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Undeniable (Central Florida Stories Book 2) by Victoria Saccenti – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Undeniable (Central Florida Stories, #2)Undeniable by Victoria Saccenti
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Undeniable is a BDSM themed romance between Arley and Kurt (some spoilers). Arley and Kurt grew up as neighbors, but he is five years older and her brother’s best friend, while growing up. After the death of her father, Arley’s brother started to change, becoming more secretive and abusive; Kurt was always there though to soften the blow. They decided after her brother beat her up for the last time, it was time for them to move back to their motherland, Puerto Rico. Next thing you know, fifteen years have gone by and everyone is living their own lives. However, while Arley is living in Tennessee, as a teacher, she is attacked and kidnapped to join a sex traffick ring. Luckily, she is rescued, but has to hide out, which she does in Florida with a childhood friend. Little did she know Kurt, the boy she loved but could never have, was back living in Florida. After all her trauma, she wanted to get back to some resemblance of normal and get a job as a bartender at a BDSM club. Kurt happens to be a part owner of this club and their journey begins. He continues to be her protector as a group of men are trying to find and claim her, but during this protection their attraction grows and he brings her little by little into his world.
While I enjoyed this book I was surprised that there was more plot than BDSM. I really did fall in love with these characters. Arley is a strong, intelligent, curious, submissive woman (and I say that in a positive way). She mentally gets through all the crazy that happens by leaning on others and being open to different possibilities. Kurt, made a great dom in this scenario. He is a retired Marine who is a true protector. He is open with his feelings, doesn’t deal with the bullshit, is patient, and shows his caring side often. Even though, as you read, you can tell and hear the dominance in his “voice”, he knows the boundaries that people are capable of. He made Arley feel safe, loved, protected, and sexy as hell. Their relationship was truly enjoyable to watch as it deepened.

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Saved by Love (Bellevue Bullies Book 7) by Toni Aleo – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Saved by Love (Bellevue Bullies #7)Saved by Love by Toni Aleo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Encouraging, reassuring, promising, and heartening are just some of the words that come to mind when I think about this book!! Saved by Love is a story about two young individuals’s journey to a better mental health life through loving each other. Callie is a young woman who was raised by her sister and brother-in-law (an NHL player with autism) after her mother died and dad abandoned them. She is a strong-minded, independent woman who is an amazing gymnast for her college, who also volunteers for the autism center. The new gymnastics trainer, Evan, is a hot, smart, slightly broken, retired NHL star who came back to college to figure things out. While both of them are familiar with each other, due to Evan playing with her brother-in-law in the NHL, he doesn’t recognize her at first although she is smitten with him from the start. While the entire school is hitting on him, she takes a different approach to gain his attention, they become running partners and friends. That camaraderie quickly turns into something more, deeper, beyond the physical. The two of them start to take a journey that neither of them want to come back from.

This book was completely unexpected in the most amazing ways. One, there was no bullshit between the main characters – I love the fact that they continued to fight and support each other and never went through angst or regret amongst themselves. Also, as a mental health professional, I may be slightly biased, but the fact is that this book centered around “disabilities” and mental health in athletes made me fall in love with it more than I thought I would. It is definitely a topic that isn’t talked about enough in books, and the fact that much of the issues was the male character was even more amazing; to see things from the male point of view which is still considered pretty taboo today. The other aspect that completely drew me in were the two main characters. Callie, while she struggles with her own things, you can see the work she has put in. She is beautiful inside and out and became a wonderful foundation for Evan. However, Evan, oh my, I am so in love with him. From the beginning of the book, you can feel his pain and you just want to reach out and hug him. The way he goes about improving his own mental health, it just took a lot of bravery and you could totally feel it in the character. Also, I don’t want to give anything away, but there is one major aspect about him that just makes him so endearing, which really goes against everything we know about hot athletes. The growth he does because of Callie’s love is just remarkable and really inspiring. The fact that his family members were also amazing characters just made me love him and the life he leads even more. This book really shows you that mental health is a problem for so many and really needs to be discussed more – not frowned upon. Also the support that Evan receives is a great reminder to others that you don’t know what people are going through and you should be kind and just love a person for where they are. Mental health issues are not someone being weak, it is someone who needs a little bit of help to get back on their journey!!

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Levi (The Brothers of Creekside Ranch Book 1) by Edith Mackenzie – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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LeviLevi by Edith Mackenzie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book reminded me of a good wholesome Hallmark movie. Levi is a retired Navy SEAL living on a ranch with his brothers, they are triplets. Their parents just died, unexpectedly, and now they have a ranch and a little sister to take care of. None of them ever cared for a little girl and didn’t know what they were going to do. However, in their need Levi receives a phone call and is owing someone a favor. Bella, she is a key witness and entering into a sort of witness protection until they can bring down her ex-Russian mafia boyfriend. Levi is her cover and protector till they can show up in court, “hired” as his sister’s nanny and housekeeper. The five of them quickly get used to living together on the ranch and quickly build a bond. However, it does take some work since Levi is broken from his past and has a lot of rage. Bella quickly becomes his solace but the feelings are not fully understood. Will his demons be able to stabilize to protect his family? Will he be able to keep her safe from a crazy man?
This was really a wholesome story. I would say if you need a palate cleanser in between extreme reads, this is a great choice. I thought the characters were very loveable. I enjoyed the progress we see from Levi (maybe having military people in my family makes me love him a little more). I also enjoyed seeing a submissive woman turn into someone who had a mind of her own. It showed just how much love can change people after loss. It was sweet, flirty, and how all Hallmark movies end, with a happy ending!!

