The Arrangement: A Plainclothes Tootsie Mystery by M. Ravenel

 

 

 

Blurb:

Another case has fallen onto the desk of Tootsie Carter; a female detective armed with a snub-nosed Colt .38, unmatchable wit, and a pocketful of Tootsie Rolls.

New York City, 1975

A missing wife. The seedy underbelly of the boxing world. Lace your gloves and ring the bell, PI Tootsie Carter is on the case.

When a desperate man stumbles into her office, pleading for help locating his wife, Tootsie launches into the investigation.

Following the clues, she uncovers a boxing racketeer with a deadly agenda. Can Tootsie deliver the one-two punch that brings the woman home safe? Or will more bodies fall to the mats?

 

My review:

The author takes you to 1975 NYC and having lived there then I have to say she nailed the atmosphere of the times. Tootsie is a smart woman driven to emulate her hero Dick Tracy but found that sexism in the Police Department was so rampant she wasn’t going to be able to make the difference she feels compelled to effect. We go back to the days of Howard Cosell and Don King when boxing was new again but criminals were still trying to make a buck off of the athletes putting their bodies on the line. Tootsie and her friends are a terrific read and made me nostalgic for the old neighborhood.

 

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Staked in the Midlife (Fanged After Forty #2) by Lia Davis and L.A. Boruff

 

Blurb:

Vampire.
Bounty Hunter.
Middle-aged babe. Maybe?

Now that Hailey is solidly settled in Philadelphia and her new vampire life, she’s setting roots, tracking down criminals, and taking names. Things have happened so fast starting the moment she moved into her new home.

But she’s not one to sit on her duff and let life pass her by. Even an undead life.

With her best friend, new friends, and her Mr. Buttinski Brother, Hailey is ready to take on the world and deal with what life has given her, one night at a time.

But she didn’t bargain for taking on the vampire elder council. Yeesh. This may be a little more than she can chew... er, suck. Bite?

Somehow, Hailey must pass their challenges and survive the next bit of shocking news coming her way. Something a certain vampire maker is going to drop in her lap during the big trial with the elders.

She’s going to make it work and get herself and Jax out of this mess. These elders got nothing on Hailey Whitfield.

 

My review:

Newb vampire Hailey and her maker head to Milan to justify her existence to the vampire council in this hilarious addition to the Fanged After Forty series. I giggle-snorted my way through what could have been deadly for Jax and Hailey. I loved it right up to the bomb the authors (through Jax) dropped on us at the end. I am eagerly awaiting the next installment.

 

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Mile High with a Vampire (Argeneau #33) by Lynsay Sands

 

 

Blurb:

In the latest Argeneau novel from New York Times bestselling author Lynsay Sands, an immortal and her mortal pilot are on the run from hungry vampires...and discover they’re life mates along the way. 

Jet Lassiter likes being a pilot for Argeneau Inc. Perks included travelling to exotic locations and meeting interesting people, even if they are the blood-sucking kind. He’s living the good life, until his plane goes down in the mountains and four of his passengers are gravely injured. They need blood to heal... and Jet is the only source.

Quinn Peters never wanted to be immortal. Once a renowned heart surgeon, she was turned against her will and now she has to drink blood to survive. Before she can ask how her “life” can get any worse, she’s in a plane crash. One of the few survivors, Quinn is desperate to get the mortal pilot to safety before her fellow immortals succumb to their blood lust and drain Jet dry.

But hungry vampires are the least of their worries—the crash wasn’t an accident, and someone is trying to kill Quinn. Will she and Jet find their happily ever after as life mates, or will her assassin find her first?

 

My review:

I LOVED THIS STORY! In this installment our heroine Quinn Peters was forcefully turned by her ex four years earlier. Despite being brilliant Quinn did not take this well at all and has been hiding from all things immortal since.  When the plane she and other immortals are flying in goes down it is up to her to save the human pilot from bloodthirsty injured immortals. The human pilot knows more about being an immortal than Quinn does. Watching Quinn and Jet learn about each other and the world they live in was sweet and exciting and oh so fun. I loved that Quinn wasn’t perfect and was reaching out for help.

 

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Carnage in a Pear Tree (Marshmallow Hollow Mysteries Book 4) by Dakota Cassidy

 

 

Blurb:

Welcome to Marshmallow Hollow, Maine, a holiday mystery, where it's all Christmas all the time and murder is hung by the chimney with care...

Hellooo! I'm at it again, and only a day after my last run-in with a killer!

Hobbs and I are growing closer and closer, but there always seems to be a mystery waiting for us just around the corner, nipping at our heels and thwarting our hot romance.

