Reviews

Watch Me by Stacey Kennedy
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

RATING: 2.5 STARS (No book hangover and no extra caffeine needed the next morning)



Things started out fantastic. The blurb was good. The cover was great. It was a no brainer that I chose this read out of a billion others on Net Galley. I thought I had the perfect book to read. I thought I would finish this in just a few hours. But, oh...

Okay, okay, so there’s a host of four and five star reviews on this book. Everyone has their own opinions, and I respect this. For me, I just couldn’t connect with the characters. Although I have great sympathy for victims of physical assault, I had no sympathy for Zoey because of her actions after the attack. I can handle instalove, but no matter how hard I tried, I was not able to fall into the suspension of disbelief. This is why:

1. The actions don’t line up! Zoey was a virgin. Most virgins are too scared/shy to even let a man watch them undress, but Zoey hacks her way into an exclusive BDSM/voyeur club and gets it on with a total stranger IN FRONT OF HER ATTACKERS just to prove she’s still a virgin. Uh….wha????


2. After one session at the club where Zoey loses her innocence to a total stranger, she instantly becomes a dog in heat and is totally comfortable being intimate in front of a bunch of strangers over and over again. Oh no, no, no.



There were a few things I did appreciate:

The author did not use raunchy and graphic descriptions to describe love scenes. Love scenes didn’t drag on and on forever.

The book was the perfect length. A short, quick read even thought I pushed myself to finish.


***I would like to thank the publisher for providing a copy of this book on Net Galley. This review was voluntary. Best of luck to this author.

View all my reviews First Debt by Pepper Winters
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book began where the first one ended. A naked Nila was in the forest trying to escape Jethro’s clutches. She tried with all her might to evade him and the hounds he’d unleashed to track her down. Nila was seemingly successful after climbing a tree where she hid for hours, but unfortunately one of the dogs picked up her scent.

Events between Nila and Jethro caused a shift in their emotions. Clearly, Nila hated Jethro (sometimes) for holding her captive. Jethro was ‘annoyed’ by Nila, but attracted to her in a way that he seemingly resented. After all, the Weaver Family had been a thorn in the side of the Hawk Family, but in this book, Jethro was having issues keeping his feelings for Nila in their respective places. His cold and arctic demeanor was thawing. He’s losing control.

Although we were fascinated by Winters’ writing, we didn’t know if we would be able to finish this installment. After a certain chapter, we had to put the book down for a few days. Jethro REALLY ticked us off in a bad, bad way. He was cruel and mean to Nila. WARNING: If you didn’t like Jethro in the beginning, you’ll ABSOLUTELY hate him after reading that scene.



BUT…

We were weak and left in suspense of what would happen next. We were also reminded that this is fiction and we’re suckers for dark, twisted romance. The author did warn the reader in the synopsis that this wasn’t a love story. When we picked the book back up, it was too easy to fall in love with Kestrel, Jethro’s brother. Sweet Kestrel might’ve been one of the sharks in the Hawk Family tank, but he actually seemed to have Nila’s better interests at heart.



Before sharing a kiss with Kestrel, Nila had already developed a connection with the sweet brother. So we found ourselves batting for Team Kestrel ESPECIALLY after Jethro did what he did! Ugh. (Shame on you Jethro…you are a despicable butthole.)

Needless to say we sucked it up and weathered Jethro’s butthole moment. We finished this installment, and after the major cliffy, we’ll be purchasing the next one.

Oh, and last but certainly not least…

YES, Kite007 really is HIM!



View all my reviews Debt Inheritance by Pepper Winters
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is the prelude to what we're hoping to become a very dark romance. We're pretty sure this read won't be hearts and flowers. We're SO okay with that!



We're introduced to Nila Weaver, whose last name is very fitting as she's a talented fashion designer with a family legacy of clothing makers. Nila is somewhat of a 'loner' ~ her father and overprotective brother have kept her away from romantic relationships.

As we read on, we find out exactly why her male family members keep her under lock and key.

Enter Jethro Hawk...

The brooding, wealthy and attractive man mysteriously surfaces after a fashion show that Nila, her father and brother are attending. Nila notices Mr. Hawks' good looks but finds it strange that her overprotective father is pushing her to go out with Mr. Hawk.

Although Nila's experience in the romance field is extremely limited; she's enjoyed the ‘relationship’ she's built with an unknown man using the texting handle of Kite007. The James Bond personality might have texted Nila's phone in error, but neither of them allowed the mistake to go to waste. They have been sexting for three months and Nila is smitten with the owner of the mysterious wrong number.

Jethro is not a warm gentleman as he leads Nila away from her family. He is cold and arrogant and isn't likeable. But with Jethro's good looks and a freshly stoked fire from sexting with the mysterious Kite007, Nila has a plan of her own. Her fantasies with Kite are limited to a keyboard, but with Jethro Hawk being readily available, she entertains the thought that maybe she could play out these fantasies with Jethro. After all, Mr. Hawk is available now.

After lengthy conversations and the fact that Nila just wants a warm bodied male to help her forget about her last message with Kite, there isn’t much convincing Nila to join Mr. Hawk on his motorcycle. Little does Nila know that this might be the last ride of her life and Jethro ain't no prince charming who's come to take her to the ball.



Oh yeah!

We’ve already bought the next book in this series. Oh my...with the angst and mystery that's began with this first installment, we have no doubt Pepper Winters has one heck of a story to tell.

RATING ONE SHOT OF ESPRESSO

4 stars.


View all my reviews For 100 Nights by Lara Adrian
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

As I said in the last review, this book did not contain a strong plot. But for many romance readers, the relationship between two people is enough plot to keep turning the pages. Emotions took center stage in this series.



This installment wasn’t long; therefore, this review won’t be either. Caution: if you do not care for love scenes, you need to bypass this one too. Frankly, I was tired of them, so I skipped them and didn’t miss any key points.

In this book, some loose ends were wrapped up. Finally, we learned the identity of Avery’s mystery caller and what his intentions were. We also learned if this person had a hand in Avery’s mother’s hospitalization.

OH, and thankfully we FINALLY learned Avery’s terrible, horrible, despicable, life debasing secret. I was overjoyed because I was sick and tired of all the hint dropping. These books were written from Avery’s POV, so, we were left in major suspicion on the details of physical Nick’s scars. Nick’s background was revealed in the most unexpected way. He didn’t share the details of his past with Avery through pillow talk, but his past was shared with Avery by someone we never expected.
That ‘someone’ was perceived to be a villain, perhaps a troublemaker in Nick and Avery’s world. But this someone helped Avery. And as we learned more about this person, we decided she is definitely not a bad guy.



The ending (rolls eyes) was weak. Avery’s reason for running away from Nick made NO SENSE and was the absolute DUMBEST. Could someone please explain to me why Avery was always whining about the fact that Nick didn’t think her art was good enough to be in his gallery, BUT she walked out on him after she found out that he was attracted to her portrait, bought it and he had to track her down. OH, BTW, AVERY PAINTED THE PORTRAIT!!!!!



