Tag Archives: Cliffhanger

Betrayed (The Amado Brothers #2.5)

By Natasha Knight

Synopsis

I didn’t think I had anything left to lose when I went to him. It was the only way to save what was left of my family. I knew I was taking a chance, knew there would be consequences, but I had no choice. Not if I wanted to save my brother.

He warned me to be careful. That my brother wasn’t who I thought he was. I didn’t believe him though. Not until it was too late.

And it cost us both everything.

Betrayed is the free 7500 word prequel to the intensely emotional dark standalone romance, UNHINGED.

Review

Betrayed will leave you hanging at the end, it is a great teaser to the Novel Unhinged which I have already bought.

We travel over a period of a few months and it gives us a build up to the history that is Zach and Eve and how they meet and the double-crossing involving her brother.

Upon finishing Betrayed I immediately went and began reading Unhinged which is already giving me a nervous energy. Betrayed is a delightful dark teaser that will ignite questions and also a slow burn with their chemistry. I am dying to know what happens to these two characters and how Eve is treated by her brother.

Betrayed (The Amado Brothers #2.5)

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Tormentor Mine (Tormentor Mine #1)

By Anna Zaires

Synopsis

A new dark romance from New York Times bestseller Anna Zaires

He came to me in the night, a cruel, darkly handsome stranger from the most dangerous corners of Russia. He tormented me and destroyed me, ripping apart my world in his quest for vengeance.

Now he’s back, but he’s no longer after my secrets.

The man who stars in my nightmares wants me.

Review

Beginning perfectly, the first chapter explains Peter’s history and what is driving him for his revenge. Tormentor Mine is dark romance at its best being suspenseful yet also with heart and soul. Both main characters have endured loss, Peters in a brutal way and Sara being lied and manipulated where she questions what was real in her life.

We fast forward to meet Sara who is living a solitary existence without her husband. I immediately connected with Sara with her loneliness and isolation of her life. The first night Peter and Sara cross paths it is brutal and horrifying.

Sara has anxiety after the attack and she believes she is being watched was built up perfectly, the flow of this story was spot on and I could not put it down. I enjoyed how we did get to see Sara’s nurturing personality through her job as a Doctor and this also explains her need to protect all those around her. Sara is selfless and protective and I understand her actions.

When Peter moves into Sara’s life and suffocates yet also gives her affection and company. This was expertly weaved and made the reader accept this was okay. At no time did I question Sara’s actions, she was literally on the edge of losing her mind and Peter appears. Did he know this and was this part of this manipulation, I think so.

I admit I really want these two to make a baby, I want Peter to have a family again. The other characters being Peter’s team of killers I cannot wait to meet more of. Thinking Book 2 is going to enable us to understand all the dynamics of Peter and his group of men.

Tormentor Mine does conclude with a cliffhanger of sorts, it does, however, tie the first part of their story together neatly in a bow. This is a trilogy and upon finishing book 1, I purchased book 2 and have pre-ordered book 3. I do hope we are not waiting too long as these two characters have definitely grown on me.

Tormentor Mine (Tormentor Mine #1)

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Forbidden Desire (Lee County Wolves # 3)

By Teresa Gabelman

Synopsis

From the moment Marcus Foster saw Roxy Patel, he knew she was his mate. Remaining patient because of her troubled past, he was determined to build her trust. She was his and nothing would change that, not even time.

Leaving her past behind, Roxy refused to remain a broken shell of a woman. Determined to start afresh, moving to a new town was just what she needed. With the help of her new friends, and a wolf shifter wanting to make her his own, all Roxy needed was the chance to thrive again.

Review

FORBIDDEN DESIRE is the third book in the Lee County Wolves series, and while the last Foster brother has now been mated off, the series has been left open for more books. More wolves have been brought into the pack for protection, and their alpha—Garrett—has come to a decision that will greatly affect the pack. I am interested in seeing where the author will go from here.

I liked Marcus, but Roxy was definitely the stand-out character. Garrett rescued her from her abusive husband, and she’s been living in hiding with the pack ever since. She’s been using that time well; building up her confidence and breaking free from the conditioning her husband instilled in her.

We got to see the previous two couples, but more of Garrett and Janna because Janna’s pregnant and Garrett’s still being challenged for his alpha position. Hunter was his usual playful self and really brought in the humor.

“Why don’t you claim her, bro?”
“Because she’s still married.”
“Okay, well let’s kill the son of a bitch and then she won’t be married anymore. Easy fix.”

FORBIDDEN DESIRE is told in dual POVs and comes with a HEA for Marcus and Roxy.

