May 1, 2015 by Caroline Barker

Release Day Promo Flash (FLASH Dog Mystery Series #1) by Donna Ball

Don’t miss the first book in an exciting new dog mystery series!!

Title: Flash (Book One of the FLASH Dog Mystery Series)

Author: Donna Ball

Genre: Mystery/Suspense (dog mystery)

Release date: May 1st, 2015

Released by: Blue Merle Publishing

Length: 247 pages

Blurb: Almost two years ago the sleepy little community of Dogleg Island was the scene of one of the most brutal crimes in Florida history. The only eye witnesses were a border collie puppy and a police officer. Since that time Flash has grown from a puppy into a vital part of the Dogleg Island Police Department, and has lived happily with the two people who rescued him on that horrible night: Deputy Sheriff Ryan Grady and Police Chief Aggie Malone.

Now the trial of the century is about to begin. The defendant, accused of slaughtering his parents in their beach home, maintains his innocence. Aggie and Ryan, the top witnesses for the prosecution, are convinced he is lying. But only Flash knows the truth.

And with another murder to solve, a tangle of conflicting evidence to sort out, and a brutal storm on the way, the truth may come too late… for all of them.

Author Bio:

Donna Ball is the author of over a hundred novels under several different pseudonyms in a variety of genres that include romance, mystery, suspense, paranormal, western adventure, historical and women’s fiction. Recent popular series include the Ladybug Farm series by Berkley Books and the Raine Stockton Dog Mystery series. Donna is an avid dog lover and her dogs have won numerous titles for agility, obedience and canine musical freestyle. She divides her time between the Blue Ridge mountains and the east coast of Florida, and lives with a variety of four-footed companions. You can contact her at http://www.donnaball.net, or follow her on Facebook at Donna Ball

Links:

Website: http://www.DonnaBall.net

Facebook: Donna Ball Author Page

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DonnaABall

Amazon link for Flash: http://www.amazon.com/Flash-Donna-Ball/dp/0985774894

April 22, 2015 by Caroline Barker

Double Review November Lake: Teenage Detective (The November Lake Mysteries, Books 1 & 2) by Jamie Drew

I LOVED reading books 1 & 2 of The November Lake Mysteries by Jamie Drew. This is a mesmerising mystery series for Young Adults and adults alike. Originally released as a prequel series for Tim O’Rourke‘s Keira Hudson paranormal series, it has been reworked and brought to life some brand new characters in November Lake and Kale Creed, two young police recruits. A step in a different direction for O’Rourke away from the paranormal and into the mystery and crime.

And what’s more, Book 1 (ebook) is currently FREE on Amazon!!!

Title: November Lake: Teenage Detective (The November Lake Mysteries #1)

Author: Jamie Drew

Genre: Mystery, YA, crime

Release date: November 23, 2014

Length: 150 pages

Blurb: When 18-year-old police recruit, November Lake, joins training college, her curiosity and desire to solve mysteries soon has her investigating a series of creepy and chilling crimes.

With the help of her friend and colleague, Kale Creed, November is soon caught up in a dark world of strange and inexplicable mysteries, each with a deadly twist.

Three novella length mysteries in one book:

The Dead Girl In The Room

The Kidnapping at Blackwater Farm

The Menacing Stranger

REVIEW *****

Originally a Young Adult mystery prequel series belonging to Tim O’Rourke‘s Keira Hudson paranormal series, November Lake: Teenage Detective was reworked and released under the pen name Jamie Drew. Taking a step away from the paranormal, and into the mystery and crime genre, November Lake: Teenage Detective follows a young police recruit, November, as she solves mysteries, seeing things much quicker than most – working out how a crime has been committed and being able to explain why it must have been a specific person who carried it out.

November is a very likeable character with a great deal of intelligence and wit. She is very quick off the mark, being able to take in her surroundings at the same time as holding a conversation and weighing up possibilities in her head. By piecing her puzzles together and seeing much further than most in such a short amount of time she manages to solve many mysteries. However, this does come at a price where she acts upon her findings immediately and places herself in danger in order to finish her work and prove her findings.

I love how each story is a separate mystery for November, however the book as a whole is continuous and follows November through Police Training School and preparing for her exams. In this first instalment we are treated to three fantastic stories from November finding a colleague’s dead body (The Dead Girl in the Room) to a kidnapping (The Kidnapping at Blackwater Farm), and then the mystery of a ‘disgusting creature of a man’ coming to search for his dog in The Menacing Stranger.

Each story has November teaming up with fellow officer, Kale Creed, and shows the early signs of a great partnership between them. There are also signs of a deep friendship brewing as they spend time away from work to study for their exams. They stick together really well at all times, and I love the way they bounce off each other with their thoughts and humour.

With some nice twists throughout you will find that during many scenes not all is as it seems. During the second story, the kidnapping, Lake and Creed feel they have no option but to intervene which winds them in a great deal of trouble and danger. After being driven off a country road and seeing the car that raced passed also lose control they begin to check the area and try to call for assistance.

“The trail soon petered out or became invisible amongst the wild thorny shrubs and bushes that covered the slate walls on either side of the country road. The fog was still dense and surrounded us like smoky cloud. It muffled any sound, drowning our world in silence. The whole effect was disorientating, and it wasn’t long before I had lost all sense of direction. I rummaged through my coat pocket for my phone… I plucked my phone from my pocket. There was no signal.

“I haven’t got a signal either,” Kale said, standing beside me, phone in hand.”

Whilst the third short story is probably the most eeriest of the three. Again, not all meets the eye but the whole book creates so much mystery and curiosity for the reader you simply can’t put the book down until you have all of the answers.

I can’t remember reading this much mystery packed into short stories. The author certainly has a way of telling them, making them believable and so full of life. After reading this first instalment I had no hesitation to read the second. I’ll definitely be reading more from this series!

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

Title: November Lake: Teenage Detective (The November Lake Mysteries #2)

Author: Jamie Drew

Genre: Mystery, YA, crime

Release date: November 23, 2014

Length: 231 pages

Blurb: When police recruits November Lake and Kale Creed are ordered to stay away from each other by Sergeant Black, they can’t help but be drawn back together again.

Working side by side, November and Kale solve four more grisly and chilling mysteries. The first deals with deceit, the second betrayal, the third revenge and the fourth the greatest mystery of all – love.

Four novella length mysteries in one book:

The Reappearing Knife

The Death at Hook Inn

Splitfoot & The Dead Girl

The Mystery of November Lake & Kale Creed

REVIEW *****

The tales of November Lake and Kale Creed continue in book two, separated into four fantastic mysteries. Police trainees, Lake and Creed, are running before they can walk in the eyes of their Sergeant, Sgt. Black. Although they have cracked three great mysteries together in The November Lake Mysteries #1, their Sergeant can see the danger they are drawing themselves into, as well as not always following police procedure and waiting for assistance.

Therefore, at his request Lake and Creed are to spend some time apart whilst away from work for a week. The only trouble is, they have slowly begun to develop some feelings for each other that may be a little too much for them to be apart. In truth, neither one has ever felt lonelier. But, their jobs are on the line if they disobey orders, and so they need to fill their time with something more constructive.

November needs to distance herself. She can’t risk annoying Sgt. Black and losing her job. She wants to be a properly trained copper in order for her to later find her father’s killer. She knows there’s no chance she will ever get a chance if she messes up. Therefore, she goes to visit her father’s grave 20 miles away. Although trouble is never too far away from her… Lucky for her Kale is so lost without her he tries to find her when she doesn’t respond to any of his messages. But will he reach her in the nick of time?

After noticing Lake at her father’s grave, Father Rochdale approaches and begins to converse with her. Finding out that she is alone, on a break from work and a police officer in the making, he invites her to stay and investigate the strange happenings of a butcher’s knife being left outside his bedroom door. But not all is as it appears as the twists will show, and The Reappearing Knife will leave you more than a little petrified!

Not ready to go home Lake then stays at the nearby inn, The Hook Inn, where not before too long a murder is found to have taken place. Not ready to call for assistance for fear of Sgt. Black finding her name involved Lake takes it upon herself to find out how it took place and by whom.

With the heat of the drama and need to get away, Lake and Creed drive up to his parents house to keep away from any possible action. However, what is meant to be a fun night at a séance for Kale to see how November could prove the psychic a cheat (just between themselves), it turns into yet another murder right before their eyes. But in the dark, barely candlelit room nothing can be seen for certain!

As well as the eeriness and mystery in Splitfoot & the Dead Girl, there was also a small amount of humour. Not only was Kale sceptical of the psychic and the whole meaning of the séance, but when they are all sat around the table in the darkened room, with nothing but the faint glow of the candlelight, he likens the face of the psychic to that of a pumpkin!

“I guessed the darkness added to the whole illusion and gave camouflage to the trickery that was about to take place. I looked at November, who was staring up the table at the psychic. The light from the solitary candle before Splitfoot lit up his face in a gold and orange glow. It was Halloween all right, and he was the pumpkin.”