A very nice waiter named Joey Scarpetti, from the Marshmallow Hollow Ski Lodge is dead, and it happened in my backyard in my pear tree, no less. So what’s a girl to do but investigate?

On top of that, I catch Hobbs having coffee with a very stylish, flawlessly beautiful, natural blonde (hair envy here!), and I’m in a bit of a tizzy.

But when I have a gruesome vision of a young woman, so grief-stricken she wants to leave this plane forever, I know I have to find out if my vision is from a future event and if so, is there a way I can prevent a horrible tragedy?

All bets are off the table as I hunt for a killer and try and save a young woman’s life!

 

My review:

This story picks up right where One Corpse Open Slay left off.  This story features a twisted mystery, visions that may or may not be related to the murder, a hunky boyfriend with secrets of his own and all the craziness that is Halliday Valentine. I laughed and wondered and wondered again. But mostly I enjoyed and look forward to my next visit to Marshmallow Hollow.

 

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Birthday Blunder (Witching After Forty) by Lia Davis & L.A. Boruff

 

 

Blurb:

Olivia has to throw Drew a birthday party with the help of the magical menagerie.

And it all goes wrong.

Despite her best intentions, Olivia can’t make things happen today. Winston, Ava’s semi-aware house, doesn’t like the fact that Olivia is there baking while Ava isn’t home.

Hey, at least Ava can be sure she doesn’t need a security system.

 

My review:

Birthday Blunder is a quick and fun romp in the Witching After Forty world. This is for the fans. Olivia takes on Winston the entity that rules Ava’s house. Like the rest of us eventually Olivia wins it over too. Lots of fun.

 

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Craving Vengeance, A Nick Spinelli Mystery (Nick Spinelli #2) by Valerie J. Clarizio

 

 

Blurb:

Nick Spinelli's normal life as a homicide detective has been catapulted into a whirlwind of chaotic holiday adventures ever since he met the beautiful Shannon O'Hara.

Nick had hoped to spend his first Valentine's Day with Shannon in a traditional manner, starting with a nice dinner out on the town and then perhaps a long warm adventurous night in her arms. His plans quickly change when cupid is found murdered in a back alley. The investigation becomes more and more inconceivable, as Spinelli discovers that Shannon is linked to the victim. When another cupid turns up dead, and it is discovered that Shannon knows him as well, Spinelli is motivated to go undercover as a singing valentine dressed as cupid, complete with wings and a quiver of arrows. How many other cupids are at risk? Is Spinelli on the killer's list as well? The stress ignited by the day's events causes sparks to fly between Spinelli and Shannon as he struggles to piece it all together and stop the string of slayings.

 

My review:

Craving Vengeance is the second story featuring homicide detective Nick Spinelli and social worker Shannon O'Hara. This story has Nick dealing with unaccustomed feelings for Shannon all while trying to solve a series of freaky murders all on Valentines Day. I loved watching Nick on uneasy footing and his interactions with his new partners. This is a smart and quirky mystery.

 

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True Dead (Jane Yellowrock #14) by Faith Hunter

 

Blurb:

Jane Yellowrock goes back to the city where it all began in the newest installment of this thrilling New York Times bestselling series.

Jane used to hunt vampires, but now she’s their queen. She’s holed up in the mountains with the Yellowrock Clan, enjoying a little peace, when a surprise attack on her people proves that trouble is brewing. Someone is using very old magic to launch a bid for power, and it’s all tied to the place where Jane was first drawn into the world of Leo Pellissier—the city of New Orleans.

Jane is compelled to return to NOLA because someone is trying to destabilize the paranormal world order. And because she now sits near the top of the vampire world, the assault is her problem. She will do what she must to protect what’s hers. Her city. Her people. Her power. Her crown.

 

My review:

True Dead is an exciting addition to the Jane Yellowrock saga. This is NOT the book to start this series with as you’ll get lost easily but for those that have enjoyed Jane/Beast’s journey to this point strap in and gird yourself for a thrilling ride with ups and downs you’d never guess at and some you might have.

 

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Twilight Chosen (City Wolves Book 1) by Milly Taiden

 

 

 

Blurb:

Annika Sharp has two goals in life. She needs to take back her family business from her evil stepfather, and she has to protect her beloved family home. When the sexy Banks Amana gets all roped into her plans, Annika knows she’s in trouble… Then she witnesses a murder, redefining what trouble means.

Banks Amana, an alpha wolf shifter, runs his family’s multiple business ventures. He likes order and quiet. He doesn’t need to plan for the future. No mate or kids will mess up his peaceful existence. A chance meeting with his mate turns his world upside down, again and again, until he has to make a choice: Annika or peace.

