The Sound of Rain by Gregg Olsen

Former homicide detective Nicole Foster has hit rock bottom. Driven off the force by her treacherous partner and lover, she’s flat broke and struggling with a gambling addiction. All Nicole has left is the dream of a warm bed at a homeless shelter and the haunting memories of three-year-old Kelsey Chase—whose murder case ended her career.
As Nicole obsesses over the old facts, she realizes everything about that case felt off: a disinterested mom, a suicidal pedophile, and too many questions left unanswered. When the little girl’s grieving father begs Nicole for help, she’s drawn back into the investigation…and given one shot at redemption.
But the deeper Nicole digs, the more evil she uncovers, including betrayals that hit painfully close to home. Will a shocking discovery be the key to finally getting justice for Kelsey and resurrecting her own life?

Review: I was given a copy of The Sound of Rain by Gregg Olsen from NetGalley so I was able to review the book.
I was not ready for this book to end it was that good. When I got to the end I did not want to say goodbye to the story or the characters and I was like OMG I so did not so that one coming I had to take a few days to write my review so I could wrap my mind about everything I read and the ride that Gregg Olsen took my on in this book.
There are so many things I could say about this book but most of them are spoilers and I really don't want to so that to someone who is going to read this book so I guess I will just give you an idea about what you will be reading.
Nicole is a former cop who is forced of the force because if case that went south. The case is one that is haunting her a year later. The case is about a child who is taken from her mom's car in a Target parking lot and found dead. Her partner and lover thinks they found the killer in sexual offender who admits to the crime but Nicole finds out the collar is not as slam dunk as her partner made it seem and she turns him in and his forced off he police force.
A year later she is broke and homeless and is approached by she child's father with a chance to work with him to try to find out what really happened to his daughter the day she died. She grabs the chance hoping she can solve the case that has been haunting her and ruining her life for the past year. As she starts to uncover the truth about what happened to that little girl the truth may be more then what she really wanted to learn and may be worse then she thought then a lover/partner that betrayed her the year before.
This book is full of twist and turns and things that will make you go: why did I not see that one coming? It is one of the best thrillers I have read this year.
I am giving The Sound of Rain five out of five stars.

Hooked by Brenda Rothert

Miranda: Even though I’m broke, putting myself through college, and working two jobs, I’m trying to make the best of it. Meanwhile, Jake Birch, hockey’s hottest bad boy, lives in a luxury hotel in downtown Chicago—and still complains about every little thing in his penthouse. But after I tell him off, instead of getting me fired, Jake requests me as his personal housekeeper. Then he starts flirting with me. Only I’m not flirting back . . . at least, I’m trying not to. Did I mention that he’s hockey’s hottest bad boy? 
Jake: I’ve met the best woman at the worst possible time. Miranda is the fire to my ice—a sexy, charmingly candid spark who breaks down my walls and reminds me what it’s like to feel again. But I’m being forced to date my team owner’s daughter to keep my job, so I can’t be caught with Miranda. Still, we’re getting closer—until Miranda finds out about my “girlfriend.” And that’s not the only secret I’ve been keeping. But Miranda’s the one I want . . . even if she doesn’t believe me.

Review: Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of Hooked by Brenda Rothert that I was able to read and review.
Hooked was an excellent romance book that I really enjoyed from start to finish. The thing that I will warn readers about is that it does have its fair share of swear words in it and some sexual content that is kind of hot so if those things offend you this is not a book for you but if those things don't bother you this is a must read.
I am a huge sports fan so the idea of a big time NHL star falling for a maid was a great storyline for me. I loved how Miranda was a confident character who was not going to let Jake wow her just because he was a great athlete. The banter between the two of them was written so well I could not wait to see what they were going to say to each other in some of their verbal exchanges. I just loved this book as whole and don't want to give spoilers so I am just going to tell readers that they won't be disappointed if they want a great romance book.
I am giving Hooked five out of five stars.

The Blackest Crimson (Shades of Death 0.5) by Debra Webb

Detective Bobbie Gentry was psyched when she was offered the opportunity to work with the FBI on a special task force in the search for a heinous serial killer known as the Storyteller. What she didn't expect was for the serial killer to follow her home on Christmas Eve...The Storyteller couldn't resist Bobbie no matter the risk. He murdered her husband and would have murdered her child but the little boy got away. Now Bobbie's fight for survival might just be more than he bargained for...
One of them must die.

Review: Thank you Debra Webb for an ACR copy of the Blackest Crimson.
This is the prequel to the new series that Debra Webb is introducing. In this novella we meet a serial killer known as The Storyteller who kills women and tattoos their stories on their body as the final act before they die after he has tortured them in unspeakable ways for weeks and Bobbie the police officer who was working the case and ultimately taken by The Storyteller.
Bobbie and her family were enjoying Christmas Eve at home the night The Storyteller broke in and killed her husband and took her from her home and made her his next victim. In this story we learn what he does to his victims and about Bobbie and what she does in a crisis and a very bad situation. Giving us insight into the mind of both the hunter and the prey for this series.
I am giving The Blackest Crimson five out of five stars.

Investigating Christmas (Colby Agency: Family Secrets #3) by Debra Webb, Regan Black

When the woman who left him comes back desperate for help, sexy billionaire Rush Grayson is thrilled. He still wants and needs Lucy Gaines, but Lucy only needs his professional help—to rescue her abducted sister and nephew. The strong-willed independent woman thinks she's over Rush. She'd never be foolish enough to fall for a man incapable of love.
But as Rush and Lucy begin a harrowing race against time to free her family, the fire between them blazes. Now they must use Rush's brilliant invention to outwit the ruthless kidnapper, or neither will live to see a Christmas family reunion…

Review: I was given an ARC of Investigating Christmas from the authors and I thank them for the chance to read and review the book before its release.
Investigating Christmas by Debra Webb and Regan Black was a fast moving story about Lucy Gaines who finds herself needing the help of her ex flame sexy billionaire Rush Grayson when she trust the wrong person and her sister and nephew are kidnapped for a ransom that she needs Rush's company to make. Things heat up when Rush and Lucy realize that the feelings they had for each other are not dead and they have a short time to save her family.
Will they be able to save Lucy's sister and nephew and turn the tables on a crazy criminal? Will Lucy and Rush have a second chance?
I loved Lucy and Rush together. Both dancing around how they feel when the chemistry was there between them. It was very well done and was very hard to put the book down because you wanted them to get it right so bad. As for the suspense part I found that twist interesting as well. I won't give it away, but that was a nice curve in this book as well.
I as giving Investigating Christmas five out of five stars.

