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One Last Chance
One Last Chance
Kat Sinclair | 2025 | LGBTQ+, Paranormal, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
took a path I didn't see coming!
Independent reviewer for BookSirens, I was gifted my copy of this book.

Dayton is an omega with a slightly sour smell. Very uncommon. It means his dating life is almost non-existant and his mothers keep setting him for blind dates. Rowland is an alpha with a condition that makes his smell overpowering to most omegas, and indeed, betas. The latest blind was the last one, he was adamant. But when Dayton and Rowland meet, sparks really do fly. But there are those who are against Rowland being happy.

What I liked about this, was it went a way I did not see coming, and I really enjoyed being kept on my toes.

AND! It wasn't until I was tagging it, that I realised something: first person, present tense and multi point of view. If you follow my reviews, you'll know this is not a fav of mine, and I WILL dump books written as such if they don't grab me. I won't apologise for that either. But this book grabbed me and didn't let go, so much so, I did not notice the way it was written!

Now, there is a bit in the beginning about the way this world works. I read it, I really did, but much went over my head about the intricate explanations about the venusverse and how it all works. I don't think I missed much by not comprehending it all, to be honest. Just needed to mention it!

I've not read anything by this author, and it says this book is set in the venusverse world she created. I can't find any, so I'm assuming this is the first, please correct me if I'm wrong though! I will read them, as and when. Kat Sinclair is now firmly in my crosshairs!

4 very VERY good stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
Who (Stalker #1)
Who (Stalker #1)
Megan Mitcham | 2018 | Fiction & Poetry, Romance, Thriller
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
A Touch Of Brilliance!
Who scares you the most, a complete stranger or a person you know that has you in their sight?

Megan Mitcham’s latest novel, "WHO," delivers an intensely evocative story in this first book of her new Stalker series. With intelligently crafted words and an intriguing plot that has plenty of suspenseful twists, this novel made me want to keep on turning the pages. At first, I found the book a little slow and I was worried that the story wouldn’t live up to its promise, however, the pace soon picked up and I knew I was reading a book that I would come to really enjoy.

Billionaire Larkin Ashford is the fiercely independent owner of her fashion empire which was founded on the back of wedlock. When her company has the opportunity to go public, her Board of Directors won’t give her the green light, unless she agrees to marry. A series of threatening messages aren’t making her decision any easier. As she retreats to her rooftop hideaway to clear her head, she finds herself imprisoned in the strong arms of a mysterious chap who thinks she was about to jump…

Despite her friends’ warnings that her knight in shining armour could be her stalker, she can’t get him out of her head. Determined to find the truth, she searches for her mystery man and discovers a dark secret that could destroy everything that she holds dear. With her empire in danger, she’ll have to uncover the truth before her fortune and her life are reduced to tatters.

I loved the character of Larkin who is efficient, imaginative and extremely shrewd. She has deep-rooted issues with trust from her past and she doesn’t believe in love or long-term relationships. Her mother died when she was thirteen, and she has a tense relationship with her emotionally distant father. She does have a few really close friends that are supportive and loyal. I loved that Megan Mitcham introduced us to an abundance of wonderful characters, especially Larkin’s girlfriends, Genevieve, Marlis and Libby. Their exuberance collectively provides many moments of fun, support and girlie laughter.

Larkin’s high profile life is very much lived in the limelight and with major personal and business decisions needing to be made, who is causing so much trouble for her and what will be the price she has to pay?

I had so many different scenarios playing out in my head, and even though I anticipated some of the twists, I couldn’t settle on the outcome and I was kept guessing until the end. The author definitely did not disappoint with the conclusion of this book!

If you love dramatic plots, intrigue and enjoy crime novels with a bit of romance, then Megan Mitcham delivers with abundance in "WHO."

Thank you to Hidden Gems and the author, Megan Mitcham for a free ARC of this book in exchange for a voluntary, honest review.
  
Hush (Nights #8)
Hush (Nights #8)
A.M. Salinger | 2018 | Contemporary, Erotica, Romance
8
4.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
i love this series!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

So! This is book 8 in the Nights Series, but this one really can be read as a stand alone. I'm not sure I recall Lana or Tom from any of the previous books, but that might be me. Also, books one through 6 are male/male pairings and book7 and this one are male/female pairings. Again, I'm not picky, especially when the author pulls off the difference incredibly well, but I know some readers are. Books one through 3, and 6 and 7 are all 5 stars reads from me too.

Lana has been the bane of Tom's existence since he fell in love with her at 16. Having worked for her for 4 years, Tom really has reached the end of his tether, and feels he needs to move on. But when Lana turns up at his door, drunk, demanding sex, what's a guy to do, huh?? He does the right thing, and puts her to bed, while sleeping on the sofa. But, things change between Lana and Tom, and Lana begins to feel things more keenly. These feelings she never realised she had. And the feelings that she wants more than the verbal battling they have every day. But Tom runs, and Lana has to face some facts.

