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Cursed Luck (Broderick Coven Book 5) by AJ Renee – Review by Ashley Dover

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Cursed Luck (Broderick Coven, #5)Cursed Luck by A.J. Renee
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

AJ Renee’s fifth book in the Broderick Coven series is amazing. With soul mate electricity, this storing will sweep you away and lay you in fields of wild flowers

Edward Broderick is the one Broderick that does not open up to his family. The loss of his mother when his youngest sister was born and the recent loss of his father have Edward shutting himself out from everyone including his siblings. There is a witch that has caught his eye, but he has no idea how powerful their connection can be.

Mia Hemslock is an only child of two earth-loving witches. Her powers flow from the earth. Because of that, she has opened a flower shop in town. But her business isn’t growing.

Edward’s sister and his sister-in-laws make a plan to put Mia and Edward in the same location…her shop. With his powers of intuition, can Edward make her business successful?

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THE BOW (HER THREE IMMORTALS Book 3) by HAZEL STORM – Review by Ashley Dover

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The Bow (Her Three Immortals, #3)The Bow by Hazel Storm
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Hazel Storm continues to astound me as a reader with her third book in the Her Three Immortals series. The characters are astounding. The sons of Zeus all have different qualities that make them astounding. Can Vanessa choose? Does she have to choose?

Vanessa Mann is in hot water with the Queen of the Underworld, Grey’s mother. She is a very jealous woman, and she’s not happy that Grey has allowed Vanessa to color the Underworld and has taken her to his bed. After centuries of abstinence, Grey will no longer be at her beck and call. So what can a mother do, but send the object of her hate back to the Overworld on a mission? A mission to gather a vial of water from the Waterfall of Youth. Vanessa takes the mission. What choice does she have?

While on her mission, she ends up in the company of Aroz, the God of Lust. She falls while climbing down from the waterfall. Rather than risk her being seen, Aroz swoops her off to his palace in the UpperWorld. But instead of being free to leave, Vanessa is imprisoned within its walls. While wandering, she comes across a prisoner in the dark. What else should she do except help?

Who is this prisoner and what do Vanessa, the prisoner, and Aroz have in common?

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The Book of Carraig (The Cross of Ciaran Book 2) by Andrea Matthews – Review by Ashley Dover

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The Book of Carraig (The Cross of Ciaran #2)The Book of Carraig by Andrea Matthews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Book of Carraig is a wonderful second installment in The Cross of Ciaran Series. Andrea Matthews continues the story of Ciaran and Caitlyn as they take an archaeological trip across the Atlantic to Ireland, Ciaran’s homeland.

Ciaran Donnelly is in love with Caitlyn O’Connell, the archaeologist who discovered his body in a tomb almost a year ago. Quick thinking by her uncle has kept her from finding out the truth. She believes that his wife was murdered in a mugging gone bad in New York City.

Fate brings them back to Ireland as they continue to find relics from the fifth century where Ciaran once served as a priest. Caitlyn is hoping that he will find answers to his missing memories. Ciaran just wants to find out what did happen to his wife who was murdered by sacrifice in the temple.

While in Ireland, a serial killer starts attacking and killing young lasses. This brings up Ciaran’s past and the memory of a priest of his order who would do the same. Seeing as this very priest had disappeared from the London museum when he was also released from his entombment.

Only the Book of Carriag holds the key to defeating the serial killer priest. If only Ciaran can remember where it is located before it’s too late.

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Born to Fight (Can’t Resist You Book 1) by Brittany Anne – Review by Ashley Dover

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Born to Fight (Can't Resist You, #1)Born to Fight by Brittany Anne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What an amazing first book! If the first book is any indication of this series, this is going to be an amazing series.

The United States fell and is now under the control of the UNR. The UNR controls everything within its borders. That is everything except The Resistance. Hunter Kane was born to a soldier, a former SEAL. His father trained him to be a soldier in every aspect from birth. As one of the leaders of The Resistance, his mission is to take out the UNR starting at the top with Governor Allan. That is until he tries to save a woman and gets attacked by UNR soldiers and left for dead.

Rain ran away from hell two years ago. She escaped a controlling father and a controlling and abusive husband. She found a bunker and has been hiding out. One day trying to get some water from the river she finds a man left for dead. Using all of her strength, she brings him back to her bunker to try and save him.

Little do they both know that they each hold a key to the other’s destiny.