I love how each separate short story follows on from the story of November and Kale, and also how it can be read in chronological order , following the early career life of November Lake. The November Lake Mysteries #2 is written from both points of view, November and Kale, making a very interesting read with how the characters’ feelings towards each other are changing and the reasons they think that the other has for behaving in a certain manner.

The style of the writing is fascinating and reader’s will be gripped, wanting to keep on reading. Both November and Kale are easily likeable characters, even moreso in this second book of the series as the reader knows them so much more and can easily see how these two have grown closer. They are both lonely, without or away from family, working together and living to solve mysteries. The author has shown a beautiful build-up of emotion between the two which I suspect will grow ever stronger in the subsequent books of the series.

Copies of November Lake: Teenage Detective (The November Lake Mysteries #1 & #2) were provided by the author in return for honest and fair reviews.

November Lake: Teenage Detective (The November Lake Mysteries #1) by Jamie Drew Kindle ebook is currently FREE at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

November Lake: Teenage Detective (The November Lake Mysteries #2) by Jamie Drew Kindle ebook is currently 99p/99c at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

Please note that prices are subject to change.

The third instalment of The November Lake Mysteries is set for release on June 26th, 2015, and is available for preorder.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

March 20, 2015 by Caroline Barker

Promo with Excerpt The Fisherman’s Lily by Suzanne Spiegoski

Debut author, Suzanne Spiegoski has recently released her crime thriller, The Fisherman’s Lily. This sounds like a fascinating psychological and emotional read as we follow the main character, an NYPD homicide detective, Lily Dietz, as she discovers murders that are a little too close for comfort…

Do not bite at the bait of pleasure, till you know there is no hook beneath it. -Thomas Jefferson

Title: The Fisherman’s Lily

Author: Suzanne Spiegoski

Genre: Fiction, thriller, crime

Release date: January 26th, 2015

Released by: TouchPoint Press

Length: 264 pages

Blurb: When Lily Dietz, an ambitious yet short-tempered Asian-American NYPD homicide detective, and longtime partner John Fremont begin to work a unique but gruesome murder case, cryptic clues in the evidence start to link with Lily’s dark and troubling past—one deeply imprinted with many psychological and emotional issues.

Borderline manic-depressive and a self-destructive alcoholic, Lily is strikingly beautiful and spoiled by her younger brother, CJ, a NBA All-Star basketball Knicks player, due to guilt uprooting from their own family history; separations of heart-wrenching losses and disappointments. The hunt for the killer escalates when the detectives discover more than one murder. Someone with cruel and twisted intentions motivated by a taste for sophistication yet also depravity is targeting and brutally mutilating Asian-American women. And somehow, the murderer knows Lily far too well.

Soon the game of cat-and-mouse becomes a thrilling chase from beginning to end, where Lily’s reality is skewed and the people in it begin to doubt her, not only as a detective but as a person. Who will be able to save this damaged soul? Or who will be the one to destroy it?

Author Bio

Suzanne Spiegoski is the author of, The Fisherman’s Lily and has been published in the Michigan State Press, Complex’d, L’Oeil de la Photographie, Westfall Music Group, Figure Skating in Harlem and Backstage. She grew up in Los Angeles and Detroit, and has a B.A. in Criminal Justice from Michigan State University. She is also a photographer and professional figure skating coach. She lives in New York City with her husband and German shepherd, and is currently working on her second novel.

Social Media Pages/Website

Facebook: www.facebook.com/thefishermanslily

Twitter: SSpiegoski

Instagram: suzannespiegoski

Tumblr: SSpiegoski

Linkedin: SSpiegoski
Google+: Suzanne Spiegoski-Decamps

Personal Blog: https://suzannespiegoski.wordpress.com/

Personal Website: www.suzannespiegoski.com

Buy Links:
THE FISHERMAN’S LILY
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1CkqheP
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/19dhNN4
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1BSJpnu
Barnes & Noble: http://bitly.com/1ysUaF5
Booktopia: http://bit.ly/1GkdXPX

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1xzNdTi

EXCERPT

Prologue

The uproarious crowd clamored all the way from the nosebleed section down to the courtside seats. Nearly 9:15 P.M. on a Friday night at Madison Square Garden, the Knicks, trying to reclaim what was once theirs, battled with the Lakers along the court. It was the beginning of a very long season as trade-offs had been made and contracts dealt. Second-choice in the NBA draft three years before and now playing for the Knicks, CJ had established himself to become one of the first Asian-American basketball players in history.

Fairly small compared to his other teammates, the point guard had worked hard to become who commentators now claimed was the next Jeremy Lin. His dark, shaggy brown hair plastered onto his face due to the sweltering game. Eight seconds to half time CJ ran down the court drenched in his number fifteen blue-and-orange basketball uniform. He dribbled and eyed for a pass to one of his players. He got a look, stopped at the three-point line, and then faked it. He passed the assist for an alley-oop from his center player, who threw it down with a slam-dunk as the buzzer went off. The entire arena went wild, as he had just helped tie the game: 42-42.

CJ handed out high-fives to his teammates, who were also his friends, then reached for a towel to wipe off his sweaty face. While doing so, his eyes gazed among the seats, almost as if he was seeking approval. Slowly heading for the locker rooms, he was approached by one of the reporters, but seemed more concerned about something other than the game. He saw a woman sitting in one of the courtside seats.

In her mid-thirties, she scrolled through her iPhone with one hand while the other tucked her straight jet-black hair behind her ear. She was quite beautiful, clearly Asian, 5’4″, and had almond-shaped eyes and a very slender, toned athletic figure. She stuck out like a sore thumb, for she was not in the typical attire for a place like this. Her tailored all-black suit elongated her body as well as perfectly matched her spotless black leather boots. As she put away her phone, she proudly stood up and caught CJ’s glance.

She gave a very discreet wave, almost as if she did not want anyone to notice her. CJ did, however, see her, and knew her very well. He knew she had to leave. Though he was obviously disappointed by her departure, he gave her a wink after he wiped off his dripping face with his jersey. The woman reporter shoved her microphone close to CJ’s face and began the rapid interview on the status of the game.

As CJ made time to explain about his team’s strategy to win the game to the reporter, the woman jogged away and down the backstage halls to get through to valet parking, The air was filled with musty sweat and unclean socks. She took other familiar slanting stares from CJ’s coaches, as well as the technicians and other players. They all knew where she had to go, but their expressions seemed to reflect a grimacing discomfort. Confusion was yet another countenance surrounding them, as if it was almost a disappointment or lack of effort happening frequently. She brushed off their fixated looks and focused on getting to her car, which was already waiting for her. On her way to the lot, she had called valet to have it out and ready. Finally arriving to a young man in a maroon-colored vest, she didn’t even bother to thank him but instead dropped a twenty-dollar bill. Clearly aware of her stature he said, “Thanks very much Ms. Dietz.”

Not acknowledging his gratitude, she slipped into her black 1980 Jaguar XJ6. The leather seats were also completely black with a fine-charcoal trim, and included an installed GPS system and several cigarette butts within the ashtray. As she lit up her Dunhill cigarette, she jittered with her Zippo. She took a deep drag and relished the taste within her mouth. She was never the type to ever wait too long to smoke anywhere, but if she was at one of the games, she always made this exception.

As she started up the car and began to pull out, the tires squealed along the smooth and slippery parking lot. She quickly pulled out from Penn Plaza Drive and made a sharp right turn onto 31st Street. Without any given thought, she made another quick right turn onto Eighth Avenue, blowing numerous red lights. The signature sounds of honks and sirens were nearby, yet it was no profound distraction to her. She kept speeding all the way to 58th Street, arriving in less than ten minutes flat. Her cell phone continuously rang, but she ignored it.

She discovered near the Central Park entrances that the west entrance had been completely blocked off. Frustrated, she roared nearer to the Plaza Hotel, screeching her tires once more into a nearby parking area. She vigorously jumped out of the car, left her keys in the ignition, and wrapped a clip-on badge around her neck. Another parking attendant curiously ogled her while she began to run toward the main south-end entrance into the park.

“What’s the hurry?” he asked.

She unwittingly replied back, “Trust me, you don’t need to know.”

March 11, 2015 by Caroline Barker

Review Round-Up – March ’15

Hello readers, we hope you are all well, and reading plenty of gripping stories, of course! Wow – I have to say I was shocked myself when writing this post up, due to the amount of reads that Tina and myself have reviewed over this past month! From Christmas and Valentine’s box sets, to full length novels, and through to short story serials, we really do have more than a mixed bag here!

With many of our ratings now being 5* I am convinced the writing is getting better and better! And, we haven’t even finished with March yet – making for a brilliant year of reading!

Here are our latest reviews, covering our many genres; romance, paranormal, sci-fi, erotica, historical, drama, dark reads, crime and thrillers. We hope you enjoy them just as much as we have. And, with Easter just around the corner – why not treat yourself to a read or two?

