Hunted

Hunted by Cynthia Eden

Publisher: Harlequin

July 2017

ISBN: 978-1-335-72107-5

Pages: 250

Contemporary Romantic Suspense

Florida

Josh Duvane has had his body and mind hardened by his SEAL training. Now he is a part of the FBI’s Underwater Search and Evidence Response Team and his latest investigation is pushing him to his limits. Josh recovers the victims of the Sandy Shore killer off the Florida coast as the killer taunts the local police. Casey Quinn is the only woman that has survived of those taken.

Josh is all that stands between her and certain death as the unrelenting psychopath stalks her every move. He now has to use every ounce of training to turn the tables and stop the killer from getting the last laugh.

This is another great book that is in a series that is proving to be amazing. The books pull the reader in and will have them wanting the next one right now. The characters and story lines are enough to pull the reader in and have them feeling like they are right there with the characters. It also keeps you guessing just who the killer is and how they are finding out what they know. This one takes the reader on a roller coaster ride that doesn’t end until the very end.

I give this one 5 red roses plus

LRH

Darkest Days (The Last Orphans Book 4)

Darkest Days (The Last Orphans Book 4) by N.W. Harris

Publisher: Clean Teen Publishing

May 2017

ISBN: 978-1634222556

Pages: 300

Young Adult Sci-fi

Georgia

Though they killed the adults and enslaved the children the ancient slave mongers have angered a more advanced species of aliens. The superior race is composed of pure energy and they have attacked the Anunnaki’s home world and are now setting a course for Earth.

These aliens that are energy-based believe in a system of trial by battle. They want to push Shane and his friends into the arena with the ones that killed their parents. It will determine if the humans deserve to live or if they should be extinct also. Shane needs to keep his friends and an army of kids that look up to him alive. They will be fighting for the fate of the entire human race and not just for their own lives. Now Shane has to figure out if the enemy of his enemy is his friend or if they are out to exploit and destroy them too.

This is a series that stays with the reader long after the last page is turned. The characters are very well written and the story pulls the reader in and doesn’t let them go until the very end. It also makes readers wish the story wasn’t over yet. It will also have readers hoping this might be made into a movie or tv show. The world building is done very well and is believable. The stories flow together very well and the best way to read the series is in order. The way the book ends is fantastic and will have readers hoping there might be more to come.

I give this one 5 red roses

LRH

Shattered

Shattered by Cynthia Eden

Publisher: Avon

November 2015

ISBN: 978-0-06-234966-8

Pages: 361

Contemporary Romantic Suspense

New Orleans

Dr. Sarah Jacobs is a criminal psychiatrist that is all too familiar with bad boys that belong behind bars. The man she meets in the New Orleans underworld is a new kind of ruthless and is also dangerous, dark and all too irresistible.

Jax Fontaine is loyal with his own code and brutally honest about what he wants and doesn’t claim to be a good guy. When he and Sarah are skin to skin nothing matters but the heat between them even if they are worlds apart.

Jax will do whatever it takes to keep Sarah safe when a deranged killer targets her.

This is another book in an amazing series that gets better with each and every book. The characters are complex and intriguing. While each story can be read as a standalone they are much better when read in order and each one is loosely tied to each other. The way the author is able to take the reader on a dark and twisted ride and have it end with a happily-ever-after is amazing. For those that enjoy Criminal Minds they will find these books a must read. Readers will be taken on a ride they will never forget with these books and the characters in them.

I give this one 5 red roses

LRH

The Warrior's Way

The Warrior’s Way by Jenna Kernan

Publisher: Harlequin

May 2017

ISBN: 978-1-335-72103-7

Pages: 249

Contemporary Romantic Suspense

Turquoise Canyon Reservation, Arizona

Jack Bear Den is a tribal police detective that will do anything to stop ecoterrorists. His trail-tested skills find trouble that he never anticipated when he partners up with disgraced ex-FBI explosive expert Sophia Rivas. With her out-there deductions she is blowing up false leads and exposing treacherous lies. She is also sparking a dangerous attraction that even Jack is unable to resist.

