BOOK REVIEW- PROOF OF INNOCENCE by Lenora Worth

INNOCENT FUGITIVE 

Erin Eagleton has been on the run for months after her ex-boyfriend was killed in front of her. She escaped from the killer once, but the police consider her a prime suspect. She is determined to prove her innocence and bring down the real criminal…before he finishes the job. Her high school sweetheart, Capitol K-9 officer Chase Zachary, has been searching for her with his trusty police dog. Now that he's found her, he vows to keep her safe at all costs. He'll stop at nothing to reveal the truth—and to protect the woman he's never forgotten. 

Capitol K-9 Unit: These lawmen solve the toughest cases with the help of their brave canine partners.

AMAZON  4.5 STARS

I really liked this story.  There were good main characters, a good supporting cast of  other people, and plenty of action twists and turns.  

I really liked both Erin and Chase; both were honest, loyal, and on the search for truth.  The history that they had from high school did bring up more than one problem for both of them along the way.  Both are secretly hoping that if they can keep Erin alive that just maybe there might be a way for a second chance for them.  

This book kept the tension of the chase at a high level that I could almost feel.  The fatigue, constantly having someone breathing down their neck, and the clever evilness and insanity of the main bad guy was off the charts.

Faith will also be a part of the story but it didn't feel overpowering to me.  Even for those that might not enjoy books with a Christian flavor to it,  still think that they could enjoy it.  Why?  Because it has a good story to begin with.  

BOOK REVIEW- THE BRIDE WHO GOT LUCKY by Janna MacGregor

He would do anything to protect her. Even marry her…
The son of a cold-hearted duke, Nicholas St. Mauer isn’t one to involve himself in society…or open his own heart to anyone. But driven by honor, the reclusive Earl of Somerton feels obliged to keep a watchful eye on Lady Emma Cavensham. She possesses a penchant for passions unbecoming a woman that finds Nick in constant peril of losing his well-structured solitude. She even dared kiss Nick once—an utterly unladylike, and delightful, lapse…

Emma can’t deny the appeal of the earl’s attention, and occasional affection, but she has no need for a man. There are worse fates than spinsterhood, as Emma knows too well. She still mourns the loss of her dear friend Lena, and is determined to prove Lena’s husband responsible for her death before he lures another innocent woman into a brutal marriage. But as Emma pursues her prey, a compromising moment upends all her plans. Now, with gossip swirling and her reputation in tatters, Nick may be the only man brave enough to join in Emma’s cause. . .and fight for her heart.  AMAZON 3 STARS

Slow.  Although the main characters were good ones, I really didn't enjoy how slow the pace was.
The emotions definitely were in place though.  You could almost feel the pain from the rejections that Nick suffered at his father's hand.  Not physical but soul wrenching just the same.  Emma had a loving family, but the needless death (murder) of her friend Lena cast such a dark shadow over her happiness.  She wanted justice for her friend and her baby.   And she was finding it almost impossible to have it happen.

One thing that I know was necessary to the story was about the lack of rights that women had.  When they married, even if they were part of nobility, their husbands ruled.  And if they were evil men like Lena's husband, they became powerless.  Okay with that said, it also felt at times that the story focused so much on it that it, bogged the story down.  Just my thoughts on it.

The story does speed up some much later on and I was very satisfied how several different problems were solved.  There were also some good" battles" between Nick and Emma as they work towards a H.E.A.  Nick didn't end up being the bad guy that Emma tried to cast him as.  There were of course others in the story who did meet that standard as bad guy.

I received a copy of this book via Netgalley and this is my honest opinion of it.

BOOK REVIEW- THE SCANDALOUS FLIRT by Olivia Drake

Scandal begins with just one kiss...

Aurora Paxton was once the belle of the ball, the most sought-after debutante of the season—until a scandalous mistake ruined her. Shunned by her family, Rory was banished to the country to live in disgrace. Now she’s been summoned back to London by her stepmother, who is being blackmailed by the least likely person Rory can imagine: Lucas Vale, Marquess of Dashell.

Lucas is someone Rory’s known for years—a man as devastatingly handsome as he is coldly disapproving of her. What in the world could he want from her or her family? Rory intends to find out as soon as she comes face to face with her old foe. What she never expects, however, is that the icy aristocrat has a soft spot for her—and a secret plan to redeem her status. Could it be that Lucas has been in love with Rory all along. . .and has finally found a way to win her heart?  AMAZON 3 STARS

Just okay.  Not my cup of tea exactly.  I had a hard time getting into it.  Rory had a lot of good points but at times she came across as a bit preachy.  She did love her sister though.  She also loved and appreciated her Aunt that she was sent to as part of her banishment.  It took a long, long time to find much to admire about Lucas because he came across as so cold and haughty.  He especially looked down his nose to Rory and after a while that was kind of hard to take.  Of course he wasn't the only one; others were just as rude if not even worse.  Many seemed to delight in her downfall.


I received a copy of this book via Netgalley and this is my honest opinion of it. 

BOOK REVIEW- THE CHRISTMAS COWBOY HERO by Donna Grant

New York Times bestselling author Donna Grant returns to Texas, where a small-town legend just might find the greatest gift of all. . .

’Tis the season for ex-Navy SEAL Clayton East to come home for the holidays—even if the mood at home is anything but festive. His father is ill. The East Ranch is in financial trouble. And now it’s on Clayton, the prodigal son, to make sure his family doesn’t lose everything.