Poor Nick couldn't make Avery happy no matter what he did! We think he should let her go forever.


RATING (minus the stupid ending) THREE ½ STARS
One cup of coffee was enough to get us going the next day.







View all my reviews Fifth a Fury by Pepper Winters
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Reaching the end of this series was bittersweet. I love mystery and not knowing where the author will take us! But I knew I'd eventually have to face the music and read that very last sentence.

Fifth a Fury was a necessity. It wasn't spectacular like the preceding installments and it didn't draw me in like the other four books, BUT it gives us closure.

The book consists of:

SULLY LIVES AND DIES

Sully bobbles between life and death. He's in. He's out. He's fighting. He wants to give up. Of course he doesn't decide to die because he wants to spend his life with the woman who has stolen his black heart.



And a black heart it is! Sometimes Sully REALLY got on my last nerve by treating people the way he did...like Eleanor's dad. I mean, Sully stole Eleanor away from her family. He drugged her and mistreated her AND MADE HER A SLAVE. When Sully finally meets Eleanor's worried sick dad via video call, Sully hangs up on him. Oh my gosh, what a jerk. Ugh. I can't even...

ELEANOR WORRIES AND WHITTLES

While Sully is in a comma, Eleanor deals with the police who want to investigate the island. And with the help of the good doctor, she manages to delete all the files off Sully's computers and destroys all evidence of the wrong doings on Goddess Isles. WOW, that was fast.

A WHITE WEDDING

Yep, you guessed it. Eleanor and Sully make it official. Happy now????

FINAL THOUGHTS

A popular author (not Winters) made the statement that she used real life drama to mold plots and characters, but had to tone down reality because many times real life was MUCH more strange than fiction. At times I almost confused this story with current events and ultra creepy people who have made the news. Sully comments of hating overpopulation and developing drugs to cure diseases was too close to Bill Gates. I despise Gates, BTW.

Sully, no matter how many times you say you're a 'new man' because Eleanor has changed you, you're still a first class, grade A disrespectful jerk.



QUESTION: If Sully hates overpopulation, does this mean he won't have kids with Eleanor? (Careful, Sully, your arrogance is getting in the way.)

And ahhhh....yet there was another page taken from current events...the email Sully got from the mysterious Q. In the story, Q is an anonymous person who seems to know every dark and dirty secret Sully harbors.



Q sends Sully an email claiming to know all of Sully's secrets and alludes that he/she might spill the beans to the police. Turns out, Q is Tess's boyfriend. This point was written so late into the story that I don't even know why it mattered.

Although this book seems to be inspired from news or tabloids, it truly doesn't matter. Writers get inspired by current events all the time. There's nothing wrong with it and it's not breaking copyright laws. Winters is a fantastic writer with a wicked imagination.



View all my reviews For 100 Days by Lara Adrian
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Three 1/2 stars

This new to me author impressed me in some ways, but not in others. The writing was good, but the story line wasn't original or earth shaking. I wasn't totally glued to the book, but after putting it down for a couple of weeks to deal with life matters, I didn't find it difficult to pick back up.

Avery is a struggling artist working as a bartender to make ends meet. While visiting the art gallery that rejected her work, Avery meets a dark, handsome and insanely rich man, Mr. Baine. Sparks instantaneously fly between Avery and the man, igniting a red hot physical relationship between them.

As their relationship progresses, Avery feels she can't be honest with Mr. Baine about who she really is. Avery feels she's not his typical type of lover (successful, rich, gorgeous) so she dodges telling him the truth about her life. She also leaves out the fact that the penthouse she's staying in really belongs to a supermodel she's house sitting for. Avery is also not honest in the fact that she serves drinks for a living...Mr. Baine is lead to believe Avery's job is in marketing.

The author reels in readers with that Fifty Shades appeal. Much like Christian Grey, Mr. Baine is the typical alpha who is into power exchange. This quality about Baine isn't revealed until later in the book. Beware, there are TONS of love scenes...so many that I actually skipped a great many and didn't miss important points. Ugh. I know love scenes are important in romance, but after a while, we feel like were drowning in body fluids.

**Hey, I'm not knocking the FSOG trope because it sold over 1 million copies...so please, stop with the comments on FSOG cut/paste comments. If you picked up this book, then you probably read Fifty too.

Anyhoo, to make a long story short, Avery finally comes clean about the truth of her bar tending and the fact that her mother is in prison for killing Avery's abusive step father. BUT Avery doesn't tell Mr. Baine what her 'other' secret is. This is so frustrating because we're reminded a gazillion times of this 'secret' that Avery thinks it would sink her relationship with Mr. Baine. At this point, I'm pretty sure Mr. Baine wouldn't be too upset...he's still with her after learning about her other lies. Jeeze, I guess the author has to use something to keep us guessing until the very end.

I will be reading the next installment after I catch up on Net Galley reviews.

View all my reviews The Devious King by B.L. Mute
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Okay, so all stories have great and not-so-great moments, but fairness and honesty are at the core of our review policy. If we do not feel like we can be truthful, we just won't write the review. We were okay with the book, but not glued to it.

Not So Great Moments

Come on, we understand readers like strong female characters but Charlie's ability to fight a man in the gym was just way too much. We were certain her wardrobe contained a red, white and blue cape. She could probably leap tall buildings in a single bound. Her super spidey senses told her exactly when a bad guy was packing. She could even take down a big, macho guy with one swat of a high heel. Perhaps, make a bomb out of a mascara wand.



But every superhero has a kryptonite. After Teddy killed a man in a club, Charlie cried. Shouldn't a seasoned super woman expect to run into bloodshed at some point in her venture with the mafia?

SHE LOVES HIM....SHE LOVES HIM NOT



At one point, the gun toting, fist flying, superhero said she couldn't love a killer. But she was 'hired' to be a bodyguard to a mafia leader, and killing is exactly what a body guard is supposed to do. The character's emotions did not line up with her talk. She spent 40 percent of the book detesting Teddy, then slapped him in the face after he told her that he had a half-brother. Why? What is wrong with having a half brother? AND in the same breath, she internally professed her own love for him.



And the pet name, Monkshood? Please, someone tell Teddy the name Monkshood isn't sexy, sweet or endearing. Seeing the word over and over again pulled us out of the story.



'ALMOST' MADE US LOVE TEDDY

Teddy was basically a cardboard cutout mafia character. Other than his thirst for blood, acquaintance with Charlie's dad, and the fact that Teddy had a half-brother did not make him an interesting, three-dimensional character. Gosh, this was a letdown-like being served a luscious chocolate cake but not allowed to eat it. Hopefully for those who read the next installment, more will be revealed about Teddy. The morsels of tender moments with Charlie was not enough to make us fall in love with this character.

TEDDY WAS NO TEDDY BEAR

Teddy is a mafia leader, therefore we expected him to torture and cut off the fingers of his enemies. What we did not expect was his ability to get it on with Charlie before the blood even dried on his shirt.

Yuck. Yuck. Yucky.



And Charlie was okay with nasty blood smears all over her body? That is downright weird.

