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Checking Boxes by Magdoline Ward – Review by Charlisa Wahtomy-Alba

Checking BoxesChecking Boxes by Magdoline Ward
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What do you do when you need a new place to live? Take up the offer your neighbor has going of course. Grace finds herself unable to put up with her roommates lifestyle any longer. She remembered seeing a neighbors note about wanting a roommate and decides to look into things. All Ian wants is someone to cook a meal for him every evening in return for living in his second bedroom rent free. Too good to be true right? What will happen when things turn into more than either of them bargained for?

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So Right (Love Grows Series Book 5) by Renee Regent – Review by Charlisa Wahtomy-Alba

So Right (Love Grows, Book 5)So Right by Renee Regent
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Can they convince people that they are engaged to be wed? Amara doesn’t think it is possible, but with the possibility of a promotion in sight she couldn’t pass up this opportunity. It didn’t hurt that the man slated to play her fake fiancée, Petro, was movie star handsome. Petro is looking to prove that he is good enough to make it on his own. When he finds out that he has an opportunity to make a good impression and possibly get a promotion he jumps at the opportunity. The upside to this impromtu trip is that he will get to spend more time with Amara. The downside is that it will be in California where his family resides. Will they be able to pull this off without a hitch? Or will their fake romance turn into something more?

I just want to start this off by saying that I have a hard time trying books by authors I have never heard of before. This is the first time I have read anything this author has written and I enjoyed it immensely.

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Depending On You by Jessica Aiken-Hall – Review by Charlisa Wahtomy-Alba

Depending On YouDepending On You by Jessica Aiken-Hall
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Cate Silver is taking care of her sick father and childish adult sister. It has been 20 years since she committed the crime of killing a man and the case was closed due to lack of evidence, but the case has been reopened. Even though her friend Patti Thomas is living several hundred miles away she needs her. Patti is living in what seems to be a loveless marriage and feels as though her children hate her. When Cate shows up she doesn’t hesitate to drop everything and go back to the town she grew up in. Cate is feeling the pressure to come clean about what happened all those years ago, but Patti doesn’t think anything will come of the new investigation. Will Cate wind up turning herself in to the police and telling the truth? Will the new evidence being unearthed send Cate to prison or will she and Patti be taking their secrets to their graves?

I have read several books by this author and enjoyed them all. If you like paranormal mysteries, thrillers, or crime I highly suggest giving this author a try.

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Lingering Spirits (Soul Connection Book 4) by Nikki Lynn Barrett – Review by Charlisa Wahtomy-Alba

Lingering Spirits (Soul Connection, #4)Lingering Spirits by Nikki Lynn Barrett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

How is it that Russ McCready can hear and converse with a voice in his head? How can Hope speak with him telepathically and see his every day life through his eyes? Hope is unsure why she has this connection with Russ, but feels that he is the one that will be able to save her. Russ is frustrated by the fact that Hope isn’t able to tell him much, but along the way they do begin to develope a friendship. When they finally figure out the reason their connection started he will do everything in his ppwer to help her. This whole series has been great. I don’t personally feel that the series needs to be read in order, but some of the characters do show up in the prior books so it would be a good idea. I have ways been fascinated by the paranormal, psychics and telepathy. The way this author tells her stories draws you in from the moment you read the first paragraph. Her story telling seems to flow seamlessly and the characters are all very likeable. As always I am glad I stepped outside of my usual genres and decided to read something by a then unknown author to me.

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Divine Vintage by Sandra L. Young – Review by Charlisa Wahtomy-Alba

Divine VintageDivine Vintage by Sandra L. Young
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Tessa Burton has moved to a new town to pursue her dream and open up a boutique. Divine Vintage is the name of her store and she hopes to make it a great success. While modeling a dress from the descendents that own Carver House her mind has been opened to what has been deemed a murder suicide. What really happened? The story is that the newly weds had an argument on the eve of their honeymoon, but the visions that Tessa has tell a different story. Trey Dunmore isn’t much of a believer in the paranormal, but helping to clear his great-grandfathers name intrigues him. Or is it Tessa that has truly captured his interest? How much of the feelings and emotions from the past are influencing their current feelings and emotions? Will Trey and Tessa be able to differentiate the two and build a lasting relationship? Will they be able to find out the truth of what happened in Carver House?