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Murder Creek (Audio Book) by Jane Suen – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Murder Creek is a story about a college student named Eve, who is working on a term paper. She states that she always gets weird feelings about different events in time, like murder. She ended up feeling something eerie at Murder Creek. This feeling was so strong she started to research the history of Murder Creek and became curious about the disappearance of a young teen girl named Lacey. This brought her to visit Murder Creek and start to investigate this unsolved case. Much of the town was very quiet about this story, but Eve’s determination started to open people up to giving some answers. I enjoyed this book. As someone who loves to solve puzzles, I had fun trying to figure out where the story was going to take me. There are many characters that play a part in this book so I would say pay attention. Also I liked how with new information I was finding myself revamping my theory. While I did not fall in love with any of the characters, they all played a good role. I enjoyed the story line and it was a quick read.

Castor’s Kiss (Soul Bonded in the Stars Book 2) by Tai James – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Castor's Kiss (Soul Bonded in the Stars # 2)Castor’s Kiss by Tai James
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Castor’s Kiss is a sci-fi romance story. This story reminds me of a coupling between any science fiction story but adds in the ideas behind The Hunger Games. It starts by introducing you to Mia, who has been enslaved by Throl, a leader from a different planet. Mia is forced to fight for her life everyday in the arena, luckily she is one of the best known fighters. She has been fighting for some time – Throl had taken her from other captors that tortured her. She believes her crew have all been captured or perished and she is on her own to survive. However, an Atlantean man, Castor, has been sent to retrieve and return her to her people. What they didn’t expect was the soulmate bond that connected between them. This connection helps lead them to a possible future, but do each of them want that? They are two souls that haven’t really known love, would this connection be able to change that? Would this connection be the link to their survival off of Throl’s planet?
This is the first time I have read anything by this author. I enjoyed the book for the most part. I am not really a sci-fi loving reader, but the author kept things moving and interesting. I never felt there was a lull in the story, there was a lot of action, and the love story wasn’t bad either. I think what I loved most was Mia. She is a badass female who doesn’t show fear, but also has a vulnerable side too. She is smart, cunning, and powerful. She is also someone who goes with her instinct so even when she is scared or never loved before, she wasn’t always pushing feelings aside, she dealt with them. I think Castor played a complimentary love interest to Mia. Both were strong, cunning fighters that complimented each other’s style. This is technically not a standalone, but if you wanted to read it that way you could. Although I may not be big on sci-fi romance, I am interested in possibly reading the next book in the series.

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The Mastermind (WaterFyre Rising Book 1) by Nadia Han – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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The Mastermind (WaterFyre Rising, #1)The Mastermind by Nadia Han
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Mastermind is a contemporary romance about a self-made brilliant billionaire, Remi. This is book 1 in the series, but it is a stand alone. Remi was a genius from a young age and a millionaire by the time he was a teen. After his mother’s death, his father remarried and life changed forever. No longer did he feel loved or wanted, but that fueled him to work hard and find a way to ensure a future for himself. It all starts with his friends (more like family to him) and him skipping school and witnessing something that they should have, but ultimately changes the course of their lives. This started a path of secrets that Remi will have to keep. In all of these successes and secrets, Remi has become seen as a dark hearted individual, however, his best friend’s sister has always seen something more. Now that they are both successful and adults, they are starting to see each other in a different light, partly due to her own demons that she holds. The two of them decide to blur the boundaries and try to find the light through all the dark that they are. Will light and dark be able to find that balance to create more than coldness, to create love?

This was my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it. It gave a contemporary romance a bit of an edge and I was here for it. One, the storyline had twists and turns throughout and I loved the process of trying to figure it all out. Two, the characters were great. Remi, although has a rough exterior, was an amazing leading man. He was demanding, protective, but seeing his vulnerable side peek through you just couldn’t help but fall in love with him. Audri was just as equally amazing as the leading lady. She was driven, confident, creative, intelligent, and straight forward. Her patience and love for Remi, along with her confident, adventurous side was something we could learn from. I look forward to reading more of this series.

