Into the Inferno (Metal Embers Book 4) by Vanessa Rose

 

 

Blurb:

Lacey is a fire—no, an inferno—that can’t be contained. All her life, she was told how much like her grandmother she is, and she lives up to it by being wild, fearless, and unapologetic. All Lacey ever wanted was to be a rock star, and now her dream is within reach. Celebrating the release of the first single from her band, Into the Inferno, is supposed to be the happiest night of her life. However, it is now tainted with violence and pain, the likes of which no one should ever have to suffer. Inside, it feels as if her fire is snuffing out, and her once wild spirit is calming.

Bryant never thought about working in the music industry. He grew up always being good with his hands, but when his friend convinces him to take a summer job working as a roadie, Bryant finds his path. After all, who wants to spend their whole life sitting behind a desk when they can travel the world? With college behind him, and experience under his belt, he returns to the road as a sound engineer for the Fortune of Regret and Into the Inferno national tour. He never expected to become best friends with a rock goddess—one he had met all those years ago on his first job and who still haunts his every thought.

Chaos involving legal problems, self-doubt, and fear consumes Lacey, and she finds peace in her unlikely friendship with a man completely different from her. Bryant is the calm to Lacey’s storm. Will balance bring them peace, or will she burn everything to the ground when her embers spark back to life?

 

My review:

I absolutely loved this story. The author knows how to pull your heartstrings and plays them like a virtuoso. She shows us strength has many forms and love cures many ills. Lacey and Bryant will make you smile and sweat.

 

Buy link:

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Max's Little Girl (Soldier Daddies) by Pepper North

 

 

Blurb:

Saylor Andrews hasn't let down her guard since she witnessed a violent robbery, but when special forces officer Max Zion helps her through a panic attack before taking her home with him, he doesn't just soothe her to sleep and make her come so hard she screams in the morning.

He makes her call him daddy.

And even over his knee with her bottom bare for a spanking or naked and spread on an exam table and about to come for him with the doctor watching, daddy's little girl always feels safe.

 

My review:

From their first meeting the chemistry between Max and Saylor is off the charts. In this installment Max finds his little girl and they are perfect for each other. Max is a big softy and Saylor has a heart of gold. A great addition to the series.

 

Buy link:

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Murder By Symbols: A Detective Colton Baker Thriller by E.M. Kelly

 

 

Blurb:

What does America’s first traitor have to do with a present-day killer?

Stoughton detective, Colton Baker, finds himself wrapped up in a murder investigation his first week on the job. As more bodies turn up, all marked with strange symbols, both the State Police and FBI become involved. Quickly, the investigation turns political.

Baker and Agent Diaz, a young, beautiful FBI academy graduate, put agency grievances and politics aside to begin their hunt for the killer together.

Stoughton, Massachusetts is a town deep rooted in history. Soon, their investigation leads them to the inception of our nation and introduces them to a traitorous founding father. Can information from this small town’s past help decipher the killer’s mysterious messages? Can they crack the code and stop a sadistic killer before they strike again?

Some secrets are worth killing for!

 

My review:

Murder By Symbols introduces us to Colton Baker who is having a rough first day as Stoughton Massachusetts newest detective. His first case is the weird murder of a beloved local fireman, and his week doesn’t get much better. In this fast-paced thriller Colton has to take on a psycho serial killer, a local mob boss, corrupt politicians, a singularly focused FBI agent, an ambitious reporter, and a dad suffering from dementia. With all that on his plate he still manages to put together the clues and find the killer.

I really enjoyed this exciting tale and look forward to the next installment.

 

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With Every Beat: A Metal Embers Novella by Vanessa Rose

 

 

Blurb:

Derrik Hollbrook is getting the opportunity of a lifetime. When he gets hired as the new drummer for Louder in Silence, one of the biggest metalcore bands in the world, he knows he has made it. Nothing matters more to him than drumming and building his career. That is, until she comes into his life. It was a kiss. A steamy kiss from the most beautiful girl he has ever seen. However, when he discovers who she is, his world stops. Derrik can’t be with her–he can’t not be with her either.

