Review ~ The Eddie Flynn Series by Steve Cavanagh

One of my favourite crime series ever! From a lawyer's POV, suspense, intrigue, twists aplenty!

Book Description: The Defense ~ Eddie Flynn #1

Eddie Flynn used to be a con artist. Then he became a lawyer. Turned out the two weren't that different.

It's been over a year since Eddie vowed never to set foot in a courtroom again. But now he doesn't have a choice. Olek Volchek, the infamous head of the Russian mafia in New York, has strapped a bomb to Eddie's back and kidnapped his ten-year-old daughter, Amy. Eddie only has forty-eight hours to defend Volchek in an impossible murder trial - and win - if he wants to save his daughter.

Under the scrutiny of the media and the FBI, Eddie must use his razor-sharp wit and every con-artist trick in the book to defend his 'client' and ensure Amy's safety. With the timer on his back ticking away, can Eddie convince the jury of the impossible?

**Featuring an extract from Steve Cavanagh's new thriller, The Plea**

Buy Links:

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2GKH05B

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2ByaqAA

Book Description: The Plea ~ Eddie Flynn #2

When David Child, a major client of a corrupt New York law firm, is arrested for murder, the FBI ask con artist-turned-lawyer Eddie Flynn to persuade him to testify against the firm.

Eddie is not someone who is easily coerced, but when the FBI reveal that they have incriminating files on his wife, he knows he has no choice.

But Eddie is convinced the man is innocent, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. With the FBI putting pressure on him to secure the deal, Eddie must find a way to prove his client's innocence.

But the stakes are high - his wife is in danger. And not just from the FBI . . .

Buy Links:

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2TRhEqs

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2GFy8hC

Book Description: The Liar ~ Eddie Flynn #3

***WINNER OF THE CWA GOLD DAGGER AWARD 2018***

A MISSING GIRL. A DESPERATE FATHER.

A CASE WHICH WILL TEAR THEM APART.

'Plotting that takes the breath away' Ian Rankin

'A fantastic thriller writer' Mark Billingham

* * * * *

WHO IS DEADLIER ...

Leonard Howell's worst nightmare has come true: his daughter Caroline has been kidnapped. He can't rely on the cops, so Howell calls the only man he trusts to get her back.

THE MAN WHO KNOWS THE TRUTH

Eddie Flynn knows what it's like to lose a daughter and vows to bring Caroline home safe. Once a con artist, now a hotshot criminal attorney, Flynn is no stranger to the shady New York underworld.

... OR THE ONE WHO BELIEVES A LIE?

However, as he steps back into his old life, Flynn realizes that the rules of the game have changed - and that he is being played. But who is pulling the strings? And is anyone in this twisted case telling the truth...?

Buy Links:

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2SyhB6k

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2Gqi8Ri (paperback)

Book Description: Th1rt3en ~ Eddie Flynn #4

THE SERIAL KILLER ISN'T ON TRIAL.

HE'S ON THE JURY...

****************

'Books this ingenious don't come along very often.' Michael Connelly

'THIRTEEN is my favourite read of the year.' Sarah Pinborough

'Outstanding.' Lee Child

'Smart and original. This is a belter of a book.' Clare Mackintosh

****************

'To your knowledge, is there anything that would preclude you from serving on this jury?'

Murder wasn't the hard part. It was just the start of the game.

Joshua Kane has been preparing for this moment his whole life. He's done it before. But this is the big one.

This is the murder trial of the century. And Kane has killed to get the best seat in the house.

But there's someone on his tail. Someone who suspects that the killer isn't the man on trial.

Kane knows time is running out - he just needs to get to the conviction without being discovered.

Buy Links:

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2UXDnNK

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2Ifec7H (pre-order)

Our Review:

Reviewed by Donna 

The Defense ~ 4.5 stars

The Plea ~ 4.5 stars

The Liar ~ 4.5 stars

Th1rt3en ~ 5 stars

 I read Twisted by Steve Cavanagh after a recommendation in the group Crime Fiction Addicts and absolutely loved it. This led me to look at other books by this author, and so the Steve Cavanagh marathon began, I could not put this series down. Four books devoured in three days and they weren’t short! Early starts and late nights were the order of the day with my earbuds permanently fixed, and I soon realised I had found another favourite crime author. 

I love legal dramas and add the crime aspect into it, and I had the best dessert with a cherry on top. This was the perfect blend of both with serial killers, suspense and intrigue and one of the most lovable lawyers ever. Eddie Flynn was not your usual lawyer; bad boy turned good with the right guidance from one of the good guys, who is now a senior judge. Eddie was a con-man, and when up in court in front of said Judge Harry Ford, using his gift of the gab, he got himself off the charges The judge was impressed and told Eddie he had the gift and should think about law school. Under the judges’ tutelage, Eddie turned his life around until he became disenchanted with lawyer life. Now forced out of his self-imposed retirement, Eddie returns when a slew of cases come his way. Only defending the innocent, Eddie is tested to his limits over these four books with police and FBI impeding and helping in various guises. 

Eddie was definitely a natural and I loved the way the author put Eddie front and centre in these cases. Going above and beyond, proving his client's innocence, immersing himself into the investigations and solving them before the relative authorities. Eddie’s old con-man life helps in many ways and being able to think like a criminal only aids his case building and solving. 

Each book is different and unique and as this series progresses the plots just get twistier and more developed as Steve Cavanagh hits his stride and the gem that is Th1rt3en is testament to that. The in-court drama is what really brings this book to life as some others I have read centre on what happens outside. However, Steve Cavanagh takes you through the trials, with the opening arguments, cross-examinations and summations and even jury selection at some points. Steve Cavanagh brings the courtroom to life, and you are just as enthralled inside as you are out. 