All the Dead Girls (Graveyard Falls #3) by Rita Herron

When a violent storm hits Graveyard Falls, it unearths the unimaginable: skeletons of teenage girls, each dressed in white and holding a candle. It’s clear to FBI agent Beth Fields that this is the work of a long-standing killer—but could it be the one she escaped years ago? She has no memory of the man who held her captive and murdered her friend. But even though someone was jailed for the crime, she’s always feared that the real killer is still out there…waiting and watching.
Ian Kimball never believed his stepfather was guilty of Beth’s kidnapping or the slaying of two local girls. Now Graveyard Falls’s sheriff, he’s determined to catch the true perpetrator. And when more young women go missing, he realizes he needs Beth’s help. She is nothing like Ian expected, and everything he desires. But if they have any hope of finally ending the killer’s reign of terror, Beth and Ian will need to put everything aside, including their past, their mistrust, and their growing attraction…

Review: Thank you Netgalley for the copy of All the Dead Girls by Rita Herron that I was able to review.
All the Dead Girls was a great addition to the Graveyard falls series by Rita Herron. In this book the skeletons of teenage girls dressed in white holding a candle and wearing a cross were unearthed after a tornado hit Graveyard Falls and it is up to FBI agent Beth Fields and Sheriff Ian Kimbell to to work together to find out who is behind the murder of these girls.
To add to the mystery both Ian and Beth may have something to do with the case. Beth was taken as a teenager but released by a man who killed her best friend in front of her and the man who was arrested and tried for her abduction is none other then Ian's stepfather. Is he the one behind the killing of all of these girls or did an innocent man go to jail like Ian insists?
The killer is still out there taking and killing girls and he knows Beth is the one that he let go. Will Ian and Beth catch him before he gets her back? Or will he get the one that got away?
I loved this book. I kept going back and forth from suspect to suspect and talking myself out of each one. (But I will admit I did get the right one, yeah me!) Herron did a great job giving the reader just enough crumbs to let them solve the case with Beth and Ian but at the same time keep second guessing if they were right until the very end. I also enjoyed the history with Beth and Ian and how they dealt with it. That added another layer to the book that made it all that more enjoyable. This book was the total package and I could not put it down. A must read for sure!
I am giving All the Dead Girls five out of five stars!

The Dollmaker (The Forgotten Files, #2)

Dr. Tessa McGowan had never seen anything quite like it. But the mutilated bodies on her exam table tell a stunningly macabre tale: someone with a twisted mind is kidnapping women and altering their faces to resemble real, life-size dolls. As a forensic pathologist, it’s her job to aid the agent leading the case—even if that agent is her estranged husband.
Twelve years ago an unspeakable tragedy destroyed Dakota Sharp’s world. Haunted by the ghosts of his past, he’s devoted himself to capturing killers. His only regret is that it cost him Tessa. Now, as the Dollmaker case brings them together—and raises his suspicions that he’s crossed paths with this deranged psychopath before—they may just have their second chance. But it seems Dakota’s not the only one who wants to make Tessa his own…
She may be the Dollmaker’s next target, but Tessa has no intention of winding up as another toy on his shelf. Can she and Dakota stop this ghastly killer before his next deadly playdate?

Review:Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of The Dollmaker by Mary Burton.
The Dollmaker, which is the second book of The Forgotten Files Series by Mary Burton, can be read as part of the series or as a stand alone book because I personally did not feel that it has any spoilers or had anything that really dealt with the first book in series except mentioning it briefly a few times in passing as a case they has solved before. I loved this book from the when I started reading the first chapter until I closed the book when I finished it.
Dakota Sharp a Virginia State Police Detective has just caught a new case of a woman who was found dead who was dressed like a doll and her face was tattooed to look like a dolls. To make things interesting his estranged wife, Tessa, a forensic pathologist, has returned from working overseas and has taken a job at the medical officers office and she has made it clear she wants to give their marriage another try. But, things did not work the first time because Dakota shut Tessa out because he was dealing with the guilt of his sisters death that took place when he was in the marines and she disappeared and when she was found it was believed she OD on drugs.
Thing take a turn when the killer known as The Dollmaker is linked to Tessa and Dakota's sister and their group of friends from college and information from a PI who at one time was the police officer investigating Dakota's sister's death tells him that his stepfather had hired him to look into her death and he is no longer sure if her death was an OD or a homicide and that Dakota should look into. By the time Dakota and Tessa figure out what is really going on it just might be too late for Tessa and for them to get things right between them.
The idea of a killer who turns his victims into dolls is creepy to begin with but adding the fact that he is tattooing the makeup on their faces just adds another level of freak to this guy. I loved the fact that Burton kept me guessing who the killer was until almost the end of the book and her twist and turns were exceptional in this book. Some of her best.
I am giving The Dollmaker five out of five stars.

Burned by Her Devotion (Rogue Vows #2) by Melinda Leigh

When Chase Ryan, a popular crime TV star, turns up dead, the entire town of Solitude is shaken—but the show isn’t over yet. The confessed murderer is violently abducted on the way to the county jail, and now Detective Seth Harding must find both the killer and the kidnapper.
Seth’s investigation unearths unsavory secrets from the celebrity’s life that incriminate a cast of suspects: Chase’s family, his sleazy agent, and a fanatical stalker with a troubled thirteen-year-old daughter. When that same teen disappears from her temporary foster home, Seth’s wife, social worker Carly Taylor, is drawn into the search.
Dodging paparazzi and peril, Seth and Carly track the girl. But as they get closer to uncovering the truth, the abductor sets the stage for a chilling finale…

Review: Thanks NetGalley for the copy of Burned By Her Devotion by Melinda Leigh that I was able to review.
I loved this two book novella series by Melinda Leigh and Kendra Elliott.
In this book we find out what really happened to Chase Ryan a movie star who was murdered in Solitude, Oregon, a small town he visits with his son, brother and a couple of good friends each year. It is up to Seth and Carly to figure how the man who admitted to the murder managed to escape from police custody and where the daughter of the crazy lady who likes to start fires and who believed that she was involved with Chase disappear to when she left her foster parent's home.
Was the case as easy as it seemed or is there more to it like Seth's gut is telling him? And who wants Chase Ryan's killer to pay the ultimate price?
Burned By Her Devotion was a great addition to the Rogue Novels Family and I am giving it five out of five stars.

The Innocent Fighter by Joli Torres

Adrianna Whetmore, star agent of the FBI, had never missed a target. She always found the fugitive and brought them in without a hitch, until a famous MMA fighter was killed by another fighter. Dead set on finding her man and bringing him into the law, she uses her psychic abilities to track him down. But when she finally finds him, she realizes: he’s innocent. Worse, the real killer won’t stop until they’re dead to keep his existence hidden.
Agent Whetmore and the MMA fighter are forced to work together to survive out in the wilderness, hunted by a villain more dangerous than they could have imagined. But what initially begins as a fight for survival quickly grows into something more. Will they make it out alive and prove his innocence before it's too late?

Review: Thank you Joli Torres for the ARC if The Innocent Fighter.
The Innocent Fighter is a book that is full of action from the start and does not stop until the end. From a car blowing up to bullets flying all over the place and a car chase or two this first novel by Joliet Torres puts a new definition to action packed.
When FBI Agent Adrianna Whetmore is sent to find MMA fighter David "The Celtic" O'Brien who is wanted for murder things get a little complicated when her "special powers", which consists of reading people's auras and other cool tricks are giving her mixed signals about his guilt in the crime. When she tracks him down he tells her the real killer is a bad guy known as The Owl and if she takes him in he won't survive to testify the fun begins. I am not going to give the story away for spoiler reasons but there is a ton of action and some attraction while they fight to put the bad guy away and clear The Celtics name.
I am giving The Innocent Fighter five out of five stars. 

Death and Her Devotion (Rogue Vows #1) by Kendra Elliot

It should be the happiest weekend of Officer Stevie Taylor’s life. She’s finally going to marry Police Chief Zane Duncan and live happily ever after in Solitude, Oregon. But all wedding plans grind to a halt when a dead body is found at a nearby campground. A vacationing A-list TV actor has been murdered…and all hell is about to break loose.
When it comes to a celebrity murder, everyone has a motive—and everyone wants a piece of the action. As news media and paparazzi swarm their sleepy town, Stevie and Zane must dig deep to untangle a web of lies, dirty little secrets, and betrayals—and uncover the killer. But the closer they get to the truth, the deadlier their investigation becomes. And if they don’t act quickly, ’Til death do us part may come sooner than they thought.