Headstrong Abby Harper is like a mother to her younger brothers, who she’s helped raise since she was a teenager. Keeping them in line is no small task while she’s also working toward her college degree. And now that one of her brothers has been arrested for stealing cattle at the East Ranch, Abby is at her wits’ end. But there is a silver lining: Clayton East. He believes in second chances, and is willing to give one to her brother this Christmas. Letting beautiful Abby—and the inescapable longing in his heart—off the hook, however, is a whole ’nother story. Could it be that the woman of this local hero’s dreams has been back at home all along?  AMAZON 4.5 STARS

I enjoyed this book. Family plays a much bigger part to the story than I would have thought.  But that made it even more appealing.  Both Abby and Clayton are really good main characters.  But other good characters are Abby's teenage brothers, Brice and Caleb. And Clayton's parents Ben and Justine are no slouches either.  

Abby and Clayton have had a fair amount of responsibilities that rested on their shoulders.   Abby's father died after a long illness.  Then her mother bailed on the family leaving Abby as legal guardian to her brothers when she was only 18.   Eight years have passed an she has done the best she could but it's been a big struggle.  She loves them fiercely and has done the best she can doing without so many times.  They do without a lot but not without love.  
Clayton has his own struggles.  Struggles that have kept him running instead of coming home.  He just wasn't ready.  But when he understands that he is needed and things are desperate at the ranch, he comes home right away.
There is plenty of action trying to discover what is going on with finding the master mind behind the stealing of the cattle and money.  It kept me interested and so did the developing romance. 
There is a H.E.A. all the way around. 

Attractive eBook cover.

I received a copy of this book via Netgalley and this is my honest opinion of it.

BOOK REVIEW- THE INFAMOUS HEIR by Elizabeth Michels

Lady Roselyn Grey's debut has finally arrived, and of course, she has every flounce and flutter planned. She'll wear the perfect gowns and marry the perfect gentleman...that is, if the formerly disinherited brother of the man she intends to marry doesn't ruin everything first.

Ethan Moore is a prize-fighting second son and proud founding member of the Spare Heirs Society-and that's all he ever should have been. But, in an instant, his brother's noble title is his, the eyes of the ton are upon him, and the lady he's loved for years would rather meet him in the boxing ring than the ballroom.

He's faced worse. With the help of his Spare Heirs brotherhood, Ethan's certain he can get to the bottom of his brother's unexpected demise and win the impossible lady who has haunted his dreams for as long as he can remember...AMAZON  3 STARS

The story was slow and I had trouble staying with it.  I like most of what I have read by this author in this series but this one was not one of my favorites.  I could barely finish it.   But I also wanted to find out if the villain of the piece was who I thought it was.  And it was the one I suspected early on. 

For the most part I liked Ethan as a main character but when it comes to Roselyn it's a mixed bag.  There are times when I liked her and quite a few other times I just wanted to slap her in the head.  I know part of the reason that she tries to be so prim and proper is because of what she's had to overcome when it comes to being a part of the "Mad" family. But still, she does some incredibly DUMB stuff, I could only shake my head.  Being wild and bold was one thing but being stupid is another. 
Things do work to a good outcome with no cliffhangers and a H.E.A. 

BOOK REVIEW- TROPHY HUSBAND by Lauren Blakely

Sometimes you can't help falling in love, even when you try to do the opposite...
Successful fashion blogger McKenna Bell has spent far too long protecting herself after the way her ex-fiancé left her at the altar for a college chick he met the night of his bachelor party. Loving again, trusting again, well, that's just not in the cards. Especially now that her ex is back in town with his new woman, demanding custody of McKenna's favorite creature in the whole world--her dog. No effing way. McKenna's had enough of him, and she decides to even the score by finding her own hot young thing -- a Trophy Husband. Sure, she's only twenty-seven, but doesn't that make it even more fun -- and infuriating to her ex -- to pursue a younger man? When she declares her intentions on her daily blog, her quest quickly skyrockets in popularity, and that's when Chris enters the picture, and he's got all the assets. He's handsome, successful, and turns her inside out with a kiss to end all kisses, the kind that makes you feel like a shooting star. But loving again could mean losing again, and it's so much easier to focus on getting even, isn't it? Unless, you just can't help falling in love. Which means McKenna will have to come face to face with what she really wants in life -- protecting her heart from hurt, or letting go of her fears of a new beginning. AMAZON 3 STAR

Although I liked the idea and I did like McKenna and her friends, this book just wasn't entirely my cup of tea.  Chris was a good guy though and I did like the way they were able to have witty conversations and an ease of companionship.  The story was flirty and a bit flaky at times because McKenna was a fun girl with some serious hurts.  Her ex was one selfish, entitled kind of guy without an ounce of remorse for how he treated her.  Some of those ways kept giving her problems even though they weren't even together anymore.  I felt like he just couldn't let her go although he had a good life and didn't want her.  He just wanted to make sure he could "steal" as much from her as he could.  And wow, was he petty.    That said, it just felt at times kind of high school in some of the way things came across.  
There is a H.E.A and no cliffhangers to the story so that is a plus too. 

BOOK REVIEW- PLAYING DIRTY by Alix Nichols

What happens when the one you hate is the one you love?

In his pimply teens, Julien was led on, played and publicly humiliated by Noemi.

But time has been kind to him.

Now a heartthrob and formidable water polo defender, Julien has no trouble with the ladies.

That means, he can finally get back at Noemi.

Only… he hadn’t expected her to have grown from a shallow girl to a caring woman. 

A woman with feelings.

Nor had he anticipated the bitter aftertaste of his revenge, or how empty his bed—and his life—would be without her.

Might she still have his heart?

