BOOK REVIEW- Protecting Lucy by Hunter Rose

   

Older. Dominant. And brutally handsome.

Jackson is so much better than he was years ago.

As my older brother’s best friend, he turned me down

And, I vowed to never feel anything for him after that. But now he’s thrust back into my life…

I won’t let my old feelings for him resurface.

My resolve weakens when someone starts stalking me, and Jackson makes it his mission to protect me.

And when things get more and more dangerous, I find myself falling for Jackson even harder.

Will I be able to survive the danger looming and my feeling for Jackson?  GOODREADS LINK

 

I understood  that the beginning of the book with Lucy being 16 years old made sense.  She really did have quite the crush on Jackson that made sense.  Her brother Dean's best friend was hot.  So that part was of course a bit juvenile because of the ages.  But for me at least, it seemed like the interactions and even their biting conversations continued to be juvenile.  I just couldn't connect with their story.  Turns out this wasn't my cup of tea.

I will give it points for having plenty of emotions, and angst.  Even Trina and Dean added some background interest.  However, how dumb Lucy seemed to be to me with her "hiding" the dangers stalking her for so long.  She's old enough now in the story to be more adult about things.  I get that she was tired of being caught up in yet another mistake.  But it had me shaking my head and another miss when it came to connecting. 

Sorry author, I'd take a look at some of  your other books but this was a miss for me. 

 

I got this free through Bookfunnel.

BOOK REVIEW- Bulletproof (Shadow Agents # 4) by Cynthia Eden

   

He was assigned to protect her…
not make her his own.

Cale Lane had his orders: keep Cassidy Sherridan alive at all costs especially when six armed men storming the Rio ballroom to take her out? Using herself as bait was the first step in her plan to bring a killer to justice—and she didn’t need the former Texas ranger blowing her cover. Yet now he had a more urgent mission: uncover Cassidy’s secrets…one by one.

Previously published as Glitter and Gunfire.

AMAZON LINK

5 STARS

Cale and Cassidy, what great people not only separately but as they fought evil and butted heads often.  But hey, we know that their romance wasn't going to be easy.  I enjoyed their battles and their attraction.  One of my favorite things was when Cassidy shared:  She used bad memories to push away the current fear.  Fight one fear with another..an old trick for her. Loved that!

Mercer?  He's a whole bag of control and often came across as a bully.  Which I personally hate but he's also the head of the EOD and has a lot of people that he's in charge of.  Their lives and the operations that they are in are totally in his hands.  So he's used to being in control.  

Emotional, dangerous like you can 't expect, evil "geniuses, betrayals and surprises that you won't see coming is how I would describe this story. 

The ending?  Just what I was looking for.

   

 

BOOK REVIEW- My Mafia Protector by Ella Adair

   my mafia protector

Never accept the love of a mob boss…  they always disappoint.

That’s what I thought, until he appeared back into my life.

Luca - the only man I ever loved but now I can't even look at him without getting upset.

We knew each other for years.

Being children of mafia Bosses wasn't easy, but we confided in each other. 

Now it's all a mess.

A rival family has stolen my daughter and I’m paying for my father's mistakes.

Now that Luca is back, I can't stand him but I need him.

He is the only one who can protect me.

I'm stuck contemplating when to tell him the truth.

That it is OUR little girl we are fighting to save

 

This is a good story that I couldn't find on Amazon or Goodreads.  That's a shame. Because I did enjoy it and just seemed to sail right through it.  I would have liked to leave a review.

I liked the history that Luca and Jaquetta (Jackie  ) shared.  They practically grew up together.  He was always there for her through many hardships and joys until he wasn't.  It had to do with him trying to protect her again..from that mafia life. 

Jaquetta just misses Luca although some parts of her also hate him for just vanishing from her life.  They definitely have some emotions to work out, if they can.  Because danger is coming straight for them. It's also coming straight for sweet, innocent Rose.

Bobby and John P. are an important part of Luca's team.  Especially Bobby who also grew up with both Luca and Jaquetta.  

As expected it comes to a violent ending but also in some parts a hopeful one too.

I received a free copy of this book when I claimed a copy from the author's newsletter. 

BOOK REVIEW- On the Line by Fern Michaels

   

 

General Fiction (Adult)

Description

The masterful storytelling and nail-biting suspense that are trademarks of beloved #1 New York Times bestselling author Fern Michaels combine in this thrilling standalone novel, as a star Manhattan chef must uncover his family’s past to protect their lives—and his own. Perfect for fans of Nora Roberts and Rachel Caine . . .

Mateo Castillo is a rising star chef on the Manhattan culinary scene. But just as he’s about to reap the rewards of his skill and hard work by being featured on a major TV cooking competition, Mateo collapses in his restaurant’s kitchen—and regains consciousness in a hospital emergency room.

If it weren’t for a security guard finding him in time, Mateo would have bled to death.  The cause of his sudden illness is as mysterious as it is worrying, and Mateo and his family undergo a battery of genetic tests. Yet the answers that start to emerge only raise more questions.

Mateo’s parents fled their home in Colombia many years ago, seeking refuge from the infamous cartels. Now the test results threaten to uncover a dark secret that exposes his family to dangers in the past—while clouding the investigation into who is trying to hurt Mateo in the present . . . 