"This is Theodore Hale, leader of the Hale Family mafia.
Covered in blood, yet so beautiful.
I raise my hands carefully, and run my fingers through his hair, coating them in blood."

But just when we thought the weirdness was over, things got weirder.

"I move my hands and trace the path his hands followed up my body, leaving a trail of blood until they meet. I rest them on top of his. He squeezes me and I moan, letting my head fall back and my back arch with anticipation."

Ew, Charlie allowed him to smear the blood all over her.



THE CRYPTIC ENDING

The ending was very unsatisfying...a set up for another book. We were left empty handed about the death of Charlie's father and the contents of the mysterious file. Oh, but a character (We will not mention the name) reappeared on the very last page.

Great Moments

1. Love scenes weren't too long. Normally adult romance writers feel like they have to write three- and-four page length love scenes. We don't mind them; however we don't want to feel like we're drowning in body fluids after the book is over.

2. Plotting. This book has an actual plot! Although the unfinished situation with the key and the file folder were not fully answered, we were not given an information dump.

3. Some impressive writing...phrases and descriptions. If the author is new, the writing didn't reflect it.

SUMMING IT UP

Since it is obvious this is going to be a series, we have no idea how long it will be before book 2 is available. But because we try to read every book on our schedule, continuing on to the next installment of any serial requires us to be absolutely in love with the first book.

REVIEW

3 STARS

Extra Cup of Regular Coffee
We were willing to read on to find out what happened next.



View all my reviews Titan's Addiction by Anna Zaires
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A book that was just short of an almost perfect read for my tastes. I found instalove written the right way. I found a man who knows how to get exactly what he wants. And I got a hard working, underprivileged heroine who expects nothing from anyone.

But in an imperfect world, there's no such thing as a totally perfect book.

What's my problem?



I WANTED MY ALPHA

Marcus came close but not close enough-much too sweet to be a dominating man. Alphas tend to get a bad rap from readers, although I don't know why. Despite his stalker tenancies, there's no way a reader could dislike Marcus. Hiring a PI to follow Emma was excusable. Expected. So utterly forgivable that I can't fathom anyone thinking he was a butt hole....

Except Emma.

Usually hard working, underprivileged heroines score major points with me, but even I could only take so much of Emma's annoying and whinny ways. She was a prideful dummy who would rather wear a cat's butt dress to a nice dinner with her billionaire boyfriend than allow him to buy her something that didn't smell like cat pee.



I was seriously surprised Emma didn't run out of all nine lives. After trying to soothe her insecurities, boosting her ego and enduring her stupid ways, Marcus should have left her to obsess over her feline cohorts.



Women across the world would be lined up to have a snow ball's chance with a sweetie like Marcus. SO sorry Emma, you're the first underprivileged heroine who made me want to throw you to the dogs...(um, cats)



Marcus would've been better off going for Kendall. She had spunk, brains and appreciated people who wanted to do nice things for others.



We weren't given much information about Kendell and the reason she was contrite toward Marcus' friend, but I'd bet there's another interesting story spinning in the author's mind about these two. :)

Zaires is one of my go to authors for those insatiable dark romance cravings. Before I started book one, I expected Marcus to be a real alpha-not a cream puff with icing. But Zaires is notoriously known for persuading readers into accepting a love affair they'd normally balk at.



Just like Marcus who should've snubbed his nose at a cat lady, he found himself turning up his nose to a debutante.

Ah, the underdog won the prize. (Or should I say the annoying undercat lady?)

RATING = 4 STARS= Extra Shot of Espresso

Didn't want to put it down.

View all my reviews Irrevocably Shattered by S.C. Ellen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3 STARS

This was a tough one to rate. Couldn't rank it a four star. And it wasn't a two star either because this book wasn't a terrible read. I'll begin with the reasons why I couldn't rate it a four:

1. The pace. This book started out with a lot of action. We're given a strong, emotional opening and all of a sudden the action comes to a screeching halt. I also felt as if some of the scenes in the book didn't really move the story forward. This is why I just couldn't seem to really get into this book. And until well past the half-way point, I felt as if the story was predictable. The H saves the h from a bad guy. H and h fight their attraction to each other. Wash, rinse, repeat until the story finally began to propel forward.

2. I couldn't connect with the characters. I tried SO hard. I really, really tried to care about the H and h but despite the effort, it just didn't happen. Maybe this issue was from all the bloodshed and ruthlessness that comes in a story line containing a mafia setting. Mafia romance isn't something that I normally read, so maybe it's all on me.




3. It wasn't clear why the h despised the H early in the story. h even admitted that H was a mystery to her...therefore, how could she instantly decide that she hated him? There was really no reason for h to keep fighting her attraction to H. It's almost as if this was built into the story line solely to build tension, but the angst/resistance just fell flat for me.

The reasons I couldn't give the book a two star:

1. The book was well written. Save for the slow pace, H did go through a bit of a change...this is character development. Good job.

2. The cover art was great. The graphics on the inner matter of the book were good too. There were no grammar/editing issues. The writing wasn't juvenile. (many new authors often struggle with this.) It was apparent this author put time, money and pride into producing a good product for her readers. Good job and thank you, S.C. Ellen.

3. We get a sweet happy ever after ending.



I do think the S.C. Ellen has talent, but I probably wouldn't chose another mafia romance title to read.

I voluntarily read this book for the purpose of a review.

View all my reviews Fourth a Lie by Pepper Winters
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Oh dear, I feel like I'VE had a full vial of Pepper Winters' magical elixir.

The ride was wild, suspenseful, crazy and downright nerve wracking. Drake, Sully's evil older brother, unleashes his insane jealousy...bullets fly, blood flows, death comes knocking and the storm is in full swing.

Who will survive?

Eleanor finds her way back to Goddess Isles. But even if she knew of the horrible danger looming ahead for her, she wouldn't change her mind. Her instincts are screaming at her...

Sully is in trouble. Drake has the upper hand.

Will it be temporary?

Jealousy makes an appearance, but she's got an agenda of her own. The good doctor, excuse me, (traitor) comes around too. We see his true intentions which could be a relief or quite terrifying.
With his ability to heal, he could be a help to Sully, or a hindrance.

HA! You'll have to read the book to find out.

The ending was gut wrenching. Ugh. Readers are sure to scream, NO, NO, NO! We'll never survive the wait for June 16th when Fifth a Fury goes live.

Now, I must say that I had to lower my rating to four stars instead of five. Why? Because of the over abundant use of a certain word that makes me feel like I'd swallowed a vat of acid every time I see it. This disgusting word seemed to appear on every three pages or so.

Please, Pepper, remember that God's last name isn't damn....

Don't junk up your writing with this word. God is the one who gave you this wonderful ability to move the world with your words. Don't bite the hand that feeds you. You're a master of the English language...you've made it your slave~ your descriptions are beautiful without trashing God. And there are many other ways to depict a character's anger and hopelessness.

