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Dino (Glass City Hearts Book Two) by Desiree Lafawn – Review by Jana Teppih

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Dino (Glass City Hearts Book Two)Dino by Desiree Lafawn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Dino is the second book in Desiree Lafawn’s Glass City Hearts series. I started with book three of the series and simply had to go and also read books one and two! Desiree’s writing makes the stories so real that you feel so close to the characters and you simply want more … more glimpses into their lives, more of the people in their lives … simply more!
Dino is the story of Dino, a man of so many identities that at times he himself no longer knows who he truly is, and of Jeanette, a broken woman who has finally stopped running … having found a place (and people) to call home … These two have SOOOOO many secrets between them that at times it is hard to breathe … my goodness, this story … the journey Jeanette has been on … the suffering … and Dino … the loyalty … the family … Jeanette … and using the alternating points of views, she makes us part of the story …
The writer takes us to the pits of despair and to the heights of hope … she makes us cry and she makes us hope and she leaves us breathless and wishing for more … there is never enough …

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My Free Life: Prequel to The Brothers of Camelot (My Life Series Book 3) by Necie Navone – Review by Jana Teppih

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My Free Life: Prequel to The Brothers of Camelot (My Life Series Book 3)My Free Life: Prequel to The Brothers of Camelot by Necie Navone
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

My Free Life is the third part of Necie Navone’s My Life Series that is prequel to the Brothers of Camelot series! I cannot wait for the second book in the Brothers of Camelot series as that will give us the conclusion of Aless’ journey to and with Grayson. Please read the series in the order as it is meant to be read!
My Free Life is the final chapter of the My Life Series and please, remember, Aless is only 20 years old. It is hard to remember it at times considering all that she has experienced and all she has had to overcome … our amazing warrior princess!
It would not be Necie Navone if she didn’t give us twists and turns and … she keeps us at the edge of our seats while bringing Aless’ journey to where she is ready to grab her dreams by its balls! She throws at us Russian and Italian Mafia, power struggles, action, drama, secrets, messed up family dynamics, and longing … the time has come and we are all prepared for the My One Love! Bring it on!

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Dangerous Ground: Tina and Chase’s Story by Alice Rachel – Review by Jana Teppih

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Dangerous Ground: Tina and Chase's StoryDangerous Ground: Tina and Chase’s Story by Alice Rachel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Dangerous Ground: Tina and Chase’s Story by Alice Rachel is the seventh instalment in her Under Ground series ( know it is a bit difficult to get it straight what story comes when and you really should check out the Recommended Reading Order to get it right). It is NOT a standalone and the author states it as well so be warned, you will be so incredible lost if you do try to start with this one … I feel for you …
This story AND the whole series, it is scary how much our reality reflects the fiction or is it actually vice versa? “Numbers clearly show that the lower class as a whole consumes fewer resources in year than the upper class in five months.” Doesn’t is sound familiar? And there is so much more in this story where you suddenly find yourself thinking, what is reality and what is fiction …
This story has so many layers, it tells as the story of many, it gives us context to many events in the lives of the characters we have met before … I have always struggled really hard when reading this series … especially now when seeing how the world around us is growing darker and darker … at times I think that I cannot continue reading, it is too much but … I go back, again and again, every time a new instalment comes out … Thank you Alice Rachel for putting our anguish into words and giving us an illusion of that it is only fiction, giving us hope that if there are the ones fighting for others in her stories that there are also the ones out here … I am a bit apprehensive while waiting for Breaking Ground … what does the writer have in store for us?

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Must Be Crazy (Darling Cove Series #3) by Deborah Garland – Review by Jana Teppih

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Must Be CrazyMust Be Crazy by Deborah Garland
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Must Be Crazy is the third book in Deborah Garland’s Darling Cove series! We are back in Darling Cove where both Gwendolyn and Greg Mallory have finally found their loves. Hopefully now will be their sister Skye’s turn or at least that is what her father is expecting. The writer is taking us back to the ups and downs of a budding relationship and family and loyalty and camaraderie and … above all, love!
We meet Skye and a single father Edward Mendelsohn. We have met them previously and I have to say it was high time for them to get their own story! I know I know … most of us hated Skye but at the same time we all know that the characters we hate most might turn out the ones we feel most for!
So, the lawyer and the architect are thrown together when fire destroys Skye’s apartment and business and Edward is there (he is the Fire Chief). Edward hopes that finally he will be able to pursue the woman she has secretly been desiring for ever … well, like in life, nothing is that simple! You will be keeping your breath to see if all this drama will derail their budding love …
Welcome into a story with multiple story lines that remind you of real life with its messiness and beauty! I am looking forward to the next one in the series AND I have that novella already downloaded on my e-reader!

