Review: Sworn to Protect by Jo Davis

Title: Sworn to Protect
Series: Sugarland Blue, #1
Author: Jo Davis
Published: May 7, 2013
Pages: 320
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Source: Publisher (Signet)
Rating: D
Reviewed by: Ellie

Favorite quote: “Then it stands to reason that we’d make a super amazing couple that would have all of our friends bowing down in awe at our awesome mojo.”

summary from Goodreads
Sugarland loves their men in blue, especially Detective Shane Ford. But Shane’s mission to protect and to serve has just gotten personal…

Detective Shane Ford, Sugarland’s favorite cop, has been blindsided by the sudden death of his best friend, NFL star Brad Cooper, and becoming the legal guardian of Brad’s son, Drew—a bitter, angry sixteen-year-old with a dangerous secret. Shane is determined to pry the truth from Drew, but only manages to alienate him—and winds up going head to head with Juvenile Detective Daisy Callahan, whose job is to protect the teen’s best interests.

Shane has always been drawn to Daisy’s beauty and strength, but he’s determined not to allow their intense attraction to interfere with his duty ever again. It’s a vow that will prove difficult to keep, as the realities of Shane and Daisy’s blossoming love and their growing bond with the grieving teen propel Shane headlong into danger for the new family he’s sworn to protect.

Review: Thrill Ride by Julie Ann Walker

Title: Thrill Ride (Black Knights Inc.)
Series: Black Knights Inc, #4
Author: Julie Ann Walker
Published: April 2, 2013
Pages: 352
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Source: NetGalley
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Rating: B
Reviewed by: Ellie

Favorite quote: “Why are you grinning at me like a possum eatin’ a sweet ‘tater?”

summary from Goodreads
He's Gone Rogue
Ex-Navy SEAL Rock Babineaux’s job is to get information, and he’s one of the best in the business. Until something goes horribly wrong and he’s being hunted by his own government. Even his best friends at the covert special-ops organization Black Knights Inc. aren’t sure they can trust him. He thinks he can outrun them all, but his former partner—a curvy bombshell who knows just how to drive him wild—refuses to cut him loose.

She Won't Back Down
Vanessa Cordova hasn’t been the team’s communication specialist
very long, but she knows how to read people—no way is Rock guilty of murder. And she’ll go to hell and back to help him prove it. Sure, the sexy Cajun has his secrets, but there’s no one in the world she’d rather have by her side in a tight spot. Which is good, because they’re about to get very tight…

Review: Blaze by Joan Swan

Title: Blaze
Series: Phoenix Rising, #2
Author: Joan Swan
Published: September 25, 2012
Pages: 375
Genre: Paranormal Suspense
Source: Publisher (Brava)
Rating: B
Reviewed by: Dawn

Favorite quote: “The ATF leader standing across from Angus sliced her with a critical sneer. One that indicated he had a dick the size of a peanut and had to compensate by making everyone’s life a living hell.”

summary from Goodreads
The hotter they come, the harder they fall…

With a man like him, every mission becomes personal…
Ever since FBI agent Keira O’Shay started tracking a young boy named Mateo, she’s felt a connection even her empathic abilities can’t explain. She needs to save Mateo from the cult leader holding him hostage. Nothing can interfere with that—not even the reappearance of Luke Ransom, the hot-as-hell fire captain she’s regretted walking out on for three long years.

Losing Keira left Luke vulnerable—in every way. When they were together, the powers each possesses were mysteriously enhanced. But it’s the sexy, surprising woman beneath the tough exterior that Luke’s really missed. Even if she betrayed him utterly. And even if agreeing to help her uncover a government conspiracy means watching his life and his heart go up in flames again…

Review: Midnight Alias by Elle Kennedy

Title: Midnight Alias
Series: Killer Instincts, #2
Author: Elle Kennedy
Published: February 5, 2013
Pages: 345
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Source: Publisher (Signet)
Rating: B-
Reviewed by: Ellie

Favorite quote: “The one time he tries to be a gentleman, and what happened? A gorgeous brunette decided to sexually assault him.”

summary from Goodreads
She’s smart, seductive, and in way over her head.
He’s her only way out.

An undercover DEA agent has gone off the radar. Suspecting an internal mole, the government needs Luke Dubois and his elite team of operatives to recover their man, and the New Orleans native thinks he’s found his way inside the dark underbelly of Manhattan: Olivia Taylor, the girlfriend of a mob boss and the sexiest woman he’s ever laid eyes on. His new mission objective? Get past Olivia’s defenses and convince her to take a chance—on him.

All Olivia wanted was to finish law school and live a normal life, but that dream was shattered when one dangerous night put her deeply in a mobster’s debt. Now Luke and his team will help her escape—in exchange for intel on the missing agent. But Olivia doesn’t anticipate her intense attraction to the reckless Louisiana charmer or that she’ll be forced to risk everything—including her heart.

---

Ellie's thoughts:
Luke Debois has stared danger in the face many times. First as a Navy SEAL and now as an elite operative for a team that does the work no one else can get done. Luke’s new job is to find an undercover DEA agent who has gone missing but instead he finds Olivia Taylor, student, stripper and the future wife of the crime boss who has the agent. Luke thinks Olivia is the key to solving the case but as he gets to know her he realizes she is innocent and only wants to bring down the entire operation. Luke is now not just fighting for what’s right but for the woman who stole his heart.

Olivia Taylor never thought she would be twenty five and stripping to pay her tuition and her mother’s medical bills. SHe also never thought that her boss, Vince, would do everything in his power to get control over her until he’s made her his wife, willingly or not. When Olivia meets Luke she knows this is the chance to finally get her and her mom somewhere safe and away from Vince but as Olivia uncovers more of the strip clubs secrets she refuses to leave until everything is shut down. Olivia trusts only Luke and his team to take down Vince and his mob associates and she will do everything she can to help make it happen.

Midnight Alias picks up about six months after Midnight Rescue does and we get to jump right back into this crazy squad of sexy military men. I liked Luke right from the start. He’s got that smooth southern laid back charm with a big splash of alpha male which gets my blood pumping. Luke takes a shining to Olivia right away even though he’s very guarded because she’s a stripper and supposedly a mobster’s girlfriend. I liked that Luke and Olivia didn’t have a love at first slight romance and they both took their time to get to know each other and let down their walls.

I wanted to dislike Olivia but I just couldn’t. In the beginning she comes off as weak but towards the end she’s a badass who refuses to let women be used and hurt. I didn’t think she would be strong enough for Luke but she proved me wrong and I’m so happy she did. I do wish that these two had a little more time to get to know each other better but all in all I enjoyed their story.

There is a lot going on in this book but for some reason the story lagged a bit around page two hundred. I had a very hard time wanting to keep reading but I’m very glad I did because the last seventy pages are awesome. I've mentioned before I’m not a big military romance person but the Killer Instincts series is one that I will always read. I love that you get to know all of the men in the group so it makes you want to know each one of them so much and get inside of their heads to see what’s going on. I cannot wait for Trevor and Isabel’s story which I have been waiting for since book one!