With fantastic side characters, this series has something for everyone, and there is definitely never a dull moment. Eddie’s moral character and personality are what drives this series, and his stalwart, tenacious attitude both in and out of the courtroom are what cements him as a firm favourite of mine. With plot twists I never saw coming, every single one of these books kept me on my toes, adrenaline pumping. Not once did I guess the twists, each book had my jaw hitting the floor, each book had me second guessing everything. The relationship between Eddie and Judge Harry Ford is perfection and only adds to this series. Fast paced, action packed and taughtly written, this is one series that held me from the first page of the first book to the last page of the last. Now I feel bereft, Eddie Flynn is missing from my life, and I can only hope that Steve Cavanagh writes quick because I need my next Eddie fix.

Review ~ Twisted by Steve Cavanagh

Book Description:

BEFORE YOU READ THIS BOOK

I WANT YOU TO KNOW THREE THINGS:

1. The police are looking to charge me with murder.

2. No one knows who I am. Or how I did it.

3. If you think you've found me. I'm coming for you next.

After you've read this book, you'll know: the truth is far more twisted...

Buy Links:

Amazon UK Kindle: https://amzn.to/2BkAPlb

Amazon UK Audible: https://adbl.co/2SdDPdC

Amazon US: Not available

Our Review:

Reviewed by Donna ~ 5 stars

I am still on my crime thriller kick and to be honest, I cannot get enough them, and this one ticked all my boxes. Set around the literary world, this one had me hooked from first to last page, and I couldn’t put it down. I tend to listen to my thrillers rather than read them, enjoying the narration as the narrators get into character and give that suspenseful edge, and in this case, the narrator did just that. The author does a fantastic job, and the book certainly lives up to its title, the ending I never saw coming and the overall “winner,” if you can call the person that, left a bitter taste. But alas, conniving is the name of the game.

This was definitely a rollercoaster of a ride with some seriously unhinged characters, but it is this that just made this book. In this case insanity bred creativity, and murder created best selling books. JT LeBeau is a best-selling crime author, and as soon as his books are released they go straight to number one and stay there. Superbly talented, written under a pseudonym and no-one knows his true identity, not even his publisher. Anyone that does find out his true identity ends up dead and the main character in his next book.

Steve Cavanagh gently brings the characters to life in the beginning, but when the story really gets into its own, the hits just keep coming. I had to rewind a few times just to make sure I understood what was said which often left the jaw-dropping at the most inopportune times. My brain was running a mile a minute as I tried to piece together the clues and just when you thought you had it sussed, Steve Cavanagh spins it in another direction.

Twisted was certainly an entertaining read, sick and twisted with plenty of suspense and intrigue and a fast-paced plot that won’t let you get off the ride. My earbuds were permanently cemented into my ears until the last dulcet tone of the narrator had wormed its way into my psyche and the jigsaw pieces that had been missing throughout, finally slotted into place. Trust no-one, trust nothing you read and you’re good to go. I will definitely be reading more from this author, and if this is anything to go by, I am in for a treat.

Release Day Blitz & Review ~ When Ashes Fall by Marni Mann

“When Ashes Fall is a tautly written, complex, and emotionally-charged love story that takes the reader on an unforgettable, unexpected, and deeply moving journey.” —USA Today

When Ashes Fall, an all-new standalone contemporary romance from best-selling author Marni Mann is live!

Book Description:

It’s been said that you can’t love two men at the same time.

You can’t split your heart, soul, and body in half.

But I’m here to tell you, you can.

Dylan Cole is like ice, sharp and unpredictable, the thunder inside a tumultuous storm.

Smith Reid is warmth, soft and gentle, perfect like a sunny day.

Both are mine.

But I can have only one.

There are two sides to this tale. 

I'm here to tell you mine. 

If you think this story is about a cheater, you couldn’t be more wrong.

Buy Links:

Download your copy today!

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2C7oVuu

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2Azqkdp

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/WhenAshesFallMM

Apple Books: https://goo.gl/Bq4rkX

Nook: https://goo.gl/h6VMj8

Kobo: https://goo.gl/aXMkJW

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2E1u6zG

Our Review:

Reviewed by Donna ~ 5 stars

***ARC received for an honest review***

“When ashes fall… That was the end.”

I first read this book about four months ago and having now read it again those first impressions, emotions, thoughts, and feelings just came flooding back…tenfold. I have been a huge fan of Marni Mann from more or less the beginning of her career when I stumbled across her book on Amazon, and I haven’t looked back since. Having read every book she has published I have to say that this is my new favourite book of hers, the raw, intense emotions and honesty that she has conveyed through her words will tug at every heartstring, will bring lumps to your throat and cause plentiful tears. But, despite the emotional wringer that this book puts you through, you cannot help but be affected, impacted and emotionally stirred by the profound story that this author delivers. You can tell that this book was written from the heart, you feel and experience EVERYTHING. Love is such a powerful emotion, one that you are lucky to experience once in a lifetime, some maybe twice, none are ever the same, but each leaves their mark. This is not a cheating book, far from it, but read this as the author intended, blind. Let her take you on this ride, it is one that you will never, ever forget.

“You’re asking to see my storm.”

We all want sunny days, the days where the sun on your face warms your soul and your heart, however, there are always storms too, and it is on those days that you keep your nearest and dearest with you. Life is full of moments, to learn by, to cherish, to love, they may be insignificant, they may be monumental, but they make up your map, your map is your own, and you never know when life is going to make you change direction. This is all about those directions, those left, and rights, some you anticipate and others you don’t, but they are there for a reason. It is how you cope and deal with them that determines your end destination.

