Search

Search only in certain items:

Rattlesnake Road
Rattlesnake Road
Amanda McKinney | 2021 | Contemporary, Romance, Thriller
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I loved the slow burn between Declan and Grey!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

I don't know about you, but when I read a blurb, my mind goes off on one, and I get an idea in my head how this particular book is gonna go. Mostly, it runs along the lines of the book, but sometimes, it doesn't. Sometimes, my mind is so far off base, that the book surprieses you, and you can't say why!

This book, right here!

I have no idea where my mind when I read the blurb, I have long since given up questioning my book mind, cos it's far too much like hard work, but where it wasn't, I know, was NOT here!

Such a very different read for me than of late, and I thoroughyl enjoyed it, bar one thing, and I'll come back to that, but Lord, I really enjoyed this book.

Grey is suffering, and that suffering comes across clearly, and darkly. She drinks to blot it all out, until she takes a step too far and loses it all. Making good on a age old promise is the only way she get find herself again. But buying a house unseen comes with pitfalls, and that house being on prime real estate comes with a greedy man who wants her house. And the house has secrets, that take time to come out. The cabin in the middle of nowhere does come with a very nice side affect though: a cowboy, right next door.

I loved Grey. She is flawed, she knows that, but that final push makes her see she needs to get out, and get better. The cabin is close to her cousin and they made a promise years agao, that if Grey ever left New York, she would come here. Declan, the neighbour, is a balm to her soul, he really is. And the fact that he waits til her divorce is final, is very telling about his nature. That he thumps the developer for what he does to Grey is also telling.

Said developer, Lucas, was the one who surprised me. His past, what he did, what he got away with, and how it all came to light. While I didn't like what he does to Grey, he is an interesting character. And his part in the story is essential, I think.

I loved the slow burn between Declan and Grey, I really did. Chemistry is hot and bright, but the physical stuff takes time, and I loved being made to wait.

The only thing, the ONLY thing that stops me from giving it the full 5 stars is only Grey has a say. Declan, and maybe even Lucas, would have made this a full 5 star read. I am greedy, I know but I would have loved to get into both Declan and Lucas' mind, I really would. What Declan was thinking when he first meets Grey, when he tells her of his past. And Lucas, too, when he finds out what Grey has found!

Some difficult topics talked about here, all very well handled.

A very VERY enjoyable read!

4 stars

**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
  
Give It To Me (MacAteer Brothers #5)
Give It To Me (MacAteer Brothers #5)
ML Nystrom | 2021 | Contemporary, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
saved the best for last!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

This is book 5, the final book, in the MacAteer Brothers series. While not strictly NECESSARY, I recommend you read all four of the other books before this one. It will give you a better understanding of just for fast these men fall in love. Also, some references to the other couple's stories are made here, but not fully explained and if you have read them, you might wonder, you know?

We met Angus in the last book, when he and his twin, Patrick, came to work with Connor, Owen and Garrett at their growing home improvement business. Rhyleigh is co-owner at the yoga gym the girls go to. Angus has a powerful reaction to Rhyleigh, but Rhyleigh's to Angus is more of a dawning realisation about what he could do for her, TO her.

When Rhyleigh indulges in her one true secret, someone else pushes her buttons and suddenly she has TWO men who she dreams about. And when Rhyleigh's mother and sister upset her so bad that she does something stupid, everything changes.

These books have been wonderful to read. They are all 4 and 5 star reads, and I *think*, for me, the best was saved for last, I really do!

I loved Angus and Rhyleigh, together and as individuals. Angus knows, he KNOWS Rhyleigh is his, and Patrick (his book, Risk It All, runs alongside this one, so he's flirting at the beginning!) gets the look from Angus to tell him she is Angus'. Patrick gets the message 🙂

Angus gets to know Rhyleigh secret, and he knows that he can really set her free, he can give her what she didn't get from others. He just needs her to let him.

Rhyleigh does something stupid, and I broke for her, I really did. Her mother and sister really are nasty pieces of work, and poor Rhyleigh bears the brunt of that nastiness. After a particularly nasty attack (verbal, but still) Rhyleigh makes a dreadful decision that Angus saves her from. At that point, Angus broke me too, because his heart broke when Rhyleigh does what she does, and he wasn't sure he could get to her in time.

It's quite an emotional book. But also a hawt one! BUT, while the level of heat is possible the highest of all 5 books, the actual smexy stuff is quite low. I mean, there is heat and passion, and when Angus gives Rhyleigh want she so desperately wants, the temp is off the charts, but there is just that one scene between them and I bloody LOVED that!