(Please click on the titles for our full review posts.)

Love to all our readers, Caroline & Tina ❤

Naughty List by The Naughty Literati’s, erotica, romance (reviewed by Tina)

Blurb: The Naughty Literati are a group of authors who’ve come together to showcase their epic talents in stories filled with powerful eroticism and satisfying romance. Our tales range from heartwarming and sweet to scorching hot erotic; medieval to futuristic; humans to aliens and shape-shifters; vanilla committed couples to kinky ménage fun. Keep an eye out for more of our steamy boxed sets coming soon. Thank you for joining us on this naughty journey!

The Nightwind’s Visit by Charlotte Boyett-Compo: Be careful what you wish for. The NightWind hears every whisper, every sigh, every need and he’s coming to grant your every wicked, wanton desire.

Dear Santa…I Want a Man for Christmas by Marianne Stephens: Frustrated with untrustworthy men, Melissa orders a man doll. When delivery guy, Nick, shows up, she has second thoughts about how to satisfy her needs.

Prelude to a Most Unusual Marriage by Katherine Kingston: Guilty secrets torment widowed Elizabeth Fitzhugh. A Christmas visit to the Earl of Chisenholm offers redemption, if she can find the courage to grasp it.

No Gentleman by Francesca Hawley: Librarian Abby Kelly comes west finding a roguish shapeshifter who desires her. Will Goldwolf is no gentleman, but Abby discovers he’s just what she wants.

Jewel’s Menage Christmas by Berengaria Brown: The excitement has left Jewel, Donovan, and Oscar’s relationship. Jewel plans to spice things up, but will Donovan and Oscar rise to the challenge?

Tune Me Up by Lainey-Jo Charles: Jason catches Dani having an intimate moment with a recording of him singing to her, and is ready to move them from friends to forever.

On the Eighteenth of January, ’78 or, A Night at Valley Forge by Regina Kammer: During the infamous winter of ‘77-‘78 at Valley Forge, two soldiers fanboy over their charismatic leader, General George Washington.

The Christmas Leopard by Lynne Connolly: Two gorgeous Italian hunks save art restorer Sandi when she accidentally summons an ancient evil from a mosaic. Their methods are unconventional—and scorching hot!

Christmas Bad Girl by Trinity Blacio: She only had one wish this Christmas. To find the one man who was strong enough to master her in bed and out.

How the Alien Stole Christmas by Belle Scarlett: On board a deep space station Christmas Trent learns her sexy cyber lover, who may not be human, wants to steal her for his own.

Merry Christmas, Kitten by Nicole Austin: Sirena Petra wants one thing for Christmas—an orgasm. And sex toy expert Kenyon Fort has exactly what the lion shifter needs to find more than just her happy place.

Viking in Tartan by Suz deMello: Medieval romance from the Highland Vampires series. A Viking raider brings change to little Clan Kilbirnie, especially to the chieftain’s daughter, Rhona.

Holdin’ On by Alexa Silver: Rock star Max is terminally ill. When Aislin falls into his life, rocking his world, everything changes. Is she his Christmas miracle?

Naughty Hearts (boxed set) by the Naughty Literati, erotic/dark fantasy, paranormal, contemporary, sci-fi (reviewed by Tina)

Blurb: Twelve Naughty Valentine’s Short Reads including Contemporary, Dark Fantasy, Menage, M/M, M/M/F, M/F/M, New Adult, Paranormal, Shape-shifter, Steampunk & Time Travel from Amazon bestselling authors.

Naughty Balls by Suz deMello: Two college basketball players find themselves alone on V-Day evening. M/F)

Love Potion #69 by Alexa Silver: When Keith and Jenna accidentally fall under the spell of one of her Valentine’s Day love potions, lust is in the air!

My Valentine Lovers by Nicole Austin: All I want for Valentine’s Day is to get barbed by a feline shifter and act out a few of my naughty twin fantasies getting me hot and bothered.

Valentime by Belle Scarlett: Valerie buys a South Carolina plantation and discovers a Valentine addressed to her from a previous owner who bids her to return to him in 1865.

Delia’s Heartthrob by Regina Kammer: Gadzooks! Valentine’s Day is fast approaching – what’s a scientist to do? Edward knows naught of romance. Can steam power prevail over chocolates to win Delia’s heart?

Two Into One Goes Great by Lynne Connolly: A booker at a top model agency learns she’s anything but ordinary when two sexy photographers point their lenses—and more—at her.

Under the Hood by Lainey-Jo Charles: How do you choose between an online crush you’ve never met and a secret crush that you have? Maybe you don’t have to…

Buy Me a Rose by Francesca Hawley: Jessica and Nathaniel Whitewolf celebrate their thirtieth anniversary as True Mates but they’ve lost their bond. Now a hot couples’ retreat will get it back.

Chocolate-Coated Reunion by Berengaria Brown: Jake refuses to talk to Matt after he was very late on Christmas Eve. Matt’s determined to reconnect with Jake on Valentine’s Day.

Cupid’s Curious Case by Marianne Stephens: Alan’s last job as Cupid 84 involves neighbor Amy and a special box of candy. Both secretly desire the other. Can they find true love?

Fifty Shades of Valentine’s Day by Katherine Kingston: Dumped on Valentine’s Day! Melissa only thinks the day can’t get any worse. Until she damages her hot neighbor’s car, and he demands unexpected compensation.

The Reaper’s Valentine by Charlotte Boyett-Compo: Sometimes a Reaper has to do what a Reaper does. It would be wise for a life-mate to remember that!

Werewolves of Shade (Beautiful Immortals #2 & #3) (short story series) by Tim O’Rourke, paranormal romance (reviewed by Caroline)

Blurb: When the entire population of Shade go missing, investigative reporter Mila Watson knows this could be the big break she has been waiting for. Setting off into the mountains to the village of Shade, Mila soon learns that the village isn’t as deserted as she first believed it to be and that creatures lurk in the shades…

For readers 16+

Werewolves of Shade (Beautiful Immortals #2)

Werewolves of Shade (Beautiful Immortals #3)

Deception/Escape/Penance (Dark Alpha #3, #4 & #5) (short story series) by Alisa Woods, paranormal romance (reviewed by Caroline)

Blurb: Shifters live in the shadows of Seattle, just under the skin of the alpha male, dot-com billionaires who are building a new Silicon Valley in the Emerald City.

Deception (Dark Alpha #3) blurb: Jak has a plan to free Arianna without the witch’s help… but the best laid plans of wolves and men rarely turn out as they hope.

Escape (Dark Alpha #4) blurb: With Arianna’s family looking for her, Jak’s plan to flee the state just got a lot more complicated. But before he can worry about that, he has to break her free of Mace’s hold.

Penance (Dark Alpha #5) blurb: Jak’s plan is a dangerous one… but will he even get the chance to carry it out?

Is love stronger than magic? Or will breaking an unbreakable bond destroy them both?

Willow (Secret Confessions: Sydney Housewives #9) by Christina Phillips, erotic romance (reviewed by Tina)

Blurb: Meet the Housewives of Sydney. They are wealthy, elegant, poised, and constantly in the public eye. But what goes on behind closed doors, in the private homes and parties where the cameras and paparazzi aren’t welcome? Delve into the most personal details of their relationships, their friendships and their lives. The only question is: can you handle the heat?

Willow has loved Seb for as long as she can remember, but he has a past that she can’t handle, so she’s never done anything about it. But to not have him in her life is unthinkable, so she holds on to him the only way she can – through friendship. Now his writing career is taking off, and Willow finds herself increasingly jealous of his groupies and increasingly unable to keep her feelings to herself.

An unexpected visit leads to an unanticipated kiss – and Seb and Willow end up in her bed. It’s the best thing that’s ever happened to Willow, but can she trust that Seb wants more than a bit of afternoon delight – and can she trust herself to let go of the past in order to gain a future?

Love Bites: A Collection of Short Stories by Valeria Kogan, contemporary romance, dark read (reviewed by Caroline)

Blurb: Love Bites is the provocative debut collection of short stories by Valeria Kogan. From heartbreak to redemption, Love Bites provides a spellbinding interpretation of love and friendship, glamour and guilt, secrets and deceit.

Each story provides a captivating insight into the world of love; its profound impact and effect; and how women relate to their partners.

This cleverly constructed collection of short stories will leave you tantalized and yearning for more. Love Bites is a must-read for every modern woman, reader of romance and romantic enthusiast.

Kissed at Midnight by Samantha Holt, historical romance (reviewed by Tina)

Blurb: August Avery, a renowned civil engineer, has found himself the sole custodian of his cousin’s six month old daughter and he needs assistance—fast. He understands how to build railways, to construct bridges and to save the railway tycoons thousands of pounds. He doesn’t understand, however, how to care for a child.