Briar Sharp is no longer a child, and she needs everyone to start realizing it. Being the daughter of the overprotective front man for Louder in Silence, Abel Sharp, has kept her dating prospects to a minimum. So, when she runs across a sexy stranger at her graduation party, she takes a chance. Their kiss is electric, and she knows one kiss is never going to be enough. When she finds out who he is, Briar knows her father will never allow them to be together.

Sneaking around and stealing moments, the two of them live in constant fear of being discovered. Can they find a way to be together, or will her family rip them apart and send him packing?

 

My review:

This story starts in the same timeline as Into The Fire but can be read standalone as the author gives us the important parts.

Briar Sharp is the only daughter of a giant rock star. She has been over protected her whole life. But when this story begins she’s eighteen and just graduated from high school. 

When this story begins Derrik is a twenty two year old drummer who has been given the chance of a lifetime joining Louder in Silence.

This is Briar and Derriks love story. We follow them through a messy meet-cute through a black eye and tragedy but their love is true from the very start and I enjoyed watching it grow and flourish.

 

 

 

 

Twisted Road (Torpedo Ink Book 10) by Christine Feehan

 

 

Blurb:

There’s no escaping the pull of desire in this novel in #1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan’s Torpedo Ink motorcycle club series.

When Czar shut down Lazar “Keys” Alexeev’s undercover mission, that should have been the end of the story. Instead, Keys is back in the middle of a nowhere town where a petite redhead with a pouty mouth and a ready smile drives him to distraction. He’s not sure why he’s breaking all of Torpedo Ink’s rules to spend more time around a woman who’s not even his type. He can’t get her out of his head—and now he’s facing the consequences.

Lyric Johansen doesn’t like to look anyone in the eyes, but Keys’s gaze is the one thing keeping her from a full-on panic attack. Her instinct to charge into the fray and help the biker fend off a group of vicious thugs has led to the most insane situation she’s ever been in: trapped in a coffin with a man she barely knows, minutes away from a painful death.

Survival means staying focused. But when Keys kisses Lyric to snap her out of losing it, he’s the one who ends up falling apart. He’ll need to unleash hell to get them out alive.

If only to get another taste….

 

My review:

Keys is a womanizing cad whose motto is one and done. He uses women to feel something/anything so he isn’t so hollow. Lyric had no one to teach her social mores so she’s become something of a mimic. The only person who has seen through her mask is a guy with a mask of his own. Danger, lust and love will have you pulling for Keys and Lyric.

 

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Muu Muus and Murder (A Fashion Writer Mystery Book 6) by J.C. Layne

 

Muu Muus and Murder (A Fashion Writer Mystery Book 6) by J.C. Layne

 

Blurb:

With Posh Vogue Magazine’s Disco Ball ending with a murder, Wren Chase’s life is in disarray. The case isn’t solved, they have no idea who is responsible for the crime, and her boyfriend, Detective Travis Lockhart, is injured with a concussion.

When she thinks it can’t get any worse, Wren collapses, leaving her with her own concussion. Just when the bleakness is about to settle in, a new ghost helper arrives in a haze of confetti and magic. She’s just what the doctor ordered!

While Wren and Travis are out of commission, they have to rely on their friends. How will they ever solve the crime with two concussions, two ghosts, and two flamboyant companions? With a whole lot of magic…that’s how.

 

My review:

Muu Muus and Murder takes up right where Fedoras and Felonies left us hanging. Travis is getting his head stapled after being bashed in with a crowbar Wren passes out from seeing him so injured and ends up with a concussion too. Our heroes are in sad shape and have yet to figure out who the bad guys are. Have no fear our Scooby gang may have a precious kitty instead of a great dane but they manage to get the job done.

I love, love, love this series and can’t get enough.

 

Buy link:

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Kiss Me Forever (Montgomery Ink Legacy Book 10) by Carrie Ann Ryan

 

 

Blurb:

Falling for your enemy is bad. Falling for the man you only call your enemy is worse.

Reece Fox is a decade older than me but I’m his boss. And if the man growls at me one more time, he’s going to learn the true meaning of the Montgomery temper. Yet I can’t stop thinking of him.