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Ye Gods! The Law is an Ass! (Donovan Trait Book 2) by Seelie Kay – Review by Ashley Dover

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Ye Gods! The Law is an Ass!Ye Gods! The Law is an Ass! by Seelie Kay
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The second book of the Donovan Trait series is even better than the first! Judge Shirley Magnusen and Lawyer/Vampire Prince Donovan Trait head to the alter for their big day.

Getting married is a big deal. Lots of planning all for about thirty minutes of talking and vowing. But getting hitched with a vampire prince is a whole different ball game. Especially when it is more of a reminder of the Vampire Law. For Shirley, it was a long, but beautiful affair. That is until after the wedding when Donovan and his father revealed some news that they had kept from the coalition.

Where human law has some areas for interpretation by the courts, vampire law is black and white. To get married, they had to sign a contract with the coalition. Violating that contract could result in exile or death. Is anything in life worth the possibility of death? Yes! Yes, it is!

Follow this tale of Donovan and Shirley Trait’s battle against the coalition. A fight that may in the end lead to a revolution in the vampire community. (To be continued in the next book of the series)

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Unsettled Scores (DAG Team Series Book 2) by Kel O’Connor – Review by Ashley Dover

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Unsettled Scores: Book 2 of the DAG Team SeriesUnsettled Scores: Book 2 of the DAG Team Series by Kel O’Connor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Unsettled Scores is a captivating story of danger, mystery, love, and overcoming past hurts. I really loved this book from the start to the finish.

As a member of DAG, Data Acquisitions Group, Amy Stuart has been in danger. She loves danger. As a former narcotics cop, she thrives when being faced with a for. With DAG’s primary focus on gaining data for their clients in both legal and black ops assignments, Amy loves her job.

While in the middle of both personal and professional struggles, Amy steps back from teams ops and works on a few ops that she can do independently. One of those assignments puts her back in Atlanta. She grew up in Atlanta and knows the territory and players well. However, this assignment throws her a curveball. The attorney that hired DAG captivates her attention.

After finding drugs in a ship of Joshua’s Visions show boxes, attorney Hugh Bainbridge IV requests help from DAG to discover if one of the employees is trying to smuggle drugs to the West Coast through their non-profit. He is captivated from the start with Amy Stuart. Knowing that she doesn’t desire to settle down, Hugh plays it safe with Amy.

Hugh and Amy work together to solve the mystery of the shoeboxes, but what will it cost them?

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No Way Out (Mafia Elite, book 1) by Amy McKinley – Review by Ashley Dover

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No Way Out (Mafia Elite, #1)No Way Out by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

From the first words of this book, you will become enraptured with the story. Mafia princesses, sultry hot men…what more could you ask for?

Being a Mafia princess has its rewards, but Liliana Brambilla cannot figure out what those are. She’s entrapped in her house by her father Benito, who is one of the five heads of the Italian Mafia residing in Chicago. When she was a young girl, Liliana watched her mother take a bullet from her, and her father has never let her forget it. Now as his empire is falling he looks to make a deal with another family to finance a Mafia war. Unfortunately for Liliana, that means marrying someone that she can’t stand to share the room with.

Max joins Benito as an assassin but is quickly put in charge of guarding Liliana. For Max that plays right into his hands. He has come to infiltrate and takedown Benito for his mentor, Liliana’s Sicilian grandfather. Max plans to take his rightful place as the head of the Mafia in Chicago, but first, he has to win Liliana’s trust after being her bodyguard.

Can Max win Liliana over, or will this be a futile attempt at a coup?

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Swindler’s Revenge (Karina Cardinal Mysteries Book 5) by Ellen Butler – Review by Ashley Dover

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Swindler's RevengeSwindler’s Revenge by Ellen Butler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Having never read a Karina Cardinal mystery or any other book by Ellen Butler, Swindler’s Revenge was a fantastic book. As a civilian, Karina really shouldn’t involve herself in dangerous things. Having been involved in multiple cases which involved getting out of trouble with or without the help of friends, Karina is the to jump in headfirst.

On a perfectly peaceful Saturday, Karina’s lazy morning is interrupted by a knock on the door and the FBI and IRS invading her personal space. It seems her once boyfriend, FBI agent Michael Finnegan is wanted for suspicion of taking a bribe. A $1.2 million bribe? Karina isn’t buying it and soon finds herself under the surveillance of the FBI.

Shortly after, Karina’s commute is interrupted by a cell phone ringing that isn’t hers. She finds the suspicious phone in her pocket and immediately knows that it is Mike. With Mike’s confirmation, Karina knows that Mike is being framed by someone only he doesn’t know who. He wants her help.