Review + Giveaway: Run the Risk by Lori Foster

Title: Run the Risk
Series: Love Undercover, #1
Author: Lori Foster
Published: September 25, 2012
Pages: 379
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Source: Media Muscle
Publisher: Harlequin
Rating: C-
Reviewed by: Marq

summary from Goodreads
When Detective Logan Riske goes undercover to find Pepper Yates, a potential link to his best friend's unsolved murder, he vows to gain her cooperation by any means necessary. But the elusive beauty is more suspicious—and in far more danger—than he expected. And the last thing Logan needs is to start caring for her….Pepper has spent years dodging the corrupt club owner who will stop at nothing to keep her silenced. She can trust no one, not even the handsome new "construction worker" who's moved in next door. The heat between them is undeniable. But will surrendering to passion bring her the safety she so desires—or will her feelings for Logan draw them both into a killer's crosshairs?

---

Marq's thoughts:
I enjoyed Foster's previous series, The Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor and was excited to see a somewhat spin-off of that series.

Pepper Yates, aka Sue Meeks, is living the life off the grid. On the run from a former employer, Pepper is keeping her head down and her nose clean. Her brother Rowdy is making sure that they both stay protected and hidden. Everything is going as planned until her sexy neighbor Logan hints at getting a little more neighborly. Pepper is extremely attracted to him and living life on the run means she has no social life. She doesn't want to chance ruining her cover but resisting Logan is proving difficult.

Logan is undercover, looking for the person responsible for his best friend's murder. He moves into an apartment to get closer to Pepper Yates, a pawn in his need for revenge. What better way to get closer to Pepper aka Sue Meeks than by seducing her? But what he doesn't count on is falling for her, dowdy getup and all.

I enjoyed Run the Risk but I had a couple of problems with it, the main one being Pepper. I liked her as a character but her transformation from mousy, plain Jane Sue Meeks to a confidant, hot sexpot was hard to swallow. Pepper as Sue Meeks as believable. Pepper as herself was not. Although Pepper is undercover, I felt that we never saw that other side of her, her true side. Even during parts of the story that were told from her POV, where Pepper is in her apartment alone, her Sue Meeks facade did not slip. She stayed in character the entire time. So the minute she's no longer undercover and she's like, hey world here I am! I found it hard to believe. It would have been nice to see some of that fire before.I actually liked the fake Pepper (posing as Sue Meeks) more than the real Pepper. Sue Meeks was more well-rounded, more likable and sympathetic. Pepper as herself was a one-trick pony in my opinion and any sympathy I had for her situation quickly evaporated.

Logan did not stand out like the men of the previous series. He was sexy but he let Pepper take control a little too much. I wanted him to assert himself a little more. He came across as a little hard up. Logan wasn't alpha enough for my taste. I guess he's just a good guy doing his job. I felt that Pepper was more alpha than Logan.

The overall plot didn't have that much meat. I felt like a piece of it was missing. Maybe because we're jumping into the story two years later. A crime was witnessed which is why Pepper is in hiding. Logan's best friend was murdered and he's trying to solve the case which is why he's cozying up to Pepper to get to her brother, Rowdy. There's crooked cops, you don't know who to trust but there was no suspense. Who were the cops that were on the bad guy's payroll? I felt that the big climax wrapped up too fast and was too neat. I was hoping that Logan would be portrayed by someone he trusted (that's the feeling I got while reading it. That's why I thought the plot was leading to) and was sorely disappointed.

Rowdy, Pepper's brother and Reese, Logan's partner, were the most interesting characters in the overall story. I will read Reese's book because his character is so interesting and I can't wait to find out what secrets his neighbor, Alice, is hiding. Reese has something to hide as well and I can't wait for it to be revealed. Although I didn't like what Rowdy was doing to Pepper, in the end, he was doing it to protect her. When it all comes to light, I felt that Rowdy was really a good brother and a decent guy. And he's cock as hell and hopefully there's a book for him in the future. I hope that , like the Men series, the Love Undercover series will get better with each book.

I think I would have enjoyed Run the Risk more if we had the real Pepper in the beginning and saw the transformation over to Sue Meeks. Despite that issue with her character, I liked Run the Risk and looking forward to what happens next.

---

I have one (1) copy of Run the Risk to giveaway. Giveaway is open to US/Canada residents only. To enter, leave a comment with your valid email address answering this question: What is your favorite Lori Foster book? If you don't read Lori Foster, then who is your favorite rom suspense author.

Contest ends 10/11/12.

Good luck!


 Follow the Run the Risk blog tour over at Book Trib. They have awesome contests throughout the month of October!

http://booktrib.com/blog-tour-run-the-risk-by-lori-foster/

Review: Rev It Up by Julie Ann Walker

Title: Rev It Up: Black Knights Inc.

Series: Black Knights Inc, #3

Author: Julie Ann Walker

Published: October 2, 2012

Pages: 352

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Source: NetGalley

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Rating: B

Reviewed by: Ellie

Favorite quote: “Tomorrow she’d resume her role, adjust her mask, step back into her mommy uniform. But tonight? For the first time in a very long time, she decided to be selfish, to take what she wanted and not worry about the consequences.”

summary from Goodreads
Jake "The Snake" Sommers has spent most of his black-ops military career fulfilling a promise he made more than a decade ago. Now he's finally free to pursue the woman he sacrificed...but hates the very ground he walks on. Michelle Carter has never forgiven Jake for being so cliche as to "love her and leave her." But when unknown enemies threaten everything she loves, she must do the unimaginable: place her life-and that of her son's-into Jake's seductive hands.

Keeping her and her son safe is his final mission. Keeping her heart to herself just might prove futile...

---

Ellie's thoughts:
Michelle Carter has spent the last four years of her life devoted to raising her young son and trying to forget about Jake Sommers, the man who walked away and never looked back. When her older brother and head of the Black Knight, Inc., a custom motorcycle shop and cover for his elite groups of special ops team, tells her Jake is back and wants to see her Michelle’s world turns upside down. With Jake back and digging up the past it’s hard for Michelle to deny she still has feelings for him but the past may be too difficult for them to overcome and trust each other again.

Jake “The Snake” Sommers has always loved Michelle Carter but years earlier he was battling some serious demons and knew he had to push her away to save her from him. Now that Jake feels like he’s got those demons under control he’s back in Chicago and refuses to leave without Michelle by his side. When a threat arises that could harm both Michelle and her son, Jake jumps at the chance to play bodyguard and spend time convincing her that they should be together and a family. When secrets are revealed and lives are almost lost these two must decide if their love is strong enough to last or if somethings are too painful to get over.

I am in love with this series and each book just continues to get better and better. At the end of In Rides Trouble we finally meet the infamous Jake “The Snake” Sommers as he storms into the Black Knights, Inc. and demands to see Michelle. Talk about a way to introduce a character that will have readers wanting more. Rev It Up picks up right were In Rides Trouble ends and from the beginning I knew I would love these characters. Any time a couple has history, especially history like Jake and Michelle, it leads for a lot of great tension, anticipating and dialogue and these two delivered over and over again.

Jake made a lot of mistakes with Michelle and is determined to make her realize how sorry he is and convince her the can be a family along with her young son Franklin. Michelle is still in love with Jake but the things he did hurt her to the core and remind her of her skirt chasing father. Jake may have screwed up in the past but he puts on the full court press to win Michelle over and I loved every minute of it. Michelle is a very strong woman but it was fun seeing her get so flustered over Jake and try to keep him at arms length.

