Evalle and Storm (Belador #10.5) by Dianna Love

Blurb:

New York Times bestseller Dianna Love’s Beladors are back with a special story for Evalle and Storm! 

This the book fans have been waiting for - Evalle and Storm's. To bond or not to bond should be a simple question, but nothing is ever easy in the life of this particular Skinwalker and Belador couple. 

Investigating a strange death in unfamiliar territory threatens to rip them apart forever as Storm tracks a predatory majik killing in the cruelest ways and Evalle makes a dangerous gamble to save what’s left of her disappearing preternatural powers … and herself. 

Until he completes the mating bond with Evalle, Storm has no way to find her if she's kidnapped again and preternaturals are actively hunting her in a chaotic Atlanta. Word hasn't gotten out that she can no longer shift into a powerful gryphon. When Storm’s estranged uncle in Arizona pleads for help in finding the cause behind a strange death on his tribe’s reservation, Storm agrees to go just to get Evalle out of the city and somewhere safe. A good idea on paper, not so much when he confronts a predatory majik that attacks his. 

Prior to surviving a brutal imprisonment, Evalle wanted nothing more than to bond with her Skinwalker mate to share their lives and energy. She cheated death upon escape only to discover she’s lost the ability to shift into a gryphon and her powers are failing. Opening a connection with her Storm could destroy his as she discovers her body is going through new insurmountable changes. When she’s offered a chance to bring her gryphon back, Evalle jumps at it, determined to heal herself and save her life with Storm. Too late, Storm realizes he’s made a deadly mistake by bringing his mate with him. 

My review:

WOW! High energy action and suspense this story will keep you on the edge of your seat from the first page to the last.  Evalle and Storm have been through hell together and apart but we have never questioned their love for one another. This story tests them both in ways that left me breathless. I absolutely adore this series and was thrilled to my toes with this installment. I’m sure it will be a favorite for years to come.

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Evil Eye (Tiger's Eye Mystery #3) by Alyssa Day

Blurb:

For Jack Shepherd, tiger shapeshifter and former rebel leader, nothing in life has prepared him for this dead end. Dead End, Florida, to be exact. 

When swarms of treasure hunters descend on Dead End in search of legendary pirate Captain Jean Lafitte's fabled lost gold, chaos crashes down on the normally quiet town. When the only treasure chests found have corpses instead of coins, Jack has to spring into action. Because sometimes it takes a tiger’s eye to see the truth.

Tess Callahan, who owns a pawn shop in the strangest town in Florida, is barely over the last dead bodies on her doorstep when her new private investigator neighbor asks for her help again. 

But it's her town, and she'll take on anybody to protect it. Even treasure hunters, vampire slayers, and the ghost of a certain French pirate who still thinks he's in charge. 

Welcome to Dead End, Florida, where ghosts can get jaywalking tickets too. And welcome to the Tiger's Eye Mysteries!

Beware! This novel contains: magic, shape shifters, humor, vampires, a taxidermied alligator, pirate treasure, ghosts, buried jewels, gold, gunshots, bad singing, delicious baked goods, terrible parking, the FBI, swamp commandos, tigers, special agents, flirting, belly laughs, comedy, humor, and a pawn shop. 

My review:

Evil Eye is a fun cozy mystery with paranormal characters that will make you smile with the flip of each page. Tess and Jack take on a ghostly pirate and some more fleshly villains in a search for gold and treasure. A terrific addition to the series.

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My Mate's Destiny (Sanctuary For My Mate, #4) by Terri A. Wilson

Blurb:

Sybil Harris is destined to be the next alpha. But it’s the last thing she wants.
As a young woman in 1969, Sybil Harris dreams of a world filled with equality and peace. Where her pack will accept her because she is strong and heroic and not the daughter of their alpha. She is promised to a strong mate and her whole life is planned. But no one bothered to ask her. On a weekend trip to San Francisco, she meets her soulmate and questions everything she knew. Now, she has to fight her promised mate, her pack, and even her family to forge her own path. But is true love worth walking away from the only life she’s known?

My review:

I loved that this story was told from an older characters pov. Sybil may have been a good girl but when it counted she could be as strong as she needed to be. I enjoyed the flashback to a different time and place. Where mores were different and we get to see how far we’ve come as a society and how far we have yet to go. I really enjoyed her story.