With the help of her friends at Silverthorne Security, she finds a hideout for Mike while the team tries to uncover the person responsible for framing Mike. Once again, Karina finds herself deep in an investigation. Will they be able to stop the person framing Mike before it’s too late? And will Karina stay out of harm’s way throughout the investigation?

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Caine (Men of Syn Book 2) by Anise Storm – Review by Ashley Dover

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Caine (Men of Syn, #2)Caine by Anise Storm
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Caine Stephens is a man wanted for the murder of his father Arthur Carmichael in the Washington, DC area. On the tip of a friend, Caine leaves the DC area quickly one night and travels to see his friend, Hawke, who owns the Syn BDSM club in Denver. Trying to stay off of everyone’s radar, Caine rents a rundown hotel room with cash. And Hawke supplies him with a job as part of the security detail at Syn.

After his first night at the club, Caine stops on his way home to help a stranded motorist. Much to his intense dislike, it is Emery Wilder, Hawke’s submissive’s best friend. Emery had led a life of luxury until her father is taken to jail on money laundering and drug trafficking charges. Then his accounts are frozen which includes all of her accounts and the penthouse that she lives in. As Caine gives her a lift, he realizes that a hole she is in and now her car isn’t running anymore. He offers her a place to stay with him because she has no one else to turn to.

Even though the two are working through troubles that are related, neither of them realizes how connected their paths really are. During their time together, Caine and Emery fall in love with one another. Can they work through their troubles and still end up together or will their pasts collide in a way that they cannot stay together?

This story is truly an amazing tale of how two truly different people can end up falling in love.

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THE MARCY SERIES BOXSET: BOOKS 1-3 by Linda J. Burson – Review by Ashley Dover

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The Marcy Series Box Set: Books 1-3The Marcy Series Box Set: Books 1-3 by Linda Burson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Linda Burson’s Marcy Series starts off wonderfully with these three books. The intriguing story of a woman who loves two men at the same time seems totally absurd. How Marcy handles this among the other revelations in her life is somewhat amazing! These books are truly books that you need to have on your TBR list.

Marcy is the owner of the Coffee, Tea, and Treats bakery in Cold Spring Harbor. In Rage, readers learn of Marcy’s rage that she has used several times to get her out of jams. Unfortunately, it also makes things difficult for her longtime boyfriend, Brad. She eventually starts seeing a psychiatrist who helps her find the cause of her rage. In the meantime, Brad has big plans which lead to an engagement. Only this engagement last only a few days. After Brad breaks up with her, Marcy turns to her friend Liam for a trip out of town which leads to her falling in love with a second guy.

In book 2, Confusion, Marcy decides that she can’t handle relationships with both men. Unfortunately, the situation is not so easily managed, and she soon realizes that one of her men has been leading her with his behavior and his actions. She realizes love often means being able to give up what you most desire to have that person be happy.

In book 3, Agony and Ecstasy, Marcy’s life turns upside down once again as the best-laid plans in life aren’t always what happens. Where does Marcy find love and happiness in her life? And at what cost does this actually happen?

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Notebook Mysteries ~ Decisions and Possibilities by Kimberly Mullins – Review by Ashley Dover

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Notebook Mysteries ~ Decisions and PossibilitiesNotebook Mysteries ~ Decisions and Possibilities by Kimberly Mullins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Emma Evans is an eighteen-year-old who lives in Chicago in 1883. She likes to carry a notebook where she records her observations. She is a young woman before her time. She gets into business school which is almost impossible with the help of an acquaintance. After graduation along with her brother-in-law’s help, Emma talks to the head of the business school to allow more women into the business school as men make more money in other jobs and new companies still need the administrative help.

Along with her business mind, Emma likes solving mysteries. She is involved with the Pinkerton Detective agency, but she doesn’t work there full-time. When a detective colleague investigates an old case that Emma was involved in personally, she becomes friends with a lady that she saved from a brutal beating a few years ago. With this lady’s connections, Emma and her family are able to take women away from the Chicago area where they have had abusive relationships and put them back in touch with family.

Notebook Mysteries is a quaint story that will take to a time when Chicago was just beginning to grow. It’s a time in history when society believed that a woman’s place was inside the home. Fortunately for Emma and other women who did not have a husband the city is getting big enough to be a little more open-minded. Join Emma as her life is full of mysteries that she hopes to solve piece by piece.

