ARC Review: Because of Her by Jewel E Ann

Because of Her is the sixth and final story in the Jack & Jill series by Jewel E Ann. This story is a standalone featuring Jackson Knight/Jude Day and his new temporary neighbor Frankie. I will caution readers that this book is romantic suspense and deals with several things that could be triggering, so please make sure to check before starting this book. It was not an easy journey, but I couldn’t put this book down.

Frankie finds herself in Kansas to take care of some things after some tragic events occur leaving her lost and looking for answers. When she is given a letter that sheds some light on the situation, she finds herself on a mission for revenge against a girl who took her nephew from her. But while she sets out to destroy one person’s life, she finds herself drawn to the mysterious neighbor next door living in a garage with a piano. As a former music professor, Frankie can’t help but be drawn to Jackson. For someone who may or may not be a serial killer though, Frankie feels surprisingly safe with Jack.

You do not need to read the previous books in this series, though fans of the series will recognize characters here and have a better understanding of the back story for them. I couldn’t put this one down, despite the serious topics here. I really enjoyed Frankie and Jackson’s connection and their banter. These two had a ton of chemistry and I enjoyed seeing how that played out the more they got to know one another. This was a heavier read that what I typically go for, Jewel E Ann is a great writer and did the story justice, captivating the reader from the very first page to the last.

**ARC Provided by Valentine PR**

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Audiobook Review: The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, Narrated by Julia Whelan

This is not my usual pick of storyline. I usually like romances and stay away from psychological thrillers but I heard so many great things about this storyline that I had to try it out myself.

This story starts off with Nellie the ex-wife. She is trying to rebuild a life for herself. Her husband Richard has moved onto a new love and has taken all their wealth with him. Nelly is living with her aunt, her only remaining relative. Nellie is barely holding on. She struggles with her new life as a divorced woman and her old life haunts her. Soon she finds out that Richard has moved on and becomes obsessed with his new girlfriend. The story is told from a first person point of view. We are seeing the story unfold through Nellie’s eyes .

The story is also told from Vanessa’s point of view. Vanessa is in love. She has fallen in love with Richard and he is a dream come true. She works two jobs as a waitress and also as a pre-school teacher. Richard is very wealthy and has introduced Vanessa to a lavish lifestyle. Vanessa is getting ready to marry Richard and start a new life with him as his wife. The story takes place in NYC. Soon they will have a house in the suburbs where they can start a family together.

Most of part one of the story describe the life of these two narrators and its in part two where we realize that nothing is what it seems! The story unfolds in a manner that it was one surprise after another. The intertwined storylines were new and refreshing. There were so many plot twists that I did not see coming! Even at the end where everything seems resolved, there are yet more plot twists! Although not in the romance genre, this story is a must read or hear!

The narrator is amazing. She really seemed to understand the sensitive twists and turns that were involved! I highly recommend and really enjoyed this story! I plan to read more by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen.

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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: Consumed by J.R. Ward

A stellar beginning to a new series by J.R. Ward will have you engaged, entertained, and pleading for more while riding the edge of your seat. Anne Ashburn is one hell of a firefighter, a woman that thrives on adrenaline, danger, and saving peoples’ lives. That is, until she isn’t, until a tragedy changes everything, shattering her dreams and vision of self. However, through loss one may find new opportunities for happiness and purpose in unexpected places and chances to nourish love that seemed unattainable before, assuming she can survive her new job. After all, how can a newly recruited Arson Investigator stay alive when the case she uncovers appears to be responsible for a multitude of deadly and unfortunate outcomes?

Not only is Anne an unwilling target for criminals posing threats to her person, but for attention from a former flame, Danny McGuire. She thought that horrifying fire, that devastating loss and trauma, was the untidy and unhealthy ending to their one time tryst many months ago. One thing she never expected, was the Irish man with the beautiful blue eyes who she had once trusted, the one who had killed her career and saved her life simultaneously to be thrown back into her new world, the one she was building without her former companions, co-workers, and could-be-costly career as a firefighter. Furthermore, she certainly didn’t expect to realize that they needed each other. Not only to find peace, but to find a reason to breath, to fight, to live.