 Review: I was given an ARC of Death and Her Devotion from NetGalley for an honest review and this is my review.
I have been a big fan of all the books in the Rogue series by Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh since they first started and now with Death and Her Devotion the newest novella in the series the excellent series continues on.
In this book we finally get to see if our beloved characters who we have grown to love throughout these books will finally make it to the alter. Will Stevie and Zane finally be able to say I do? Or will the murder of a famous movie star and crazy lady who likes to start fires stand in their way?
I loved how Elliot kept you guessing who the killer was until the end and also how she brought back all the characters from the past books to play a part in this book. It was nice to see familiar faces reappear again.
Even though this was a novella it was well written and a lot was covered in a short time. I can't wait to read the second book. I am giving this book five out of five stars.

When All The Girls Have Gone by Jayne Ann Krentz

When Charlotte Sawyer is unable to contact her step-sister, Jocelyn, to tell her that one her closest friends was found dead, she discovers that Jocelyn has vanished. 
Beautiful, brilliant—and reckless—Jocelyn has gone off the grid before, but never like this. In a desperate effort to find her, Charlotte joins forces with Max Cutler, a struggling PI who recently moved to Seattle after his previous career as a criminal profiler went down in flames—literally. Burned out, divorced and almost broke, Max needs the job.   
After surviving a near-fatal attack, Charlotte and Max turn to Jocelyn’s closest friends, women in a Seattle-based online investment club, for answers. But what they find is chilling…
When her uneasy alliance with Max turns into a full-blown affair, Charlotte has no choice but to trust him with her life. For the shadows of Jocelyn’s past are threatening to consume her—and anyone else who gets in their way...

 Review: I was given an ARC of When All The Girls Have Gone from First to Read.
I really enjoyed this Jayne Ann Krentz book. It was packed full of suspense and had a very nice romance storyline in it as well.
Charlotte and Max were both very interesting characters who played off each other so well throughout the book sometimes I found myself laughing out loud at some of the things they would say to each other. I loved how these two were written so well for each other.
As for the mystery part of the book that was also very well written. Even though you, as the reader, knew some of the elements of the story true to her style Krentz always held back a few surprises for you.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I really hope there is another one in the series that will be coming out because there were a few loose ends I felt. I am giving When All Girls Have Gone five out of five stars.

Reckless Creed (Ryder Creed #3)

In Chicago, a young man jumps from his thirtieth-story hotel room; along the Missouri river, a hunter and his son stumble upon a lake whose surface is littered with snow geese, all of them dead; and in southern Alabama, Ryder Creed and his search-and-rescue dog Grace find the body of a young woman who went missing in the Conecuh National Forest...and it appears she filled her pockets with rocks and walked into the river. Before long Ryder Creed and FBI profiler Maggie O’Dell will discover the ominous connection among these mysterious deaths. What they find may be the most prolific killer the United States has ever known.

Review: Another excellent Ryder Creed book by Alex Kava. What can you say when everything this author writes is awesome? I absolutely loved how this book had Maggie O'Dell play a huge part in it with Ryder. The only question I have is when are they going to hook up because I am really looking forward to that.
As for this book. It was the perfect wrap up of the story that started in Kava's previous book. So I would read that first even though this could be a stand alone the last book has a lot a good information. I loved everything about the book from the returning charters to the interesting dog information learned while reading. Kava has been one of my favorites since her first book grabbed my attention all those years ago and she has never disappointed since.
I am giving Reckless Creed five out of five stars.

Daisy in Chains: A Novel

He’s a serial killer. A murderer of young women, all killed in brutal attacks.
But despite Hamish Wolfe’s conviction, he’s always stuck to his story—he’s innocent and he’s been wrongly imprisoned. And now he wants someone to investigate and, more importantly, to write his story.
Maggie Rose is a notorious defense attorney and writer whose specialty is getting convictions overturned. At first, Maggie is reluctant to even acknowledge Hamish’s requests to meet, ignoring his letters. But this is a very charismatic and persuasive man, good-looking and intelligent.
Eventually even she can’t resist his lure…

Review: I was given a copy of Daisy in Chains from NetGalley for an honest review and this is my review.
This is one of those books that makes you walk away going WOW! I loved this book. At first I was not sure about it because it started a little slow but when it picked up I could not put it down. I will admit I started putting things together a bit earlier then I like but I still loved the book.
If you love psychological thrillers with some twists this is a must read. I am giving Daisy in Chains five out of five stars.  

Still Waters (Faces of Evil: Private Eyes #2) by Debra Webb

Instead of reporting the news, Amber Roberts is the news. Has the beautiful journalist murdered someone she hardly knew or has she been brilliantly framed? Evidence points to the former. Enter Sean Douglas, the hottest bodyguard Amber's ever seen. But Amber is all about her career, and giving it up for romance is unthinkable. Sean, she learns, has his own guilty reason for keeping things professional. The last woman who trusted him ended up dead. And now the same fate may await Amber, unless Sean can protect her while guarding his heart. Because someone is watching and terrorizing Amber…someone no one would suspect…

Review: I was given an ARC of Still Waters for an honest review and this is my review.
Still Waters is the second book of the Faces of Evil: Private Eyes spin off series and it did not have as much interaction with the Faces of Evil family as the first book did it was still very good and introduced some new characters. Amber Roberts is caused of killing a man she claims she hardly knows so she ends up going to Jess and Buddy's PI firm to get help. She is assigned their newest employee Sean Douglas to act as her bodyguard. Needless to say Amber's life is in danger unless Sean can protect her because the real killer is out there and they do not want to be found.
I really enjoyed this book and the attraction between Amber and Sean. I thought it was sweet how he kept trying to put his job before their attraction and do the honorable thing thing because of what happened with his last client. I also found myself guessing who the killer was then something would happen to mess up my guess then another curve would come at me and I would be like I should have seen that one.
This was another good Faces of Evil book so I am giving it five out of five stars.

Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult

Ruth Jefferson is a labor and delivery nurse at a Connecticut hospital with more than twenty years' experience. During her shift, Ruth begins a routine checkup on a newborn, only to be told a few minutes later that she's been reassigned to another patient. The parents are white supremacists and don't want Ruth, who is African American, to touch their child. The hospital complies with their request, but the next day, the baby goes into cardiac distress while Ruth is alone in the nursery. Does she obey orders or does she intervene?
Ruth hesitates before performing CPR and, as a result, is charged with a serious crime. Kennedy McQuarrie, a white public defender, takes her case but gives unexpected advice: Kennedy insists that mentioning race in the courtroom is not a winning strategy. Conflicted by Kennedy's counsel, Ruth tries to keep life as normal as possible for her family—especially her teenage son—as the case becomes a media sensation. As the trial moves forward, Ruth and Kennedy must gain each other's trust, and come to see that what they've been taught their whole lives about others—and themselves—might be wrong.