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Alpha Challenge (Ashwood Falls #10) by Lia Davis

Blurb:

Feral, unstable, and hungry for blood are a few words used to describe a rogue. They also describe Alec Andrews' leopard. The man is broken. The only things keeping him sane are his family, his pack, and a mate he can't claim. Because claiming Rhea will bring her spiraling down with him the day the darkness wins.

The wolf den mother, Rhea Scott will make Alec hers. Whatever it takes, she will tear down the walls he has built around him and his heart. The stubborn male thinks he's protecting her by denying the mating pulling. He's not the only one with a past he can't run from. Rhea isn't worthy of the pedestal he places her on. And she had never been a weak female.

A new enemy rises out of the fallen Onyx Pack's ashes. When a group of kids is taken, Rhea's wolf goes into protection mode and won't rest until the kids are home safe. No one was going to stop her. Not even the hotheaded, sexy, alpha male, Alec Andrews.

My review:

Alpha Challenge is a tale of second chances and new beginnings. Both Alec and Rhea have differing reasons for avoiding the mating bond. The past has left them with scars they’ll need to overcome to have a future. I really like these two together.  As they fight a common enemy they grow closer together. I really liked Rhea. She has an inner strength that I truly admired. This is a fantastic addition to the series and left me wanting more.

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Sassy Bride by Gracen Miller

Blurb:

A lonely vampire yearning for change. A sorceress craving a new life. A mess that must be sorted before death swallows their happy ever after. 

First of his kind, Markus “Raptor” Katz is a vampire who kills without remorse. While he has waited centuries for his bride, he wasn’t prepared for her to walk into Sassy Wolfe. He also wasn’t prepared for her to be his equal.

My review:

Sassy Bride is the story of an ancient vampire finding his bride. A modern girl with gifts of her own Lexi is thrilled at finding Markus her “siren song” but the fusty old vampire has another think coming if he thinks she will be his submissive little woman. Let the fireworks begin. This was a fun romp. This story is stand alone but much better if you’ve read Kissing Sassy and  Sassy Vigilante first.

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The Mint Julep Murders (Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries #8) by Angie Fox

Blurb:

For Southern girl Verity Long, friendship means sitting down to stories and sweet tea on the front porch. For her gangster ghost housemate, it means dragging Verity out to a remote haunted asylum during a raging thunderstorm to do a favor for a long-dead mob boss.

But Verity is always ready to help out a friend, even one as eternally eccentric as Frankie. And in the case of Mint Julep Manor, the stakes are too high to refuse. The criminally insane mob boss holds a secret to Frankie’s past, one that might set Frankie free. Do the favor—survive the favor—and they might change Frankie’s afterlife for good. Fail, and they might never leave the asylum.

My review:

The Mint Julep Murders sends Verity, Ellis and Frankie to a former insane asylum and things get scary from the get go. When dead bodies start showing up they have to find the murderer before they end up as victims. This addition to the Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries isn’t as light hearted as earlier entries but this is a good old fashioned mystery that will have you guessing who dunnit right up to the very end. This one had me sleeping with the lights on.

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Sedona Sin (Sedona Pack #1) by Lisa Kessler

Blurb:

A new Alpha will rise... 

Asher Mateo’s future was stolen the night the Sedona Pack Alpha marked him to be bitten. Drafted into the werewolf Pack, Asher was forced to become a man he hardly recognized. After heading up a rebellion to overthrow their Alpha, Asher can’t wash the sins from his hands and yearns for a fresh start. But he can’t bring himself to leave Naomi and her twin boys. Without a strong Alpha to lead the Pack, all their lives are at risk from a new threat who will stop at nothing to expose shifters to the world as blood thirsty killers.

Naomi Rossi used to be a graphic designer with a black belt in karate and deadly aim with ninja stars, but under a full moon a wolf bite left her changed forever. Now she’s a single mom to her twin boys, and doing her best to help her friend Asher see himself the way she does, as a leader. But a passing touch, threatens all of her plans as her wolf recognizes this man is destined to be much more than a friend… 

My review:

Sedona Sin is a fantastic start to what looks to be a fabulous series. Asher may not have been born a werewolf or an alpha but by god he is now and he will do whatever it takes to protect his pack. Three years as a werewolf hasn’t been long enough to embrace all the changes to his life and now the fates have thrown another change at him but this may just be the best thing yet.

