BOOK REVIEW- The Secret One Corisi Billionaires, Book 3 by Ruth Cardello

Description

In this steamy third book in New York Times bestselling author Ruth Cardello’s Corisi Billionaires series, a trip to Italy could jump-start a lasting relationship—but only if all that’s hidden comes to light.
When Christof meets a beautiful mechanic on the side of the road, he knows they’re meant to be. His family, however, needs him and his mediation skills in Italy, where decades of secrets and betrayal could cost them everything. His mother is convinced a fiancée would help smooth things over. But he’d be nuts to ask a woman he just met to participate in such a farce.
Men always find something about McKenna they want to change—her independence, her success, the grease that clings to her after a satisfying day in the garage. So when she starts falling for a handsome billionaire, she doesn’t believe it will last. Their engagement is fake, but the sparks that fly when they’re together are too real to resist.
If Christof and McKenna trust themselves and each other, Italy will jump-start a love as intimate as it is intense. If not…their relationship isn’t the only one on the line...  AMAZON LINK

                 5 STARS

 I enjoyed every minute of this story. I was concerned at first though.  I had read two previous books in the series but it was a while back.   I wondered if I'd be able to jump right back in.  I didn't need to worry about that. I think even first time readers of this book would be able to keep up.

Both main characters were marvelous.  As was McKenna's pit crew family and Cristof's family.   None claimed to be perfect but family was uber important to them all.  McKenna/Mac's family wasn't by blood but that didn't make any difference with the love they had for each other. 

Chistof's family were tight but they also knew they had flaws too. 

The humor between the main character's was so much fun.  And Christof's family had plenty of fun shenanigans, especially between the brothers.

Even having mentioned all of the humor there is also plenty of painful emotions as well.  And yes, plenty of secrets for sure. I liked how there was such depth in the story, both in the past and in the present.

 All does get revealed except there is one thread about Sebastian that the author kind of left us hanging on. All in all, though I liked how things got resolved and how Chrisof and Mac get their H.E.A.

 I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

BOOK REVIEW- The Virgin Who Ruined Lord Gray (The Swooning Virgins Society Book 1) by Anna Bradley *

   

Description

Behind the doors of the Clifford Charity School for Wayward Girls there lies a secret society of brilliant, fearless women who are bringing justice to London’s most corrupt aristocrats, one nobleman at a time…
 
Other young ladies might occupy their spare time with drawing or needlework, but Sophia Monmouth spends hers scaling rooftops and shadowing suspicious characters. Her objective: to gain information that will free a friend wrongly accused of murder. She hasn’t bargained on being spotted and followed back to the Clifford School by a mysterious earl who holds almost as many secrets as she does.
 
Tristan Stratford, Lord Gray, earned the nickname the Ghost of Bow Street because no man has ever escaped him. Sophia—all soft curves beneath her disguise—is a unique challenge. Determined to learn the truth about the Clifford School, he joins Sophia in a scheme that leads from Newgate’s cells to the pinnacle of power. But when desire is at odds with justice, succumbing to temptation may lead them both into the heart of danger. . . .  AMAZON LINK

   5+ STARS 

I loved every bit of this story.  It was emotional, quirky, with plenty of danger but it was also funny at times .  It was clever with really good main characters.  And it had some good supporting people as well.  Lady Clifford  the founder of her own unorthodox school  definitely fit the bill of a interesting secondary person.

"No Unnecessary risks " is almost a mantra for Sophia. It's something that Lady Clifford says often to Sophia. But no matter how hard she tries, it's something that she unwittingly violates, time and again.  But she is a really clever, inventive woman. So it's hard for her not to push the envelope.

Stuffy, rigid by the book , the law is the law definitely defined Tristan.  Well, until Sophia burst into his world and upended it. It doesn't look like it at first but as the story unfolds we see that both Tristan and Sophia work for justice. Sophia sees it differently than Tristan though.  She sees it through the eyes of it not always working fairly for everyone.  Especially if you're not a part of the entitled aristocratic group of people. I really enjoyed the interactions between the two of them. 

 The ending of the story was good even though some villains didn't get the exact punishment that they deserved.  But our "heroes" definitely got what they deserved.  A very nicely done H.E.A. that was uniquely done in their own style.

After reading this book and enjoying it so much, I will be on the lookout for more books in this series.  Absolutely, because it does say this is Book #1.

 

 "I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

BOOK REVIEW- Bared & Wicked Sexy: An Anthology by Jill Shalvis and Anne Marsh *

 

    

Bared by Jill Shalvis


Emma Willis never saw herself as a model—until she has to do a photo shoot in her twin sister's place. When Emma puts on barely-there lingerie in front of the photographer, Rafe Delacantro, she feels sexy…and more uninhibited than she's ever been.