Sophia’s style was never by the book. She has to gamble her instincts more than ever if she wants to save lives. She can handle Jack not trusting her but letting him uncover her deepest secrets is a distraction neither one of them can afford. The clock is ticking down and disaster is about to strike. The last move Sophia and Jack ever make may be getting too close.

This is part of series that gives readers a glimpse of a different way of life and it also takes the reader on a roller coaster of a ride with all the suspense that is woven throughout the series. The characters move the story along at a break neck speed that doesn’t stop until the very end. The action starts at the very beginning and keeps right on going until the end. This is definitely a series to check out and one that will end up a lot of keeper shelves.

I give this one 5 red roses

LRH

After the Dark

After the Dark by Cynthia Eden

Publisher: HQN

March 2017

ISBN: 978-0-373-80192-3

Pages: 368

Contemporary Romantic Suspense

Fairhope, Alabama

Samantha Dark is a disgraced former FBI agent. She was also one of the most respected profilers in the Bureau. An expert on the dark hearts and twisted minds of the most depraved criminals. Samantha’s career was destroyed when her former lover turned out to be the serial killer she was hunting. Samantha left Washington, DC, for the quiet anonymity of Alabama when she was blamed for the FBI’s failure on the complex case.

Now an all-too-familiar killer is hunting once again. For Samantha to catch the cunning assassin she must put her trust in her former partner, Blake Gamble. Blake is ex-military that is precise, tough and protective. Even with her entire life on the brink, she knows that at the very least he wants her back in the FBI and possibly for more.

Someone else wants her also. A threat is waiting in the dark. The killer has the ultimate trophy victim in his sights…Samantha.

This is suspense story that has many twists and turns that keeps the reader turning the pages just to see what will happen next and if Samantha is going to be able to catch a killer that wants her. This is the ultimate cat and mouse story that will leave the reader wanting more from this series. This is a story that will stay with the reader long after they finish it. The story is complex and intriguing and it pulls the reader in completely. This is one romantic suspense to read for those that love this kind of book.

I give this one 5 red roses 

LRH

Firewolf

Firewolf by Jenna Kernan

Publisher: Harlequin

May 2017

ISBN: 978-1-335-72099-3

Pages: 249

Contemporary Romantic Suspense

Arizona

Dylan Tehauno is an expert in preventing and fighting forest fires since he is a hotshot. He suspects that both he and filmmaker Meadow Wrangler were supposed to die in the inferno that killed a tech billionaire and that it wasn’t an accident. Dylan and Meadow decide to find the real arsonist when Dylan is identified as the prime suspect by lawmakers.

Dylan is a proud Apache and a war hero that is also a self-made man. Meadow is a rich girl with a tabloid past and they have nothing in common with each other. But they can’t deny the heat that is between them. Now they have to figure out if their attraction is more than physical desire. But will they be able to survive long enough to find that out?

This is another amazing story in a series that is proving to be unforgettable. The characters are complex and engrossing and move each book and the overall arc of the series along at a fast pace. With each clue that is revealed that shows what is going on behind the whole series it pulls the reader in more and more. This is proving to be series that will go on may keeper shelves. While each book can be read as a standalone readers will get a lot more out of the series if they read the books in order. It will also have readers wanting the next book right now.  It will be interesting to see just where this series will end up and just what is ultimately happening and how it will end.

I give this one 5 red roses

LRH

Abduction

Abduction by Cynthia Eden

Publisher: Harlequin Intrigue

March 2017

ISBN: 978-1-335-72085-6

Pages: 249

Contemporary Romantic Suspense

Hope, Florida

Sheriff Hayden Black was once the town troublemaker. Then he became the teen hero who saved young Jillian West from a savage kidnapper. He also never got over their brief affair. He is an ex-SEAL and she is now the burned-out FBI agent and they have reunited in their Florida hometown. They have also rediscovered their powerful attraction. Will they get a second chance at happiness while they hunt down a long-forgotten killer? Hayden won’t let Jill fall victim again when a series of accidents begin to plague her. There is too much desire and history between them.

This is another book by an author that delivers edge of your seat suspense. The characters are engrossing and it has a story line that keeps the suspense building until the very end when it delivers an explosive ending that doesn’t disappoint in the slightest. It also shows why this author is so popular and one that continues to get better and better with each book she writes. This is the first book in another series that promises to deliver some amazing suspenseful stories.