There was a lot going on in Rev It Up and a lot of setup for future characters. I once again had only one complaint and that was that there were too many points of view for my taste. I see that some were necessary but I felt that almost every single person got to tell the story from their perspective. Besides this one complaint I loved this book and am obsessed with this series.

I am not usually a big fan of military or ex-military heroes but for some reason the men of the Black Knight, Inc. seem different and the writing makes them very likable. The women in these books are what steals the show and keeps me coming back for more. All of them are very strong women and they have to be to deal with these alpha males but each woman demands and gains the respect of everyone around them. I cannot wait to read the next book in this series.

Review: In Rides Trouble by Julie Ann Walker

Title: In Rides Trouble: Black Knights Inc.
Series: Black Knights Inc, #2
Author: Julie Ann Walker
Published: September 4, 2012
Pages: 311
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Source: NetGalley
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Rating: B
Reviewed by: Ellie

Favorite quote: “Men, ya can’t live with ‘em, and ya just can’t kill ‘em.”

summary from Goodreads
Rebel with a Cause
Becky "Rebel" Reichert never actually goes looking for trouble. It just has a tendency to find her. Like the day Frank Knight showed up at her door, wanting to use her motorcycle shop as a cover for his elite special ops team. But Becky prides herself on being able to hang with the big boys-she can weld, drive, and shoot just as well as any of them.

Man with a Mission
Munitions, missiles, and mayhem are Frank's way of life. The last thing the ex-SEAL wants is for one brash blonde to come within fifty feet of anything that goes boom. Yet it's just his rotten luck when she ends up in a hostage situation at sea. Come hell or high water, he will get her back-whether she says she needs him or not.

---

Ellie's thoughts:
For the last three years Becky Reichert has been in love with Frank Knight the overbearing man who uses her motorcycle shop as a cover for his group of secret special ops including Becky’s own brother. After a big fight with Frank, Becky takes a much needed vacation around the world with her girlfriend Eve but a group of Somali pirates ruins her relaxation time. Becky isn’t surprised when Frank and the boys come to their rescue but she is surprised at the enemy she made while a hostage and this enemy will stop at nothing to make her pay.

Frank Knight has spent the last three years of his life running the Black Knights Inc., ignoring the pain in his shoulder and convincing himself over and over again that he is too old for Becky Reichert. Becky is everything Frank has ever wanted and he refuses to allow her to become apart of his team and risk getting hurt which leads her to taking her vacation and getting kidnapped. Going to rescue Becky is a given but opening up and admitting his feelings about her will take all of the courage he has.

In Rides Trouble is an amazing follow up to Hell on Wheels and I actually liked it a lot more. We are introduced to Frank, Becky and their sexual tension in Hell on Wheels and I was eagerly anticipating their story. Becky has once again, according to Frank, gotten herself in trouble and needs to be rescued but Becky handles herself just fine and it’s Frank who actually gets hurt. This is a big part of the book because it finally allows Frank to drop his guard and admit his feelings to Becky.

Becky and Frank are two of the worst communicators ever and their whole relationship is built on misunderstandings. Frank has a lady friend in Linclon Park that everyone knows about but no one knows how serious the relationship is. Frank was a big problem for me about halfway through the book because he just seemed to drag on the fact that he’s older then Becky and can’t get over this. It takes him forever to finally act on his feelings and in my opinion it was way too long.

Becky and Angel save the book. I love both of them and the friendship they have is great. Becky is just a badass and really funny which is needed because Frank is the exact opposite. As I mentioned before it takes so long for these two to stop going around in circles and actually do something and I was getting pretty frustrated. I also had a big problem with once again there being too many points of view told. I know that this is setting up future books, and man are there a lot of setups already, but it just seems too much to me.

I really enjoyed this book and besides Frank beating a dead horse about the age difference and too many points of view, it is even better than the previous book. The next book is Rev It Up and features Jake Sommers and Michelle Carter, neither of which we have met before. I was hoping for Bill and Eve’s story next but the way this series is going I think all the books are going to be great.

Review: Echoes at Dawn by Maya Banks

Title: Echoes at Dawn

Series: KGI, #5

Author: Maya Banks

Published: July 3, 2012

Pages: 336

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Source: Publisher (Penguin Group)

Rating: B

Reviewed by: Tabatha

Favorite quote:  "I saw someone I considered mine from the first moment I laid eyes on her."

summary from Goodreads
The Kelly Group International (KGI): A super-elite, top secret, family-run business.
Qualifications: High intelligence, rock-hard body, military background.
Mission: Hostage/kidnap victim recovery. Intelligence gathering. Handling jobs the U.S. government can’t…

They live by night.

Grace Peterson is desperate, in hiding, and on the run after escaping a shadowy group determined to exploit her extraordinary ability to heal others. Her only lifeline—an unerring telepathic ability she shares with her sister—has been severed, leaving her alone and vulnerable. And time is fast running out...

Enlisted to bring Grace home is Rio, relentless member of the KGI. He’s unprepared for his reaction to this wounded, damaged woman, and he’s fiercely determined to protect her from those who nearly destroyed her. In Rio, she finds a safe haven, and for the first time...hope. But the mission is far from over. The danger Grace has eluded is fast closing in. And now it’s pitching two lovers toward an unfamiliar horizon, with no place left to hide.

---

Tabatha's thoughts:
I have been a lover of the KGI Series from the very beginning. Yea - the whole "Alpha Male" thing always seems to get me. Plus - have you SEEN the covers of these books? Yea. You get where I am going with this (: I simply LOVED Shea's story - & with Grace being her sister, I couldn't wait to read this one.

Grace is freaking EPIC. No kidding dude. She's got will power coming out of the yang; and she's not about to take things lying down! Having escaped the horror of which she was living after being kidnapped; she's run into a dead end. Literally, in the form of a cliff. At the end of her strength and with no more fight left in her - she's resigned to giving up. What other choice does she have?

Rio and his team to the rescue! Having volunteered to be the one to rescue Grace, he and his team hoof it through the jungle and find her - just in time. Now if only they could get her out and to safety before anyone else sent to capture he shows up. & how up they do - in the form of Titan. & just like that Rio's past is starring him straight in the face. Giving Rio one freebie for having saved his life before - Titan lets them go, but not without promising that the next time they meet - things will have a different ending.

The back story to the both of these characters are simply intriguing and give so much insight to why they are who they are and they do what they do. I simple love the way banks wrote this one. Grace is brave in her own right and isn't afraid to stand up for what she believes in or to stand NEXT to Rio. I know this one wasn't a "normal" review from me, but if you haven't read the ones before this, I'm afraid I'll give away too much if I go into too much detail! lol - So go read them!

Early Review: Hell on Wheels by Julie Ann Walker

Title: Hell on Wheels (Black Knights Inc.)
Series: Black Knights Inc, #1
Author: Julie Ann Walker
Release Date: August 7, 2012
Pages: 380
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Source: NetGalley
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Rating: C+
Reviewed by: Ellie

Favorite quote: “You guys are like....what? The Expendables?”
“Yeah we’re like the Expendables. Just younger, better looking, with cooler bikes and real bullets.”

summary from Goodreads
He’s the bad boy she’s always wanted...

Nate “Ghost” Weller has loved Ali Morgan nearly half his life. But he’s done something so heinous he’s convinced she’ll never forgive him if she discovers the truth, so he keeps his feelings and his secrets to himself. Then she blows into town with a mother lode of bad guys on her tail and Nate can’t deny she’s in serious trouble. Unfortunately, he’s the only one who can help her.