Forbidden Desire (Lee County Wolves # 3)

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Lee County Wolves Series

Creep (Karma Inc. # 4)

By Gillian Zane

Synopsis

Case # 4 of the Karma Incorporated Series.

What goes around comes around…it’s called Karma.

Working for Karma Incorporated might sound like the best job in the world, but there’s one really big catch: you’ve got to die to get it. Cassandra Mercier died at the ripe old age of twenty-one and is now gainfully employed by the Afterlife Corporation as a Karma operative…and she’s been working overtime.

Cassandra is given the task of playing the psychic medium Castalia Rosso, and she’s on the hunt to give a few pretend ghost hunters a bit of cosmic retribution.

Her targets are two Creeps.

Twins Raul and Roselle, who have made a name for themselves in the ghost hunting community as renowned demon hunters. They’ve gotten so much notoriety that they’ve landed themselves a reality television show. The network insisted that they include a psychic on the show with them, though — and this is where Castalia Rosso comes in. Joining the twins on an investigation of one of the most haunted houses in the area, Cassie must expose the brother and sister ghost hunting duo, and all their dirty behavior and deal with some real ghosts all while trying to sort out her own tumultuous existence.

As the case gets more and more complex, so does the world Cassie exists in. Life and death aren’t exactly what they seem when working for the Afterlife Corporation.

Review

CREEP is another great addition to the Karma Inc. series, though I can’t say too much about it, because this series is connected and I’m trying not to give away any spoilers. But I’m very glad my suspicions about Drake were confirmed. Yes, we finally find out what Drake is, and it definitely makes things more interesting. In this story, there was no further investigation into Cassie’s murder, but I think we’ll get a lot of information in the next book, given where her next case is taking her.

CREEP is told only in Cassie’s POV and ends in a cliffhanger of sorts. Each book in this series is connected and cannot be read as stand-alones. The next book in the series is CROOK, and though I don’t know when it’s coming out, I can’t wait to read it.

Creep (Karma Inc. # 4)

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Karma Inc. Series

Temporary

By Sarina Bowen & Sarah Mayberry

Synopsis

The most beautiful man I’ve ever seen is the same one who can ruin everything.

The first time I lay eyes on Callan Walker, I know he’ll be trouble. With his smug grin, hot Aussie accent and thousand dollar shoes, he’s just the kind of rich guy who always gets what he wants.

And he wants two things: a night of sin, and my cooperation as he outmaneuvers his powerful mother to take control of his uncle’s estate.

I can’t afford either one. I’m the only thing standing between my little sister and the foster care system. He may have money and charm on his side, but I have something even more powerful — pure desperation. This temp job at his mother’s company can become a full time job for me. It has to.

But when Callan’s eyes rake over my body, sometimes I forget my obligations. His piercing gaze finds the fun, optimistic girl I used to be and not the tired person I’ve become.

And it works–if only for a moment. Our night together was a mistake. I can’t afford to get sucked into his high-powered family’s treachery. But the closer I get to Callan, the more layers I find beneath those expensive clothes. Though I can’t forget this is temporary. He’s temporary. I have too much to lose.

Too bad my foolish heart didn’t get the memo…

Review

TEMPORARY was an enjoyable read that held my attention from beginning to end. I’ve read several books by Sarina Bowen, but Sarah Mayberry is a new author for me, and given how much I enjoyed this book, I may have to check out more of her work.

I liked Grace, who has not had an easy life. She sacrificed her dreams to take care of her teenaged sister, and she works very hard trying to create a better life for them. Sometimes her sister would act like a spoiled brat and she certainly pushed Grace to her limits, but it was nice to see she could act like a grown up when push came to shove.

I loved Callan, who comes across as a careless playboy at first, but he’s quite the opposite when you really get to know him. You will like him so much you’ll want to punch in the face all the people he’s loved and trusted for how they’ve betrayed him. After the death of his uncle—the only family member he liked and respected—he took a good hard look at his life and didn’t like what he saw, so he changed who he was and I enjoyed watching him grow.

And what, exactly, was I a part of?
The silence pressed in on me as I considered the question. I’d left Australia because I didn’t want to waste my life being Vicky’s lackey. Instead, I’d wasted it in a dozen other insubstantial ways.
What a rebel.

TEMPORARY is told in dual POVs and while it’s currently listed as a stand-alone, it ended in a bombshell discover that left us open for a second book. Don’t worry, we get a happy ending for Callan and Grace. With the information uncovered at the end, if there is a second book it sounds like it would be about Callan’s sister, Claire. If there is a second book, I will be happy to read it.