This book is sweet and sexy and thrilling through and through.

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Wolfhunter River (Stillhouse Lake #3) by Rachel Caine

Blurb:

She can’t ignore a cry for help. But in this remote hunting town, it’s open season.

Gwen Proctor escaped her serial-killer husband and saved her family. What she can’t seem to outrun is his notoriety. Or the sick internet vigilantes still seeking to avenge his crimes. For Gwen, hiding isn’t an option. Not when her only mission is to create a normal life for her kids.

But now, a threatened woman has reached out. Marlene Crockett, from the remote town of Wolfhunter, is panicked for herself and her daughter. When Gwen arrives in the small, isolated rural community, Marlene is already dead—her own daughter blamed for the murder. Except that’s not the person Marlene feared at all. And Gwen isn’t leaving until she finds out who that was.

But it may already be too late. A trap has been set. And it’s poised to snap shut on everyone Gwen loves. Her stalkers are closing in. And in a town as dark as Wolfhunter, it’s so easy for them to hide…

My review:

You can’t run from your past. In today’s world of instant communication lies spread faster than the truth. In this third installment we see Gwen still doing whatever she can to stem the tide of hate and protecting her children. She is starting to let others in when a ghost from the past returns. To escape Gwen takes on someone else’s problems and we are caught up in the whirlwind that is Gwen’s life. This is a terrifically twisted tale that will keep you guessing and flipping pages through the very end.

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Pirate's Pleasure (Sentinels of Savannah #3) by Lisa Kessler

Blurb:

No one steals from this pirate... 

John Smyth has survived mutinous pirate crews, wars, and the passage of centuries by keeping his life as he did his ships, organized and well stocked. But when his crew is tasked with stealing Pandora’s Box for the government, it opens a door to destruction, and her name is Harmony Andrews. 

Harmony is a risk-taking investment broker by day, and a thief by night. As a member of the underground Digi Robins crew, she steals relics to sell on the dark web and donates the money to people without insurance who need life-saving medical treatments. After taking a box from the docks in Savannah, she finds herself being hunted on multiple fronts, but she never expects the chaos trailing her to lead directly to her boss, the sexy, infuriating John Smyth.

The fearless thief has tangled with the wrong pirate, but he will be forced to choose: will he keep his heart safe at port, or follow it into the storm of pleasure.

My review:

Pirate's Pleasure explores love of money, power, family and the one person who makes you feel alive. Immortal pirate John Smyth has experienced them all but the last. Now he has found a woman right under his nose that has him feeling alive and adventurous again. But he has secrets and so does she. Their story is rollicking fun and as close to adventure on the high seas as a body can get.

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Tricks and Treats (Hollywood Nights #10) by Cara North

Blurb:

Farrah had real reason to be afraid. She had to convince Vladimir, a police officer who had detained her for trespassing on the studio lot, to stay with her. She needed him just as much as she wanted him. She had never wanted anyone more.

Vladimir had inherited the name. He used to hate it. Whenever Farrah said it, however, it was like a seductive spell, and he was under it. He was soon also under her. She had confidence in the bedroom but was careless with her life. She infuriated him one moment and enraptured him the next.

Escaping the plot of a deranged fan only made them discover each other and just how good they could be together.

My review:

This is a short and sweet romp about a sexy cop and a scream queen actress. She need protection and he isn’t she is just acting but they can’t deny the chemistry in the bedroom. This story was a lot of fun.

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Audible

In Her Sights (Rocky Mountain Bounty Hunters #1) by Katie Ruggle

Blurb:

Five bounty-hunting sisters
Deep in the heart of the Rockies
Fighting to save each other
...and the men who steal their hearts

Bounty hunter Molly Pax fought hard for everything she has, turning the bail recovery business she shares with her sisters into an unqualified success. So when their sticky-fingered mother jumps bail and puts the childhood home up as collateral, Molly's horrified. To make matters worse, every two-bit criminal in the Rockies now sees her family's misfortune as their next big break.