“No, I don’t want to run… Unless it’s towards you, and then my answer is yes.”

Marni Mann delivers an extremely poignant, heartfelt, heart-destroying, heart-warming, raw, honest, extremely moving love story that will have you captivated from start to finish. The story grabs you from the very beginning and doesn’t let you go even after the very last words. This is a book that I will be thinking about for a very long time and one that I will definitely be re-reading. This is one of those stories that makes you think long and hard, both at what you have just read and about the characters. The journey that Alix, Dylan, and Smith embark on will have your heart in your mouth one minute, your heart fit to burst the next, tears aplenty and the cheesiest grins. This was a rollercoaster, and as your brain frantically tries to read between the lines, you can only sit back and admire how well the author has layered this story. This book was like an onion, every chapter was a layer and as each layer was devoured the possibilities got smaller and smaller. The author delivers the crux of this story with brutal honesty, and I dare anyone not to bawl their eyes out. Intense, yet beautiful for its innocence, no unnecessary drama, no angst for angst sake, just one incredibly unforgettable story.

“Alix and I weren’t perfect. We had cracks. And, as the months passed, I learned some deepened while others got filled in. I also learned that wasn’t the last night I’d sleep alone.”

Every character had their purpose, nothing superfluous, nothing artificial. Every character well defined and the character connection was on point. You will take these characters into your heart and soul as love takes centre stage. Alix is cut open for the world to see and her love, emotions, and pain were agonizingly honest. It is this honesty that embraces Alix into your heart and soul as she undertakes the hardest journey of her life. We all need a best friend like Rose, Rose was Alix’s rock, she centered Alix, was her confidante and always had her back. She had been through the rough and the smooth, and she always had Alix’s best interests at heart. Both the men in this book were extremely lovable, total opposites and yet congruous in their love for Alix. I will reiterate that there is NO cheating in this book, just two loves in one lifetime. I cannot say any more, I want to keep this review spoiler free, but all I will say is read this book. You won’t regret it, and you definitely won’t forget it. Marni Mann, take a bow. I sincerely hope that this book gets the recognition it deserves. You deserve it, these characters deserve it, and the blood, sweat, and tears you poured into it deserve it. This will definitely be one of my top reads of the year.

“I wish I knew now what I hadn’t known then.”

About the Author:

Best-selling Author Marni Mann knew she was going to be a writer since middle school. While other girls her age were daydreaming about teenage pop stars, Mann was fantasizing about penning her first novel. She crafts sexy, titillating stories that weave together her love of darkness, mystery, passion, and human emotion. A New Englander at heart, she now lives in Sarasota, Florida with her husband and their two dogs who subsequently have been characters in her books. When she’s not nose deep in her laptop working on her next novel, she’s scouring for chocolate, sipping wine, traveling to new locations, and devouring fabulous books.

Connect with Marni:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarniMannAuthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarniMann

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marnimann/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/marnimann/

Stay up to Date with Marni by signing up for her mailing list here: http://marnismann.com/about/

http://marnismann.com

Review: Third Strike (Chances #3) by BJ Harvey

RELEASING TOMORROW!!!!

Book Description:

Falling for your best friend's sister has never felt so bad yet so damn right. 

From USA Today Bestselling author BJ Harvey comes the third and final standalone in the Chance series, this time it's the much anticipated story of Drew and Ashley.

***

I have a long history of acting first and thinking it through later. In fact, I'm the definition of a screw up. 

Case in point - I’m having a baby with a woman I can’t stand, my ex is now my best friend’s wife, and I’m in love with a woman I can never have.

My biggest secret is falling for my best friend’s sister twelve years ago.

My biggest mistake is thinking I could live without her.

And now my biggest regret is the look on her face the moment I tell everyone I’m already married to the woman they hate most.

Buy Links:

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2RB74WD

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2Qwh1Qt

Our Review:

Reviewed by Donna ~ 5 stars

***ARC received for an honest review***

“The day I stop believing will be the day I know I’ve lost you, and that’s not something I’m willing to think about.”

BJ Harvey waited 4 years for a five-star review from me, and now she has had two on the trot. I absolutely adored Second Chance, but she blew it out the water for me with Third Strike, my new favourite of this series. This is testament to how her writing has grown in leaps and bounds and as she adds layers, depth, builds the angst, her character connection and a huge dose of emotion she has crafted a winning series.

“Do it right and make it count.”

“I’ll make it right, then I’ll make her mine. I promise.”

Third Strike is almost all written through the male POV with our hero, Drew. Drew has been a side character throughout this series, and now BJ Harvey has given us his story, and what a doozy it was. There is something for everyone in this book, with second chance romance, best friends’ sister and a forbidden love trope that was executed to perfection. Spanning more than a decade, BJ Harvey ramps up the angst as Drew fights his love for someone he knows is totally off-limits and no matter which way he swings, he knows he will lose someone…the love of his life, or his best friend.

“I’d never want to hurt you. This is the only time I’ll ever do it willingly.”

Throughout this series we have had glimmers of Drew as a character and if you thought you knew him…scrub the slate clean, because Drew is something else altogether. Drew wears his heart on his sleeve in this book and BJ Harvey cuts him open for the reader to see, there was no hiding for Drew in this book. The angst, the heartbreak and the pure devastation is testament to the deep-rooted feelings that both these characters have for one and other and knowing on the other hand that it would never, ever work.

“I’m a hot mess, wrapped up in a cloud of fuck-ups, with no light at the end of the tunnel to show me the way to future happiness.”