When Ivy Davis turns up at his door looking for work, he believes his prayers are answered. If only the exotic, exuberant young woman did not prove to be such a distraction from his busy workload.

Unsure if she is even up to the task of looking after a baby, Ivy finds herself swayed by the handsome and slightly desperate August into working for him. With her singing career failing before it even started and no other talents, she decides looking after a young child cannot be so hard, surely?

But the child may turn out to be the least of her worries. Her handsome, brooding master seems to keep her awake more than the baby. Add to that her desire to achieve her dreams of singing on stage and the machinations of the indomitable Mrs. Pepperwhite who sees her as competition for August’s hand, Ivy finds this simple job growing harder by the day—as does her desire for her master…

Devil in Duke’s Clothing by Nina Mason, erotic historical romance, (reviewed by Tina)

Blurb: Maggie York, a convent-raised foundling, knows the Duke of Dunwoody’s sexual tastes are a shade or two darker than normal, but marries him anyway—partly because she has no other prospects and partly because, try as she might, she can’t seem to exorcize her desire for the dashing ducal devil. Two years ago, she watched him swive and spank her lady’s maid, luring her from the garden of innocence into the orchard of fleshly delights–and she’s been hungry for more ever since.

Robert Armstrong, the duke, is a Roman Catholic whose extreme devotions as a child warped his desires as a man. He’s also a slave to the times in which he lives–and to his king. Everything he is, everything he holds dear, depends on staying in Charles II’s good graces. Unfortunately, Maggie isn’t the bride the king selected for him. Now, to make amends, the duke must choose between the lesser of two evils: whore his wife or be reduced to a penniless commoner.

Whose interests will Robert choose to serve, his own, the king’s, or the woman he loves?

Cautious Surrender (Unearthly World, book IV) by C.L. Scholey, sci-fi erotic romance (reviewed by Caroline)

Blurb: Adan went from a living hell on Earth, only to be thrown into a new purgatory. The Zargonnii vessel she’d thought was her savior is blown to bits in an alien war attack. A wormhole sends Adan and her warrior protector to an unknown world. Her only hope of surviving the ungodly planet is in the hands of Blu, whom she loves. Unfortunately, Blu has another agenda.

Blu’s body burns for the little human female, but his entire adult life has one purpose, to father a son and create a family. If he mates with Adan and makes it back home, he’ll need to keep her close to his side, protecting her from his dangerous life. Human females only produce female offspring in Blu’s world. If they survive this planet, Blu has to decide if he’s willing to give up one dream for another.

Three Rules by Marie Drake, dark mystery drama, romance (reviewed by Caroline)

Blurb: Hope Wellman has a childhood full of horrific memories, a bone chilling recurring nightmare, and a persistent paranoid sense of being followed that she would rather keep repressed. Is evil reaching from beyond the grave to capture the tattered remnants of her soul once and for all, is it only a machination of her disturbed mind, or is there something happening more sinister than even she can imagine?

Attending the funeral of her abuser is the first step in putting her life back together. She struggles with the fact she never told anyone what happened to her, and that the grave they are mourning over is empty. She’d find it a lot easier to move on and believe in the future if he were in the box, ready to be covered with dirt. She fears the last thread of her sanity has snapped when she sees Lucas everywhere she turns, and can’t escape a recurring nightmare. Is her tormentor alive, or is she imagining it? Is her dream triggered by past fears or is it a prediction of the future?

The Color of Happiness by K.P. Gazelle, young adult contemporary drama, romance (reviewed by Caroline)

Book Blurb: Faith Lane is the girl who has everything. At least, that’s what everyone thinks when they see her rocking a killer dress while laughing with her best friend, Tiffany. But Faith’s life is far from flawless. Her peers torment her relentlessly, and her parents expect her to be the epitome of perfection. Criticized and pressured at school and home, Faith retreats into silent acceptance and finds an escape in her passion of dancing. Then she meets Alex – quirky, forever with a pass, and concealing a mysterious secret of his own. And through his encouragement, Faith starts believing in her gift for dance and gains courage to stand up for herself. But will she be able to keep her footing when the events of one night consume her with the need to jump off the rocky cliffs near her coastal home? And what has pushed her to the edge of reason?

Her Gaze (short story) by Angel A., romantic suspense (reviewed by Tina)

Blurb: At that moment, Gabe knew he had fallen for her. The first time he laid eyes on Sofy he knew that she was for him and he was hers. However, she was already taken by a dangerous man. A man that would kill before letting her go. But Gabe was willing to put his life in harm’s way to be with the woman he was in love with.

This suspenseful and sexy short story is full of excitement. It gives joy to the imagination and makes the heart beat a little faster.

In Expert Hands by Lily Harlem, erotic BDSM romance (reviewed by Tina)

Blurb: Imogen White has it all—a high-flying career, a prestigious London home and friends she knows will fight her corner. She’s going up, and she’s in control, she’s also got the hots for one very important, very sexy client.

Kane Ward is a self-made billionaire whose determination to be the best of the best has left him alone. He has everything money can buy, yachts, jets, and villas in all four corners of the globe, but even he can’t buy time to suit his needs.

And his needs are very specific, his desires a particular shade of kink and his tastes anything but vanilla. So when he sets his sights on Imogen it’s a given that things are going to get dark, that pleasure will be laced with pain and determining his success will be measured by her blushes and gasps and cries of delight. But Imogen doesn’t need to worry, she’s in expert hands and her every fantasy is about to come true—and then some she’d never imagined even in her wildest dreams.

Fallen (Coyote Moon #1) by Ann Simko, action thriller, crime, sci-fi paranormal (reviewed by Caroline)

Blurb: Dr. Dakota Thomas isn’t prepared for the gunshot victim who rolls through his emergency room doors. Michael Ricco looks like a young Marine in a world of trouble, his dog tags, however tell a different story.
How could the military have no record of him? Why was he shot in the back in the middle of the desert, and why were thirteen people murdered to keep his secret? More than that, how could he have a birth date of 1898?
In a world where genetic experimentation pushes the boundaries of what someone would do to live a little longer, the question may be, how many will die in order to keep one person alive?

Yesterday by Sheila Norton, period/historical drama (1960’s), mystery, crime, romance (reviewed by Caroline)

Blurb: During the riots between the Mods and Rockers in the early Sixties, teenager Cathy finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time, and the events which follow will haunt her for the rest of her life. Forty years later she’s forced to revisit her past, deal with her unhappy memories and try to find out exactly what did happen back in 1964.

Love the Way You Lie by Skye Warren, dark, erotic romance (reviewed by Tina)

Blurb: A dark romance about the lies that lead us down…

I’ll do anything to get safe, even if that means working at the scariest club in town.

I’ll do anything to stay hidden, even if it means taking off my clothes for strangers.

I’ll do anything to be free. Except give him up. When he looks at me, I forget why I can’t have him. He’s beautiful and scarred. His body fits mine, filling the places where I’m hollow, rough where I am soft.

He’s the one man who wants to help, but he has his own agenda. He has questions I can’t answer. What are you afraid of?

You.

March 11, 2015 by Caroline Barker

REVIEW Yesterday by Sheila Norton

A little later than I expected to read it, but I have been very excited to read Sheila Norton’s ‘Yesterday’. As soon as I read the synopsis with the 1960’s era ,and the Mods and Rockers mentioned, I had to add it to my reading list! Being born two decades later, I obviously cannot recall the times myself. But, I always loved family members’ stories of the times, watched documentaries, loved the music and, as a fan of the indie band Blur in the 1990’s, I used to hang on every word frontman Damon Albarn said. And so, as soon as I found out his favourite movie of the time was Quadrophenia, I simply had to watch it. Over the years I have watched it many times, even when it was re-released on cinema. I had the poster on my bedroom wall and listened to The Who’s soundtrack of the movie over and over. And so, Yesterday has opened up that side of me once more and I have to say that the read is fantastic! – Caroline

Title: Yesterday

Author: Sheila Norton

Genre: Period/historical drama (1960’s), mystery, romance, crime

Release date: April 17th, 2014

Length: 286 pages

REVIEW

It is almost 51 years ago since the mayhem and chaos at the seaside resorts of Clacton and Brighton involving the Mods and Rockers, and yet Yesterday keeps the whole era alive with the music, fashions, dialogue, and day-to-day life. Focusing on the life of fourteen year old Cathy, Yesterday delves into her involvement with the Mods and Rockers, her friends and bullies at school, pressure from her mum to get good grades, trouble with her mum’s new male friend, and a violent stabbing that involves someone she knew!

We begin the story in 2004 where Cathy, a journalist and now in her mid-fifties, is given the chance to write a story on the era she knows a great deal about – the Mods and Rockers of the 1960’s. Little does her editor know that she may be able to fill in the blanks of a crime story that would be full of interest in the public eye, as well as opening up some wounds of the past and releasing some ghosts of her own! Yes, this story is certainly personal, just as it is informative.