Temporary

My Rating:

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Sweet Deception

By Ellie Jean

Synopsis

I can’t let any man get too close to me…ever. But he’s the only man who has made me want to risk everything.

On my knees, looking up at Alex Raven changed my life irrevocably. Self-assured and powerful, his presence commanded attention…especially that of women. Intoxicated by what I wasn’t allowed, I entangled Alex in my web of lies and deceit…better known as my past and present. Shouldering his own secrets, he freely gave me his trust and protection. But would pulling him into my world be the future I so craved? Or mean the end for us both?

Review

Firstly, cannot believe this is a debut novel, Sweet Deception had me twisted in knots from the beginning. Isla’s story is full of heartache but yet hope and I immediately connected to her.

Around the middle, I was beside myself with fear of the unknown and I had so many questions and ideas.

When Isla takes a trip in this story I literally had to put the book down and take some deep breaths and calm my nerves. I had to stop for 15 minutes and put on my big girl panties and travel this road with her.

There is a cliffhanger of sorts but it actually completes this section of Alex & Isla’s romantic journey. For me it ended perfectly and then were are given a sneak peak of Sweet Redemption any how the characters are moving forward.

Alex was a stunning alpha mob character and then throw in his hot three friends – tingles in all the right places. It was great to see new friendships form and alliances take place.

This story flowed perfectly, it has the right amount of highs but also some incredible lows that you experience. At times I too like Isla was trying to control my breathing and not panic. Her anxiety attacks and the way she has the ability to compartmentalize her life is incredIble and shows her inner strength.

The secrets and revelations are amazing and I cannot believe right until the end we are still learning about Isla and her family history. This is riveting reading and I so wish it was a standalone as I could not put this down.

Sweet Deception has all the ingredients of a Mob romance, it is dark, deceitful but also sensual and hopeful – I want so much more of Isla and Alex.

Sweet Deception

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The Devil Has a British Accent

By ZN Willett

Synopsis

This is no simple Hollywood story of famous boy meets ordinary girl, who then fall in love and live happily ever after.

This is about the town of dreamers and make believers; skilled at casting spells of deception and deceit. And what happens when the spell is lifted, and everything that you believe in is merely an illusion?

When the world of happily ever after is altered and obscured, and not only by one enticing man?

For Lauren Moreau, her journey is full of raw emotions that will tempt you with curiosity and intrigue, and squeeze out passion and angst until your heart bleeds.

This is Hollywood, after all…

Review

The Devil Has a British Accent is a coming of age romance with a paranormal twist. A girl who has to protect her heart and the men who want her.

Lauren has just returned from Minnesota after graduating. She doesn’t have any real plans for the future but has decided to help a family friend with her catering business while a film crew is in town. I liked Lauren, she has gone through a lot with her family and is figuring out what comes next and that makes her relatable. She is also trying to figure out her love life when a sexy actor enters her life. There is something about him that she is drawn to.

Jackson Cruz is an actor that finds himself completely infatuated with this small town girl. He has many secrets that could change her life forever. I didn’t like Jackson for Lauren. He wasn’t my favorite character. I wondered why he cut himself off emotionally to her a lot of the time and I think because of that I didn’t connect with him as much as I wanted to.

Cary is another actor/musician that is famous but has been a family friend to Lauren’s family since they were children. He is best friends with her brother Blake. I really liked his character. I knew he was keeping secrets from Lauren but there is something about the way he cares for her and her brother that stuck out to me.

I found The Devil Has a British Accent to be a good coming of age paranormal romance. The beginning was a little bit on the long side but the ending was fast-paced and Lauren’s world really changed forever. This is a to be continued story so I can’t wait until the next installment.

The Devil Has a British Accent

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The Gift (The Butterfly Effect #1)

By Margaret McHeyzer

Synopsis

I have something people want. I have something they cannot take or steal. I have something they’d kill for.
The something I have, isn’t a possession, it’s more.
Much, much more.
It’s a gift.
It’s part of me.

Review

The Gift is the first book in The Butterfly Effect series. I love this idea of cause and effect and what happens to the person that changes the course of another person’s life.

Something has happened to Lexi when she had an emergency appendectomy. She is not the same girl that she was when she went in. When people touch her she is seeing into their life.

I really liked Lexi, She is almost 17 when she has that emergency and comes away with The Gift. Lexi handles all the changes in life after that the way most of us would. With a lot of confusion. She manages to formulate a plan, if she could just keep to it she would be alright.

I really liked this book even though it is not a romance. The main character is only seventeen. There was a lot of suspense and Lexi was thrown into a new world that she had to navigate. I don’t want to give anything more away because it was so good. Be warned though, there is a cliffhanger. I am on the edge of my seat waiting for book two.