With all of that said, I am sure it is no surprise when I say that this book is so well-written. The attention to detail, the world-building, and the setting were absolute perfection; I truly felt as if I were there watching the scenes unfold. I was thoroughly impressed with Anne and Danny, focused on their connection and so saddened by all of the terrors they faced. I believe that their shared trauma and history is what enhanced the story to such an extent that I felt so invested in their characters. The realism spoke to me on a whole other level that captivated, devastated, intrigued, and slayed me all at once. The diction was exemplary; I was completely and utterly riveted from beginning to end with each interaction whether it was between Anne and Danny, or between them and secondary characters. The angst, excitement, danger, fear, hope, love, and twists enthralled me! I felt everything. Truly, this story and all the players provided a stellar framework for a series that I cannot wait to continue. I am impressed and will be one of the first to order the next installment.

**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: 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.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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ARC Review: Promise Not to Tell by Jayne Ann Krentz

Promise Not to Tell is book two in Jayne Ann Krentz’s Cutler, Sutter & Salinas series. This can be read as a stand-alone, the events of the first book do not reflect on these. In the first book we found out a little about the guys childhood and how they think the cult leader that ruined their childhood and murdered their mothers is still alive. This book delves into their conspiracy theory and their past so much more, namely because their newest client was also among the children saved that night. 

Virginia Troy was the youngest child that was saved that night, she was taken in by her grandparents who thought it would be best to just put everything behind her but her constant nightmares and fear of fire keep her past firmly in the present. A couple years ago she was approached by one of the survivors of the cult, Hannah was one of her mother’s best friends she became an artist the only way to exercise her demons was to paint them. Virginia is an art gallery owner and although initially Hannah went to her to sell her painting she changed her mind and just had Virginia keep them for her. But the last painting she didn’t send to Virginia she instead took a picture and mailed the camera to her and then her body was washed up on shore. It was deemed a suicide but Virginia didn’t accept that answer because the last painting was clearly a warning for Virginia that Zane was back. 

Virginia went to Cutler, Sutter & Salinas because of their connection with her past, she knew out of anyone they would believe her. Cabot Sutter decided to take it on personally he knew better than to keep Virginia out of the loop she was too invested in the problem to just be left behind and he liked her and wanted her close to him. Together they looked at the suicide and the last painting Hannah painted and all the clues but then the bodies start appearing and it seems to be so much more than just Zane’s reappearance. 

Like many of JAK romantic suspense the romance plays second fiddle to the mystery but that doesn’t take away from the romance, it was well written and both characters play off each other well and they both have lots of depth, along with the Zane conspiracy Cabot gets pulled into family issues that he never wanted anything to do with and how he deals with that really shows his true character. Their past ties them together but so much more keeps them together. 

Overall, wonderful action, suspense, and a nice mystery. I loved the romance aspect it was nice and subtle Cabot and Virginia were fantastic characters, I can’t wait for the next one.

**ARC Provided by Publisher**

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ARC Review: Defenseless by Elizabeth Dyer

Defenseless is the first book of Elizabeth Dyers Somerton Security series. The one thing that called me to this book aside from it being romantic suspense was the role reversal, how the main characters Georgia is the retired marine and now in private security and Parker is the uber-smart tech specialist in need of security. What I like when I started reading was the technical aspect of it, I love smart books and the effort the author goes through to research it. I enjoyed the bits of pop culture geeky stuff that was there. The beginning of the book and the introduction to the characters was definitely the best part of the book, the interaction between Georgia and Parker was hysterical. Once the action started the story became more serious and at about the halfway point or so it kind of dragged on a little bit. It really goes in detail about their pasts and motivations and Parker explaining his program and that’s all broken up by some action scenes and sex, really hot sex. 

What was only supposed to be a short job until Georgia and Parker get swept up in an Eagle Eye, you know that one movie, type adventure. The program Parker wrote for the government which he is supposed to be the only one in charge of it starts to target Parker and the rest of his black ops teammates. It all started when Parker noticed certain files which he was not privy to, files that he is should have full access to, and he hacked into them to discover someone has been using his program for profit. When he alerts his team leader, Ethan who is also his best friend and owner of a private security firm, about it sets off security protocols and triggers an alarm setting into motion a chase for their lives until Parker can figure out how to fix it.

Overall, I really did enjoy this it was well written aside from previous stated issue, and I kind of wish the humor carried throughout the whole book more than it did. Parker is a delightful complex guy who is both cocky and slightly insecure and Georgia tries so hard to be the toughest and the strongest she doesn’t see how much stronger she can be if she lets in Parker. She is also a complex character with her past and everything with her brother it’s a wonder she didn’t lose it. Parker and Georgia are so different but their similarities out weight the differences and it going to be an interesting life for those two. There is so much more to this story and it has seeds planted for the next book, I’ll definitely keep a look out for it.