Review: I was given an ARC of Small Great Things from NetGalley for an honest review and this is my review.
Racial hate, the topic that Jodi Picoult tackles in her latest book will take the reader on an honest journey from the viewpoint of a white supremacist who is angry at the world and an African American woman who gets in his crosshairs.
Turk is the white male whose brother is killed when he is a child by what he believes he an accident caused by a black man who is found not guilty of the charges that are brought against him in court. This sets forth the motion of his hatred for blacks and eventually his rise to working in white power groups and marrying a daughter of one of the group's leaders.
When they had their first child and found out a black nurse would be caring for him they flipped because they were both against it. So they said she could not touch the baby under any circumstances. Well, the baby went into a breathing emergency and....
Ruth is an African American nurse who has been working at the hospital for over twenty years. She has also known what it was like to live in the white man's world because she went to white schools because her mom wanted the best for her so she never let it bother her until Turk and his wife told her she could not touch their baby. But, she did what a professional would and stayed away until she was left alone with him when another nurse was called away and he stopped breathing. But she was forced to help and Turk and his wife want her charged with murder because they think she killed their son because they hate black people.
Well, this book tries to prove racial hate on both sides. I really can honestly say I did not like Ruth or Turk until the very end when they did redeem themselves a little bit. To me Turk was trying way to hard to be a race hater. When he was in jail and friends with the blacks I had a bit of a problem with a true race hater doing that. I personally think he was a poser who bragged about more then he did. He annoyed me.
As for Ruth I also think she was ashamed of who she was. Her sister called her out on that big time. She had to have her son go to the better schools and be something he wasn't as well. I think as much as this book is about racial hate against other races there is a bit of self racial hate in here as well. Ruth wanted to live in the white neighborhood, have her son go to the white schools like she did, she was the only black nurse where she worked...etc.
As of the story it was very good. Had some surprises along the way and also made you, as a reader, take a minute and think about some of your words and actions and what they may really mean. I am giving Small Great Things five out of five stars.

Outrage (Faith McMann Trilogy #2) by T.R. Ragan

The happy life Faith McMann knew as a wife, mother, and teacher was destroyed when vicious criminals murdered her husband, kidnapped her children, and left her for dead. After paralyzing grief, fear, and despair, there was nothing left for her to feel…except fury. But striking a staggering blow against a brutal ring of human traffickers was just the beginning of her uphill battle.
Though her daughter remains missing and her son is lost in the wilderness, Faith’s relentless efforts have reunited some children with their families. They’ve also made her and the rest of her family the targets of a sadistic crime boss. But Faith has learned plenty about survival in the lawless underworld she’s storming. And she’s forged an unbreakable bond with two no-holds-barred allies in the war against evil. As they dodge assassins and take down predators, Faith travels deeper into the heart of darkness, determined to rescue her children at any cost.

Review: I was given an ARC of Outrage from NetGalley for an honest review and this is my review.
The first thing I am going to say is be sure you read the first book in the trilogy before you start this one because this book starts right off where the first one ended without much of a backstory to use as a reference to know what is going on and what took place.
Now with that being said I want more! I absolutely loved Outrage and I can't wait until the last book comes out to see how this trilogy is going to end. I love all the characters and the dynamic between them. Faith is such a strong women going after the people who killed her husband and took her children with no fear to the consequences she may face. Beast is such an enigma who could beat a man to death if he is going to hurt those he cares about but is a teddy bear when it comes to his feelings for Rage and facing her impending death head on. Then there is Rage who lives in moment because she has to and she fights hard for her friends. They are such a strange mix of people who work so well together while trying to find Faith's children and get rid of some scrum along the way.
This second installment of the trilogy was packed full of excitement from start to finish. It also focuses a lot on Faith's son Hudson and his attempt to escape from the drug traffickers who were holding him. I am not going to give away any spoilers but be ready for some emotionally graphic things no ten year old should go through.
This be is an excellent read and is definitely getting five out of five stars.

Everything We Keep by Kerry Lonsdale

Sous chef Aimee Tierney has the perfect recipe for the perfect life: marry her childhood sweetheart, raise a family, and buy out her parents’ restaurant. But when her fiancé, James Donato, vanishes in a boating accident, her well-baked future is swept out to sea. Instead of walking down the aisle on their wedding day, Aimee is at James’s funeral—a funeral that leaves her more unsettled than at peace.
As Aimee struggles to reconstruct her life, she delves deeper into James’s disappearance. What she uncovers is an ocean of secrets that make her question everything about the life they built together. And just below the surface is a truth that may set Aimee free…or shatter her forever.
A luminous debut with unexpected twists, Everything We Keep explores the devastation of loss, the euphoria of finding love again, and the pulse-racing repercussions of discovering the truth about the ones we hold dear and the lengths they will go to protect us.

Review:  I was given a copy of Everything We Keep from NetGalley for an honest review and this is my review.
This book is one of those books that when you walk away you are still going wow especially after you read the last chapter. I am still trying to wrap my mind around some of the twist that were thrown at the reader in this book and I love it.
I am not going to give out spoilers but if you are looking for an emotional joyride that you will be shocked were it goes this is a great book to pick up. Aimee is one of those characters you are not sure about but you have no choice to hope she gets the answers she is looking for.
I am getting this book four out of five stars..
This book is one of those books that when you walk away you are still going wow especially after you read the last chapter. I am still trying to wrap my mind around some of the twist that were thrown at the reader in this book and I love it.
I am not going to give out spoilers but if you are looking for an emotional joyride that you will be shocked were it goes this is a great book to pick up. Aimee is one of those characters you are not sure about but you have no choice to hope she gets the answers she is looking for.
I am getting this book four out of five stars.

Even the Score by Beth Ehemann

Single dad Andy Shaw loves his job as a sports agent, with one exception: it doesn’t leave him much time for his kids. No parent likes being sidelined, so Andy decides to hire someone to share the workload. But when one of the hottest agents in the industry applies, Andy knows that this deal is definitely trouble.
Danicka Douglas works her butt off, but being an attractive woman in a testosterone-heavy industry isn’t exactly a cakewalk. She guards her professional reputation fiercely, which means no crushing on her gorgeous boss. But the more they ignore that sexy little spark, the more it sizzles…
Just when it looks like romance might be in the game plan, Dani is threatened by a stalker with dark intentions. To keep her safe, Andy must cross the line between professional and very personal…because this time, he’s playing for keeps.

Review:  I was given an ARC of Even the Score from NetGalley for an honest review and this is my review.
I really enjoyed this book. It was refreshing to read a book about a female sports agent. This book was a bit rough around the edges at times but it stood true to how one would expect athletes act around their friends when they are just chilling out and talking about their lives and women.
I really liked Dani and her spunk and how she was willing to conquer a man's world and not take and gruff and still stand for up she feels for how women should be treated. Andy was also one of the good guys who felt that family and his employees really matter. Those two made a great team.
As for who was stalking Dani I can honestly say I kept changing my mind throughout the book. I went from the football player who she thought it was to her former boss to even her new best friend and the the secretary at the firm I was so lost. I can honestly say the author did a good job with that part of the book.
This book was very entertaining and well written. Being a sports fan it made it even better. I am giving Even the Score four out of five stars.

Faultlines by Barbara Taylor Sissel

It’s the phone call every parent dreads: in the middle of the night, Sandy Cline learns that her twenty-year-old son, Jordan, has been in a car accident. Her nephew, Travis, was also in the car, along with Travis’s girlfriend. All three are alive—but barely. The car was smashed against a tree along a remote and winding road, beautiful but deadly, in their rural Texas Hill Country town.
In the wake of the car crash, the close-knit family is tested like never before. Jenna, Travis’s mother, blames Jordan—as well as her sister, Sandy—after reports surface that Jordan had been driving. As the young adults struggle to survive, tension between their parents escalates. But when trust is broken and a shocking family secret is exposed, it creates a perfect storm of harrowing consequences. Rumors in the small town spread like wildfire. When details of the accident are questioned, Sandy and Jenna wonder if their family has been destroyed beyond repair.
As always, there’s much more to the story…if the family is to survive, they will have to come together to confront the terrible truth and overcome their pain. But are some betrayals unforgivable?

