Book Review: A Better World by Marcus Sakey

This portrays an exciting and scary world - dreams of a better world but one that is ready to go up in flames.

A Better World (The Brilliance Trilogy Book 2)
by Marcus Sakey

File Size: 6407 KB
Print Length: 391 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1477823948
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer (June 17, 2014)
ASIN: B00IA7N7C8
Genre: Sci Fi, Suspense Thriller
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

The brilliants changed everything. Since 1980, one percent of the world has been born with gifts we’d only dreamed of. The ability to sense a person’s most intimate secrets, or predict the stock market, or move virtually unseen. For thirty years the world has struggled with a growing divide between the exceptional…and the rest of us.
Now a terrorist network led by brilliants has crippled three cities. Supermarket shelves stand empty. 911 calls go unanswered. Fanatics are burning people alive.
Nick Cooper has always fought to make the world better for his children. As both a brilliant and an advisor to the president of the United States, he’s against everything the terrorists represent. But as America slides toward a devastating civil war, Cooper is forced to play a game he dares not lose—because his opponents have their own vision of a better world.
And to reach it, they’re willing to burn this one down.

Review:
This story picks up where book 1, Brilliance, left off. Nick Cooper has exposed the villainy of the American President and Nick’s own boss, the head of the Department of Analysis and Response. Those men had staged a massacre, blaming it on John Smith, a brilliant who they labeled as a terrorist. Now John has been exonerated and is free to move around the country to fulfill other plans.

Nick is pulled into the position of advisor to the new President where Nick is a single voice struggling to find a way to defuse the fear, animosity and tension between the brilliants and all ‘normal’ humans. Nick learns that scientists have been searching for the secret to the Brilliant gnome. Nick believes this work can solve the problem and he seeks to protect the scientist before others destroy him and his research. But other men in power have a different vision for a better world than Nick’s harmonious vision.

Soon Nick begins to think John has some serious conspiracy plans of his own and, to Nick’s dismay, he has been played as a puppet. Even though Sharon and Nick have grown close, they keep their own secrets so they are not certain if they can trust each other as the lines of right and wrong seem to waver. Nick continues to race against time and opposing forces but each plot he exposes, instead of diffusing the tension, seems to fuel the fires of unrest and civil war. The Federal Government threatens the brilliant community that has been developed to provide a safe haven for brilliants.

This story presents a scary (for its possible realism) picture of how a handful of powerful men can manipulate facts, people, news and resources to meet their own agenda. The characters are complex and the plot twists, constant action and suspense kept me turning pages. This is a good second installment but it ends rather mid theme so I am glad that I have book three to finish out the excitement.

I received this series through NetGalley for an honest review. It qualifies for my NetGalley Challenge.

Book Review: Laos File (The Shake Davis Series) by Dale Dye

This is a remarkably well-written, chilling and aching thriller portraying danger in secrets of  turbulent events of the Vietnamese War.
Laos File (The Shake Davis Series)
by Dale Dye

File Size: 1623 KB
Print Length: 282 pages
Publisher: Warriors Publishing Group (January 22, 2013)
ASIN: B00AX09K1C
Genre: Military Thriller
My Rating: 5.0 of 5.0

Military Writers Society of America 2011 Book Award winner: From the bestselling author of Platoon comes a military thriller about one Marine’s quest to leave no POW behind.
The death of a salty old senior noncommissioned officer who ran special operations in Vietnam leads US Marine Gunner Shake Davis on a shocking and potentially lethal mission to find out what happened to hundreds of American prisoners of war. Written by bestselling author Dale A. Dye and based on Oliver Stone’s classic film.
With “plenty of action and lots of military detail” (Vietnam Veterans of America), Laos File is a great read for fans of Tom Clancy and W. E. B. Griffin.

Review:
US Marine Gunner Shake Davis served as a gunner in Vietnam when he was barely out of his teens. He has never forgotten the fear when he faced a young enemy in a bunker as they fought hand to hand. Shake never planned to return but fate has different plans. Shake stayed with his commanding officer as he died in a remote cabin. After burying the man, Shake begins to call family and authorities to advise of the passing. He soon learns that his longtime friend had secrets, including a tour with the CIA. Also two of the commander’s family members advise that, having received news of the death, they are following instructions to mail packages to Shake.

The material that Shake receives has him postponing retirement and setting out to determine what happened to hundreds of American prisoners of war who never made it out of Vietnam and remain unaccounted for all these years later. Among the missing was his old friend’s only son. Now Shake has been given a last mission: find the rumored “Laos File” that tells what happened to the 200+ soldiers who disappeared as they were being marched toward prisoner exchange.