The reader is then taken back to March, 1963, where Cathy meets Janice Baker. Janice Baker is two years older than Cathy. She is both cool and pretty. Being sixteen and having parents that do not trouble her too much, Janice can almost do what she wants. She wears the fashions, including make-up, and has magazines featuring many bands including The Beatles, which Cathy absolutely loves to look at – especially if Paul McCartney is pictured with those beautiful puppy dog eyes of his! Cathy’s fascination is so exciting to read about, and after travelling home from school regularly on the bus at the same time as Janice they begin to chat about the culture of the day, embarking on a close friendship.

Each chapter is set in a different month from thereon, leading up to the beach fights and afterwards, as we follow the story of a terrible ordeal that Cathy has at Clacton, a stabbing later in Brighton, as well as some home troubles for poor Cathy. We watch her friendship grow with Janice, her romance blossom with her brother’s friend, Jimmy, and her relationship with her mum take a downward spiral when she finds out what her mum has been quiet about for some time.

The mystery of the story is surrounding the stabbing at Brighton. Janice’s Mod ex-boyfriend, Ian, is the victim but the culprit is yet to be determined. After the violence and Cathy’s ordeal from the first beach fight in Clacton, Cathy believed all of her friends and her brother had stayed away this time. However, Cathy has a bad feeling about this, especially since it was Ian that brought on her ordeal in Clacton! Could it simply be his stabbing was a result of yet another fight between many Mods and Rockers who just lost it with each other and things got out of hand? Or was it that somebody intentionally stabbed him? Could it have been someone she knew? And, could it have been anything to do with her ordeal?

After her ordeal in Clacton, she ran to meet with her Rocker brother, Derek. However, when he wasn’t at the café he said he would be at, Cathy stayed there waiting for him to show. She was trying to cope with the teasing and taunts from the Rockers (as she was dressed as a Mod!), when a lad with Paul McCartney’s soft, brown eyes defended her, and offered to walk her to the station so she could get home safely. This is Jimmy. Lovely, sweet Jimmy, and a Rocker friend of her brother’s. And this is the beginning of an attraction between them. She becomes closer to Jimmy as he turns up ‘looking for Derek’ a few times at her home, and they begin to see each other over time.

But, he is her secret. As Janice would say, there’s no way you can go out with a greasy Rocker. She can’t be seen in public with him, or even tell Janice about him. She would be outcast and taunted forever if her friends knew. Cathy begins to realise that Mods and Rockers do not mix – you are either one or the other (in the eyes of her friends). But, she finds this ridiculous, as does Jimmy and her brother. But, she soon learns the hard way, and risks losing everything – Janice and Jimmy! Will their friendship, and love, survive? What can Cathy do to keep it all running smoothly?

The characters of Yesterday are all brilliant and realistic. One of my favourite characters of the story is Cathy’s brother, Derek, a Rocker. He is a caring older brother, looking out for her when he can, buying her the occasional record (even if it is a Mod one!) that she’d never be able to afford with her little pocket money, and even letting her play it on his record player when he was out. This shows the sort of relationship they had – they were very close and didn’t really care deep down whether you were a Mod or a Rocker.

And then there is Cathy’s other school friend, Linda. Linda was always seen as ‘square’ and didn’t really fit in either category. She was happy doing her own thing, being an individual. And, besides, she was too busy looking after her ill mother. But when Cathy began her friendship with Janice, Cathy began to leave Linda behind, only to realise later that Linda was very mature and didn’t get wrapped up with whose side to be on, what group to belong to, etc.

Yesterday is well-researched and has a fantastic feel of the era with perfect, realistic characters to draw the reader in. It is written so well it is easy to visualise the story with many references to the times, with social and financial aspects in particular. There is great dialogue between the characters with a real British 1960’s charm. Pop culture and fashions are mentioned but are not overdone, allowing the reader to really enjoy the fantastic narrative running through the book!

A copy of Yesterday was provided by the author in return for an honest and fair review.

Yesterday is available at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

March 10, 2015 by Caroline Barker

REVIEW Fallen (Coyote Moon #1) by Ann Simko

Title: Fallen (Coyote Moon #1)

Author: Ann Simko

Genre: Thriller, action, crime, mystery, sci-fi paranormal

Release date: June 12th, 2014

Released by: Uncial Press

Length: 224 pages

Blurb: Dr. Dakota Thomas isn’t prepared for the gunshot victim who rolls through his emergency room doors. Michael Ricco looks like a young Marine in a world of trouble, his dog tags, however tell a different story.
How could the military have no record of him? Why was he shot in the back in the middle of the desert, and why were thirteen people murdered to keep his secret? More than that, how could he have a birth date of 1898?
In a world where genetic experimentation pushes the boundaries of what someone would do to live a little longer, the question may be, how many will die in order to keep one person alive?

REVIEW

*Please note there are some slight spoilers for the first half of the book*

Fallen is an extremely gripping, fast-paced action thriller, written well and with passion – it is an exciting read that will keep your adrenalin flowing throughout. We first meet Ricco, shot and injured in the desert, where it is unclear exactly what has happened to him. This is a super beginning as the reader is drawn into this guy’s ordeal and immediately asks questions that we need to find the answers to. Who is shooting at him? What has he done to deserve this? Will he survive? And to add more mystery, we are then told about his dog tags reading 1898 as his birth year!

When in ER, as Ricco is attended to by Dr. Dakota Thomas, Dakota tries to work out the mystery surrounding him – just who is Michael Ricco? After bringing in the local Sheriff and him having contact the military, who have no record of him, and the local Deputy going missing in the same place Ricco was found, it is then that Dakota reaches out to his private investigator brother, Montana, to do some digging. Reluctant at first, it isn’t too long before Montana changes his mind.

As another is attempt is made on Ricco’s life whilst in hospital, Montana, a former Army Ranger, makes arrangements for Ricco to be escorted to a safehouse. And, with Ricco still needing medical care, and Dakota wanting answers on who he is, Dakota accompanies them. Matters soon turn even more serious as we learn that Ricco was kept in bunkers underground against his will and has been experimented on for years, used as a lab rat, and seen many others die for this cause. It is clear to Montana that the people Ricco has escaped from will want him dead for fear of him revealing their secrets.

The Governor is the villain of the piece. He is in charge of the lab testing and experiments, believing that the death of a few could save millions in the future. Seeing nothing wrong with what he is doing and being brutally violent, it has a little Nazi-esque feel to it.

“… I’m a fucking hero to every cancer patient who prays that a cure will be found before they die, to every twenty-year-old victim of arthritis, to every human being who might die of Avian Influenza… I am God, Dakota Thomas, minus the moral fiber.”

With military working as his staff, he has the support and help he needs to carry out his testing, help defend his fort and prevent anyone from escaping. The only exception to the rule thus far has been Ricco’s escape. He will go to all lengths necessary to retrieve Ricco, as he has proven to be an interesting case, managing to survive so much more than others treated similarly.

The story takes an even more serious turn as Dakota finds himself being taken, and in the hands of The Governor. From the Governor’s point of view, surely Dakota, being a doctor, would welcome such experiments in the name of medical research? Having Dakota helps the Governor to redeem some power: he can now use Dakota to experiment with and possibly offer a trade with Montana – Dakota for Ricco! Will Dakota survive his ordeal? Will Ricco land right back from where he escaped? And just what is Montana’s next move going to be?

“Montana Lee Thomas was not a patient man, nor was he a tolerant one… He had taken lives in the past, but killing was not an easy thing for him… Never had he willfully, wantonly, taken a human life. There had never been the need or the desire.

Until now.”

Fallen is written in such a way that it makes the story very easy to visualise. It would make a great movie with kidnapping, a perfect villain, explosive action, gunfights, brawls and also brotherly love. And, just when you think they’re out of the woods – there is more action to come. You’re never quite sure what will happen next, or who will be hurt. This makes for a fantastic book of surprises – and I LOVE that. Of course, I want the heroes, the Thomas brothers in particular to be safe and live through these events, but I also enjoy an unpredictable, gritty and possible more realistic story. I like the danger, the fear and the intensity, and Ann Simko surely has brought these to the story.

As well as the physical injuries to Dakota, there is also the way in which he is affected mentally by what he is going through. This creates some compassion in him for Ricco as they have been through a very similar experience. Albeit, Ricco’s lasted almost a century and any family he once knew have been long gone. But, as the story moved on I saw Ricco as another brother to Dakota and Montana. They build trust from the very beginning, with Dakota patching him up and Montana showing that he will put his life on the line for him.

I would strongly recommend this read to anyone who loves a fast-moving, easy flowing action adventure/thriller. It will definitely keep you on your toes and it has it’s share of explosive moments. However, there are also some beautiful emotive and touching scenes, especially towards the end. I would certainly like to read more of this series!

A copy of Fallen was provided by the author in return for an honest and fair review.

Fallen (Coyote Moon #1) is available at Amazon US and Amazon UK.

