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Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Secrets, Lies & Sacrifice (Book 2) in Books
Jul 26, 2023
96 of 235
Book
Secrets, Lies & Sacrifice ( Book 2)
By Ben Andrews
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It's been six months since the shooting at Beechwood Close and the death of Rose's husband, George. While life seems to be returning to normal, the arrival of an old resident unleashes a chain of events that threatens to destroy the community. She’s determined to get her old home back, but at what cost?
Emily is double-crossed by someone she trusts—desperate to save her reputation and her career, Emily must play dirty to get her life back on track.
Violet tests Rose's loyalty to the cult, The Order, when confronting her with a plan to take down the establishment from within. Will Rose risk everything to join Violet’s dangerous cause and return her life to normal?
Ava’s dream of becoming her own boss comes true when she starts a new business. But as she gets to know her customer, a web of secrets are uncovered that threatens to destroy everything she’s worked for.
Florence’s hunt for her husband’s killer comes to an end when someone close to her shows their true colours. As she uncovers more lies, Florence must decide how far she’s willing to go to uncover the truth.
In “Secrets, Lies and Sacrifice,” the lives of these women intersect in unexpected ways as they confront their deepest fears and desires. Who will come out on top and who will pay the ultimate sacrifice?
This was an ARC given to me by the author. I enjoyed book one but this was just that little bit extra. We pick up 6 months after the drama and secrets of book 1 and automatically hit the ground running. These women’s lives sure clash in one way or another. The last half of the book it hard to put down! Can’t wait for the next book! Highly recommend.
Book
Secrets, Lies & Sacrifice ( Book 2)
By Ben Andrews
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It's been six months since the shooting at Beechwood Close and the death of Rose's husband, George. While life seems to be returning to normal, the arrival of an old resident unleashes a chain of events that threatens to destroy the community. She’s determined to get her old home back, but at what cost?
Emily is double-crossed by someone she trusts—desperate to save her reputation and her career, Emily must play dirty to get her life back on track.
Violet tests Rose's loyalty to the cult, The Order, when confronting her with a plan to take down the establishment from within. Will Rose risk everything to join Violet’s dangerous cause and return her life to normal?
Ava’s dream of becoming her own boss comes true when she starts a new business. But as she gets to know her customer, a web of secrets are uncovered that threatens to destroy everything she’s worked for.
Florence’s hunt for her husband’s killer comes to an end when someone close to her shows their true colours. As she uncovers more lies, Florence must decide how far she’s willing to go to uncover the truth.
In “Secrets, Lies and Sacrifice,” the lives of these women intersect in unexpected ways as they confront their deepest fears and desires. Who will come out on top and who will pay the ultimate sacrifice?
This was an ARC given to me by the author. I enjoyed book one but this was just that little bit extra. We pick up 6 months after the drama and secrets of book 1 and automatically hit the ground running. These women’s lives sure clash in one way or another. The last half of the book it hard to put down! Can’t wait for the next book! Highly recommend.
Merissa (13614 KP) rated Claw of Exile (Exiled #1) in Books
Mar 15, 2021 (Updated Aug 2, 2023)
CLAW OF EXILE is the first book in the Exiled series and tells the story of Ryu and Micah. Ryu is an Omega, captured from a warring clan, and given as a slave. The only person who loves and believes in him is his mistress. Even Micah, the heir apparent Alpha, pretends he doesn't know him when people are around.
The story starts off in the present, returns to the past, comes back to the present, and retreats to the past once more. Not only that, but the tense of the story changes from present to past, sometimes within the same sentence. This makes for a slightly disjointed read. I'm not sure if I read an unedited ARC or not, but there were also quite a few spelling mistakes, words used in error, or missed out completely. Amazingly enough, this did not detract away from the story itself. It's just something I feel should be mentioned.
Of the characters, the story is told from Ryu's perspective, and you never really find out Micah's motives or understandings from times gone by. I would have liked to have known what happened, especially when it had such a major impact on Ryu. Micah was also more difficult to like, which is not surprising, considering the circumstances. There are characters to like and loathe that make up this novel, and I would like to find out more about them.
All in all, this was a great story with some obvious events, and some red-herring twists and turns. It does finish on a cliffhanger so be prepared! This is definitely a series I would like to continue.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mar 15, 2021
The story starts off in the present, returns to the past, comes back to the present, and retreats to the past once more. Not only that, but the tense of the story changes from present to past, sometimes within the same sentence. This makes for a slightly disjointed read. I'm not sure if I read an unedited ARC or not, but there were also quite a few spelling mistakes, words used in error, or missed out completely. Amazingly enough, this did not detract away from the story itself. It's just something I feel should be mentioned.
