Since You've Been Gone

Since You've Been Gone by Mary Jennifer Payne

Publisher: Dundurn

February 2015

ISBN: 978-1459728189

Pages: 224

Contemporary, Suspense, Young Adult, Romantic Elements

Toronto, Canada and London, England

Edie Fraser is fifteen years old.  She and her mother, Sydney, have been trying to outrun their pasts for the past five years.  Things were bad before but now they are even worse.  Edie is in a new school and if that wasn’t bad enough she is now in a different country. 

Sydney has promised Edie that they are finally going to get a fresh start.  So Edie is doing her best to adjust to their new life in London, England.  In spite of the fact she is being targeted by the school bully.  Then Sydney goes out to work one night and doesn’t come home.  Now Edie is terrified that the past has finally caught up to them.

Edie is now alone in a strange country and is too afraid to call the police for fear she will be sent back to her father who is abusive.  Edie is determined to find her mother.  She is now faced with the most difficult decision of her life especially since she has no idea where to start. 

This is a story that will pull at readers heart strings.  It handles an emotional subject very well while not letting it drag the storyline down.  Edie proves to be very resourceful as she goes about trying to find her mother in a place she has no idea of what is where.  The story has some action and moves along at a pretty fast pace and it keeps moving forward.  Reading what Edie is going through as she tries to find the answers she needs pulls the reader in until the very end.  While there are some heavy subjects in the story the story itself doesn’t get too dark or depressing and it makes for a very interesting book. This is one story that is worth taking the time to read.

I give this one 4-1/2 red roses

LRH

Third Grave Dead Ahead

Third Grave Dead Ahead by Darynda Jones

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

July 2012

ISBN: 978-1-250-00828-2

Pages: 310

Contemporary, Suspense, Romantic Elements

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Charley Davidson is both a private investigator and the grim reaper.  Now she drinking copious amounts of caffeine to stay awake.  She knows that if she doesn’t the moment she closes her eyes she is going to see Reyes Farrow again.  He is also the part-human son of Satan.  Charley may have imprisoned him for all eternity but is that any reason for him to haunt her with his plan of seduction and revenge?  She has to solve a missing person case.  She is also having to deal with a motorcycle gang bent on murder, try and calm her curmudgeonly dad and also handle an ego-driven doctor. Reyes is getting in the way of all that and making life difficult.

This is another Charley Davidson book that is sure to please fans of the series.  The humor is there in spades and makes for a book that readers won’t want to put down.  They will want to see how Charley gets out of her latest difficulties and see just what is going to happen next.  The story also takes some very fun twists that makes for a book that will have readers laughing out loud and wanting to read the next book in the series right away.  This is proving to be a series that is addictive and a lot of fun to read.  It will also have readers hoping for many more books in this series.  This is a must read.

I give this one 5 red roses

LRH

Watch Me

Watch Me (Dark Obsession Book 1) by Cynthia Eden

Publisher: Hocus Pocus Publishing, Inc.

December 2014

Pages: 156

Contemporary, Romantic Suspense

Washington, D.C.

Chance Valentine has spent years trying to keep his distance from Gwen Hawthorne.  Now he has been hired to protect her.  While the job isn’t hard itself it is most definitely tempting.  Her father has hired him to keep a twenty-four, seven day watch on her as her bodyguard.  Chance knows that this time his control is going to be pushed to the very limits.

Chance has never wanted a woman the way he wants Gwen.  His desire for her is hot, intense and consuming.  Being this close to her he knows that he has no chance of resisting her. So Chance has given into the needs of them both and took them to the edge of a dark and consuming desire.

It doesn’t take long for Chance to realize he isn’t the only one that is watching Gwen.  There is a stalker out there that will not rest until Gwen is destroyed.  Every moment of every day Gwen is in danger.  Chance knows that if he can’t figure out and unmask her stalker there is every chance he will end up losing the only woman he has ever loved.

This takes suspense and ratchets it up to unbelievable levels.  The suspense lasts until the very end and makes for a book that readers won’t want to put down for any reason.  The action is fast and furious and keeps coming throughout the book.  It will also keep readers guessing as to who the stalker is and just what they are after.  With all the twists and turns in this story it will keep reader on the edge of their seats and guessing what will happen next until the very last page.  It will also have readers wanting to read the other two books in the trilogy and have them mourning the fact that they aren’t out just yet. This is another amazing book from an author that proves over and over that she can deliver some fantastic romantic suspense that will keep readers coming back for more.

