** Book Review- Somehow, Some Way:( A Billionaire Builders Novella) by Jennifer Probst

 

  **Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you'll enjoy each one as much as we do.**

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Probst comes a new story in her Billionaire Builders series…

Bolivar Randy Heart (aka Brady) knows exactly what he wants next in life: the perfect wife. Raised in a strict traditional family household, he seeks a woman who is sweet, conservative, and eager to settle down. With his well-known protective and dominant streak, he needs a woman to offer him balance in a world where he relishes control.
Too bad the newly hired, gorgeous, rehab addict is blasting through all his preconceptions and wrecking his ideals…one nail at a time…

Charlotte Grayson knows who she is and refuses to apologize. Growing up poor made her appreciate the simple things in life, and her new job at Pierce Brothers Construction is perfect to help her carve out a career in renovating houses. When an opportunity to transform a dilapidated house in a dangerous neighborhood pops up, she goes in full throttle. Unfortunately, she’s forced to work with the firm’s sexy architect who’s driving her crazy with his archaic views on women.
Too bad he’s beginning to tempt her to take a chance on more than just work…one stroke at a time…

Somehow, some way, they need to work together to renovate a house without killing each other…or surrendering to the white-hot chemistry knocking at the front door.   AMAZON LINK

 4 STARS

When I first started this book, I wasn't sure if I was going to like it.  Well, it didn't take long for that to turn around.  I actually laughed out loud at least once but also smiled at other times.  I blame Charlie for that.  She was a delightful hoot !  And the sparks that flew between uptight Brady and Charlie led to some fun times. And Charlie was not only flamboyant but super creative when it comes to doing the unusual as she flips a house.  Definitely an out of the box visionary.

Jackson was also someone who I enjoyed being added to the story, although he didn't show up all the time.

 The Pierce Brothers Construction group had their people's backs and that includes Charlie.  Whether she wants them messing in her business or not. 

It does have some sexual heat to the story but it also ends up with more than just sex when they finally work things out.

 

I read this book through the Libby (Library App)

*** Book Review- Survival on the Summit by Nichole Severn & Melinda Di Lorenzo

  

They must rely on each other to survive.

The Line of Duty by Nichole Severn

When Blackhawk operative Vincent Kalani boarded an airplane, he never expected it to crash into the Alaskan mountains. On the ground, by-the-book police officer Shea Ramsey becomes his unlikely partner in survival. Shea was headed to New York to fight for custody of her son, but now she’s fighting for her life with an ex-cop who’s equal parts inscrutable and unpredictable.

Trusting a Stranger by Melinda Di Lorenzo

Wanted for murder, Graham Calloway has hidden for years in a remote mountain cabin, desperate to find the killer who framed him. Keira Niles, too, is running from her shattered life when, during a blizzard, Graham pulls her from her wrecked car. Their attraction is instant; mutual trust is not. Then an unforeseen betrayal threatens Keira, causing Graham to risk exposure—and his life—to rescue her and redeem himself.
AMAZON LINK

5 STARS

The "Line of Duty" was INTENSE.  And both Vincent and Shea were interesting and I was quick to be drawn into their story.  The action was off the charts and totally unpredictable. I never knew what was going to happen next. And there was plenty happening. One thing right after another, so much Vincent and Shea could hardly draw a breath.  And I found it hard to take a breath a time or two as well.  I really liked that.  

A twist or two awaited me which ramped it even more.   Everything coming to a really good ending.  Whew!

 Going into "Trusting a Stranger " it didn't take long to realize these were two stories were totally different.  It does start out in a dramatic way though that is similar to the other story.  Kiera might be petite but she also is determined, and spunky.  I smiled more than once when she called Graham, Mountain Man.  She has told him that she wasn't going to make things easy for him.  Graham soon agrees that she was going to do things the hard way.  The pace in this story was different but I did enjoy it.   Things do hit the fan of course later on and things do get wild.  SEVERAL surprises happen before a very good ending.

I received an ARC and am voluntarily providing an honest review.

A 2022 New Year’s Greeting From Kenneth and Gloria Copeland

Super Easy Tunisian Knitting 😍 Tunus İşi muhteşem Örgü Modeli

   

This video shows how to do the stitch.

 I was kind of concerned at first that I wouldn't be able to follow it because of the foreign info on the title but as far as I listened there wasn't any speaking just showing. 

***Book Review- A Scoundrel of Her Own (The Sinful Wallflowers Book 3) by Stacy Reid

   

Romance 

Lady Ophelia Darby exists in two worlds. In one, she is the impudent, willful daughter of a powerful marquess and darling of the ton. In the other, she moves through the underworld’s shadows as songstress Lady Starlight, protected only by the notoriously wealthy scoundrel Devlin Byrne. But when she stumbles upon her beloved father’s darkest secrets, the line between her two worlds quickly blurs. Now she needs the help of the one man a lady should never trust.