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Forbidden Mate (The Shadow Chronicles Book 2) by CR Robertson – Review by Ashley Dover

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Forbidden MateForbidden Mate by C.R. Robertson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Tasha is a vampire soldier. Levi is a lycan soldier and has taken over as alpha of his camp of soldiers. Together they have brought Tasha’s vampire clan into the camp and plan to work together as a team. New peace accords are written between the vampire clan and the lycan camp. Amazingly the team is fighting their common enemy the Hellspawn. With new weapons and science, the vampire and lycan group has made some progress against the Hellspawn, but with an enemy like the Hellspawn the challenges beaten bring about new challenges.

Tasha and Levi have to fight against the culture of both clans to maintain their relationship. As soul mates, there are individuals and groups who say that a union between a vampire and lycan shouldn’t happen. As Tasha and Levi experience new challenges as a couple, new mysteries of their past come to the forefront that have to be dealt with appropriately.

As the second book in The Shadow Chronicles series, Forbidden Mate is a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Watching Tasha and Levi grow into their roles within their communities and in their relationship is worth the read.

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Effacement by Hieronymus Hawkes – Review by Ashley Dover

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EffacementEffacement by Hieronymus Hawkes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Dr. Cole Westbay has helped develop a chip that is used as a monitoring device for surveilling people. The chip is implanted in the back of the head and records the life movements of each person that has the chip embedded. With degrees in biology and chemistry and a master’s and Ph.D. in biochemical engineering, Cole has always dealt with the biological and chemical parts of the implant. He leaves the coding up to people like his girlfriend, Tesla.

When Cole wakes up after an assault and realizes his chip is missing, his life takes a turn that he never anticipated. He has to step back from being constantly connected to the virtual world that he has helped to develop. His assault leads to him being charged with effacement, not being connected to the network with a Vitalink. His memory is gone from the days before his attack, but with the help of others and piecing together the obtuse reactions of those he’s closest to, Cole goes off the grid to stay away from his company and the FDF, the Federal Department of Fidelity (a compilation of Homeland Security, NSA, TSA, Immigration, and a handful of other smaller agencies).

With the help of an anti-chipping group, Cole has a lawyer and a place to stay off the grid. He still doesn’t know fully who attacked him and what the involvement is of the people he was closest to while working on the Vitalink chip. Can his lawyer and the pieces of memory he gets back keep him from going to jail? And will he be able to fill in the blanks before it’s too late?

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Dangerous Curves Boxed Set #1 (Dangerous Curves Books 1-3) by K.L. Montgomery – Review by Ashley Dover

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Dangerous Curves Boxed Set 1: 3 Cozy Christian MysteriesDangerous Curves Boxed Set 1: 3 Cozy Christian Mysteries by K.L. Montgomery
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sunshine Baker is the young adult librarian in Bryce Beach. She loves books, but she has discovered that she has a knack for amateur sleuthing.

Betrayal at the Beach
In the first installment of the Dangerous Curves series, Sunshine organizes the Friends of the Library Gala with the help of the committee. The gala is especially prosperous with nearly one hundred thousand dollars. With funds for the library depleting, raising this money was important to Sunshine and her fellow librarians keeping their jobs. Unfortunately, the money goes missing during the major announcement at the same time the cherished bible of the town’s founder disappears. Sunshine and her fellow librarians, Molly and Evangeline, turn on their sleuthing caps to try to solve the mystery and save their jobs.

Mystery at the Marina
Not long after solving the theft at the library, Molly and Sunshine are walking on the beach when they come upon a group of dead fish. During the course of the next few days, larger fish, horseshoe crabs, and even a small whale wash up on the beach. Sunshine knows there is something going on that is causing the fish to die on their beach. After checking in with the chief of police, Sunshine starts her own investigation learning that the test results from the dead fish have disappeared. Sunshine finds that this mystery takes her into the port area several times interacting with the fisherman. During her trips, she notices that the Coast Guard has been around the bay at Bryce Beach more frequently than normal. Solving this fishy mystery is so important to Sunshine that she finds herself in a harrowing situation. Can Sunshine solve the case before she loses her life?

Shooting at the Shore
Sunshine has had a very successful summer with her young adult program. So successful that she has an awards ceremony to highlight the achievement of her teenage patrons. She speaks with Mrs. Willa Bryce Monroe, the town’s matriarch, and a huge supporter of her library programs including one of the prizes handed out at the ceremony. Mrs. Monroe speaks of the “riffraff” that has moved into Bryce Beach. She tells Sunshine that she will make sure that the town council understands that Bryce Beach is a family place and not a place for a “house of ill repute” (a restaurant with scantily clad waitresses). On Tuesday, Tom, the reference librarian, mentions that Mrs. Monroe wasn’t at the council meeting which concerns Sunshine. She debates going to check on Mrs. Monroe when a teenage boy attempts to steal the wish box money that is associated with the town bible. The police show up and catch the boy when they get a dead body call. Sunshine knows in her heart that it’s Mrs. Monroe which she confirms. She knows that she has stepped into another mystery and sets her sights on solving Mrs. Monroe’s murder.