Of the characters, the story is told from Ryu's perspective, and you never really find out Micah's motives or understandings from times gone by. I would have liked to have known what happened, especially when it had such a major impact on Ryu. Micah was also more difficult to like, which is not surprising, considering the circumstances. There are characters to like and loathe that make up this novel, and I would like to find out more about them.
All in all, this was a great story with some obvious events, and some red-herring twists and turns. It does finish on a cliffhanger so be prepared! This is definitely a series I would like to continue.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mar 15, 2021
ClareR (6054 KP) rated Vita and the Birds in Books
Jul 4, 2023
I was so excited when I got an email with the offer to read this. Mainly because despite the fact that I’m utterly rubbish at reading and reviewing on time, I had still been given a chance to read an ARC. Well, true to form, I’m late reviewing this - but I like to think that I’ll catch the prevaricators (we’re a great bunch really!) and tip them in to buying mode!
Vita and the Birds is set in a dual timeline: 1938 and 1997.
In 1938, Lady Vita Goldsborough lives a very constrained life. Her brother is extremely controlling even for 1938, I think. Vita meets the artist Dodie Blakeney whilst on a walk on the East Anglian coastal marshes, and a deep bond is formed between the women that will have lasting repercussions.
1997, and Eve Blakeney has returned to her grandmothers beach hut where she had lived alone up to her death. Eve is grieving the death of her mother, and going through her grandmothers belongings is supposed to be helping her to grieve. Eve seemed to be so vulnerable, sad and lost through much of this book. So when she finds some letters of her grandmother's written by another woman, they are something of a distraction. Clearly this is a relationship that ended before either woman wanted it to, which makes it all the more sad.
There is a tangible feeling of melancholy and sadness throughout each timeline. All of the characters experience loss.
I just loved this book. It made my heart ache for all three women. The windswept landscape of the coast and marshes were evocatively described and added to the desolation. I’m making this sound very depressing, aren’t I? Well, it is and it isn’t. I don’t like to wallow in depressing prose, and this had such beauty in it: the landscape, the birds, the love of the women and Eve’s family. Ultimately there is hope - and that’s what rounded this beautiful novel off perfectly.
Highly recommended.
Vita and the Birds is set in a dual timeline: 1938 and 1997.
In 1938, Lady Vita Goldsborough lives a very constrained life. Her brother is extremely controlling even for 1938, I think. Vita meets the artist Dodie Blakeney whilst on a walk on the East Anglian coastal marshes, and a deep bond is formed between the women that will have lasting repercussions.
1997, and Eve Blakeney has returned to her grandmothers beach hut where she had lived alone up to her death. Eve is grieving the death of her mother, and going through her grandmothers belongings is supposed to be helping her to grieve. Eve seemed to be so vulnerable, sad and lost through much of this book. So when she finds some letters of her grandmother's written by another woman, they are something of a distraction. Clearly this is a relationship that ended before either woman wanted it to, which makes it all the more sad.
There is a tangible feeling of melancholy and sadness throughout each timeline. All of the characters experience loss.
I just loved this book. It made my heart ache for all three women. The windswept landscape of the coast and marshes were evocatively described and added to the desolation. I’m making this sound very depressing, aren’t I? Well, it is and it isn’t. I don’t like to wallow in depressing prose, and this had such beauty in it: the landscape, the birds, the love of the women and Eve’s family. Ultimately there is hope - and that’s what rounded this beautiful novel off perfectly.
Highly recommended.
Debbiereadsbook (1620 KP) rated Stalk of the Town (The Rhubarb Effect #6) in Books
Jan 18, 2025
sticking to the 4 fun and smexy stars!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Book 6 of 7 in this series, and you really do NEED to read the others. There is an overlapping timeline and story arc.
Goliath is the gentle giant of the town. He likes to check on people from afar, hence the nickname, Stalk Of The Town. He's an Alpha stalk, and catching a sight of the llama in the pack gives him hope that he can have a mate. But will the drama llama accept him as he is? Drew is omega, but likes to be in control. Discovering just why he likes being at the bottom of the garden and doing all kinds of naughty things doesn't mean he will have to stop being himself, does it??