MY RATING = Extra shot of Espresso

FOUR STARS









View all my reviews Wall Street Titan by Anna Zaires
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Having read Anna Zaires' captive series in the past, I never dreamed I'd construct a review containing the word sweet to describe a Zaires title. BUT to my great surprise, sweet was exactly the first word that came to mind after I finished this book.

Not dark, not dangerous, not enthralling, but...

Sweet.

Not to say that this book was bad because it's actually cute. (there I go again using a word that is uncharacteristic of an Anna Zaires' title).

Cute.

LOL.

I read some of the other reviews before I dived into this book. Many commented that Marcus was too alpha, when in fact, I didn't find him as being an alpha at all. Sure, he's rich and good looking and all the things most fictional alphas can be, but he wasn't a dominating butt hole.

He was um... kinda sweet.

LOL

I'll add that Marcus was everything I didn't think he'd be. My reading tastes are very specific and I don't mind the alpha arrogance thing. There's a huge audience of readers who eat up alpha male syndrome stories and I'm in that category.

OH, and nobody can write a dark alpha quite like Zaires. Although the author took a big step back from her usual character crafting recipe in this story, I still enjoyed the book. I'm a SUCKER for heroines who are underprivileged and do not expect anyone or anything to pay their way. Women who aren't looking for a handout yet they do just fine wearing Wal-Mart clothes and eating fast food. Heck, that's real life. :)

One could almost argue that this was an insta-love story, but Zaires has a knack for making us accept the speed at which the H and h developed the relationship. Actually, I think 90 percent of readers use the term insta-love when in fact, they really mean insta-attraction.

Being attracted to someone usually happens quickly. Especially if the person is nice looking, polite, has a great smile, etc. So please, folks. Stop using the word insta-love.

OF COURSE this installment ALSO ended on a heartbreaking cliffy. I sure wish Zaires would write a standalone...no matter how long the book would be. (BIG SIGH) So, I'll begrudgingly buy the next book in the series just to see where these two end up.

Please, authors...no matter what an editor or agent tells you, many readers don't appreciate six books ending in cliffys only to be forced to wait three more weeks for the next installment to go live.

MY RATING = Single shot espresso

4 STARS

View all my reviews Third a Kiss by Pepper Winters
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This installment begins where book 2 ends: Eleanor literally gives Sully a dose of his own medicine.

Poor Eleanor...her plight is exactly what all damsels in distress run away from. Trying to prevent a flesh peddling monster from selling her to a respectable rich man who has professed to love and cherish her, treat her with respect and throw money at her to make her happy.

Ah, what a tough life Eleanor would have. (sarcasm).

Instead of hopping on the helicopter with the prince who wants to rescue her from a sex island and abusive monster, Eleanor wants to stay with said monster. However, as crazy as it seems, Eleanor thinks it's a great life now because the monster has wormed his way into the recesses of her heart. And according to Sully, she's had the same success with him.

One thing that has my curiosity roused is the email that Sully sent his to traffickers requesting 'hotel workers'. The message bounced back...and that's weird. Is Sully's sex island about to come tumbling down?

If you're wondering what happened between the beginning of the book and the ending, all I can say is that Eleanor and Sully continue to copulate at alarming levels. Oh dear, enough is enough for this old lady and at this point, I'm drowning in body fluids. I began skipping the love scenes, but read the dialogue just in case the characters reveal important information.

I won't spoil it for you, but the ending was contrived of Sully's brother doing some real damage to one of Sully's islands and I have no doubt the real war between the brothers hasn't yet begun.

Okay, so now that I've told you about the book, I gotta say that while reading Once a Myth, it hit me that this story line sounds strikingly familiar to the real life story of sex predator and trafficker, Jeffrey Epstein. If you follow current events, you'll know exactly who Epstein was.

I'd followed (and continue to follow) the real life Epstein story while contriving my own story/plot in the process, but I think Pepper Winters has beat me to the chase. After all, real life events/relationships can be more outrageous than fiction. I'll make note that Sully's victims weren't underage. And I'm certainly not accusing Winters of stealing because authors are always looking for a great story even if it's something that's inspired from the nightly news.

Sully=Jeffrey Epstein.
Goddess Island=Epstein's Pedo Island
Eleanor=trafficked victim
Eleanor noticed a 'temple' like structure on Sully's Island. = Epstein's island has the same building on Pedo Island.

Just like Epstein, not only does Sully video tape 'guests' while in compromising situations with the goddesses, he also demands they sign a NDA contract to cover his butt.

Anyway, no matter how this story was born...either just a complete figment of the author's imagination or inspired by the real life Epstein, this story was good. I've found myself unable to put it down.

It's gonna be a long wait for book 4 to go live!

RATING = FIVE STARS

DOUBLE ESPRESSO

View all my reviews Twice a Wish by Pepper Winters
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

One word: Un-put-downable.

In this installment, Winters continues to wave her magic pen with the twists and turns, ups and downs, fire and ice, smiles and tears.

Fears and fury.

With the storm of emotions raging inside the characters, readers could point an accusing finger at the author for the wishy washy, teenage emotional rollercoaster the characters take on. This book would be my critique partner's biggest nightmare. But I would vehemently defend it because in reality, our moods and motivations change without warning.

Stop and think...how many times have our own emotions been erratic? Making a firm decision to act on something only to find ourselves backpedaling three seconds later.

Only Winters could cook up a storm of this magnitude. Push us in the midst of the danger--make us want to tread into the dark and feel the rumbles of thunder. Brave the lighting strikes. Freely face the uncertainty awaiting in every scene.

Oh, but look out, readers. We no longer have to dream and guess and wonder and wish. The blurred lines are beginning to clear and the truth of who really entered Euphoria with Eleanor is revealed.

Who is Sully?

Or what is Sully?

Oh yes!

Sully is crumbling. Eleanor is stumbling. Their worlds are colliding, bringing earthquake after earthquake. And I've been shaken to the core.

Oh, Winters is making me want more.

Rating: Six Stars. Espresso overdose.

Jeeze, I need a valium!

View all my reviews Once a Myth by Pepper Winters
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Over the years I'd seen Winters' titles on every blog from coast to coast, but never took the time to read one. My 'wow factor' has been engaged. Oh, this won't be my last read.

There are a million things I want to say about Once A Myth, but the thing I want to first establish in this review is the talent level of this author.

There are a lot of good authors out there. Authors who are good story tellers. Authors who are good writers, but Winters raises the bar far above what most dark romance authors have the ability to do. Absolutely, she can tell a fantastic story, not just with a well written narrative and rosy words, but she makes it a work of art. Poetic. Enthralling. Emotional. Fabulous.

Winters is at the top of her craft.

Am I jealous?

You better believe it.

At times I couldn't concentrate on the story because the beauty of the poetic prose stole my attention. Winters' pen is a magnificent tool that can build a world, and color it in vivid, brightness. We've never been to Sully's island before but Winters can make sure we feel like we're in the heart of the deep, blue sea. We're not Sully or Elanor, but Winters makes sure that we squirm in their torture. We hate with their fire. We love in their depths. We drown in their sorrows.