The Gift

My Rating:

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Recluse (Spider Series # 1)

By Jaycee Ford

Synopsis

You were my brother in the line of duty.
My partner.
My best friend.
You were the man who had it all.
Your thoroughness and precision made you a great cop.
It’s what got you killed.
And now I live with the darkening shadows of your memory.
You weren’t here when I needed you to save me.
You weren’t here when I needed help solving the most gruesome murder this town had ever seen.
But most of all, you weren’t here to keep me from falling in love with your wife.

Review

RECLUSE is the first book I’ve read from Jaycee Ford, and despite what I’m about to say below, I didn’t hate it. Honestly, I didn’t.

The first thing I need to point out is that RECLUSE ends in a cliffhanger, which was frustrating because the blurb makes no mention that it will end that way or that the murder will remain unsolved and continue on. Without any information at this time, I can only assume that the murder mystery will continue to be the focal point throughout this series until the final book, and at this stage I have no idea how many books that will be.

I don’t have much to say about Wyatt or Grace, because the story as a whole is fairly short and only half of it focuses on them and their changing relationship, so you don’t learn a lot about them. What you do learn is that Wyatt has spent the past several years filled with guilt lusting over his best friend’s wife, but a year on from his death, he comes to the realisation that his feelings for Grace aren’t going to go away, so he stops hiding them from her. Grace was a little skittish, but overall, she handled moving on to a new relationship very well.

The other half of the story focuses on the murder investigation, while at the same time introducing us to all the secondary characters. I had a lot of trouble keeping track of who everyone was, because sometimes a character would be called by their first name, but then they’d be called by their last name, which meant there were too many names to remember. I also struggled with the love-triangle situation everyone seemed to be in. Boy A wants Girl A, but is sleeping with Girl B, who really wants Boy B, while Boy C wants to sleep with Girl B, but really wants Girl C, and so-on and so-forth. It was all very confusing.

RECLUSE held my attention and was a fairly quick read, told only in Wyatt’s POV. With the exception of the prologue, the story takes place over a six day period. Judging by the ongoing murder mystery, the books in this series will need to be read in order. At this stage, I’m assuming each book will be about a different couple, but I’m honestly not sure given how this book ended for Wyatt and Grace. There was no epilogue and I felt their relationship was not completely settled. That being said, one could consider what happened between them at the end as a form of closure to their story, but I guess we’ll have to wait for the next book’s blurb to come out to know for sure. Will I continue with this series? I think so, but if I do, I’ll be waiting until the entire series has been released.

Recluse (Spider Series # 1)

My Rating:

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Craving (Steel Brothers Saga #1)

By Helen Hardt

Synopsis

After being left at the altar, Jade Roberts seeks solace at her best friend’s ranch on the Colorado western slope. Her humiliation still ripe, she doesn’t expect to be attracted to her friend’s reticent brother, but when the gorgeous cowboy kisses her, all bets are off.

Talon Steel is broken. Having never fully healed from a horrific childhood trauma, he simply exists, taking from women what is offered and giving nothing in return…until Jade Roberts catapults into his life. She is beautiful, sweet, and giving, and his desire for her becomes a craving he fears he’ll never be able to satisfy.

Passion sizzles between the two lovers…but long-buried secrets haunt them both and may eventually tear them apart.

Review

Craving has left me unsatisfied and frustrated as once I realised there was a cliffhanger and that I really felt we got very little answers to so many secrets that I went and checked out Book 2 and Book 3 reviews before I was going to oneclick and continue with the Steel Brothers. I was unsure how long we were going to be dragging this whole traumatic event out to get answers and retribution.

Well to answer your question I am not continuing with this series and yes I am disappointed as I think the family story is going to be explosive and really exciting but I couldn’t connect to these two main characters. They had moments for me where I felt they were getting somewhere and then boom we were back to meaningless sex scenes and there were so many of them, towards the end of I was like, here we go again and I even started skimming!!

One positive thing for me is that the scenes about Talon and his trauma are really intense and well written for the fact they deal with abuse. I also really loved their sister Marj and I would love to know more of her story as she is an interesting addition to the family dynamic.

Now under further investigation I see that Talon’s story is over the first three books then apparently not all of the mystery is concluded and it continues onto the fourth book so yeah I am getting off this gravy train now. I think this should have been fully concluded in a trilogy and the we could have had standalone on the two brothers and sister who I must say I really liked in this story.

As at my review the Steel Saga is sitting at 8 books and it seems that each brother will have three books for their story so you need to take that into consideration and it is not finished yet.

Craving (Steel Brothers Saga #1)

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