Pathways (Valdemar Anthology #11) by Mercedes Lackey

Blurb:

The eleventh anthology of short stories set in Mercedes Lackey's beloved Valdemar universe features stories by debut and established authors and a brand-new story from Lackey herself

The Heralds of Valdemar are the kingdom’s ancient order of protectors. They are drawn from all across the land, from all walks of life, and at all ages—and all are Gifted with abilities beyond those of normal men and women. They are Mindspeakers, FarSeers, Empaths, ForeSeers, Firestarters, FarSpeakers, and more. These inborn talents—combined with training as emissaries, spies, judges, diplomats, scouts, counselors, warriors, and more—make them indispensable to their monarch and realm. Sought and Chosen by mysterious horse-like Companions, they are bonded for life to these telepathic, enigmatic creatures. The Heralds of Valdemar and their Companions ride circuit throughout the kingdom, protecting the peace and, when necessary, defending their land and monarch.

Now, twenty-three authors ride with Mercedes Lackey to her magical land of Valdemar, adding their own unique voices to the Heralds, Bards, Healers, and other heroes of this beloved fantasy realm. 

Join Janny Wurts, Elisabeth Waters, Michele Lang, Fiona Patton, and others in twenty-four original stories, including a brand-new novella by Mercedes Lackey, all set in Valdemar, where:

A young woman without any of the Heralds’ Gifts must see a Companion safely delivered to Haven....

A Herald must revisit the mysteries of his childhood to save his own young family and combat a threat at the very heart of Valdemar....

A Hawkbrother flees for his life, trailed by a mysterious bird that prophesizes a dire future....

A mage must choose whether to steal a priceless artifact and be branded a thief and traitor, or let his country fall to magic that could prove far more deadly....

My review:

Pathways takes us back to the fabulous world of Mercedes Lackey’s Valdemar, a place I love to visit and revisit as often as I can. It’s a world of magic and fantasy where there is no one true way. This anthology has 23 stories and there isn’t a bad one in the book. Enjoy these stories of heralds, healers, bards and regular folks in extraordinary conditions. I did. I love that these stories are true to the feeling of Valdemar and have to admit that they left me a bit nostalgic. If you are a fan of the Valdemar series you are going to enjoy this book.

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Wolf Hunger (SWAT: Special Wolf Alpha Team #7) by Paige Tyler

Blurb:

Wolf shifter and SWAT Officer Max Lowry falls hard for she-wolf Lana Mason, but things spiral out of control when wolf hunters track her down, and Max realizes Lana has no idea who--or what--she really is.

SWAT Series:
Hungry Like the Wolf (Book 1)
Wolf Trouble (Book 2)
In the Company of Wolves (Book 3)
To Love a Wolf (Book 4)
Wolf Unleashed (Book 5)
Wolf Hunt (Book 6)
Wolf Hunger (Book 7)

My review:

Warning this book has domestic violence triggers

Max the youngest member of the Dallas SWAT team finds his ONE. Amongst the craziness that goes with that Max is dealing with a family that reminds him of his own dealing with an abusive father and the fact that the Hunters seem to be out to get his girl. This is a sweet and exciting addition to the series.

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The Best Corpse for the Job (Lindenshaw Mysteries #1) by Charlie Cochrane

Blurb:

Tea and sympathy have never been so deadly. 

Schoolteacher Adam Matthews just wants to help select a new headteacher and go home. The governors at Lindenshaw St Crispin’s have already failed miserably at finding the right candidate, so it’s make or break this second time round. But when one of the applicants is found strangled in the school, what should have been a straightforward decision turns tempestuous as a flash flood in their small English village. 

Inspector Robin Bright isn’t thrilled to be back at St. Crispin’s. Memories of his days there are foul enough without tossing in a complicated murder case. And that handsome young teacher has him reminding himself not to fraternize with a witness. But it’s not long before Robin is relying on Adam for more than just his testimony. 

As secrets amongst the governors emerge and a second person turns up dead, Robin needs to focus less on Adam and more on his investigation. But there are too many suspects, too many lies, and too many loose ends. Before they know it, Robin and Adam are fighting for their lives and their hearts. 

My review:

This was my first story by this author. If you love the British mystery shows on PBS you will love this book.

A murder at a school interviewing for a new headteacher introduces us to Inspector Robin Bright and his sidekick Sargent Anderson. There are sparks between Robin and one of the teachers Adam which is really sweet. I truly loved the mystery and had several suspects (all wrong). I want a Campbell of my own but for the drool and food bill.

Even if you don’t like m/m you should enjoy this story as anything other than a kiss happens behind closed doors.  

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One Last First Date (Cozy Cottage Café #1) by Kate O'Keeffe

Blurb:

Cassie Dunhill and her friends make a pact to marry the next guy they each date. What could possibly go wrong?

Cassie Dunhill is sick of dating. It’s been ten years and it’s time, time to find The One. It’s either that or buy a fetching habit and veil and abandon the whole thing. But Cassie believes in love, and she’s not ready to give up yet. 