After losing my fiancé, I’ve sworn off men, but when Reece does the one thing I never thought he’d do—ask for help—I can’t walk away.

Brooklyn Montgomery is too young for me. She’s not only my boss, but my friend’s family. The definition of forbidden. We both know this. But I can’t keep my hands off of her. When we finally give into the heat between us, there’s no going back.

Only when a little girl shows up at our work, she changes our world completely with one word:

Dad.

Kiss Me Forever is an age gap, workplace, surprise single dad contemporary romance featuring Brooklyn and Reece. Each book can be read as a complete standalone. An HEA is guaranteed!

 

My review:

Kiss Me Forever is a heartwarming, tug at your heartstrings, make you smile and sweat tale that will keep you flipping pages.  Reece and Brooklyn will warm you up and Bella will steal your heart. Can’t recommend this enough.

 

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Monster Match (Sanity Falls #1) by Isabel Jordan

 

 

Blurb:

She met a hot reanimated dead guy at a monster speed dating event. Then things really got weird…

Lucy West wasn’t looking for a husband at the Monster Match. She was just there to admire some gothic architecture and score a free meal.

Then she met him.

Viktor Adamovic defied science. Literally. He was a monster who’d been stitched together from multiple, um, donors and resurrected centuries ago. Lucy liked him immediately. But the protective, possessive beast he kept leashed beneath his polished exterior? She wanted that guy in a big way.

Then the weirdness really hit the fan when he proposed a marriage of convenience. To her!

It seemed like the perfect solution to her problems and his. And in a fairy tale, that would’ve been their happy ending.

Too bad this wasn’t that kind of story.

Because when the ghosts of Viktor’s past come calling, Lucy realizes she’s no princess—and if she wants her happily ever after with the monster of her dreams, she’s going to have to fight for it…and him…

 My review:

Monster Match is a fun Beauty and the Beast/Frankenstein’s Monster take off that will have you laughing and leave you with a smile. Quirky side characters and a great story.

 

Buy links:

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Titus (Nightfall Daddies 2) by Pepper North, Robin North

 

 

Blurb:

Yield to the allure of Nightfall, the city’s shadowy gathering spot for the chosen.

Dare to receive a glowing white or blood moon stamp that reappears mysteriously to grant entry to the hottest club in town. Warning: The owners are ruthless as they hunt for their mates. And they're hungry.

Tasked with pinpointing the weaknesses of Nightfall and the nightclub’s employees, Alessia Costa would rather be anywhere else than the mission her vengeful brother has required of her. As his deposable sister, Alessia’s wellbeing depends on gathering the right information. She doesn’t understand the dynamic bartender’s appeal but finds him irresistible.

A charismatic entertainer, Titus has always enjoyed an appreciative audience. Every evening at Nightfall, women flock to his section at the bar. Behind the charm of his smile and the skill of his drink concoctions, a dark side lurks. He will shield his mate from harm with every fiber of his strength. No one will threaten his Little and survive.

Warning: The Nightfall Daddies are possessive, primal, and do not shy from violence. Step into their club with caution. The faint of heart may find their world disturbing.

 

My review:

Love it! Titus is a showman. Tons of irrepressible fun and no woman can slow him down till he finds his mate. She’s as smitten with him as he is with her. But of course there are impediments to their happiness. I loved watching them fall for each other all while taking out the bad guys. A fun addition to the series bring on Darius.

 

Buy link:

Amazon

Mending Mallory (Rawhide Ranch) by Cooper McKenzie

 

 

Blurb:

Rawhide doesn’t always give you what you want. Sometimes… it gives you exactly what you need.

Determined to fulfill a deathbed promise to live her life to the fullest, Mallory Blackstone comes to Rawhide with very specific ideas for what she wants.

And Fletcher Thomas is not at all what she wants.
Or so she thinks.

But when she finds herself all tied up in the gorgeous younger man’s ropes, her mind quiets for the first time in… well, forever. Every doubt, every worry, every heartbreak fades away, and the longer she’s under Fletcher’s control, the more she craves his dominance.

The more she craves… him.