Rafe knows Emma’s not the model he's expecting. But the more time he spends in her seductive presence, the more he wants. He now has to convince her that their affair can last after the camera is put away….


Wicked Sexy by Anne Marsh


Danielle Andrews was supposed to be on her honeymoon. Instead, she's back on Discovery Island licking her wounds and running for shelter when she sees Daeg Ross coming her way. Years ago, on this very beach, Dani started something with the special ops aviation rescue swimmer. But she refuses to be tempted by the wickedly hot military hunk again…AMAZON LINK

 

 

BARED by Jill Shalvis- While I liked this story and how different it was, it was also a story that I can't say is a favorite. I like so many of this author's stories, this one for me is just okay.

On that note I will say that both of the main characters were good ones and even Emma's sister though selfish was an important part of the story too.  

There is plenty of sexual teasing which made the book a lot hotter.  And I liked the grumpy cat.  Just can't put my finger on what I felt was missing.    

WICKED SEXY by Anne Marsh-

I enjoyed this story.  It had good main characters and was filled with plenty of emotion and some dangers.  Dani would say that the most dangers came from her emotions about Daeg.  He was a big risk as far as she could see.  He was a jump all in, feet first kind of man.  She was an admitted over thinker, who constantly weighed the risks and wanted to go with a sure thing.  A lot of that came from the unstable childhood she had.  Her father was always looking for the next best thing and was jerking her family from place to place.  Usually the best thing he chased didn't pan out either.  

 Daeg definitely kept things interesting.  I enjoyed the fact that he found Dani's secret fantasy with Daeg list.  I liked how he thought about that list.  That he had found a roadmap to Dani's own seduction.  He smiled when he noted that it also listed her likes and dislikes.  

The one thing I found kind of odd and a bit unlikely was when he re-injured his leg.  He was already still recovery from a very serious injury and then that same leg got injured again.  So much so that he was unable to shift the gears in his Jeep in an emergency.  But then not too much longer, he squatted down during part of the story; without pain?  And then he also went to sit on the floor in another scene.  I found that a bit hard to swallow.  Still...I did enjoy the story on a whole. 

It comes to a good ending with a H.E.A.

 

 

BOOK REVIEW- Sexy Wicked by Anne Marsh *

 

 Too sexy to resist? 

Danielle Andrews was supposed to be on her honeymoon. Instead, she's back on Discovery Island licking her wounds and running for shelter when she sees Daeg Ross coming her way. Years ago, on this very beach, Dani started something with the special ops aviation rescue swimmer. But she refuses to be tempted by the wickedly hot military hunk again. 

Daeg Ross is used to jumping into treacherous waters. But his feelings for relationship-shy Dani are a whole new type of risk. They are volatile—and irresistible. When their lives are threatened by the invading winds and endless rain of a tropical storm, Daeg and Dani are forced to take shelter and ride out a wild night. Together, will they sink…or swim? 

Uniformly Hot! The few, the proud, the sexy as hell!  AMAZON LINK

   4 STARS

 

I enjoyed this story.  It had good main characters and was filled with plenty of emotion and some dangers.  Dani would say that the most dangers came from her emotions about Daeg.  He was a big risk as far as she could see.  He was a jump all in, feet first kind of man.  She was an admitted over thinker, who constantly weighed the risks and wanted to go with a sure thing.  A lot of that came from the unstable childhood she had.  Her father was always looking for the next best thing and was jerking her family from place to place.  Usually the best thing he chased didn't pan out either.  

 Daeg definitely kept things interesting.  I enjoyed the fact that he found Dani's secret fantasy with Daeg list.  I liked how he thought about that list.  That he had found a roadmap to Dani's own seduction.  He smiled when he noted that it also listed her likes and dislikes.  

The one thing I found kind of odd and a bit unlikely was when he re-injured his leg.  He was already still recovery from a very serious injury and then that same leg got injured again.  So much so that he was unable to shift the gears in his Jeep in an emergency.  But then not too much longer, he squatted down during part of the story; without pain?  And then he also went to sit on the floor in another scene.  I found that a bit hard to swallow.  Still...I did enjoy the story on a whole. 

It comes to a good ending with a H.E.A.  

BOOK REVIEW- BARED by Jill Shalvis

 

Emma Willis never saw herself as a model--especially for a sensual fantasy calendar--until she has to do a photo shoot in her twin sister's place. When Emma puts on barely-there lingerie in front of the photographer, hottie Rafe Delacantro, she feels sexy...and more uninhibited than she's ever been. Before she knows it, she's enticing him to let off a little steam with her!

The minute Emma shows up, Rafe knows she's not the model he's expecting. She's too fascinating, too tempting for him to resist. Fine. They'll share a steamy fling that will end when the shoot is finished. But the more time he spends in Emma's seductive presence, the more involved he gets...and the more he wants of her. He now has to convince her that their affair can last after the camera is put away....