I give this one 5 red roses

LRH

Jet

Jet by Jay Crownover

Publisher: William Morrow

November 2013

ISBN: 978-0-06-230241-0

Pages: 371

Contemporary Romance

Denver, Colorado & Louisville, Kentucky 

Jet Keller is every girl’s rock-and-roll fantasy with his tight leather pants and sharp edge that makes him dangerous. Ayden Cross though is done walking on the wild side with bad boys. She doesn’t want to give into the heat that she see’s in Jet’s dark, haunted eyes. His touch sets her on fire and she is afraid of getting burned from the sparks of their spontaneous combustion.

Jet can’t resist the Southern belle that defies his every expectation and that has mile-long legs in cowboy boots. The closer he gets to Ayden the less he seems to know her. He knows what happens to two people when they have very different ideas about relationships even if he is tempted to get under her skin and undo her in every way possible.

Will the blaze the burns between them turn into an enduring love or will it consume their dreams and turn them into ashes.

This is proving to be a very an amazing series with characters that stay with the reader long after they finish each book. The characters are complex and move the story along at an amazing pace. It will also have the reader wanting to read the next book right away. This is a must read series that will also have readers wanting to check out the authors other series.

I give this one 5 red roses

LRH

Reconstructing Amelia

Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight

Publisher: Harper Perennial

December 2013

ISBN: 978-0-06-222544-3

Pages: 385

Contemporary Suspense

Brooklyn, New York

Kate Baron is a litigation lawyer and a harried single mother. She is shocked when her daughter’s private school calls to tell her that her high-achieving, intelligent fifteen-year-old daughter, Amelia was caught cheating. Kate is blindsided when she arrives at Grace Hall by even more devastating news: Amelia is dead. She jumped from the school roof, despondent. At least that is what the police and Grace Hall tells Kate. Kate believes it too until she gets an anonymous text that Amelia didn’t jump. Kate is going to find out the truth – no matter where it leads her. Kate reconstructs the pieces of her daughter’s life by shifting through Amelia’s text messages, e-mails and Facebook posts. She also finds the people that where in her daughter’s life. She is determined to discover why Amelia was on Grace Hall’s roof that day and just how she did die.

This is a story that keeps the reader on the edge of their seats as they try to figure just what is going on in the book. The suspense keeps building until the very end when the truth finally comes out as to just what happened to Amelia. As each clue is revealed it leads to more questions that the reader gets answered at the very end and it doesn’t disappoint in the least. This is a very hard book to put down as the reader will want to know just what happened that lead up to Amelia’s death. With all the twists and turns the story takes it will keep the reader guessing as they try to figure what happened when.

I give this one 5 red roses

LRH

Rule

Rule by Jay Crownover

Publisher: William Morrow

October 2013

ISBN: 978-0-06-230240-3

Pages: 387

Contemporary Romance

Denver, Colorado

Shaw Landon and Rule Archer are opposites in every way. Shaw has loved Rule from the first moment she laid eyes on him. Shaw is a straight-A pre-med student and Rule should be everything she doesn’t want. He is also the only person she has never tried to please. She isn’t afraid of his wild attitude, tattoos or his scary piercings. Her heart just won’t listen though she knows Rule is wrong for her.

Rule Archer is a rebel and to him Shaw is his dead twin brother’s girl and a stuck-up perfect princess. He makes his own rules whereas she lives by other people’s rules. She may be the only person who can see the person he truly is but he doesn’t have time for a good girl like Shaw.

Spilled secrets, a short skirt and too many birthday cocktails lead to a night neither can forget. Now they need to figure out how a girl like her and a guy like him can be together without destroying each other or their love.

This is a start of a series that has some very interesting characters in it. Seeing how Shaw and Rule figure out where and how they belong makes for a story that takes the reader on a roller coaster ride that doesn’t stop until the very last page. The characters are complex and make for a book that is very hard to put down once the reader starts it. It will also have readers reaching for the next book to see what happens to the next couple and where this series will end up. This is one book that will not be forgotten and will stay with the reader long after they finish it.