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Stripped (Stripped Book 1) by Stacy-Deanne – Review by Ashley Dover

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Stripped (The Stripped Series Book 1)Stripped by Stacy-Deanne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Detective Dee Quarter is not thrilled to work with her new partner Connie Wilks. The two don’t have much time to debate the issue when they arrive at the home of a woman who was murdered. The woman was strangled to death.

Their deceased victim was in a relationship with Dee’s former ex which complicates their investigation and Dee’s relationship with her current boyfriend. In the course of the investigation, the detectives have to look into a cult to which their deceased victim belonged. The cult leader, Jonathan, is the charismatic leader of The Circle. His charming nature is difficult to resist, but the most difficult part is his piqued interest in Dee.

Complications seem to follow them at every turn, and Dee struggles to resist Jonathan’s pursuit. Working hard to maintain her professionalism, Dee is so focused on the case that she doesn’t realize the depth of Jonathan’s interest in wanting her to become a part of The Circle. Will his possessiveness threaten Dee’s life? Will Dee and Connie be able to solve the murder even with all the complications they encounter?

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Unbreakable (The Diamonds Book 1) by Tee Smith – Review by Ashley Dover

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Unbreakable (The Diamonds, #1)Unbreakable by Tee Smith
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Erin Murphy is a nurse at a local clinic. She returned to Rosewood Bay after her marriage failed when her mother was sick with cancer to help her father. After her mother passed, she decided to stick around as there was nothing to return to her previous hometown for.

Curtis “Ripper” Bandara has a past life that he would never forget and no ties to his siblings. He currently works stripping cars, reupholstering, and repainting them for sale. He is also a henchman for the Diamonds, a group of four men, who made and run Rosewood Bay. With the influx of a group of bangers that are younger, the men have a challenge before them so that war doesn’t break out in the Bay.

Being out with a friend and being slashed by a knife is the reason Ripper ends up in Erin’s clinic. The two have an electric spark, but Ripper knows that his life is not the life for Erin. When a friend ends up in trouble he calls Erin for help. She assists in making sure his friend doesn’t die. Shortly after, Erin ends up in trouble and Ripper takes her home.

Can the two work out the mystery of who is trying to hurt her? Is it because of Ripper or someone else in her life? Will the sparks they felt the first time they met ever lead to anything more?

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Hairballs and Homicide (Kitty Beret Café Mysteries Book 1) by Ruth J. Hartman – Review by Ashley Dover

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Hairballs and HomicideHairballs and Homicide by Ruth J. Hartman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I just love Templeton in the cozy mystery. Templeton is just a cat, but oh what a cat he is!

Ellie Warren opens Kitty Beret Cafe in hopes of providing a different type of cafe atmosphere dedicated to “kitty time” and rehoming her cats. Customers come in to enjoy their cup of coffee while also enjoying time with her cats. Ellie’s cafe business contains lots of regulars, but an unwelcome visitor saying horrible things about the cafe and the stranger’s death behind her cafe makes her life a little more unsettling.

Detective Simon Dare stands at Ellie’s side when her life gets more complicated as someone sabotages her brake lines. The detective becomes her shadow as Templeton keeps finding clues in the coffee shop. Can Detective Dare solve the crimes related to Ellie’s cafe before it’s too late?

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Journeys Through TimeSpace (Journeys Through Book 2) by James Talisman – Review by Ashley Dover

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Journeys Through TimeSpaceJourneys Through TimeSpace by James Talisman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The journey to control the MultiVerse continues in this second installment by James Talisman. Matt, Julia, and Dan have traveled to the hidden valley to find ancient relics that will aid them in the battle to come. The journey is a dangerous one that they must take. Obstacles will not be impossible to overcome with knowledge of the MultiVerse.

While the trio searches for their artifacts, the Ultimate Superior, a reptilian humanoid, is also looking for the same artifacts. The goal is to gain universal domination. The reptilian humanoid team also faces trials in gathering the ancient treasures.

Both groups are trying to gain the upper hand and retrieve the artifacts. Which group will obtain the treasures? Earth’s fate lies in the hands of the trio.