While Julien ponders the question, Noemi sets out on her own quest for payback…AMAZON 4 STARS


This book was a bit darker and deeper at times than I thought it was going to be at first glance.  I was concerned in the beginning that the book would have too much of the high school flavor to it but I was wrong.  Oh yes, we will be delving back into the past history during the teen years between the two of them.  It was a whole lot more dangerous to Julien than Noemi knew but there is also a few things that he didn't know either.  

I'm glad that although the Water Polo Team competition is definitely a part of story, it was written in an easy to follow way and not super detailed.  I did get the feeling that the author wanted me to get though, about how ruthless the "play" could be.  


This was an emotional story with the driving questions of can people change?  Is still still playing games and still really mean?   Can he ever fully forgive her?  Yes, trust is a MAJOR issue and it should be when you read about their history.  

This is a book that is easy to follow as a stand alone book.  Yes, the other books would be nice to read first but it's not necessary to be able to understand this one.  This book is also definitely an adult story.  Just know that there will be sex even during the time of some of the revenge being planned. 



"I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy of this book.” 

BOOK REVIEW- WIRED by Julie Garwood

Allison Trent doesn’t look like a hacker. In fact, when she’s not in college working on her degree, she models on the side. But behind her gorgeous face is a brilliant mind for computers and her real love is writing—and hacking—code. Her dream is to write a new security program that could revolutionize the tech industry.

Hotshot FBI agent Liam Scott has a problem: a leak deep within his own department. He needs the skills of a top-notch hacker to work on a highly sensitive project: to secretly break into the FBI servers and find out who the traitor is. But he can’t use one of his own. He finds the perfect candidate in Allison. Only, there’s one problem—she wants nothing to do with his job and turns him down flat. 

What Liam doesn’t know is that Allison is hiding secrets that she doesn’t want the FBI to uncover. But Liam will do nearly anything to persuade her to join his team, even break a few rules if that’s what it takes. A temptation that could put his job—and both of their futures—on the line...AMAZON 4.5 STARS



I really enjoyed this book a lot.  It had a lot of action to it.  Allison and her sister Charlotte had quite the horrible childhood.  When their parents died, their happy life went to "hell" when their aunt and uncle from hell take them in.  It was horrible how much guilt and fear that they tried to rule them with.  They used guilt and manipulation against them for years even into adulthood.  Their main interest in them and finally most of the attention to Allison was for them to be the cash cows for them.  I have to be honest I was hoping that Allison would grow a backbone much sooner than she did.  She was a genius with computers,  still had a tender heart but needed more street smarts when it came to users.  I could also understand she had been a victim of abuse for years and that was hard to overcome.  But there were a couple of times I'm almost yelling at her, "call the cops they are trespassing/disturbing the peace, get an order of protection against them, do something."   
She also followed through on a similar pattern when it came to what she let her temporary boss get away with.  Under continued pressure, she was like a folding chair.  It was good to see her finally start to outgrow some of that.  


Liam?  We never learned hardly anything about him.  We were in the same boat as Allison.  That's playing your cards close to his chest just a bit too much.  That is my one disappointment with the book. We did get to hear/see some of his feelings when it comes to Allison and that helped. But I would have liked to see a bit more development in the area of who he was/ his background.  

There were some interesting people who had her back which made for  enjoyable additions to the cast.  Her fellow scientist Jordan  becomes a close friend and unconsciously becomes a part of the things that begin snowball in Allison's direction.  

It was amazing how many enemies Allison racks up without even really trying.  People trying to steal from her or use her?  They try to blame her.  Simply Amazing!   So was some of the ways that she outsmarted some of the sleazy crooks. 

All in all, I really liked most of it. 

You will LAUGH SO HARD that YOU WILL FAINT - FUNNY CAT compilation

BOOK REVIEW-THE VENGEFUL THIEF by Mallory Crowe

Peter Slade never thought he'd be coming home. But after his family is put in danger because of his past misdeeds, he has to reconcile with the son he abandoned years ago .

But his son has been in good hands. Liv Morgan has never been the nurturing type, but when hard times forced her to move in with her best friend and her orphaned nephew, she found herself being the adoptive mother to a troublemaker with a heart of gold.

Liv has no idea what trouble really is. When Slade rolls back in town and is ready to reconcile with his son, Liv finds herself walking the thin line between the estranged father and son. And as she's more and more drawn to Slade, she realizes that if things go wrong, it will be more than just her heart breaking.

But Slade came back for a reason. His family is in danger. Liv might think that keeping him away will protect her heart, but he wants her body safe too and to do that, he's going to have to stay close. Liv is about to learn that revenge has never been this sexy...AMAZON 4 STARS

Wow, the opening chapter of the book was a surprise and starts out with a bang.  Oh, it does start out in a way that what you would consider "normal" and then "bang" it's off and running.  And then of course there is the unusual and "stunning" way that Slade and Liv first meet.  Now that was definitely a surprise.  Big Time.  

Slade isn't exactly welcomed back from the dead.  There is plenty of resentment and anger from a lot of sources when he shows up. Both from good people and bad.   From the good people, it is understandable seeing that he pretty much abandoned his sister and his son.  There are reasons but he can no longer run, he has to come face-to-face with a lot of things.  

Liv was one fierce woman when it came to Slade's son, Josh and his sister, Melissa.  They had become her family.  She was even like a second mom to Josh although he thought of her as the fun aunt."  That made me smile.  She might have been the fun aunt but she sure wasn't afraid to put herself at risk if it meant protecting him.  And she also proves that more than once.  