She needs help, stat.

Enter rival bounty hunter John Carmondy: six feet of pure trouble, with a cocky grin to match. John's the most cheerfully, annoyingly gorgeous frenemy Molly's ever had the pleasure of defeating...and he may be her only hope of making it out of this mess alive. 

My review:

In Her Sights is a fun first in a new series by the fantastic Katie Ruggle. Molly has practically raised her sisters and kept them fed and clothed. Now their ne'er-do-well mother may cost them everything. With the help of sexy John Carmondy Molly and her sisters may just survive this latest fiasco but Molly’s heart may be the first casualty. This is a rip roaring terrific read and I look forward to the next installment.

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Spring Skies Over Bluebell Castle (Bluebell Castle #1) by Sarah Bennett

Blurb:

She wasn’t looking for love…

When Lucie Kennington flees the bright lights of London for the quiet Derbyshire countryside, she’s shocked to discover that the heir to the Bluebell Castle estate is far from the wizened employer she expected.

In fact, Arthur Ludworth might just be the most handsome man Lucie’s ever laid eyes on – and a terrible distraction! So when she stumbles across a legendary painting feared lost for centuries, she can’t believe her luck – perhaps this is the hidden treasure to save Arthur and his family from ruin?

But it’s only a matter of time before Lucie’s past catches up with her and by then it’s too late, she’s falling for him…

Perfect for fans of Trisha Ashley, Rachael Lucas and Hilary Boyd.

Book 1: Spring Skies Over Bluebell Castle
Book 2: Sunshine Over Bluebell Castle
Book 3: Starlight Over Bluebell Castle

My review:

Spring Skies Over Bluebell Castle is a fun, light hearted, really sweet romance. I love Lucie! She is smart and sweet and a great foil for Arthur. Watching these two fight for a better future and fall for each other along the way is adorable. I look forward to the next books in the series.

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Breaking Without You (Fractured Connections #1) by Carrie Ann Ryan

Blurb:

From NYT bestselling author Carrie Ann Ryan, comes a brand new series where second chances don’t come often, and overcoming an unexpected loss means breaking everything you knew.

I fell for Cameron Connolly at the wrong time. And when he left, I thought my life was over. But then, after the worst happened, I truly understood what that phrase meant. Now, he’s not ready for a second chance, and I’m not offering one. Though given that our families have been forced together after losing one of our own, I know there’s no turning back. Not this time. Not again. Not when it comes to Cameron.

~~

I never wanted to hurt Violet Knight, but there were reasons I had to leave all those years ago—not that she'd believe me if I told her what they were. I not only left her, I also left my foster brothers. Honestly, I didn’t want to come back to Denver to help run my father’s failing brewery. But when it comes to my brothers, I know I’ll find a way to make it work. Perhaps I’ll even earn Violet’s forgiveness and face the connection we both thought long forgotten in the process. Because I wanted her then, but now I know I need her. I just hope she needs me. 

My review:

I honestly don’t know how to review this book. Objectively it is a great story. The second chance romance was sweet and sexy. My problem is that Violet’s issues hit way too close to home for me and it dragged me down. Break out the tissues and gird your loins and enjoy.

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No Country for Old Gnomes (The Tales of Pell #2) by Delilah S. Dawson & Kevin Hearne

Blurb:

Go big or go gnome. The New York Times bestselling authors of Kill the Farm Boy return to the world of Pell, the irreverent fantasy universe that recalls Monty Python and Terry Pratchett.

The Skyr is a rich, verdant land claimed by both halflings and gnomes. For centuries, the halflings have worked to undermine gnomish power structures and seize total control--through legal means, certainly, but more insidiously through their extensive organized crime network. Now, threatened with being pushed out entirely, the gnomes are desperate and ready to fight back. Gustave the Goat King faces his first test as a leader: Can he bring peace to a fraught region or will a civil war consume the entire kingdom?

My review:

A mélange of misbegotten creatures go a questing in this compilation of puns, alliterations and out right silliness that overshadows a rather serious plot. The authors draw you in and make you smile in this fabulous follow up to Kill the Farm Boy. While it’s helpful if you’ve read the first this can be read standalone. I heartily recommend.