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THE GOD (HER THREE IMMORTALS BOOK 2) by HAZEL STORM – Review by Ashley Dover

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The God: A Greek Myth Fantasy Romance (Her Three Immortals Book 2)The God: A Greek Myth Fantasy Romance by Hazel Storm
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Vanessa Mann was whisked away to the Underworld when she made a deal with the Don of the Underworld to save her brother’s life from cancer. Covered is god dust from Cupid, or Aroz’s arrow, Vanessa hasn’t succumbed to the love dust because the first person she can in contact with was Grey.

The Underworld is a dreary grey place…literally nothing has color. Until Aroz shows Vanessa that she can pull the color out of objects and return them to their color. Vanessa does this with her favorite coat.

On the day after her arrival, there is a chomping sound coming from the couch. The fuzzy little thing keeps telling her “I’m yours!” After some research, Vanessa realizes it is a caterpillar. And it stays hungry…eating anything in its path.

With Gordonita, the magic mirror’s reassurance, Vanessa decides to try to go out into the city of Elysium. She then finds out that she can’t pay the fee and is stuck in Grey’s penthouse. She learns a much more important piece of information with the arrival of the ferryman, Charles.

The Judges put Vanessa in Grey’s penthouse. What is her purpose for being there? And if she can achieve her purpose will they let her return to the Overworld?

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Dark Bastard (Dark Sparrow Novel Book 5) by India Kells – Review by Ashley Dover

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Dark Bastard (Dark Sparrow, #5)Dark Bastard by India Kells
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sam Sarkan’s past is darker than anyone knows. After treading in the deep end of life too long, Sam is ready to end it all. But fate has him rethinking his decision. Sam planned to make a quick call to his brother Lazarus but dials the wrong number. On the line is Ellie McLaren, a 9-1-1 operator, who sounds just like he feels.

Sam rents an apartment right next door to her. With targets on the backs of all the brothers, Sam finds himself in a gunfight after Ellie drops by the day after he moves in. Running for their lives, Sam and Ellie end up at Lazarus’ as new battle lines with their father are drawn. With his money running out and his public image ruined, Jamieson Finch becomes deadlier.

Finch’s next manipulation will put Sam back in the place that he least desires to be…side-by-side with his father. Can Ellie keep Sam from falling back into the darkness? Will her light and his strength be enough to save both of them?

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True Bastard (Dark Sparrow Novel Book 4) by India Kells – Review by Ashley Dover

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True Bastard (Dark Sparrow #4)True Bastard by India Kells
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Liam Harker is a Chicago Police Detective. A short time ago, he was injured in a gang shootout. His leg hasn’t recovered yet from the injury so he’s on medical leave from the force. While he is out of work, Liam decides to start working on Jamieson Finch’s finances.

Gabrielle, a friend of the family, brings in Sister Catronia Walsh to help with the financial puzzle because she is a whiz with numbers. Catronia grew up an orphan in a convent and now has to decide if she wants to continue with her commitment to be a nun.

When Liam and Catronia meet, electricity sparks with each touch. But Catronia is thrown off by some of her research into Finch’s finances. Will the brothers and Catronia solve the money puzzle before it’s too late?

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Wild Bastard (Dark Sparrow Novel Book 3) by India Kells – Review by Ashley Dover

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Wild BastardWild Bastard by India Kells
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Isabel Osborne is a blonde beauty that has faced some darks paths in her life. Now she is a successful consultant. Her company is sought after by companies and people who are looking to recreate an image.

Kai Jones was once a surfer and then a Delta Force operative. Now his life mission is to help his brothers bring down their menacing father, Jamieson Finch. Even with his military training, Kai is thrown off his carefree orbit when Izzy walks back into his life.

Finch hires Isabel’s firm to help him start a campaign for becoming the mayor of Chicago. Finch takes a quick liking to Isabel which has Kai on alert at all times.
Can Kai and his brothers keep her safe when Finch’s dark secrets surface?

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Cold Bastard (Dark Sparrow Novel Book 2) by India Kells – Review by Ashley Dover

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Cold Bastard (Dark Sparrow #2)Cold Bastard by India Kells
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Archer Blackwell is a ruthless businessman. As he prepares to sell some of his vast empire, Archer moves his headquarters to Chicago temporarily. To do so he must hire a translator.

Zoe Somersby has a gift for learning languages. She learned as a child that these “powers” can be used against you. When Gabriella, head of the Dark Sparrows group, reaches out to her to help a friend in need. Zoe agrees to be a translator for Archer Blackwell.

Archer’s father, Jamieson Finch, is a cold, hard, ruthless man. He had six sons by various women. He left them all to the single mothers and the cruelty of life that became theirs. He’s involved somehow with Archer’s business sale.