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Born in Darkness (Mafia Elite Book 3) by Amy McKinley – Review by Charlisa Wahtomy-Alba

Born in Darkness (Mafia Elite, #3)Born in Darkness by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Emiliana has been through so much and yet still holds her head high and carries on. Stefano himself has been through quite a lot, but Emiliana has always been his light. After she was abducted and then rescued she had changed. He keeps his distance to give her time to heal, but is always there when she needs him. When she comes face to face with danger again he vows to be there to save her, but will he be successful? So far every book in this series have been page turners. They could each be read as a stand alone, but I highly recommend reading them in order so you don’t have any questions. The way the author has written the books sets up the next installment beautifully.

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Savage Secrets (Mafia Elite, book 4) by Amy McKinley – Review by Charlisa Wahtomy-Alba

Savage Secrets (Mafia Elite, #4)Savage Secrets by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In the latest installment of the Mafia Elite Series we get to read the story of Elana and Marco. In keeping with the theme of the other stories you get the gist of just how much these men love their women. They would go to the ends of the earth to keep what they deem to be theirs safe. Even though Elana has been in hiding for years her cover has been blown. Where can she go and who can she turn to for help? Marco has been nursing a broken heart since he thought Elana had died. When he is presented with a marriage contract from her brother he jumped at the opportunity to bring her back to his side. Will Elana willingly go with Marco or take her chances on her own?

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Blood Oath (Mafia Elite, book 2) by Amy McKinley – Review by Charlisa Wahtomy-Alba

Blood Oath (Mafia Elite, #2)Blood Oath by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Even though Enzo is contracted to marry another he has been in love with Sofia since they were young. Sofia always knew she was meant to be with Enzo, but when you’re part of the Mafia family things don’t always work the way you plan. When Sofia is being stalked by the same man that kidnapped his sister years earlier Enzo does everything in his power to keep her safe, but is it enough? Somehow Ivan seems to know their location even when it’s supposed to be a secret. Will they be able to find out who has been feeding him information or will it be too late?

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The Billionaire’s Slave by Stacy-Deanne – Review by Charlisa Wahtomy-Alba

The Billionaire's Slave by Stacy-DeanneThe Billionaire’s Slave by Stacy-Deanne by Stacy-Deanne

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the first time I’ve read anything by this author and I’m glad I took the chance. I have only read a handful of historical romances, but this is the first one that involved a slave and her owner. During those time I’m sure there were masters and slaves that did fall in love and had to hide their affections. Leon Falcon was a great no-nonsense character that did err on the side of being manipulative at times. While I did like Penny, she was nieve to many things, especially how her best friend/owner felt about her. Overall it was a well put together story. It had a great lesson in there and that is the heart wants what it wants. You can’t help who you love.

 

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Etched in this Moment (Etched Series Book 1) by Calla Zae – Review by Charlisa Wahtomy-Alba

Etched in this Moment (Etched, #1)Etched in this Moment by Calla Zae
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Tia is in on the run from her abusive ex-boyfriend. She has changed her name and how she looks hoping that she is in the clear, but on the anniversary date of when she left him she gets a text. He’s coming for her. Theo is a detective pushing paper due to an injury he received while undercover. When he runs into Tia on the street he couldn’t help noticing how scared she looked. There’s something or someone she is running from and he is determined to get to the bottom of her mystery. Things go from icy to burning up the pages in this fast paced romance. Is Theo able to keep his word on keeping Tia safe? Or is her ex-boyfriend too cunning and smart to be caught?