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Heavenly Protector: Federal Paranormal Unit (Gemma-Hydrox Book (Purple Posse) 3) by LJ Vickery

Blurb:

Thomas Wheeler, director at the FPU has lent his team to the Premier Guard on another planet. He and his right hand human, Martin Galvez, are trying to make a go of the department on their own, but dammit, they need shifters. When he hears about a contingency of six from Gemma-Hydrox who might fit the bill, he’s both elated and stunned, because never in his life has he come across anything like them. 
Reena can’t wait to leave Gemma-Hydrox and start her new job on earth. Having been incarcerated for the majority of her life, she’s only dreamed of seeing new worlds and meeting new people. What she doesn’t anticipate is her new boss, and the things he’s kept deeply hidden…even from himself. He tries to keep distance between them, but she digs in her claws. She knows just what he is, and just how to help him. 

My review:

The FPU is shorthanded so why not recruit from another planet? Gemma-Hydrox volunteers six well trained recruits. They might have neglected to mention that they are purple. Ever the one to make do Director Thomas Wheeler may have to get creative. This is a fun addition to the series. You may enjoy it more if you’ve read Adamant Eve and Keeping Pace by this author but it can be read stand alone.

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Appetite for Blood (The Blood Trilogy Book 5) by Amber Anthony

Blurb:

A revolution is roaring into the 1920s! Vampires, who previously killed to feed, now thrill to feed. The revolution is led by four-hundred-year-old vampire, Rick Hiatt, and his newly turned ward, Matt Brenner. This is not the first time Rick has encountered the brutal treachery of the Moreau family of vampires, but he and Matt seek to make it the last.

Los Angelinos mortal and immortal are under attack by the entitled, remorseless Moreaus. Dragon-shifter Adam Lachlan and seductresses Venus and Luna, team up with Rick and Matt to put an end to the siege. Brute strength won't take these hellions down, but they might be hoodwinked into exposing themselves.

Read about the origins of the fast friendship between Matt, Rick, and Adam, and see how their BDSM empire grew from humble beginnings to an international conglomerate.

My review:

Appetite for Blood is a vampire story that takes place in 1920’s Los Angeles. It is a fascinating tale that I probably would have enjoyed more if I’d read the other stories in the series but stands up fairly well on its own. The characters were different and interesting enough to have me looking into the others in this series. I really liked the time period that this takes place in.

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Caged Heat (Black Meadow Pack #2) by Milly Taiden

Blurb:

Everyone has a bit of a beast inside… 

After five years traveling through third world countries to teach impoverished children, Samira Suarez has returned home to Black Meadows. What Sam didn’t expect was to be instantly overwhelmed by the desire to be with the one man she’s wanted since she was a teen, Riel Karven.

Riel has been patiently waiting for Sam’s return. For five long years he’s backed off and watched her come and go. This is it. His mate is back and he’s taking a stand.

Sam’s need for Ry grows to unimaginable proportions. It’s almost as if she were in heat. But she’s a human…isn’t she?

There’s more at stake than Sam and Ry’s future relationship when she inherits her grandmother’s estate. One of her many relatives wants her out of the way.

It’s going to take all of Ry’s determination and help from his friends to keep her alive. And it’s going to take delving into her past to find out why a human is going into mating heat.

My review:

Caged Heat is a smoking hot tale of love and greed. They say money is the root of all evil and that it changes folks. When Samira Suarez is the major beneficiary of her grandmothers billions the relatives get ugly. If it weren’t for her sexy as sin shifter neighbor she might be dead. Break out the wine and the fan cause this one will steam up your glasses.

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Wicked Temptations (Task Force Hawaii, #5) by Melissa Schroeder

Blurb:

Marcus Floyd made a mistake five years ago. He walked away from a woman he thought he could forget. Finding out they both landed in Hawaii for work, and she is now on his team, makes it impossible to ignore his need for her. Unfortunately, she has made it clear that she wants nothing to do with him.