I give this one 5 red roses

LRH

Eagle Warrior

Eagle Warrior by Jenna Kernan

Publisher: Harlequin

February 2017

ISBN: 978-1-335-72080-1

Pages: 247

Contemporary Romantic Suspense

Arizona

Ray Strong is a former US Marine who is also a Turquoise Guardian. He is also no stranger to high-risk situations. Ray suspects there is more to his latest mission than meets the eye when he is assigned to protect Morgan Hooke, who is a single mother and also the daughter of the Apache that killed a mass gunman. He has to figure out if Morgan is an innocent bystander or the keeper of her father’s secrets and blood money. Ray feels a powerful attraction to Morgan despite his better instincts. Ray is motivated by the loss and love of both his parents and his best friend. He will do anything to keep Morgan safe and out of the hands of unseen enemies.

This is proving to be an intriguing and engrossing series. It will take readers on a roller coaster of a ride and have them wanting to find out just how everything ends. The characters are well written and make for a story that readers can relate to as the characters deal with all the baggage and issues that their pasts have left them with. It will also have readers hoping that everything works out for both Ray and Morgan. Readers will be on the edge of their seats having to wait a few months for the next book to come out. This series is building the suspense very well and keeps the reader guessing just who is behind all that is happening and who is involved with them. It will be interesting to see how the series ends.

I give this one 5 red roses

LRH

Turquoise Guardian

Turquoise Guardian by Jenna Kernan

Publisher: Harlequin

January 2017

ISBN: 978-1-335-72073-3

Pages: 248

Contemporary Romantic Suspense

Arizona

Carter Bear Den is an Apache on the Turquoise Canyon Reservation and is proud of that fact. He is also a former US Marine that works to protect his people and their land as a member of the Turquoise Guardians. Carter’s one thought after discovering a grisly mass shooting at the Lilac Copper Mine is to find Amber Kitcheyan.

Amber found work at the mine after she relinquished her membership with the reservation and breaking her engagement to Carter. She is the sole survivor of the shooting. At the best she is a witness at worst she is a suspect. Carter is determined to protect the only woman he has ever loved. Even if by protecting her he loses everything else.

This is a great start to a spin off series. The characters are interesting and the overall story arc is proving to be fascinating. Readers will be interested in seeing where this series takes them and how it gets there. It isn’t necessary to read the first series before this one but it will make this series ever more enjoyable to read. If the rest of the series is similar to this book this is will be another series for the keeper shelf. The action starts at the beginning and doesn’t stop until the very end of the story. It also takes some great twists and turns that keep readers guessing just who is doing what. It also brings another way of life to vivid life for the reader. This is definitely worth reading.

I give this one 4-1/2 red roses

LRH

Tribal Law

Tribal Law by Jenna Kernan

Publisher: Harlequin Intrigue

May 2016

ISBN: 978-0-373-69906-3

Pages: 218

Contemporary Romantic Suspense

Black Mountain Apache Reservation

Gabe Cosen is a tribal police chief that would do anything to protect both his people and their reservation. It is this dedication to the law that cost him his fiancée. When he sent Selena Dosela’s father to prison she never forgave him. Gabe has vowed to keep her safe with trouble back on her doorstep.

The only thing that would allow Selena to accept Gabe’s help is extreme fear for her family. Selena knows she can trust him with the lives of those she loves despite all they have been through. Gabe as a lawman would never break his word. He might break her heart again if she isn’t careful though.

This is proving to be an amazing series that keeps the twists and turns coming in the overall story arc between the books. It will also have readers eagerly reaching for the last book in the series to see how it all ends. The characters are wonderfully written and really come to life for the reader with each word read. While each book can be read as a standalone readers will get a much richer story experience by reading them in order. This is definitely a series for the keeper shelf.

I give this one 4-1/2 red roses

LRH

Override

Override by SJD Peterson

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

August 2016

ISBN: 978-1-63477-240-2

Pages: 212

Contemporary BDSM Romance m/m

Never judge a book by its cover…

Donavan Gregory is an auto worker that is over six feet with a body he has honed in the gym so he is used to people assuming he is a dominant top. They are wrong, unfortunately and it makes Donovan’s desire to explore his submissive side go unfulfilled.