The sequels, Through the Glass (Coyote Moon #2) and The Coyote’s Song (Coyote Moon #3), are available with Broken (Coyote Moon, book 4) being released on March 13th, 2015.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

AUTHOR INFO:

When not writing, Ann Simko works as a nurse. She lives in rural Pennsylvania with her husband who puts up with her over active imagination, two scary teenagers who try to ignore her, three very large dogs, six cats and five extraordinarily large lawn ornaments otherwise known as horses. She has six published novels and is currently contracted for one new book.

March 4, 2015 by Caroline Barker

Caroline’s Current Reads – Feb ’15

It has been almost four months since my last current reads post, and as I have read all but one book from then, as well as snuck in some amazing short stories, I wanted to keep you posted on my following reads!

As well as continuing with the short story paranormal series Dark Alpha by Alisa Woods and Tim O’Rourke‘s Werewolves of Shade, I will also be reviewing many full-length novels covering the genres thriller, periodical drama, paranormal, sci-fi and fantasy.

I hope you enjoy checking them all out! (Please click on the titles for either our promo post or Goodread’s link!)

Have a great week!

Caroline 🙂

Fallen (Coyote Moon #1) by Ann Simko, action thriller

Dr. Dakota Thomas isn’t prepared for the gunshot victim who rolls through his emergency room doors. Michael Ricco looks like a young Marine in a world of trouble, his dog tags, however tell a different story.
How could the military have no record of him? Why was he shot in the back in the middle of the desert, and why were thirteen people murdered to keep his secret? More than that, how could he have a birth date of 1898?
In a world where genetic experimentation pushes the boundaries of what someone would do to live a little longer, the question may be, how many will die in order to keep one person alive?

Available at Amazon US and Amazon UK.

Yesterday by Sheila Norton, periodical drama

During the riots between the Mods and Rockers in the early Sixties, teenager Cathy finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time, and the events which follow will haunt her for the rest of her life. Forty years later she’s forced to revisit her past, deal with her unhappy memories and try to find out exactly what did happen back in 1964.

Available at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

Creedor (The Reglon Empire Series #1) by Gail Morgan McRae, sci-fi fantasy

Dr. Simon Slogar and Commander Michael Camdus have been given the task of stopping an epidemic on Creedor. It is only after they arrive on the windswept planet that they discover there’s a much greater threat.

Creedorians are being snatched from their homes, leaving survivors to fend for themselves. One brave woman, Mara Tonlin, decides to find her husband and rescue him or die trying. Her story intertwines with the original mission, leading Camdus and his men into even greater danger.

Intruders, wizards, changelings, and a subspace particle Rider all intersect with Slogar, Camdus and his men in Creedor, the first book of the Reglon Empire Series.

Available at Amazon US and Amazon UK.

The Girl In Between (The Girl In Between #1) by Laekan Zea Kemp, young adult, paranormal romance, fantasy

Blurb: Bryn Reyes is a real life sleeping beauty. Afflicted with Klein-Levin Syndrome, she suffers episodes of prolonged sleep that steal weeks, and sometimes even months, from her life. But unlike most KLS patients, she doesn’t spend each episode in a catatonic state or wake up with no recollection of the time she’s missed. Instead, Bryn spends half her life in an alternate reality made up of her memories. For Bryn, the past is a place, until one day a boy she’s never met before washes up on the illusory beach of her dreams with no memory of who he is.

But the appearance of this strange boy isn’t the only thing that’s changed. Bryn’s symptoms are worsening, her body weakening as she’s plagued by hallucinations even while awake. Her only hope of finding a cure is to undergo experimental treatment created by a German specialist. But when Dr. Banz reveals that he knows more about her strange symptoms than he originally let on, Bryn learns that the boy in her head might actually be the key to understanding what’s happening to her, and worse, that if she doesn’t find out his identity before it’s too late, they both may not survive.

Available at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

November Lake: Teenage Detective (The November Lake Mysteries #1) by Jamie Drew, mystery, crime

When 18-year-old police recruit, November Lake, joins training college, her curiosity and desire to solve mysteries soon has her investigating a series of creepy and chilling crimes.

With the help of her friend and colleague, Kale Creed, November is soon caught up in a dark world of strange and inexplicable mysteries, each with a deadly twist.

Three novella length mysteries in one book:

The Dead Girl In The Room

The Kidnapping at Blackwater Farm

The Menacing Stranger

Available at Amazon UK and Amazon US. (FREE for Kindle at the time of posting. Prices subject to change.)

Wherewolves by John Vamvas and Olga Montes, horror, thriller, paranormal

For ages 16yrs+

Using a fun, explosive style, full of new slang and fresh dialogue, WHEREWOLVES is the story of a group of high school seniors, most “military brats”, who are headed for an army-type survival weekend.

The underdogs, Jeffrey and Doris, do not want to go as they fear for their safety among the disdain and cruelty of the popular students. Sergeant Tim O’Sullivan, their teacher, as well as their dysfunctional parents pressure them into going, but it is an unforgivable act by their peers that propels the pair to go. Likewise, Elie, a student resented because of his Arab roots, is even more determined to prove himself this weekend. In the background, a news report cautions of a wanted couple with alleged super-human strength supposedly brought on by a new drug on the streets.

In the woods, the students hike, hunt, camp, and soon act in unity as the forest brings them closer together. But does it? O’Sullivan leaves them alone for the night. The students bond, chant, tell campfire tales, and quickly lose their fears and inhibitions. HOO-AH! Though sexual tensions are high, it soon turns to violence and everything quickly turns sour.

When the kids start disappearing one after the other, the remaining begin to unwittingly “act like the natives” carving spears, ready to face whatever is out there. What has gotten into them?

Amid the blood-curdling growls and the gruesome deaths, the story’s underlying layers are revealed. We see how misconceptions, prejudice, greed, fear, and hatred bring out the worst and best in them.

What is out there? Can it really be werewolves?

Available at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

Dead Push (Keira Hudson Series Two, Book 7) by Tim O’Rourke, paranormal

When two enemies push back together!

“…Most of them just sit as if waiting for someone to join them on their impending journey. Others are rushing for their train as if late for some important meeting. They can’t wait to board one of those trains below ground. When I first discovered this place, I don’t know how long I sat here watching the dead hustle and bustle about, queue at the ticket office and take drinks from the vending machines. Like any new place you visit, like your first day at a new school or in a new job, you soon figure out how things work. I knew I was dead…”

Available at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

Stunner (A Ronnie Lake Mystery #1) by Niki Danforth, mystery, crime

Beautiful. Bright. And possibly deadly…

That’s all Ronnie Lake knows about her soon to be sister-in-law, Juliana. But Ronnie is determined to find out the truth about her wealthy brother’s new lover—before he throws away his happiness, his fortune…maybe even his life. Who is this mysterious woman, and where did she come from? What is she hiding? And how deep could the deception go?

First the family receives strange phone calls. Then a disturbing package appears at their estate outside New York City. Ronnie—a divorced, downsized, 50-something—seems an unlikely detective. But she soon finds she’s got an instinct for this type of work, as she falls ever deeper into a sinister world where people will do anything to escape their past. And Juliana may be the most desperate of them all.

Available at Amazon US and Amazon UK.

March 4, 2015 by Caroline Barker

Promo: FREE story A Shilling Life by Phil Lecomber

You may remember our promo (with Q&A and excerpt) of Phil Lecomber‘s period crime mystery thriller, The Mask of the Verdoy (A George Harley Mystery #1). This series has started off with some fantastic reviews, and I am looking forward to the read myself at a later date. With Book 2 due to be released later in the year, the author has decided to share a FREE short story, A SHILLLING LIFE, with you to whet your appetites!

Blurb: A Shilling Life opens with Soho veterans Benny Levine and Sammy Shapiro reminiscing in their 1960s cabaret bar about the dark days of the 1930s, when the East End was living under the threat of Sir Pelham Saint Clair’s fascist BBF movement (as featured in MASK OF THE VERDOY).

The conversation prompts Benny to begin to pen a firsthand account of the time (THE CHRONICLES OF GREEK STREET) and the first subsequent ‘story within a story’ is a stark record of the effects that extremist movements such as the Blackshirts can have on the lives of everyday folk.

Here’s a sample of the first few paragraphs:

Soho, London – 1963

For the third time that morning Benny returned to contemplate the photograph on the front page of the newspaper. Through the air vent above his head there wafted in a heady mix of piquant aromas and the industrious clamour of a Soho readying itself for another weekend’s revelry—a task that, to the casual passerby, might seem daunting in the stark light of day, without the feverish neon to flatter its glamorous squalor.

Outside in the bright autumnal morning brooms were pushed, steps hosed and canopies raised; liveried Austin vans squeezed down the narrow backstreets to deliver the raw materials for the coming night’s entertainment: livid cuts of meat and iced shoals of silver for the restaurants; crates of knocked-off spirits and wines of dubious provenance for the clip-joints; and stacks of Scandinavian delicacies (baled in brown paper wrapping) for the pornmongers.