She’s the good girl he’s kept at arm’s length...

Ali knows Nate as the most solemn, aloof man on the planet. Sadly, he’s also the sexiest. For years she’s avoided him, unable to stomach his dark scowls and brooding silences… especially when she secretly yearns for his touch. Now she must rely on him to save her from the malevolent shadows ghosting her every move. When the bullets explode, so does their passion. But can love really conquer all? Or are some things just too terrible to forgive?

---

Ellie's thoughts:
Ali Morgan knows there’s more to her brother’s death then his best friend Nate “Ghost” Weller is telling her but getting Nate to talk is like getting a pitbull do talk. Three months after her brother Grigg death Ali is certain someone is following her. After a mugging gone bad Ali is positive she is being followed and drives straight from North Carolina to Chicago to get not only help but answers from the only man who can give them to her.

Nate “Ghost” Weller took one look at seventeen year old Ali Morgan and fell head over heels in love but her older brother and his best friend made sure he stayed away from her. Now twelve years later Grigg is dead and it’s Nate’s fault and he is positive that if Ali discovers what he’s done she will hate him forever. When Ali comes to him for help he can’t turn her away even if it means finally admitting his true feelings to not only Ali but to himself.

Hell on Wheels started out fantastic and I couldn’t put it down. From the first page Julie Ann Walker sucks you into a world of a crooked senator, a kindergarten teacher and a group of highly intelligent and deadly ex-special forces who make custom bikes on their off time. There are a lot of different sub-plots going on which I understand are needed to bring in characters to the Black Knights and to set up future books but I found there to be way too many points of view for my liking.

I liked Ali and Nate but I never really connected with them. I felt that a lot of the time that was spent with other characters could have been spent with them talking and getting to really know one another. Nate never and I mean never spoke so besides being hot and very attracted to him, I never got what Ali loved so much. I also felt that Nate was a huge jerk to Ali and she had to be the one to fix things because he was too stubborn and afraid. I wish that these two had gotten more time for me to have really liked them.

Besides the many POV my other problem was Ali. Ali is a wuss in my opinion and whenever she got upset she threw up. She does this over and over again and it got to be not only very uncomfortable to read about but downright disgusting. I like my female characters to be of the Bad Ass persuasion and Ali did not fit in this role at all. Yes she goes out and does dangerous stuff but she hurls through most of it and is always on the verge of crying. This was a big issue for me and why I gave the book a lower grade.

The amny points of view did set up future books which I do want to read. Hell on Wheels spent so much time setting up Becky and Frank’s book, which is the second book in the series, that I feel that I know them better than Ali and Nate. I am very excited to see what happens between the two and see if this series can give me characters that I have to read about. This series is off to a good start but I’m hoping with future books it will get even better.

ARC Review: Lie To Me by Tori St. Claire

Title: Lie to Me
Series: Black Opals, #2
Author: Tori St. Claire
Published: July 3, 2012
Pages: 348
Genre: Erotic Romantic Suspense
Published: Berkley Heat
Source: Copy provided by author in exchange for an honest review
Rating: B-
Reviewed by: Marq

Favorite quote: "You're breaking me."
"I'm already broken."


summary from Goodreads
After helping to break up a Russian human trafficking ring as part of the CIA’s elite Black Opal team, Alexei Nikanova’s newest assignment is to rescue one of the stolen women and return her to her father. When he arrives in Dubai, he discovers his target is Sasha Zablosky—a woman he knows all too well, and who has haunted him ever since their one unforgettable night together. But he finds Sasha reluctant to leave her Sheik, the only true friend she’s ever known. Only Alexei can’t give her a choice.

With their yearning roused by intrigue, Alexei and Sasha can no longer resist and spend night after night in forbidden pleasure. Soon Alexei finds himself falling for her even as he battles a shadowy menace to protect her. But Sasha is no innocent. She has a past darker than she could ever admit or that Alexei could ever forgive. And it is about to explode into her life once more. Now, as the lies they tell themselves—and each other—pull them deeper into a perilous desire, what began as simple passion becomes a love certain to destroy them and end the lives of countless innocents.

---

Marq's thoughts:
The Black Opals series is a super sexy, super suspenseful series. I really enjoyed the first book, Stripped, and worried that Lie to Me wouldn't be as good as Stripped. Thank goodness my worries were unfounded.

Alexei and Sasha's road back to each other is one wrought with lies, deception and mistrust. But underneath all of that, they are drawn to each other. The connection is beyond physical even though Alexei does not want his attachment to Sasha to go any further than that. Alexei is a very dark and tortured hero and I found it extremely sexy. He has a lot to work through and it's not pretty.

Lie to Me was a nice blend of romance and suspense. I like my romantic suspense heavy on the romance and this book definitely was. Where Stripped had a lot of sexual tension between the main characters, in Lie To Me, Alexei and Sasha already have a history so the tension and build up was not needed. There was lots of sexy times between Alexei and Sasha. The sex scenes are extremely well written and that's what I love about this series. The author successfully portrays the feelings and connection between the characters while keeping the sex scenes hot and steamy.

Lie to Me has it all. Intrigue, romance, sex, betrayal. I had a couple of ideas about who was trust worthy and who wasn't but Ms. St. Claire managed to pull a twist at the end that I did not see coming. I loved the epilogue (I'm a huge fan of them). It nicely wraps up the story and you see that these two people who come from such a bad place are able to find solace and happiness with each other.

I really like this series and can't wait to read more.

Review: Caught in the Act by Jill Sorenson

Title: Caught in the Act
Author: Jill Sorenson
Published: March 27, 2012
Pages: 387
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Source: NetGalley
Publisher: Random House
Rating: B
Reviewed by: Marq

Favorite quote: "Oh fuck you. Where were your ethical obligations when I was on my knees?"


summary from Goodreads
Some desires are too dangerous to embrace.

As the owner of a flourishing Latin American crafts boutique, Karina Strauss should be basking in her success. Instead she’s worried about her troubled sister, the girlfriend—and prisoner—of drug lord Carlos Moreno. Kari wants no part of that life, but when she helps a friend cross into the United States illegally, two men on opposite sides of the law take notice: Moreno and Adam Cortez, the handsome border protection officer who lets Kari off the hook. It’s not just Kari’s tantalizing flash of skin that catches Adam’s attention—her drug cartel connections bring back the demons of his past.

Moreno demands that Kari smuggle a package for him in exchange for her sister’s freedom. Adam also gets dangerously close, tempting her to surrender and fulfill her wildest desires. As Kari prepares for the drug run, dark secrets, violent criminals, and deadly consequences lurk around every corner. But concern for her sister drives Kari toward a terrifying act, despite Adam’s warnings, despite her overwhelming fears—and despite the odds against coming out alive.

---

Marq's thoughts:
Usually romantic suspense is a hit or miss for me. I need more romance than suspense in order for me to enjoy a book. Luckily, Caught in the Act had the right balance and I enjoyed the book from start to finish.