In a couple of the other books, I said I would have loved the books without any smexy stuff, and I stand by that here. So long as Angus gives Rhyleigh what she needs, cos I needed that bit too! That bit was sensual and emotional and the connection between them was amazing.

I'm starting to ramble, and rambling does not a good review make, so I'll leave you with this:

Read
These
Books!

I still need to go back and read Stud (The second Dragon Runners book) because that book is about Eva, the only MacAteer sister. She pops up here and there throughout this series, but I need to round them all out, I think.

5 full and shiny stars

PS, loved the epilogue!

**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
  
Close to Home (Sawyer's Ferry #4)
Close to Home (Sawyer's Ferry #4)
Cate Ashwood | 2019 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
my fav of the four!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

This is book 4 in the Sawyers Ferry series, but you don't NEED to read the other books for this one to make sense. The previous stories come before this in time, and the previous characters pop up here too. But, you know? two 5 stars and a 4star read from me, so why not, eh?

Witt somehow manages to get himself a beating, and by some miracle, drives himself to the only place he feels safe: Sawyers Ferry. His boss did not like it when Witt said no. Mason is struggling at his place with his house mates family visiting, so when Logan and Jackson ask Mason to move into their place to keep an eye on the still recovering Witt, he jumps at the chance to not only get out his house, but to get to know the shy man a whole lot better. Something about Witt pulls at Mason, and he can't figure out what, not yet. But when Witt's boss turns up in town, Mason figures it out real quick. Witt is HIS and Mason will do everything he can to protect him.

So, book 4 and this carries a far darker story line. Witt has been working with a bully, and managed to, up to now, avoid any serious confrontation but when Witt says no to more overtime, that confrontation happens and Witt suffers at the hands of his boss. How he managed to get as far as the ferry, he will never know, but Logan and Jackson are there, they will help him. Then Mason is in the house, and Witt doesn't quite know what to do about the man who seemed to have invaded his dreams somewhere along the way.

Mason works with Barrett at the Copper Creek Brewery. He met Witt some time ago, the smaller shy man trying to almost hide in the sofa. But Mason noticed, he noticed a lot about Witt. Visiting Witt at the hospital bought all kinds of rage out of Mason, and all kinds of other feelings he didn't want to examine just yet. Being able to look after Witt when Logan and Jackson go out of town is just the best thing.

Slowly, Witt comes out of himself. He is painfully shy, and Mason so darn gentle with him, it was a delight to see Witt break his shell. And when Witt decides to take the plunge and take what he wants, or rather WHO he wants, ooooeeee that was so hawt!

It was great fun watching these two dance around each other for a huge part of the book! Mason admitted his feelings to Barrett and Frnakie quite early, but Witt took a while to get there. Neither man was sure what the other was feeling!

Brody pops up, and Mason's best friend. He has a short in this series, Laguna, which is availble for free from Profilicworks. And I do mean SHORT! 34 pages is all, but I do know that Ms Ashwood will be writing Brody and Beckett's full story shortly! Can't wait for that, I tell ya!

I just got back off my holidays, and I read this on the plane. Fabulous way to pass a 4 hour flight!

5 full and shiny stars!

**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
  
In Safe Arms (My Truth #2)
In Safe Arms (My Truth #2)
Ann Grech | 2019 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
10
9.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
stunning emotional read!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

This is book two in the My Truth series, and I read it back to back to book one, All He Needs. While not strictly necessary to read book one before this one, I would personally recommend you do. Spoilers, is all you’ll get but book one was a 4 star read cos of one minor niggle that is explained in my review.

We met Angelo and Tristan in book and there were some indications to what might be in store for them in that book. Rick (Angelo’s brother) Mason, and Caden all pop up here, hence the spoiler tag.

THIS book, however, does NOT have that niggle and is an altogether different, difficult, heart-breaking, gut wrenching, sobbing kind of book!

I mean from the very beginning, when Tristan begins telling the tale, it’s awful reading, what happened to him at the hands of a family friend. When he is on the streets after, and what happened to him and his friend then. Tristan really does break your heart.

Then when Angelo takes up the story? OH, I wanted to wrap that man up in cotton wool and protect him! From Tristan of all people cos you know, right when they meet, Tristan is gonna break Angelo’s heart! And he does, just not in the way I was expecting.

Angelo is smitten with Tristan, right from the start, but Tristan comes across as straight and all Angelo can do is be a friend for Tristan. Then Angelo notices things, little touches, glances and the like, and it makes Angelo think.