And while Fletcher may not be everything she thought she wanted, he might be the only man who can give her everything she needs.

 

My review:

Mallory isn’t a “little” but she goes to Rawhide to heal from losing her mother and ditching an abusive boyfriend. She’s just turned fifty but she’s not dead yet and has a lot to learn about herself.  Fletcher comes to Rawhide looking for a rope bunny but finds so much more in Mallory. I love that she’s older yet inexperienced. Fletcher and Mallory made me smile.

 

Buy links:

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Lycrus (Brigade Trucking Book Two) by TK Lawyer

 

 

Blurb:

Was the one meant for him, already in his life?

Lycrus enjoyed the company of women,
Enough to gain a solid reputation as a player and a rake.
It was a badge of honor he deemed unnecessary and unfair.
He wasn’t a player-
He just hadn’t found the right one yet.

Beautiful, smart and sassy,
Chloe was his best friend.
A self-made, independent woman with a cat named Voodoo,
Chloe was also his stepsister.
A romantic rendezvous of any sort with her?

Unthinkable and off limits.

Yet, Lycrus chases off all Chloe’s dates.
None of them are good enough for her.
But something must be done.

Will Chloe and Lycrus realize they may be the key to each other’s happiness?
Or will they keep their forbidden feelings hidden, forever?

 

My review:

I had so looked forward to this book. I love the premise. Morally gray paranormal truckers finding love. I really enjoyed the first installment so was excited for this tale. But then I tried to pronounce the title characters name. I love that he’s a minotaur shifter, Not a whole lot of trucking in this one but theres a whole lot of love.

 

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You Can Tell Me (Olivia Cruz Book 1) by Melinda Leigh

 

Blurb:

Crime writer Olivia Cruz is drawn into the dark secrets of a missing friend in a terrifying novel of suspense by #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author Melinda Leigh.

On the three-year anniversary of true crime writer Olivia Cruz’s horrific kidnapping, she’s scheduled to walk her podcaster friend Zoe March through the crime scene, but Zoe fails to show. Olivia knows Zoe would never stand her up—not today.

Zoe’s husband, who claims she never came home the night before, has reported her missing. But marital conflicts make the police suspect she has left him. Olivia thinks otherwise. The police aren’t looking for Zoe, so Olivia begins her own investigation. Retracing her friend’s last steps, she finds Zoe’s phone and a text with one chilling word: Run.

It soon becomes apparent that Zoe has been keeping secrets, and with her true crime podcast, there’s no telling what she has unearthed. To find her, Olivia must dig into her friend’s past. Did Zoe vanish to escape a killer, and is Olivia walking into a deadly trap?

 

My review:

An exciting new heroine. Olivia is smart, giving and driven. This story is a tale of several mysteries in one. Fast paced with a Gordian knot of clues and red herrings. A wonderful new character I am looking forward to reading more about.

 

Buy links:

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Burned (Dillon Security, #1) by Melissa Schroeder

 

 

Blurb:

She’s been saving his life for years.
He still doesn’t trust her.

Ian Smith left espionage behind for control. At Dillon Security, the rules are simple: protect the client, get paid, don’t get involved. Then there’s Samantha Charles—the woman who’s been interfering in his missions for years, always watching, always stepping in when things go sideways. He doesn’t know who she really is. He just knows she’s trouble—and the last woman he should ever rely on.

Lila Eddington Underwood is used to running. From enemies. From her past. From the bodies left behind when people get too close. But one mistake puts a target on her back—and this time, there’s nowhere left to run.

When her past finally catches up with her, Ian takes control. He refuses to let her out of his sight. Keeping her close is the only way to keep her alive—even if it means trusting a woman who’s spent years lying to him.

As the body count rises and the threat closes in, the line between enemies and something far more dangerous begins to blur. Wanting him could get him killed. Letting her go isn’t an option.

And this time… there may be no way out.

 

My review:

WOW! In this spin-off from the TFH series we finally get to know the mysterious “Sam” who has been aiding them and protecting Ian from afar. Now it’s Ians turn to protect her.  This is a breakneck tail of mystery, intrigue and love. Can’t wait for more in this series.

