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Covert Threat (A Gray Ghost Novel, book 5) by Amy McKinley – Review by Elizabeth Sanchez

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Covert Threat (Gray Ghost #5)Covert Threat by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Covert Threat is the 5th book in the Gray Ghost series by Amy McKinley. It can be read as a stand alone, but I recommend reading the whole series, as all have been wonderful. The characters only slightly overlapped, and enough details were given that you wouldn’t feel like you were missing half the story. I have loved them all so far, and this book did not disappoint. The characters are great, and I loved that the female lead wasn’t a total push over, but was a strong, brilliant woman. I liked how their relationship developed slowly and you could feel their connection. It was a perfect mix of action, romance and mystery, with the full picture only being revealed at the end. The pieces gradually fell into place. This story follows Trev and Jules, as they work together to solve a mystery. Jules is being threatened by an unknown, and Trev is hired by her boss to find out who is the threat and to keep Jules safe. She is a genius scientist and her research and developments are vital to her organization. While Trev is being paid to protect her, soon they develop feelings for each other and he wants to keep her safe, even without the money. I don’t want to spoil any surprises, so just read the book!

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A Sun So Bright (Reigning Hearts Book Three) by KG Fletcher – Review by Elizabeth Sanchez

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A Sun So Bright (Reigning Hearts, #3)A Sun So Bright by K.G. Fletcher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am glad K.G. Fletcher wrote A Sun So Bright, the 3rd book in the Reigning Hearts series. This book is the story of Fiona Merrill and Chris Ballard. Fiona is a billionaire heiress, who was handed life on a silver platter. Her dad was loaded and never spared an expense to show his love for his only daughter. Now that he’s passed, she spends her days as a socialite, going to lunch with her rich friends, or charity dinners. She has been single for too long, so when fate bring her and Chris back together, she takes matters into her own hands and hires him as her plus one. Chris comes from an entirely different world. Very blue collar, bar tender, and son of a cop. He has worked hard his entire life and cannot be a kept man. As the chemistry heats up, they both are left to decide what they are willing to compromise.
I love the different view of this story. It allows us to see a whole different side of Fiona. In the previous books she comes off as a spoiled rich kid, which she is. However, she is also portrayed as a complete and total B. I actually loved her by the end of this book, and it was nice to see her develop and mature as the story progressed. The chemistry between her and Chris is off the charts. I love this series because they are romantic stories that are kept clean, and allow the readers to get to know the characters individually and together. Highly recommend them.

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Jake Wolfe Series Bundle Box Set: (Books 1-2-3) Vigilante Justice Thriller Series by Mark Nolan – Review by Elizabeth Sanchez

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Jake Wolfe Series Bundle Box Set (Jake Wolfe #1-3)Jake Wolfe Series Bundle Box Set by Mark Nolan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Jake Wolfe Series by Mark Nolan are a great collection for anyone who enjoys crime thriller books. The books follow Jake Wolfe and his retired war dog Cody. I would compare them along the lines of Michael Connelly. I would give the series a 5 star review, with the books getting better as the story progresses. They can be read as stand alone, but the characters overlap and I got invested. It is full of surprises, and does a great job developing the characters, their relationships together, as well as fully building their past.
Book 1- Dead Lawyers Don’t Lie is the story of a killer, known as The Artist, who is hired by a group of wealthy people to kill lawyers. He is creative in his methods, putting a lot of thought and creativity into each job. A photo journalist (and former Marine) Jake Wolfe, accidentally captures the first murder on film, as well as a perfect shot of the killer. He turns the evidence over to his best friend Terrell, who is a homicide police officer, as well as to the media, which turns Jake into a target. The killer is enraged at Jake, and adds him to his kill list. Jake, his dog Cody, and his best friend Terrell, try to catch the killer, before he catches them.
Vigilante Assassin is book 2 in the Jake Wolfe Series. Jake and his retired war dog Cody assist in a multi agency investigation to find a missing husband, which quickly turns into something much bigger than just a missing person. I enjoyed this book more than the first, and give it a 5/5 star review. It is well written, and full of mystery and suspense. It kept me on the edge of my seat and wondering what will happen next. Jake is a character who lives by his own set of rules, and has no hesitation to kill when necessary. He has a soft spot for children and animals, which results in his being in being in dangerous situations. I highly recommend this book to anymore who enjoys thrilling suspense books.
Killer Lawyer is the third book in the Jake Wolfe series by Mark Nolan. Jake is a complex character, he is a lawyer by day, and an assassin by night. He works with the US Marshalls, and also alongside the SFPD. He also is a retired marine, and K9 handler, so he and his dog Cody chase down criminals. In this book, they are after a serial killer that is terrorizing the greater San Francisco area. Jake has a lot of connections that help him track the killer, including his best friend Terrell, who is part of SFPD and Jake used to be a photo journalist, so he has ties to the media as well. Overall its a very good book, with a good balance of psychology, law and suspense and drama. I love Mark Nolan’s stories, and this did not disappoint.