Review: I was given an ARC of Faultlines from NetGalley for an honest review and this is my review.
This book was very well written on a very serious subject, drinking and driving. This book surrounds a young man, Jordy, who is accused of driving a car that is involved in an accident with two other passengers, his cousin Travis and another young lady. Jordy swears he was not driving but Travis does not make it, causing all kinds of problems between his mother and her sister when family secrets and revealed in retaliation and the young the lady is in a coma so she is unable to tell her side of the story. It does not help that the Jordy was at one point in the driver's seat and the head of the police is out to get him.
I am not going to get into the book much more for spoilers but I am going to say this book is emotionally packed. Jordy goes through a lot from finding out he is being charged for killing his cousin who was like a brother in the car accident to finding out the man who he believed was he father really is not. This book brings to light police corruption, underage drinking, not using your seatbelt and a few other subjects that may shock you. I loved how the author handled so many subjects and with such grace. This book was very good and really very thought-provoking.
I am giving Faultlines five out of five stars.

ENVY: A Faces of Evil Short Story (Faces of Evil) by Debra Webb

DARK WHISPERS and STILL WATERS, two new full length Faces of Evil novels, are finally here! You don't want to miss ENVY, the short story that sets a new path for Deputy Chief Jess Harris Burnett and her major crimes team! 
Deputy Chief Jess Harris Burnett ended serial killer Eric Spears' reign of terror eighteen months ago. Now someone is attempting to reenact his heinous crimes and sending messages to Jess. Like Spears, he wants to play and Jess is determined to ensure her family stays safe. But can she stay out of the line of fire?

Review: I would recommend you read Envy before Debra Webb's new Faces of Evil book comes out because this novella answers some questions that were not answered when I read it and Envy sure would have helped.
I really loved how Debra managed to sneak in a number of the names of the previous Faces of Evil books in this one just to keep her readers on their toes. It was also nice seeing the entire cast of characters working together to catch another killer and to help protect Jess and her family. This book was also a nice send off to this chapter of the Faces of Evil part of this series and a new introduction to the new series that is about to kick off. Very well done.
I am giving Envy five out of five stars.

Her Darkest Nightmare (The Evelyn Talbot Chronicles #1) by Brenda Novak

THE HUNT FOR A SERIAL KILLER
Evelyn Talbot knows that a psychopath can look perfectly normal. She was only sixteen when her own boyfriend Jasper imprisoned and tortured her—and left her for dead. Now an eminent psychiatrist who specializes in the criminal mind, Evelyn is the force behind Hanover House, a maximum-security facility located in a small Alaskan town. Her job puts her at odds with Sergeant Amarok, who is convinced that Hanover is a threat to his community…even as his attraction to beautiful Evelyn threatens to tear his world apart.
BEGINS WITH AN ESCAPE FROM HER PAST
Then, just as the bitter Alaskan winter cuts both town and prison off from the outside world, the mutilated body of a local woman turns up. For Amarok, this is the final proof he needs: Hanover has to go. Evelyn, though, has reason to fear that the crime is a personal message to her—the first sign that the killer who haunts her dreams has found her again. . .and that the life she has so carefully rebuilt will never be the same…

Review: I was given an ARC of Her Darkest Nightmare from NetGalley for an honest review and this is my review.
This book was pretty good but honestly it dragged along in some spots and had a lot of technical jargon that weighed it down a bit. I did like the suspense and enjoyed trying to figure out who the killer was. I found myself second guessing myself over and over again.
As for the killers who are locked up in Hanover House they are some sick puppies who I would not want to work with so I find Evelyn an interesting character just for the work she does at HH not just the killer she has to deal with in this book and from her past. She is one of the strongest characters I have come across in a book in a long time and as a reader you have no choice but to respect her for her grit and determination to overcome her past and delve into the mind of serial killers.
I am giving Her Darkest Nightmare four out of five stars.

Repressed (Deadly Secrets #1) by Elisabeth Naughton

Hidden Falls is exactly as Samantha Parker left it—small, insular, and prone to gossip. Eighteen years have passed since she witnessed her brother’s murder, but she’s still the talk of the town. Until a handsome child psychologist with haunting memories of his own arrives.
Dr. Ethan McClane isn’t exactly a newcomer. If it weren’t for his latest case, he’d never set foot back in Hidden Falls. Thankfully, no one seems to recognize him as the troubled teen from years past. Not even Sam, the delightfully sharp and sexy high school chemistry teacher he can’t stop thinking about.
When Sam and Ethan work together to help one of her students, sparks ignite. But Sam’s hazy memories of a long-ago night concern Ethan, and unlocking the repressed images reveals a dark connection between them. As the horrors of the past finally come to light, their relationship isn’t the only thing in danger. A killer will strike again to keep an ugly secret hidden, and this time no one will be safe.

Review: I was given an ARC of Repressed from NetGalley for an honest review and this is my review.
I can honestly say Repressed is one of the best books I have read so far this summer. This book was the total package. It was full of romance and suspense and if it is the first in a new series I can't wait until the next one hits the self.
Both Samantha and Ethan were interesting characters with secrets that could impact their relationship when they are revealed. How will they deal with it when Samantha's memories come back and when Ethan reveals his true identity to her? Or will Sam even live long enough to remember that night eighteen years ago or will she be silenced for good?
Repressed is a book full of twist and turns and even though you, as the reader, know who most of the players in the game are throughout the book there are a few surprises towards the end to keep you on your toes. I also enjoyed the matching between Samantha, who saw herself as broken, and Ethan, the therapist who liked to help those that needed to be fixed. It was intriguing watching how frustrating Samantha was for Ethan. This was a very entertaining book in all aspects.
I am definitely giving Repressed five out of five stars. 

Dark Whispers (Faces of Evil: Private Eyes #1) by Debra Webb

Former homicide detective Clint Hayes has his first client as a private investigator: a fragile beauty he isn't sure he can trust. An injury has left Natalie Drummond with gaps in her memory, and she sees and hears things that aren't there. But she's sure she shot an intruder in her Birmingham mansion. So where's the body, the gun, the evidence? When it's clear someone is trying to kill his vulnerable client, Clint appoints himself her protector, working overtime not to fall for her. But someone is dead set that Natalie never regains her memories—or makes new ones with Clint.

Review: I was given an ARC of Dark Whispers from the author for an honest review and this is my review.
It was great having a new Faces of Evil book even if it was completely different from what we are use too and what we have grown to love from this series.
This is the new new Faces of Evil. Everyone has moved on in their jobs, a number of the team members have gotten married and have had children and now here we are with Jess and Buddy opening up a PI firm together, I mean who would have thought that?
Their first case has Clint who has also left the police force with Jess trying to help a woman, Natalie, prove that she actually shot an intruder in her home. Needless to say the first case for Clint as a PI is full of twist and turns and a bit of romance for this tough lawman who has sworn off commitment.
It was great seeing old faces from this beloved series but sort of bitter sweet with all the time that was missed and a few hookups that were also mentioned in this book that us dedicated readers did not get to enjoy unfolding in our books.
I am giving this book five out of five stars.