I had a bit of a problem when it came to why the villain wanted Slade dead.   But I had an Aha moment when it was mentioned that Thurrond was a sociopath, who only worshiped money and power.  That explained a lot, there was also another reason but you will have to read the book to get the rest of it.  

Slade had more people backing him than he realized.  He went in with one person backing him but the rest came in when he really needed them and they added a lot to the story.   There is plenty of action and a few surprises that kept the story flying by.  

I received a copy of this book and this is my honest opinion of it.  

BOOK REVIEW- THE BEST WORST FIRST DATE EVER by Holly Kerr

The adventures of Charlotte Dodd continue with The Best Worst First Date Ever. Tenley Scott is a single mother and owner of Soup du Jour. She’s full of nervous excitement for her date with Colin, the handsome Brit who’s been hanging around the café.She’s expecting casual conversation over drinks. Maybe dinner. Possibly a second date.Not crazed ex-girlfriends, armed thugs, car crashes and a kidnapping. Worst date ever.And then Tenley finds out about NIAA, the Canadian secret spy organization. Hello, Charlotte Dodd. In a move out of a sci-fi movie, Charlotte’s missing memories are implanted into Tenley’s mind, giving Tenley top secret information about the Agency, dangerous spy missions and Charlotte’s love, Hamilton Short. Now it’s a race to keep Tenley out of the hands of those who want the information and to find a way to get Charlotte out of her head.It’s been a while since Tenley’s been on a date, but this date turns out worse – and better- than she ever expected!  AMAZON 5 STARS



I have to say that the short Prologue made an interesting hook.  And the rest of the book?  What a delight.  I enjoyed every minute of it. It was funny, surprising and unexpected.  Each chapter had a short quote by different people at the beginning of it.  I found myself really looking forward to that part too.
 Tenley had some surprising depths to her.  She looks like an every day normal busy woman.  A divorced woman, a single mother, a businesswoman who is co-owner of a cafe/restaurant. Her young daughter Lucy helps keeps her going in so many ways.   Tenley is also a twin sister and although that part of the story doesn't play that deeply at first, it will contain some surprises.  

There were plenty of good, interesting people who added to the cast of people.  But they were introduced in an easy to follow way.  
I did spend a fair amount of time bouncing back and forth trying to figure out Colin (Tenley's date).  Is he a good guy, a bad guy or does he fall somewhere in the  middle?  Is he just someone who shyly admires Tenley and asked her for a date or is there more going on? 

Tenley's encounters with Charlotte are just this side of weird in a fun kind of way.  After all Tenley has some of Charlotte's memories.  She has memories of her brothers, Ham and some of Lottie's missions.  It does lead to some embarrassment because the private nature of some of those memories.  

There are several surprises that come at the end of the book.  Two that I suspected but it was nice to have it confirmed.    And the  way that it came out was done quite nicely.  If you like a good amount of action in a story this book provided  that too.  It was something I personally enjoyed a lot. 
I enjoyed this book so much that I will be looking for more by this author.  Especially if it is a continuation of the Charlotte Dodd stories.
It just seemed like I zoomed right through the book and it was over before I knew it.  


I received a ARC of this book and this is my honest opinion of it. 

BOOK REVIEW- LADY ELINOR'S WICKED ADVENTURES by Lillian Marek

Lady Elinor is searching for treasure
The intrepid Lady Elinor Tremaine is caught up in the Victorian fervor for exploring distant lands. Her travels throw her back in the company of an old friend-this time, far from the security of polite society.

And uncovering the secrets of her own heart
Harry de Vaux, Viscount Tunbury, has loved Lady Elinor for as long as he can remember- but his family's sordid background put her completely out of his reach. Prowling through Etruscan ruins in Italy with Elinor is exquisite torture. She is so close, and so forbidden...AMAZON 3.5 STARS

The whole Tremaine family was engaging even Elinor's somewhat stodgy brother, Philip ( Viscount Rycote.)

Her mother and father, Lord and Lady Penworth were quite a team all on their own and manage to find the fun in things.  Of course they also know when to draw the line when it comes to being proper.

Elinor was called Norrie by close family and friends and that includes Harry.  Her brother is the one who first came up with that nickname when it was almost impossible for him to say her real name. She used to tag along behind her brother and his best friend Harry for years.  She was pretty much fearless. 

Harry had such a horrible home life that he was pretty much "adopted" by the Tremaine family and spent much of his time with them.  His parents might be titled but they were also busy causing scandal after scandal.  Harry was so ashamed of his family and felt that he couldn't have a love of his own because he didn't want them to have to deal with it or them.  But things are getting tougher for Harry because he is crazy about Norrie and any man just trying to make a move on her is enough to cause him to erupt.

Like I said I enjoyed the Tremaine family and the main characters.  I enjoyed the romance that develops between Norrie and Harry. I even like the unexpected romance that Philip/Pip runs into.  There is also several dangerous secrets that have to be resolved and I enjoyed that too.

The story did have plenty of details, but I just would have liked it a bit better if there had been less of the history lessons.  That's my own personal opinion and maybe others enjoyed it more than I did.  I guess I was more interested in the people parts of the story.

BOOK REVIEW- NEVER JUDGE A LADY BY HER COVER by Sarah MacLean

By day, she is Lady Georgiana, sister to a duke, ruined before her first season in the worst kind of scandal. But the truth is far more shocking—in London's darkest corners, she is Chase, the mysterious, unknown founder of the city's most legendary gaming hell. For years, her double identity has gone undiscovered . . . until now.

