ARC Review: Meet Cute by Helena Hunting

This book popped my Helena Hunting cherry, my first book by her and I absolutely adore this book. This book would fall under my classification as fluff, I love fluff, it’s quick and easy to read, it’s lighthearted with some deep emotional moments, and most importantly it’s funny. This is the kind of book that made me feel good when I finished it, where I just had to stop and take in the wonderful ending. For me this is one of those books that if I run out of books to read I could easily reread it, or if I am feeling depressed I could read it just to make me smile.

Kailyn and Dax met in law school and after the embarrassing first meet where Kailyn went all fan girl over the former child actor of her favorite sitcom they started a friendly rivalry between the two of them until one day it wasn’t friendly anymore. Despite Kailyn’s dislike for Dax as a human being she didn’t let that get in the way of still loving the show. Eight years later, Dax walks back into her life with his parents wanting to update their will, a few months later and his parents are dead and he finds himself the guardian of his teenage sister, Emma. Dax’s aunt is contesting the will and Kailyn is asked to represent Emma in the case. Kailyn has a soft spot for orphans and only agrees because she wants to make sure Emma is going to end up with the best person possible. Emma latches on to Kailyn and being around Emma means being around Dax and all those old feelings she use to harbor for him in college come back but also all new one for the man he became. Dax is glad that Kailyn is looking out for his sister’s best interest because that means he gets to spend time with her too and explore these feelings he’s had for her since college.

Overall, I loved this book, I loved the romance and the humor, the external conflict of the custody battle was a predictable but brought the story together. I definitely want to read more from Helena Hunting.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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ARC Review: The Trouble with Vampires by Lynsay Sands

Yay Santo!! Book 29 in the Argeneau series brings us to a suburban Albany, New York neighborhood. The Enforcers got a lead that may end up being the mad scientist they have been trying to track down since he escaped from his private island off the coast of Venezuela where he had been experimenting on immortals and humans in a Dr. Moreau kind of way. After being held captive by the mad scientist Santo is ready for a swift justice. Petronella Stone is babysitting her nephew but soon after she gets there strange things start to happen someone tries to break in to the house luckily the neighbors intervene before anything can happen. The visiting neighbors, Marguerite, Julius, Zanipolo, Jason, and Santo are there to track down the mad scientist who maybe hiding out in his cousins house right next door and the attempted break in at Pet’s house is just too coincidental. They find out early on Pet knows about immortals due to a traumatic past experience which makes things easier for the Enforcers to protect her and her nephew, Parker. Once Santo realizes that Pet is his life mate and she already knows about immortals he thinks the rest should be easy, but it’s never easy!

Overall, this was another very entertaining read. Santo and Pet are hot, it gets very steamy and Santo is very deserving of a life mate. Parker is adorable. I foresee something happening with the Brass Circle in the future (finger’s crossed). This one wasn’t as predictable as some of the past books I didn’t guess what exactly happened and it was good, it had a very nice ending. I think this could be read as a standalone but if you need to read the previous one to catch up on the whole mad scientist plot you don’t have to go back to the very beginning just maybe back maybe six or seven to Runaway Vampire or Immortal Nights. I am also anticipating Zanipolo’s book to be next, I’m hoping. I always enjoy Lynsay Sands writing, her characters are always quirky and Pet and Santo’s have very dark emotional past they have to deal with which lead to them connecting on an emotional level as well as physical.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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ARC Review: The Magnolia Inn by Carolyn Brown

I’m no stranger to Carolyn Brown and as much as I love her cowboy romance I enjoyed this one just as much. Set in East Texas an old Victorian farmstead turned B&B gets passed down to one more generation. Jolene Broussard, the niece, inherits the property along with her cousin unfortunately her cousin wants nothing to do with the B&B and promptly sells his half. Jolene is angry with her cousin for hurting his uncle’s feelings but she’s also kind of relieved the guy was a sleazy creep. Jolene’s aunt and uncle decided to retire and travel the US in an RV leaving the place in her capable hands. Jolene couldn’t be happier with the prospect of owning and running her favorite place in the world except she’s only got $200 to her name and a butt load of renovations to do before the season starts up again. Her saving grace is the new co-owner, Tucker Malone who seems to have more than enough money to do everything that needs to be done and more the fact that he’s good looking doesn’t hurt either.

