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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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Master Trentino (Masters of the Consulate Book 3) by Sylvia Black – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Master TrentinoMaster Trentino by Sylvia Black
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Love this new take on vampires!! This is the 3rd book in the author’s series, however, it is the first one I am reading. I love that it is a series, but I felt you did not need to have read the first 2 to understand this book. It is one of those that while in a series, they are also stand alone because each story is about a different set of characters. The new take on the fact that vampires are actually the good guys who have been smeared through history. Everyone knows about all the different species, but humans hate the vampires due to horrible rumors being spread through the ages.

In this book, the vampire world is looking for a trader among their ranks. There are people stealing women and killing innocents to become the most powerful of beings. Trentino is one of the head vampires, Masters, trying to figure out what is going on, who is behind it all, and a way to prove they are not the enemy to the rest of the world. Through the process of searching for the trader, Trentino sires a special human named Angel. Angel is a medium and speaks to the dead, just like her deceased grandmother. Her family is part of a powerful mafia who has hated the vampire community their entire lives. However, one night after meeting Trentino, all that will change. She never feared him and always felt a strong pull or connection before she even knew what he was. The story is a progression of their relationship and how she fairs in his world. She becomes a part of a world she once hated to save her new race. One of the things I love about the book are the characters. The men are dominating, protecting, but respectful and open. The women are badass. While their mates try to protect them, they are also the answer to defeating the bad in the world. The women can fight, take care of themselves, but also respect the order of their world. It also didn’t hurt that the author knows how to write a sex scene – just enough to get you going!

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Forbidden Moon (The Shadow Chronicles Book 3) by CR Robertson – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Forbidden MoonForbidden Moon by C.R. Robertson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Once again, the author created an exciting edition to the series. In Forbidden Moon, as the third book, Levi and Tasha are continuing to find a way to rid the world of the hellspawn. However, they have a new addition, their daughter, Persephone. This little girl may be the key to all of the chaos due to her amazing, developing powers. She is also the first mixed breed, so no one knows what will become of her and how far she will be able to span her powers. However, all of them believe between Tasha, Persephone, and the other witches, they are the key to serenity, but we will have to wait to see. In addition, this book provides information that is deemed important for how it all began and how they suspected the problem to be solved, but everything is always changing.
One of the things that makes these books so good is not only the story telling, but the dynamics of the characters. The love story between Levi and Tasha is only something we can all hope to have. In one scene, Tasha’s sister states, “I can’t help but want someone in my life who looks at me as if I’m the last morsel in the base and he’s starving.” She explains the love between Levi and Tasha perfectly – they have passion, commitment, desire, basically what one would call an all consummate love – the best kind. I can’t wait to see where the story is taken and hope for a happy ending for all of them!

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Born in Darkness (Mafia Elite Book 3) by Amy McKinley – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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

As usual, the author produced another romantic dark drama within the mafia families. This book is about Emiliana (Em), one of the mafia’s princesses. In the previous book, we learn a lot of Em and how she was kidnapped, trafficked, but also eventually saved by Stefano – the secret love of her life. In this book, we dive deeper into Em’s story and the secret love she has had for Stefano, her entire life. Stefano feels the same as Em, but his father, an evil mob boss who holds her over his head in order to get what he wants. Throughout this book, the two of them build their romance, go public, and try to find a way to live happily ever after. I love the way the author puts a story down, makes it easy to read, and while getting details is also straight to the point. My most favorite aspect of this book however, is the bad ass women! While each of the mafia books are geared around a main female character, I thought this particular one showed a different side. You know, growing up in a mafia family, you have to have a hard shell, training, and vigilance. The women, especially Em, showed that while the husbands, boyfriends, and bosses are not to be messed with, well neither are their women!!

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Blindsided by T. Christensen – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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

Friends, loves, enemies – the path friendship can take when we are teens is twisted. In this book, a girl by the name of Kirsa is friends with the boy next door, Brock. They are inseparable, until one day the “third wheel” of a friend, Victoria, is caught in a compromising position with Brock. Teenage hormones got the best of those two and was the first factor towards ruining the friendship between Kirsa and Brock. A lack of communication snowballs into the two becoming enemies throughout all of high school. However, it wasn’t just being enemies, Brock vowed to make Kirsa’s life a living hell for all of high school and he didn’t disappoint. In the end, the truth always comes out, it just sucks that so many lives had to be cut down and ruined to get there.

Well, this book produced many different feelings for me in relation to my past and present. As a mother of a teen, there were parts of this book that were scary. No one person should have to go through what Kirsa had to deal with. My heart felt angry, hurt, and just wanted to reach out and hug her. However, thinking of Brock’s position, I remember being a teen and not knowing who was trustworthy, my real friend, wanted something from me, etc. All in all, I thought I enjoyed this book.
While the content hit close to home, it also was realistic and provided a lot of teaching moments: communication is key to any relationship – that means listening too; everyone needs a friend and is entitled to one; and there will always be someone who rises above the bullies and takes a stand. My most favorite lesson in this book, however, is you are stronger than you think. When things seem like they can’t get worse, if you keep going, believe that you are worth it, those thoughts can lead you to get through anything, and in return you might just come out on top.