Shake drives his daughter to Miami to get her settled in college before he leaves on this new mission. When Shake is attack in a concert crowd he begins to suspect that someone does not want him researching the facts. Shake is pulled onto a team that is headed to Vietnam to make ‘reparations.’ As he proceeds, Shake quickly discovers that the Miami attack will not be the last of the assassination attempts he will have to dodge. Shake gets support from a young female officer among the team, not realizing that she is keeping secrets too.

Although it started a bit slowly, I enjoyed the writing style which consists of wonderful wording prose and yet is direct and distinct, fitting the sound of a gruff soldier. I was soon drawn into the story and placed in the scenes and amidst the fast paced action by the strong visuals painted by the author. The author blends current and past reminisces for Shake and for another character, Minh, a Vietnamese man. About a third of the way in the pasts of the characters intersect. From there the paths of Shake and Minh are on a collision course for a traumatic meeting.

There is rough language – again consistent with a salty Marine and adding to the authenticity of the story. The recounting of the struggles, fears and horror of the young soldiers during the Vietnam War are chilling and the mental scars, as well as physical scars, of the characters are aching. I found the presentation utterly remarkable and engrossing. At the conclusion of the book there is a brief biography of the author that is impressive and supports the first hand atmosphere conveyed in the story. I highly recommend this military thriller and I plan to look for more intense stories by Mr. Dye.

I received this through NetGalley for an honest review. This qualifies for my NetGalley Challenge and "L" in my Alphabet Soup Challenge.

Book Review: A License to Wed: Rebellious Brides by Diana Quincy

This is an enjoyable, character driven, sexy, second chance historical romance.

A License to Wed: Rebellious Brides
by Diana Quincy

• File Size: 4809 KB
• Print Length: 226 pages
• Publisher: Loveswept (July 5, 2016)
• Sold by: Random House LLC
• ASIN: B016GRO8T4
Genre: Historical Romance
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Perfect for readers of Madeline Hunter, Lisa Kleypas, and Sabrina Jeffries, the Rebellious Brides series continues with a sizzling tale of forbidden love between a socialite and a scholar—who might just be an infamous spy.
Lady Elinor Dunsmore made the mistake of falling for her older brother’s best friend, who vanished after a night of unbridled passion. Six years and a lifetime later, their eyes meet across a Paris salon. Her friends and family believe she’s dead, but Elle is very much alive. She’s now associated with a ruthless general, who wants her to seduce the man who broke her heart in order to learn his deepest secrets. Is Will a mild-mannered scholar—or the notorious agent they call The Razor?
The bastard son of an earl and an actress, Will Naismith always knew he was an unsuitable match for Elle Dunsmore, no matter how powerfully he ached for her. And yet he almost allowed his desires to spoil her glittering future. After the agony caused by Elle’s supposed death, Will has devoted himself to the Crown, but his entire life has been leading up to this unexpected reunion. As much as he still wants her, though, he must not succumb to lust once again. For his mission is delicate—and Elle is delectably dangerous.
Includes a special message from the editor, as well as an excerpt from another Loveswept title.

Review:
Lady Elinor was only a young girl when she determined that she would marry her older brother’s best friend, Will. During the celebration of her eighteenth birthday, Elle manages to break Will’s defenses down. After their joint passion he offers to marry her but she refuses as it sounds like he is offering out of duty.

Will is enthralled with Elle but he has stayed away from her as he knows she is a lady of station who deserves better than a nobelman’s bastard son. When Elle refuses his offer, he takes off to town and then gets called away for a work related task. When he returns a few months later, Elle has married a wealthy French aristocrat.

Six years later they meet unexpectedly in Paris. Will thought Elle was dead and she is shocked to see him in Paris. They each felt abandoned or rejected from their earlier encounter. They are both hiding secrets and begin a reluctant relationship filled with distrust and misunderstandings. They actually work at cross-purposes because they don’t confide in each other although there are glimpses of hope from each that keeps the relationship moving forward.

I do not know enough to know if the description of Parisian fashions in the time period are accurate but they are described as quite risqué. These details are part of the sensual leaning that runs through the book. This is a character driven story and I enjoyed the secrets, tension and danger in the storyline. There is a strong emphasis on the attraction between the main characters and there are several sexual encounters. The later scenes are fairly explicit but not in an unpleasant way. At least the reader knows they really care for each other even if the characters haven’t discovered that yet.

This is a new author for me. The writing flows well and this is easily read as a standalone. I enjoy historical romances and liked the second chance theme of this tale. I would recommend this to readers who enjoy sexy romance.

This title released on 7/5/16. I received this from the publisher through NetGalley for an honest review. This qualifies for my NetGalley Challenge.

Book Review: Hold Your Breath (Search and Rescue) by Katie Ruggle

This is romantic suspense just as I like it: strong on suspense, convincing characters and a passionate, but not graphic, romance.