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Power Play (Astoria Bay Thunder Book 1) by CJ Cartwright – Review by Charlisa Wahtomy-Alba

Power Play (Astoria Bay Thunder #1)Power Play by C.J. Cartwright
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Levi Fawkes always dreamed he would play hockey for a living and so far he is living said dream. Brynn Mackintosh ways wanted to be a photographer, but her dreams were always put on hold for someone else. Now that she is freshly divorced she is free to pursue her passion. She is out to prove that photographing things for a living can pay the bills, but so far she is out of luck. When she wins tickets to a game from a local radio station her luck seems to start turning around. That is until she comes face to face with the boy who stole her heart as a teenager. Will Brynn and Levi be able to forget their teenage heartache and move forward?

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Sinful Vow (Dark Mafia Sins, book 1) by Emily Bowie – Review by Charlisa Wahtomy-Alba

Sinful Vow (Dark Mafia Sins, #0.5)Sinful Vow by Emily Bowie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Aly and Luca probably couldn’t be more opposite if they tried, but they mesh well together. Aly wants nothing more than to get away from everything and everyone connected to her name while Luca is doing everything to gain the respect and take the place of his adopted father one day. When Luca finds out that Aly is to be married he kidnaps her from her father’s home. By doing so he has started a war that has been building up for years. His intention has always been to get revenge on Mr. Mancini for killing his two friends when he was a child, but when it comes to Aly he has a bit of a soft spot. Will Luca finally get his revenge or will these two families finally be able to make peace?

I can’t express enough how this book was to read. I don’t recall a Mafia romance where I was sucked in from the very first page. I look forward to reading the rest of the books in this series.

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Wildcat: A Steamy Firefighter Romance by Carina Alyce – Review by Charlisa Wahtomy-Alba

Wildcat: A Steamy Firefighter RomanceWildcat: A Steamy Firefighter Romance by alyce
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Leslie McClunis is one of only a few women in the fire department. She has put up with a lot while putting in time at Firehouse 15. When she meets Trevor Hampton in a painting class she only meant for them to have one steamy night together. Trevor had other plans though and the rest as they say is history. Overall I did enjoy this book. This is the first book I’ve ever ready by this author and I do look forward to the rest of the series.

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Imperfectly Yours (Titans of Manhattan Book 2) by Anise Storm – Review by Charlisa Wahtomy-Alba

Imperfectly Yours (Titans of Manhattan #2)Imperfectly Yours by Anise Storm
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There were so many spots in this book that were relatable. The pain that both Elsa and Anton felt leapt from the pages. Imperfectly Yours was a book loaded with a heavy subject, but in the end it showed how one could over come such a thing. Anton and Elsa seemed like polar opposites, but complimented each other well at the same time. I was glad they both got what they wanted and it didn’t end in tragedy as they both dealt with so much of it throughout the story. I really wish I could give an extra half star because I do enjoy this authors stories. I’m two books into this five book series and I look forward to reading the stories about other Titans.

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Blindsided by T. Christensen – Review by Charlisa Wahtomy-Alba

Blindsided: A Contemporary Sports RomanceBlindsided: A Contemporary Sports Romance by T. Christensen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What do you do when your lifelong best friend accuses you of spreading rumors? Ugh! Poor Kirsa tried for years to get Brock to listen, but it fell on deaf ears. That is until Rylan showed up and saw that Kirsa needed a friend and decided to be someone she could count on. Will Brock be willing to open up and finally listen to Kirsa? This book kind of reminded me of a friend I once had minus the bullying. Even though this is a contemporary sports romance, I felt like this more of an enemies to lovers type book. Even though the theme of a sport and romance was interwoven it didn’t hit me as what it is categorized. Overall though this was a good read and I have so far enjoyed this authors works.