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Devil’s Breath by Lang Johnson – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Devil's BreathDevil’s Breath by Lang Johnson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Devil’s Breath is a suspense romance about an assassin named Sera and her mark, Cassius. Sera grew up poor with an abusive father after her mother died from drugs. Sera’s biggest weakness is satisfying her father, no matter what. Her father and a couple of associates want to invest in a “gems” company. This “gems” company is actually a way to sell drugs under the radar due to Sera’s brilliant chemistry mind. However, while she is a millionaire, they need a backer, that is where Cassius comes in. Cassius is one of the associate’s brothers, who hates him and wants revenge on the family he was disowned from. What they all didn’t count on was Cassius’ crazy smart brain and the fact that Sera’s tough exterior could have a flaw. Will Cassius figure out the plan before he loses his life? Will Sera’s tough exterior faulter for anyone besides her father? A game of cat and mouse is a good one!
I enjoyed this book a lot. It always helps when you have a badass female lead who is an assassin with daddy issues. You get to see her transformation throughout the book and give you hope that people might be able to do and be better. However, her daddy issues did make me want to slap her at times. The two characters together had great banter, which I thrive off of. However, Cassius, oh my, he was my favorite character in the book. He was adventurous, charming, down to earth, and understanding. How he treated the people around him, especially Sera, just made you melt! He was a broken but honest, lovable, really good man that you just couldn’t help falling in love with.

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Oliver, A Story of Adoption by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Oliver: A Story about AdoptionOliver: A Story about Adoption by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Oliver was playing pirates and fell out of a tree. He could have gotten really hurt, but didn’t. However, his daddy told him to stop playing in the tree because it wasn’t strong enough. This made Oliver mad and started to question where his real parents are, Oliver is adopted. Oliver thinks about all the places that his parents may be, but ultimately decides that it was for the best because they couldn’t take care of him. After cooling off, he makes his way to the kitchen where his parents are baking cookies – he got to lick the batter. He tells his parents that he could have had a completely different life. While that may be true, his parents reassured him that he was very much wanted by them and that made Oliver feel better. I love books on a diverse subject. This would be great for those who were adopted to be able to read about it. While I think the animal chosen for the book is a little weird looking I am sure kids won’t mind.

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The True Garza (Red Cage Book 3) by S. Ann Cole – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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The True Garza (Red Cage, #3)The True Garza by S. Ann Cole
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The True Garza is about True, a vice president of Red Cage Security Company and London (Lonny), a former agent turned private contractor. Lonny has had a rough year with an assignment gone bad and the death of her father, so she decided to move to LA to live with her sister. However, in LA there is a hot fling she had over a year ago, in her dark time, that she can’t get out of her head, True. Well, she ends up working for his company but wasn’t aware at the beginning because when she knew him he went by a different name. Each had been pining for each other over the last year, however, the biggest problem is True is a big time playboy with commitment issues. The two of them form a really strange, sexual relationship – really an addiction to each other. However, while she is falling for him, he is a commitment phobe, so really where will this go. Will she stay? Will she leave him for a commitment? Do either of them have the willpower to leave this addiction? Only time will tell!

Let me put it this way, I want to go read the first two in the series if it is anything like this one. Where do I begin with all the things I loved about this book? One, I read it in 24 hours! Two, the main characters were amazing. They were playful, tons of banter, and amazing dom-sub smut!! However, Lonny is a badass, takes no shit, defends herself, and is an honest female lead. Granted, she has a submissive weakness for True, but doesn’t everyone have a weakness! While she is addicted to True, she is also very self-aware of that fact, but also stands her ground with him too! True, well you can feel all the angst he is going through over Lonny and I was totally there for it. This was one of my favorite types of books, a good plot with great smut!!

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The Mermaid and the Ice Cube Necklace (Mermaid Science) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Mermaid and the Ice Cube NecklaceMermaid and the Ice Cube Necklace by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a great little story about Maia and Fig who are having a picnic by the lake. As they are enjoying their lunch, a mermaid friend named Trezzie pops up and is entranced by all the ice in their lemonade and thinks they are so sparkly. Trezzie asks if they could make her a necklace out of the ice. Maia starts to make her necklace by blowing into a straw at the center of the ice (Fig is not able to see Trezzie). Once the necklace is made Fig sees the necklace just floating there and jumps in to chase it. Fig starts to drown and Trezzie and her necklace save her. Fig didn’t believe Trezzie was real but may be changing her mind!! This book was a really cute book that blended science and imagination together. One of the best ways to get kids learning is through fun innovation and this book was able to do that.

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A Long Kiss Goodbye (Onyx & Mercury Book 2) by H.D. Thomson – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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A Long Kiss GoodbyeA Long Kiss Goodbye by H.D. Thomson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Well this book took a turn I was not really expecting. This paranormal suspense started with a “normal” girl named Avery who starts to find herself in a very strange assault. On her way home from the bar one night she is attacked, but when she wakes up she can’t remember anything. She finds herself getting to the hospital with the aid of her neighbor Luys. What they find is very mysterious, nothing is wrong except for this crazy stitch work on her chest. As the story progresses, she and Luys build a connection, but both are going through different strangeness in their life. She is not sure who she can trust or not as she tries to figure out what happened to her and why there is a string of murders so close to home. The police warn her against Luys, Luys warns her against the woman Avery is friends with, and the circle continues. What happened to her, how is Luys related to all of this, and what does it mean for her future?
As a whole I thought this book was pretty good. It definitely took on a new spin on the paranormal romance suspense genre which I was thankful for. I loved Luys, he was sweet, caring, and seemed genuinely like a nice person. Avery, I didn’t not like her, but there were times I would find myself saying ‘girl you have got to be kidding me’. However, in the end, I did love her more after she started to fight for Luys a little more. One thing I wish was a little different was how the chapters were labeled. There were many times I started reading a new page or chapter and had no idea which character perspective I was reading from till the end of the page. There are many characters playing important roles in the story so maybe if she let us know who was speaking from the start I wouldn’t have had to pause and think about what they were saying or where the story was trying to go.