What I'm loving about these books is how much FUN they are! Drew really is a drama llama and his reaction to missing Tim's babies being born, followed by the birth of Burke's babies is a prime example and he made me laugh! He was a bit horrid to Goliath for making him miss Tim's delivery but he does make it up to him.
I loved that Drew could really see Goliath, and picked up very quickly that he preferred their mental connection to communicate.
Leo is the last man standing, and he will be the last book with the sheriff as his mate. He is also the reason why the old alpha is in town, and we might actually get the full story in the last book! Also, there is some reluctance on Leo's part to take his mate, given as they are both alphas. That'll be fun to read!
I'm loving that I've been kept on my toes for 6 books but I'm really desperate for the grand finale!
sticking at the 4 fun and smexy stars, maybe book 7 will tip over to 5!
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Book 6 of 7 in this series, and you really do NEED to read the others. There is an overlapping timeline and story arc.
Goliath is the gentle giant of the town. He likes to check on people from afar, hence the nickname, Stalk Of The Town. He's an Alpha stalk, and catching a sight of the llama in the pack gives him hope that he can have a mate. But will the drama llama accept him as he is? Drew is omega, but likes to be in control. Discovering just why he likes being at the bottom of the garden and doing all kinds of naughty things doesn't mean he will have to stop being himself, does it??
What I'm loving about these books is how much FUN they are! Drew really is a drama llama and his reaction to missing Tim's babies being born, followed by the birth of Burke's babies is a prime example and he made me laugh! He was a bit horrid to Goliath for making him miss Tim's delivery but he does make it up to him.
I loved that Drew could really see Goliath, and picked up very quickly that he preferred their mental connection to communicate.
Leo is the last man standing, and he will be the last book with the sheriff as his mate. He is also the reason why the old alpha is in town, and we might actually get the full story in the last book! Also, there is some reluctance on Leo's part to take his mate, given as they are both alphas. That'll be fun to read!
I'm loving that I've been kept on my toes for 6 books but I'm really desperate for the grand finale!
sticking at the 4 fun and smexy stars, maybe book 7 will tip over to 5!
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Moonville ( Gold Prophecy 1-4) in Books
Mar 1, 2024
40 of 220
Kindle
Booksirens arc
Moonville (Gold Blood Prophecy 1-4)
By K.J Devoir
⭐️⭐️
Please check Trigger warnings
Psycho gets the girl.
Leena Sperling has fallen into darkness. Darkness has a name...
ZAND BYRON
He’s larger than life. He’s also a deeply dangerous, twisted soul, a textbook psychopath. But, somehow...she makes him feel.
"You can run, Leena. But I will find you."
Leena: When I arrived to the City of Souls, the tiny cemetery town wrapping the Bay Area foothills where Moonvine Manor is located, I had no idea what to expect or how insane my life would become after moving into the former, Queen Anne, funeral home that belonged to my missing sister. I should have known that being greeted by a tombstone-shaped granite welcome sign was either a sick joke or a bad omen. But I could never have predicted that I would fall in love with the darkness.
Zand: I don’t want to ever stop making her cry. Her tears are full of human feelings, and I love the taste. She makes me feel, but part of me wants to end the human in her that brings out the human in me. In a heartbeat, I could make her nightmares infinitely darker. I'm a bad man, trying to be good.
Ok so this premise was good it gave me very much Morganville vibes but a little darker and steamy. The characters were ok and certainly lived up to the dark paranormal romance vibe.
But I had a few issues and I can only be honest. There were bits of the book that didn’t quite add up and there was something really off about it all. A few times I wanted to stop reading. It just wasn’t for me.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Please check Trigger warnings
Kindle
Booksirens arc
Moonville (Gold Blood Prophecy 1-4)
By K.J Devoir
⭐️⭐️
Please check Trigger warnings
Psycho gets the girl.
Leena Sperling has fallen into darkness. Darkness has a name...
ZAND BYRON
He’s larger than life. He’s also a deeply dangerous, twisted soul, a textbook psychopath. But, somehow...she makes him feel.
"You can run, Leena. But I will find you."
Leena: When I arrived to the City of Souls, the tiny cemetery town wrapping the Bay Area foothills where Moonvine Manor is located, I had no idea what to expect or how insane my life would become after moving into the former, Queen Anne, funeral home that belonged to my missing sister. I should have known that being greeted by a tombstone-shaped granite welcome sign was either a sick joke or a bad omen. But I could never have predicted that I would fall in love with the darkness.