Tucker Malone has spent the last few years of his life mourning his wife. He got fired from the Dallas PD and moved to her hometown to be closer to her working for her best friend on house renovations working throughout the week spending the weekends drunk. When the opportunity to buy half of a bed and breakfast that she had a great memory of he jumped at the chance. Jolene was raised by an addict and a drunk and her most recent break up was because he was a drunk, Jolene has had it with drunks so as perfect as Tucker may be for the renovations she can’t stand that he’s a weekend drunk, especially after she trips over his drunk ass after having to walk part of the way home in the freezing rain. Having Jolene in his life and doing the renovations on the B&B has woken Tucker up. Jolene makes him feel like he hasn’t in years but he’s still learning to let go of his dead wife. Throughout the book Tucker’s late wife talks to him trying to get him to let go and Tucker goes through a whole lot emotionally and Jolene is there with an open ear and kind heart and a boot to the head when needed.

Overall, this was a great read. Brown as always has some wonderful characters, the woman so sassy and spunky I loved this group. It is a slow burn romance but with the baggage both characters have it’s easy to understand why they took it slow. It’s a wonderful story about healing and moving on and getting a second chance at love.

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ARC Review: Untouchable by Jayne Ann Krentz

Book three of the Cutler, Sutter, and Salinas series this book is the conclusion to the guys past. This could be read as a standalone their history is explained in each book with the main character personal history as the focus but to get the full effect of hatred these guys have for Quinten Zane I would recommend reading all the books. I have been a fan of JAK for years now so I’m no stranger to Burning Cove or Jack and Winter’s landlady, Arizona Snow, I was so happy to see her.  

Jack Lancaster is special he can see patterns where no one else can its one reason he makes such a good cold case investigator. Winter Meadows comes from a long line of hypnotist it’s an innate talent that also has a long line of screwing up lives so Winter reinvented herself as a meditation coach and a dream guide. Jack has vivid dreams that seem to get away from him and no doctor or sleep expert has been able to help they just think he’s delusional. Jack is skeptical about Winter when he first meets her but one session proved him a believer in her.  After a month he’s already got a handle on his dreams and when he’s in her company he’s the most comfortable he’s ever been. On the night of their first date Winter’s past comes tearing into her living room and tries to kill her. Jack manages to save her but when her attacker mysteriously dies at the hospital before he can talk to the police Jack realizes it was more than just a coincidence and it all goes back to Zane. 

Zane and Jack engage in a mental game of chess as they try and out guess the other. Zane’s plans are finally coming together but first he must get rid of Jack, Cabot, and Max but despite Jack’s lack of police training he is the most dangerous one to Zane and must be taken care of first. However Zane’s first mistake was going after Winter after that it was a back and forth struggle because this time Zane isn’t working alone and Jack and Winter are dodging two mercenaries at every turn. Up and Down the coastline Winter and Jack try and figure out Zane’s end game and how to stop him before he gets away again. 

Overall, I loved this book it was a great way to close that chapter on their past with Zane. I do hope that JAK isn’t done with them yet they are great characters and I’d like to see their business expand to include more investigators, but if not it was a great conclusion. This is written third person, you really think your being omniscient as it has a shared perspective of Jack and Winter and also the bad guys but it still manages to surprise you. I liked the uncertainty of the relationship between Jack and Winter and how hesitant they both were to start or admit anything but once they did they were all in 100% and nothing could stop them or keep them from winning.  

 **ARC provided by Publisher**

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ARC Review: Luke’s Gift by Kaylie Newell