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Everything to Me (Playing for Keeps Book 2) by Lauren Fraser – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Everything to Me (Playing for Keeps Book 2)Everything to Me by Lauren Fraser
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Everything to Me is a book about Kendall, a successful marketing associate who is in love with her brother’s best-friend, Pete, a professional baseball player. Kendall had a crush on Pete since she was a teenager, but he has never seen her that way. She tries to push her luck though when invited to stay with him while she is on a work trip in his hometown. Very quickly the two of them have chemistry, but Pete is nervous about this chemistry because he knows his best friend would kill him for sleeping with his sister. However, how can anyone resist a beautiful, intelligent, and cunning woman like Kendall – she basically persuades him a secret fling is a good idea. Is a secret fling ever a good idea, especially when feelings were already there? Will he have those same feelings for her? If he does, will his past allow him to enjoy those feelings? Is she worth losing his best-friend over?

I just loved this book for so many reasons. One, this is one of my favorite tropes – brother’s best-friend, plus it was a quick read. Two, the characters are so loveable. The banter and playfulness between them is authentic. Also, I am not a girl who really enjoys a slow-burn – well, this was far from it. Within the first chapter, shit is laid out on the table and we are moving!!! The chemistry between Kendall and Pete is amazing! I would love to read more of this author’s work!!

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Collateral Damage (Mafia Elite Series Book 6) by Amy McKinley – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Collateral Damage: A Second Chance Mafia Romance (Mafia Elite Book 6)Collateral Damage: A Second Chance Mafia Romance by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This has become one of my favorite mafia series. This is book 6 of the series and as usual it didn’t disappoint. In this story, we fall in love with Trey, a mafia brother and doctor in the family. Trey works for a local hospital to keep up appearances, but hates the man that runs the hospital, Allen. Allen has a stepdaughter, Hailey, that gets kidnapped and now he is being blackmailed. Instead of involving the police, he asks Trey to help – knowing exactly who he is. Trey does not want to help Allen, but is intrigued about the kidnapping since about 6 months prior he met Haliey and recognized an instant connection. Trey didn’t do anything about the connection because he was still grieving a prior relationship. He has plans to find her though, but when he does what is he supposed to do with her? A crazy turn of events happens and with that the start of a romantic relationship.
Like all the other mafia books I loved this one. The main reason would be because of Trey. While I fall in love with all the mafia men, Trey is smart, laid back, passionate, vulnerable, and just so worthy (if that makes sense). The two characters together have a great chemistry. The only thing I wanted a little more of was some more sexy scenes between the 2 – though it was pretty PG. Can’t wait for the next!!

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The Mind-Reading Hat (Invisible Magic Wand Series Book 6) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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The Mind-Reading Hat: Invisible Magic Wand Book SixThe Mind-Reading Hat: Invisible Magic Wand Book Six by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another cute book from this author. In this Magic Wand Book Caspian receives another UnBirthday present, well actually two of them. They, as all the other presents, are very special. As the title states, Caspian receives a mind reading hat. Whose mind will he be able to read? Where do these minds take him: on an adventure, in search of more gifts, etc.? These books are great for kids. They allow them to use their imagination. It leads them to thinking that what seems silly or impossible might just be real.

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The Cruiser (The Hustlers Trilogy Book 1) by Rowan Rossler – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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The Cruiser (The Hustlers Trilogy, #1)The Cruiser by Rowan Rossler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Cruiser is a millionaire romance between Morgan de Rohan-Chabot and Vandana Hillman. Morgan is the best yacht architect in the world, but he is a bad boy who “cruises” between women. This reputation doesn’t help him when trying to land the biggest deal in his life to a prince who doesn’t appreciate his lifestyle. Morgan decides to hire a luxury PR specialist, Vandana, to control the situation and enhance his image. What neither expected was the connection they will have. Can two people living completely different lives, going through different difficulties in life work?
This was an amazing, spicy, millionaire romance. I completely loved both characters the entire book, the banter was seductive and endearing. I have read a lot of romance lately, and while it is my favorite genre, I find myself getting mad at the behaviors of the characters: too needy; too blind; too cowardly, etc. NOT THIS BOOK. The characters were honest, up front, and not over dramatic. Obviously every story will have a climax and problem, but I loved how it wasn’t over dramatic and didn’t drag on. Definitely left me wanting more!!