Zand: I don’t want to ever stop making her cry. Her tears are full of human feelings, and I love the taste. She makes me feel, but part of me wants to end the human in her that brings out the human in me. In a heartbeat, I could make her nightmares infinitely darker. I'm a bad man, trying to be good.
Ok so this premise was good it gave me very much Morganville vibes but a little darker and steamy. The characters were ok and certainly lived up to the dark paranormal romance vibe.
But I had a few issues and I can only be honest. There were bits of the book that didn’t quite add up and there was something really off about it all. A few times I wanted to stop reading. It just wasn’t for me.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Please check Trigger warnings
Merissa (13614 KP) rated Worth the Fight (Worth It #2) in Books
Dec 22, 2025
WORTH THE FIGHT is the second book in the Worth It series, and features the cocky fireman from book one, Reece. It also stars Trent, the paramedic who seems to have all the answers. Guess what? He doesn't.
Told from dual perspectives, their story gives you all the information you need - from the current time to a couple of flashbacks, which help you understand their relationship better. I wasn't that bothered about Reese in the first book, and just saw what he presented to the world, but I really enjoyed him in this one. Seeing the man behind the mask, with all his vulnerabilities and wishes, really hit the mark. And I would say the same for Trent. Seeing this capable paramedic turn into something else when he's off shift was so well-written. And the two of them together? Hot!!! It's a good job Reese is a fireman, although I don't think he's got a snowball's chance in hell of putting this fire out.
The overall arc continues and moves forward, especially with Reece's twin brother, Ethan. And that was the other thing I loved. The similarities in looks, differences in personalities, and yet when the crunch came, Ethan was there for Reece. I'm hoping he is in the next book, just so I can see how his story pans out.
And happily for me, Nathan, Freddie, and Alfie were here too. I was a little traumatised during their story (as I was supposed to be), and I'm really hoping again that we catch up with them in the third book, as I NEED to know that Alfie is okay now.
A great read that had me gripped. A wonderful addition to the story, and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me.
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Dec 22, 2025
Told from dual perspectives, their story gives you all the information you need - from the current time to a couple of flashbacks, which help you understand their relationship better. I wasn't that bothered about Reese in the first book, and just saw what he presented to the world, but I really enjoyed him in this one. Seeing the man behind the mask, with all his vulnerabilities and wishes, really hit the mark. And I would say the same for Trent. Seeing this capable paramedic turn into something else when he's off shift was so well-written. And the two of them together? Hot!!! It's a good job Reese is a fireman, although I don't think he's got a snowball's chance in hell of putting this fire out.
The overall arc continues and moves forward, especially with Reece's twin brother, Ethan. And that was the other thing I loved. The similarities in looks, differences in personalities, and yet when the crunch came, Ethan was there for Reece. I'm hoping he is in the next book, just so I can see how his story pans out.
And happily for me, Nathan, Freddie, and Alfie were here too. I was a little traumatised during their story (as I was supposed to be), and I'm really hoping again that we catch up with them in the third book, as I NEED to know that Alfie is okay now.
A great read that had me gripped. A wonderful addition to the story, and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me.
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Dec 22, 2025
Merissa (13614 KP) rated One Step Sideways (Enhanced World Security #1) in Books
Mar 18, 2025
ONE STEP SIDEWAYS is the first book in the Enhanced World Security series, which itself is a spinoff of the Enhanced World H.E.R.O. series. I haven't read any of those, but I now want to! I don't feel as though my enjoyment was negatively impacted by not having read them, as enough details were given here that I understood what was going on.
Kane has had a terrible life. No two ways about it. My heart broke for him on so many occasions and when he first met Danny, I went full-on Mama Bear. Danny was a soldier who also had something terrible happen to him and his friends, which has left him with severe PTSD. He has a gorgeous service dog but immediately thought the worst of Kane in every possible situation when he thought Kane had hurt a dog in his past. He really was a judgemental pr!ck.
But then the story picked up, I became invested, and Danny and Kane worked things out and became the most important thing to each other, and I was okay with that.
This does have an overreaching arc so don't expect everything to be tied up in this edition, but it made for a fantastic read. Well-paced, with plenty of action, twists and turns, plus hooks dangling which left me wanting the next book immediately, it was already a 5-star read for me. But then Danny went above and beyond and had my eyes leaking for the last part of the book. That 5-star was never in doubt!!! An amazing story and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mar 18, 2025
Kane has had a terrible life. No two ways about it. My heart broke for him on so many occasions and when he first met Danny, I went full-on Mama Bear. Danny was a soldier who also had something terrible happen to him and his friends, which has left him with severe PTSD. He has a gorgeous service dog but immediately thought the worst of Kane in every possible situation when he thought Kane had hurt a dog in his past. He really was a judgemental pr!ck.