Zoe is attracted to Archer, but she doesn’t realize that he’s been attracted to her. When her life is threatened, Archer becomes a strong protector. Can they both overcome past hurts to find a full life together?

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Bared. (A Green St. Girls Romance) by N.D. Jackson – Review by Ashley Dover

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Bared. (Green St. Girls #1)Bared. by N.D. Jackson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Athena Montgomery is one of the Green Street girls. She and her friends have stood by each other through thick and thin since they all met at an apartment complex on Green Street in Chicago. They are family. Athena is a successful club manager and is worth millions. The only thing she has a problem doing is letting someone into her small circle.

Tru Blake is one of the players in the WPBA tournament that is being held at Shamrock. He is returning to Chicago after a long stint of being away from the city that created him. He’s learned a lot of tricks for playing pool since his younger days, but here he is back home and all he wants is to prove that he is the best.

Athena meets Tru at the Shamrock, the pool hall/bar that she purchased and pieced together in memory of her friend Charlie. Tru is a great male specimen, but Athena is only looking for something temporary. That is until the large wall around her heart begins to crumble.

ND Jackson has written a remarkable story involving two people who are running away from their pasts. Can Athena and Tru find something real in a future together?

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BOY RELEASED (BOY SERIES BOOK 2) by JD Spero – Review by Ashley Dover

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Boy ReleasedBoy Released by J.D. Spero
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Boy Released is set ten years from The Boy on Hold. Tyler has been released from a psychiatric hospital with a lot of support. He has a therapist, a social worker, and a job at the Mini Chopper. He is living on-site at the motel that Bernie and Marcella purchased in one of the cabins they don’t rent out.

Hen is now a seventeen-year-old who is working by helping to clean the cabins as summer visitors leave. He is preparing to start his senior year of high school. His inheritance from Miss Sally is hanging over him like a storm cloud ready to burst.

Things are going okay around the Blue Palms Motel until Marcella is attacked in the motel office one night. Tyler watches the whole thing from his cabin on the other side of the property. He runs out just as the police arrive shouting. Hen arrives at the same time and rushes in to see their mom before she is taken to the hospital. With the confusion and a phrase that the police use as his confession, Tyler is behind bars again.

Who attacked Marcella? Was it Tyler or someone else who might have an ax to grind?

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Sinful Daughter (Dark Mafia Sins Book 1) by Emily Bowie – Review by Ashley Dover

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Sinful DaughterSinful Daughter by Emily Bowie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Aria Rossi is the oldest daughter of mafia boss, Nicholi Rossi. She has yet to make a decision on if she wants to be a part of the family business as one of the family lawyers.

Theo Fox is the one cop in the area with two mafia families who seems to have a moral compass. The Rossi family has tried to buy him several times and each time he refuses.

One night out on the town with her friend Lori has changed Aria’s life forever. A man she doesn’t know asks her to dance. Before it’s all said and done, she receives the most desire-filled kiss she has ever had. When he goes to take her out of the club, her bodyguard finally comes out of the club. She finds out this hunk is the cop, Theo.

When their lives are on opposite sides of right and wrong, can Theo and Aria find the medium where they can be together? Will Aria leave the family business or will Theo change his moral compass to be with the woman he loves?

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Hanging Softly in the Night: A Detective Nick Larson Novel by Maria Elena Alonso-Sierra – Review by Ashley Dover

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Hanging Softly in The Night: A Detective Nick Larson NovelHanging Softly in The Night: A Detective Nick Larson Novel by Maria Elena Alonso-Sierra
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Hanging Softly in the Night will suck you right into the story. Nick Larson and Laura Howard are two characters that you will love.

Detective Nick Larson hadn’t slept much last night. But the Sixteenth Precinct of the NYPD is having a flu outbreak, so it’s all hands on deck. He and his partner, Victor Sacco, have been called in. Arriving at the scene, the Forensic Investigator Division is already in the process of obtaining information. Forensic Investigator Tish Ramos who is the lead investigator tells the detectives that this is the second scene like this that she has had in the last two months. The scene is that of a woman hanging in the sunroom. The scene is too neat. It doesn’t look like a typical hanging scene.

Laura Howard, Nick’s friend and the woman he loves, is having problems of her own. During the past year, Laura was arrested for her husband’s murder. She would have been convicted if Nick hadn’t found that one piece of evidence that convinced the court that she didn’t do. Added to that terrible ordeal, Laura finds out that she has a crazy twin sister that she never knew anything about it. Now her bakery and catering business, Les Gateaux Riches, is in jeopardy. Her business had faltered after her incarceration. Now, someone is writing negative reviews.