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The Last Cabin Girl (Detective Josie Thompson Series) by Tom Swyers – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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The Last Cabin Girl: A totally gripping thriller full of twistsThe Last Cabin Girl: A totally gripping thriller full of twists by Tom Swyers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Last Cabin Girl is a suspenseful, twisty thriller that starts a couple months before the COVID pandemic takes place. The main character, Josie, lives in a small town in New York State. Josie is a waitress, and a prospective nursing student who is trying to divorce her abusive husband. Her husband is the town doctor who is also known to be a drug dealer and do shady business. The story starts at the beginning of the pandemic and you see Josie seem very paranoid about many things in her life, the pandemic, her husband, and the secrets that surround her family. She lives in her family’s cabin that is very isolated, but also holds certain memories of her past. She had witnessed a dead body in the river the cabin lives along, but no one believed her. She finds herself in trouble when her husband and many of her husband’s associates go missing or are found dead. Did Josie have anything to do with this? Is her family secrets part of the problem?

This book had a slow start in my eyes. Reliving the first handful of months of the pandemic in this book didn’t give me the motivation to just fly through the pages and chapters. However, once you started to be given little aspects of how many secrets were floating around this town, it started to pique my interest. By half way through the book, I wanted to know the secrets and where this was all going. Well, I was not disappointed. The twists and turns of this book had me saying OMG. I had so many aspects in mind about what could be happening, some of them I figured out, but was pleasantly surprised that I would never have come up with some of the other ones presented. Worth the read if you like mysteries.

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The Fighter (An Underground Bad Boys Romance Book 3) by India Kells – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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The Fighter (An Underground Bad Boys Romance, #3)The Fighter by India Kells
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jonathan Gage is a MMA fighter who grew up on the streets with violence all around. He tried leaving his old life behind, but just could never stay away from the underground circuit. Along his journey towards a new beginning, he finds himself aiding newcomers, Ten and Juliet, to the circuit and they all find themselves messing with the wrong guy. Ten and Juliet have been friends for some time, but Ten is always making bad decisions while Julient is trying to get him out of them. The three of them, in trying to survive this ordeal, build a budding friendship and romantic exploration. Ten is trying to figure out who he is, Juliet is trying to portray who she was always afraid of, and Gage can’t seem to leave the life he used to have, but so badly wanting a life of love and happiness. They will have to work together and be open to their vulnerabilities if they want to have a future.

When I first started reading the book I was not sure how I was going to like it. The book premise and relationships in the story moved very quickly, which I wasn’t against. I did think the dynamics were a little odd and unrealistic, to me. However, as the characters started to change and develop, I started to really like Gage and Juliet. Ten is a fine character but I wasn’t finding anything too special about him. The three of them do have some smut going on around them that is quite raunchy at the beginning, but you can start to see the caring and/or love dynamic start to take place. I enjoyed how the book ended.

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Until There Was You by G. Colgrove – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Until there was youUntil there was you by G. Colgrove
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a story about a girl growing up on the wrong side of the tracks, in Boston. She has grown up in poverty and around crime her whole life but was determined to get out of this situation. Well, she never realized that day was coming sooner than later when she meets Jeremy and they are instantly drawn to each other. Jeremy is a COO of a big time company, who went to college in Boston and fell in love with this city. After a recent breakup, Jeremy wasn’t looking for anything serious, but there was something about this “Southie” that he couldn’t deny himself of. He pursues her until she agrees to go on a date with him. This “date” turns into one of the best nights of her life and the beginning of their love story. However, how could this ever work, a poor girl with nothing and a man who has everything, with a family that wants no part of her. Can they make it work? Will money and hidden family secrets get in the way? Will his family force them apart? Or will their love conquer all?
I just fell so much in love with this book. The characters were dynamic and jumped off the page. It made it so easy for me to feel like I was a part of the story. There were times that I literally was laughing, crying, and feeling completely heart broken. The way I was so pulled into the story and having all these feelings told me that this book was very well written by this author. Not to mention the amount of smut in this book!!! Oh my goodness, it was so good! It was an easy read and I couldn’t put it down.

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The-Know-It-All-Pencil (Invisible Magic Wand Series) by Lois Wickstrom – Review By Dr. Anya Schultz

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The Know-It-All PencilThe Know-It-All Pencil by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a children’s book that was about a boy named Caspian. Each year Caspian gets an UnBirthday gift from his grandfather. This year he received a pencil that wrote on its own. Once the pencil started writing, it was up to Caspian to find out what the pencil was trying to get him to do. Caspian goes on a little adventure meeting new people and going where the clues led him to a fun discovery. This was a cute book. I think children would enjoy having a pencil that could be magical and going on a little adventure. What I liked most was that the author found a way to have the character be social, kind, and prosocial behavior.

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The Hunted (Vampire Navy SEAL: Sam & Layla) by S.B. Alexander – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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The Hunted (Vampire Navy SEAL: Sam & Layla, #1)The Hunted by S.B. Alexander
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I just loved this new take on this paranormal romance! Sam is a vampire who works for the Vampire Navy Seals and is sought after for his potent blood. Layla is a vampire hunter searching for Sam, but not sure why. Layla and her sisters were hired to kidnap Sam. On the night they attempt to do this, all hell breaks loose when their toxin doesn’t completely work to subdue the vampires and they piss off not only Sam but another ruthless of their kind. Sam lets them live, but he knows they will return to him for his help for a handful of reasons. The other aspect plaguing the situation is that Sam feels something he doesn’t understand for the human. These problems come together to create a very steamy, action-packed tale.
I truly enjoyed not only the plot of this story, but the characters. The plot discusses the supernatural world differently than many others and when you have read a million of these types of books, a new take is refreshing. The characters had personalities that jumped off the page. You couldn’t help but love the badass sisters even though they made some stupid decisions along the way. Sam, even in all of his uncontrollable inner monologue, you could see how deep he cared for Layla and how that grew. However, the best part about this was how the relationship developed: dysfunctions to hot as hell to yearning to OMG! I am truly excited for the next book!