Luke’s Gift is book two of the Harlow Brother’s series but can be read as a standalone. This is a great feel good holiday romance I can definitely see this as a Holiday Movie. I love Secret Santa stories in this one someone is going around town giving gifts to those who need it, for example giving a woman battling cancer a chance to knock something off her bucket list and go to Disney World, or a family who got robbed got replacement Christmas gift. The town is going nuts trying to figure out who is doing all this and Mary is determined to figure it out so the person can get the recognition they deserve. The characters are well done, Luke fresh out of the military comes back to his hometown Marietta to help his other brother raise their sister, Maddie. Even with three tour in Afghanistan under his belt Luke still looks on the bright side, he hopes for the best and wants to help as many people as possible; becoming one of Marietta’s finest was a give in. Mary Best is one of the youngest reporters for Marietta Courier and one of their best too but Mary has the chance to move to New York, it’s just writing copy job but with the opportunity for advancement to a reporter. Mary still hasn’t decided if she’s going to go when she meets Luke. It was definitely something at first sight, Mary was fascinated with him to the point she asked to do an article on him dubbing him the “Hometown Hero” and Luke even though he didn’t want to get involved with someone so close to his discharge from the military he couldn’t stay away from Mary. Garrett Best, Mary’s father, was a sheriff and he raised Mary to be skeptical to always question everything, it is part of the reason she became a reporter but it’s not so great when it comes to her love life. All Luke asks of Mary is to trust him but Mary can’t she knows Luke is hiding something and just like her father taught her she expects the worse.

Overall, this is a great Holiday read. Aside from some kissing this is a pretty “clean” romance, they do have sex but she leaves it up to your imagination (and I have quite the imagination). I loved the chemistry between Luke and Mary, it was clear that something was there even if they tried to fight it at first, Luke mostly. Within the first pages of the book I was already in love with the town of Marietta. It’s a very close community and the people look out for one another. I fell in love with Savannah and her son Wyatt, I hope their book is next because no ifs, ands, or buts about it I will read it.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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ARC Review: Cut and Run by Mary Burton

I’ll take Texas Rangers for 500, Alex. This is high in suspense, light on the romance, full of twists and turns, and sisters separated at birth. What is Cut and Run, Alex? Yes! Sorry I have Weird Al’s I lost on Jeopardy stuck in my head. What I love about Mary Burton is her high tension suspense, the plot is just ingenious the separated twin thing has been done before but what she does with it is fantastic. This is her usual style of third person POV alternating from different characters so you get the full story.

Faith McIntyre and Macy Crow couldn’t have grown up more than 100 miles apart and lived very different lives. Faith grew up in a well off family never had to worry about anything made it through med school and became a medical examiner. Macy Crow was raised mostly by her mother with only summertime visits to her father who didn’t always work on the right side of the law. Macy grew up and became a FBI agent. They probably would never have even met if Macy’s father, Jack Crow, hadn’t of died and a young woman hadn’t of gone missing.

Texas Ranger Mitchell Hayden is a hard man a widower who never thought he would ever feel again started a no string attached strictly sex relationship with Faith. However when it becomes apparent the Faith is connected to the case and her life is threatened Hayden realizes his feelings go deeper than just lust. Macy comes down from DC for her father’s death but once she gets to her father’s scrap yard she finds out he was murdered to keep him quiet. Before even talking to the police Macy starts asking question it isn’t too long before she ends up in the hospital fighting for her life. Now it’s up to Faith and Hayden to discover the truth about what happened to Jack Crow and figure out the string of clues he left behind.

Overall, fantastic read I didn’t even touch onto half of what is involved in this book because too much would give it away. Lots of unexpected turns and an ending that half surprised me, because you know it’s never just one straight shot answer, it’s never that easy.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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ARC Review: Stray Magic by Kelly Meding

Stray Magic is the first book in Kelly Meding’s new series. It centers on a half djinn/half human U.S. Marshal in the Paranormal Investigations Unit, Shiloh Harrison; which quickly brings to mind two of my favorite authors Shiloh Walker and Kim Harrison. The whole book reminds me of different elements of other Urban Fantasy series and its own unique elements wonderfully blended together to make a very addictive world. There were also moments that brought to mind a movie and I was screaming at the book, “What’s in the BOX!” knowing full and well what was in the box and another part that had me thinking of the show Lost Girl which had me bemoaning the main character cause I knew what would happen. It was a fast paced story something is always happening and as it is in first person this all happens to Shiloh. It takes me a bit to adjust to first person especially if I haven’t read one in a while but I quickly adjusted to this one, it definitely feels like she’s showing me that story rather than telling me, which for me is a good thing. The book starts and it kind of just throws you in and vaguely explains things along the way, she explains enough without over explaining. I understand that there is a short story that predates this one I really think it needs to be re-released.