Detectives Larson and Sacco are puzzled by their case and as more of these questionable suicides land on their desks, Nick hopes they aren’t dealing with a serial killer. Laura is considering selling her business with all the negative reviews and the possibility that her crazy twin will beat the murder charge. Will justice prevail in both cases?

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HOLD ME FOREVER (HERON HARBOR Book 3) by LEA NOLAN – Review by Ashley Dover

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Hold Me ForeverHold Me Forever by Lea Nolan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Lark Donovan has lived her life in seclusion from her family since her father attended her college graduation. She lives in the Belcher Art Colony in Vermont for six months where she teaches art. Then she travels the country for the rest of the year attending festivals where she sells her art and teaching art workshops at various locations. She’s stayed away from her family’s beach house on Heron Harbor. Now she has to return for her sister, Wren’s wedding.

Hunter McMullen is Heron Harbor’s Chief of Police. Growing up in Heron Harbor was hard for Hunter. But when he worked his way through college at the University of Delaware, his life seemed to be on the right track. He fell in love with Lark Donovan. Their plan was to elope and live happily ever after. Then Lark told him she couldn’t go, and he hasn’t seen her since. That is until he turns his car around after seeing a stranded motorist on the main avenue of Heron Harbor.

Lark and Hunter are both tongue-tied with their first meeting in years. Neither lets the other know their feelings. Suddenly, Wren thrusts the rest of her wedding planning in their lap. She’s got a trial starting, and the last-minute preparations have to be completed. Can Hunter and Lark work together to finish planning the wedding? Will this have an impact on their future?

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HER DARK LOVE (DARK SPELL SERIES Book 4) by ISRA SRAVENHEART – Review by Ashley Dover

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Her Dark Love (Dark Spell #4)Her Dark Love by Isra Sravenheart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The fourth book in the Dark Spell Series, Her Dark Love, takes us back in time to Isra’s days at the Wingdom’s Academy. Isra has come to the academy to hone her craft. Being the child of mundanes, Isra has not had a chance to study the craft of witchcraft before. She is looking forward to learning everything there is to know.

Isra, not being a social person, does befriend Everilda. They become friends even though they are drastically different. Isra is not a social creature and wants nothing to do with finding a male friend; she is at the Academy to learn. Everilda has not mastered her craft, but she’s really not interested. She is self-absorbed and cruel. She is looking for fun while she is at the Academy.

Shockingly, Isra meets Jonathan while on one of her evening walks. She is intrigued by Jonathan, so she agrees to meet him once more. Unbeknownst to Isra, Everilda has already begun a relationship with Jonathan. Everilda is cruelly intrigued by the thought of being in a love triangle with Isra and Jonathan.

Astrid, now a raven, is working for Samuel, a light-bringer. He watches over magicals that have turned dark. Samuel is tasked by the people high up in the light-bringer society to watch Isra because she is part of a prophecy. According to the prophecy, Isra will turn dark. Astrid watches Isra and Jonathan on their date. From observation, Astrid thinks there is no possible way that Isra will turn dark.

Can Samuel and Astrid stop Isra from turning dark, or will the prophecy come true?

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The Girl and the Gargoyle (The Girl and the Raven Book 2) by Pauline Gruber – Review by Ashley Dover

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The Girl and the Gargoyle (The Girl and the Raven, #2)The Girl and the Gargoyle by Pauline Gruber
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Girl and the Gargoyle is a page-turning second novel in The Girl and the Raven Series. Pauline Gruber has continued this story with a new twist. Lucy a half-witch/half-demon teenager is once again in the spotlight. With Seamus still looking to destroy her, Lucy is hoping that is all she will have to deal with in her life since moving to Chicago. To help alleviate this as a potential threat, Jude, Lucy’s demon father, begins to train her to use her demon powers.

However much she wants to enjoy going to school, studying, and sitting on the roof with Marcus, her gargoyle boyfriend, fate has another path planned. Marcus’s mother, Clementine, and his biological father, Garret, come to stay in Chicago. Clementine’s desire is for Marcus to join the gargoyle clan with his father, who is the lead protector. Lucy is terrified that this is exactly what will happen, and she will lose her chance at happiness with Marcus if he moves away.

Garret has come to Chicago to complete a mission. That mission is to take out Jude. Jude is a powerful demon. The problem with this that Lucy discovers is that if a demon dies so does his progeny. With her life held in the balance, Lucy works with her allies to make a plan to stop Greyson. Will her efforts be enough?

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