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Claiming My Mate (Wolf Hollow Pack Book 1) by Nicole Howl – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Claiming My Mate (Wolf Hollow Pack, #1)Claiming My Mate by Nicole Howl
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Claiming My Mate is a romantic fantasy about a girl named Lily, who serves the royal wolf pack family as a “slave”. Lily tries to keep her head down and do the job, since many find the wolves to be mean and intimidating. Unfortunately, one of those wolves in the royal guard has taken an “interest” in her and because of his position feels that he can take whatever he wants from her. (Trigger warning – sexual assault) In the midst of all her troubles, the prince, Jason, finds himself attracted to her scent after she was cleaning his room. His wolf senses were screaming at him that this girl was special and needed to be “claimed”. Lily finds herself between a rock and a hard place – on one hand the prince is claiming her as his soulmate, while the royal guard just wants to claim her. What will she do and how far will each of these men go to claim what they believe is theirs?
I for the most part enjoyed this book. I thought the story line idea was a little different from other wolf fantasy books which interested me. I also always enjoy a good read where a wolf wants to love their soulmates so hard you can’t help but fall in love with them. Well, I was slightly disappointed. The main aspect of what could have been better was the character development. Here you have a good premise, but no build up. For example, Lily, you could see there was a little fire in her, but she was in no position of power. However, once she makes her choice (which comes pretty quickly) all of a sudden she is turning into a woman who has balls of steel and confidence. I thought it was just weird that the character development just went from one extreme to another. In addition, Jason, who is prince and supposedly powerful, wasn’t displayed that way in the writing. In each fight scene he gets extremely hurt and just seems to me if you are that powerful you should be a little more resilient when being described in these scenes. This is not to say I will not read the next book, I still got the feeling that the books will get better so I am invested in at least one more installment.

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Ruthless Heir (Mafia Elite Book 5) by Amy McKinley – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Ruthless Heir: An Enemies to Lovers Mafia Romance (Mafia Elite, #5)Ruthless Heir: An Enemies to Lovers Mafia Romance by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ruthless Heir is an edition of the Mafia Elite that revolves around Luc. Luc is a successful business man that came from nothing with a troubled background. Luc absorbed a new business in California and when he meets part of his staff, he recognizes the assistant, the one night stand from the night before. Summer, the assistant, is surprised to find that her fling from the night before is her new boss, but even more surprised when he misinterprets a conversation and accuses her of stealing his money. Summer ran from the accusation due to a shady past dealing with the New York mafia; she has been on the run from them for about 6 months. After Luc catches her trying to escape his office, they are interrupted by a Chicago mafia boss, Max. Summer panics because she thinks he is there for her, however, Luc is unaware that Max is there because he is an heir to the Brambilla mafia family. Both are instructed to go with Max to Chicago. The rocky start Luc and Summer have quickly turns into something deeper, just in the knick of time too since the New York mafia family has found her in Chicago.

I am just so in love with this series. Just like all the others, the author writes in a way that you are never bored, each chapter brings meaning, and you quickly flow through the story and never want to put the book down. While these may not be my favorite of all the characters throughout the books, they still were presented where you couldn’t help but fall in love with them. Summer is a girl who has worked her whole life just to have a little bit of anything. Her upbringing provided her with an attitude of work hard for what you want and take the opportunities presented to you. While she is kind, she also won’t take crap from anyone, including Luc. Luc is that character that you want to slap, but you know his heart is in the right place. I do love his commitment and possessiveness to keeping Summer safe though. I will always be willing to read a book in this series!!

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Seductively Yours (Titans of Manhattan Book 3) by Anise Storm – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Seductively Yours (Titans Of Manhattan, #3)Seductively Yours by Anise Storm
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Titan, Mason Steele, is a life-long bachelor who owns a handful of nightclubs around the states. He is a man who has a different girl all the time until he meets Rhyann one night at his club, and indulges in a hot romance in the bathroom. Rhyann is a small town girl from Kansas with a dream of being a dancer. While trying to make her way through dance school, her girlfriend and her decide to get jobs as exotic dancers, at one of Masons’ clubs; little did she know he was the owner. Rhyann quickly became one of the favorites among the men in the club, which included Mason. Rhyann struggles with trying to find herself in this big city, follow her dreams, and find respect as a woman. Will the boundaries that need to be displayed work to fight their feelings of lust, or was their amazing one night stand way more than that?

Seductively Yours is one of my favorites in this series. The characters involved are dynamic, real, and seductive. Rhyann is a sweet, but badass, driven woman that catches the attention of Mason who is dangerous, but sweet. He is also driven, honest, and respectful all while being sexy as hell. The chemistry the two characters have reels you in to hope they each can figure it out and find a happy ending. I will say, while in all of this author’s Titan stories there are steamy story lines, this one takes the cake. I could have read about the romance between these two all day!