In steamy coffee bars, slumped over sticky Formica, the victims of card sharks stared into the milky froth of their cups, numbed for the moment from the size of their losses by cheap whisky hangovers. And from anonymous-looking doorways furtive working girls slipped out into the streets to play at normal life for a few hours. All this to a soundtrack played out by the jangle of the Wurlitzer and the sigh of the Gaggia … 1960s Soho in all its truculent glory.

But cosseted in the subterranean gloom of Sammy’s Cabaret Bar, Benny Levine was lost in a different decade; transported back thirty years by a piercing stare which, although diminished somewhat by age, still held its aristocratic threat of superiority and entitlement …

And here’s the link to the download (it’s available in 3 formats – MOBI, EPUB & PDF):

http://www.georgeharley.com/books/short-stories/a-shilling-lifeI will be reviewing The Mask of the Verdoy, book 1, later in the year, but if you would like to check it out now, here is the blurb:

LONDON, 1932 … a city held tight in the grip of the Great Depression. George Harley’s London. The West End rotten with petty crime and prostitution; anarchists blowing up trams; fascists marching on the East End.And then, one smoggy night …The cruel stripe of a cutthroat razor … three boys dead in their beds … and a masked killer mysteriously vanishing across the smoky rooftops of Fitzrovia.

Before long the cockney detective is drawn into a dark world of murder and intrigue, as he uncovers a conspiracy that threatens the very security of the British nation.

God save the King! eh, George?

For our promo on The Mask of the Verdoy, with Q&A with Phil Lecomber and an excerpt, please follow the link below:-

*Promo w/Q&A and Excerpt* The Mask of the Verdoy (A George Harley Mystery #1) by Phil Lecomber

Purchase links for the Mask of the Verdoy:-

Amazon UK Link

Amazon US Link

February 27, 2015 by Caroline Barker

REVIEW Three Rules by Marie Drake

I have been wanting to reading Marie Drake’s ‘Three Rules’ for quite some time. It is a remarkable read that will reach out to most readers either because of the mystery, the emotional and physical effects of abuse and the beautiful romance/love story. During this past year, Three Rules made it as a semi-finalist for The Kindle Book Review’s Best Kindle Book Awards 2014! Definitely not one to be missed!!

Extremely powerful narrative, beautifully written – will have you reduced to tears!

Title: Three Rules

Author: Marie Drake

Genre: Dark fiction, mystery, romance

Release date: September 24, 2013

Released by: Marie Drake

Length: 296 pages

Quoted from Three Rules:

“I have learned three rules in my life: 1.) The most dangerous people in the world are not always strangers. 2.) The scariest things imaginable are not those that can kill you, but those you can live through. And probably the most prominent: 3.) The most horrible possibility is not what could happen to you, but what you could become – I became a killer.”
~Hope Wellman

REVIEW

Three Rules is an extremely powerful narrative and beautifully written, with a great deal of emotion running through it, that will reduce you to tears. Despite the dark subject matter of abuse, and the mystery of the storyline, it also holds one of the most romantic stories I have ever read!

Hope Wellman (20) having lived through sexual abuse as a young girl, by her step-uncle, Lucas, has never said a word about her ordeal to anyone. And now at Lucas’ funeral she feels an inner-relief that he cannot harm her again. The only doubt that she does have is that his body is not in the coffin as it was never recovered from his boat accident. Without his body, there is a fraction of her that wonders if he is still alive, and when she has moments of feeling that somebody is watching her, she instantly thinks it could be him.

There are a string of events that come to light early in the story that keep reminding Hope of her past and begin to create the mystery for the remainder of the story. One of the main questions you’ll be asking is whether or not Lucas is still alive?

Hope is having terrible nightmares about being chased by someone, and then when she is out she feels like someone is following her, watching her at times. This makes her question her own sanity – she may be paranoid, unless she does have a stalker, or maybe it really is Lucas? There are some brilliant twists in the story to keep the reader wondering and guessing.

The reader is aware of how Hope feels about Lucas’ death as it opens her mind up to those moments of abuse again. She puts on a brave face for her parents, to offer support and to keep her ordeals to herself. However, remaining strong and trying to forget is becoming increasingly difficult when she finds out that one of her childhood friends, Karen Bishop, is pregnant with Lucas’ child. Not only does it hurt to know that he had his hands on her, but it also creates some guilt within Hope that maybe if she had spoken about what had happened to her, then Karen wouldn’t have gotten herself into this situation.

As if dealing with all of this wasn’t enough, there is also the very lovely Joey Bishop to face. Joey is Karen’s brother who was always Hope’s best friend growing up. They did everything together during their childhood and he always had time for her. He was the only boy she ever felt close to. But, after what should have been Hope’s magical and memorable first kiss, her parents encouraged her and Joey to keep their distance after Lucas had seen their innocent moment and reported it back.

A few years on and the attraction is still clearly there. And yet, Hope struggles with her feelings. Anything physical is out of the question, leaving Joey believing that they are just friends. After certain events take place, Hope spends more time with Joey and this really brings them closer together on many levels. But every time she feels she can tell him, something prevents her from doing so. And, will he change his opinion of her if he knew her secret?

The further into the story we go the more Hope’s feelings and past are brought to the fore. Hope’s character is very strong, despite all that she has been through. She still feels like she can’t tell anyone and when her family notice something isn’t right they assume she is depressed (just as she tended to be when she was younger). She begins to feel trapped – she wants to tell Joey on many occasions (and sometimes her mum) but she just can’t face it. At this point the reader feels trapped with her – wanting to encourage her to speak and finally let it out, but at the same time realising it is a delicate subject for her. The fact that she is thinking about telling someone is a step in the right direction.

Three Rules is a work of fiction and yet based on the abuse suffered by the author, making it a very real read but written without lengthy graphic details – it is more focused on the state of mind, the emotions, as it is written with the intent to help others in similar situations. Marie Drake has written the story with so much care that it is a sensitive read but with some powerful heart-warming moments – two of which had me in tears.

This is a story of inner-strength, of coming through abuse and it’s effects, and then reaching the other side. It is a story of courage, will-power and love that carries it’s own message to all those in need – don’t push those feelings down, don’t ignore them. The power to speak to someone, anyone, can be all that you need to begin your journey to the light, where you can find security, love and be at peace with yourself and your loved ones.

A copy of Three Rules was provided by the author in return for an honest and fair review.

Three Rules by Marie Drake is available at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

To read the prologue and first chapter, along with info on the author, Marie Drake, please check out our spotlight.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

February 11, 2015 by Caroline Barker

Review Round-Up – February ’15

Hi readers, we hope that you are all well and looking forward to the arrival of Spring, as Tina and I are. We want to say goodbye to the cold and gloominess, the bugs and viruses, and welcome some clear, blue, sunny skies to wake up to and motivate us to get out and about. I’m sure if it wasn’t for certain responsibilities I would just hibernate with my books and laptop throughout the winter months!

With Valentine’s Day just a few days away I hope that you are all in the mood for love! We have been reading many great romance novels, whether they are contemporary, historical, paranormal, comedy or erotic, and so there are more than enough reads to bury your head into to prepare you for the weekend of love!!

Amongst our latest, thirteen reviews we have two thrillers and a non/fiction travel and food book – if you are planning to go away, or want to try something new to eat, this is a fab read of first-hand accounts with recipes at the end of each chapter!

We hope you enjoy our selection. And whatever your plans, have a lovely Valentine’s weekend! (As always, please click on the titles for our full review!)

Caroline & Tina ❤

Torment (Dark Alpha #1) and Pleasure (Dark Alpha #2) by Alisa Woods, paranormal romance (reviewed by Caroline)

Torment (Dark Alpha #1) – short story

New Adult Paranormal Romance serial

Shifters live in the shadows of Seattle, just under the skin of the alpha male, dot-com entrepreneurs who are building a new Silicon Valley in the Emerald City.

Jak enjoys the female human population of Seattle as much as any wolf, but his heart belongs to a female shifter who’s already mated. Worse, she’s the mate of his alpha’s brother.

Arianna was captured from her pack when she was only twenty and mated to a wolf whose dark side takes full advantage of her unbreakable bond to him. Her nights belong to him, but her days are free to explore other things… including feelings for a wolf she can never have.

Is love stronger than magic? Or will breaking an unbreakable bond destroy them both?
Torment (Dark Alpha 1) is 60 pages or 15,000 words. It’s the first of six episodes in the Dark Alpha serial.
Adult content. Ages 18+.

Pleasure (Dark Alpha #2) – short story

Blurb: New Adult Paranormal Romance serial

Shifters live in the shadows of Seattle, just under the skin of the alpha male, dot-com entrepreneurs who are building a new Silicon Valley in the Emerald City.

Jak and Arianna have found something special in each other’s arms… but is it something they can keep?