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Reviewed by @way2gosmartguy

Tanuja Ramachandran: Hunter Seeker by Kumar Sivasubramanian – Review by Elizabeth Sanchez

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Tanuja Ramachandran: Hunter-SeekerTanuja Ramachandran: Hunter-Seeker by Kumar Sivasubramanian
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Tanuja Ramachandran: Hunter-Seeker, by Kumar Sivasubramanian drew me in from the cover art. It is so bizarre, I figured it had to be good. This is the first book I had read by the author, but it seems like the 26th book in the series. I am curious to see what all the author has written prior to this, to have that long of a series. But, I wouldn’t be surprised by anything. First impression reading the book, I felt like I was reading a Quentin Tarantino movie. There was so much action going on, and it seemed to be totally random and not at all making sense. But slowly, it all fit into place. So give it time, be patient. Still totally strange story line, but entertaining none the less. Tanuja is seeking to find the truth behind her family’s murder, and her trek to get revenge. She and her brother are on a mission to find the creator of a mutant monkey from her past. They find themselves in Canada, trying to infiltrate a roller derby team. Another review summed things up perfectly: “an original tale of a gun blazing, sari wearing, narcoleptic woman, who has lost it all and is out for revenge.”

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Set it Free (Fallen Eagles MC Book 3) by T. Birmingham – Review by Elizabeth Sanchez

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Set it Free (Fallen Eagles MC Book 3)Set it Free by T. Birmingham
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Set it Free is the 3rd book in the Fallen Eagles MC series, by T. Birmingham. This book tells the story of Spring Markham and Callum “Casper” Gordon. While it could be read as a stand alone, I would not recommend it. A lot of the backstory comes from the first two books, and it will make you appreciate the characters a lot more. Otherwise, you might just think Spring is a washed up drunk. Where in fact, she is a strong woman who has not deal with her pain over the years, and has just covered it up with alcohol. I really enjoyed this book. Everything about it, including the addictions. Spring and Casper agreed their relationship was not going to be serious, but before too long, they both felt differently, but was afraid to admit it. Spring was spiraling down quickly, and he stayed by her side for a long time, before he finally had to let go. Set her free, so she can make the decision to straighten up on her own. Tough love if you will. Spring hit rock bottom, and when she came out the other side, she truly found out who her friends and family were. While I found the ending a little too predictable, especially with the mention to it a couple chapters prior, I still love it. I hope the series continues because they are so much fun to read.

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Second Chance (The Flowers in December Trilogy, book 3) by Jane Suen – Review by Elizabeth Sanchez

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Second Chance (Flowers in December #3)Second Chance by Jane Suen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Second Chance is the Conclusion of the Flowers in December trilogy by Jane Suen. All 3 books are short and sweet. I’m glad for the wrap up and happy ending for Connor and Mary Ann. Connor has been struggling since his mother passed away, trying to find his place in the world. He was left with her house and her cat, and memories, which caused a lot of internal struggle for him. We go into this final book knowing of his crush on Mary Ann, and her struggle with her feelings. Connor thinks he ruined his chances when he went back to the city, and is debating if he should fight to win her back. This was my favorite book in the series, because I could see both characters mature and be strong. Set aside a weekend, cuddle up with a blanket and tea, and knock out the whole series.