Cassie and her best friends make a pact that the next date they go on will be their One Last First Date. The pressure is on to find Mr. Right, and Cassie’s the first to find him: Parker Hamilton. He’s good-looking, smart, cultured—and a doctor. Despite his obvious credentials, Cassie’s not taking any chances. She’s vetted Parker so thoroughly she could offer some pointers to the CIA. Needless to say, he passes with flying colors.

Things get complicated when Will Jordan, her irritating work colleague, muscles in on her dream job and her love life. Will is a typical guy, complete with nicknames for everyone, even Cassie. His good looks and relaxed, easy nature can be distracting. But Cassie can do without that kind of distraction right now, no matter how good Will looks with his shirt off.

In the end, is there only One Last First Date?

Escape to New Zealand in this fun, feel-good chick lit story.

My review:

One Last First Date is a fun, feel good romance. It is rare that I like the hero better than the heroine but it happened in this book. It took me a bit to warm up to Cassie but I was enjoying the interaction between her and Will from the start. If you want a story that will leave you with a smile on your face read One Last First Date.

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No Regrets book 1 is celebrating it's first year anniversary

“Every nerve in my body was in overdrive. Every touch of his hands, lips and tongue felt like fireworks of pure pleasure bursting inside of me”
Read the story that started it all..
No Regrets book 1 is FREE on Amazon for a limited time.
Grab your FREE copy:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N2JE3NT
Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01N2JE3NT
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N2JE3NT
Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B01N2JE3NT

Blurb:
If life ever taught me anything, it’s that nothing should be taken for granted.
One moment is all it takes to break a promise…Friendship becomes love
One second is all it takes to end a life…Love becomes pain
One distraction is all it took to change our destiny…Pain becomes hate
One moment. One second. One distraction.
Hate becomes consuming
I’m in love with my best friend and that one second changed everything.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipb42dfSqr4&t=4s
#NoRegretsOneyearAnniversary
#AimeeNoalane #NoRegretsSeries #Free #authorsofinstagram

Hardcore Twenty-Four (Stephanie Plum #24) by Janet Evanovich

Blurb:

Janet Evanovich’s #1 New York Times bestselling sensation Stephanie Plum returns in her twenty-fourth thriller as mutilated corpses litter the streets of New Jersey...

Trouble comes in bunches for Stephanie Plum. First, professional grave robber and semi-professional loon, Simon Diggery, won’t let her take him in until she agrees to care for his boa constrictor, Ethel. Stephanie’s main qualification for babysitting an extremely large snake is that she owns a stun gun—whether that’s for use on the wandering serpent or the petrified neighbors remains to be seen.

Events take a dark turn when headless bodies start appearing across town. At first, it’s just corpses from a funeral home and the morgue that have had the heads removed. But when a homeless man is murdered and dumped behind a church Stephanie knows that she’s the only one with a prayer of catching this killer.

If all that’s not enough, Diesel’s back in town. The 6-foot-tall, blonde-haired hunk is a man who accepts no limits—that includes locked doors, closed windows and underwear. Trenton’s hottest cop, Joe Morelli isn’t pleased at this unexpected arrival nor is Ranger, the high-powered security consultant who has his own plans for Stephanie.

As usual Jersey’s favorite bounty hunter is stuck in the middle with more questions than answers. What’s the deal with Grandma Mazur’s latest online paramour? Who is behind the startling epidemic of mutilated corpses? And is the enigmatic Diesel’s sudden appearance a coincidence or the cause of recent deadly events? 

My review:

Janet Evanovich never lets me down. She is one of the few authors my husband and I both read. Hardcore Twenty-Four is another laugh out loud slapstick mess of a mystery. Stephanie finds three new ways to destroy a car.  We have a return of the mysterious and sexy Diesel, deals made with Ranger and working with hot cop Joe Morelli. All while running from zombies, babysitting an enormous snake, dealing with Lula and Grandma Mazur just another day in the life… I truly enjoyed this visit with Stephanie and the gang and look forward to 25.

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A Secret Christmas by LK Shaw

Blurb:

Spend Christmas with your favorite Secrets family…

Marcus and Penny

After almost three years of marriage, Penny wants a baby. Can Santa give her the gift she wants this year?

Connor and Bridget

Connor and Bridget adjusted well to becoming an instant family of three. But alone time has been hard to find with a teenager in the house. That is until Kris Kringle gifts them with a long weekend alone.

Josie and Miles

As Josie’s collared sub, Miles is more than content. Until one day he discovers it’s not enough. With the help of jolly St. Nick, Miles finds the perfect ring, but will Josie say yes?

Donovan and Phebe

It’s been six months since Donovan proposed to Phebe. In the spirit of Christmas, Phebe gives Donovan the best gift of all. Complete submission.

**please note - this story is also in Wicked Winter box set**

My review:

This story gathers characters from LK Shaw’s Secrets series and lets you know where they are at in their relationships and what they are wishing for this holiday season. Of course there is a whole lot of hot sex mixed with the love. This story will leave you with a smile across your face and sweat across your brow. Although this story takes place in an established series it can be read stand alone.

Buy:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2Bimfco