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Swipe Right to Bite (New Orleans Nocturnes Book 6) by Carrie Pulkinen – Review by Charlisa Wahtomy-Alba

Swipe Right to Bite (New Orleans Nocturnes, #6)Swipe Right to Bite by Carrie Pulkinen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A succubus and and incubus who both want their freedom from Satan accidentally fall in love. Katrina runs a successful dating app helping her fellow supernatural beings have no strings attached relationships. Gabe is making his rounds as a motivational speaker of sorts by teaching people to connect on an emotional level rather than just physical. They both have their reasons for wanting their freedom, but is the cost of the deals made worth it? Can they coexist in the same city? I have read other books in this series and have enjoyed every single one of them. Once again the author does not disappoint and keeps the quick wit and quirky sayings coming. This book, like the others, can be read in one sitting as you will find yourself not wanting to put this down.

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States of Grace (Grace Locke Mystery Series) by Mandy Miller – Review by Charlisa Wahtomy-Alba

States of Grace (Grace Locke, #1)States of Grace by Mandy Miller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Grace Locke is a disgraced lawyer trying to get her career back on track. She has a shot at being the great lawyer she once was when the daughter of her ex-husbands mistress is arrested and charged with murder. Did she do it? All the evidence says she did, but Grace knows there is corruption within the department and vows to leave no stone unturned. Will she be able to prove her client is innocent or will the corruption prove to be too much to overcome? This was a great start to the series. It was fast paced and flowed nicely, but was easy to keep up with and easy to read.

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Murder Off Route 82 (Eve Sawyer Mystery) by Jane Suen – Review by Char Wahtomy-Alba

Murder off Route 82 (Eve Sawyer Mystery, #3)Murder off Route 82 by Jane Suen

Eve Sawyer is hoping to solve yet another mystery. When her friends mother calls her in desperation to say her daughter is missing, Eve jumps into action. Through the questioning of several people Eve and her friend Bob come to find that the boyfriend of the missing girl is also nowhere to be found. Have they run away together? Are they safe? This fast paced mystery pulls you in from the beginning and has you wondering whether Eve will be finding them dead or alive.

Dead Sound by Anise Eden – Review by Char Wahtomy-Alba

Dead Sound (Things Unseen, #1)Dead Sound by Anise Eden

When Neve got back to work at the hospital as a mental health worker she didn’t expect the welcome she received. She is just returning after being on leave as she was recovering from being stabbed by a patient. How is one to react when all the patients in the unit start bowing and chanting your name? Little does she know that she will have to play detective when the leader of this group tells her she is to stop the coming apocalypse before going into a mysterious coma. What is it that she is supposed to be stopping exactly? Join Neve and her good friend Cornelius “Con” O’Brien as they follow the clues to expose the corruption.

Fall to Pieces by Becky Flade – Review by Char Wahtomy-Alba

Fall to PiecesFall to Pieces by Becky Flade

Lexi Danvers has been having a rough go of things since she lost her husband. Her superiors and fellow detectives feel she is a loose cannon due to her extracurricular activities outside of work. They are trying to find any reason they can to push her out and hired Xavier Knight, a specialist of sorts from Internal Affairs to investigate her. The last thing Xavier expected was to be attracted to his subject and start entertaining the idea of putting down roots of any kind. Lexi didn’t expect to have the walls she worked so hard to build be torn down so easily. While trying to figure the ins and outs of a potential relationship they are on the hunt for a murderer who hunts the innocent. Will they be able to do their respective jobs without jeopardizing not only their careers, but an entire investigation?

There are a few heavy subjects talked about in this book that are trigger warnings. Admittedly I had a bit of trouble getting past the first few pages due to what was happening, but I knew it was coming from the synopsis. Overall though I enjoyed the book from start to finish and would definitely read more books by this author.