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Depending On You by Jessica Aiken-Hall – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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

Prom night is supposed to be one of the best nights of one’s life. Cati and Patti were ride or die friends, and what they planned to be a special night turned into their life long nightmare. Cate Silver killed a man and Patti helped “hide” the incident for 20 long years. After this night, the girls didn’t know how to deal with life and drifted apart, each dealing with their own monsters. However, once again, 20 years later, they needed each other because the cold case was being reopened. As ride or die friends do, no matter how long it’s been, they support each other and come up with a plan on how they will survive.

This was such a great friendship book. I know it sounds kind of weird due to the fact that someone dies, but sometimes friendship goes beyond what is acceptable. The author did such a great job in the description of the characters that you felt that you really knew each one and how they would respond in these different situations. It made me think of my best friend the whole time. Each person needs a ride or die friendship that will be there, support you, and do whatever to ensure your safety because that is how much they love you. However, I think that this book also provides a great lesson for young people – the truth will always set you free and may bring unexpected outcomes.

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Doctor D’s Orderly Affair (Doctors of Eastport General) by C.A. King – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Doctor D's Orderly AffairDoctor D’s Orderly Affair by C.A. King
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Doctor D’s Orderly Affair is a short (very quick read) about a doctor with a bad boy, one-night stand reputation and an orderly, named Emily’s romantic endeavor. I want to be able to give you a summary of this book, but I am left a little perplexed on how to write it without spoilers or confusing people. When I first chose to read this book between the summary and the front cover I was really looking forward and intrigued. I have to say I was pretty disappointed and thought if written a little more concisely and with more detail, it could have been an amazing book. As I read others’ reviews of this, maybe I missed something, but I felt the read left a lot to be desired.

At the beginning as we were learning about the characters I was truly enjoying the story, there was youth, fantasy, but also some tragedy. I really enjoyed the innocence of Emily and the tender side of Dr. D. However, the two story lines that are present, a possible mysterious sex encounter and also the doctor’s dying nephew, confused me. The confusion mainly came at the end where I think certain things felt left out – the whole journey really. Did he mend things with family, how Emily handled not seeing him for years, etc. I feel those were important chapters (that could have been done shortly), because when I got to the last chapter I was confused thinking I missed a chapter and went back to check. Nope, the author decided to just some it up quickly with little explanation in the final chapter.

In addition, thinking that this was a steamy, sex story was also a little disappointing. My fantasy may be more extreme than others, but I felt there was not enough detail in the sex scene (only being one sex scene). After the vibrator scene I was really looking forward to the real sex scene and just felt not enough visualization could come from the description. I am not saying that I won’t read something from this author in the future, but this book was a little bit of a let down for me.

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Whatever Tomorrow Brings (Embrace Tomorrow Duet Book 2) by Amy Argent – Reviewed by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Whatever Tomorrow Brings (Embrace Tomorrow #2)Whatever Tomorrow Brings by Amy Argent
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Once again I thought this author was able to portray the heartache of reality built together with the ideas of love, hope, and perseverance. In the first book, it leaves you off in a place of fight – fighting to be alive, fighting the will to want to live, and fighting the emotions that come with struggles of cancer. At the beginning of this book, Will has chosen to fight to live, with Tori by his side. This will not be an easy journey and while both of them have their doubts about success, they decide to fight to win a life lived together. Without giving too much away, Will does make it home after extreme chemo and a stem cell transplant. While he does make it home, it doesn’t mean that survival is guaranteed. The story walks you through how Tori, along with others that love him, takes care of Will, both physically and mentally. We see the realistic and sometimes negative effects of recuperation such as low self-esteem, guilt, caregiver burden, and many other weaknesses. However, through these weaknesses, Tori finds ways to provide him dignity and ways of still feeling like a man. And day by day, you can see the shift in Tori as a caregiver, to becoming a full, equal partner in a loving relationship.

One thing I love most about this duet is the realistic nature of the story. In my previous review of the first book I mentioned that I have a daughter with Cystic Fibrosis and have been her caretaker for 10 years. As I read, I understood all of the feelings that were being portrayed, for both characters. I believe that having a healthy relationship between reality, optimism, and hope – it provides the best combination for fighting and resilience. Do we falter along the way, of course, but if you have a foundation to work from you can always find your way back to success. Will at the beginning didn’t have this foundation, but with Tori’s help ended up finding it in the end. The book portrays this balance very well and could provide a foundation for someone going through a difficult time but hasn’t found that balance yet.

Lastly, what I was most surprised by was the romance aspect throughout the book. Even in these situations I found them not only to be very steamy, but honest. Again the author has a skill for blending insecurities and reality, but still making me blush. The descriptions of these scenes had me picturing everything so clearly in my imagination – this is how I know I love a writer and a book. The characters just possessed and showed so much true love between the two of them that nothing was off limits, limitations could be erotic, and there are just some things that are worth the wait. I really love that I have found this duet series and look forward to reading other things the author has put out.