Kari Strauss owns a crafts shop in San Diego. She takes a chance and smuggles a woman, Maria, across the border. While she's at the border checkpoint, she encounters officer Adam Cortez. There's immediate chemistry and Kari tries to use it to her advantage and flirt with Adam. Unfortunately, her flirting skills are not that great but Adam let's Kari pass through even though he found her behavior very suspicious. Adam starts following and watching Kari's movements. When he notices that she has connections to an infamous Mexican drug lord, he decides that he can use Kari to finally take down Carlos Moreno. Moreno is also Kari's sister, Sasha, boyfriend and in Kari's mind, the reason why her sister is strung out and hooked on drugs. Kari will do anything to get her sister away from Moreno, even it means making a deal with the devil himself.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Caught in the Act. This is my first time reading Jill Sorenson and it won't be my last. What I enjoyed most was how steamy it was. I love my smut and I loved how Adam and Kari had no problem getting down and dirty. There is a lot of action and suspense and I love how the bad guys were truly bad.

I also enjoyed the secondary characters story line - Ian and Maria. Ian is working undercover monitoring Moreno and his cohorts and gets mixed up in Kari's entanglement with Moreno. The reach of Moreno is far and touches everyone near and dear to Kari.

We learn that Ian and Maria have a past and as the book progresses, Maria remembers Ian as the agent who rescued her from la migra. She in turn helps him and doesn't blow his cover. With each encounter, they both grow closer even though they can not be together. I really loved this subplot of the book and I hope to see more of Ian and Maria in the future. Their story cannot end without a happy resolution that satisfies Ian, Maria and me as the reader. Haha!

I hope there is a follow-up to Caught in the Act. I really liked this book. It was the perfect mix of romance and suspense. I loved the action, in and out of the bedroom, heh. I will definitely be reading more of Sorenson's work in the future.

Review: Midnight Rescue by Elle Kennedy

Title: Midnight Rescue
Series: Killer Instincts, #1
Author: Elle Kennedy
Published: May 1, 2012
Pages: 368
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Source: Publisher (Signet Eclipse)
Rating: B+
Reviewed by: Ellie

Favorite quote: “Why do men always say that? Jesus and sex don’t really go hand in hand.”

summary from Goodreads
Dangerous. Ruthless. Savage. And she's the good guy.

Abby Sinclair had a desperate childhood until she was rescued and adopted by a retired army ranger who molded her into a master of self-defense. Now, she's a cunning and fearless assassin thrust into assignment after dangerous assignment, using everything she has-nerve, resilience, strength, sex-to come out on top. Her only rule: trust no one. Abby's latest assignment is in Columbia: go undercover and snuff out a dangerous arms dealer active in the underground sex trade. But when Abby purposely blows her cover in a last-ditch attempt to free the helpless victims, deadly mercenary Kane Woodland is recruited as back-up. His mission: get Abby out of that hell hole.

The last thing Kane expects is to feel a primal attraction for Abby. But when she convinces him to join her on her perilous mission, their newfound passion could put the lives of their whole team at risk.

---

Ellie's thoughts:
Kane Woodland left the SEALS eight years ago and now spends his time working as a mercenary with a group of highly skilled, former special force men. The group is top secret and gets called in for all kinds of jobs all over the world. When the group is sent to Columbia to rescue a missing assassin the last person Kane expected to find was the deadly and sexy Abby Sinclair. Abby is too good at what she does to get caught and Kane is determined to find out what she’s hiding and why.

Abby Sinclair is one of the best assassins in the world, her late adoptive father made sure of it, but on assignment she discovers a secret that strikes too close to home and her horrible childhood. Abby with stop at nothing to finish what she considers her new mission and even the sexy Kane Woodland can persuade her to stop. Kane may be the only chance she has at successfully completing her task but convincing him and his co-workers for help soon become her biggest challenge.

I am not usually a fan of this type of genre of books and have never caught on to the military hero craze but this book was amazing and has changed my mind completely. The men in Midnight Rescue are alpha to the core and each one is so unique. Mrs. Kennedy did a great job of introducing all the men so that you are given just enough about them to really want to read their book. It’s brilliant and I am eagerly counting down the days until the second installment in the Killer Instincts series.

Abby Sinclair has gone through a lot of stuff and none of it is sugar coated which I liked. Abby has major trust issues and because we are given so much of her background they are very understandable. To say my heart broke for her is an understatement but I was so happy with the way Kane handled her and got her to open up. Abby is a very strong but at the same time fragile woman and I love that she can kick ass with no problem but has a hard time trusting anyone. The contradictions made her very fun and interesting to read about.

Midnight Rescue is by all means an action-military-romance novel. Mrs. Kennedy does very deep and shows us how spies work with false names and disguises. I loved reading about this and it was so different from most other books of this genre. This is a fast paced, action filled, oh-my-god-what's-going-to happen-next ride and I never wanted to get off. The next book can’t come fast enough and I can’t wait to see what crazy stuff this bunch does next.

Early Review: Shades of Desire by Virna DePaul

Title: Shades of Desire
Author: Virna DePaul
Release DAte: May 22, 2012
Pages: 384
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Source: NetGalley
Publisher: Harlequin
Rating: C
Reviewed by: Ellie

Favorite quote: “They say that when a person loses one of their senses, it enhances the others. That leaves us at least four we’ve got to work with. And they’re pretty damn good ones, if you ask me.”


summary from Goodreads
WHAT SHE CAN'T SEE COULD KILL HER.
Natalie Jones is the lucky survivor of an elusive killer who preys on young women and then disappears from view. And since her harrowing ordeal, the once gutsy photojournalist has remained isolated in her home, paralyzed by fear and her failing vision. Special Agent Liam "Mac" McKenzie has scars of his own. But despite his efforts to ignore the attraction that simmers between him and Natalie, he needs her help to catch a predator. Soon, they will forge a tentative alliance-charged with desire. Through a soft-focus lens, Natalie dares to envision a future with Mac beyond the investigation...never guessing that the clues hidden within her photographs are drawing them into an explosive confrontation with a madman.

---

Ellies' thoughts:
Natalie Jones was a world renowned celebrity photographer until a genetic disease took away most of her vision. Before she lost her vision Natalie may have witnessed something she shouldn’t have seen and now someone wants to make sure she’s no longer alive to talk to the police. Special Agent Mac McKenzie is one of the most successful detectives in California and he has a knack for catching bad guys others can’t. When Mac meets Natalie sparks fly and Mac soon finds a woman more important than his career and he will do everything it takes to keep her alive.

I am a huge Virna DePaul fan but I really struggled with Shades of Desire. My reading tastes tend to run along the romance line with some mystery, suspense and paranormal aspects thrown in. Shades of Desire does not follow this line and I would not classify it as a romance novel at all. I felt at times that I was reading a James Patterson novel with some sex scenes thrown in towards the end. This is not my type of book and is not what I am used to reading from Mrs. DePaul.

Apart from the non romance Natalie, drove me crazy. Natalie is blind and wants everyone to know it and wants everyone to stay away causes she’s fine on her own. She is one of the most frustrating characters I have come across in a very long time and she rubbed me the wrong way. Natalie also is one of those silly females who likes to put herself in stupid and dangerous situations and then gets mad when she has to be rescued and people are worried about her. I honestly wanted her to get really hurt and stop being stupid.

My biggest issue was that Mrs. DePaul lets you know why everything is happening and who the killer is half way through the book. After that you’re just sitting around twiddling your thumbs waiting for everyone else to find out what you’ve already been told. I found this highly frustrating and really annoying. I believe this is going to be a new series and I might give the next book a shot but I need some more romance if I’m going to spend my time reading almost four hundred pages.