Tamilya Lowe picked up the pieces of her FBI career after a botched investigation and moved back to Hawaii. She knows working with TFH will have her working with Marcus, and she is convinced she is over him. As they start to piece together the threat, they grow closer, and inevitably end up in bed. The next morning, Tamilya insists that is just a fling with no consequences, so Marcus plays along, biding his time until he can convince her otherwise.

When the terrorist contacts Tamilya, they use that connection to attempt to uncover his next target and unknowingly put her life in jeopardy. As TFH races against the clock, both Marcus and Tamilya discover that they have more to lose than they thought.

My review:

Welcome back to the ohana of the Task Force Hawaii. In this long awaited installment we finally get Marcus and Tamilya’s story. These two have a past and now we get to see if they have a future. That is if they live long enough. This is a sexy, high speed romp that had me smiling and flipping pages as fast as I could read.

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Thrown to the Wolves (Big Bad Wolf #3) by Charlie Adhara

Blurb:

Agent Cooper Dayton is going to meet his boyfriend’s werewolf family. Unarmed. On their turf.

And he’s bringing his cat. 

When Agent Cooper Dayton agreed to attend the funeral for Oliver Park’s grandfather, he didn’t know what he was getting into. Turns out, the deceased was the alpha of the most powerful werewolf pack on the eastern seaboard. And his death is highly suspicious. Regardless, Cooper is determined to love and support Park the way Park has been there for him. 

But Park left him woefully unprepared for the wolf pack politics and etiquette. Rival packs? A seating order at the dinner table? A mysterious figure named the Shepherd? The worst is that Park didn’t tell his family one key thing about Cooper. Cooper feels two steps behind, and reticent Park is no help. 

There are plenty of pack members eager to open up about Park and why Cooper is wrong for him. Their stories make Cooper wonder if he’s holding Park back. But there’s no time to get into it…as lethal tranquilizer darts start to fly, Cooper needs to solve the mystery of the alpha’s death and fight for the man he loves—all before someone else dies. 

Follow Agents Dayton and Park’s turbulent relationship from the beginning. Read The Wolf at the Door and The Wolf at Bay, both available now from Carina Press! 

My review:

This is a werewolf story but it could be about anyone or anything because it is more about relationships than anything else. Park has a complicated relationship with his family and he drags Cooper into it unprepared. I really liked Cooper and the way he handled each trial sent his way. A sweet and sometimes scary read. I didn’t know that this was part of a series when I picked it up but it reads fine standalone. That being said I enjoyed this enough to want to go back and see how Park & Cooper’s relationship began.

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The Lights by Carrie Pack

Blurb:

It's winter break and Molly Monroe is content to enjoy her town's annual Festival of Lights with her girlfriend Chelsea at her side. But almost immediately after the lights go up, the town's children begin to act strangely, especially Molly's own brother, Roger. When their next-door neighbors are killed in a grisly double homicide, Molly begins to suspect the incidents are linked. Now she must convince her parents and the rest of the town to take down the Christmas lights before everyone gets killed.

My review:

This is a creepy intriguing tale I couldn’t put down. I’ll admit it doesn’t take much to scare me but this one had me sleeping with a night light and a teddy bear. If scary is for you I recommend this book.

Buy links:

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Can You Protect Them: Federal Paranormal Unit by Sheri Lyn & Jennifer Wedmore

Blurb:

He was an ordinary guy, who had unusual desires, ones that would dub him a serial killer. Unlike most, he decided to act on his whims. The media dubbed him the Professor, it fit. He was determined to learn new things, stuff others would balk at. The Cops and FBI upped the bets when they caught his trail. 
Detective Remington Conahan was a little jaded and a lot dedicated. When the first body is found, he is called because everyone knows he will give her the justice she deserves. No one's life is worthless to him. 
Grayson Knox is the newest member to join the Federal Paranormal Unit. When he gets a call from an old friend that a witch was killed and there is a threat of a new serial killer, he agrees to help with the investigation. What he didn't expect to find was a man who made him lose sight of why he was here. 
When evil masquerades as a regular man and travels the country, can anyone protect them? 

My review:

m/m

Sick, warped and twisted; Can You Protect Them is a fun m/m addition to the FPU world. I loved the story.  I loved Grayson’s confidence and Remi’s surliness. Well worth the read and I look forward to more.

Buy links:

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