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Recall: An Ash Park Novel (Volume 6) by Meghan O’Flynn – Review by Elizabeth Sanchez

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Recall: An Ash Park Novel (Volume 6)Recall: An Ash Park Novel by Meghan O’Flynn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Recall: An Ash Park Novel is the 6th in the series by Meghan O’Flynn, but the first one I read. It can be enjoyed as a stand alone novel, but has references to things that happened in the past. The book is written in a way that you can feel the importance, without knowing the details that would come from reading the previous books. The past of Detective Petrosky weighs on his current state, but again, I didn’t know the details and did just fine. The characters personalities are great, and play off each other well. This story draws a wobbling line between doing what is right and doing what is just. A young man was murdered, right in front of his girl friend. To create more outrage, he is the son of a councilman and the couple was interracial. There are no witnesses, and the detectives have no leads. They struggle to determine if it was a random attack, serial killer, or hate crime. I love the way the story unfolded, as it seemed to come out of no where. It didn’t fully click until the end of the book, and then once they knew who the killer might be, they had to find him. Total thrill and I didn’t want to put it down. I want to go back and read the others now, because I am sure they are just as gripping.

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Hennessey on the Rocks by Monica DeSimone – Review by Elizabeth Sanchez

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Hennessey on the RocksHennessey on the Rocks by Monica DeSimone
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Hennessey on the Rocks is the first book I have read by Monica DeSimone, but it won’t be the last. I was hooked from the first chapter, to the last page. I loved the writing style, and the realness of it. The characters are relate-able and very personable. She didn’t make either main character the bad guy, but showed both of their feelings and weaknesses. The children were written with strong personalities as well, and I felt like I could envision them and their attitudes. There were times I was chucking at the dialog of the children. This story brings home how strong a first love can be, but also how hard marriage and co-parenting is at times. The secret of the story, I guessed from the beginning. However, there are ups and downs and I was not sure how things would end for Charlie and Jonathan.
The book’s main characters is Charlie Hennessey. A big name chef, with restaurants, cooking show and cooking school. She just moved back home to the house she grew up in, in Maine, after living in Manhattan for years. She was looking for a new start, but that’s hard to do in a house with so many memories. To make matters worse, her ex husband Jonathan follows her, and asks to stay for a while. Jonathan Hennessey is a popular author, coming off his latest book tour. He is wanting to reconnect with his son, and if hes being honest, his ex-wife. He messed up big time, and is finally at a point where he is able to admit his faults and try to win back his family. But when secrets are uncovered, will love be enough? They have been best friends since they were 5 years old, but some secrets are unforgivable.

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Forbidden Love; Written by Lisa Jones Gentry, As Told by Joe Steele – Review by Elizabeth Sanchez

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Forbidden Love: Written by Lisa Jones Gentry as Told by Their Son Joe SteeleForbidden Love: Written by Lisa Jones Gentry as Told by Their Son Joe Steele by Lisa Jones Gentry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Let me start off by saying, I loved reading this book! It is a great story, and the fast that its a true story, makes it that much better. At first I was worried about the way it is written, a series of flashbacks, inside of flashbacks, and from 3 points of view. But Lisa Jones Gentry did a wonderful job keeping it all straight and making it flow smoothly. I highly recommend this book. It tells the scandalous story of how Joe Steele came to be. He is the product of a black man and a white woman, which is scandalous enough in that time, but to make things more interesting, his father was a Catholic priest, and his mother a nun. Joe was adopted, and as an adult, found out who his birth mother was and had limited contact with her. When she is sick and in the hospital, he is listed as her next of kin and is called to the hospital. They use that time for his mother to tell her story. Of how they came to meet, fall in love, and the heart wrenching act of putting their child up for adoption, and coping with the after effects of it. Wonderfully written, and brings out so many emotions.

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Burning Greed (DI Tanya Miller Investigates Book 2) by Diane M Dickson – Review by Elizabeth Sanchez

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Burning Greed (DI Tanya Miller investigates Book 2)Burning Greed by Diane M. Dickson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Burning Greed is the 2nd book in the DI Tanya Miller Investigates series by Diane M Dickson. I did not read the first book, but still enjoyed this one, so it can be a stand alone. There are some suggestions toward previous cases, and it likely lays the groundwork for the character relationship dynamics, but it is written in a way that you can hop into the series. The book follows Tanya Miller, as her team investigate a warehouse fire. She takes a small detour to help search for her missing niece, leaving her feeling torn between work and family. She has a solid team she feels comfortable leaving her friend Charlie in charge, but is eager to get back to her case. Upon returning, she sees there is not much progress made, and is feeling the pressure. There are a lot of pieces, but they don’t seem to even fit together in the same puzzle. Could it just be coincidence, or is there a missing piece? I like the writing style and the characters. There is enough detail and mystery to keep the reader hooked. I look forward to reading more.

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