My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A good value collection of books in this genre which was a great introduction to new authors and series.
Dead Reckoning: A Sins of the Mafia World Novel - Gwyn McNamee - 3*
Reaper is an ex-serviceman who does jobs that are most often a favour for an old friend - generally righting the wrongs that the justice system cannot. When he does one which involves killing the man who is responsible for an innocent woman being dragged into a human trafficking ring, he expects it to be a simple case of getting in, getting out and leaving nothing but bodies behind. The bonus is he wiped some scum off the Earth and countless women will not have to go through that ordeal in the future. However, in this case, he is only removing the tip of the iceberg as there are other women trapped and he has followed the thread to New York. But it is not going to be as easy as he needs to work without the beautiful cop and her hot-headed partner getting in the way and at the moment they are not staying in their own lanes. The feisty brunette cop is in his head and it is a distraction that he cannot afford no matter how good it is to be inside her. But he will do what he has to complete the mission but then there will be a reckoning - but who will survive it?
I liked this story which was definitely dark and complicated in places, but central to the entire book was the relationship and events between Reaper and Viktoria the NYPD cop as they both try to take down the Russian mafia and save women from being trafficked. Viktoria was very much of the view that everything had to be done by the book whereas Reaper just wanted to remove the traffickers and free the women. Over time their relationship moved from adversary to working together to reach the same aim and I loved the way that the story finished. I was thrilled when the story ended as it did. Contains lots of angry sex. Easy to read and very addictive.
Crash - Grahame Claire - 4*
Firefighter Teague Hollingsworth showed up in Pepper's world and turned everything upside down. Pepper worked at a rescue for greyhounds and after a bad first impression, he then showed up when she needed him and was incredibly kind to her dogs (and so gained huge amounts of respect). He copes with the chaos around her and has gained her trust but there are shadows and secrets threatening everything and everyone she holds dear.
I enjoyed this story with the development of their relationship, the involvement of the dogs, and the wonderful older lady Miss Adeline who was really spunky and so funny at times. and Teague's dysfunctional family. It was clearly written and it was very easy to be swept away into the world of these two characters and their relationships. Easy to read and containing not much in the way of mature content, sadly this ends on a cliffhanger and so you will need to read the next book in the series to find out if it is all sorted out.
A Covert Affair - Kennedy L. Mitchell - 4*
Lucia Rizzo is a CIA agent who is great at reading people and so when there seems to be a mole in a SEAL team she has to work with Senior Officer Gabe Wilcox who wants her to go and leave his team alone - there is no one there who he doesn't trust with his life. Lucia's mission is clear - find the traitor and then recruit Gabe to work for the CIA - the question is whether she can do that without breaking one of her rules about not mixing business with pleasure. As the investigation heats up, and truths become lies, Gabe and Lucia must work together to answer the only question that matters: When everyone’s lying, and lives are at stake, can they even trust each other?
I loved this story. The chemistry between Lucia and Gabe was off the charts. The mystery of the traitor was intriguing and although she found many secrets in the team many were not relevant to the investigation. The finale was both dramatic and romantic as she knew he would come and save her. The resolution at the end was brilliant and ensured that everyone was happy and fulfilled. Contains scenes of violence and mature sexual content.
The Rookie - Kimberly Kincaid - 4*
Xander Matthews is a police recruit and just wants to achieve two things - help people and keep his dark and dangerous past behind him. One person he never thought he would see in the middle of a crime scene is ADA Tara Kingston after she tried to prosecute him over 2 years ago. Tara prides herself on being tough having learned how fleeting life can be. But as they work together to catch a killer she wants to open up and let him in. The stakes are high and the passion is hot. But Xander's secrets run deep and now, their hearts and their lives are on the line.
I really enjoyed this story which had their shared history as well as their own secrets all merged into the case that they were both working on. I liked Xander who after everything he had been through in life seemed quite well-rounded and the right mixture of tough and caring in a police officer. Tara was driven and quite feisty but Xander was good at calming her down and making her focus on what was important. I loved that he wanted to be normal with her. Easy to read, feel and understand this book contains some mature content.
Ransom - Laramie Briscoe - 5*
Ransom Thompson is a K9 (Rambo) handler in the Moonshine Task Force and has wanted to take things further with Stella Kepler for years but their mothers are friends, their dads work together, and they’ve always been friends so it has to be done carefully. When he has to respond to a hostage situation with Stella in the middle of it he feels it is his one chance and he cannot blow it. When Stella is in an examination room with a hurt woman and a man with a gun she sneaks out and calls 911 and waits for a response. That comes in the form of Ransom and she has started to notice him more so is pleased it was him. She offers to cook him dinner for saving her in a moment which could change the rest of their lives.
I loved this story with the strong alpha male with a soft heart as can be seen in his love for his partner Rambo. I was so pleased that their feelings were mutual and that the hostage situation was a catalyst to enable them to start something special. I was so pleased that he was supportive of Stella as much as he needed her to be supportive of him and his job which is just the way it should be. I loved the epilogue and the way that happened which was perfect. Easy to read and understand, I found it very easy to be swept away in the story and the thoughts and emotions of the characters in the story. Contains some mature content.
Wild Boys After Dark: Logan - Melissa Foster - 4*
Logan Wild is an ex-Navy SEAL and now a private investigator who has a thirst for justice. He has generally only ever had one-night stands but then he meets Stella "Stormy" Knight and everything changes. Stella is an expert at hiding her feelings, past and identity. Every so often she has to let loose but then it all goes back and she hides again. Logan is usually relentless with his perusal of the truth for clients, but after meeting Stella he has a new direction for that relentlessness. Passion ignites between them, and they share secrets but in order to have a future together, Logan is going to have to uncover all of her past and hold her fate in his hands.
I really enjoyed this story with the jeopardy of Stella's past and her struggle to trust both herself and Logan, mixed into the mystery of her ex-boyfriend and his connections. I loved the way that Logan was a complete alpha male protecting her and ensuring at all times that she was safe and well. Logan's mother was an amazing woman and is part of a reason to read the next books in the Wild Boys series. Easy to read, feel and understand. Contains mature content.
Cherry Girl - Raine Miller - 3*
Elaina Morrison has loved Neil McManus her whole life but then real life took a right turn and her perfect dream was destroyed. Neil hasn't given up and after years of longing and sacrifice as a soldier, he will use his battlefield-winning skills to win Elaina as she will forever be his Cherry Girl.
I found this story hard work even though it was only a novella. Everything seemed to be around misunderstandings and duty. Neil was a bit of a sap which didn't fit with his soldier side. It was easy to read. Contains some mature content.
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