Shiloh was supposed to start her long weekend after a long stakeout but instead of spending some time with her boyfriend she gets called onto a case. Shiloh’s teammates: the incubus Novak, the dhampir Kathleen, the skin walker (and ex-boyfriend) Jaxon and their boss Julius, human. A bunch of vampires took a trailer park hostage, they can’t find their boss, and the vampire master Tennyson has asked for help regarding a bunch of vampires and werewolves that have gone missing. Shiloh spends the whole book trying to figure out what’s going on and getting closer to Tennyson who asked for help and is also helping Shiloh in her investigation. Along the way other things happen and her mom and dad get sucked into the mess as well. The story really takes you on a ride that doesn’t let up.

The characters were wonderfully done and the plot was fantastic. I love that while Shiloh is a badass, tough U.S. Marshal she’s also very emotional. She’s emotionally invested in the whole case the case becomes very personal to the whole team and she’s not afraid of her emotions or embarrassed by them. It also gives the reader a better insight into the other characters and how she perceives them helps them seem more real. Overall, it’s a very addictive story that left me cursing at the end because while this case ended there were some loose string left open for the next book.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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ARC Review: A Christmas at Thorncliff Manor by Sophie Barnes

This is the conclusion to Sophie Barnes’ Thorncliff Manor series where the Heartly Family have one by one fallen in love and tried to uncover the hidden treasure left there by their Great Grandparents. I loved this series and I am glad Sophie Barnes self-published this, I am probably one of many fans that would have been upset that we didn’t get an ending otherwise. I love Sophie Barnes writing style, and she balances the mystery and little bit of excitement well with the romance, the romance is the main focus but the mystery of the lost treasure helps progress the story along.

Dowager Duchess of Duncaster keeps Thorncliff Manor open as an exclusive holiday location for her friends in Society. This Christmas however she has invited her good friends Lord and Lady Oakland and their four remaining unmarried daughters, along with a select few gentlemen she hope will make a match with the girls. Fiona the youngest of the bunch is the one who started the treasure hunt in the first place. Their Great Aunt had sent the Heartly’s Grandfather to retrieve her jewelry box from Thorncliff after they managed to save it from the uprising in France, only something happened it went missing and Heartly was killed. In the three other books it has revealed parts of the mystery but Fiona won’t give up and since they are spending Christmas at Thorncliff she’s determined to find it.

Earl of Chadwick and Fiona have been friends forever despite their eleven year age difference. The last couple of years Chadwick has tried to stop loving Fiona. Which is kind of creepy if you think about it she’s only nineteen that means when he fell in love with her he was a man in his late twenties lusting after a girl in her teens, but this is a historical and I tend to be more forgiving about the creep factor. But after being friends for so long will either of them take the step in the direction they both want to go but are too scared to take. Rachel Heartly has a goal of being admitted into the Royal Academy, Viscount Belgrave has finally seen Rachel in a new light and now is trying to persuade her that maybe there could be more to life than just science. Laura Heartly the author of the family with one successful romance on the market already is set on marring for nothing less than love, Duke of Lamont thinks that Laura would be the perfect mother to his two young nieces and the perfect wife to him. Emily Hearty has hidden her art from everyone but when the Marquess of Montsmouth asks she doesn’t know why but she shows him; Montsmouth has always been seen as odd but Emily sees a different side to him.

Overall, with the four romances and the mystery you would think it was rushed but it doesn’t feel that way it is well paced and each couple gets a few chapters here and there and it very balanced. I loved the characters and story; the conclusion to the mystery was bittersweet, you’re all yay! And then aww it’s over. It’s a really good book to cuddle up and read.

**ARC provided by Author**

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ARC Review: Midnight Wolf by Jennifer Ashley

Shifters Unbound #11. Man, I love this series. Jennifer Ashley’s writing is always so consuming, I open the book and I’m sucked into the work of shifters, fae, and humans. The characters in this book, Angus and Tamsin, both have quite a bit of character growth through the book. Angus and Tamsin start off one way; Angus very stern and quite, very set in his ways and willing to do just about anything for his son, Ciaran. While Tamsin an uncollared shifter on the run still maintains a very optimistic view on the world. These two opposites balance each other out and bring out the best in each other, and Ciaran (I just love that name) is such a cute kid, so open and honest. I enjoyed the story and think you can probably read this as a stand-alone but there is enough past book stuff to tantalize you into reading the other books, at least the last two or three books.