Hold Your Breath (Search and Rescue)
by Katie Ruggle

File Size: 1553 KB
Print Length: 386 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1492628174
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (April 5, 2016)
ASIN: B017HX13DA
Genre: Romantic Suspense
My Rating: 5.0 of 5.0

An Amazon Best Book of the Month!
“Sexy and suspenseful, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.”—Julie Ann Walker, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author
“Chills and thrills and a sexy slow-burning romance from a terrific new voice.”—D.D. Ayres, author of the K-9 Rescue Series
In the remote Rocky Mountains, lives depend on the Search & Rescue brotherhood. But in a place this far off the map, trust is hard to come by and secrets can be murder...
When captain of Field County's ice rescue dive team, Callum Cook, meets new diver Louise "Lou" Sparks, his orderly existence is obliterated in an instant. Lou is a hurricane. A walking disaster. And with her, he's never felt more alive...even if keeping her safe may just kill him.
Lou’s new to the Rockies, intent on escaping her controlling ex, and she’s determined to make it on her own terms…no matter how tempting Callum may be. But when a routine training exercise unearths a body, Lou and Callum find themselves thrust into a deadly game of cat and mouse with a killer who’ll stop at nothing to silence Lou—and prove that not even her new Search and Rescue family can keep her safe forever.

Review:
Lou Sparks is a smart, strong minded young woman who chose to escape the control of her family by moving to a remote community in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. She is training on the Search & Rescue dive team where the divers work in freezing lakes instead of sunny, warm island waters of recreational diving. As the only woman on the team she has to work doubly hard to assert her independence and to gain the confidence and trust of the team.

Callum Cook is the strong, intense and obsessively controlled team leader who is struggling to maintain his control around this new, spontaneous team member. Although her exuberance is sometimes alarming to him, the rest of her he finds totally alluring.

There are other men in town who appreciate Lou’s beauty and strengths. During training Lou kicks up a submerged body making her feel invested in determining the identity of the victim and solving the murder. The local sheriff, Rob, is prepared to investigate and warns Lou not to ‘stick her nose’ where it doesn’t belong. Meanwhile, someone is out there who is stalking Lou. First it is ugly pranks like cutting her tires. Then the threats begin to escalate; even more so when the stalker realizes that Callum is stepping in to assert a protective mode over Lou.

I enjoyed the characters and plot in this from beginning to end. There are other male characters to tempt Lou and make the reader wonder. There is consistent action in the dive training even before real accidents and the stalker increase the suspense.

The romance develops with nice tension and no need to be graphic, which made me even happier with the author. The suspense element is the primary focus of the story with the add on of a nice, strong but sweet romance. This is just the way I like my romantic suspense and I will look to read more by Ms. Ruggle.

I received this title through NetGalley. It qualifies for my NetGalley challenge and H for Alphabet Soup.

Book Review: Much Ado About Highlanders (The Scottish Relic Trilogy) by May McGoldrick

This story provides a fine blend of romance and action with strong characters!

Much Ado About Highlanders (The Scottish Relic Trilogy)
by May McGoldrick

File Size: 1104 KB
Print Length: 308 pages
Publisher: Swerve (May 3, 2016)
Sold by: Macmillan
ASIN: B01C2T1XIY
Genre: Historical Romance, Scottish
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

In the heart of Scotland, this Highlander is about to meet his match in a brand new romance from bestseller May McGoldrick.

Highland warrior Alexander Macpherson has lost his wife. When he agreed to take Kenna Mackay as his bride to advance his clan’s power in the north, he expected a bit of an adjustment. He didn't expect the sharp-tongued beauty to run away on their wedding night. Still, Alexander wants his runaway bride…and he has the sneaking suspicion that she wants him, too.

Kenna Mackay thought she was safe in a priory full of nuns learning the craft of healing, but when she is kidnapped by her own husband, the battle of wits begins anew. But even as passions ignite, a deadly secret from Kenna's past rises to the surface and put their new love in jeopardy. As a heartless villain closes in, two headstrong lovers find themselves locked in a struggle between evil and the power of undying love. And this time, Alexander is determined he will not lose his wife again.

Review:
This story picks up six months after Kenna fled her marriage. Kenna lost her mother as a young girl, after which her father gave her little affection. Once she reached marriageable age he arranged a favorable marriage with Alexander Macpherson. Kenna was not happy being treated as chattel and made plans to flee to a priory.

Alexander is the eldest of three young men who are known for their comradery, pursuit of women and adventure… as well as pranks. Alex was quickly struck with Kenna’s beauty and strength but wasn’t prepared for his bride to take off the night of their wedding.

Six months later Kenna and her cousin, Emily, are kidnapped by Alex’s younger brother, James. Alex and Kenna are shocked to come face to face and immediately start sniping at each other. A small band sets off to exchange Emily for other stolen property.