Brilliant, driven, handsome-as-sin Duncan West is intrigued by the beautiful, ruined woman who is somehow connected to a world of darkness and sin. He knows she is more than she seems, and he vows to uncover all of Georgiana's secrets, laying bare her past, threatening her present, and risking all she holds dear . . . including her heart.  AMAZON  5 STARS

What an unusual, different start to a book.  Not your usual fainting, wall-flower type woman.  She was actually glad to be ruined; freed from all of the hypocrisy of Society.  And now she has ways to make them "bow" to her even if they don't know that they are doing it.

I really liked this book.  It had great main characters and some out of the box ideas.   Georgiana was so much more than JUST Georgiana.  And I liked how that part of the story unfolded, piece by piece.  Duncan also had secrets and they were being held over his head by a really unlikable "Lord Tremley.'' The man is pure evil but holds a lot of power because he has the ear of the King.  If only there was a way to bring him down.  Keep reading to see how that happens.  It won't be easy. But it does lead to quite the interesting, dramatic ending. 

It was true that Duncan and Georgiana made a great team, something that he mentions towards the end of the book.  They made a great team when they weren't accidentally working against each other because of their secrets. 

Georgiana's nine year old daughter Caroline was as direct as her mother and often made me smile.

This is the first book in the series that I have read but I had no problem reading it as a stand alone. That says a lot about the author.  That I can be pulled into the story and care about the people without the first few stories.  I also enjoyed some of the secondary people and now I am going to go back and read some of their stories too. 

I also enjoyed the acknowledgments that the author wrote. At least one statement made me smile. 

By the way, I really liked the cover picture for the eBook.  

BOOK REVIEW- MISTLETOE RULES by Stacey Joy Netzel

When Benedict Riley first meets Susan Whitcomb at a college holiday dance, she’s engaged to be married to another man. In this story where mistletoe rules, you’ll learn how the Riley Family Mistletoe Rules all began one fateful Christmas, not too long ago…AMAZON  3 stars

This was a short, sweet story.  A cute, quick read for the Holidays.  
I do have to admit that in the opening pages, I was starting to get lost in all the people that were introduced.  But when the remembering of the romance between Ben and Sue began, that wasn't hard to follow at all.  
This book was the introduction to a family tradition and how it all began.

I liked the short look into the book, "Autumn Wish" that was included at the end.  Sounds like that one could be interesting.


I received a copy of this book and this is my honest opinion of it.

BOOK REVIEW- THE REBEL HEIR by Elizabeth Michels

The Spare Heirs Society Cordially Invites You to Meet Ash Claughbane: The Imposter

Lady Evangeline Green is living a lie. To please her family, she masquerades as the perfect debutante...until she meets the wickedly charming Lord Crosby. With him, there are no rules. She's finally free to do as she desires-but freedom comes with a price, and Lord Crosby is not what he seems...
  

Ash is not Lord Crosby. He's a con artist, a noble Spare Heir living off his silver tongue. When the Green family ruined his, he swore he'd make them pay, and he never doubted his devotion to revenge...until he met Evangeline. Now, caught in a web of lies, torn between duty and desire, what's a con to do but deceive all of London and steal the one lady who dared match wits with the devil himself?  

AMAZON  3.5 STARS

I liked this book okay but it seemed so slow at times.  The slower pace does give the story time to establish how horrible Evangeline's life is with her mother though.

The interesting thing about this story is that BOTH of the main characters are living a lie.  For both of them the lie is a different kind of lie but it's still a lie.

No one had any idea how brutal Evangeline's mother was when it came to how much she controlled her daughter.   All that most people see is how "perfect" she is.  It's all a perfectly controlled image.  It's incredible how insane that control was, Evangeline could barely draw breath without permission.  Can you imagine someone watching your every move?  Someone who makes sure that you only took only 3 bites of any sweets, picked the clothing you would wear and what you could say? She was never satisfied with Evangeline and was a social climber of the worst order.  She already had money and was married to a "title".  

"Crosby" or Ash as he is often called, is running yet another scam. This is one that he has had a burning  desire to finish for some time.  Not only that but there are people hot on his heels looking for justice against him. He does have some people backing him though through the lifetime friend/assistant to the society that he recently joined for the Spare Heirs.  He is charming, funny and helps "Evie" loosen up a bit from the strict routines she is in.  Of course he got her to loosen up when it came to the more intimate things as well.  What doesn't anyone worry about a pregnancy or what?  

The story does have a few spectacular things happen to bring it to a more explosive ending.   Even Evie gets her own kind of smile worthy revenge as well.  

  

BOOK REVIEW- THE AMISH WALK by Sabrina Vicks

Jacob is feeling the pressure. Everyone in his Amish family is married and people are teasing him about not having anyone to tie the knot with. He's painfully shy but there are more than a few women in the community who would be open to his courtship. His problem is that the woman he truly has eyes for barely even notices him. He wants a family more than anything but becomes even more dismayed when the woman he truly loves tries to play matchmaker with him and someone else? Can he dare tell her his true feelings?   AMAZON  3.5 stars


The main story is short, and sweet.   Although somewhat predictable, I did enjoy shy Jacob's hopes for love.  It was a clean story as well.

Something I didn't expect was that there was 2 bonus stories.
The first bonus story is probably the one I enjoyed the most out of all the stories.  It felt like it had a bit more depth and I also enjoyed the story theme of a woman being enticed back to the community to help find a killer.  There was also more tension because she not welcomed by all on her return and that included a family member as well.  The friendship to romance that also develops makes you wonder how that will work out but you can also sense the hope. 

The second bonus story was different, with some twists but I'm not so sure I liked the ending.  