Dr. Seth Manning is smaller and older than Donavan and doesn’t look like a typical Dominant. When the two meet at Pride, Donavan feels Seth just might be his perfect counterpart. Donavan doesn’t have as much experience with the BDSM world as he would like which might be a problem. He doesn’t see what a man like Seth, who is educated, handsome and confident, might see in Donavan. Seth knows that they will fit together just fine, despite the differences on the surface, when it comes to kinky fun and discovery he must convince Donavan there is no problem.

This is a quick read that starts a series that looks like it will be very interesting and complex. The characters are complex and move the story along very well. The story will also have readers wishing it is a longer story as they won’t want to leave the characters. This book will also have readers looking at other books by this author.

I give this one 4-1/2 red roses

LRH

Twisted

Twisted by Cynthia Eden

Publisher: Avon

May 2015

ISBN: 978-0-06-234964-4

Pages: 363

Contemporary Romantic Suspense

New Orleans

Dean Bannon is in New Orleans for the sole purpose of tracking down a sixteen-year-old girl that is missing. At least that was the reason until he meets a con artist that is drop-dead gorgeous and makes him want to lose his control that is legendary.

Emma Castille doesn’t claim to be psychic especially with her past. She is very good at noticing things that other people miss. Things like the pain in an ex-FBI agent’s heart or the fear in a runaway’s eyes. Emma follows her passion not someone else’s orders especially when it comes to the blistering chemistry she shares with Dean.

After a madman breaks into and leaves a twisted message of You’re Next in Emma’s home, Dean refuses to let her out of his sight. At least until he pries every last secret from her full, sexy lips. Suddenly Emma is aching to give him everything he wants.

This is another book in a series that just gets better with each one. The reader is taken on a trip to the dark side as this story unfolds into an engrossing suspenseful story that leaves the reader wanting even more in this series. The characters are complex, flawed and completely relatable. The action doesn’t stop until the very end. It has some mind boggling twists and turns that has readers turning the pages just to see what will happen next and if everything will work out for both Dean and Emma. It will be interesting to see just where this series will take the reader as they read each book.

I give this one 5 red roses

LRH

Hunter Moon

Hunter Moon by Jenna Kernan

Publisher: Harlequin

January 2016

ISBN: 978-0-373-69882-0

Pages: 217

Contemporary Romantic Suspense

Black Mountain Reservation, Arizona

Clay Cosen would like nothing more than to put his dark past behind him. His work of impounding free-roaming cattle is creating new enemies though. Isabel Nosie is a rancher that has her own reason for mistrusting him. She has never forgiven him for her fiancé’s death even though she loved Clay once. It is a death she thinks Clay could have prevented. She soon has no choice but to turn to him as he is the best tracker on the reservation and can hopefully find who is killing her cattle.

Clay is soon a target and a suspect when he attempts to protect Izzie when she is in danger and even as he works to clear her name. Clay is at risk of losing everything: the woman he has never stopped loving and the respect of his family and his tribe.

This is proving to be an amazing series that gives a glimpse into another life. It is full of action and while each book can be read as a standalone readers will get more enjoyment if they read them in order. The characters are complex and intriguing and make for a series that will have readers eagerly reaching for the next book to see what will happen next in the series and to the family. This is also a series that will end up on a lot of keeper shelves.

I give this one 4-1/2 red roses

LRH

The Terms of Release

The Terms of Release The Release Series Book One by BA Tortuga

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

March 2014

ISBN: 978-1-62798-614-4

Pages: 240

Contemporary Romance m/m

Texas

Some say a man can always come home. Sage Redding, after doing hard time, heads to his family’s northeast Texas ranch to help his ailing daddy with the cutting horses.

Adam “Win” Winchester is the cousin of one of the men that was killed in the incident that sent Sage to prison for almost a decade. He is also a county deputy. Win’s uncles, Jim and Teddy are determined to make the entire Redding family and Sage pay for their loss. Win sees it differently in that he figures Sage paid his dues and could just maybe use a friend. Maybe more than a friend. Win is counting on that in fact.