The Secrets She Kept (Fairham Island #2) by Brenda Novak

The rich and powerful Josephine Lazarow, matriarch of Fairham Island, is dead. The police say it's suicide, but Keith, her estranged son, doesn't believe it. 
Keith bears scars—both physical and emotional—from his childhood, but he's worked hard to overcome the past. After walking away from his mother and her controlling ways five years ago, he's built a new life in LA. He's also accumulated a fortune of his own. But as soon as he learns of his mother's death, he returns to Fairham. He feels he owes it to his grandfather to put the family empire together again—and he's determined to find his mother's killer. 
Problem is…coming home to Fairham puts him back in contact with Nancy Dellinger, the woman he hurt so badly when he left before. And digging that deep into his mother's final days and hours entails a very real risk. 
Because the person who killed her could be someone he loves…

Review: I was given an ARC of The Secrets She Kept from the author for an honest review and this is my review.
The first thing I want to say is I am so excited that Brenda Novak is writing romantic suspense again. That is the area I found her in years ago and became a fan of hers and this is the area I love reading her best in still today.
With a that being said I really enjoyed The Secrets She Kept and at the same time am so glad I was not raised in that family. With a mother like theirs I think being raised by a wolf may have been better. But, I did love Keith's loyalty to his mom even after everything she put him through and his steadfast belief that she would not take her own life under any circumstances. I also was endeared by Nancy's devotion to Keith even after all the not so nice things he put her through in the past. She was a tender hearted character that really made this book shine.
The storyline was excellent and it was nice how the characters from The Secret Sister were woven in so well and played such huge parts in this book. (I would highly recommend you read that book first due to major spoilers in this one). The ending was a bit of a surprise so that was a plus and the romance between Keith and Nancy was written exceptionally well.
I am giving The Secrets She Kept five out of five stars.

The Goodbyes by Leslie Welch

The girl who inspired his songs may only have hours to live. A snow storm and two hundred miles separate a rock star from his chance to say goodbye. 
The Goodbyes is a moving and realistic account of the strength of an unbreakable bond, the anguish of unrequited feelings, and the wisdom attained through the highs and lows of triumph and tragedy. Told through the unique prose of debut author Leslie Welch, this story aims for the core of our emotions. 
Webb Turner grew up in a seemingly idyllic Pennsylvania town, tortured by a troubled household. His young life is turned upside down by the exciting, magnetic, and wild girl next door, Bree. They keep each other at arm's length their whole lives, however, dancing around the issue of their unresolved feelings while Bree's life steadily spirals out of control. 
In the meantime, Webb's life is on a different trajectory. He escapes the small town to become a globetrotting rock music sensation, with a new romantic interest on his mind and the past left in the rear-view mirror—until he hears that Bree is dying. This shocking news unleashes a torrent of unresolved angst that won't be dammed until Webb drops everything and everybody mid-tour to undertake a dangerous drive through a blizzard to be by Bree's side, just for one last chance to say his final farewell.

 

Review: I was given an ARC of The Goodbyes from NetGalley for an honest review and this is my review.
This book was was excellent. I really enjoyed the book from start to finish.
I can honestly say that I had mixed feelings about the characters in the book. There were times when I really wanted to slap Webb for being Bree's doormat and as for Bree that girl needed to be put in her place because she used her sexuality way to much to get her way and to play with that poor boy's head. I was so annoyed that Webb could not see her for what she really was.
The only problem I had with the book was the end. I was very pleased with how things turned out for Webb (I will not share due to spoilers) but I do wish the author would have given us a bit more then she did but I am greedy like that.
I am giving The Goodbyes five out of five stars.

Night and Day (Eve Duncan #21) by Iris Johansen

Iris Johansen's third book in her latest explosive trilogy starring forensic sculptor Eve Duncan takes readers on a high-energy adventure with Eve fighting to overcome the odds. Protecting Cara Delaney from the enemies who want her dead leads Eve to be their target. It will take everything she has to rescue Cara, and doing so will put that which is dearest to her at risk. Night and Day is the pulse-pounding race to a conclusion that will have readers on the edge of their seats.

 Review: I was given an ARC of Night and Day from NetGalley for an honest review and this is my review.
This was the the third book in this trilogy and I can honestly say as a whole I did not like it at all. I usually really like the Eve Duncan books but these three I really had trouble getting into and this one was no exception.
I felt a total disconnect with all the characters this time and that happened for the first time in an Eve Duncan book for me. I did not like the location nor did I like the idea of looking for the lost treasure. However, I did enjoy Eve's pregnancy and how hard the team fought to rescue Cara. I thought she was a though little girl who in some ways made me think of what Bonnie might have been like if she lived.
Overall, this book was just okay for me that is why I can only give it three out of five stars.

In Twenty Years by Allison Winn Scotch

Twenty years ago, six Penn students shared a house, naively certain that their friendships would endure—until the death of their ringleader and dear friend Bea splintered the group for good. Now, mostly estranged from one another, the remaining five reluctantly gather at that same house on the eve of what would have been Bea’s fortieth birthday.
But along with the return of the friends come old grudges, unrequited feelings, and buried secrets. Catherine, the CEO of a domestic empire, and Owen, a stay-at-home dad, were picture-perfect college sweethearts—but now teeter on the brink of disaster. Lindy, a well-known musician, is pushing middle age in an industry that’s all about youth and slowly self-destructing as she grapples with her own identity. Behind his smile, handsome plastic surgeon Colin harbors the heartbreaking truth about his own history with Bea. And Annie carefully curates her life on Instagram and Facebook, keeping up appearances so she doesn’t have to face the truth about her own empty reality.
Reunited in the place where so many dreams began, and bolstered by the hope of healing, each of them is forced to confront the past.

 Review: I was given a copy of In Twenty Years from NetGalley for an honest review and this is my review.
This book was a very good book that looked at the lives of six college friends and how their last lives changed when one of them died and request them to return to where they lived together in college twenty years after their college graduation and what would have been her fortieth birthday. This is an emotional look at how friendships change over the years because of betrayals and how even if you think your friendship bonds are as strong as family ties they can be tested and sometimes they need a help to bring everything that really matters back into focus.
I am giving this book five out of five stars.

The Regrets of Cyrus Dodd (Wyattsville #4) by Bette Lee Crosby

Revenge, death, deception... These are the things Cyrus Dodd has to overcome if he is to give Ruth the life he's promised her. The problem is he's got a prideful nature and when a seemingly innocuous argument leads to a bitter feud with his neighbor, his life changes forever. The plans he has falls by the wayside and before he finds a way to fix it, he comes to understand the meaning of regret.
In this early twentieth century family saga, two men come up against each other--both are iron-willed and stubborn. One will lose his farm; the other will lose his family. In a tale of betrayal, murder and revenge two West Virginia farmers will discover that being right does not necessarily mean being happy.
Believing he has lost everything Cyrus Dodd is forced to start over. He promises Ruth that this time it will be better, but the truth is he doesn't know if it's a promise he can keep.

 
 Review: I was given a copy of The Regrets if Cyrus Dodd for an honest review and this is my review.
This book was a very good book about two very bull headed men whose bull headedness and obsession with a feud over a pig almost destroyed one's life and pretty much ruined the other's happiness.
Truthfully, I did not like either men. I thought they were both acting like entitled children and I would have been happy if they both would have been miserable because to me they both were both acting like toddlers, but that is not how the story was told. Cyrus had to give up his beloved farm and in this book had all these regrets for what he did and what he had to give up but he brought it all upon himself for not listening to everyone and doing what he had to do to fix the problem that he caused. As for Virgil he is nothing but a bully and he enjoys hurting people and enjoys the power that he has over others so he brings the things that happens to him on himself. No one likes bullies even back then and the underdog will take his shots when he can even when he knows he going to go down.
This book is about regrets, redemption and doing what you feel is right at all cost. I am giving it five out of five stars.

Forgotten Secrets by Robin Perini

At age ten, Riley Lambert watched helplessly as her sister was abducted from her bedroom. Fifteen years later, she’s channeled the pain of her past into a career as an FBI profiler. Riley devotes her life to bringing violent criminals to justice…and secretly uses government resources to search for her sister, who was never found.
When Riley gets a call from the only man who’s ever swept her off her feet with a killer two-step and dangerous smile—ex-Navy SEAL Thayne Blackwood of Singing River, Wyoming—it stirs up dark memories. Thayne’s sister, Cheyenne, has been kidnapped. There are no leads, and the only witness is the victim’s Alzheimer’s-afflicted grandmother.
Desperate to find Cheyenne, Thayne needs Riley’s expertise. With time running short, they delve into dangerous small-town secrets while fighting against an increasingly ruthless adversary. But when her past and his present collide in a shocking revelation, can they overcome the secrets that have kept them apart?