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Savage Secrets (Mafia Elite, book 4) by Amy McKinley – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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

Once again, I just love this series! Book four in the series is about Elena, a Mafia princess who has been in hiding from the Russians, and Marco, one of the Mafia bosses. Elena has been hiding from the Russians for about 4 years when her life becomes compromised, once again. The person who comes to “rescue” her is Marco. Marco and her have been “enemies” since a young age but secretly crushed on each other. Elena, however, eventually learns to trust him and to save her life must marry. However, this marriage allows them to enjoy the feelings that have been bottled up for so long. The question is, can they unite and trust each other enough to survive a Mafia war against Russia? Also, lifelong secrets start to surface, will this put more of a price on Elena’s head and how will their new marriage make it through?

What I love most about these books is the no bullshit writing! The author starts the book hot and keeps it going to make it a fast, entertaining, and enjoyable read. I also always fall in love with the characters. Each one of the women are romantics, but badass independent warriors! The men are obviously badass, but the way the author writes you can feel how deeply and desperately they love their wives. She writes the men’s personality as I wish all men would behave where their women are concerned: love them, worship them, protect them, but also let them be intelligent, decisive, strong, independent women – happy compromise to an amazingly happy life!

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The Mesmerist by Claire Luana – Reviewed by Dr. Anya Schultz

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The MesmeristThe Mesmerist by Claire Luana
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow this book will keep you guessing! The Mesmerist is an adult fantasy mystery book about a girl named Adrijana, who comes to visit her friend who is one of the new guards for the princess. As a girl with much wonder about the world around her, she ends up staying for a royal party. However, this is also when her life will completely change. She finds out she is something that many fear, but at the same time someone is also killing off the royal family. Adrijana is trying to accept this new life and figure out, not only who is killing the royals, but who is trustworthy and who isn’t.

One of the things I loved most about this book was all the mystery. There are twists and turns in each chapter and I loved trying to figure out who is behind all of these weird and tragic mishaps. The clues will pull you back and forth thinking one thing one minute and then another just a sentence later. Adrijana presents strong character development and intuition as the mystery unfolds. So, if you are looking for a fantasy style book with lots of mystery, this is the book for you!!

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Imperfectly Yours (Titans of Manhattan Book 2) by Anise Storm – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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

This is the second book in the author’s Titans of Manhattan series, and is a love story between Anton and Elsa. Anton is a Hollywood actor in love with Elsa who is a realtor in New York City. The book takes us through the first year of their marriage and all the difficulties that they endure. Be warned there could be some triggering topics within the story such as addiction, loss, and depression. Tragedy continues to strike the couple and between that and Anton always being away, strain is left on the marriage. Elsa ends up not dealing with the life struggles she has and turns to drugs instead of her husband. However, Anton sticks by his wife whose life became very difficult to live and never gave up on her; he knew all about that difficult life, too, his childhood was full of tragedy. They always said the first year of marriage was the toughest, this couple shows us just that, but also shows how when love is present, there are ways through the pain.

One of the things I love to find in any book I read is the life lessons that can be learned. Through all of the struggles, this couple shows us so many of these life lessons. I loved that the author made Elsa feel real, when I read what she was going through, I could imagine exactly how that feels. However, Elsa consistently made me upset because of the assumptions she projected about her husband. She was always so quick to push him away and assume the worst, instead of taking a moment to listen. Anton showed us that men have feelings, care, and are more than what assumptions have produced. He also showed us that when you love so deeply, you will find a way to support, stick by their side, and find a way to get through it because the love and the people involved are worth it.

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Come Back Tomorrow (Embrace Tomorrow Duet Book 1) by Amy Argent – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Come Back Tomorrow (Embrace Tomorrow, #1)Come Back Tomorrow by Amy Argent
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

There is so much I want to say about this book. First, this is not a short book so prepare yourself depending on how fast you read. Secondly, the book is about a woman, Tori, who is a psychologist. Over the last couple of years, she took on the responsibility of helping people during their last days by befriending them. She has taken some time off of doing that for reasons you will not really learn in this book. However, her best friend, who is a nurse, asked if she could make an exception for a 29 year old man who is in end stage cancer named Will. Will is a stubborn and angry individual when she first meets him, but quickly wins his affection. They become friends and develop a bond like no other. This bond becomes difficult because of the millions of feelings that have to be spoken, dealt with, and accepted. The book was amazing at showing both sides of death – the dying and those caring for the dying.

As a psychologist and caregiver myself, there was so much I recognized and learned from reading this book. I just fell in love with both main characters and even through the hard stuff envied the friendship that was developed. I am someone who has had to face the idea of death after my daughter was born with Cystic Fibrosis. While she is doing very well right now, I still understand that this is a disease that can take a different path at any time, and premature death is always a possibility. I thought the author had Tori partake in this relationship in the most perfect of ways: hopeful, being an amazing asset of support, honest, sympathetic, and just letting people move at their pace, but also encouraged to move further. This book also came at a great time for me because this semester I am teaching Psych of Death and Dying. So if you are interested in ways to move forward watching someone else’s story, this book displays positivity and hope within death.

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