One of the other things that I liked about the books was that it wasn't all about negative control by the Amish.  It wasn't all harshness like some books focus on.  I know that it happens but this book was refreshing. 

I just have to say that the cover of the eBook was one of the things that drew me in.  How cute is that picture?  

BOOK REVIEW- MUST LOVE DUKES by Elizabeth Michels

The Mad Duke leaned in closer, his lips gently brushing her ear, and whispered, "I dare you."
She Can't Resist the Dare
Lillian Phillips could not imagine how her quiet, simple life had come to this. Blackmailed by the Mad Duke of Thornwood into accepting one wild dare after another...all because of a pocket watch. Desperate to recover her beloved father's pawned timepiece, Lily did something reckless and dangerous and delicious--something that led to a night she'd never forget.
He has a Reputation for Scandal
When Devon Grey, Duke of Thornwood, runs into a mesmerizing, intoxicating, thieving woman who literally stole from his bedchamber--with his new pocket watch--Devon plots his revenge. If the daring wench likes to play games, he's happy to oblige. After all, what's the ruse of being the Mad Duke if you can't have some fun? But the last laugh might just be on him...
AMAZON 4.5 STARS

I enjoyed every minute of this one.  Lillian/Lily and the Mad Duke/Devon were both interesting people and there were quite a few funny moments in the story.  There was also some heated intimate times as well.
The Mad Duke really isn't mad, he just refuses to be forced into society's demands and they don't like it one bit.  He couldn't care less about their opinions.  Some of his "pranks" are part of his getting even with what he sees as the useless people of that society.  His reasons are even deeper than that although he didn't realize all of that at first.  
I liked how he interacted with his mother and sister.  His mother was always upsetting his household when she visited but he loved her just the same.  His sister is someone who he often has teasing banter with.  

Lillian is caught between a rock and a hard place.  She has sacrificed so much of her life to her family and now she's being "sold" to anyone who can benefit her brothers.  Especially her brother Solomon sees her as a bargaining chip to benefit his business.  Otherwise he could care less for her.  
I liked how in the final outcome, the "evil" ones get what they deserve but definitely NOT what they want.  It made for some surprising twists.

BOOK REVIEW- MARRIAGE: IMPOSSIBLE by Ava Blackstone

Navy SEAL Sean Patterson didn't mean to marry his best friend's sister. But when he wakes up in a Reno honeymoon suite with a vicious hangover, a platinum band on his ring finger, and a mostly naked Keri in his bed, he knows the attraction he has spent half his lifetime repressing must've finally burst out of control—to disastrous consequences.

Keri MacKinnon has had a crush on her brother's best friend Sean since he rescued her from imaginary pirates when she was six. When he returns stateside after a harrowing tour of duty leaves him with a death wish, Keri will do anything to help—even pretend to be married. But as her crush blossoms into love, she must convince Sean to trust her with what really happened on the battlefield, or their fake marriage won’t ever grow into the real thing.   AMAZON  3 STARS

No matter how hard I tried I just couldn't get into this book.  It wasn't that I thought it was badly written, it just wasn't my cup of tea.  I wanted to like it a lot more than I did but it just didn't draw me in. 

In some ways it was somewhat predictable but there was at least one surprise towards the end.  

BOOK REVIEW- WICKED WYCKERLY by Patricia Rice

John Fitzhugh Wyckerly has been the spare heir all his life, supporting himself with gambling and charm. The news that he’s inherited the bankrupt title of Earl of Danecroft shatters his indolent world. Even penniless, he’s always paid his debts, but now the estate’s creditors are closing in. He can fake his death and run for cover, or accept overwhelming responsibility and find a rich wife, one who will also accept his illegitimate terror of a daughter.

On his way to find an heiress, he meets Abigail Merriweather, who is neither rich nor aristocratic, but she can tame The Terror and stomp cockroaches. Unfortunately, she needs a wealthy, powerful man who will fight her father’s executor and retrieve her four half-siblings. When an unexpected inheritance falls into Abby’s lap, she sets out for London to seek a lawyer. 

Can Fitz charm his practical Abby into trusting him to save her siblings when it’s doubtful that he can even save himself? And can Abby surrender reason and logic for the folly of love offered by a man who can have any woman he wants but insists he wants only her? AMAZON 4 STARS


Both of the main characters had a lot to deal with.  Both Fitzhugh (Fitz) and Abigail (Abby) have a lot of responsibility on their shoulders, without very much money or power to deal with them.  
It was easy to become involved with each of their stories.
 Fitz might come from the Wicked Wyckerly line of people, but he finds he does want to do something different than his predecessors.  But the debt is stacked so high, he's not sure what he can do. He has spent much of his life winning at cards but there is no way he can see to use that skill to overcome those kind of bills.  And the creditors are chasing him, literally.  Not only that but he is now responsible for his wild-cat illegitimate daughter.  Oh course he was the one who "rescued" her but he is so over his head even on this one.  
His daughter, Penelope (Penny) was a hoot wherever she appeared in the story.  She was only six years old but no one had really loved her or cared about her before.  No wonder she ran wild and had a mouth like a sailor.  Fitz soon found that she also had the Wyckerly personality of doing the opposite of whatever she was ordered to do.  But he only caught onto that after seeing Abby work her magic with Penny.  It also made me smile when Fitz thought about how proud he was that he hadn't begot any squeamish, insipid miss but a warrior child.  Abby had learned a lot from her years of helping with children especially her beloved half brothers and sisters.  

Abby is fighting mad trying to recover her half-brothers and sisters.  The only reason she "lost" them was because she was a woman and the executor of her parent's estate saw that as the reason to remove them.  She hasn't lost hope but things aren't looking good either.  