But then the story picked up, I became invested, and Danny and Kane worked things out and became the most important thing to each other, and I was okay with that.
This does have an overreaching arc so don't expect everything to be tied up in this edition, but it made for a fantastic read. Well-paced, with plenty of action, twists and turns, plus hooks dangling which left me wanting the next book immediately, it was already a 5-star read for me. But then Danny went above and beyond and had my eyes leaking for the last part of the book. That 5-star was never in doubt!!! An amazing story and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mar 18, 2025
ClareR (6054 KP) rated Creature: A Novel of Mary Shelley and Frankenstein in Books
Aug 27, 2025
This book tells the story of Mary Shelley, how she ran away with the poet, Percy Bysshe Shelley, in order to live the life that she wanted to live, free of the constraints of society and hopefully live up to her perception of her mother’s standards. Instead, it felt as though she was dragged around Europe by her (eventual) husband, everything at his whim, paying for freedom from society with the deaths of 4 of her 5 children.
Ok, I may be a little harsh here. Mortality rates in infants were abysmal at this point in history, but I’m. Still not a Shelley/ Byron fan 🤷🏼♀️
If it sounds as though I’m being negative, I actually loved this book. The writing is wonderfully descriptive, the perspectives swapping between Mary and (and this is what really makes this novel stand out)the Creature from the novel, Frankenstein. His life plays out at the same time as Mary’s, he grows up with her from childhood, always nearby, I’m sure she could have seen him from the corner of her eye. His life is as tragic as hers.
Reading this novel, I was standing beside Mary and her Creature, experiencing their lives with them, which was pretty hard-going at times. To experience such loss and keep going really shows Mary’s strength of character.
Mary’s life was adventurous, uncertain, unconventional, rich in experience, and pretty frustrating at times - thanks to Shelley and Byron!
This took me longer than it possibly could have to read. I kept going through the footnotes, googling, reading some of Shelley’s and Byron’s poetry - this book took over my reading entirely!
Now, where did I put my copy of Frankenstein? I might just have to reread…
I received an ARC of this book for free, and I’m reading this review voluntarily (and why wouldn’t I?!). Many thanks to the publishers, BookSirens and Amy Weldon.
Ok, I may be a little harsh here. Mortality rates in infants were abysmal at this point in history, but I’m. Still not a Shelley/ Byron fan 🤷🏼♀️
If it sounds as though I’m being negative, I actually loved this book. The writing is wonderfully descriptive, the perspectives swapping between Mary and (and this is what really makes this novel stand out)the Creature from the novel, Frankenstein. His life plays out at the same time as Mary’s, he grows up with her from childhood, always nearby, I’m sure she could have seen him from the corner of her eye. His life is as tragic as hers.
Reading this novel, I was standing beside Mary and her Creature, experiencing their lives with them, which was pretty hard-going at times. To experience such loss and keep going really shows Mary’s strength of character.
Mary’s life was adventurous, uncertain, unconventional, rich in experience, and pretty frustrating at times - thanks to Shelley and Byron!
This took me longer than it possibly could have to read. I kept going through the footnotes, googling, reading some of Shelley’s and Byron’s poetry - this book took over my reading entirely!
Now, where did I put my copy of Frankenstein? I might just have to reread…
I received an ARC of this book for free, and I’m reading this review voluntarily (and why wouldn’t I?!). Many thanks to the publishers, BookSirens and Amy Weldon.
ClareR (6054 KP) rated Jewels of the Crown in Books
Nov 23, 2025 (Updated Nov 23, 2025)
Jewels of the Crown is the fourth and final novelette in the After the Storm quartet, and it sets things up very nicely for what is to come!
Each novelette has centred around one of the four main characters, and Jewels is all about Lawrence, the King of the werewolves, and a rather large secret that he has been keeping form his mates.
I loved finding out about how the mates are settling in to parenthood and their new lives - and the children seemed to be as mischievous as many children are! One or two also seem to have a trick or two tucked up their sleeves - which I’m sure will come out further in subsequent novels (I hope!).