A thoroughly enjoyable addition to this series, even if i found it not quite up to par as the rest.

Oh, don't get me wrong! It's a great book, told from both Lana and Tom's point of view. It's sexy and hot, and I did read it in one sitting.

It just doesn't have the heat level the other books have, and I think I missed that! Ya'll know I made a new shelf for these books, "fan yourself, it's a hot one" and this book doesn't get to join the others there, simply because of that fact.

There is, though, more emotions in this one, I think. Having loved Lana for the better part of his life, Tom's feeling are front and centre, right from the beginning, but Lana's take some digging out. I LOVED the scene when she's talking to Eveline and Lincoln from book 7, about just WHY Lana is annoyed with Tom!

I really have enjoyed this series, and there is just one book to go, and I will be so bloody sad to see the end of these books!

I also find myself curious as to what name this author usually writes under, as AM Salinger is a pen name. I'd LOVE to read something written under that name, just to see the differences. But then again, it might be young adult, or zombies and they really don't float my boat. So, on reflection, no, I don't want to know!

4 solid sexy (but not quite as sexy as the rest) stars

**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
  
River (Stranger In The Woods #2)
River (Stranger In The Woods #2)
India R Adams | 2018 | Paranormal, Romance
8
6.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Long bokk but good!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book direct from the author.

This is book 2 in the Stranger in The Woods series, and you really MUST read Rain, book one first. I really enjoyed that one.

This one?? Not so much. Mostly because this book is LONG!!!

Rose had her baby, Rain right at the end of book one. This one is about the run up to River's birth. Ryder is River's father.

It is again written first person, present tense, multi point of view, mostly Rose and Ryder, with some Gunner and a few other, less savoury characters, but it is right that they have a say. And it bothered me more here, than in Rain, the present tense thing, and I've no idea WHY!

There is a huge chunk of the book that was kinda...trippy....for want of a better word. When Rose and Rain are kidnapped by King and are dwelling in another plane, I got lost. There are two or three names for the same body that is inhabited by King. Sometimes his speech is in italics, and sometimes not. I'm still not entirely sure about the past life thing between King and Rose!

There is, I think, a MUCH bigger picture that still isn't clear for these characters, and sometimes that's a good thing but here?? I'm thinking not so much. I have no idea, not a single clue, where this story is going, and I felt that right down to my bones as I was reading. I began to skim far far more than usual, and that is never a good thing.

I did, however, read this book in one single sitting, and it ain't no novella, let me tell ya! Not sure how many pages it is, but it took me 5 hours! So it kept me mostly engaged, except the trippy bit which was confusing to say the least!

So, because I read it in one go, because everyone who needed to has a say, and because I really do need to know where this is going...

4 stars

**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
  
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Midge (525 KP) rated SEAL's Homecoming in Books

Jan 31, 2019 (Updated Jan 31, 2019)  
SEAL's Homecoming
SEAL's Homecoming
Leslie North | 2019 | Fiction & Poetry, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Hot romance (2 more)
Great lead characters
Action and suspense
A Delightful, Sexy Must Read!
I absolutely adored this wonderful, hot, little romance from the very beginning.

Chance McCallister is a Navy SEAL with dark brown eyes a perfectly honed body and likes sprucing up classic cars. He and his brothers have returned to their home town of Springwell, Georgia for their father’s funeral. Chance buys the car parts from the garage that his ex-girlfriend owns, who he is trying to avoid and hasn’t seen for twelve years. No problem, unless things start to get complicated....

Enter Mandy Loomis, a stunning, petite, curvy, russet-haired beauty, to whom he lost his virginity and who he thought he’d marry until she ripped out his heart just before he left for the Navy. Mandy’s gambler father died two years ago, leaving her the garage family business and a whole load of related debt, owed to a loan shark.
To Mandy, Chance was her childhood sweetheart who abandoned her 12 years ago. Then he was 18 years old, now she is drowning in lust for him and he is bigger, stronger and even sexier, with an aura of danger and a reputation of fighter and predator. Just as the two are beginning to realize they could have a future together, the loan shark starts to make some serious trouble for them, putting both their love and their lives in danger.

Although Chance has a bad-boy image, I loved the sexy chemistry between him and Mandy whenever they were together and they were both very likeable characters. Mandy is bright, ambitious, fiercely independent and very much knows her own mind. Chance is gorgeous and his actions are always carried out with good intentions.

"SEAL’s Homecoming" is a short fast-paced read with lots of action, some suspense and plenty of lust and love. Leslie North has written another brilliant story that was sweet and captivating to the end and loads of fun to read.

I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone.

Thank you to Hidden Gems and the author, Leslie North, for a free ARC of this book in exchange for a voluntary, honest review.
  
Midnight on the River Grey
Midnight on the River Grey
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Abigail Wilson returns to Regency England with another tale of murder, mystery, and romance.