I give this one 5 red roses

LRH

Chronicles of Steele: Raven

Chronicles of Steele: Raven: The Complete Story by Pauline Creeden

Publisher: AltWit Press

October 2014

ISBN: 1502357593

Pages: 304

Steampunk, Romantic Elements

Reaper Tenants:

All human lives are valuable.

The poor are just as valuable as someone rich and living in a manor.

The scoundrel and the saint are equal in value.

For these reasons for every life a reaper takes they must redeem one.

Raven has lived by the first tenant of a reaper since she was first trained by her father.  Though since she lost her father she has spent the time redeeming the different lives she has taken.  Now by her count she is even and she can now put the assassin life behind her.  She thinks she can feel human again if she settles down and becomes a wife. On the way to the life she thinks she wants she is given a new task to complete by the baron of New Haven.  It is a task she just can’t ignore.  Just when she thought she was done with the life of an assassin she ends up pulled back in.

This is a fun book with all the elements that makes for a great steampunk novel.  The action keeps coming right up until the very last page.  The characters are interesting and keep the story moving at a fast pace that makes for a book that is hard to stop reading. With all the twists and turns that the story takes it will have readers wondering just what will happen next.  Readers will not be disappointed with the twists and turns.  The heroine is strong and determined and makes for a very likable character.  It will also leave readers wanting more from this world and from the characters.

I give this one 4 red roses

LRH

Moorigad Dragon (Age of the Hybrid Book 1)

Moorigad Dragon (Age of the Hybrid Book 1) by Debra Kristi

Publisher: Ghost Girl Publishing

October 2014

ISBN: 1942191014

Pages: 140

Contemporary, Paranormal, Romance

Kyra figures that saving Marcus’s life should count as a good deed though that isn’t what motivated her to do it.  Something supernatural pulled her to do it.  When Marcus sees Kyra’s hybrid dragon she finds herself bound to protect him.  What makes things worse is that a bond between Kyra and her best friend, Sebastian is causing tension between them. Kyra is determined to defy Death even if that cost is her own life. 

Sebastian’s life is built around his tarot cards even more so when he takes refuge at Mystic’s Magical Carnival.  Everything goes wrong when he tries to include Kyra in that part of his life. Kyra’s interest in Marcus is now standing between her and Sebastian. It also puts Kyra in emanate danger.  Sebastian needs to save her from the consequences of her decisions by making her see and steering her away from Marcus before it is too late.  Sebastian is determined to do that even if the only way to save her is by baring his most guarded secrets.

This proves to be a story that keeps readers wondering just what will happen next.  It is fast paced and keeps the reader glued to the pages as they read to see what is going on and just what will happen next.  The characters are interesting and colorful and makes for a story that is intriguing.  It has a bit of a cliffhanger at the end but overall it is very well written and readers will want to know what happens next in the next story.  It has a mystery threaded through the story that will keep the readers wondering just where this one is headed and what will happen in the end.  The paranormal characters make for a story that will have readers wondering just what will show up next in it.

I give this one 4 red roses

LRH

Swept Away Part 4

Swept Away Part 4 by Jennifer Haymore

Publisher: Jennifer Haymore

December 2014

Pages: 117

Contemporary, Romance

California

Tara is now having to deal with Ethan’s final bomb. All she can see is that this one has finished her.  She can’t keep dealing with all she has had to face.  Tara never expected the danger she is facing or getting into blindly.  Someone is one step ahead of Tara at every turn that Tara faces.  She is about to be in a desperate fight for her life.

This takes a series that has been amazing so far and ends it in a way that readers will not see coming.  Each part of the series never disappoints and keeps the suspense and action coming throughout each and every part.  It will keep readers on the edge of their seats with each and every bombshell that is dropped is faced by Tara and the reader get see how Tara changes with everything she is forced to face and deal with.  This is also a series that once the reader reads each part they will want to sit down and re-read it right away as a whole without having to wait for the next part.  It is also a story that readers will not soon forget.