No one is denying that Sage is an ex-con that went to prison for manslaughter. He knows that returning will likely make things go badly for him regardless of the love he has for his father. Maybe a man can always come home but he just might not be able to stay.

This is a very interesting start to a series that if the other books are written like this one should be very good. This one takes readers on an emotional roller coaster that has some major ups and downs but proves to be a book very much worth reading. The characters are intense and complex and they move the story at a fast pace. This is definitely worth checking out and will have readers looking at other books by this author.

I give this one 4-1/2 red roses

LRH

Relentless

Relentless by Cheyenne Meadows

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

February 2016

ISBN: 978-1-63476-872-6

Pages: 260

Contemporary Paranormal Romance m/m

Jag is a sniper extraordinaire besides being a jaguar shifter. He is also tasked with his most dangerous and difficult mission to date. He needs to take out the man that is responsible for the death of his husband’s, who was also his spotter, violent death. Again.

Sonar is assigned as the new spotter to the scowling, surly feline alpha. Sonar is also an ocelot shifter. He sees more beneath the surface even as he is impressed with Jag’s skills. He sees a man that is furious and grief-stricken and that is on a trail of vengeance.

Jag and Sonar together face both challenges and perils that test their resolve, skills and the budding feelings they have for each other. The heat between them rises at the same time as the death tolls. The longings they have for each other might give them the strength they need to persevere but it could also force them to succumb and sacrifice everything. The only thing that is certain is that someone won’t be making it back alive.

This is a fast paced book that starts out with a lot of action and doesn’t stop until the very end. It reads more like a short story than a full sized book and proves to be hard to put down. It will also take readers on an emotional roller coaster that keeps going until the end. It would be interesting to see this made into a series as there are so many different characters that make for a very interesting world. This is also one for the keeper shelves.

I give this one 5 red roses

LRH

Moon Called

Moon Called by Patricia Briggs

Publisher: ACE

February 2006

ISBN: 0-441-01381-3

Pages: 288

Contemporary Paranormal Romantic Elements

Tri-Cities Washington, Montana

Mercy Thompson knows werewolves can be dangerous if you get in their way but if you are careful they will leave you alone. She also isn’t human and knows just how good they are at hiding their natures from the human population. They know her when they meet and she knows them too.

Mercy also has a werewolf who is both sexy and her next-door neighbor.

At her mechanic shop she is tinkering with a VW bus that is owned by a vampire.

It is a good thing she isn’t exactly normal because with her connection to the world of things that go bump in the night it is about to get her into a whole lot of trouble.

With this book it shows just why this is such a popular series. While there are times the characters are a little frustrating it actually works well in the overall story line and is a book that proves to be hard to put down. It also proves to be different than other books in this genre and should prove to be a series that takes readers on an amazing ride. It will be interesting to see how things progress between all the characters.

I give this one 4-1/2 red roses

LRH

Fight or Flight

Fight or Flight by Dirk Greyson

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

August 2016

ISBN: 978-1-63477-731-5

Pages: 192

Contemporary Romance m/m

Hartwick County, South Dakota

Mackenzie “Mack” Redford didn’t find life in the big city to be what he expected it to be. He is now home in Hartwick County, South Dakota and he serves as its sheriff.

Brantley Calderone left New York to start a new life by buying a ranch. He is getting used to living at a different pace and settling in when he finds a dead woman on his porch and himself the prime suspect in her murder.

Both Mack and Brantley quickly realized that someone is trying to frame Brantley and he is not safe on his ranch alone. Not to mention the attraction that is developing between them, an attraction that increases when Mack offers to let Brantley stay with him in his home. The killer escalates even as the romance between them does the same. They have to figure out who wants Brantley dead and stay one step ahead or it might end up being too late. Only then can they have the life they are both seeking - together.

This is book that is full of suspense that keeps building until the explosive end. The characters are very interesting and keep the story moving quickly. Just as the reader thinks they have it figured out who is behind everything another twist is thrown in that will have them seconding guessing if they actually do know what is happening and why. It will also have readers hoping there will be more books to go with this one. It will also pull at readers heartstrings and makes for an unforgettable read.

I give this one 5 red roses

LRH