After her elder brother’s mysterious death, Rebecca Hunter vows to expose the man she believes responsible-Mr. Lewis Browning-known by the locals as the Midnight Devil and by Rebecca as her new guardian. He alone was on the bridge that fateful night and openly admits striking her brother with his horse, but he claims he remembers little else. Summoned to his reclusive country estate to await her London season, Rebecca plans her own secret investigation. Yet, Lewis Browning is not as she once imagined, and his motivation is horribly unclear. Recurrent nightmares and Rebecca’s restless feelings are further complicated by the shadow of her mother’s prior descent into madness and whether she too will follow the same heartbreaking path. Even as midnight rides, strange injuries, and further murders lead back to Lewis, Rebecca can’t ignore the subtle turn of her heart. Has she developed feelings for the man she swore to see hanged? And moreover, can she trust him with her uncertain future?



My Thoughts: This was an amazing read; full of plot twists, murder and even a little love involved. Abigail Wilson has spun a tale of intrigue that keeps the readers on the edge of their seat. In this book, you never know who to really trust and just when you think you have it all figured out, the plot twists again!


The characters in this story are intriguing, some are very lovable and some are just mysterious. There is a warm feeling with the Aunt/niece relationship with Rebecca and her aunt. The readers get a true feel for the loving relationship that Rebecca has with her aunt. Since Rebecca has not had a stable family relationship, she is a free-spirited young woman who has a very independent nature for this time period. This is a helpful trait for her, to help her search for her bother's killer. Even though it's a second in a series, this is a stand-alone book. I certainly look forward to reading more from this author.
  
Run With It (MacAteer Brothers, #1)
Run With It (MacAteer Brothers, #1)
ML Nystrom | 2020 | Contemporary, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
much better read for me from this author!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This NEW series from Nystrom is a spin off from the Dragon Runners series. You don't need to have read THOSE books for this one to make sense, indeed, I've only read book one and half of book 2. I didn't much care for those books, and I have no idea why.
This one, however, is a whole nother story!
I really REALLY enjoyed this! I was surprised I enjoyed it so much, since I didn't care for the Dragon Runners, and I cannot tell you why, either!
Bev has her say in the first person, and Connor in the third. Different, but quirky and I liked it! Wasn't sure Connor would get a voice, but he does.
The chemistry builds for these two, right from the start, but its way WAY late in the book that they finally get any time together, what with Connor's work, and Bev's kids and dealing with a shitty ex and his new partner. I liked that it took time for them to come together. They do bandy about the L word early, to themselves at least and I didn't like that very much but it didn't spoil my reading.
Connor's builder family are in one of the Dragon Runners books, as they rebuild the Clubhouse/Bar (I forget which, and I didn't read Connor's sister's book, Stud, book 2) There is quite a lot of hints to the tension between Connor and some of his siblings, but the ones who turn up here are close to Connor. Bev's family are almost non-existent!
I had to laugh at Bev's friend, signing her up for a dating app, cos been there, done that and got the bloody t-shirt! I felt for Bev, on those dates, I really did!
I really cannot tell you why the Dragon Runners didn't work for me, and this one did, but I really don't care. I hope I can read the future books about these brothers, I have a feeling they will be fun to read about.
4 very VERY good stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
  
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Hazel (1853 KP) rated Slaying Alven in Books

Mar 29, 2020  
Slaying Alven
Slaying Alven
Jordan Elizabeth Mierek | 2020 | Paranormal, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Slaying Alven is the latest fantasy novel by the versatile author, Jordan Elizabeth. Set in two different worlds, the story merges contemporary life and Dutch mythology. The Van Nuys family were gradually getting on with their lives six years after the murder of Vader (father). Unfortunately, a reluctant trip to see Aunt Annetie turns their world upside down once more.

There are several key characters in the story. Femmitie is about to finish high school and has just got her first boyfriend, Max. Tanneke, who witnessed Vader's death, has not spoken a word since. Sitske is growing up to be a strong, independent girl. Their mother, Catharina has remarried to a man named Xie with whom they have a son, Harvey. And then there is the Wittewijven ...

According to Dutch mythology, a Wittewijven was a wise woman or herbalist who took care of people's physical and mental ailments. When a Wittewijven died, their spirit remained on earth as "elven" beings, helping or hindering the people they met. The Wittewijven in this story, Wit for short, had turned to dark magic before her death hundreds of years ago. She is responsible for Vader's death and now she wants to destroy the rest of the family.

The story takes place between modern-day America and a world made for the Wittewijven, which can only be accessed by touching the words of a specific book. Over the years, Wit has trapped many people in her world and now the Van Nuys' family are her next targets. The only way Wit can be stopped is to be killed by a descendent, which, as it transpires, the Van Nuys are.

Jordan Elizabeth brings a new subject to the fantasy world in the form of the Wittewijven. Although the mythological character has featured in Dutch literature of the past, the legends are virtually unknown in the wider world.

Although the key characters are in their teens,Slaying Alven is more suited to mature readers due to some of the subjects implied. Overall, it is one of Jordan Elizabeth's best novels.