 AMAZON LINK

 5 Stars

 

This story was a surprise to me.  Why?   I have read quite a few different stories by this author.  But this one was totally unlike anything I had read so far from her.  It also had great world building in more than one way. Just incredibly good writing with a lot of personality, emotions and depth.

Mateo was such a great guy. He was not only skilled but kind and generous too. He treated everyone he met with such honor.  Everyone loved him or did they?  With his health at risk, is it because someone is trying to kill him or is it something from his past? That is the question.  And it drives this story.  So does the look into his parent's past which also provides so much interest and emotions too ! It was unexpected but so enjoyable too.  This part after awhile shines a light on that secret that was mentioned.

Dr. Adrian Ardell, I wasn't sure how much she was going to have to do with the story personally.  I liked how she entered into the story with her own P.O.V.  I ended up liking her quite a bit. It also helps that she is like a bloodhound/detective when it comes to solving medical mysteries. That is definitely a point in Mateo's favor.  Even in this very serious health fight, I loved the humor that popped up between the two. 

Prepare yourself for quite the reveal of everything.  It makes for a good ending and the beginning of other things. 

 

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

 

(NETGALLEY)

BOOK REVIEW- Protecting Piper (Wilde Ways #1) by Cynthia Eden

   

She was off-limits.

Eric Wilde has always known that Piper Lane isn’t for him. She is his younger brother’s best friend…and probably more. But that hasn’t stopped Eric from wanting her, from longing for the one woman that he can’t have. Sure, he’s rich, successful—he’s built a security empire, and he’s got the world at his feet. Only he doesn’t have her.

He is the one man she needs the most.

Free-spirited Piper Lane has always considered Eric to be the enemy. He’s seemed to resent her, and the guy just flat-out makes her nervous. Every time she’s around him, she winds up doing something horribly embarrassing. But, this time…everything has changed. This time, he’s the one man she needs the most.

Something is stalking Piper.

A stranger has broken into Piper’s home twice, and she feels like someone is following her. Watching her every move. She needs a professional to help her—so enter Eric Wilde. He promises her protection, he promises to put his best investigators on her case, and he even moves her into his house. Suddenly, the guy who has always been the villain in her life…he’s now playing the role of hero.

Everything will change as the danger mounts.

And maybe Eric isn’t so bad, after all. The more time that Piper spends with him, the more she realizes that her feelings for Eric are far more complicated that she ever imagined. Desire explodes between them even as the danger deepens around her. Someone in the dark is targeting Piper, and he is determined that if he can’t possess her…then he will destroy her.

 BOUGHT @

AMAZON LINK

 5 STARS

I'm sorry but Ben (Eric's brother) was SO annoying!   And the more time that went on made me think, "What an idiot" he was.  Most of that came from times that he interfered with Eric. I felt he was out of line when it came from trying to protect his best friend Piper from Eric. He was kind of possessive which irritated me.  The only good point in his favor was that he was such a lifelong friend and was trying to have her back.  In this case, though he wasn't as skilled as he would have liked to protect her.

  But Eric has everything needed to protect her. As secrets start to come out, he's done standing back from the woman he loves. It begins to be pretty clear how long he's loved her.  Eric is one fierce gorgeous, smart guy.  

Finally we get to Piper and it also clear how easy it is for others to love her.  There's plenty of "dangerous" love out there. Also a lot of potential men who could be after Piper.  Intensity is at a high level throughout.  The attraction/relationship between Piper and Eric keeps things interesting. I loved them being together when they finally get there.

Twists, turns, surprises, murders make things unpredictable but the story has a surprising ending.  I liked that there was a H.E.A. ending.

BOOK REVIEW- Over Her Dead Body (Defenders of Battle Mountain# 5) by Nichole Severn

 

 Someone wants her dead.
It’s up to him to make sure that doesn’t happen.

The first bullet didn’t kill her. But the next one might. With a target on her back, Battle Mountain reserve officer Isla Vachs has no choice but to trust Adan Sergeant. The soldier turned bodyguard has one final mission: protect his best friend’s widow and her daughter. As each step plunges Adan and Isla deeper into a sniper’s crosshairs, a deadly truth is about to become chillingly clear…

AMAZON LINK 

5 STARS

There was a question that kept cropping up for me and of course the people in the story.  How in the world was the assassin picking their victims. They seem so totally unrelated.  And the biggest question is why Isla?

The relationship between Mazi and Adan really was special and I liked that.  The relationship between Isa and Adan was dicey.  Emotional and filled with angst and some guilt on both of their parts.  Most of that guilt coming from Clint's death and some how they each feel like they failed him. Of course, it didn't help that Clint was keeping a lot of secrets from them. 

I also liked the how the fellow officers in the community had each others back and were such a family.  The mayor however you can keep him.  That political poser.  He causes a lot of trouble.

Several times I just wanted to shake Isla until her teeth rattled.  She let her emotions rile her and she stomps out into the open. It's like she totally forgot that someone wants to kill her. And her behavior is something that puts other people in danger as well.  

Speaking of danger there will be PLENTY of that.  A lot of UNPREDICTABLE danger, which really kept the story jumping.  I just never knew what was going to happen next.

The ending was just as intense as the story has been all along.  But it has a good ending and even better beginning

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

BOOK HUMOR: Stages of Book Grief