Angus Murray is a scowling and grumpy shifter when he’s not working as a bouncer he is raising his cub, Ciaran. Angus’ brother, Gavan, was an idiot who tried to go against the Shifter Bureau and it ended in his own death as well as that of Angus’ mate. Angus had nothing to do with his brother’s movement but still managed to lose his position in the pack. Tamsin Calloway has managed to avoid detection, she’s been lucky enough that she always manages to escape undetected or leave just before something goes wrong. But the death of two Bureau agents has finally brought her into the spotlight and now a sinister Bureau agent has his sights set on Tamsin. Agent Haider kidnaps Ciaran and forces Angus to hunt down Tamsin or else he’ll never see his son again. Finding her was easy enough it’s catching her that gave Angus trouble and if the alligator hadn’t of caught her first Tamsin would have probably gotten away. Tamsin, now severely injured, has no choice but to go with Angus, instead of taking her straight to the Bureau he takes her to Ben and the sentient house (I so love this house!) and calls Zander down to heal her, while he comes up with a plan. There is no choice in not turning her in because of Ciaran but that doesn’t mean she can escape right after the hand off. It doesn’t quite go as planned once Haider admits to Tamsin that he plans to dissect her to find out how she works. Now all three of them, Angus, Tamsin, and Ciaran are on the run. They end with an uncollared shifter, Dante (who I can picture as Jason Momoa) and his half fae/half human mate, who run a carnival and travel with them for some time.

The attraction between Tamsin and Angus is pretty much instantaneous but it takes them a bit before they act on it. Angus mate claims Tamsin in order to protect her but afterwards he realizes just how much he wants her to stay in his life. Once Tamsin completely trusts Angus she reveals the reason everyone if after her, and together with their friends Ben, Zander, and Tiger they must figure out what to do about this and make it to where the only ones who want Tamsin are Angus and Ciaran. Overall, I positively loved this book, it’s not my favorite of the series but it’s really up there in the list. The characters are fantastic and of course it’s the strong silent type for me again Angus really fits the bill for a book boyfriend. Tamsin is so wonderfully optimistic even when her life is falling apart she still singing along to the radio and smiling. I am so happy that Ben is going to get his HEA finally.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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ARC Review: Her Last Word by Mary Burton

Her Last Word is a standalone romantic suspense and psychological thriller. Different from Burton’s other Romantic Suspense Her Last Word follows a slightly different formula. You have the main present day storyline interceded with short “Interview Files” that fills in the blanks further on what happened fourteen years ago. I loved how she did this, the interview files at times has a foreshadowing quality sometimes not as ominous just a clue as to who they will be talking to next and what their part was in the original case. This is more suspense/thriller than romance, it’s not until close to the end that the main characters get together, which I also liked because they spend most of the time focusing on the case and not their feelings for one another. The sexual chemistry does exist it’s quite amusing how many times someone else mentions the obvious attraction between them and when they finally do give in it’s pretty hot.

Gina Mason was a girl everyone liked until one night she disappeared. The only witness to the kidnapping was her younger cousin, Kaitlin Roe. Fourteen years later Gina still hasn’t been found and Kaitlin has returned to bring this cold case back to life. Kaitlin plans to do a podcast and bring focus back to Gina and see if maybe after all these years someone, somewhere has a clue to what happened. But soon after Kaitlin starts one of Gina’s best friends is murdered and Detective John Adler doesn’t think it’s a coincidence. Kaitlin not going to stop digging into her cousin’s disappearance even if it puts her into the cross hairs of a killer. Adler is determined to solve both cases and keep Kaitlin safe.

Overall, it’s an outstanding story. The characters are well written, aside from Kaitlin and Adler who are fantastic characters, Logan and Quinn were a nice addition to the story. Quinn’s unfavorable look on Kaitlin was a nice contrast to Adler’s unwavering belief in Kaitlin. Kaitlin and Adler are similar in their tenacity and while Adler may want to protect her he doesn’t treat Kaitlin like she’s inept. Kaitlin is no damsel in distress she is perfectly capable to handle herself and she doesn’t run off doing stupid things without thinking it through, after what happened to Gina she’s paranoid. All in all I loved this book.

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