Thrown together by circumstances, Annika and Banks want two very different lives. Will they realize they need each other? Or will the fated mates let their differences tear them apart?

 

My review:

Twilight Chosen is an enchanting tale of opposites getting what they need which isn’t exactly what they thought it was but oh do they delight in what they get.  Annika is taken advantage of by those who were to protect her but it hasn’t jaded her. Banks was raised in a big boisterous home filled with love but all he wants is quiet. Banks and Annika shouldn’t work but they do. So very well.  This is a sweet and sexy escape. I loved it.

 

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Serve 'N' Protect (Federal K-9 #5) by Tee O'Fallon

 

 

Blurb:

Ambushed and left for dead, U.S. Secret Service K-9 Officer Markus York is on the mend and laying low in a safe house while his team tracks down his attacker. But Markus isn’t good at sitting still. Even with his K-9, Ghost, for company, he gets restless and decides now is the perfect time to do some repairs around the house…and inadvertently tears open his wounds.

Fresh out of a bad relationship that ended after a car accident left her with limited mobility, freelance accountant Cassidy Morgan has sworn off men. At least, that’s the plan. Until a frantically barking dog leads her to a neighbor’s house where she finds a mysterious man out cold and bleeding on the floor...and mumbling things like “no, they’ll find me” when she tries to call an ambulance.

Yeah, that’s not at all concerning.

Despite Markus’s surly attitude, Cassidy senses there’s something else at work beneath his rugged, keep-your-distance exterior. Whatever it is, it’s sexy as hell.

With someone still trying to kill him, Markus doesn’t want an innocent to get hurt, let alone take care of him.

If only his dog wasn’t crazy in love with her.

If only the chemistry between Markus and Cassidy didn’t explode whenever they were in the same room.

If only Cassidy wasn’t a target now, too. 

 

My review:

Serve 'N' Protect is an exciting addition to the Federal K9 series but can be read standalone. Two mysteries and a love story in one hair raising adventure. Markus is a smart if emotionally stunted U.S. Secret Service K-9 Officer recovering from an injury with his K9 partner Ghost. Cassidy is a freelance CPA recovering from her own injuries both physical and emotional. These characters are both a hot mess but they are perfect for each other. This book had me on the edge of my seat flipping pages and sighing with relief at the end. Personally, I think Ghost steals the show on more than one occasion.

 

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Once Ghosted, Twice Shy (Ghosted Cozy Mysteries, #1) by Jessica Arden

 

Blurb:

Professor Pickett in the cafe with the Mardi Gras beads?

New Orleans ghost tour gift shop manager, Paige Harrington, makes a wish for her twenty-fifth birthday: to find the one thing she can be as passionate about as her cancer-curing scientist parents.

She doesn’t, however, expect her calling to come in the form of a mysterious app on her phone that matches her up with the ghost of a cute bartender who wants her to solve his murder. Nor for her pet hedgehog, Auguste, to start talking to her with a French accent.

When her favorite professor turned cafe owner, Liz Pickett, is framed for the murder, Paige can’t sit by and let all of this happen. Even if uncovering the truth means tangling with the Enclave, a secret society with the power and connections to make someone like her asking too many questions disappear without a trace.

With the Enclave and their dark secrets dogging at her heels, Paige will have to step up her sleuthing skills and unmask the real killer before she ends up their next victim.

 

My review:

Once Ghosted, Twice Shy is a fun cozy starring a young woman coming into her own and helping out a friend being wrongly accused of murder. She has help, of course, in the ghost of the victim, the ghosts of her grandmother and her grandmothers bff, a talking hedgehog and her ex-boyfriend. Paige is likeable and quirky and fits right in in New Orleans. This was a sweet start to a new series and I look forward to future adventures with Paige and company.

 

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Right Behind Her (Bree Taggert #4) by Melinda Leigh

 

 

 

Blurb:

The discovery of human remains unearths another nightmare from Sheriff Bree Taggert’s past in a bone-chilling thriller by #1 Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Melinda Leigh.

Twenty-seven years ago, Sheriff Bree Taggert’s father killed her mother, then himself. Now Bree and her younger brother, Adam, find human bones on the grounds of their abandoned family farm. The remains are those of a man and a woman, both murdered in the same horrible way.

When the investigation determines the murders occurred thirty years ago, Bree’s dead father becomes a suspect, forcing Bree to revisit the brutal night she’s spent most of her life trying to forget. The only other suspect is an unlikely squatter on the Taggert farm who claims to know secrets about Bree’s past. When he mysteriously disappears and Bree’s niece is kidnapped, the cold case heats up.

