Given how much I disliked Barefoot with a Bodyguard, one might be surprised to see that I am reviewing the next installment in the Barefoot Bay Undercover series. Why, do you ask? Because I liked all the other Barefoot Bay books except Barefoot with a Bodyguard and I thought I’d like this one more than I did. What attracted me to this book? I liked Francesca Rossi in the previous books. Malcolm Harris is a wounded … Continue reading Barefoot with a Stranger by Roxanne St. Claire→
This book is part of a series. Roxanne St. Claire has written a lot of “Barefoot” titles: Barefoot Brides, Barefoot Billionaires, and now Barefoot Bay Undercover. Is it just me or is it getting crowded in Barefoot Bay? They are all loosely connected and each can be read as a stand-alone, including Barefoot with a Bodyguard. Although it really does help if one reads the prequel to Barefoot with a Bodyguard so one knows why … Continue reading Barefoot with a Bodyguard by Roxanne St. Claire→
A man and his young daughter go on the run when Argentinian arms dealers massacre his family. After more than a decade of running, the man finally settles down in Small Town, USA, where his now-teenaged daughter can put down roots, and he can pine for the recently-divorced mother of two with an abusive ex-husband who is begging for a manly beat-down. When the man survives a convenience store robbery and discovers the event might … Continue reading She Can Kill by Melinda Leigh→
I chose this book because I wanted to go outside my usual reading and then found comfort in the parts of the story that were familiar. Mistletoe Justice is a Love Inspired Suspense book, so it is an inspirational romantic suspense story which also happened to be set during the Christmas season. A tall order. Well-delivered, Ms. Post, well-delivered. The story included prayers for help and thanks to God for blessings received, but there was … Continue reading Mistletoe Justice by Carol J. Post→
I was really excited when Hold Your Breath was released because it’s romantic suspense centered around a Rocky Mountain search and rescue team which is 100% my jam. The book was an interesting blend of suspense, action/adventure, and small town romance, and it’s very, very funny. Louise “Lou” Sparks left behind her controlling family and unsatisfying job for a new life in rural Colorado. She’s a diver on the search and rescue team, meaning when … Continue reading Hold Your Breath by Katie Ruggle→
I applaud the effort but “Desert Heat” didn’t work that well for me. Novellas can be a difficult format to write. Longer than a short story, not quite a novel. With a short story, you can do a tightly focused tale focused on a single incident or subject. A novel gives you a chance to explore a story – dig into the characters or plot, even add sub-characters and sub-plots. With a novella, it’s hard … Continue reading Desert Heat by Merline Lovelace→
‘Til Death Do Us Part is a gothic Victorian romance that features a shrewd businesswoman and a scarred, brooding mystery novel author. There’s a creepy mansion, lots of feminism, and a plot that revolves around Victorian mourning customs. It had me at “tear catcher.” Calista runs an agency that introduces single people to each other in a series of salons held at her home. In order to keep the business thriving, she has to be … Continue reading ‘Til Death Do Us Part by Amanda Quick→
The Obsession by Nora Roberts is some creepy suspense, followed by a chunk of contemporary small-town romance, followed up by a dash more suspense. It’s a strange book in that the suspense plot isn’t very evenly distributed, but Roberts’ writing is so excellent that I didn’t care. Roberts’ books are filled with fabulous detail–from competence pr0n to home remodeling pr0n to descriptions of old barns–that my brain just goes into vacation mode. Her novels, even … Continue reading The Obsession by Nora Roberts→
I love foodie characters, so if an author has a chef or a bartender, I’ll automatically give the book another once over. Hayley Baskov’s dreams of opening her own restaurant are temporarily on hold after her now ex-boyfriend and business partner bailed. So instead, she’s taken to serving her homemade Russian fare outside clubs in hopes of catering to the drunk crowd. Unfortunately for her, the deliciousness of her food has gotten the attention of … Continue reading Countdown to Zero Hour by Nico Rosso→
Hidden Impact by Piper J Drake is everything I live for in romantic suspense. It’s popcorn-required-action-movie suspense. Lots of things will blow up, the bad guys will be really bad, the threats are global, the hero runs around shirtless and sweaty, but you know everyone will be okay in the end. I read a lot of mysteries and thrillers and sometimes I just get really sick of the possibility that the heroine (or hero, or … Continue reading Hidden Impact by Piper J. Drake→
Lara emailed me about a romantic suspense that was, for her, the perfect blend of both the romance and the suspense, and she wanted to make sure more people knew about. So, behold: guest squee! A few weeks ago I did a “Library Lucky Dip:” I grab books, usually about seven, at random off the shelves. I don’t look at the covers or read the blurbs. I’m in and out of that library in minutes. … Continue reading Girl Missing by Tess Gerritsen→