Devlin Byrne stands on the edge of London society, knowing he will never be accepted. No one else knows that his obscene wealth and ruthlessness aren’t without purpose. Or that his purpose has golden-brown eyes that shimmer with mischief, the palest of skin, and a lush mouth that beckons to be kissed, and deeply. But having Ophelia is only the beginning of Devlin’s plans.

It’s undeniable that Devlin Byrne is a dangerous temptation—but just as Ophelia begins to trust him, maybe even fall for him, she discovers she’s not the only one with secrets. And his would lead her down more than just the path of scandal…

AMAZON LINK 

5 STARS

 

I fell in love with this story. It drew me in from the start and never stopped. Both of the main characters just kept me liking them more and more. And their "kind of" romance kept my interest all the way through. Not only did they have depth but so did the whole story.  Devlin and Ophelia (or Fifi as Devlin called her), were fighting up stream against class snobbery. 

I also enjoyed reading about other people in the story who had managed to find love and happiness with someone NOT of their high station.   

Fifi's father has hid one outrageous secret and it's a doozie.

Devlin's mastiff, Conan was also a welcome addition to the story.  He brought a smile or two but there was also other humor and laughter in the story too. It kind of balances the emotional sorrow and loneliness.

I just can't  say enough good things about this story. So I'll stop.

" I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy of this book, through Netgalley. And this is my honest opinion about it."

* Book Review- So We Lie (Eva Rae Thomas Mystery) by Willow Rose

 

 Mystery & Thrillers, Romance

 This mystery novel is the prequel to the #1 bestselling Eva Rae Thomas Mystery Series.

What do we do when the truth hurts too much?

Fresh out of the national academy - mother of two - FBI profiler Eva Rae Thomas is in over her head on her first assignment in multi-million-copy bestselling author Willow Rose’s breath-taking mystery.

When the mother of two, Arlene Wood, crashes her car against a tree at four in the morning, the case seems pretty straightforward.

But evidence found in the remains of the car soon raises the question of whether this was really an accident.

Shortly after, her husband is taken in and later convicted of having murdered his wife.

But many questions remain unanswered.

Why was Arlene driving in the middle of the night?

Why did she leave the house, her husband, and her sleeping children, get into her car, and drive away?

Was she meeting someone?

A friend?

A lover?

A killer?

Six years later, Special Agent Eva Rae Thomas is new on the job when she stumbles upon something that suddenly blows this case wide open.

But can she persuade anyone to reopen the case even when the husband has admitted that he is guilty?

And will she be able to do it in time before this killer strikes again?

 AMAZON LINK

4 STARS

 

For the most part I liked this story. It definitely had depth as well as quite a few characters.
This is the first story that I have read in this series.  And I did find it hard to follow at times. I think that was mainly because it wasn't clear when I went from one chapter to the next, who was speaking?
I felt like it was like trying to play catch up at times. I had to backtrack quite a few times.  It interrupted the flow for me. 

The story did have plenty of twists, turns and emotions.  The biggest one was waiting as I got to towards the end.  
On a side note, Eva Rae's husband was a jerk.  Yes, Eva was so obsessed with that case that she was kind of failing on the home side.  But he acted like a pouting, demanding kid.  So I wasn't too happy with how they ended things between them at the end of the story. 

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

* Book Review- Reverse Abduction (Alien Abduction Book 8) by Eve Langlais

   

Ready for a new, hilarious purple romp where the roles have been switched?

It’s not fair that only males get to go out and pillage the universe. Being born a female automatically means staying home and birthing the next generation of warriors.


Azteriya has other plans.


She has a dream of traveling the galaxy and exploring strange new worlds. Fighting fierce foes. Of clubbing a viable male to bring home to her mother so that her transgression is forgiven.


When a chance to escape arises, she takes it, but what will Azteriya do when she not only finds the adventure she’s been seeking but love too?
 

AMAZON LINK 

3 STARS

 Azteriya was someone that I found kind of hard to like in the beginning.  Even though she did a good job of being a warrior she was SO arrogant when she met up with Jedrek that it made me want to dump her on her head.  She's fierce but also clueless and naive when it comes to anything outside being a warrior.  Street-wise?  Not exactly.  But there also is some humor too, mainly because of all the havoc that follows in her wake.
I've got to give Jedrek kudos for being such a good guy who  puts up with a lot from the stowaway, Azteriya.  More than one time, he deserved a medal.
There are adventures, dangerous ones like Azteriya craved.  I did like the fact that she was fighting against the stereotypes that her mother was trying to force on her.  She was going to be herself, hell or high water.  
Good ending with a slight twist but also a H.E.A. 

 I read this book through Hoopla.