Broken Chains by Karina Kantas – Review by Char Wahtomy-Alba

Broken ChainsBroken Chains by Karina Kantas

Liz is trying to simultaneously research for a book she is trying to write and find out what really happens behind the doors of MI5. She has become obsessed with all sorts of crime shows, specifically a show called Spooks. Do their day to day operations on the show happen in real life? When she is caught she seems to have gotten in over her head. Because of her attention to details she is recruited into MI5 and becomes a secret agent. During her first mission things get a bit hairy and she learns that the Mafia wants her taken out. What do they want with her? When she finds herself and her team surrounded she needs to make a tough decision. Will she surrender or fight for her freedom?

Overall this book was a quick read that keeps you on your toes. There is a trigger warning due to violence and some of the explicit scenes so read at your own risk. I’m not a squeamish person by any means, but even I got little uncomfortable reading these scenes. With that being said though this book was a good read and can be read in one sitting.

Conveniently Yours by Anise Storm – Review by Char Wahtomy-Alba

Conveniently Yours (Titans Of Manhattan #1)Conveniently Yours by Anise Storm

Caspian Archer, soon to be CEO of Archer Industries, has everything he could ever want and is happy. His uncle however has other plans. In order for Caspian to become his successor he must get married and it has to be for one year. Although he is casually dating a few women none of them are marriage material. Where will he find a wife that he won’t develope feelings for?

Paisley Fischer is desperate to find a way to pay the medical bills her mother has piling up. While visiting her comatose mother in the hospital she runs into Archer. All of her worries dissappear when he proposes they get married. Surely it’s a crazy idea, but when you’re up to your eyeballs in medical debt and have nowhere to live it’s hard to say no. Will Paisley be able to walk away unscathed after her 365 days are up?

Luke by A.S. Roberts – Review by Char Wahtomy-Alba

Luke (Default Distraction #4)Luke by A.S. Roberts

Luke has just moved to a new country with his band and young daughter. As the band is making decision about what to do moving forward he must find someone to help care for his daughter. His wife sadly passed away leaving him not only a widower, but a single father. Nikki finds herself needing to step up and provide for her family after her father left. Isn’t it just her luck that Luke of the band Default Distraction is looking for a nanny? Desperate for money she takes the job, but soon lines get blurred. Is it worth the risk of losing her job to give in to her attraction?

Cade by A.S. Roberts – Review by Char Wahtomy-Alba

Cade (Default Distraction #3)Cade by A.S. Roberts

Cade and Winter have history that left her heartbroken. It has been several years since Cade walked away, but now he is ready to show Winter that he is a changed man and worthy of her love once again. Being the drummer of Default Distraction may have had women clamoring to have their night with him, but all he wanted was Winter. Will Winter be able to move past the heartbreak and give Cade a second chance? Or has there been irrepairable damage that any chance of a future together is ruined?

Spoilsport by Belinda Williams – Review by Char Wahtomy-Alba

Spoilsport (Pierce Brothers, #2)Spoilsport by Belinda Williams

Spoilsport is book 2 in the Pierce Brother series. Just like the first book I was hooked from page one. Even though I had to take breaks here and there (I was at work, haha) it was definitely hard to put down. The banter between Nadia and Luke was comical at times due to her sassy and sarcastic comments. Even though Luke was the more serious of the two, and bossy according to Nadia, I felt like they complimented each other well throughout the book. Even though this is part of a series it can be read as a stand alone. If you like books that have strong willed and feisty female characters then you will enjoy this book.

The Groomsman by Marina Hanna – Review by Char Wahtomy-Alba

The GroomsmanThe Groomsman by Marina Hanna

Mark and Lauren were only supposed to have a one night stand, but it turned into something more. Although Mark keeps trying to convince himself that he doesn’t have time for a relationship things keep heading in that direction. Lauren seems ready to dip her toes back into the dating pool, but is still skeptical of anything that seems suspicious of men after finding out her last boyfriend was married. Will Mark eventually quit being in denial and allow himself happiness with Lauren? Or will his secretive phone calls have her taking a hike?

This was a quick read and enjoyable. There are several steamy scenes and the chemistry between the characters leapt off the pages. The flow of the book was great and kept moving forward at a good pace with great character development.