When Tristan breaks down and finally tells Angelo everything that happened, you’ll cry, you really will! I rarely react to such extremes when READING, but I was sobbing great wracking sobs when Tristan was telling Angelo! Listening, I react more for so . . . . . oh. . . . .I need to LISTEN to this, I really do! Someone narrate it, please!

But I digress, sorry!

Because of Tristan’s history, the physical relationship between him and Angelo is slow, and takes time to build. There is an emotional connection from very early on, but the physical stuff comes much MUCH later in the book. And I LOVED that it did. Often, things move too fast for characters who suffer like Tristan did, but not so here. I did think, at one point, it might not ever happen, at all but once Tristan is able to talk to Angelo and then to professional help, things get much better, very quickly.

This is only the second book I’ve read of Ms Grech, after All He Needs, but I need to read more. She has a way of breaking your heart I’ve not come across before!

This is NOT a light and fluffy read, this is NOT a short book, both in page length and time span, this is not one of those books you can fall into and forget the world. This IS however, a stunning read that I read in one sitting and I stayed up way, WAY past my bedtime to finish it. I needed to know that things turned out okay for Angelo and Tristan, and I could not leave their story midway through.

5 stunning stars

**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
  
Alex (Twilights Falls #1)
Alex (Twilights Falls #1)
A.M. Salinger | 2019 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
wonderful start to a new series!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

    Alex’s business partner scammed him for the tune of half a million dollars. His friend, Izzy, has the perfect solution. Marry her client, live with said client for 6 months, and get his half million back. Finn’s great aunt is a manipulative woman, but she loves him, she really does. Getting Finn out the house to meet someone new was not going to work while the artist hides himself away following the death of his wife several years ago. Marrying him off seems the perfect idea. When Finn and Alex come face to face at the courthouse, neither is expecting a man, but they go ahead. They can live with each other for 6 months and be done. But what happens when feelings get involved? When things begin to be REAL?

    I thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed this start of a new series by Salinger! I LOVED the Nights series and I can see this new series growing on me too.

    There is immediate attraction to Finn from Alex but while Finn acknowledges, to himself at least, that Alex is gorgeous, it takes time for the attraction to Alex to grow. Loved that it wasn’t immediate obvious to Finn, just what he might be feeling for Alex.

    It’s not overly explicit, at least to start, but once these guys admit they want each other, and that Finn doesn’t seem to have a problem with that, they are all in! It does get a bit emotional, especially for Finn, when talking about his wife, and then to his great aunt about . . .things . . .and you feel sad for him, that he was never fully honest with himself. That his wife and his aunt saw, though, knocks him.

    Glad the business partner gets his comeuppence!

    I LOVED the wider group of friends that Alex comes home to! They are funny and I wonder if the series will evolve around them? I know Carter is next, who pops up here.

    It didn’t take me long to read the 170 pages its billed as, just over 90 minutes, but it left me feeling that warm and fuzzie feeling I haven’t had from a book in a good long while.

    So, thank you, Ms Salinger, for setting me up for a busy day at work, feeling that warm and fuzziness all day! I look forward to catching up with these guys should they pop up again in the series. * I hope they do!*

    OH!!! There is a bit at the back of this book that gives the first chapter to One Night, which is the first in the Nights series. If you haven’t read those books, I STRONGLY recommend you do! I made a new shelf for them, and everything! And of course I read that little bit and then had to go back and read Cam and Gabe’s first book again. And NOW I wanna go back and read the whole damn series again! Be warned though, those books are HOT off the charts!

    Ah sod it! I wrote 4 stars, then changed it to 5 then back to 4, but here you go!

    5 warm and fuzzy, too stinking cute stars!

    **same worded review will appear elsewhere**
  
    OfficeTime Time Tracker

    OfficeTime Time Tracker

    Productivity and Business

    (0 Ratings) Rate It

    App

    OfficeTime is an amazingly intuitive time tracker. Where other time keepers are clumsy or...

    iTim Text MMS Messenger

    iTim Text MMS Messenger

    Social Networking and Lifestyle

    (0 Ratings) Rate It

    App

    iTim Text: All-in-One Free MMS/SMS client. On Sale TODAY FOR $6.99 (REG. PRICE $9.99) ALL-PLATFORM...

    Virtual Families for iPad

    Virtual Families for iPad

    Games and Entertainment

    (0 Ratings) Rate It

    App

    Happy Holidays from the LDW Team! The full, original version of Virtual Families from your desktop...