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The Web of Humanity by Maria Turchin – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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The Web of Humanity: A NovelThe Web of Humanity: A Novel by Maria Turchin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

As a person who loves solving puzzles and learning about the stories of ancestors, The Web of Humanity was a great choice. The story is one of many themes involving love, friendship, hardship through war, coincidences, and family. It’s a journey about a woman named Anna who becomes interested in her grandmother’s hidden past. Right before her grandmother dies, she gives Anna just a tiny glimpse of the past events that she endured. This glimpse sends Anna’s curiosity sky high, and she begins a journey to find out the whole truth behind her grandmother’s hidden past. While this was a long journey, when reading, it provided inspiration of wonder and full circle moments, and really making you think about what all the connections and events in one’s life really could mean.

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Rock Me to the Top (Gracefall: Vicious Love Tour) by Victoria Zak – Reviewed by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Rock Me To The Top (Gracefall: Vicious Love Tour Book One)Rock Me To The Top by Victoria Zak
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

  • I just loved this book. It is a story about two friends who have secretly loved each other over the last decade or so. One of these friends is a rock and roll princess and the other a newly famous member of a rock and roll band. They never let their friendship become more due to the past both of them hold. However, times are changing and both of them feel it is also time for a change, but what does that mean for their friendship? The reason I loved this story so much is for the realistic aspect it held in the sequence of events. There are ups, downs, tragedies, etc. Some time in our life we have all had to make a decision on whether friendship is worth it, worth it to be more, and what it would look like if all went wrong. I enjoyed the characters, their banter, their friendship, and the love they possess while supporting each other’s dreams. The way they carried themselves through the love story is a good lesson for all – support each other’s dreams, lift each other up, and be patient.View all my reviews

Drummer’s Beat (Satan’s Devils MC #2) AUDIO BOOK by Manda Mellett – Reviewed by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Drummer’s Beat is a story about a girl named Sam, who is out looking for her relative. This relative is apparently part of a biker organization, but she knows how hard it is to get into these “clubs”. Luckily, for her, not only is she a mechanic and rides a motorcycle, but breaks down near the compound and is “rescued” by the leader of the biker club. As the story continues, she has to prove that she is only there to learn about this relative and not to cause any trouble. What everyone is unaware of is that trouble is going to find her. She eventually gains some trust and “something else” from the club president (who is unfamiliar with the feelings he is possessing). But in the end, he will do what he needs to to protect her. This was my first biker related story I have read – and while I thought the story itself was fine, it will probably be my last biker story. I am one who likes a kink style book and some raunchiness at times, but I was a little put off by the culture portrayed, especially towards women.

Conveniently Yours (Titans of Manhattan BOOK 1) by Anise Storm – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Conveniently Yours (Titans Of Manhattan #1)Conveniently Yours by Anise Storm
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The story is the first in the series, Titans of Manhattan. The first titan we learn about is Caspian Archer, millionaire, running Archer Enterprises, a company started and owned by his uncle. Caspian is a workaholic, so his dying uncle has a plan to change that around. Caspian must get married and partake in that agreement for at least 1 year and a day in order to keep his position at Archer Enterprises. To say the least, he is not happy about this and feels his life is good the way it is. Little did he know, all that was about to change when he ran into an old friend from his childhood, a childhood he has tried to desperately forget. You watch this arrangement between two people bloom into a great friendship and love story, with some bumps along the way! I always love a book where you are getting each character’s thought process on the pages and not guessing what they are feeling. I really enjoyed the relationship between Caspian and Paisley. The relationship was honest, brutal at times, full of devotion, and had many sexy encounters. I look forward to the other titan’s story!

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Mom, Is There a Santa Claus? by Susan J. Berger Illustrator: K.C. Snider – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Mom, Is There a Santa Claus?Mom, Is There a Santa Claus? by Susan J. Berger
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a pretty good children’s holiday book. The book provides a great way of answering the question that all kids ask “Is there really a Santa?”. This is probably a question that all parents dread one day, feeling once they ask the magic of Christmas may be lost. However, the book answers the question in a magical way by explaining the spirit of Christmas and the idea of Santa, rather than just saying nope no Santa. In the book, the young child took that message and kept the dream alive for all the believers out there. While I did think there could have been more said or pondered about by the kid who acquired this new found information, I believed that it provided a great message of how to give kids the truth they are seeking, without causing “loss”.

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Blood Oath (Mafia Elite, book 2) by Amy McKinley – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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

The second book of this series, just like the first, did not disappoint. This is a story about mafia princess Sofia who is being “hunted” by the Russian mafia. Sofia is a designer who is about to take off in the fashion world in Milan. However, prior to this adventure, a person from her past shows up and everyone knows that trouble is coming. Sofia has brothers who will not let anything happen to her, however, another would also come to her aid and much more. Enzo is the son of a high ranking mob boss, but has always pledged to keep Sophia safe. When they were younger they performed a blood oath and he always promised to keep her out of harm’s way. They have been “estranged” ever since his promised bride went missing along with his sister. He thought by staying away from Sophia, it would help keep her safe but he was wrong. So, Enzo and Sophia end up taking this journey together while he plays bodyguard and they both try to ignore their feelings for one another.
I always love a great, steamy, romance between friends that becomes more.
Some of the best relationships start out as friends and the bond can become something so different. That seems to happen for Enzo and Sophia. I really enjoy this series. The characters, the steaminess, and the combination of bad boy at the whims of the woman he loves just truly does it for me.

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