Bree has stoked the rage of a murderer who’ll do anything to keep his identity—and motives—a secret. To protect everyone she loves, Bree must confront a killer. 

 

My review:

Bree’s past has made her who she is but until she deals with it she can’t move forward and she has a lot in her life to move forward to. In Right Behind Her Bree is going to be forced into confronting her past and if she survives embracing her future. Like the others in this series there is an interesting case to be solved and various personalities to be dealt with. I really enjoy this series and loved this installment. Heartily recommend.

 

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Alien Ambush: Captain Liz Laika Mysteries 2 by Nikki Haverstock

 

 

Blurb:

For everything there is a season…
Captain Liz Laika and crew have a new assignment: escorting the Mother Love’s Traveling Intergalactic Troupe on their galactic tour. The final stop is where Liz started her career, Epsilon Violet, a lush, forested planet with multiple research stations, and the scrappy captain looks forward to reconnecting with her old boss. But when the first troupe performance ends with a prop phaser that is actually quite deadly, all plans go off the rails. Now Liz is investigating an accident that may not be that accidental. Can she keep her crew and friends safe when even more goes wrong?

 

My review:

Captain Liz and crew are back and at the tail end of an assignment that she will be glad to see the last of. Sadly nothing works that easy for Liz and this last stop brings past and present to a head and when her charges start ending up dead Liz is going to find out why if it kills her and it may just.

This is a terrific space opera that will have you rooting for the good guys and wondering who the bad guys are.

 

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Betting on His BF (Nerds vs Jocks) by Eli Easton & Tara Lain

 

Blurb:

Big Bet. Big Trouble. Big Love.

When Felix the Quiz Bowl Champion reveals other oversized assets besides his brain, it takes PJ, the super-wheeler-dealer, to wangle maximum profits from it—in bets, wet jock strap contests, and Wang of the Week.

But winning money turns out to be second to falling in lust, and sexual escapades replace time at the poker tables as the number-one activity of their wicked week in Vegas.

Still, accepting the hospitality of PJ’s father’s client, the mobster Joey Oretano, proves a nearly fatal money-saving scheme, and brings Felix and PJ face-to-face with the serious side of life.
Very. Serious.

Will someone take the chance to be a hero?
Or will someone wind up dead?

BETTING ON HIS BF is a friends-to-lovers, bisexual awakening, what-happens-in-Vegas-can-win-you-money, dash-of-suspense, MM romance—with large assets. 

 

My review:

Betting on His BF is a delightful addition to the Nerds vs Jocks series by Eli Easton & Tara Lain. Felix may be smart, short and thin but he is quite the stud on campus. PJ is an athlete and no dummy. When the Nerds and Jocks were forced to get along Felix and PJ became friends. They plan a trip to Las Vegas to find some fun. What they find is so much more. This story is filled with love, fear and laugh out loud hijinks. I absolutely adored this story.

 

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Covert Exposure (Nick Spinelli #1) by Valerie J. Clarizio

 

 

Blurb:

He’s a hardened homicide detective.
She’s a do-gooder social worker.
When their worlds collide, more than murder is exposed.

Detective Spinelli's life is tossed sideways when he is reassigned from the Homicide division to assist in the Child Services division of the Social Services Department for the holiday season.

Caseworker Shannon O’Hara moonlights as Santa Claus's little helper at the mall, and when Santa and an elf turn up dead, she appears to be next on the killer's list.

Spinelli and Shannon are forced to work together to solve the murders and keep Shannon from becoming the next victim. The trouble is they have wildly different philosophies about dealing with clientele and how best to solve these crimes. Their unwanted attraction to each other triggers additional stress for the two. Will Spinelli be able to complete his job without losing his heart?

 

My review:

Covert Exposure is a wonderful romantic suspense novel. Take a hard bitten homicide detective and assign him to a soft hearted social services worker who sets his libido on fire. He rediscovers his heart and she learns to let go. When two people close to her are murdered it’s up to Spinelli to find the killer and keep her safe. I enjoyed this story by new to me author Valerie J. Clarizio but will definitely be getting the next book in this series.

 

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Sammi and the Jersey Bull (FUC Academy Book 21) by C.D. Gorri

 

 

Blurb:

A hedgie charged with identity theft. A bull with questionable familial associations. Tofu Taco Tuesdays are about to get real at FUC Academy.

A FUCN’A graduate, Samantha Andrews is eager to rise in the ranks. The thing is she’s kinda sorta allergic to violence. In other words, things get prickly when this hedgie sniffs danger. When a position opens on campus, she jumps at the chance. Say hello to the new Conflict Resolution & Situation De-escalation Counselor!