Review: I was given an ARC of Forgotten Secrets from NetGalley for an honest review and this is my review.
I can honestly say I really enjoyed this book from start to finish. It was full of action and had a very intriguing plot that kept me guessing throughout the book.
I usually don't like books that have as many active character points of views as this one had but for this book it really worked and the author did an excellent job keeping the book flowing without any problems or confusion.
As for the two main characters Riley and Thayne I liked both of them. I mean what is there not to like about a brilliant female FBI agent who can get into crazies heads and a sexy Navy Seal who goes home to fill in as Sheriff to help out when his Dad is sick? They are the perfect people to pair up in a book.
Then when this story gets unravelled after they start to put the pieces together on who took Thayne's sister this book starts to play with your mind completely. The perfect recipe for a romantic suspense book.
I am giving Forgotten Secrets five out of five stars.

Claiming Noah by Amanda Ortlepp

Catriona and James are desperate for children, and embark on an IVF program. After a gruelling round of treatments, Catriona finally falls pregnant, and they donate their remaining embryo anonymously.
Diana and Liam are on a waiting list to receive an embryo. Sooner than expected, they are thrilled to discover one is available.
After a difficult pregnancy, Catriona gives birth to Sebastian. But severe postnatal depression affects her badly, and quickly turns into deadly psychosis. For her protection and her baby’s, she’s admitted into psychiatric care. When she comes home, she again struggles to bond with her baby, but gradually life finds its own rhythm.
Meanwhile, Diana has given birth to a beautiful little boy, Noah.
But when he is two months old Noah is abducted … and Diana and Liam’s nightmare begins.
Where is Noah?

Review: I was given an ARC of Claiming Noah from NetGalley for an honest review and this is my review.
This book had all kinds of twist and turns and interesting subjects that are going to make the reader sit down and think about when they are done with this book. The first one being is IVF an acceptable way to get pregnant? The second who is the legal parent of a child that is born from an embryo? The ones who conceived the baby or the ones who gave birth to the baby? These are just a few topics that are addressed in this book that grabs the readers attention from the start and takes the reader on a journey full of all kinds of surprises until the very end.
I really don't want to get into the plot very much for spoiler reasons but I will say this book had my mouth dropping in shock in a number of spots. So if you like edgy books with a bit of controversial topics this is a good read for you.
I am giving Claiming Noah five out of five stars.

Seconds to Live (Scarlet Falls #3) by Melinda Leigh

Wildlife biologist Mac Barrett avoided his hometown of Scarlet Falls for years—too many bad memories. But when he receives the news that his father is dying, he rushes home only to discover he’s too late. Shaken, Mac retreats to his remote cabin seeking peace and solace. Instead, he crashes his jeep to narrowly avoid running over the naked body of a woman lying in the road. Even more disturbing, when he regains consciousness, the body is gone.
Police detective Stella Dane wants to believe Mac, even if his story about the vanishing body seems far-fetched. But when Mac’s description matches the missing woman she’s been searching for, it raises a disturbing question: How does a dead body disappear?
Mac and Stella will have to work together to find the answer and catch a psychotic kidnapper—and quickly. The killer has a deadly message to send, and the case is about to become personal…

Review: I was given an ARC of Seconds to Live from NetGalley for an honest review and this is my review.
This was the third book in the Scarlet Falls series and it can be a stand alone book even though it does refer to some things that happened in previous books it really does not give anything away. However, I personally would recommend to read the books in order so you get the entire feel of the series the way the author meant for it to be read and I can honestly say it has been an excellent series and well worth reading it in its entirety.
Now for my review of Seconds to Live. I really enjoyed Stella and Mac's story and their pairing as a couple in this series. She is the person who saw beyond the "show" he was putting on for his family and saw there was more to Mac then he was letting on. And man was there more when he came clean and let Stella and his family know he had been working for the DEA and not just avoiding the family in the rainforest observing otters. As for Mac he was always running from commitments and his family until he realized they needed him and wanted him around and he could not get Stella out of his head. Needless to say these two had sparks flying off them throughout the book.
As for the mystery part that was also interesting. A person was taking people who had prior drug habits but had been clean for some time and for some reason was killing them and making it look like an OD. Stella has a number of suspects from a husband who seems to abuse his wife to a skin head who has a problem with women in authority. With Mac's help will she be able to figure out who her killer is before he kills his third victim who is also a very close friend of hers who she has taken under her wing and has been helping or will they be too late?
I am giving Seconds to Live five out of five stars.

Targeted (Callahan & McLane #4) by Kendra Elliot

All Detective Mason Callahan wanted was a quiet fishing trip with the guys—a chance to get away and unwind before Halloween.
Until he finds the body of his boss, Denny Schefte, near their remote Oregon cabin. Now all he wants is to catch the sadist who slit Denny’s throat and covered his face with a mask. Mason was the last person to see him alive and will stop at nothing to find his friend’s murderer.
When the FBI learns of the mask left at the scene, they realize they have a serial killer on their hands—one who is targeting cops. They assign the case to Special Agent Ava McLane, despite her engagement to Mason. Barely recovered from her own nearly fatal injury and her sister’s attempted suicide, Ava hopes she is ready to chase another killer.
But as she delves into the increasingly disturbing case, the killer may be closer than expected—dangerously close.

Review: I was given an ARC of Targeted from NetGalley for an honest review and this is my review.
Targeted was another excellent book by Kendra Elliot and the fourth book in her Callahan and McLane series. Even though this is part of a series it can be read as a stand alone. It does make references to the previous books but does not give any true spoilers about who the killers are so none of that will be ruined for you just some other plot parts might be ruined by not reading the books in order.
As for this book the dynamic duo of Mason and Ava are back to try to find another crazy killer and this time the killer is hitting close to home. His victims are cops and his first victim was Mason's beloved boss who he killed right under Mason and three other cop's noses while they were away on vacation together. What kind of killer does that? Then to make things interesting he covers his victims faces with a mask from a villain from a horror movie. Because Mason is a witness he can't officially be part of the case so that leaves it up Ava and a talented task force to try to figure out who is after these officers and why and who will be next? With the body count raising and a false confession will Mason and Ava figure out who is doing the killing before someone else dies?
I also loved that this book let us learn more about Ava and her sister's relationship and more about her childhood. It was nice getting to know Ava better. It also touched on Zander a bit more so it was nice seeing more of him.
Overall, this book had it all, an in depth look at the characters in the series and a great mystery. I am definitely giving it five out of five stars. 

Saving Abby by Steena Holmes

All children’s book illustrator Claire Turner ever wanted was to be a mother. After six years of trying to conceive, she and her husband, Josh, have finally accepted that she will never be pregnant with a child of their own.
Yet once they give up hope, the couple gets the miracle they’ve been waiting for. For the first few months of her pregnancy, Claire and Josh are living on cloud nine. But when she begins to experience debilitating headaches, blurred vision, and even fainting spells, the soon-to-be mother goes to the doctor and receives a terrifying diagnosis. Since any treatment could put their unborn baby’s life at risk, the Turners must carefully weigh their limited options. And as her symptoms worsen, Claire will have to make an impossible decision: Save her own life, or save her child’s?