I’ve been trying to work out why I like these books by Dianna Hardy so much, and I think I’ve come up with one or two reasons. I really enjoy the writing style and how we get to see what the characters are thinking “in their own words”; of course, there’s the fantastical element of werewolves and magic that relates back to my love of fairy tales, myth and legend; and then there’s the found family. This theme has snuck up on me over the years, but I seem to read a lot of books where the main characters find the people that they want to call their family, and these aren’t the people that they necessarily grew up with. And Dianna’s books do this so well.
If this sounds like something you’d like to read, I should say that there’s a touch of spice in these books, too, but if that’s likely to be a deal breaker, I wouldn’t let it put you off. There’s so much going on in such a short space of a novelette besides the sex (and it’s all in context - not gratuitous).
I look forward to every book that Dianna publishes, and I feel very lucky to have received the ARC of this book.
All opinions are, of course, my own.
Each novelette has centred around one of the four main characters, and Jewels is all about Lawrence, the King of the werewolves, and a rather large secret that he has been keeping form his mates.
I loved finding out about how the mates are settling in to parenthood and their new lives - and the children seemed to be as mischievous as many children are! One or two also seem to have a trick or two tucked up their sleeves - which I’m sure will come out further in subsequent novels (I hope!).
I’ve been trying to work out why I like these books by Dianna Hardy so much, and I think I’ve come up with one or two reasons. I really enjoy the writing style and how we get to see what the characters are thinking “in their own words”; of course, there’s the fantastical element of werewolves and magic that relates back to my love of fairy tales, myth and legend; and then there’s the found family. This theme has snuck up on me over the years, but I seem to read a lot of books where the main characters find the people that they want to call their family, and these aren’t the people that they necessarily grew up with. And Dianna’s books do this so well.
If this sounds like something you’d like to read, I should say that there’s a touch of spice in these books, too, but if that’s likely to be a deal breaker, I wouldn’t let it put you off. There’s so much going on in such a short space of a novelette besides the sex (and it’s all in context - not gratuitous).
I look forward to every book that Dianna publishes, and I feel very lucky to have received the ARC of this book.
All opinions are, of course, my own.
Merissa (13614 KP) rated Worth the Risk (Worth It #3) in Books
Dec 29, 2025
WORTH THE RISK is the last book in the Worth It series, rounding off the overall story about Radley.
It's time for Jude to take the spotlight, something he's become familiar with after staying with Alfie in the last book. And for him, the only one who would match him is Warren. He is an undercover officer, on his last chance, after he was reprimanded for going off-script. The only trouble is, with Jude, it doesn't feel like a script, but all too real.
I liked Jude in the other stories, and really wanted his. What I didn't expect was for it to be as good, or as heart-wrenching, as it was. And the thing that I absolutely loved was although things happened that shook the ground underneath him, he was prepared to listen to explanations, rather than just run away with misconceptions or miscommunications.
Warren was perfect for him. A big squishy marshmallow who knows how to protect. While I found it funny to read how he disregarded all protocol, I'm sure he would be a nightmare to work with!!! Still, he was perfect for Jude and the story. I'm so glad I got to read their story.
The overall arc also gets sorted, with a couple of twists here and there that I did not see coming! I loved how it not only gave me a very satisfying ending to the series, but also caught me up to date with the couples and their families that I have met while reading the stories.
This was an outstanding series, and I really hope it's not the end of Worthbridge! The best of a really good bunch, and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me.
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Dec 29, 2025
It's time for Jude to take the spotlight, something he's become familiar with after staying with Alfie in the last book. And for him, the only one who would match him is Warren. He is an undercover officer, on his last chance, after he was reprimanded for going off-script. The only trouble is, with Jude, it doesn't feel like a script, but all too real.
I liked Jude in the other stories, and really wanted his. What I didn't expect was for it to be as good, or as heart-wrenching, as it was. And the thing that I absolutely loved was although things happened that shook the ground underneath him, he was prepared to listen to explanations, rather than just run away with misconceptions or miscommunications.
Warren was perfect for him. A big squishy marshmallow who knows how to protect. While I found it funny to read how he disregarded all protocol, I'm sure he would be a nightmare to work with!!! Still, he was perfect for Jude and the story. I'm so glad I got to read their story.
The overall arc also gets sorted, with a couple of twists here and there that I did not see coming! I loved how it not only gave me a very satisfying ending to the series, but also caught me up to date with the couples and their families that I have met while reading the stories.
This was an outstanding series, and I really hope it's not the end of Worthbridge! The best of a really good bunch, and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me.
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Dec 29, 2025