Of course, acting as a shoulder to lean on for new cadets isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Longing for more, she isn’t prepared for her reaction when a stranger comes to FUCN’A. Especially when he accuses her of criminal activity!

Sergio Gravino is just another PRIC visiting the Rockies as far as anyone knows. His real mission is to find the identity thief who has left one shifter brutally injured. Hot on his target’s trail, imagine Sergio’s shock when his prime suspect turns out to be his mate.

Can Sammi convince him she’s innocent?

*This paranormal romance is an EveL Worlds novella set in Eve Langlais’ Furry United Coalition (F.U.C.) World!

 

My review:

Sammi and the Jersey Bull is a laugh out loud addition to the FUC Academy world. The acronyms alone; oy! Sergio Gravino is a Bull shifter and a stubborn detective Sammi is an accident prone hedgehog shifter and when these two cross paths watch out! I laughed myself silly.

 

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A Terrible Fall of Angels (Zaniel Havelock #1) by Laurell K. Hamilton

 

 

Blurb:

Angels walk among us, but so do other unearthly beings in this brand new series by #1 New York Times Bestselling author Laurell K. Hamilton.

Meet Detective Zaniel Havelock, a man with the special ability to communicate directly with angels. A former trained Angel speaker, he devoted his life to serving both the celestial beings and his fellow humans with his gift, but a terrible betrayal compelled him to leave that life behind. Now he’s a cop who is still working on the side of angels. But where there are angels, there are also demons. There’s no question that there’s evil at work when he’s called in to examine the murder scene of a college student—but is it just the evil that one human being can do to another, or is it something more? When demonic possession is a possibility, even angelic protection can only go so far. The race is on to stop a killer before he finds his next victim, as Zaniel is forced to confront his own very personal demons, and the past he never truly left behind.

 

My review:

A Terrible Fall of Angels is the first in a new paranormal police procedural from Laurell K. Hamilton. I had no expectations when I picked this up but I thoroughly enjoyed this story. This is a cerebral thriller that takes place in a vividly different world than ours. Zaniel Havelock is a detective with a past and a skill set unlike any others. Trained as an Angel speaker from a young age he left that world behind and joined the military then the police force handling mystical crimes. In this story his past comes to mess with his future. Zaniel is a complex character but totally relatable. This story left me wanting more.

 

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My Next Play (On My Own #3) by Carrie Ann Ryan

 

Blurb:

What happens when you fall for your best friend, but they fall in love with someone else? Nothing is what it seems in this unrequited love, new adult romance.

Miles knew Nessa never had eyes for him.  Only when someone new tries to hurt her, he knows he can’t stand back any longer. It’s time she finds out the man he is behind the glasses and beneath the shell he wrapped himself in.

But now he has to hope that once she sees the real him, she’ll stay. Because he doesn’t want to let go, even if someone else tries to make that choice for them both.

 

My review:

Carrie Ann Ryan has done it again! My Next Play is Miles and Nessa’s story and as with each book by this author I couldn’t help but fall for her characters as they wrestle with self-esteem and life. They manage to find love among the turmoil. A heartwarming addition to the series but can be read standalone.

 

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Pursued Dragon Mate by Kim Frost

 

 

Blurb:

Fate is powerful. Seductive. And dangerous.

TANNER

I’m on a road trip when fate hits me, drawing me to the rarest dragon treasure there is—a fated mate. She’s so sexy and compelling I want to claim her in every way there is. But I’ve got two problems. First, one of the shady original fae is trying to take her away from me. And second, my stunning potential mate has no idea magic is real.

Things get complicated fast. She’s determined to pump the breaks on us, but that’s not how this works. She’s mine, and she’s in danger. That means we need to stay together—indefinitely.

ANYA

My attraction to this beautiful stranger is epic. The cocktail of a savage six-pack and skin that smells like spices and smoke is intoxicating. But I know better than anyone that it’s dangerous to let my guard down. Deadly creatures are pursuing me, and it could be tied to a tragedy from years ago.

Fate wants to claim me, but I won’t let dangerous forces take over my life without a fight.

 

My review:

Pursued Dragon Mate by Kim Frost is the sexy new start to a series world filled with dragons, fae, vampires and magic. It took me a bit to like the characters.  Tanner was pushy and convinced he had the right to push Anya to do what he wanted. Anya just hit a wrong nerve with me but as I stuck with it I learned to like and admire these characters and look forward to seeing where the author takes them. 

 

Buy links:

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