I love all the components of a dark romance. There's nothing like this genre...an author has endless possibilities. There's twisted, dark avenues to enthrall a reader and magical plots to weave. We love to hate those alphas who are ruthless, irredeemable monsters in the beginning, but then we get to see what made them so hard and unforgivable. We find ourselves falling in love with them as they evolve into a compassionate lover. We cheer for the stronger than human heroines who fight for their freedom, only to find ourselves begging for their FULL submission to a captor.

Oh yes! Dark Romance rules!

Sully seems to be the ultimate monster-peddling the flesh of female victims who've been trafficked and sold to the highest buyer--him.

Elanor is the victim fighting tooth and nail to escape the hellish nightmare she's found herself in. But when she's close to the monster, small holes begin to wear away her tough skin. We get a peak at the buds of affection that are beginning to blossom in her rocky heart.

What will happen next? Is Sully really the demon he's portrayed to be? Will Elanor stop scratching and clawing for her freedom and willingly bend to his demands?

I have every intention to find out. Already onto book 2...and I've got a feeling I'll have problems putting it down!

RATING = EXTRA SHOT OF ESPRESSO NEEDED THE FOLLOWING MORNING AFTER READING!

5 WICKED, WINKING, UNSTOPPABLE STARS

View all my reviews Beyond His Control by Clarissa Wild
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'll start off with saying that although this book was good, I enjoyed the first book more. The conclusion wasn't what I'd expected, but this installment didn't have a bad ending. The reader gets their HEA. I can only imagine the Good Reads Review uproar if it didn't end on a positive note!

I had no problem finishing the story. Nearly every scene had some kind of conflict-the making of a good story. Wild is an excellent story teller...one of my favorites. But there were a couple of points that didn't click, and one thing that was a downright annoyance. So, I'll start with the annoyance.

NATALIE THE NUISANCE
Throughout most of the story (especially book one and the beginning of book 2) I found myself despising her. She treated people as if they were stupid and beneath her. She was downright mean to sweet Emmy and the others. I had absolutely NO sympathy for Natalie, and at times I wished Noah would've just dumped her, locked her up in a hut and forgot about her.

Too often dark romance authors are called out for writing weak heroines. It's almost as if an author has to mold them into unlikable characters to keep the psychos from trashing their books. (You know who I'm referring to, don't you? The reviewers who love to tear down an author's hard work by posting degrading graphics in their reviews and then use profanity to get their points across. The same ones who use the hashtag #Abuse, #WeakFemale, #DNF) It's such a shame that a person feels the need to degrade someone's work. :( If you don't like a book, that's okay, but use some class about it. You only discredit your blog and your reputation.

NOW, I'm not a card carrying feminist, but I wholeheartedly believe that abusing anyone or anything is never okay. However, I have no idea how the typical alpha male got such a bad reputation in fiction because they are commonly key characters in dark romance. Many female readers are drawn to books about power exchange. Don't forget that FSOG sold over one million copies and many strong females grabbed a copy. Also, don't forget the male species was created by God first and whether you like it or not, men do have their place in society and always will.

For the Ladies Who Like Alphas: It's okay! There's nothing wrong or weak about being attracted to a strong man or book character. There's nothing spineless about that. There's nothing weak about that. I'd much rather have a softer female character over an arrogant, big mouthed, disrespectful witch.

WHAT DIDN'T CLICK:
Natalie made no attempt to hide after her escape from the Holy Land. She returned to the same apartment she lived in before she was taken.

Noah knew where she lived--she should've known he'd come for her. Considering her 'super hero female status', I would've imagined that she'd go to a police station to report the abuse that was going on behind the fence.

This would have left Natalie and Emmy with a sense of safety, thus giving Noah and his helper a great opportunity to find them. The story could have continued as written but would lend more credibility to her decision to return to her old apartment.

EDITING INCONSISTENCY
When Natalie and Noah were taken from her apartment, sacks were put over their heads and they were thrown into a van. My question is how did Natalie know they were in a van if their heads were covered?

DIRTY TALK IN THE HOLY LAND
The community was isolated from the outside world. Their vocabulary (use of profanity and dirty words) was inconsistent with a group of people who had never been exposed to any kind of media or influence outside of a pure environment.

FINAL THOUGHTS
I've read other reviews and I'd like to make one thing clear: this book wasn't about power to women only. It wasn't about degrading men. It was about power to ALL PEOPLE. TO THE HUMAN RACE. It was about freedom for all and liberation from an oppressive government. No matter the gender, we all have God given rights that no one should ever be able to take away.

My RATING = SINGLE SHOT OF ESPRESSO

4 stars. Couldn't put it down!

View all my reviews Addicted by S. Nelson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There are two reasons I bought this book.

1. The cover was super. So super, that I used it as a sample to give my own cover artist for my last duology.

2. I don't remember where I first saw Addicted, but I do remember that back in 2017, this book didn't have a lot of reviews...maybe under 50. Today there's over 700. So, I thought, something amazing is between the pages and I should check out this book. A little secret: I'd love to know how S. Nelson got this many reviews without hitting a major seller's list. Even with an ARC team, I was never able to get over 48 reviews on any title.

About 80 percent of the reviews say this book is a FSOG rip off. And uh, I couldn't disagree more. I don't know why romance readers these days are still comparing other billionaire romances to FSOG. It's almost like a reviewer's sickness. Authors have been writing about possessive, tortured billionaires and virgins for decades. This is not a new trope. This is not something that just magically appeared with the FSOG era. This is not a genius idea that all authors are trying to steal.

Also, the scenes in this book are nothing like Fifty. The characters are only vaguely similar, but this is not a FSOG rip off or copy cat. But I now realize that I was actually in great company--reviewers said the same thing about my book too. I was totally floored. LOL

I also noticed some reviews saying the writing was terrible. I do disagree with this also. Why? I didn't see any terrible writing. Besides, if you'll take a moment to look at the front matter, the editing was done by Hot Tree Editing. I know from personal experience that Hot Tree is a reputable editing service and I've personally worked with them before. They have talented and knowledgeable staff.

Sure, the MC was a bit more possessive than normal, but if you'll read between the lines and use some common sense, you should expect a justifiable reason for this. No, the reason wasn't revealed in this installment, but I can safely say that I do believe there's a reason coming.

Big deal if the heroine was a virgin. There's tons of romances that are about virgins. I wont' rehash my rant about this again.

The ending: I personally don't like cliffhangers, but as an author who has written two books ending in cliffies...I must say I don't have the right to complain. Apparently readers love them and by the looks of the reviews, this tactic didn't keep y'all from getting into book 2.

My final thoughts:

Curiosity killed the cat and curiosity will most likely cause me to purchase book 2. I do think Nelson is a good story teller.

Rating 3.5 stars:

Extra Cup of Regular = Page turner

View all my reviews Inn Over Her Head by Dixie Davis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The last time I read a cozy mystery was WAY back in the seventh grade. The school's library had a fiction/mystery section where I always went to pick out a story for a book report in my English class. Since then nothing has changed--I've always enjoyed a good mystery/suspense novel.