 

Buy links:

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Lime and Punishment (A Nora Black Midlife Psychic Mystery Book 11) by Renee George

 

Lime and Punishment (A Nora Black Midlife Psychic Mystery Book 11) by Renee George

 

Blurb:

When Nora is tasked with judging a pie-baking contest, one of the contestants is left pucker-faced when she dies under mysterious circumstances.
*****
My name is Nora Black, and at fifty-seven, I’ve learned that life—like key lime pie—is equal parts sweet and tart. Business is booming, my best friends are living their best lives, and I am in a great place in my own relationship. In other words, I’ve never been happier.

Things are finally settling down after that whole murder-on-the-high-seas business, and I haven’t been asked to help on a single police investigation for over a year...that is, until I agree to judge the brand-new annual Key Lime Pie Baking Contest.

Big mistake. Huge. When a contestant ends up more than just pucker-faced by keeling over after the contest ends, my no-murder streak curdles fast.

Is it an accident? A prank gone horribly wrong? Or did someone stir up a recipe for fresh-squeezed murder?

My psychic nose is whipping up memories that are equal parts sweet, sour, and deadly, and I’ll have to sniff out a killer before someone else gets served up cold.

 

My review:

Nora Black has a nose for trouble. In this episode she gets suckered into being a judge for a key lime pie contest, finds a dead body and sniffs out the murderer. This series is filled with small town charm, quirky characters and  loads of fun.

 

Buy links:

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Archangel's Eternity (Guild Hunter #18) by Nalini Singh

 

 

Blurb:

Elena and Raphael return for the hauntingly poignant conclusion to New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh’s genre-defining Guild Hunter series.

A thousand years.

It’s been a millennium since Elena’s fateful first meeting with Archangel Raphael. She has survived war and loss, experienced beauty and cruelty. But no matter what, she has always held on to her mortal heart, as she and Raphael have held on to each other. Passionate and vibrant, they’ve built a life that has stood the test of time, growing ever stronger with each turn of the sun.

But change is coming—of a magnitude they could have never imagined—and it will forever alter the trajectory of their existence.

Even as they grapple with the cataclysmic shift in their personal lives, the Cadre of Ten, which has maintained a hard-won peace for centuries, begins to simmer with dangerous fault lines. The specter of madness looms in one archangel, the promise of war burns between two others, and in darkness far from mortal and immortal eyes stirs an ancient, slumbering power.

Suddenly, the future is terrifyingly uncertain . . . at the very moment that Elena and her archangel need to protect a treasure infinitely more precious than eternity.

 

My review:

This one is for the fans. If you haven’t read the series go back and do that first before reading this fantastic finale.

This story allows us to say farewell to all the beloved characters we’ve met throughout the series. I don’t like goodbyes but this story gives us a way to see the characters off into a future we can play with in our minds knowing they’re out there living and loving. I will miss them.

 

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Garridan (The Marinescu Brothers Book 3) by K.R. Hall

 

 

Blurb:

Garridan Marinescu has been living in America for six hundred years as a representative for the High Council for Supernaturals. With the ability to collect and reverse any powers used against him, he is a formidable force to be reckoned with. But when a powerful threat emerges, he must put his skills to the test to protect those he cares about.


Meanwhile, Amari Durand, a Water Nymph from Carver, overhears a plot to harm the chosen one; she knows she must do everything in her power to stop it. But when she meets Garridan, she is shocked to discover that her inner nymph claims he is their fated mate.


As they join forces to save Inima, the eldest daughter of Victor and Alana, who is destined to rule all shifters, Garridan and Amari must navigate through dangerous territory and uncover the weakness of the Headless Fiend. As their feelings for each other deepen, they must also confront their own inner demons and fears.


They race against time to save Inima, knowing that they have until Halloween to destroy the Headless Fiend.


Will they find the strength to defeat the Headless Fiend and save Inima in time?

 

My review:

This is an intriguing paranormal love story that takes place during the search for a paranormal boogieman all the while running from a stalker with ill intent.

A great addition to the series.