Alex and Kenna awaken the next morning to find they have been abandoned by the others. They soon discover they must work together and protect each other as they dodge English raiders being helped by brutal Scottish lowlanders. Kenna discovers that she has extraordinary skills beyond the healing techniques she has been taught. She possesses a stone passed on by her mother but someone evil wants to steal her gift.

A simple plan for romance goes awry and James and Emily find themselves at odds as well as Kenna and Alex. The reader gets to enjoy two growing and warming romances woven amid danger and intrigue.The story moves at a good pace with lots of action as well as the nice romances.

Kenna is a strong, feisty female willing to stand up for herself in a time when that is not expected. Alex is a handsome alpha male who is able to appreciate Kenna’s strength if only he can make her see that she can find love with him and acceptance in his clan. Their bantering is a fun part of the story adding to the romantic tension. I also liked the element of the stone pieces and the gifts they bring. I am hoping that the use for evil will be the downfall of the villain… maybe in the next story.

This is a very nice blend of sensual romance and action. Maybe not enough heat for some romance readers but nearly perfect for my tastes. Reading this reminded me why I have collected a handful of books by this husband and wife team. I recommend this to readers who like Scottish romances with spice and danger but not graphic sex. I would like to read the rest of the trilogy to find out what happens to the other women who have the gifted stone pieces.

I received this new release through NetGalley. It qualifies for my NetGalley Challenge and “M” in Alphabet Soup.

Book Review: Admiral (An Evagardian Novel) by Sean Danker

Good blend of mystery, intrigue, space sci fi and engaging characters.

Admiral (An Evagardian Novel)
by Sean Danker

File Size: 901 KB
Print Length: 310 pages
Publisher: Roc (May 3, 2016)
Sold by: Penguin Group (USA) LLC
ASIN: B00S75RYXG
Genre: Sci Fi,
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

FIRST IN A NEW MILITARY SCIENCE FICTION SERIES

“I was on a dead ship on an unknown planet with three trainees freshly graduated into the Imperial Service. I tried to look on the bright side.”
He is the last to wake. The label on his sleeper pad identifies him as an admiral of the Evagardian Empire—a surprise as much to him as to the three recent recruits now under his command. He wears no uniform, and he is ignorant of military protocol, but the ship’s records confirm he is their superior officer.
Whether he is an Evagardian admiral or a spy will be of little consequence if the crew members all end up dead. They are marooned on a strange world, their ship’s systems are failing one by one—and they are not alone.

Review:
“Admiral” is awakened from stasis to find three Evagardian recruits… and an empty ship. The three new graduates were expecting to be on a royal ship, not this freighter. The three consist of a tech, Ensign Nils, Lieutenant Deilani, specializing in bio, and a negotiator, Private Salmagard. Admiral raises suspicion because he is young and didn’t even know his promoted rank. Deilani distrusts him immediately while Salmagard shows recognition and deference. Nils isn’t sure who to follow but he wants someone to give direction in their strange situation.

Admiral clearly has experience in unusual, and dangerous situations and he doesn’t hesitate to take charge. They discover that the ship has crashed and they are stranded although they don’t know where. Too soon they realize that the ship is in a precarious situation, the planet is hostile and it will take the concerted efforts of everyone if they want to survive to be rescued.

The story moves at a quick pace as the four jury rig supplies and employ tricks to ensure survival. They are on the edge of death first in the ship, then traveling across the planet to a suspected colony. They are desperate and battling a new species enemy when they make their last ditch effort to get rescued.

I enjoyed the mystery of the Admiral’s identity, catching a few hints along the way. I liked how the author kept it secret and I enjoyed the scene when it was finally revealed. I enjoyed all four characters and how they work together, even when at odds. There is creativity in the survival efforts and imagination in the new species that is discovered as the story progresses. There are other elements that make you think of the ‘trapped in a box with no way out’ type mysteries.

I think I enjoyed this as much as The Martian (which had the advantage for me of listening on audio). I highly recommend this to sci fi and mystery lovers. I would love to read more adventures with the Admiral, especially if he could somehow team up with the others again.

I received this title through NetGalley for an honest review. This qualifies for NetGalley Challenge and “A” in Alphabet Soup Challenge. Please see author interview and GIVEAWAY .

Book Review: What We Find by Robyn Carr

This is an engaging, heartwarming romance making you think about what you want, and what you might find, from life.

What We Find

by Robyn Carr

File Size: 3465 KB
Print Length: 352 pages
Publisher: MIRA (April 1, 2016)
ASIN: B0166B9HZ0
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Small Town
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Join Robyn Carr, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Virgin River and Thunder Point series, as she explores the healing powers of rural Colorado in a brand-new story of fresh starts, budding relationships and one woman's journey to finding the happiness she's long been missing.

Between the urban bustle of Denver and the high-stress environment of a career in neurosurgery, Maggie Sullivan has hit a wall. When an emergency high-risk procedure results in the death of a teenager, Maggie finds herself in the middle of a lawsuit—and experiencing levels of anxiety she's never faced before. She knows she needs to slow down before she burns out completely, and the best place she can think to do that is Sullivan's Crossing.