After years of reading 'the hard stuff', I'd forgotten what a clean mystery was like. This was a refreshing rewind...a good little read.

Now, this story had a slow beginning, but there were a lot of good things about this book. Thankfully, it wasn't too long...nor too short. There was no foul language or adult situations. I would feel okay about my own kids reading this book.

The real murderer wasn't blatantly obvious...the author did a nice job painting reasonable suspicion on each character in question. But thanks to my Agatha Christie binge reading, I was able to pin point the killer early on because the guilty party is always the very last person to suspect. A well written mystery will always have this quality.

The book was well plotted out and there were no grammar/spelling issues. A few sentences didn't really gel well, or at least I didn't think they fit within the context of the sentence. And I had to look up the word Oy. I'd never seen or heard of this word (if it's actually a word). At first I thought it was a typo, but the dictionary said Oy was an expression of surprise or frustration. Who knew?

RATING: Extra Cup of Regular 3 1/2 stars
I did want to keep reading. I do recommend to readers of mystery.

View all my reviews When The Vows Break by Janie De Coster
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Well, I can definitely say that I don't know WHAT to say about this book. The reason? I found this title in a Christian Romance group on Facebook. But what I read definitely wasn't a Christian Romance. This is best described as a dark romance with cheating going on among a group of church leaders. And if you're a true Christian then you already know that cheating is anything but Christ like. Especially among church leaders.

And if sleeping around with other people wasn't disturbing enough, the Pastor (Sidney Teal), his wife (Olivia), and other faithful church attenders (Yasmin and Amber-Rose) used profanity in their conversations. But to the author's defense, I understand that this is only fiction AND if a pastor is going to cheat, well, I guess profanity goes along with his true character.

One thing I would like to say about this book is that the author definitely stuck to writing what was on her heart, and as an author I respect that. If De Coster truly thought she was crafting a Christian Romance, she left the 'safe/clean writing zone' that this genre normally calls for. De Coster put her words out there for the world to read despite any potential criticism. This is the reason I gave this title three stars instead of two.

The ending was very abrupt. Too bad it didn't include a repentance scene from each character where we could see each person go before the Lord and repent of their sins. We could see a wonderful moment of re dedication no matter how their lives turned out after their 'screw-ups'.

After all, the road to Jesus Christ is never pretty, clean and smooth. It's ugly, full of heartbreak and destruction. We get forgiveness for EVERYTHING and this is what makes our savior, Jesus Christ SO powerful!

The last point I'd like to make is the 'brand name' dropping. At times I was pulled out of the story when the characters would shop for clothes...the constant reminders of Jimmy Choo shoes or Ralph Lauren polo shirts. LOL I suppose the author likes brand name clothes. But yes, I'll probably check out De Coster's other titles anyway.

My rating: THREE STARS!

View all my reviews The Master Series Box Set One by Simone Leigh
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Oh dear, this was a review I almost didn't write. I respect an author's work... it's tough to be a writer. You let out the stories that speak to your heart and hold your breath hoping someone besides yourself will fall in love with it as much as you did.

I had a couple of issues with this. The beginning- a hotel housekeeping employee stops work to take a shower while cleaning a room. The room's occupant shows up and commands housekeeper to ummm....you know.

Jeez, I think the plot was stolen from an adult film.

The mid point and ending were a cross between FSOG and Cinderella. Not saying the book was terrible but there was nothing that made me grab book two.

If you're looking for a pure fantasy/Cinderella story, this is the read for you.



View all my reviews Stalker by Lisa Stone
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

An 'out of the norm' stalker story. This is a modern retake on Psycho. The villain is an updated Norman Bates...hates his mom/likes his mom. Needs outside attention but goes about it in the wrong way.

I do appreciate the story this author knitted together. No plot holes or inconsistencies. No editing issues but I didn't struggle with putting it down for a couple of days. Finished this book so I could find out what happened in the end.

View all my reviews Sticks & Stones by Dianne Beck
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I'm a Christian and Sticks and Stones was my very first Christian/YA genre read.

This was a sweet and endearing tale of a young girl and the struggles and loneliness she faced. Life definitely wasn't a bed of roses for her, but she's tough. Hey, that's no big deal because she was naturally strong and resilient, right? Wrong. It wasn't until later in the story that she realized that all her strength and resilience came from God alone.

There's a lesson to be learned from this story. Just as in the MC's life, God is always with us in real life. He's our peace and our guide. He's our mighty rescuer with unlimited resources. How? For the main character He was grandma and Jared. The comforter and life saver! God puts people in our lives to help us shoulder the load. We really can cast our cares upon him!

Be encouraged and uplifted with Sticks and Stones!

View all my reviews A Debt Owed by Clarissa Wild
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Yes, no, maybe so.

Yes, no, maybe so.

Yes, no, maybe so!

This was a roller coaster read that I picked from the Clarissa Wild catalog because I loved reading her other title, Under His Rule. However, A Debt Owed was a totally different story...totally different everything. I pushed through several chapters before I could decide if I could truly finish it.

TROUBLE IN MY BOOK PARADISE

Well, at least I thought this story would be paradise. The trouble was that I had a tough time connecting with the characters. Easton was only a squeak more likable than Charlotte, who was spoiled and entitled to the best things in life little princess. Thankfully, Easton was from a humble working class background...it's easier to overlook the fact that he was just a plain ole butt.

Another issue was the reason Easton bought/took/stole/blackmailed Charlotte from her father. I don't really know what to call it because Charlotte kept saying she was kidnapped, when in fact, she wasn't kidnapped. In the days of the #MeToo Movement, this was a hard pill to swallow. No one could get away with selling their daughter to pay a debt. And it's not possible for the creditor to keep said daughter a prisoner. Especially, a fiery, feisty one like Charlotte. Her annoying ways would push anybody to throw her out the window.

Another thing that didn't gel was the reason for Easton's father's death. Easton claimed that his dad passed away because he was overworked due to Charlotte's father's determination to keep Easton away from her.

TAKE YOUR MEDS: E-MOTION SICKNESS STRAIGHT AHEAD

Up and down. In and out. Ugh. Easton's emotions bobbled between lust, possessiveness, and something that resembled love. Charlotte's emotions teetered between hatred and revenge, dashing any hopes of the two becoming a civil couple. By the time my dizziness subsided, I truly didn't care what happened between them!

(Yes, yes, I remember this is fiction).

WHY DIDN'T I COUNT THIS STORY A DNF?

Dark romance is Wild's niche, so I held out through the rest of the book. I wouldn't describe the read as a waste of time, but I know Clarissa Wild has better stories out there.

KILLER CLIFFY

Ohhhh, what a gut wrenching cliffhanger. Luckily the second book is available (if or when I decide to get it). The cracks in the hardened emotional shells of both main characters hold a glimmer of promise.

Clarissa Wild is a master of the unconventional HEA ending and that's enough promise for me. :)

View all my reviews Under His Rule by Clarissa Wild
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It's not a love story wrapped in pretty paper.

It's not sugar and spice and everything nice...