My heart was put through the wringer in this book, every ounce of compassion, love and anger were expertly extracted as the tears fell, the frustration built and the anger bubbled to uncontrollable levels. If you have read this series you are well aware of she who shall not be named, and she is back to her vile best in Third Strike. This book was pure torture at times, but those are often the best kinds of books, infuriating, heart-breaking, heart-warming, stunningly beautiful, emotional and down-right tragic at times.

“You’re either all the way in or you let me go. One of us has to draw a line in the sand.”

Drew will capture your hearts as easily as he did Ashley’s, Millen’s sister and our flawed hero’s heart is pulled in all directions. Despite being confident, assured and sexy as hell, Drew still has his issues and being the “adopted” son of Millen’s family only pulls his moral compass even further from his hearts. Drew had so much to lose and always tries to do the best he can to juggle all the balls and keep everyone happy, even if that meant he was the loser in the end. Drew is the king of mistakes as he fumbles through his conscience and what his heart is telling him, but his heart was always in the right place. There is so much I want to spill, but I cannot ruin it for you, but wrap your Kindle in bubble wrap, as it is in for one hell of a bumpy ride. I cannot wait to see what comes next from BJ Harvey as we sadly say goodbye to this motley crew.

“Forever and always.”

Review ~ The Kiss Thief by LJ Shen

What a start to 2019 and this stunning book releases on January 9th. You are not going to want to miss this one.

You can add it to your TBR here: http://bit.ly/2F8O1wd

Book Description:

They say your first kiss should be earned. 

Mine was stolen by a devil in a masquerade mask under the black Chicago sky.

They say the vows you take on your wedding day are sacred.

Mine were broken before we left church.

They say your heart only beats for one man.

Mine split and bled for two rivals who fought for it until the bitter end.

I was promised to Angelo Bandini, the heir to one of the most powerful families in the Chicago Outfit.

Then taken by Senator Wolfe Keaton, who held my father’s sins over his head to force me into marriage. 

They say that all great love stories have a happy ending.

I, Francesca Rossi, found myself erasing and rewriting mine until the very last chapter.

One kiss.

Two men.

Three lives.

Entwined together. 

And somewhere between these two men, I had to find my forever.

Our Review:

Reviewed by Donna ~ 5 stars

***ARC received for an honest review***

“You said I taste like a villain, but you taste like the victim.”

So, my first book of 2019 was a winner, winner chicken dinner and after a three-month romance book funk was just the book the doctor, in this case, LJ Shen ordered. No one writes an alphahole like LJ Shen, and the author pulls out all the stops with Senator Wolfe Keaton. There is something for everyone in this book, from the mob to arranged marriages, to younger woman/older man and one of the best virginal brides I have ever read. Everything about this book was delicious, so much so I pulled my first all-nighter in a very long time. Starting this book in bed was definitely a bad idea because once I started, I devoured it, couldn’t put it down and saw a little light peak through the curtains before I’d even had an ounce of sleep.

“Try not to fall in love with me.”

Francesca Rossi is the only child of a mobster, heir apparent and a woman that has wanted for nothing. Francesca has been groomed by her parents, and the only thing on her parent's mind is a kept woman and trophy wife. Sent to boarding school for the best education she is now back, and her appearance on the social scene has got men's heads turning. However, Francesca’s head has only been turned by one man and one man only, Angelo Bandini, her childhood best friend. Francesca is not your typical heroine, although she is young, she is independent, fierce, protective, loyal, brave, fearless and a romantic at heart. I absolutely adored her. The life she had dreamt of her whole life was taken away in a heartbeat, and she took it on the chin and made the best of a bad situation while keeping her integrity and her backbone.

“My heart has room for him, he just needs to claim it.”

Senator Wolfe Keaton will melt your hearts although in the first instance you’ll want to rip his out. Wolfe is a force to be reckoned with, hell-bent on revenge and yet the proverbial white knight. Wolfe uses his political career and connections to rid the state of those that have caused him the most harm and continue to do so to others. The way he goes about it isn’t necessarily legal and morally unethical but it gets the job the done and that is always his end goal, but his heart is in the right place, you just have to dig deep to find it. Wolfe keeps his emotions to himself, his heart is nowhere near his sleeve, but you see little glimpses. The more and more Francesca batters his emotional fortress, you can see the moat he has built around himself slowly begin to dry up.

“I had a control issue. I lacked it. She had all of it.”

When these two first meet at a social gathering, the tension is palpable. Each have made their minds up about the other based on first impressions, assumptions and generalisations and neither of them are correct. Hate would be a tad strong, but not far from it. Leigh Shen though nails that character building, the character connection is on point and that gradual change from hate, to lust to love was an incredibly delectable journey. I shed quite a few tears, my heart was in my mouth many times, I screamed at my kindle, came close to throwing it a few times, but the more I read, the more I fell down the rabbit hole and didn’t want to leave these characters alone. I lived and breathed their story, and when that final page was turned, I was exhausted but had the biggest smile from ear to ear. Emotionally spent, but totally in love with two characters that stole my heart.

“No love is fully requited. No love is equal. No love is fair. There is always one side that loves more. And you better not be that side—because it suffers.”

Another fantastic read from LJ Shen. I cannot wait to see what comes next and what a fantastic start to the year.

Review ~ Cards of Love: The Devil by Ashley Jade

Book Description:

The Devil is a prelude novel that is part of the Cards of Love Collection. You do NOT need to read any other books in the collection to read The Devil. 

They'll tell you I seduced them. Used my looks and body to lure them into my playground. 

They'll tell you I'm a sinner. A demon who held them captive with temptation and lust. 

They'll tell you I'm evil. A monster obsessed with the both of them. 

They'll tell you they made a deal with the devil.

What they won't tell you...is how much they liked it. 

Please note: This story contains content that may be offensive to some readers.