Review: Before She Dies by Mary Burton

Title: Before She Dies
Author: Mary Burton
Published: February 1, 2012
Pages: 416
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Source: Publisher (Kensington)
Rating: B
Reviewed by: Tabatha

Favorite quote: He curled the pearls around his index finger. 


"The defense attorney doesn't want to be seen with a cop?" 


"Maybe the cop shouldn't be seen with the older defense attorney." 


"Three years doesn't count as older. And I don't care who sees me with you."
summary from Goodreads
In death, they are purified. Holding his victims under water, he washes away their sins as they struggle for their last breath. Then he stakes their bodies to the ground, exposing them for what they really are. Witches, sent to tempt and to corrupt.

No one knows about defense attorney Charlotte Wellington's murdered sister, or about her childhood spent with the carnival that's just arrived in town. For Charlotte, what's past is past.

But others don't agree. And as a madman's body count rises, she and Detective Daniel Rokov are drawn into a mission that's become terrifyingly personal.

---

Tabatha's thoughts:
Romantic Suspense. My all time favorite genre. It's very hard to disappoint me when it comes to reading these kinds of books! I am proud to report that this book was no exception! I love knowing that even though I have read book after book from Mary Burton, she can still keep me guessing!

Charlotte - a head strong, no nonsense lawyer - has developed quite a name for herself. A week after her sister was murdered at the carnival they worked at, she left that life behind. Now, 18 years later and the death of a woman at the carnival that has arrived in town, Charlotte can't help but feel that the past she worked so hard to keep hidden is about to burst at the seams.

Detective Daniel Rokov - detective assigned to the murder investigations. I love a man that has a compassionate side. While he is mister - I will stop at nothing to get my man - at work, he has a heart of gold outside of the workplace.

Charlotte and Daniel make an amazing couple. Seriously, amazing. Like all couples though, the two of them face challenges. The main one being that Charlotte wants to keep their secret relationship just that, a secret. Daniel on the other hand wants to turn it into something bigger and better than just some secret. Watching their story unfold and watching Daniel try and penetrate every single wall that Charlotte has around her heart is touching. This is one patient man that is willing to do whatever it takes to win the COMPLETE heart of the woman he loves.

With a flowing story line, amazingly developed characters and mystery beyond mystery, this book was a major hit with me. Page turn after page turn I found myself becoming more and more engrossed with this novel! It was almost impossible to put down!

Blog Tour: A Perfect Storm by Lori Foster

Title: A Perfect Storm
Series: Men Who Walk The Edge Of Honor, #4
Author: Lori Foster
Published: March 27, 2012
Pages: 308
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Source: Publisher
Rating: C-
Reviewed by: Marq

Favorite quote: "I feel pity for what you suffered, Arizona, for all that was done to you. But I don't pity you, because I can see you're a survivor, not a victim."


summary from Goodreads
He never saw her coming…

Spencer Lark already knows too many secrets about Arizona Storm, including the nightmare she survived and her resulting trust issues. But in order to expose a smuggling ring—and continue avenging his own tragic past—the bounty hunter reluctantly agrees to make Arizona a decoy. Yet nothing has equipped him for her hypnotic blend of fragility and bravery, or for the protective instincts she stirs in him.

Arizona wants to reclaim her life, which means acting as bait to lure the enemy into a trap. Sure it's dangerous, especially with a partner as distractingly appealing as Spencer. But as their plan—and their chemistry—shifts into high gear, Arizona may discover there's an even greater risk in surrendering her heart to a hero…

---

Marq's thoughts:
When we met Arizona Storm in the previous book, Savor the Danger, I wasn't sure if her character would be able to carry an entire novel. Because what Arizona has been through, she's defensive, emotionally scarred and distant. I knew that I would easily feel sympathy for Arizona but couldn't see her in the role of the romantic heroine.

A Perfect Storm is different from the previous books in the series in that I felt it was more character driven and centered around Spencer and Arizona's relationship than actual suspense. I felt that the suspense aspect was liking and didn't feel the rush and danger like in previous books. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. I prefer my rom suspense to be heavy on the romance (60/40) but it only works if you buy into the romance. For me, I could not get into Spencer and Arizona's romantic relationship. This is completely my own hang up but the age difference really bothered me. It bothered to the point that even though Spencer's character is a good and honorable guy, it felt skeevy to me. Even though Arizona is 21 (Spencer is 32), Arizona is very immature. After she was rescued by Jackson from the human traffickers, she was sent to a boarding school. Arizona is smart but when she opens her mouth, she sounds like a teen. I think it would have been better for me if her behavior as a whole was more mature despite her age. Then the 11 year age difference wouldn't have bothered me...much.

As much as I wanted to put the age difference out of my head and just enjoy the story, I could not. Like I said, Arizona's dialog is very immature and even though she can kick ass with the best of them, she is still an inexperience woman. Her sexual experiences are not the best and to me, to introduce sex with Spencer, despite the mutual attraction, felt wrong. The romance as a whole just felt wrong. This is the one time where I wished the story was more suspense than romance. Because at times, reading the sex scenes, I felt icky myself. And it didn't help that Dare, Trace and Spencer and the gang treated Arizona like a kid sister. For example, pulling on her ponytail and calling her brat. It also bothered me that they were ok with Spencer's sexual interest in her despite knowing Arizona's background. I would have thought that Jackson would beat Spencer's ass if he caught Spencer looking at Arizona sideways. Nope. Didn't happen.

I enjoyed revisiting the characters from the previous books and getting caught up with their lives. Chris, Dare's man about the house, is always a hilarious treat as he tells it likes it is and sees what others don't.

A Perfect Storm is a good read if you are not turned off by the age difference. The book is wholly focused on Arizona and Spencer's journey. But for me, as much as I tried to put it out of my mind and enjoy the story for what it is, I couldn't. I think instead of sexing it up with Spencer to get past her fears and to confront her past, she should have had intense therapy instead.

Click on the BookTrib link http://booktrib.com/blog-tour-a-perfect-storm-by-lori-foster/ to sees all the blogs participating in the blog tour scavenger hunt.

Review: Protector by Catherine Mann

Title: Protector
Series: Dark Ops, #4
Author: Catherine Mann
Published: March 6, 2012
Pages: 304
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Source: Publisher (Penguin)
Rating: D
Reviewed by: Ellie

Favorite quote: “I still owed you for sucking on my finger.”


summary from Goodreads
TRUST, LOVE …AND LIES.

After barely surviving enemy torture, Captain Chuck Tanaka doesn’t trust himself to do more than ride a desk—but new orders leave him no choice. Assigned to the investigation of a mob boss whose luxury cruise ship is reportedly a hub for terrorist activity, Tanaka goes undercover. His target: JoLynn Taylor, the mob boss’s daughter.

As a child, JoLynn saw her beloved uncle murdered. Since then, she’s stayed far away from her father’s crooked empire. But when he falls ill, she returns, hoping to mend the gap between them. Instead, she finds herself on the run, one step ahead of unknown enemies. The only thing keeping her alive is the man she knows as Charles Tomas, the only man she’s ever been able to trust.