You won't find boy meets girl then they run to the altar and make babies...

Thank goodness for dark romance!

Call me twisted. Call me weird. Call me whatever you want, but this read was everything I look for in this genre.

Finding love in real life isn't always a bed of roses. Sometimes people end up with an unlikely person in an unlikely situation. So, why should fiction be any different? I'm SO glad Clarissa Wild understands this.

Getting a book by an author I'm not familiar with is risky, but in this case I got darn lucky. This won't be my last read by Wild.

The love scenes left nothing to the imagination. (not something I'm crazy about). But this isn't 99 cent smut. This book told a real story and contained a plot. It wasn't a 15 page rip off to get readers to buy the next 15 books in a series only to force them to wait six months between releases.

However, I must add, that some of the language didn't appeal to me. The F bomb was abundantly used and another word I despise too, but like I said, this ain't a sweet romance.

The author hooked the reader with a juicy mystery. Natalie sees on online article with a picture of a man who should be familiar to her...but not as familiar as the tattoo on his hand. His body art matches a symbol on a scarf that Natalie, now a woman, has had since early childhood. Natalie was raised in an orphanage and her only memories of her mother came in bits and pieces.

Natalie decided to seek out the tattooed man. Unfortunately, this ambition lead her straight into a dangerous situation...a prison...a creepy cult called 'The Family'.

Ohhh, this reminded me of a real life Jim Jones cult...'The People's Temple'. Creepy, indeed.

Natalie doesn't know the specifics, but the mysterious tattooed man was the ultimate alpha with designs on her. Unbeknownst to Natalie, she belonged to him and he'll stop at nothing to have her.

Natalie was every feminist's dream of a character. She's strong, brash and much too brave for her own good. At times she was a bit of a brat, actually. But when you're forced into The Family with its rigid rules and ruthless punishments, I suppose those qualities can be a positive if they don't land you in a concrete cell.

There's hate, hurt, sexual tension and suspense. There's an alpha who always gets what he wants and despite the book's cliffhanger ending, there's no doubt he'll get it. No matter how many books Wild has to write to satisfy the reader, I'm certain we'll get our answers and plenty of thrills along the way.

I just have one request: Please DON'T make this a five book series!!!

There were so many more things I'd love to share about this story, but I don't want to spoil it. Do I recommend it? YES. Will I anxiously be awaiting the next installment? YES!!!!!

My rating is an Extra Shot of Espresso = FOUR STARS





View all my reviews Passage of Shadows by Chasity Bowlin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

FINALLY the end! I'm so excited. But not just because it's the end of the series but because I actually felt like FINISHING this series.

Can you say FINISHED????

Yeah, okay, now I can take a deep breath and say...once more...that I don't really like a serial, but as I stated in my review of the first book, this story started out strong. It's also safe to assume the ending would be strong too.

MAJOR PERK: All the questions and loose ends I mentioned in the first two reviews were finally resolved in this installment. (Except for the romance between the two spiritualists. I still don't know why that was written into the story).

I don't want to delve too deeply due to spoiling the story. I will say that after reading book 2, I was beginning to feel sad about this whole story. Book 2 was slow...but held necessary information. At the time, I didn't want to have to force myself to finish this just because I bought the books. It's like investing in a relationship...I prefer not to invest my time in something that I know will most likely let me down.

Guess What? I'm not let down. (smiles)

IMPORTANT POINTS THAT MATTER:

Yes, Frances the Evil One got her dues.
Yes, Eldren and Adelaide have an HEA
YES, the house is in rubbles
YES, evil was defeated...forever

Does Adelaide get her baby with Eldren? (you'll just have to read to find out)

My rating is an Extra Shot of Espresso = four stars



View all my reviews The Gentleman Mentor by Kendall Ryan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was the first title by Ryan that I've had the opportunity to read. I've seen the author's name on all kinds of blogs and anytime I see the letters beside an author's name, I have very high hopes for the book. Unfortunately in this case, my hopes were too high but not a total wash out.

Here goes:

Hale is the typical alpha male: arrogant, possessive (although this type of personality thinks they should have ALL the women), and oh yeah, Hale's great looking. The hot Casanova places online ads professing to help mentor women on the art of attracting men.

Brielle is the typical bookworm. She's somewhat shy and although her relationship track record isn't a mile long, she doesn't wear a halo either. Brielle has had a major crush on a guy who doesn't have a clue she's interested. She happens to see an ad placed by a man who can help women discover their 'unknown' sides and assist females with relationship issues.

STOP RIGHT HERE! SUMMON SUSPENSION OF DISBELIEF! In reality, a shy bookworm is the last person who's going to allow a strange man to mentor her in such a private way.

Hale and Brielle decide to meet each other and the attraction begins almost instantaneously. Hale gets twinges of possession when he sees her talking to another man at the bar. He's telling himself he needs to just stay focused and get through all the 'training sessions' that Brielle has paid for.

Brielle fights the feelings that she's developing for Hale during the 'training sessions'. Honestly, this plot point just didn't work for me. Putting Brielle's safety at risk with a complete stranger...(uncharacteristic for a bookworm). The author would've served this story better if she'd written in a 'bolder', older, divorced woman who needed help with her relationship shortcomings.

Another stab was the big surprise at the end of the story. It actually wasn't a surprise at all. It was the most overused cliche in romance writing. Bad call on that one...

THERE'S A BRIGHT SIDE:

It is revealed that Hale is actually a cream puff dom who attends church with his grandma.

Brielle FINALLY gets some self respect and resigns to leaving Hale behind after he 'weirded' out.

ALMOST DONE:

The book wasn't terrible, but failed live up to my expectations from a popular author. It's almost as if this little story was a side project that was written to keep readers hanging on while the author was in between bigger releases or perhaps suffering from a slump in creativity.

There was some characterization...both MCs went through a mild change. The dialogue was natural and the story had a good pace. There was no brilliant writing or complicated plot with twists and turns and 'Oh my gosh moments.'

THE VERDICT:

I was able to put this story down without thinking about it every minute. My review is One Cup of Regular Coffee = Three Stars

I would buy other books from this author provided the synopsis is something I can't live without reading.

View all my reviews Anything He Wants 1: The Meeting by Sara Fawkes
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I read this a long time before I decided to do the review. (My life is busy!) Although a year has passed since completing it, I'm still a fan of Sara Fawkes. I've sought out her other titles, but haven't bought anything else she's written because nothing appealed to me at the moment.

BUT ANYWAY

I'd like to begin with the BEST points of Anything He Wants 1:

*Intelligently written (which, unfortunately, is becoming a rarity in this genre.)
* Good dialogue.
* A strong start to a series.
* Interesting characters, especially Jeremiah. (I worked extra hard to overlook his arrogance. After all, he's a billionaire.)
* Underprivileged and hard working heroine (no silver spoons) Yes, major brownie points for that!
* Unsatisfied/slow building attraction between hero and heroine. (well, if you overlook the opening scene which didn't work at all for me. I'll discuss this point in the next section.)
* The setting, tone, characters and plot were the perfect set-up for a wildly successful book considering this was originally released soon after FSOG. (Congrats to Fawkes on a genius marketing strategy.)
* Appropriate ending paved the way for another installment.