Buy Links:

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2TAGlaQ

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2OU7gLb

Our Review:

Reviewed by Donna ~ 5 stars

“There are no heroes in this story. Only devils.”

Ashley Jade is a new to me author and was introduced on the promise of a buddy read, said buddy went AWOL, but I forgive her. But…can I forgive this author for leaving me hanging? The Devil is a prelude to a book due out next month called The Devils Advocate, one book that I will be desperately waiting for and reading the minute it hits my kindle.

“Don’t hurt the only person who ever gave a fuck about you, okay?”

Jaw meet floor…that was me at the end of this book, everything I thought I knew went “POOF” up in smoke, and I was left staring at the walls, thinking what the ever loving fuckkkkkk. I love it when an author manages to catch me off guard, and this author hit me with a doozy, and I could only admire the evil, conniving mind that dreamt this plot up in the first place.

“There are two types of people in this world, Cain. Those who are capable of greatness, but don’t bother trying. And those who still try even though they’re not capable of greatness.”

This book was a complete mindfuck, cleverly orchestrated to draw the reader in and never let them go until the author wanted to hit you where it hurts, in the solar plexus. Damn, damn, damn, I cannot believe this book, if this is just the prelude then I cannot begin to imagine what is still to come, all it does is have me rubbing my hands in glee and eager anticipation. This book was soooooo clever, seriously, I HAD NO IDEA, I am in awe and bow down to this author. My book mojo has been non-existent, but this one certainly hit the spot, and I am hoping it has reignited my reading flame.

“Sometimes the only difference between love and obsession is a broken heart.”

The Devil is a story of betrayal first and foremost, unrequited love and trust that was decimated beyond repair and leads to the ultimate story of revenge. Unhealthy obsession in a variety of forms, one of love and lust and one of success and acceptance. Whereas one is somewhat in control, the other definitely isn’t and will do anything, and I mean ANYTHING to get what they want, no matter who gets in the way. Cunning and conniving, the devil in this book is a chameleon, ever-changing colours and you never know what one comes next. I seriously cannot stop thinking about the ending of this book, WOW, just WOW. If you find yourself tempted to cheat and read the end, DON’T YOU DARE!! You need to experience this as the author intended and what a bloody ride.

Ashley Jade, how have I not read you before? I will definitely be checking out this authors backlist. If this is a taste of what this author can deliver, then I have some fabulous books to discover. READ THIS BOOK!!

Review ~ Dying Truth (DI Kim Stone #8) by Angela Marsons

Book Description:

How far would you go to protect your darkest secrets?

When teenager Sadie Winter jumps from the roof of her school, her death is ruled as suicide – a final devastating act from a troubled girl. But then the broken body of a young boy is discovered at the same school and it’s clear to Detective Kim Stone that these deaths are not tragic accidents.

As Kim and her team begin to unravel a dark web of secrets, one of the teachers could hold the key to the truth. Yet just as she is about to break her silence, she is found dead. 

With more children’s lives at risk, Kim has to consider the unthinkable - whether a fellow pupil could be responsible for the murders. Investigating the psychology of children that kill brings the detective into contact with her former adversary, Dr Alex Thorne – the sociopath who has made it her life’s work to destroy Kim. 

Desperate to catch the killer, Kim finds a link between the recent murders and an initiation prank that happened at the school decades earlier. But saving these innocent lives comes at a cost – and one of Kim’s own might pay the ultimate price.

The utterly addictive new crime thriller from the Number One bestselling author – you will be gripped until the final shocking twist.

Buy Links:

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2OAi5lz

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2AVEkyX

Audible UK: https://amzn.to/2PhtgVw

Audible US: https://amzn.to/2DwlbFY

Our Review:

Reviewed by Donna ~ 5 stars

Audible Edition

Never before has a crime thriller reduced me to tears, but having listened to five books on the trot of this series, these characters have become my friends and hearing what this team go through in this book, OMG, I was distraught. My heart and head were at war with each other, and my tear ducts had a complete mind of their own, but without a shadow of a doubt, this was by far the best in this series. Angela Marsons outdid herself with Dying Truth.

I love Kim Stone, her ballsy, no-nonsense, take no prisoners attitude often leads her into the most precarious and life-threatening situations yet she is the type of Detective that puts herself in danger first before any of her team. Loyal to a fault and skating the lines of procedural ethics, Kim Stone always gets the job done. Kim has fought hard for her place in the police force, and although she ruffles feathers, she ruffles them for a reason and with a boss that trusts her implicitly, even though he acts as though he doesn’t, Kim and her team are unstoppable and, in this book, it is no different.

Set inside an affluent private school with secrets hidden within the walls and taken to many graves, a secret society still exists and it seems is getting out of control. This school is where the elite and successful are bred, politicians, lawyers, doctors and the like that are interconnected through “the cards,” a relationship that lasts for a lifetime and a connection that can never be severed. Starting with the apparent suicide of a thirteen-year-old girl it is obvious that something is amiss and when another child dies all is definitely not as it seems. With a couple of murders within days, when the team starts digging it seems there are a few hidden deaths in the past that correlate to the present activities, and the houses of cards come tumbling down.

Angela Marsons really brings this bone-chilling story into its own and once again I was blindsided, never guessing the culprit or culprits in this case. On the edge of my seat throughout I was totally immersed in the story and couldn’t listen quick enough. The last few chapters were a rollercoaster, and my heart was in my mouth so many times. With an ending I never saw coming I am sat here, mouth agape, tears streaming and have actually messaged the author for the first time. Kudos to her for the way she delivered this story, certainly unforgettable as are her characters and as I dive into book nine, I’m not sure my heart can truly recover. What a series and I am glad that Bookouture has optioned this as a sixteen-book series, maybe they can increase that count too, at book nine, this series shows no sign of getting old.