Named for Maggie's great-grandfather, the land and charming general store at the crossroads of the Colorado and the Continental Divide Trails have been passed down through the generations and now belong to Maggie's eccentric father, Sully. When she shows up unannounced, he welcomes her with open arms, and she relishes the opportunity to indulge in his simple way of life.

But shortly after arriving, Maggie's world is rocked once again and she must take on more responsibility than she'd planned. Though she's relieved a quiet and serious-looking hiker, Cal Jones, is willing to lend a hand, Maggie is suspicious of this mysterious man's eagerness to help—until she finds out the true reason for his deliberate isolation.

Though Cal and Maggie each struggle with loss and loneliness, the time they spend together gives Maggie hope for something brighter just on the horizon…if only they can learn to find peace and healing—and perhaps love—with each other.

Review:
Maggie, at 37, is a strong woman but the stresses of her life are becoming overwhelming. She is a respected neurosurgeon but two of her business partners are under criminal investigation causing her to close their practice. She is being sued for the alleged mishandling of an emergency triage situation. If work issues weren’t enough, Maggie has just experienced a personal loss and her boyfriend has dumped her. A friend suggests that Maggie needs time away to calm her spirit so she goes home to her father, Sully. Sully operates Sullivan’s Crossing, a general store and campground, at the Continental Divide in Colorado.

Sully is glad to see Maggie but an unexpected turn of events has her scrambling to handle more than she expected. There are old friends around to help but one fellow who steps up to help is a stranger. Cal is a quiet, serious looking hiker who looks like a suspicious drifter to Maggie. He is short on answers when she tries to find out details.

Cal has suffered his own losses and stresses that brought him to the campground waiting for weather warm enough to head out on the trails. He isn’t accustomed to being idle so is more than happy to step in and help. He just isn’t ready to reveal his personal history. He is glad to begin a slow friendship with Maggie and it isn’t long before that builds to something more, although they still have a lot to share before they can move forward.

I liked the strong lead characters and the quirky secondary characters, including Maggie’s family and Cal’s very dysfunctional parents. The beginning of the story moved slowly for me as the relationship builds slowly. Midway things pick up and then there are several interesting events going on as the story progresses. There is a kidnapping, a search and rescue and a trail accident. Oh and let’s not forget the naked hiker and a rampage through the camp. On the relational front there are medical issues, legal issues, family issues, and personality issues.

Ms. Carr writes characters who have real to life depth and puts them in situations that readers can relate to. Both Maggie and Cal are at a point of ‘midlife’ crisis. This is a stage that many readers, particularly women, can relate to: are we where we want to be in life? Are all of our needs being met by our careers or do we still have emptiness that needs more to make us full and happy?

The writing has a good flow with natural dialogue, some humor and good revelations. I enjoyed the ‘wisdom’ quotes at chapter headings. And I liked the setting especially since I have visited many campgrounds. There is a little bit of intense sexual action but it is an add to the story, not the focus of the story as some romances these days. Beyond that, the romance was sweet and heartwarming. This is a solid, engaging story with a lovely setting, lovely romance and lovely emotions.

I received this through NetGalley and Little Bird Publicity. This qualifies for NetGalley Challenge and “W” in Alphabet Soup.

Book Review and Tour Giveaway: Nobody But You (Cedar Ridge) by Jill Shalvis

There are great characters in this light, sexy romance.
Nobody But You (Cedar Ridge)
by Jill Shalvis

File Size: 549 KB
Print Length: 465 pages
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (March 29, 2016)
Publication Date: March 29, 2016
ASIN: B0112T4YJA
Genre: Contemporary Romance
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

SOMETIMES YOU CAN GO HOME AGAIN . . .
After an overseas mission goes wrong, Army Special Forces officer Jacob Kincaid knows where he must go to make things right: back home to the tiny town of Cedar Ridge, Colorado. All he needs to scrub away his painful past is fresh mountain air, a lakeside cabin, and quiet solitude. But what he discovers is a gorgeous woman living on a boat at his dock.

Sophie Marren has nowhere else to go. She's broke, intermittently seasick, and fighting a serious attraction to the brooding, dishy, I'm-too-sexy-for-myself guy who's now claiming her dock. Something about Jacob's dark intensity makes her want to tease-and tempt-him beyond measure. Neither one wants to give any ground . . . until they realize the only true home they have is with each other.

Review:
Sophie is recovering from an ugly divorce. She really didn’t want anything from her cheating ex, Lucas, but when the Judge pushed her she claimed the one thing Lucas cared about the most – his boat. It doesn’t matter that she gets seasick and now she has to walk or bus to work and pay mooring fees. She keeps moving at night to docks of abandoned cabins until a gorgeous hunk, Jacob, catches her at the dock of the cabin he just rented.