Unfortunately, he’s also the man determined to destroy her family…

---

Ellie's thoughts:
Captain Chuck Tanaka never thought he would be back in the field doing undercover work after being tortured and left for dead years before but he has been offered a mission that he feels he can’t turn down. To help stop a terrorist cell Chuck must go undercover as a blackjack dealer on a cruise ship in the Mediterranean that is owned by a very sick mob boss. Chuck’s mission is to get close to the bosses daughter Jolynn Taylor and do everything to win her trust so he can take down her family.

Jolynn Taylor never thought she would be back in her father’s world of crime and murder but her need for him to love her sends her to his side while he’s ill. Jolynn finds a great distraction from her shaky relationship with her father in the hunky blackjack dealer Charles Tomas who can make her forget all of her problems with just a kiss. When Jolynn’s fantasy man turns out to be an undercover agent Jolynn feels like she’s right back in her father’s world and unfortunately this mystery man maybe the only one who can get her out alive.

I love military-romance novels and I jumped at the chance to review this book. From the description, to the smoking hot cover, I dove in head first ready to get lost in the hot world of spies, men in uniforms and some romance. From the first chapters I found myself distracted and waiting for these characters to do something exciting instead of the text book romance plot line. I never felt that Chuck and Jolynn really connected and found their romance to be as flat as their personalities.

I have never read the Dark Ops series before but it felt like a lot of other romances that I have read in the past. There was nothing exciting about the characters, the plot or the romance. Personally I was happy when I finished it and don’t believe I’ll think about it again after I write this review. I was expecting drama, suspense and page burning chemistry and sadly there was none of that in this book. I can honestly say I will not be turning to this series any time soon for my military romance fix.

Review: Razor's Edge by Shannon K. Butcher

Title: Razor's Edge
Series: The Edge, #2
Author: Shannon K. Butcher
Published: November 1, 2011
Publisher: Signet Book
Pages: 368
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Source: Purchased
Rating: B
Reviewed by: Tabatha

summary from Goodreads
Roxanne "Razor" Haught is an expert in stealth security for corporate espionage cases. But now she's a target. Tanner O'Connell has no intentions of leaving Razor's side. Despite her objections to having a "babysitter", his orders as the newest member of the Edge are to watch her back. With a brainwashed assassin after his partner, Tanner cannot afford to let his desire for Razor interfere with his duty. His special ops skills may be all that stand between saving Razor-or losing her forever.

---

Tabatha's thoughts: 
"Never judge a book by its cover". What amazing words to live by. Being a Military spouse, I didn't think anything could surprise me.

 Razor and Tanner are so compatible together that they leave you wondering just how two people like them could come together. Razor is amazing in her own right. Working in the undercover field and being trained in all that she is trained for, you would think facing the hostage situation involving her best friend would be a breeze right? Wrong. In comes Tanner O'Connell. Being assigned to watch over her, he is drug along in the scheme she develops to save Jake.

 The story that unfolds between Tanner and Razor is one that leaves you guessing. Will they, or won't they? Right when you think they realize their feelings for one another, BAM! something happens. They both have so much to face, own up to and let go of, that they can't seem to get a handle on the important things that are in front of them.

 The plot itself is full of twist, turns and OH MY GOSH! moments! Within her own agency, there are people who know secrets on what is going on, but Razor is left in the dark. Loyalty is the name of the game in this book. There was never a dull moment during this book. The plot stayed true all the way to the surprising end!

 If you like books that make you want to page turn until you read it all in one sitting, this is a book for you!

Review: True Shot by Joyce Lamb

Title: True Shot
Series: True Trilogy, #3
Author: Joyce Lamb
Published: December 6, 2011
Pages: 336
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Source: Publisher (Berkley)
Rating: B
Reviewed by: Ellie

Favorite quote: “If it hadn’t been for the pallor of her face and the stark whiteness of the bandage at her shoulder, his brain would have gone right to sex, do not pass go, do not collect two hundred dollars, do not stop until the world ends in bright, explosive colors.”

summary from Goodreads
Samantha Trudeau has spent the past ten years using her intense psychic abilities to put bad guys behind bars. She's always believed she’s one of the good guys, until fellow spy and best friend Zoe reveals a shocking secret about who they've really been working for. When Zoe's gunned down, Sam goes on the run, because now her employer is coming after her. With no one to turn to for help, she flees to the only place she thinks she’ll be safe.

Journalist Mac Hunter has had a rough year. At the insistence of his good friends, sisters Charlie and Alex Trudeau, he’s going to crash at their family cabin for some much-needed rest and relaxation. But when he arrives he’s stunned to find the third Trudeau sister, Sam, wounded and unconscious on the cabin floor. Things go from bizarre to dangerous when men with guns show up.

Now, Sam and Mac are on the run together, trying to outsmart a demented government agent who has sadistic plans for Sam. As the heat builds between them, her past threatens their very survival. This unlikely duo -- a man who uses words to fight his battles and a woman who'd rather use a Glock -- are in for the fight of their lives. And in their growing partnership, perhaps they'll have a true shot at love.

---

Ellie's thoughts:
Mac Hunter needed a vacation according to Charlie and Alex Trudeau, sisters and two of his closest friends which is how he finds himself in their family cabin just outside of D.C.. A a journalist at their father’s newspaper in Lake Avalon, Florida and the sole guardian of his little sister, Mac is in need of some relaxation and a break from drinking. He never expected to find Samantha Trudeau, the long lost sister who ran away fourteen years ago, shot and running from spies in the bathroom of the cabin.
Samantha Trudeau left home fourteen years ago and made the biggest mistake of her life. Every day she goes to work for the FBI as a spy to try and make up for that mistake. When she stumbles across a horrible government secret she goes rouge and the only person who can help is the sexy journalist mac Hunter. Together they must uncover the truth about Samantha and who is out to get her before they take down the family she has spent years protecting.

Let me start by saying that I am not a huge fan of suspense romance especially when a main character has amnesia but this book is a major exception. I found myself lost in the story and I couldn’t put it down until I had finished the entire book in one sitting. I loved the way the characters and the story were written and Mrs. Lamb has made a fan out of me.

This is the third book in this series about three sisters with psychic abilities and I loved that I could jump right into this series and not feel lost at all. Samantha and her sisters all have some major family issues but Sam is the only one who ran away from home and stayed away the entire time. As we learn more about the events around Sam during her teenage years my heart just broke for her. She never got annoying or whiny about the cards she was dealt in life, instead she did what she had to do and what she thought would keep her family safe.

I liked Mac a lot but I had an issue with his previous relationship with Sam’s sister Charlie. Maye if I had read the previous books I would feel different but for some reason it rubbed me the wrong way and made me feel like he just wanted a Trudeau sister and didn’t care which one. I also had a hard time believing he would let himself get caught up in running from government spies when he had his sister to take care of. Mac was the one part of this book that bothered me and is why I liked it instead of loved it.

I really enjoyed True Shot and plan on going back and reading the rest of the series. I hope that there are more books involving these sisters and that the series continues.