Review Blitz & Excerpt ~ Heartbreak Warfare by Heather M Orgeron and Kate Stewart

ONE OF MY FAVOURITE BOOKS OF ALL-TIME!! YES, IT IS THAT GOOD!!

Title: Heartbreak Warfare

Authors: Heather M. Orgeron & Kate Stewart

Genre: Contemporary Military Romance

Release Date: November 2, 2018

Book Description:

Briggs,

Remember when I said we couldn’t speak after parting ways in Germany? It was the day I broke your heart. What you didn't know was that I was breaking mine too. 

I thought they’d be enough–my husband and my son. That I’d get home and everything would go back to the way it was . . . 

Before the war.

Before the ambush.

Before you. 

But, no matter how hard I try, I can’t erase the trauma we shared. I can’t seem to forget the way my heart beat in time with yours. 

The truth is I’m lost without you. 

I thought the nightmare was over when they pulled us from that hole in the ground, but nothing could have prepared me for the war I’d face at home.

I know it’s selfish of me to ask, but, please, I have to see you one last time. . . 

All my love,

Scottie 

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Buy Links:

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2zmOJkZ

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2PFWAUS

Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/2SGndb5

Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/2F0ghCW

Free in Kindle Unlimited

Our Review:

Review by Donna ~ Infinite stars

ARC received for an honest review

“All too often I’m reminded just how short life is, and because of you, I’ll die both soldier and thief.”

Sometimes you read a book, and you know that you have just read one of those once in a lifetime reads. A book that will stay with you for the rest of your days, and one that, if you are brave enough, you will read time and time again. I have an all-time favourites shelf, I have read nearly 3,000 books, and there are only three books on there. Those three books are about to get a companion.

“For now, my heart is the reckless navigator, and I, a reluctant passenger, unable to escape the way I love him.”

Heartbreak Warfare by Heather M. Orgeron and Kate Stewart will be on a lot of all-time favourites lists this year, it will be on most peoples Best of 2018 lists, it will get a lot of 6-star reviews because it is just that damn good. This book was EVERYTHING!!! A plot I have never seen done before, a book with so much emotion, passion, angst, and heartbreak that your heart will be left in a pile of mush by the end. Yet despite the agony, a book full of heart, promise and growth.

“How much can a heart handle in one lifetime? I’m pretty sure I’ll never know the exact answer to that question, but the scars that mar mine make me hate the fucker for continuing to beat…”

This is a military romance of EPIC proportions, intense, brutally honest, raw and haunting. How something beautiful can be born from something so tragic. How there are many victims of war, not just the soldiers and how war has lasting effects on everyone, even after all is said and done.

“…when I went back, it felt like a house, no more than that. Like a life that belonged to someone else, and no matter how hard I try, I can’t get it right. I’m like the corner piece to a puzzle, trying to force into the center, and no matter how I try to manipulate myself, I just don’t fit.”

This book is brutally honest, raw, gritty, devastating, unique and extraordinary. There are truly not enough superlatives that I could use that could adequately describe the story within the cover. My heart was left on those pages, weeks later I still have not been able to pick up another book, and my brain will not leave these characters alone. This book leaves an imprint on your heart and soul. Yes, it doesn’t hold back, but I appreciated it. It happens, life happens, love happens, and sometimes you don’t choose it, it chooses you. These characters were in an untenable situation and yet, love prevailed, the things we do for love, how love surfaces in many different guises and how ultimate sacrifices show just how much love the heart actually holds. This book was FLAWLESS.

“It was only in breaths we shared together that we found relief. It wasn’t through longing or passion that we discovered our unbreakable bonds; it was through love and loyalty.”

These authors pull at every single heartstring, they play their own tune, from the melancholy to the uplifting, to devastation and destruction, to living life. Damn, this book BROKE ME!!! I have never cried so much reading a book, I mean, complete and utter sobbing, hysterical mess, I couldn't breathe and had to walk away. This is a must-read book and if you only read one book this year, make it this one.

“because of you I finally know what lonely feels like.”

Excerpt:

“I need you to break my heart,” she declares, wringing her hands nervously. “Give me a reason to hate you, because wanting you this way is…it’s ruining me. It’s ruining my life.”

She is dead serious.

Lifting her chin, as if ready to take a blow, her turbulent eyes implore mine. “Tell me about them. Tell me about all of the women you’ve been with since Germany.”

“No.” I shake my head. “Hell no.”

“Oh, please, Briggs. How long did you wait? A few days?” She laughs sarcastically. “I bet you didn’t even make it a day.”

She’s coming out guns blazing, and I can see it’s physically killing her to do it.

“Are we playing the guessing game? Do I get to ask how many times you’ve fucked your husband?”

“Sure,” she says with a shrug. “We’ll trade. You go first.”

She’s bluffing, and I’m calling her on it.

“Don’t do this, Scottie. You don’t really want to hear about that.”

“Humor me, Briggs.” Her eyes plead with mine. “I need to hear this.”

“Fine. You want the truth?”

She nods.

“Complete honesty?”

Again, she bobs her head.

She stands stock-still as I pace the small room, feeling the blood begin to boil beneath my overheated skin.

Fuck it.

I stalk back toward her, stopping inches away. “You really want to know that there have been so many that I’ve lost count? How they’re all blondes with blue eyes? But the blue, it’s never right, and their smiles—all wrong.” 

She swats at the fresh tears that trail down her cheeks as her lips begin to tremble. Reaching out, she places a hand on my chest, and I know that she must feel the way my heart is pounding against my rib cage, reaching for her. Always reaching for her.

I jerk myself away and brand that touch to memory.