While trying to resist Jacob, Sophie is working all over town as a temp until she can figure out what to do with her life. She is also trying to dodge Lucas who is a big man lawyer about town.

Meanwhile, Jacob is an alpha military man on bereavement leave that has him wanting to heal his personal life. He has returned home for the first time in nine years to face his twin and his half brothers and sister. Jacob expects to be rejected or to at least have to eat humble pie to get them to agree to let him become part of the family again.

Sophie runs into Jacob a couple of times with a clear chemistry zing each time. They soon agree that it might be safe to have a fling. After all, she is off men – mostly, and he is on temporary leave so he can promise not to fall -- so he thinks. But Jacob has never experienced a sassy, sexy domino like Sophie. And Sophie has never had such a capable man give her encouragement to stand on her own. Together they are combustible! Will Jacob commit to returning to make Cedar Ridge his home? Can he convince Sophia to risk her heart again?

This is full of light, fun dialogue and smokin’ attraction plus. I’d say about fifty percent of the story is sexual interaction between Sophie and Jacob which was fun but not what I want to read so much anymore. Fortunately, there is a strong relational story going on within Jacob’s family that adds to the conflict, love and humor.

This is the third book in the series but worked fine as a stand-alone. The characters are wonderfully real and the whole tone, beyond the insecurities, is warm and affirming. I enjoyed this fast paced read and recommend it to readers who are looking for a quick excursion into a light, sexy romance.

I received this title through NetGalley for an honest review as part of a tour event. This qualifies for NetGalley Challenge and N in Alphabet Soup Challenge.

Buy Links

Amazon: amzn.to/1nJOatw 

B&N: bit.ly/250OcyR 

IndieBound: bit.ly/22gObop 

iTunes: apple.co/1TJDOYH 

GooglePlay: bit.ly/1RKiLPz 

Kobo: bit.ly/1QTy644

About Jill Shalvis
New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill's bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold and visit her website for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.

Jill’s Social Media:

Website: JillShalvis.com

FB: Facebook.com/jillshalvis

GR: https://www.goodreads.com/JillShalvis

T: @jillshalvis

IG: @jillshalvis

P: https://www.pinterest.com/jillshalvis/

EXCERPT:

   She eyed the bench a long beat but did eventually sit, perching primly as far from him as she could get and yet still be close enough to grab the bottle.
   Smart woman.
   She took the Scotch and drank. Her eyes watered and she coughed as she handed it to him. With a sigh, she leaned back to study the night sky. Her bared throat was slim and creamy smooth. An unexpected temptation. Remembering the flash of pain and vulnerability she’d unwittingly revealed, and that for whatever reason he’d somehow added to it, he spoke. “I’m sorry.”
   She glanced at him as if she’d never heard a man apologize before in her life. “For…breathing?” she asked. “Having a penis? What?”
   “You were upset because you didn’t know I was a Kincaid.”
   She sighed. “That was just me looking for a reason to be mad at you so I wouldn’t…”
   She bit her lower lip, clearly not wanting to go on.
   But now he had to know. “So you wouldn’t what?”
   “Nothing,” she said. “It’s just that I’m trying to make better choices.”
   “Of which I wouldn’t be one.”
   “It’s not necessarily your fault,” she said. “It’s that you’re a man.”
   “Guilty as charged.”
   “And I’m off men right now.”
   “And on…women?” he asked with admittedly more than a little fascination.
   She rolled her eyes. “I’m on no one, but thank you for proving my point on men.”
   “I get that,” he said. “But being off men doesn’t seem to be making you very happy, or sound like a whole lot of fun.”
   “Maybe I don’t need fun.”
   He understood that. He’d felt the same way since Brett died. “What do you need?” he asked, honestly wanting to know more about her.
   Instead of answering, she reached for the bottle. He waited until she met his gaze before letting go.
   “Nothing,” she said a little too quickly. “Everything’s…perfect.”
   “And your glass is half full,” he said. “So you’ve said.”
   But he didn’t believe her. “How about a game?”
   “I don’t play games.”
   Now, that wasn’t exactly true. Whether she knew it or not, she’d been playing with his head since he’d first laid eyes on her. “Three truths and a lie,” he said.
   She stared at him. “As in you tell me three truths and a lie, and I pick out the lie?”
   “Yes.”
   She considered this. “What do I get if I win?”
   “What do you want?”
   For the briefest of beats, her gaze dropped to his mouth.
   Oh, hell yeah, he thought. Want me…
   “My first boyfriend taught me that game,” she said.
   “What did the winner get?”
   “A kiss.”
   Definitely still playing with his head… “Is that what you want, Sophie? A kiss?”
   Again she stared at his mouth before dropping eye contact and wrapping that eye-stopping pink robe tighter around her body. “Do you?” she asked.
   “Hell yes.”
   Her gaze flew to his.
   “Problem is,” he said conversationally, “if I kissed you, I don’t think I’d be able to stop.”
   Her mouth literally fell open. The pulse at the base of her throat jumped. And she seemed to lose her words.
   He went on. “But you should know, I don’t lose. That means you’ll have to tell me three truths and a lie.” And he’d hopefully get to know more about her.
   She closed her mouth to bite her lower lip in what could’ve been indecision or excitement. Obviously he was hoping for the latter. “But hey, if you’re not sure you can handle losing, we can just forget about it,” he said.
   The challenge lifted her chin and put sparks in her eyes. That’s it, babe. Show me what you’ve got.
   “Bring it,” she said.