Review: I was given an ARC of Saving Abby from NetGalley for an honest review and this is my review.
Saving Abby is another excellent book by Steena Holmes that takes her reader on an emotional journey that they will not soon forget. I went from laughing to crying while reading this book and felt a number of emotions in between.
As a reader I don't know what I would have done in either main characters shoes. In Josh's case I know I would have been angry the love of my life may die if she did not get the treatment she needed right away. But, I am not sure how I would handle the pregnancy knowing that is what may kill her. Even though we both wanted the baby so badly. Would I resent my wife for keeping the baby and risking her life and blowing up our perfect life for unborn child? Or could I accept her choice and know she may die but at least if all goes well I will have the child we created together when she is gone?
Then there is Claire she finally gets pregnant after being told it will never happen and then she hears oh btw you have stage 3 brain cancer and you can't get treatment because you are expecting. Knowing you gave up one child and how badly you wanted this child an abortion is not an option and this may kill you and your husband resents it you decide to wait and see what happens. Would I choose my unborn baby over my life, maybe?
These are the things these charters are dealing with and it is their emotional journey that you go on. Saving Abby is an emotional ride that will make you laugh and cry. I am giving this book five out of five stars.

The Shark (Forgotten Files #1) by Mary Burton

At the grisly murder scene of a teen prostitute, Virginia state trooper Riley Tatum’s past roars back to haunt her. When she was a teenage runaway, she was kidnapped, drugged, and left unconscious on the streets. She has no memories of what happened, only strange recurring dreams of two men playing cards.Former FBI agent Clay Bowman, Riley’s old flame, is Shield Security’s newest member. He’s plagued by the unsolved case of a serial killer nicknamed the Shark who murdered girls as part of a sadistic poker game. Only one girl survived. With the Shark now bent on evening that score, Clay has a chilling suspicion: Riley is the girl who escaped the Shark’s deadly amusement—and she is his next prey.
As the Shark gets ready to play his hand, can Riley and Clay stop him—or will this killer finally claim the one who got away?

Review: I was given an ARC of The Shark from NetGalley for an honest review and this is my review.
Mary Burton was definitely on her game with The Shark, her first book in her new series, and if this book is any indication of what we as readers have to look forward to with the Forgotten Files I can't wait for more. This book had it all: romance, suspense, murder and a few twist that most people will not see coming, in short it was the whole package for a great summer read.
I loved the characters Riley and Clay. I also liked the fact that they had a bit of history with each other as well so this was sort of a second chance book for them to get together as a couple. As for the idea behind the story I found that intriguing as well, using young women who live on the streets as stakes in a poker game. If you win the game the girl lives, if you loose she dies. What a twisted way to play poker and a brilliant idea for a book. Years ago Riley was the only girl who lived in a game against the Shark and now he is back and wants the one who Lady Luck thought fit to let go. Clay and Riley work together to make sure that this time the Shark and cards don't have a different outcome for Riley this time around.
I am giving The Shark five out of five stars.

Deep Dark (Tracers #10) by Laura Griffin

The moment detective Reed Novak steps onto the crime scene, he knows the case is going to rock his world. A beautiful young woman murdered at home. No sign of forced entry. No motive. She’s obviously not the killer’s first victim, and Reed’s instincts tell him she won’t be his last. Reed’s first clue comes via a mysterious text that links to a dating profile, but even more intriguing than the clue is the person who sent it.
As a white-hat hacker in the Delphi Center’s cyber investigation unit, Laney Knox sneaks into some of the deepest, darkest corners of the Internet looking for predators. Laney would prefer to stay away from Austin PD’s most recent murder case, but she can’t ignore the chilling similarities between that crime and her own brutal attack years ago. Laney offers to help the sexy lead detective, but he wants more from her than just a promising tip—Reed wants her trust. Laney resists, but as their relationship deepens she’s tempted to reveal the closely guarded secrets that could make her a key witness…or the killer’s next victim.

 Review: I was given an ARC copy of Deep Dark for an honest review and this is my review.
The first thing I have to say is after reading Deep Dark I will never look at my electronic devices the same way again. This book really gets one thinking about how easy it is for someone to get into your personal information or even spying into your home if they know what they are doing. I am not sure if Laura Griffin had any intention of doing this but I know I am going to improve my devices security a bit more after reading this book because it is something I normally would not think about until it was brought to my attention in this excellently written book.
Now for the book itself. What can I say? I absolutely loved Laney and Reed's story. Both characters where so different from each other yet they fit together so well they made the book work. I loved the story because it dealt with something people don't think about a lot, internet security, and they don't realize how easy it is for someone to find you and stalk you and ultimately kill you. The chemistry between Laney and Reed and not knowing who the killer was kept me turning the pages in this book. I can't wait to see what Griffin has coming next in this series.
I am giving Deep Dark five out of five stars.

Rival Forces (K-9 Rescue #4) by D.D. Ayres

When it comes to training K-9 patrol dogs, Yardley Summers always trusts her instincts. But when it comes to dating men, she keeps her heart on a very short leash. Mostly, she’s too busy with her four-legged trainees at Harmonie Kennels to commit to a relationship. Only two men have managed to distract her: a handsome Doctors Without Borders physician who’s suddenly gone missing—and the red-hot dog trainer from her past who’s suddenly back in her life…
Now a K-9 rescue team leader, Kye McGarren has never forgotten the days he trained at Yardley’s camp—or the nights he spent in her arms. When he hears that Yardley is on a mission to find the missing doctor, Kye is determined to keep her out of danger. With his K-9 partner by his side, he joins Yardley on a death-defying mission—one that reignites their mutual passion. Will Kye be able to rescue his romantic rival…without losing the woman he loves?

Review: I was given an ARC of Rival Forces from NetGalley for an honest review and this is my review.
I have really enjoyed this series by D.D Ayres and Rival Forces is another great K-9 book added to this series. I loved the chemistry between Yardley and Kye. I also found it interesting how they both had such polar opposite K-9's they were working with but they were such great matches for their handlers.
This book had a great romance but also an interesting mystery about what was going on with the guy Yardley was seeing and what happened to him and why did he just disappear that kept the reader interested throughout the book.
I am giving Rival Forces four out of five stars.  

Discovering You (Whiskey Creek #10) by Brenda Novak

India Sommers once had the perfect family—until an ex-boyfriend broke in and shot her husband. Not only did that cost her the man she loved, a respected heart surgeon and the father of her child, but she also feels responsible. Charlie died because of the people she hung out with before she had the strength to change her life. 
Just after moving to Whiskey Creek with her little girl, Cassia, to start over, she's learned that her ex-boyfriend's trial ended in a hung jury. He's getting out of jail; he could try to find her again. And that's not all that scares her. She's extremely attracted to her next-door neighbor, but Rod Amos is the handsome "bad boy" type that's given her so much trouble in the past. If she got involved with him, her in-laws would sue for custody of Cassia. 
India has to keep her distance from Rod—but the more she gets to know him, the more difficult that becomes.

Review: I was given an ARC of Discovering You for an honest review and this is my review.
This was an excellent addition to the Whiskey Creek family and one of the first that I remember that does not have a lot of interaction with previous characters which I sort of missed popping up for coffee and checking in on each other. But maybe in the next book we will get an update of all the citizens we love from Whiskey Creek.
I enjoyed Rod and India story. They both seemed so well matched and the perfect pair for each other. I loved how they both saw beyond what everyone else saw and saw the real person on the inside. Rod was her perfect hero trying to find the evidence that was needed to put her ex in jail for the murder of her husband and nothing was going to stop him from protecting the woman who he was falling in love with.
A great romance and a great tease for the next book maybe with Natasha and Mack?
Discovering You gets five out of five stars.