In about forty-five seconds, my heart is going to implode. I start ticking them down.

“You want me to tell you all about how I have to drink myself stupid, till their faces blur enough that I can pretend…” I pause running a hand down my face. “So that I can pretend they’re you? You want to know how fucking miserable I am? How when I slide between their legs, I close my eyes, and it’s your face I see? How I’m always careful not to kiss them because their lips are all wrong. How every time I finish I want to fucking kill myself, because I can’t stand the pain of wanting the one woman I can never have.”

Thirty seconds.

“Is that enough?” Her eyes snap to mine. “Hate me yet?”

Face crumbling, she gasps out a sob, wrapping her arms around her shoulders.

“Come on, Scottie. Let’s not kid ourselves. I’m still the same prick you hated when we met. Nothing’s changed. I think we’ve romanticized this situation long enough, don’t you?”

Taking another step away from her, I tilt my head. “You’re a housewife,” I say snidely. “Someone else’s wife and I’m a career soldier. This isn’t exactly ideal.”

She flinches visibly, and my heart bottoms out.

Fifteen.

I cut my hand through the air. “At the end of the day, this was nothing but a big mistake. And we never would have happened if—”

“Stop,” she cries out painfully, “stop, I’m good,” she whispers before rocketing toward the door just as I reach for her, my fingers curling in the space she just left. Handle in hand, she looks back at me with the sweep of her eyes until they meet mine. That’s how we started, and it’s only fitting it’s how we should end. For the moment, we’re right back there in the place we created, where we are perfect. Where our souls line up without any visible smudge on the seams. In a place where there is still so much love, so much that I can’t stop the tear that slides out before batting it away with the back of my hand.

An identical tear runs down her cheek. “Thank you.” 

Three. Two. One.

About the Authors:

Heather M. Orgeron

Heather M. Orgeron is a Cajun girl with a big heart and a passion for romance. She married her high school sweetheart two months after graduation and her life has been a fairytale ever since. She’s the queen of her castle, reigning over five sons and one bossy little princess who has made it her mission in life to steal her Momma’s throne. When she’s not writing, you will find her hidden beneath mounds of laundry and piles of dirty dishes or locked in her tower(aka the bathroom) soaking in the tub with a good book. She’s always been an avid reader and has recently discovered a love for cultivating romantic stories of her own.

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Kate Stewart

A Texas native, Kate Stewart lives in North Carolina with her husband, Nick, and her naughty beagle, Sadie. She pens messy, sexy, angst-filled contemporary romance, as well as romantic comedy and erotic suspense because it's what she loves as a reader.

Kate is a lover of all things '80s and '90s, especially John Hughes films and rap. She dabbles a little in photography, can knit a simple stitch scarf for necessity, and on occasion, does very well at whiskey.

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Review ~ Defiance of the Heart (Sins of the Heart #2) by Monica James

Book Description:

For never was there a story of more woe than that of Holland Brooks and her Romeo...

For as long as I can remember, London Sinclair was the boy who was forbidden. It didn’t matter that he made my heart skip a beat. Our surnames fated us to be sworn enemies. But when the truth was finally revealed, my life changed forever. 

Lies have shaped our past, leaving London and me to pick up the pieces. But through the chaos, one thing is certain—I love London, and he loves me, and we won’t allow anyone to tear us apart again. 

However, life has a funny way of proving us wrong. 

As we attempt to make amends for the past ten years, we soon discover that the ghosts of our past will do anything to drive us apart. We are once again surrounded by deceit and betrayal, testing us in ways we never imagined. 

When I’m faced with a proposition to end this heartache once and for all, I blindly agree. That decision changes everything, and I soon learn that those who act in haste create their own destruction.

Does love really triumph all? Or will London and I succumb to what was always written in the stars?

Buy Links:

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2Cl3R5v

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2NIuPpH

Our Review:

Reviewed by Donna ~ 5 stars

“‘Some shall be pardon’d, and some punished. For never was a story more woe. Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.’”

Damn Monica James to hell. This book has been on my eagerly anticipating list for five months, five long, torturous months where every update, every teaser I have had to ignore because I didn’t want to know a thing. Absinthe of the Heart, the first book in this duet was one of my favourite reads of the year, and I wanted to go into this one blind, I wanted to get wrapped up in London and Holland’s story yet again, and Monica James didn’t disappoint.

“Why did it have to be this way for us? Why were we born to be each other’s enemy?”

A modern day Romeo and Juliet, London and Holland had the world and their families against them, but you don’t choose love, love chooses you, and these two chose each other when they were five years old. Hate and love are two very close emotions, and London always hid his true emotions when it came to Holland. London always put Holland first, even if it didn’t seem like it at the time and now that the stars have aligned for these two to finally be together it seems the world has other ideas. Will there ever be a right time?

“I’m sorry I’m not who you would choose for her, but when it comes to love, there isn’t a choice to make—it chooses you.”

These two characters have embedded themselves into my heart and soul, and if ever two characters deserved each other then London and Holland were it. With an ex that seriously needed to die and London’s mother who I desperately wished the same fate upon, Monica James tore me apart before she expertly pieced me back together. Damn, this book could have been such a tragedy, but this was where Monica James excelled and went against the grain. These characters TALKED!! Yes, that funny thing that partners do, they COMMUNICATED, and that is what made this book so much better, more believable. Monica James could have taken the cliché way out, but she didn’t, and that made this book much more interesting, even more, angsty and so much more emotional.

“We can’t change the past, but we can make our own future. Don’t let the sins of the past win.”