Review: Blood and Fire by Shannon McKenna

Title: Blood and Fire
Series: McClouds & Friends, #8
Author: Shannon McKenna
Published: September 27, 2011
Pages: 503
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Source: Publisher (Kensington)
Rating: A
Reviwed by: Ellie

Favorite quote: “I do not like this crap! I don’t like getting punched, or jumped or clubbed! It makes me tense! I do not like killing people before six A.M., even if they’re hit men!”

summary from Goodreads
Restless and impulsive, Bruno Ranieri has the temperament to fit right in with the McClouds. And just like the McCloud brothers, Bruno has a dangerous past to contend with - one that's about to come crashing back into his life...Bruno Ranieri has always lived at a chaotic pace, and that goes double lately. Since his uncle's untimely demise, Bruno is working himself to the bone, trying to keep his nose clean and save the family business. Not easy when the nightmares that plagued his childhood are hi-jacking what little rest he gets.

So when exotically beautiful Lily Parr sashays into his all-night restaurant, claiming to be on the run from mysterious assassins, Bruno starts to wonder if sleep deprivation is finally getting to him. Especially when Lily implies that Bruno is involved. But the violence that accompanies her arrival is no illusion. Nor is the blisteringly hot, completely inconvenient desire that explodes between them. Lily Parr has been a fugitive ever since her father's death a month ago in a mental hospital. Officials claimed it was suicide, but Lily's gut - and the savage murder attempt she barely escaped afterwards - say different. Snippets of information led Lily to Bruno's door...and his magnetic charisma compelled her right into his bed. But there are cold-blooded killers on her heels, with resources as limitless as their cruelty.

---

Ellie's thoughts:
Lily Parr had no idea a simple visit to see her father would turn her life upside down and have her on the run for her life. Lily spends thousands of dollars every month to make sure her father stays clean and sober and can’t hurt himself anymore but all of that changes when on a visit her father finally opens up about the past. When the facility tries to tell Lily that her father killed himself she knows it’s a lie and is soon attacked right outside her best friend’s apartment. Now Lily is off to Seattle armed with a name, a sentence from her father and a hope that Bruno Ranieri can help solve the mystery of who is out to kill her.

Bruno Ranieri is just trying to help out his family by working the night shifts at the diner they own and keep everything from falling apart after his Uncle Tony’s death. Bruno never expected Lily Parr to walk into the diner three nights in a row and he never expected to be so drawn to a woman he has never even spoken to. There is instant chemistry between the two and they can’t help but act on it but shortly after they are attacked by men out to get Lily. Bruno is now wanted for murder and on the run with a woman he wants physically but doesn’t trust at all. Together, and with the help of his adoptive brother Kevin McCloud and his family, they have to discover the truth of both of their pasts in order to have a future.

This is the first book that I have ever read by Shannon McKenna and if they are all as well written as this one then I am now a fan for life. Blood and Fire is the eighth book in the McCloud and Friends series but it can be read as a stand alone with no problem at all. I really loved that I could jump right into a series as big as this one and not feel completely lost. I feel like this rarely happens anymore and it was a great surprise.
Blood and Fire is an action packed suspense-mystery-romance and I loved all five hundred and three pages of it. I usually don’t read books this big but this was worth it and it was so good that it flew by. I could never figure out where the plot was going to go next nor did I ever guess what was going to happen next. There were lots of twists and turns that kept me from being able to stop reading and kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time.

Lily and Bruno are great characters that are damaged from their childhoods and have to work to trust each other and find a solution to the madness that they are in. The romance and sex scenes were really good and I loved that I didn’t have to wait two hundred pages for Lily and Bruno to act on their attraction. I also loved that every other scene wasn’t a sex scene and that there was a lot more to this book then romance and sex. I really enjoyed watching these two characters fall in love while fighting for their lives. I felt it gave the book a sense of urgency and excitement that many books lack.

The villain in this book is really great in a very sociopathic kind of way. The reasons behind Lily’s father’s death and why people are chasing Lily and Bruno are crazy and almost unbelievable. I liked that you got to see things from the villain’s point of views and see how brainwashed and crazy they are. I feel that in a lot of books you get an explanation from the villain at the end but in this book you got to see how they operated and how creepy, sick and crazy they really are.

I really loved Blood and Fire much, much more then I thought I was going to. There are so many great aspects and characters that make up a very rich and juicy plot that will keep you from being able to stop reading. I can’t wait to go back and read the previous books in this series because if they are even half as good and Blood and Fire I will be a very happy camper. I find that it’s very hard to find good suspense mysteries and even harder to find them with any chance of a romance story line but Mrs. McKenna does it perfectly and I am now a big, big fan.

Review + Giveaway: Forged in Fire by Trish McCallan

Title: Forged in Fire
Series: Forged, #1
Author: Trish McCallan
Published: September 6, 2011
Pages: ebook
Genre: Paranormal Suspense
Source: Bewitching Book Tours
Rating: C
Reviewed by: Marq

summary from Goodreads
Beth Brown doesn’t believe in premonitions until she dreams a sexy stranger is gunned down during the brutal hijacking of a commercial airliner. When events in her dream start coming true, she heads to the flight’s departure gate.

To her shock, she recognizes the man she’d watched die the night before.
Lieutenant Commander Zane Winters comes from a bloodline of elite warriors with psychic abilities. When Zane and two of his platoon buddies arrive at Sea-Tac Airport, he has a vision of his teammates’ corpses. Then she arrives—a leggy blonde who sets off a different kind of alarm.

As Beth teams up with Zane, they discover the hijacking is the first step in a secret cartel’s deadly global agenda and that key personnel within the FBI are compromised. To survive the forces mobilizing against them, Beth will need to open herself to a psychic connection with the sexy SEAL who claims to be her soul mate.

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Marq's thoughts:
Beth shows at Sea-Tac airport after having a nightmare of a flight being hijacked and passengers being killed. One passenger in particular that she remembers from her dream is Zane Winters. Zane and his buddies are on their way to Hawaii to attend a friend's wedding. While waiting for their flight, Zane has a vision of his friend, Cosky, bloodied and dead. Zane is in a race against time to put the bits of pieces he has from his vision to stop whatever is going to happen from happening.

When Beth lay eyes on Zane, she immediately recognizes him as the man from her dreams. And when Zane first sees Beth, he recognizes her as his soul mate. The two must work together to prevent the hijacking and to catch the men behind it. In the meanwhile, Zane must curb his attraction to Beth without scaring her off. He has been waiting 10 years for her and he is not going to let her go.

Forged in Fire is a non-stop action packed read. Even though Zane has found his soul mate in Beth, there is very little romance in this story. The majority of the plot is centered around stopping a terrorist plot and rescuing hostages. There's violence, lot of it. There is a long rescue mission that is described in detail. There's also a rape scene but not gratuitous but can be disturbing if you don't look for that in your reads.

I enjoyed reading Forged in Fire. Even though the romance between Zane and Beth was not the focus, I thought the overall plot was good. It kept me engaged and had a lot of action so the pacing did not lag. Beth had her moments where she irked me a little but luckily she came to her senses quickly. I wish there was more info provided about Zane's gift. We are told that him and his 4 brothers are all psychic and have soul mates. I would have liked to learn more about how they came into this gift, is it something that they have from birth or once they reach maturity, etc. Maybe we'll find out more in future books.

I recommend Forged in Fire if you're a fan of military stories with a touch of paranormal thrown into the mix.

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Thanks to the author, I have 1 (one) e-copy of Forged in Fire to giveaway. Contest is open internationally. To enter, leave a comment with a valid email address. Ends 11/14/11.

Good luck!