 

Buy links:

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Untamed Flame: Claimed by Ice (Aurora Immortalis #3) by Candace Blevins

Untamed Flame: Claimed by Ice (Aurora Immortalis #3) by Candace Blevins

 

Blurb:

The real tests come when darkness lifts and daylight shines on what they’ve made.

The silo was a temporary playground. Three months of masked balls, feeding frenzies, and nights that bled into one another before the sun’s return ended Mordnik’s endless dark, and real life demanded its due.

But when the season is over, can the magic of what they’ve built survive outside Mordnik’s compressed intensity? Can a relationship forged in crisis endure the harsh daylight of separate schedules and real-world responsibilities?

And if Emmy’s genetic breakthroughs prove viable, what if her dream job is a thousand miles from her men?

The telepathic bond connects their minds, love connects their hearts, but the blood bond would connect their very souls. Does she dare vow to a permanent commitment that will bind her to both men for centuries when she has no idea what the future holds? Does Emmy choose to play it safe, or will she risk everything for a love that defies every rule she’s ever known?

Emmy has always burned bright and fast, leaving wreckage in her wake. Now she’s learning that some flames don’t destroy: they forge steel, illuminate darkness, and light the way through endless night.

She’s building a life she never imagined possible, but for someone who’s spent her whole life running from commitment, forever may be the most dangerous leap of all.


Claimed by Ice completes The Untamed Flame Trilogy with a guaranteed HEA, a page-turning MMF paranormal romance perfect for readers who crave blood bonds and permanent commitments, co-dominant heroes who respect their fierce heroine, thesis defenses and career triumphs, real-world challenges testing supernatural bonds, family reconciliation, service submission with omega wolves, soul-deep connections, living together with found family, and scorching open-door romantacy that delivers emotional intimacy alongside the heat. A binge-worthy completion to Emmy’s journey from chaos to forever.

 

My review:

In this fantastic conclusion  Emmy, Spence and Zander take their love from the seclusion of the Mordnik to the real world and real life problems. Watching Emmy grow throughout this trilogy made it all worthwhile. Definitely a feel good ending.

 

Buy link:

Amazon

 

Deadly Reckoning: Central Florida Stories by Victoria Saccenti

 Deadly Reckoning: Central Florida Stories by Victoria Saccenti

 

Blurb:

Is she a snake in the grass, or an innocent victim?

Pete Brummer excels at his Club Nexus security job, where he’s worked since his friends Kurt and Ethan opened its dungeons. But his personal life is taking a dive. His sometime-sub has moved on. His nights are disrupted by intense nightmares of his best friend’s suicide ten years ago.

Neck-deep in logistics for accommodating a VIP guest—an import/export “businessman” with a suspiciously scrubbed history—he’s shocked to recognize two faces: Gio Accardi, rising crime lord, and the hot number in his entourage, Darcy effing Thomas. Back in high school, when he’d assumed his Dominance was too much for her sweet innocence, she answered his rejection with a string of poor choices that cost more than one life—then she vanished.

Darcy’s hiding a cache of proof against Accardi and needs Pete’s help. Despite the danger, he can’t resist the perfect opportunity to avenge his friend’s death. As he takes her on an extreme sensory journey, he suspects she’s trying too hard to pretend she isn’t enjoying his demands and humiliations. And that maybe she’s not the conniving snake he thought she was, but a woman who’s paid far more than she deserved for the past.

Adults only: Deadly Reckoning is a standalone dark romance, the final book in the Central Florida Stories/Club Nexus universe. TW Visit the author's website for full details.

 

My review:

Deadly Reckoning is a steamy second chance romp that will have you screaming at the walls and turning on the fan. Trust issues and miscommunication, and history are only the surface problems with Pete and Darcy but the chemistry between the two is incendiary and forces them to slow down and find the truth.

 

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Safer With You (Metal Embers Book 2) by Vanessa Rose

 

Blurb:

Krista Keller has the opportunity every author dreams of. Her book is being turned into a movie, and she couldn’t be more excited. When the studio executives ask her to come out to California to consult on the production, she is all too happy to go on an adventure. However, disrupting her routine leads Krista into a spiral filled with wild nights and reckless decisions. If only she would be willing to talk about it with her friends.