I liked how Fitz saw Abby as he got to know her more. Yes, he was attracted to her but he also admired so many of her qualities.  He saw her as having the appearance of an angel with the fierceness of a lioness.  And once she made up her mind, she was like a little general who raced full speed ahead.  And she was fierce when it came to those she cared about.  

It looked like both needed to marry but not to each other.  Fitz needed a heiress with a lot of money and Abby needed someone with the power to help her get her family back.   Fitz is a charming man who is used to women falling easily at his feet but not Abby, she is way too practical for that.  A comedy of errors and chaos follows.  There are plenty of surprises, twists and turns in store as well as a well deserved but unusual H.E.A.  

BOOK REVIEW- STOLEN KISSES by Ruth Cardello

Dax Marshall isn’t the type of man a woman takes home to meet her parents. He’s a business shark who has never let anything as insignificant as caring stop him from taking over a company. Some call him heartless, but he doesn’t see the value of caring about anyone or anything until he meets Kenzi.
Her happiness becomes his obsession.
Kenzi Barrington has tried to be the person her family needed her to be, but she doesn't want to lie anymore. When she can’t hold a dark secret in another day, she turns to the one man she knows is strong enough to hear the truth.

What starts as a simple attraction becomes a friendship that changes how they both define love. AMAZON  4 STARS


This story has good, complex people in it.  Dax was raised harshly after his irresponsible father died.  His father sent him to school at an early age.  He usually dragged him out to show off to his new lady love what a great father he was.  And he married every woman he slept with, at least that is Dax's view of it.  So, the word, "Love" was something that had almost no meaning for him.  Of course his uncle made it worse as  finishes raising him, a fist was a main part of the discipline that his uncle dished out.

Kenzi didn't deal with physical abuse but she sure wasn't heard when it came to what she wanted.  She was raised to be the "perfect" daughter, someone who would politely submit to the wishes of her family. And above all else, do NOT upset her mother.  You know that can't last forever, the pressure from that is about to blow.  Also the secret that she has herself is adding to the pressure.  

I did like how the friendship between Kenzi and Dex develops.  He helped her get free and stand up for herself.  Kenzi also began to show Dex that he was more caring than he ever imagined he could be.  She really begins to sees that caring side of him, he is so good to her.   She just seems to bring that out in him and at times it's pretty uncomfortable for him.

I liked how brutally honest Dax was, it ended up being one of the things that Kenzi  needed and ended up loving.  She was finally able to be herself for a change. It was fun to watch them grow and overcome.

Detroit 2020 Person of the Week: Blind woman inspires others through music

BOOK REVIEW- THE SHERIFF CATCHES A BRIDE

When county sheriff Cab Johnson gets a hunch, he's learned to trust it, and his hunch tells him Rose Bellingham is in a peck of trouble. Bad enough he's in love with her, bad enough she's already engaged to Jason Thayer. He's got to figure out what she's hiding before he loses her for good.
Rose can't stand one more person meddling in her business, even if that person is a handsome, eligible sheriff. She's been controlled for far too long. But since her fiancé's father is both her boss and landlord, she can't dump Jason until she's got somewhere to run. She's found the perfect place: a patch of forest outside town. But with Cab watching her every move, she's hard pressed to finish her hideaway so she can make her escape. Meanwhile, she's not the only one with problems. Can she find a way to help her friends, too?   AMAZON 4.5 STARS

I really liked this book and its main characters.  Rose is so nice that she pretty much gets told what to think, feel and do.  She's so nice that others just run over her with their control.

At first I couldn't figure how Fila was part of the story. At first I wondered if I had the right book.  It did take me some time but I did enjoy that part of the story as well.  Fila was fighting for her own freedom.  I did begin to see the similarities between Fila and Rose when it came to being controlled.  But don't misunderstand, Fila had lived a much harsher life, beginning when she was about 12 years old.  And that's all I'm going to say about that.  

I liked Cab as well, he was such a good guy.  A lonely one but with his eye on Rose.   He was a sheriff but he was also so over his head trying to figure out Rose and what was going on with her.  He finally began to understand that  she had a desire to run her own life and that it wasn't anything against Cab.   But she had found some of her backbone and was starting to assert herself.  She isn't all the way free  but she was getting there.  And it was refreshing to see Cab begin to encourage her and stand by her efforts.   I have to give Rose credit, she came up with some pretty outrageous, ingenious ideas...

Love, romance, great friendships develop and also just the right amount of dangerous, life-threatening danger add to the story.  
It all comes to an end (no cliffhangers) in a satisfying way and that includes a H.E.A. 

The Overcoming Life Part 1 Setting the Scene for Battle Part 1

Heartbeat (feat. Anna Byrd)

BOOK REVIEW- TRUST BY DESIGN by Stacey Joy Netzel

Cinderella and Prince Charming...brought together by chance, or design?

Interior Designer Gina Allen is flat broke thanks to a shady assistant who didn’t pay the taxes. Now she has no choice but to accept a job from the very rich, very handsome CEO Dean Daley—even though he’s accused her of conspiring to steal his software designs.

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer—that’s why Dean hires his rival’s ex-girlfriend. If he can use her to prove Jack is behind the spiraling downfall of his company, he might be able to turn things around before losing everything.