Both these characters wore their hearts on their sleeve, especially London. London loved Holland with every fibre of his being, and you only had to look at his eyes to see. His actions spoke louder than words, and this man would have walked into the depths of hell for Holland, and he very nearly did. This book was fast paced, action packed and unputdownable. My plan of action for the day totally thrown out of the window because I couldn’t leave these characters alone. My heart was in my mouth too many times to count and a PM the portal to my frustrations and emotions as I gave the person a blow by blow account.

“When you left me, you didn’t just tear out my heart. You took me with you. I am nothing, nothing without you.”

This duet has been an epic journey, one fraught with obstacles, and yet at the end of the day true love shone through and brightened every page. The connection that these two had was enviable, as individuals, both characters were formidable, but together they were impenetrable. A love like that comes once a lifetime, and these two grasped that with both hands.

“Staying away from him is like defying nature, akin to defying my heart.”

This duet is Monica James’s best work yet. Spanning decades, she brings her A-Game, and I envy the people that can read these two books back to back. Love, hate, secrets, lies, deception, betrayals, revelations but most important, connection, chemistry and a relationship that is destined to stand the test of the time. Definitely one of my favourite duets to date. This has been quite the ride, Monica James.

“I only care about you because it was always…it was always you. I love you without apology, and that’ll never change.”

Book One: Absinthe of the Heart

Link to our review: http://www.theromancecover.com/2018/05/release-day-review-absinthe-of-heart.html

Buy Links:

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2rhYJsy

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2wbTvDL

Review ~ Beautiful Chaos by Riley Hart and Devon McCormack

Book Description:

SILAS

My home is my sanctuary. Or is it my prison? Some days it's hard to tell.

I've confined myself behind these walls for protection. I have my reasons, but that doesn't change the profound loneliness I've discovered in the process.

Then one day I find myself drifting toward the window to see him. Corey Marshall, my new neighbor. Quiet, reserved, and cute as can be. He infects my thoughts, becomes the image I fantasize about.

I want to taste his lips, smell his scent...feel what it's like to be inside him.

And soon, watching becomes exchanging gifts and messages, which becomes so much more.

It's wrong to want this as badly as I do, but I can't help myself. I crave him so desperately. It's hard to tell if what we're doing is going to make me lose my mind or change my entire world, but it's too late to turn back now...

COREY

I've never been quite right. Too high or too low. Pain is my constant companion...at the hands of my abusive ex, and often from myself. The sweet relief is only temporary, but in those moments, it's like I can finally breathe.

Then I meet him. Silas Rizner calms the chaotic storms inside me. He makes me feel loved, treasured, even when I don't deserve it. I cherish the moments we share--cooking, cuddling, and when Silas reads to me until I fall asleep. When he's inside me, it's the only time in my life I've ever felt complete.

Silas becomes the glue that holds me together, that bandages my scars. Inside the walls of his home, we're almost safe, but our demons are always there, waiting to break free.

We're a mess. We're broken, chaotic, beautiful; we're in love.

But not even love can slay our monsters. No, only we can do that.

Unless our monsters destroy us first.

TRIGGERS: Self-harm, depression, anxiety, mentions of past domestic violence. 

*While the sexual situations depicted in Beautiful Chaos are imperative to the characters' development throughout the course of the novel, readers are advised to peruse the "Dear Reader" letter at the beginning of the book to help them make an informed decision about whether this particular story will be to their tastes. This letter can be viewed in the downloadable sample or by using the "Look Inside" feature found on the title's product page.

Buy Links:

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2pXH0pt

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2P47ILb

Our Review:

Reviewed by Donna ~ 5 stars

“I’m me.”

I was in need of a different read, my book funk was real, and a contemporary romance just wasn’t hitting the spot, and so I decided to read an M/M. Scouting Amazon for a read I came across this one and the blurb just called to me, and I’m so glad that I took that jump. This book was stunningly, heart-breakingly beautiful. These characters…I adored them, every beautiful, broken piece of them. These two will stay with me for a very long time.

“We’ve both survived. Now it’s time to live.”

Silas is an agoraphobic, his home his prison and the comings and goings of his neighbours a way of passing way too much time on his hands. Blighted by insomnia, Silas spent way too many hours being a voyeur, but more for the feeling of safety than being nosey and bored. Silas wasn’t always this way, after a traumatic event, the mental scars were everlasting even though the physical scars had healed.

“We weren’t people or animals, but two souls colliding among the stars, the eruption shooting all our pain and hurt outside our reach.”

Corey has just moved into the neighbourhood, a new start, because like Silas, he had been through the mill too. Corey has his own issues, ones that he is making strides in overcoming. But again, like Silas, the physical scars may remain, but it is the mental scars that leave their lasting mark that dictate the future he feels he deserves.

On paper, these two should never have worked, their issues too great, too deep-rooted, too all-consuming and yet something draws these beautiful souls together, and it all starts in the most adorable meet-cutes.

“The whole world was walking on shards, traipsing across the broken fragments of my life scattered all around me.”

I was championing these two along from the beginning, I wanted them to overcome their issues even though I knew deep down it was a tall order. This book covers some extremely sensitive subjects, and the authors dealt with them with sensitivity and care and so much emotion. My heart was decimated for the situation that these two found themselves in and yet the authors expertly give the reader that constant glimmer of hope that these two broken men could and would be each other's balm.

“You’re my home…the only one I’ve had in a long time.”

This was a stunning slow burn, one that forged that character connection deep into your heart and soul as the authors slowly leak out their pasts and their own tragedies. Neither man looking for love, but more acceptance and finding it with the one person that could understand them the most. Neither man wanting to ask for help and yet finding it with notes, video chats, kisses and more. I loved everything about this book. My heart full by the end and my tear ducts alleviated of a little saline. I will definitely be reading more by these two authors.