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Book Review: The Cracked Spine: A Scottish Bookshop Mystery by Paige Shelton

This is a delightful, engaging cozy mystery with grand characters and an interesting setting.
The Cracked Spine: A Scottish Bookshop Mystery
by Paige Shelton

Series: A Scottish Bookshop Mystery
File Size: 1422 KB
Print Length: 305 pages
Publisher: Minotaur Books (March 29, 2016)
ASIN: B0151U7X3A
Genre: Cozy Mystery
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Wanted: A bold adventurer who wants to travel the world from a comfortable and safe spot behind a desk that has seen the likes of kings and queens, paupers and princes. A humble book and rare manuscript shop seeks a keenly intelligent investigator to assist us in our search for things thought lost, and in our quest to return lost items to their rightful owners.

Never an adventurer, no one was more surprised than Delaney Nichols when she packed her bags and moved halfway across the world to Edinburgh, Scotland to start a job at The Cracked Spine, a bookshop located in the heart of the city. Her new boss, Edwin MacAlister, has given her the opportunity of a lifetime, albeit a cryptic one, and Delaney can’t wait to take her spot behind the desk.

The Cracked Spine is filled with everything a book lover could want, each item as eclectic as the people who work there; the spirited and lovable Rosie, who always has tiny dog Hector in tow; Hamlet, a nineteen-year-old thespian with a colored past and bright future; and Edwin, who is just as enigmatic and mysterious as Delaney expected. An extra bonus is Tom the bartender from across the street, with his cobalt eyes, and a gentle brogue—and it doesn’t hurt that he looks awfully good in a kilt.

But before she can settle into her new life, a precious artifact goes missing, and Edwin’s sister is brutally murdered. Never did Delaney think that searching for things lost could mean a killer, but if she’s to keep her job, and protect her new friends, she’ll need to learn the truth behind this Scottish tragedy.

Review:
Delaney, who loves books and old things, was laid off from her museum job in Kansas where she has lived her whole life. When she sees an ad for a ‘bold adventurer to search for lost things’ she decides to journey to take a job at ‘a humble book and rare manuscript shop’…in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Delaney arrives in Edinburgh excited to start her job at The Cracked Spine. She is helped by a friendly cabdriver, Elias, who practically adopts her. Delaney meets her boss, the wealthy and seemingly eccentric Edwin, and co-workers, the young acting student, Hamlet, and a mostly cheery bookkeeper, Rosie, with her shoulder ‘drape’ dog, Hector. Delaney spends one day with Edwin at a secretive auction where she meets three of his friends who express worries about Edwin and his sister, Jenny, who was supposed to join them but didn’t show. Before Delaney can even explore the overstuffed bookshop with its secret nooks, or learn her duties at work, tragedy strikes when Jenny is murdered.

Delaney has a special knack for finding lost things, especially books. It seems that a special item has gone missing and it may be related to Jenny’s murder. Was she killed because of the object? Did the object lead Jenny to the wrong people? Were any of Edwin’s friends involved? Even Hamlet is carefully questioned by the detectives. Delaney enlists the help of her new friend, Elias, to run her around town to do her own questioning of suspects, while Elias’ wife helps put together pieces of a torn letter Delaney slipped out of Jenny’s apartment. As Delaney relentlessly pursues the murder mystery, she gets the chance to flirt with sparks of romance with a handsome barman who owns the smallest pub in Edinburgh.

I was pulled in by Delaney’s warm character, and the promise of a fun story, within the first chapter. I liked each new character as they were introduced and enjoyed the character development. The mystery was well plotted with a twist that kept the murderer a surprise till the end. Not only is Delaney's investigation engaging, I also enjoyed the vivid descriptions and the Gaelic accents that the author shares.

This is a wonderful cozy mystery and I do hope there will be more in this series with these friendly and quirky characters. I noted this book is offered in audio. I listened to the sample and I think it would be a really fun listen. I am inclined to check out more series by Paige Shelton in the meantime. I highly recommend this to readers who enjoy a good, cozy mystery with warm characters and lovely setting.