Dean, however, doesn’t count on Gina being everything he never expected, or his heart being in more danger than his business. Will the trust they’ve built be enough to keep them together—or will an unexpected betrayal tear them apart…and possibly cost them their lives?  AMAZON 4 STARS

The story has 2 good main characters; both having been screwed over by the same person.  Gina's ex-boyfriend Jack, who was was slick, greedy and possibly more dangerous than anyone ever knew.  But for the most part he seems to always be a step ahead of just about anyone who tries to beat him.  How can that be?
Gina and Dean's first meeting is unusual and easy to understand when it comes to Dean's suspicions about her.    Oh, the heat was there but this isn't going to be an easy slide into a H.E.A.   Yes, there will be one but not until a whole lot of things get sorted out.  
I liked the fact that both Dean and Gina were very skilled people and if unhindered can and did accomplish some really good things.

Both Dean and Gina have good friends who play a part in the story as well. 
I do have to say that a time or two the story felt like it dragged a bit.  But between the 50ish/60ish mark things start to really pick up.  Action, some surprises and romance all pick up.  


I received a copy of this book and this is my honest opinion of it.  

BOOK REVIEW- THE BARGAIN by Mary Jo Putney

Forced to wed to keep her inheritance, independent Lady Jocelyn Kendal finds an outrageous solution: she proposes marriage to Major David Lancaster, an officer dying from his Waterloo wounds. In return for making her his wife, she will provide for his governess sister. But after the bargain is struck and the marriage is made, the major makes a shocking, miraculous recovery. Though they agree to an annulment, such matters take time. . .time enough for David to realize he is irrevocably in love with his wife. 

Haunted by her past, Jocelyn refuses to trust the desire David ignites in her. She never counted on a real husband, least of all one who would entice her to be a real wife. But some bargains are made to be broken--and his skilled courtship is impossible to resist. . .AMAZON  4.5 STARS

This book had really good main characters and some pretty interesting supporting cast of people too. 
Jocelyn seems to have it all; seems being the operative word.  She was scarred by her parents divorce.  More than anyone realized; even more than her beloved Aunt Laura knew.  It's still affecting her choices to the current time.  It also almost costs her the happiness she really desires.

David, was a good hero for the story.  Even his struggle as he nears death is well written.  He is at peace with it  but probably the laudanum he was taking for the pain helped in that area as well.  His only concern was for his sister Sally.  When he died she would have no one and would be dependent upon finding work as a governess.  She is with a good family right now but David was concerned with her future.  It's the only reason he even considered "the bargain" .  David is a man of honor and humor.  I enjoyed the way he interacted with Jocelyn even when things weren't going in his favor.  He has had some horrendous things happen as a child.  Both David and Sally had been tormented by their older 3 half-brothers for years before they were kicked out of their home along with their mother.  That happened when their father died and didn't put enough protections in place for his beloved second wife.  He was relying on the goodness of his eldest son.  Too bad that trust was misplaced.  He had no idea how cruel his sons from his first wife were. 

The friendship between the two was sweet and believable.  Everything is fine unless the "L" word is mentioned.  That love word is the one word that is guaranteed to send her running. 

Sally, Sally, Sally.  She is David's sister and she loves her brother and is fiercely protective of him.  She is a prim little governess with fire in her belly and I really enjoyed watching her story develop too. 

All in all, I liked it and it has a good ending.

Cindy Jacobs: 'Stop Complaining and Start Releasing My Word Over Your Situation!'

Cindy Jacobs: 'Stop Complaining and Start Releasing My Word Over Your Situation!'

This is a prophetic word from Cindy Jacobs. You can listen to the full message spoken by Cindy Jacobs on Generals.org by clicking here.

You will find that the impossible becomes possible...

And the Lord would say, “There are many that have not been releasing My words over your situations. You are complaining, you are fretting, you're not sleeping, but I would say to you, if you would take My Word and begin to speak what My Word says, you will find that the impossible becomes possible. You will see those things that are troubling you begin to go from the troubling list to the miracle list.”

“For I would say to you, I have plans for you. I have plans to bless you. I have plans to prosper you, so do not think that these mountains in front of you are greater than My ability to move miraculously for you, but I,” the Lord says, “I cannot move miraculously to the level I want to, because you are not cooperating with Me. Give me some faith to work with. Speak faith out of your mouth. Say, 'This situation, this mountain, will be removed.' Haven't I said in My Word, 'If you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be so?”

“But I would say that many of you are spending time complaining, worrying, being troubled, rather than taking the sword of the Lord, My Word. For I love My Word," says the Lord, "And I love it when you speak it to Me, because when you speak My Word to Me, then I can bring from the supernatural realm into your current events that which needs to happen. I am longing to do that," says the Lord. "I want to do that. I am ready to perform My words," says the Lord. Amen.

I think we will just do that right now. Father, even I, Lord, if there have been ways that I complained and not read your Word or decreed your Word, I'm so sorry, Lord. So I just thank You, Father, that You are ready to perform Your Word. You're just waiting to perform Your Word and I thank You for that, Father. In Jesus' name. Amen.

[To view this full audio message from Cindy Jacobs' click here]

*************************************

Mike and Cindy Jacobs
Generals International
Email: generals@generals.org
Website: www.generals.org

Cindy Jacobs is an author, speaker, and teacher with a heart for discipling nations in the areas of prayer and prophetic gifts. She and Mike – her husband of 41 years - co-founded Generals International in 1985. She is a respected prophet who travels the world, ministering not only to crowds of people but to heads of nations. Her first calling is and always will be prophetic intercession. Each year she travels, and she has spoken on nearly every inhabited continent to tens of thousands. Cindy has authored books, loves to travel and speak, but one of her favorite past-times is spending time with her husband Mike and their children Daniel and Mary Madison, along with her grandchildren.

Visit Cindy Jacobs's Facebook page: HERE