistakes cast ripples; they penetrate your surface, the life you thought you had, and expand onward from there.

 

Sympathy is granted sparingly; it’s typically reserved for forms of tragedy. An unpreventable illness. An unprovoked crime. We forget most people are the source of their own unhappiness. When you’re the cause of your hardships, people are less willing to forgive.

My Review:

 

This was a clever and twisted tale of intrigue, family entanglements, small-town complications, and secrets.   The characters were oddly enticing and magnetic, they plucked at my curiosity to know more about them as they inhabited well-crafted storylines that curved, bent, and folded over like a beautiful origami swan. The pacing was shrewd and expertly honed to keep me enslaved to my Kindle and hissing at any and all distractions that dared interfere with my perusal. This was my first exposure to Miranda Smith’s treachery and I am already craving more.

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Miranda Smith writes psychological and domestic suspense. She is drawn to stories about ordinary people in extraordinary situations. Before completing her first novel, she worked as a newspaper staff writer and a secondary English teacher. She lives in East Tennessee with her husband and three young children.
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Book Review: The Next Wife by Liz Lawler  @AuthorLizLawler @bookouture

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The Next Wife
by Liz Lawler 

Amazon  / B&N / GP/ Apple / Kobo

I should never have married him. I ignored the warnings. It’s what you do when you’re in love. Ignore what you don’t want to see.

My husband is everything I ever dreamed of. A handsome, successful doctor who swept me off my feet.

Our new life together is perfect.

He’s perfect.

But am I good enough for him? I never seem to get anything right. And I’m starting to feel a little afraid of the man I married.

He’s taken away my bank card and my phone. I don’t know what to think or what to do. I gave up everything for him and now I’m trapped.

Then a stranger comes to our door. She tells me that I can’t trust my husband.

That I should ask him what happened to his first wife.

Totally gripping, chilling and with a twist you won’t see coming, The Next Wife is a dark, heart-stopping story of what really goes on behind closed doors. Fans of My Lovely Wife, B A Paris, and JP Delaney will be completely enthralled by this addictive read.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

This wasn’t living. She was only alive in the sense that her body was breathing and her heart was beating.

 

…truth and lies are often told together. The truth to hide the lies and lies to hide the truth.

My Review:

 

I’m waffling and conflicted in how to rate this one, I was tense and antagonized with the main characters most of the way through yet their twisted logic and unpredictable storylines kept me reading to the end. The new wife was just as unhinged as her cruel and creepy sociopath husband for living under those abusive and volatile conditions, and it would be a rare woman with more than two working brain cells who would have. But I would never have guessed that ending, it was very clever and upped the final star rating. Liz Lawler is an underhanded minx and a twisted sister, and I have to give her props and kudos for her slick trickery – with maybe a few sharp pinches in a soft area for torturing me along the way. 😉

About the Author

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Liz Lawler grew up sharing pants, socks, occasionally a toothbrush, sleeping four to a bed. Born in Chatham and partly raised in Dublin, she is one of fourteen children. She spent over twenty years as a nurse and has since fitted in working as a flight attendant, a general manager of a five-star hotel, and is now working with trains. She became an author in 2017 when her debut novel Don’t Wake Up was published by Twenty7.
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