**ARC Provided by Publisher**

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ARC Review: Beast: The Beginning by Mary Catherine Gebhard

Let me just start by saying that this book is neither as dark nor as erotic as it seems to sell itself as being and I found that disappointing. When I started this book I was super excited because I love me a dark/sold myself to a sexy dark man story. It seemed like that's where we were headed in this story. Frankie trades her life to Beast and the mafia in exchange for the life of her Father. Beast carries her back to his castle (well, it was more like a condo in NY but whatevs) and proceeds to possess her...sort of. 

Right away there is some non-consensual sex which may really disturb you given that Frankie is a virgin. This is followed by some other pseudo humiliation you might expect in a dark romance. But it all goes wrong really fast. First of all, beyond the opening scenes which don't give us much, there is almost no sex in the book. WHAT? What happened to all the steam? The thing that irritates me is that Beast, in his inner monologue is continuously discussing how much he wants Frankie and how she turns him on. Then in real life, he refuses to have sex with her and the reason was super annoying. Beast decides very early on that he wants Frankie to admit that wants him. Frankie is stubborn as heck. So even though her body is constantly "betraying" her, she won't admit that she wants Beast. 

Speaking of Frankie, I just honestly don't know what to think about her. Frankie is a strong character who does some really dumb stuff. Every time I thought I really liked her, she would do something that made me want to smack her. I think this may be a function of Frankie being really young. I think she is like 19 or 20. She hadn't really been anywhere in life or done anything and the author may have been too good at depicting her. 

It is obvious that Frankie wants Beast but they spend like 60% of the book locked in this battle of wills and honestly, it's kind of tedious and exhausting. Beast seems to actually fall for Frankie very early on. This is not a good thing in a dark romance. It cast the dark actions of Beast in a particularly unfavorable light. If you're going to be the dark character, be that. You can't be the beast and the good guy at the same dang time because it makes you look mentally unstable. 

Also, I appreciate the author's effort to weave some deep intrigue into Frankie's identity and the whole mafia subplot. However, I really couldn't follow the subplot. There were too many characters and family lines to keep track of. I couldn't remember who was who or who Frankie might have been. I thought the subplot could have been cleaner and clearer so that it wasn't so distracting. 

This is what I can tell you, this definitely is not a great dark romance but it's not a bad book. And even with all of the issues that I've described, I'm still going to read the conclusion to the story in Beauty because I'm intrigued enough to want to see how it all ends.

**ARC Provided by Ardent PRose**

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ARC Review: The Last Move by Mary Burton

This is a great one! Mary Burton has really outdone herself with this one it was a disturbing and morbid chess game and I loved it. Definitely more suspense than romance and what little was there was well placed, it made sense that it was where it was and what lead to it. The suspense part was a non-stop nail biter, and me on the edge the whole time. The characters each have a bit of baggage to keep them slow moving toward each other but the murders are keeping them on their toes. Kate had a horrific experience as a teenager that shaped her into what she has become, which is a kick-ass FBI profiler and a forensic linguistics expert. Theo Mazur is cop through and through, he was a captain in Chicago but when his ex-wife moved to San Antonio moving their daughter, Alyssa, he followed to stay close to Alyssa and got a bump down to a detective. Both of these characters were likable and had great chemistry together. The antagonist was intriguing it does follow from his third person POV in some parts and you can see how his thought process works without giving away the end game. 

A woman was shot on the side of the road, normally this wouldn’t warrant the attention of the FBI but it has all the ear marks of a serial killer, one that had already been caught. Mazur calls in the FBI agent who led the case and was the one to find him. Special Agent Kate Hayden just promised a victim she rescued that she wouldn’t stop until the sadistic monster who did that to her was caught when she got the call requesting her presence in San Antonio. The M.O. is identical to the case she closed but could the “Samaritan” have had an accomplice or is it just a copycat. The prospect of a copycat serial killer isn’t the only thing Kate is worrying about but her own past rushing up to haunt her again. Things get stranger when another murder happens but is identical to another high profile case Kate worked on. Kate and Theo work together to discover just how these cases are all connected and how Kate fits into all. 

Overall, this is the reason I Love Mary Burton. Damaged but strong characters, an alpha type man who’s not an asshole and a suspense story that keeps you pulled in and engrossed the whole time.

**ARC Provided by Publisher**

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