Ryder Paris, frontman of Fortune of Regret, has always been a hopeless romantic who wanted nothing more than a good woman by his side. Unfortunately, his dating history is littered with women who only want to use him for his fame. While on a break with the band, he takes an acting job, hoping to expand his talent. He never expects to meet a woman so full of life she can barely be contained. Her wild spirit and deep passion calls to his nature, and no matter how much he tries to tell himself they are just friends, he can’t help but want to be closer to her.

Ryder makes her feel safe. Krista gives him purpose. Together can they fight the demons inside her and bring her back to balance, or will she continue to spiral further into chaos?

Please check the trigger warnings because your mental health matters!

 

My review:

This book wrecked me. The FMC has mental health issues that awakened shadows from my past.  But I was so invested in her journey I just had to see it through. I ended with happy tears.

 

Buy links:

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A Cute Little Murder by Molly Harper

 

 

Blurb:

She used to be the sidekick. Now she might be the only one who can survive.

As teens, Harlow Drake and Lainey Piper built an online fandom solving small-town crimes. Harlow was the star, Lainey the behind-the-scenes genius (and often, Harlow’s scapegoat). Years later, Harlow’s hosting a hit true crime tv show. Lainey? She’s working in forensics. Well, forensic accounting . . . from home. In pajamas. With her cat.

But when Harlow faces significant backlash over fumbling a case, she needs a quick win—like a special investigation into the decades-old disappearance of a starlet from a once-glamorous, now decrepit island hotel. The catch? It’s bankrolled by Deke and Bryce of DBag Games, who are looking to shed their “frat bro” reputations. As long-time fans, they have one requirement for their funding: Lainey has to play the sidekick again.

Lainey is wary, but the offer is a lifeline in a sea of unpaid student loans. After reaching the Crossings Hotel, she realizes she’s not content to be Harlow’s helper anymore. As the cold case heats up, a crew member falls over dead, presenting Harlow and Lainey with a more modern mystery: what secrets does this hotel hide within its walls?

With sabotage, hidden staircases, and a killer in their midst, Lainey steps into the spotlight and takes charge of the investigation. It’s up to her to crack the case—as long as she can stay alive.

 

My review:

Amazing! A wonderful mystery with a cast of quirky characters that you can’t help but relate to. I couldn’t put it down.

 

Buy links:

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Crossroads (Ashford Creek #2) by Carrie Ann Ryan

 

 

Blurb:

When Kiera West needs a place to hide from the media and her ex, she never thought Bodhi Ashford—the man the small town of Ashford Creek once thought a murderer—would be her salvation.

The reclusive, bearded, mountain man has secrets of his own and with one growl, she knew she’d be safe. Sure, he might only talk to her to ask who hurt her, but at least the quiet will let her heal.

When the elusive drummer from one of the biggest rock bands in the world shows up on Bodhi’s doorstep, he needs her to leave yesterday. As soon as he sees the bruises, he knows she needs to stay.

A fire took everything from him once, and the town he thought he could trust turned on him before he could grieve. Falling for a woman in the spotlight is the last thing he needs.

Yet it might be the one thing that could save them both when the darkness of their pasts finally catches up with them.

**Crossroads is a rock star, widower, second chance, small town contemporary suspense in the Ashford Creek series featuring Bodhi and Kiera. Each one can be listened to as a complete standalone. A HEA is guaranteed!**

 

My review:

Bodhi and Kiera will make you laugh, cry and sigh. Life has not been kind to Bodhi and he’s become somewhat of a hermit. Life was just getting good for Kiera when her ex beat her up, she’s hiding out in Ashford Creek on Bodhi’s land leading to a clash of personalities and eventually love. This is a sweet and steamy addition to the series.

 

Buy links:

Amazon

B&N

Axel (Devils' Spawn Daddies #5) by Victoria Saccenti

 

 

Blurb:

He’s done the math. But math is no match for desire…

The Devils’ Spawn made Axel tough. Love? Love left him hard. Closed off to anything but one-night stands. Until one look at Opal shifts his comfort zone sideways. She’s sweet and sassy, the adorable Middle of his dreams. She’s also too damned young. Axel’s done the math. He’s old enough to be her father, for chrissakes.