I give this one 5 red roses

LRH

Swept Away Part 3

Swept Away Part 3 by Jennifer Haymore

Publisher: Jennifer Haymore

November 2014

Pages: 110

Contemporary, Romance

Hawaii, California

Tara’s life is suddenly full of emotional bombs that go off when she least expects them.  The latest one is shattering her.  The one that Ethan has managed to ram into her chest.  Tara should be concentrating on survival instead all she can think of is Ethan’s lies.  Tara gave Ethan her trust and has now been devastated by a betrayal that is cutting so very deep.  So deep in fact that Tara expects to see a physical wound. 

This story keeps the twists and turns coming at the reader at a fast and furious pace that is sure to suck the reader in and not let go.  This story picks up right where the second part left off.  As the reader reads each part they are never lost when they pick up the next part of the story.  This one also has a cliffhanger ending that keeps the reader interested and desperately wanting the next and last part of the story.  The suspense that builds throughout this part and the first two keeps the story moving at a very fast pace and makes for a book that is extremely hard to put down.  Just as the reader thinks they know what is going on another twist is thrown in to keep them on their toes.  This is a romantic suspense that is proving to be a very harrowing read.  It is also interesting to see Tara grow as she deals with all that is thrown at her.  This is proving to be a series that is not to be missed.

I give this one 5 red roses

LRH

Swept Away Part 2

Swept Away Part 2 by Jennifer Haymore

Publisher: Jennifer Haymore

November 2014

Pages: 105

Contemporary, Romance

Pacific Ocean, Hawaii

Tara has to wonder what is wrong with her.  She is falling for the one man that has pretty much guaranteed he was going to end up hurting her.  The man that is refusing to give them a chance at a long-term happiness.  The man that plans to walk away from her after three weeks. 

Ethan Williams isn’t promising her the future just the present.  Tara thinks that she can just enjoy the time they have on the open ocean and the time they will have in Hawaii and she can just let him go.  Without any regrets. 

What she wasn’t counting on was a man with deep dark secrets that are deeper and darker than she first thought.  She put her trust in a man that isn’t sharing himself with her.  If Tara isn’t careful those secrets could very well kill her.

This part of the story picks up right after the first part of the story leaves off. And while this part also ends in a cliffhanger it is definitely a story worth reading.  The mystery expertly woven into the romance pulls the reader into the story until the very end.  It will also have readers wanting the next part so they can see just what will happen next.  This is proving to be series of stories that is very hard to put down and will have readers wanting to re-read it once they have all the parts.  Even readers that don’t like cliffhangers will find that with the cliffhangers so far works very well with the overall story line.  It also has some great twists into the story that readers won’t see coming. 

I give this one 5 red roses

LRH

This Man

This Man by Jodi Ellen Malpas

Publisher: Forever

October 2013

ISBN: 978-1-4555-7831-3

Pages: 451

Contemporary, Romance

London, England

Ava O’Shea is a young interior designer.  She never expected what she found at the Manor.  Ava thought she was just doing a run-of-the mill consultation with a stodgy country gentleman.  What she finds instead is Jesse Ward, a pleasure-seeking playboy who is devastatingly handsome and utterly confident and who has absolutely no boundaries.  Ava doesn’t want to be attracted to Jesse, but she has an overwhelming desire for him that she has no control over.  Her instincts are telling her to run and she knows that her heart isn’t going to survive Jesse.  What she doesn’t count on is Jesse refusing to let her go.  Jesse is determined to have her. 

This is the first book in a trilogy that starts out very hot.  If the other books live up to this one this is going to be one trilogy that will be a very hot read.  The characters are well written and complex.  The reader learns more about Jesse as Ava learns about him.  The story takes a few twists and turns that keeps the story moving very well.  The story ends with a bit of a cliffhanger that will have readers wanting to read the other books to find out just what happens with Ava and Jesse. The story pulls the reader in and keeps them reading until the very end.  It also has some humor that keeps the story from being too heavy throughout the story.  It gives the reader breaks from the more emotional parts of the story.  It will definitely have readers wanting to check out more from this author.

I give this one 4 red roses

LRH