I received this through NetGalley for an honest review. It qualifies for my NetGalley Challenge and TBR Triple Dog Dare as I selected this back in December, 2015.

Book Review and Tour Giveaway: Breaking the Story (Scottie's Adventures Book 2) by Ashley Farley

I like Ms. Farley’s straight forward, easy writing style.

Breaking the Story (Scottie's Adventures Book 2)
by Ashley Farley

File Size: 1091 KB
Print Length: 215 pages
Publisher: Leisure Time Books; 1 edition (March 17, 2016)
ASIN: B01B1U6E0M
Genre: Suspense, Romantic Suspense
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Passion, peril, and a scandal that will rock American politics.
Scottie Darden's life is a disaster. Her marriage has become toxic, and her career as a photojournalist has stalled out. To attract the attention of the main players in the news industry, she needs a standout story with a unique perspective. What she finds is a scandal that could turn the 2016 presidential election upside down. But before she can release her damaging images to the media, Scottie must uncover the truth behind the photographs. She turns to handsome mystery man Guy Jordan for help. When they join the campaign trail in search of answers, their investigation quickly becomes deadly.
Hop on board for a wild ride of adventure where desire ignites, lives are threatened, and secrets are revealed.

Review:
Scottie is strong minded, bright and a talented photographer. She has a creative but impulsive streak that gets her into trouble. She is currently hunting for the perfect photojournalist opportunity to catapult her career.

Scottie returns home from covering the Republican Convention to find her husband in bed with another woman. The marriage was on the skids anyway and she is better off kicking the cheating, dead weight out of her life. Still, it isn’t easy to walk away from an eight-year marriage and it puts her in a vulnerable position.

Scottie runs into a handsome stranger, Guy, she met at the airport and he lends her an ear. But Scottie isn’t ready for a fling and Guy doesn’t want to be the rebound guy.

Scottie tries to focus on her job by finding a way to get a unique, exclusive shot of the Democratic presidential candidate. Scottie manages to snap some potentially explosive images before she is chased away. She returns home to discover her apartment ransacked and realizes she has stepped into trouble again. She is unable to identify the man in the photos and calls Guy to see if he can help since he seems to be connected to the campaign scene.

Scottie and Guy set off to follow the campaign trail in hopes of spotting the mystery man again. Nothing develops along the professional path but things heat up between Scottie and Guy on a personal level. Then things heat up on a danger level when the FBI gets involved to help identify the man and confirm that he is dangerous. Suddenly the man they are hunting is after Scottie. He knows who she is and how to find her.

When Scottie learns that Guy hasn’t been totally truthful she pushes him away. She is glad that she always has her brother, Will, to call on for support. Scottie hopes the powerful man will leave her alone but she becomes even more of a target when the picture she took is leaked to the press.

This story moves quickly with an easy reading style and fast paced story. I like Scottie’s integrity and her strong relationship with her brother and parents although she struggles not to lean on them too much. I liked Guy and how he cares about Scottie. Her distrust is understandable but I was still hopeful for their relationship. The suspense is engaging but much of the detail I found to be on the unbelievable side.

Although I try not to be bothered by editing errors in ARC versions, I was distracted by a few that I thought were glaring. I hope they were cleaned up before the final version.

This is a fast read with engaging characters and suspense. I recommend it to readers who enjoy light romantic suspense with engaging characters.

I received this title through Caffeinated Book Reviewer and NetGalley for an honest review. This qualifies for NetGalley Challenge,  and "B" (tour book) on Alphabet Soup Challenge.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28793180-breaking-the-story

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/hy7whbx

Barnes and Noble: http://tinyurl.com/h6xn6xy

iTunes: http://tinyurl.com/j826qcc

Kobo: http://tinyurl.com/zfh4dzw

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Excerpt:

If only Scottie could find a way to get up close and personal to the senator. And they've photographed them every which way but naked. Sneaking into Caine's hotel room was out of the question, not that Scottie would ever consider taking images of her in the nude, but there was nothing wrong with sticking close to her in the hopes of capturing a candid moment.

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I first met Scottie in Merry Mary which is another book that readers of contemporary fiction might enjoy.

About the Author:
Ashley Farley is a wife and mother of two college-aged children. She grew up in the salty marshes of South Carolina, but now lives in Richmond, Virginia, a city she loves for its history and traditions.

After her brother died in 1999 of an accidental overdose, she turned to writing as a way of releasing her pent-up emotions. She wrote SAVING BEN in honor of Neal, the boy she worshipped, the man she could not save. SAVING BEN is not a memoir, but a story about the special bond between siblings.

HER SISTER'S SHOES—June 24, 2015—is a women's novel that proves the healing power of family.

MERRY MARY a heartwarming story of the powerful connection between a caring soul and an innocent child in need released October 15, 2015.

Social Media:

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Tour Giveaway:

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Ends 3/31/16.

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