Throwing himself into work with The Johnson Agency—the investigative arm of the Devils' Spawn—is the only solution. He almost succeeds in keeping Opal and her longing eyes off his radar. But a string of campus disappearances and a dangerous stalker forces Axel to make the choice to sweep her away to safety.

Alone in Axel’s secluded cabin, Opal reveals the one truth that shatters Axel’s defenses. She needs a Daddy Dominant, and Axel is the only one she’s ever wanted. But Opal’s stalker is tracking her down, and Axel will risk anything to keep her out of harm’s way. Even his own life.

TW: Age-gap, Daddy kink. DD/Lg.

 

My review:

Axel is convinced that Opal is all wrong for him. He’s too old, she’s the daughter of a friend. And he oh so wants her. Opal has known from first sight that Axel is the man for her. She can’t understand why he’s avoiding her. When these two finally get together it is explosive. Their story is filled with action adventure and love.

 

Buy link:

Amazon

Gorilla’s Little Flower (Bratburg Daddies Book 7) by Cooper McKenzie

 

Blurb:

“I’m your Daddy. And you are my mate, and my Little girl. Kind of cool how that works out, huh?”

For Lily Knight, it was supposed to be just another mission.

Go to Bratburg. Blend in with the Littles. Find enough dirt to get the place closed down, once and for all.

Simple, right?

Except she’s got to outrun an ex-boss that wants to kill her, and now there’s a grumpy gorilla shifter named Sailor claiming he’s her forever Daddy.

Lily just wants to complete her mission so she can move on to the next one.

But the more she plays as Sailor’s Little girl, the more she wants the role for real.

When Lily’s past catches up with her, and Sailor gets injured trying to protect her, Lily has a choice to make.

Does she complete the job she came to do, or does she jump ship and run straight into Daddy’s arms?

 

My review:

Gorilla’s Little Flower, the latest installment in the Bratburg Daddies is just as sweet as the others in the series. In this one Special Investigations Agent Lily Knight, aka The Chameleon, has been sent in to find a reason to shut down Bratburg. She never expected to have her whole world turned upside down by gorilla shifter Sailor. He is smitten from first sniff and he will Daddy the heck out of her till she gives in. I really enjoyed watching Sailor fight his primal urges and the care he gives to Lily. Another fun addition to the series.

 

Buy link:

Amazon

Untamed Flame: Winter's Grip (Aurora Immortalis #2) by Candace Blevins

 

 

Blurb:

Emmy isn’t the same dragon who arrived in Alaska desperate and defiant. In Mordnik’s endless winter darkness, she’s found something she never expected: two men who see past the chaos to the brilliant scientist beneath. She’s found a home.

In the silo’s hierarchical, decadent world of masked balls and feeding frenzies, Emmy hears her mother’s advice, given consistently since toddlerhood: Never lower your shields. Not for anyone. Especially not around vampires.

Love demands trust. Trust requires a leap of faith. And Emmy’s never been good at either.

Can she open the door? Or will winter’s grip keep her frozen, locked behind walls that protect her but leave her desperately alone?

Winter’s Grip continues The Untamed Flame Trilogy, a scorching paranormal romance featuring a dragon shifter scientist, a powerful vampire, and a submissive omega werewolf forming an unconventional triangle in Alaska’s darkest season. Perfect for readers who crave MMF romantasy with co-dominant dynamics, masked balls and decadent feeding frenzies, power exchange with mutual respect and emotional depth, found family, thesis breakthroughs, the terrifying beauty of learning to trust, reverse harem vibes, and open-door spicy scenes with bisexual characters. Cliffhanger ending, but a guaranteed HEA in book three, available April 30, 2026

 

My review:

As Emmy, Spence and Zander grow ever closer things are great but not perfect. Theres the age and power differences and the fact that Zander is chafing for Emmy to trust him enough to lower Her shields. Then there is telling Emmy’s parents. This is a bridge from the first book to the last and I look forward to seeing how they resolve their issues. Enjoyable.

 

Buy links:

Amazon