AMAZON LINK 

3.5 STARS

While I liked this story and how different it was, it was also a story that I can't say is a favorite. I like so many of this author's stories, this one for me is just okay.

On that note I will say that both of the main characters were good ones and even Emma's sister though selfish was an important part of the story too.  

There is plenty of sexual teasing which made the book a lot hotter.  And I liked the grumpy cat.  Just can't put my finger on what I felt was missing.    

BOOK REVIEW- Her Secret Song (Brides of Hope Mountain Book #3) by Mary Connealy

Description

After a rough winter spent alone, Ursula Nordegren realizes she must overcome her fears of the outside world and begins a trek down Hope Mountain. Along the way she finds a badly wounded stranger and realizes God may have used her decision to leave as a way of saving the man.

Wax Mosby was climbing Hope Mountain in part to atone for his terrible choices. He was hired to drive out the Warden family and now knows he was duped. But when he's wounded during the climb, the last person he expects to rescue him is a beautiful blond woman with the voice of an angel.

As both Ursula and Wax weigh the costs of living new lives, the two find an unlikely bond. And they're joined by Ursula's sisters and the Warden family as the final showdown over the family ranch looms with the coming of spring. AMAZON LINK
  4 STARS

I liked this story and found Ursula quite the interesting main character.  Of course having read each of her sister's stories it made me want to hear hers.  Fear has so stunted her life over the years.  But even though she has some misunderstandings about there being two bibles, she still has strong faith.  
Adding to the story was another person, Wax Mosby who I had also wanted to know more about too.   What a life he has led and he's not as evil and ruthless as his reputation has suggested.  He has a code of honor and he finds the man who hired him has lied to him big time. 
 I really enjoyed reading about the two main characters and how they saw goodness that others might have missed.  Emotions run high in the story. I also enjoyed the rest of the Warden family being revisited and seeing how the Nordegren sisters are faring. 
There is plenty of villains plotting against the Warden family which leads to a lot of action.  There is at least one point where I felt like the story did slow down some but things do rev back up again.  Overall, it's a fairly full, long story. 
I liked how the story ended with H.E.A.'s and a peek into their lives in the future through the Epilogue.  

 
 "I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

BOOK REVIEW- Storm (Special Forces: Operation Alpha): A Linear Tactical Series Novel by Janie Crouch

 

  

Breathe in. Breathe out. Survive.  

Marilyn Ellis is finally putting her life back together. The domestic abuse she suffered may be labeled textbook by therapists, but it’s the parts she’s never told anyone that haunt her.   She refuses to get trapped in that hell ever again.  

Former Special Forces soldier turned rancher Noah Dempsey is more than capable of training the delicate single mom in moves and tactics that will help her feel safe. But his own tortured past makes him decidedly less qualified for anything more.  

No matter how much her big eyes—and even bigger heart—draw him in.  

However, when unexpected danger arrives in their small town, Noah knows this is a woman worth fighting for. Worth fighting beside. And he’s going to be the one to do it.  

She needs a hero.
He’ll have to remember how to be one.  AMAZON LINK

  5 STARS

 

This was a really good story with quite the dramatic start. It had great main characters alongside an equally good supporting cast of people.  Noah's brother Tanner played a part in this story as well. So did some of the other team members of Special Forces  and the Linear Tactical group. The danger level is high and well played throughout the story.  There is plenty of emotions flowing throughout the story and it's well done.  So is some of the humor, just so you know it's not all dark and dangerous.  Some of the humor comes from Eva but there is also humor between the M.C.'s as they got to know each other.

Marilyn's soon to be ex  Jared is one slimy piece of work.  But not only is he violent, he is also devilishly clever too.  I really liked both Marilyn and Noah and it wasn't too hard to want to see them get their H.E.A.  I liked how sensitive Noah was to the P.T.S.D. that Marilyn didn't even recognize that she had.  It made for some really tender moments.  I also liked how Noah interacted with her young children; Sam and Eva. Those two kids were young but they were charming and fun especially the younger Eva.  Sam was more reserved both by nature but also because of what he had seen and heard dished out by his abusive father.  He was slow to trust any other man but Noah gives him room to grow in that area. 

At about 76% on my kindle I was more than ready for  Jared to get his!  He was like one slippery snake though.  He's not done yet with messing with Marilyn.   He just doesn't realize at first that she has grown and isn't alone anymore.  He also doesn't know that she has acquired "skills" to protect herself.  I liked how his reign of terror comes to an end.

There is a good ending with a few unexpected twists but it's all good because there is a H.E.A. for more than just Marilyn and Eva.

"I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”