WORST Points:

* Extremely short. Couldn't consider this a book...it was bait to get the reader hooked. I felt ripped off and I've noticed many other authors in this genre are following this bad example. But now that I've been burned, I'll always look at the word count before purchasing any book. Won't be a fool again.

* Suspension of disbelief #1. The first scene was MUCH too much. Come on, who in their right mind would allow a stranger to touch them like that in an elevator? To beat it all, the heroine talks about how embarrassed she was about it. Oh but don't worry, shorty thereafter, she allowed it to happen AGAIN. Please tell me why this nonsense was written in so early in the story? Maybe the author's editor suggested some love scenes before things really kicked off? I don't know-I think there could've been better, stronger ideas to draw in the reader.

*Suspension of disbelief #2. The heroine claimed she did't know the identity of the stranger with the octopus hands. Uh, yeah...but she worked for his company. (Oh, but this is fiction...right?)

Sad to say that's all I have for the review. Why? Mirco stories deserve micro reviews. If this had been a real book, my rating would've been a Double Shot of Espresso (four stars) because I would've kept reading long past bedtime.

I have higher hopes for the next installments.

View all my reviews Veil of Shadows by Chasity Bowlin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Okay, so book one was a three star-not a bad beginning. BUT nothing like this installment! Oh no, Veil of Shadows has redeemed this series.

Will I continue to book three?

Yes, yes, yes!

Even as my finger hovers over the buy now button, I must first share the highs and lows of Veil of Shadows.

HIGHS:

* The dots were beginning to connect on the spirits residing in the Llewllyn mansion. Every story needs a great antagonist and Frances has the stage. The wicked sister-in-law is effortlessly reaching the pinnacle of evilness. She's more than willing to spill blood to achieve her goals. She'll stop at nothing. She's a bad bad seed, folks!

* New characters were introduced. A pair of spiritualists come to the aide of Adeline and Eldren, upping the ante. And oh boy, do things get interesting!

* Eldren gives in to his 'no hanky panky' policy. Thank goodness he makes his poor, neglected wife a non neglected wife in every sense of the word. I was so tired of Adelaide's whining about it.


* Presumably, Eldren and Adelaide have a unique solution to their haunted house problems. Who needs holy water when an arsenal of dynamite will blast the spooks away?

LOWS:

* A single afternoon with a fortune teller grooms Adelaide to be a seasoned spiritualist. Suddenly, she develops the ability to decode ancient writings and discern a murder in the works when only weeks earlier, she boarded a ship that was destined to sink.

Obviously the editor of this book (assuming there was an editor...although I have to wonder) realized that Adelaide's newly developed talents were too much for the reader to swallow at this early stage. The author does some damage control through Eldren's dialogue. He mentions to Adelaide on several occasions that he doesn't understand her newly found talents. So, the fortune teller reveals to Adelaide that she's always had the gift, but wasn't coached on how to use it.

Okay, this is only fiction so I'll give the author some wiggle room, but there were other timeline discrepancies in the first book that have not been addressed. I was hoping they would be resolved by now, but that's not the case. (Its always a good idea to pay an editor before publishing anything)

* A relationship between the spiritualists blossoms into a full blown marriage material in ten seconds flat. Not sure why this is a plot point or why it's written into the story. Perhaps the answer will come in book three.

THE WRAP UP:

Frances is in cahoots with the entities haunting the estate (she confessed to the murder of the footman who impregnated her). We are left in suspense...will Frances have the ability to cause more problems from the walls of a sanitarium?

Ah, can't wait to find out in book three!

THE RATING:

Single Shot of Espresso was needed the next morning = Four Stars

View all my reviews House of Shadows by Chasity Bowlin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a venture into uncharted territory. I knew what to expect from a romance, but a Gothic, regency romance? Normally my reading tastes run dark/contemporary (without the raunchy, graphic love scenes). In this case, the synopsis put a check mark in all the right boxes--a little dark, some suspense and mystery. Plus, it was hard to pass up a freebie.

I'll admit, after I one-clicked this title, questions came to mind. Will this be the same as depriving myself of greasy, yummy regular potato chips for dry, fat free ones? Will I only get through chapter 1 and wish I'd never gotten the book?

I'm happy to report that I wasn't totally disappointed but there's always a BUT...so, on with the story.

Adelaide lost her beloved father in a tragic ship wreck. As if grieving for him wasn't enough, her evil step mother, the new person in charge of the family estate, presented to Adelaide the conditions of a marriage settlement that must be fulfilled: Adelaide must marry an affluent man or she will not get a generous inheritance.

Adelaide, who was traumatized by the ship wreck, would rather eat nails than board another vessel to return home with her step mother. She called upon the assistance of her father's confidant and attorney, Lord Eldren Llewellyn. The gracious attorney professed to marry Adelaide so she could obtain her part of the inheritance.

Most damsels in distress would consider a handsome, single, wealthy and intelligent business man to be an answered prayer, right?

Well...Adelaide isn't Cinderella and there's no glass slipper, folks. Eldren had staunch stipulations of his own. Not only would Adelaide be forced to live in a childless marriage (for reasons I won't disclose here) she'd also have to deal with a bigger problem than that pesky ole step mother she left behind. The creepy Llewellyn estate doesn't seem to like Adelaide. Shadows and maddening screams filled the dark hallways. Voices whispered sinister threats in her ears. Not even sleep gave her the peace she sought.

Okay, that's all fine and dandy but what about the book's characters?

Despite Adelaide's privileged upbringing, (I can't stomach heroines born with silver spoons or are raving beauties) I found myself mildly sympathizing for her. Come on, who wants to be married to a handsome man who won't have sex with you? Pushing that little problem aside, I thought Eldren was immediately likable. However, I won't go into the details of why I took a liking to this character--it's more fun to find out for yourself.

I won't spoil the rest of the story for you. This first book in the series was a strong beginning. Usually, my ravenous reader tendencies won't allow me the patience to start a series. This ole girl wants a complete story in ONE book. And I'm not alone in my frustrations because the author made a statement (on the Amazon page) that she made the story arc into three books because otherwise, one book was be much too big.

News Flash Authors: there's no such thing as a book that's too big!!!

Unfortunately, I'll have to reign in my ravenous tendencies to purchase the next book. (Grrr, did I mention I despise a series?) Hopefully this author won't make me regret it. Stay tuned for more...

MY RATING SYSTEM is based on how much caffeine I needed to consume to get though the next morning after reading the book. It is as follows:

Double shot of espresso (book was great...couldn't put it down all night long)
Single shot of espresso (book was good...moderate sleep deprivation the next morning)
Extra cup of regular strength (book was okay...only needed one extra cup of coffee)
Regular strength (no problem trading the book for lights out)
Decaf (not my cup of 'tea or coffee')

THIS BOOK IS RATED THREE STARS = EXTRA CUP OF REGULAR STRENGTH.

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