Snowfall Serenade by Nikki Lynn Barrett – Review by Char Wahtomy-Alba

Snowfall Serenade (Soul Connection, #3)Snowfall Serenade by Nikki Lynn Barrett

After getting into an accident, Zelda has lost the one thing she and Scott have been working toward for a while. Scott was faced with the decision nobody ever wants to have to make, but his wife’s life was on the line. Now they can barely look one another in the eye since the pain of their loss is so overwhelming and they each blame themselves. They need to work on healing not just as a couple, but as a family. It doesn’t help that ghosts keep popping up needing help to get closure. If they can’t get attention from Scott they seek the only other person that can see them, their daughter. Now the ghost of someone in the past has turned up with a big secret and the answers he needs to be able to fully close that chapter of his life. Will Zelda and Scott be able to work through things to keep their marriage and family intact? Or has Zelda finally had enough of the ghostly interruptions? Will the big secret be something that will alter his life and marriage? Will Scott finally get the closure he needs?

I have enjoyed this series so much. You can feel how heavy the matter at hand is and feel the emotion leaping from the pages. The author has yet again done a great job bringing the reader into this fictional world.

Stand Your Ground by A.J. Ullman – Review by Charlisa Wahtomy-Alba

Stand Your GroundStand Your Ground by A.J. Ullman

Cady Fox is focused on making partner at the law firm where she works instead of what some gang member threatened her with. On her way home from a dinner meeting she is stopped by this gang member and his friends. He plans to make his threats a reality, but she has come prepared. Now it is up to detectives to determine whether or not she is a cold blooded murderer or if she killed the man in self defense. Will she be arrested and convicted or deemed innocent based on the stand your ground law?

This suspenseful thriller will pull you into its pages. At first I felt like the story was moving a bit slowly, but as I got further into the book the story unraveled at a good pace. It does mention some current events which make it more modern and relatable. Overall I enjoyed this story and how everything unfolded.

No Strings Attached by Lara Cosio Ward – Review by Charlisa Wahtomy-Alba

No Strings AttachedNo Strings Attached by Lara Ward Cosio

Single mother Kayla is caught up trying to decide between her happiness and what’s right for her daughter. Her unreliable ex is in town and begging to reunite, but she’s got her eye on Mr. Buns-of-steel, Tanner, from the coffee shop. Should she give her rock star ex another chance and be a family unit or see where things go with Tanner? Tanner has a plate full himself with several things going on and doesn’t have time for relationships. His sister has been hassling him about dating and his chance encounter with Kayla presents the perfect opportunity to get her off his back. A no strings attached arrangement should be a cinch right?

This book had me laughing almost immediately. When she is caught ogling his butt while standing in line and plays it off was laugh worthy. I got second hand embarrassment when he caught her sending a picture of his butt to her friend. If you like reading books that have relationships grow slowly and organically, have some sizzle, and have great characters I highly recommend this book.

Whisper Creek by Valerie Davisson – Review by Char Wahtomy-Alba

In this book Logan has accepted the proposal of her long-term boyfriend, Ben. On top of that great news she has also become YouTube famous when one of her students puts her music on the video platform for the world to hear. It has amassed millions of views which in turn has started to generate her money. Afraid that it will destabilize the monetary dynamic she and Ben have, she decides a trip to Oregon will help clear her head. While in Oregon at The New School she is roped into playing her violin in the staff talent show. When everyone has done their act and are getting congratulated all around she takes her friends dog out for a bathroom break and discovers a body. Who hated this woman enough to want her dead? When several of her friends and co-workers at the school become prime suspects she dons her detective hat to clear their names. Is Logan going to be a help or a hindrance?

Another great book in the Logan McKenna series. From the very first book she has quickly become one of my favorite characters to follow. I don’t know how many books the author plans on writing for this series, but I will be sad to see it end!