Is love stronger than magic? Or will breaking an unbreakable bond destroy them both?

Pleasure (Dark Alpha 2) is 60 pages or 15,000 words. It’s the second of six episodes in the Dark Alpha serial.

Adult content. Ages 18+.

Guildhall Guradian: Thamesian (Thamesians #1) by Aidan Ladsow, paranormal romance, mystery (reviewed by Caroline)

Blurb: SHE HAS JUST FOUND THE ADVENTURE SHE CRAVED FOR

Italian Art Graduate Gioia Di Terzi has left Rome for England, upsetting all her plans of a future as a Museum administrator. Now working as a civil servant, she settles into a British working-class routine which comes nowhere close to her dreams of English Gothic tales.
That’s before she discovers the Medieval Quarter of the city and steps into its Guildhall, a building which instantaneously fascinates her.
Little does she know she just crossed the supernatural underworld’s threshold…

AFTER CENTURIES AS A GUARDIAN HE MUST COME OUT AND FIGHT

In 1430, Roydon Thamesian made a pact with Vampires who saved his life and became the powerful Guildhall’s guardian.
Ruling the Medieval Quarter, he doesn’t know humanity anymore.
Until Gioia Di Terzi stumbles into his life and he becomes the target of unmistakable attacks from a Hunter…

Plea From a Stranger by Derek A Barrass, thriller, slight paranormal (reviewed by Tina)

Blurb: A young woman’s casual visit to a garage accompanied by her young daughter; becomes her worst imaginable nightmare when the owner tricks her and locks them in his basement. June, who was once a nude model for lad’s magazines, is the dream-girl he believes has been sent by fate to be his. He is a psychopath who has killed his wife and the man she left him for. He also hides other crimes from his past which he believes he was entitled to do if anyone crossed him.

Songs of the Maniacs (novella) by Mickey J. Corrigan, new adult, psychological thriller, dark drama, urban crime, romantic suspense (reviewed by Caroline)

Blurb: Who are we when we lose everything, including our personalities? From her office at a mental health institute in the tropics, a troubled young woman counsels deeply disturbed clients while coping with her own heightening concerns. These include frightening consciousness lapses, violent memories of a high school sexual relationship, a menacing stalker, and an annoyingly arousing visitor who may or may not be insane. All this on a single stormy day at a time when a new mental health disorder has become epidemic and is threatening to distort memory and identity, unmooring the validity of reality itself.

A seductive and chilling novella, Songs of the Maniacs takes readers on a fascinating descent into the abyss beneath the lush surfaces of contemporary American paradise.

Broken Dolls by Kitty Thomas, literary erotica 18+ (reviewed by Tina)

Blurb: Mina Calloway always finds herself in the hands of the wrong master: Gentle at first, then brutally sadistic and abusive. She no longer believes it’s possible to find a man who will be gentle with her. After seeing a kink-friendly therapist for months, the doctor makes her an illicit offer she isn’t yet smart enough to refuse: “Let me find you a good master.”

Brian Sloan is a borderline sociopath with a dark and brutal past. Only taking his sadistic urges out on the women at a submissive training house allows him to sleep through the night. When Brian sees Mina, she should be ripe for the picking, but her damage is too similar to his own. Can he fight past his demons to protect the one person he considers worth saving?

Note: This book happens in the same world as Guilty Pleasures with reoccurring settings and characters. However, it is not a direct sequel and it isn’t necessary to have read Guilty Pleasures first. If you enjoy this book, however, you may also enjoy Guilty Pleasures by Kitty Thomas.

Travel Bites by The Hungry Traveller, non-fiction, travel, food (reviewed by Caroline)

Blurb: Travel Bites is a collection of short stories that criss-cross the globe. It is the first work by The Hungry Traveller who has combined his two great life passions: travelling and eating!

The Hungry Traveller has been travelling for the last fifteen years and, along the way, has experienced many different sights, tastes, smells and cultures. Central to his travel experiences has been the role of food. Through his unique and very personal style of storytelling, you too can share in the highs and the lows of his stories from around the world. At the end of each story is a recipe for a dish inspired by his adventure.

Travel Bites will capture your imagination and curiosity; and will leave you yearning to plan your next holiday, adventure or escape!

The Hungry Traveller is a travelling enthusiast who loves to eat! When travelling, he enjoys meeting new people and engaging with locals to learn about their culture, history and the food that they eat. He is ‘currently between trips’, saving money, but always has his passport on hand, ready for his next adventure! He always likes to hear about other peoples’ travel experiences and your thoughts on his book!

The Lady Smut Book of Dark Desires, erotic, paranormal, humour (reviewed by Tina)

The Immortal Longing of Brenna Bang by Liz Everly

When a vampire materializes through her computer, successful vampire-romance romance author Brenna Bang finds herself marked for inescapable passion with a tech savvy bloodsucker.

The Lying, the Witch & the Wardrobe by Margery Kempe

Jeanie tries to figure out how to unlock her grandmother’s wardrobe and uncover what happened all those years ago when the goblins came to offer their sensuous erotic fruits.

Sexsomnia by Madeline Iva

Jenny needs to unravel the mystery of what she does at night and who she does it with in order to subdue the sexual demon inside her.

Divine by Elizabeth Shore

Locked in an abandoned mental asylum, an ambitious filmmaker soon discovers she’s trapped with a Dionysian god. He offers her a glimpse of astounding future artistic success—but it will only come true if she’ll perform an erotic ritual to free him.

Concealment (The Cassano Series) by Scarlet Wolfe, contemporary, erotic, romantic suspense (reviewed by Tina)

Blurb: Victoria Hart is supposed to be the enemy. She is an undercover detective who infiltrated my hotel and casino as an employee to take down my illegal enterprise. What she doesn’t know is I am fully aware of it. The operation I’m orchestrating is monumental compared to anything her mind could envision.It’s the burning desire I feel when she’s near that I didn’t see coming. An unwavering draw to touch her, and the need to break down her walls is testing my restraint; however, nothing can stand in the way of my ultimate goal. She could destroy everything my brothers and I have worked toward to avenge our father’s death.To keep the upper hand, it is vital to know your enemy. How deeply can I go, peeling back her intriguing layers while still concealing the truth? How much of Victoria can I claim before she’s too close … too close for me to let her go? This novel ends in a cliffhanger and is for a mature audience due to harsh language and descriptive sexual scenes.

A Desperate Wager by Em Taylor, regency historical romance (reviewed by Tina)

Blurb: Nathaniel Spencer, the Fourteenth Duke of Kirkbourne wakes up with an almighty hangover and a wager note in his pocket stating he has agreed to marry the Earl of Brackingham’s daughter. And he can’t even remember ever meeting the chit. Clearly his drinking has got out of hand.

Lady Sarah Steele is horrified when her father announces that the Duke of Kirkbourne has agreed to marry her and even more horrified that her father wagered her hand in a game of cards. Not only that, but the earl has not told the duke of the riding accident that left Sarah paralysed when she was sixteen. But he’s dying and she knows he wants to see her settled before the inevitable happens.

Despite Nate’s drinking and Sarah’s possible complicity in the earl’s plan, they agree to marry. But when accidents start to happen, the newly-weds must deal not only with the fact they are practically strangers, but they must find out who is trying to kill one or both of them. Nate’s drink problem and Sarah’s disability are only a couple of the hurdles they must face to find lasting love.

Werewolves of Shade (Beautiful Immortals #1) by Tim O’Rourke, paranormal romance (reviewed by Caroline)

Note: This ends in a cliff-hanger. Part Two will be released 13th February 2015 and is now available for pre-order.

For readers 16+

Strands of Sollus by Cheryl Suchacek, fantasy, erotic (reviewed by Caroline)

Blurb: A contract from the Order of Aurora sends Myst in pursuit of a stolen magic sword. The job soon finds her partnering with Lotus, the rightful owner of the sword, as well as two beings bound to each other, Tol and Grayoch.

In the course of their mission, the group uncovers that behind the theft are sinister forces bent on resurrecting the dark lord, Maridon, in order to overwhelm the forces of light and take over the world of Sollus.

Facing their enemies, Myst finds that not only does she have to contend with Maridon and his minions, she also has to deal with the growing complications of her relationship with Tol and Lotus.

Tequila & Tea Bags by Laura Barnard, contemporary, romantic comedy, chick-lit (reviewed by Caroline)

Blurb: Sent to live with her cousin Elsie in the Yorkshire countryside, Rose has only one thing on her mind; joining her friends as a club rep in Mexico.

When she hears about a council incentive offering the promise of free flights to the person who clocks the most volunteering hours at the local care home, she’s got her plan set.

But she doesn’t plan on bonding with the old ladies, going after the village bad boy and trying to persuade Elsie not to become a Nun.

Soon she’s questioning who her real friends are and whether her old life is one she wants to return to.

Can the village win her over and will she win the chance to leave it behind? Will she even want to?