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Degrees of Acceptance (A Prestian Series, #2) by Via Mari – Review by Jana Teppih

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Degrees of Acceptance (Prestian Series, #2)Degrees of Acceptance by Via Mari
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Degrees of Acceptance is the next instalment in Via Mari’s Prestian series where we continue to follow along Katarina’s journey of discovery – emotional, personal … sexual … Chase keeps being relentless and (over)protective and yes, we finally get to know Katarina’s father … You absolutely need to read the first book as this is not a standalone, Degrees of Acceptance picks up where Degrees of Innocence leaves off!
The writer fulfils our expectations (that I had after finishing the first book) and we get plenty of action, suspense, humour, mystery and oh so steamy romance! I love how the writer uses the ‘degrees’ and yes, this story is very much about how much do we accept in our lives, to what degree are we able to accept when it comes to our friends, family and lovers … I cannot wait to see what ‘degree’ we are going to encounter in the third book!

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Deadly Alliance: A Fortis/Purgatory Crossover Novel by Maddie Wade & India Kells – Review by Jana Teppih

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Deadly Alliance: A Fortis/Purgatory Crossover NovelDeadly Alliance: A Fortis/Purgatory Crossover Novel by Maddie Wade
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Deadly Alliance is a crossover novel, bridging Maddie Wade’s Fortis Security series and India Kells’ Women of Purgatory series. I have read every single book in both of these series! I have been a convert ever since I finished the first book, if I remember correct then I read India Kells’ series first and then stumbled onto Maddie Wade and her Fortis Security series and the rest is a history … I keep track of the new releases in my Google calendar ….
We have Shane Rhodes from the Fortis team and Emme Wallace from Purgatory team and they end up going undercover as a married couple to take down a serial killer. One of the victims is Shane’s best friend’s little sister so you can imagine what it all means to him! It is amazing how these two writers have been able to merge their writing styles to create one mind-blowing story willed with action, twists, laughter and tears … At no point was I able to say who had written what part …. I hope that there will be some more crossovers as this one has left at least me panting for more!

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Never Let Me Fall (Fatal Dreams, #3) by Abbie Roads – Review by Jana Teppih

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Never Let Me Fall (Fatal Dreams, #3)Never Let Me Fall by Abbie Roads
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Never Let Me Fall is the third book in Abbie Roads Fatal Dreams series. I have read EVERY SINGLE ONE of her books and I bow my head in reverence … With every book I read, I close it with a hope that she will give us another one in the series … Her imagination, her way of telling the stories, the way she gets into your head, the way she throws you on an emotional rollercoaster … she is a master of masters!
Never Let Me Fall is the story of Thomas Brown (the second book of the series was about her sister) and Helena Grayse … when these two meet, EVERYTHING changes, for both of them … At times I take a break from reading and I wonder where the writer takes the inspiration for her stories from … and to think that it is the third story focusing on an ancient legend, the writer doesn’t seem to lack of diversity, the different destinies that the couples have been destined for … please, keep them coming!
Just a friendly advice, do please read the books in order … you could say they are standalones that have the ancient legend in common … but I do not think so … you get sucked deeper and deeper with each story and as I said, the second book is about Thomas’ sister … I wonder who will be next and I hope there will be next and I hope that Abbie will also continue her Fatal Truth series in near future!

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An Agreement (Summer in New York, #3) by Lindsay Marie Miller – Review by Jana Teppih

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An Agreement (Summer in New York, #3)An Agreement by Lindsay Marie Miller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An Agreement is the third book in Lindsay Marie Millers’ Summer in New York series. I have read the first two books in the series and also some other books by her so every time I come across another one of her books, I go for it! I love her way of telling the stories and it feels as if they get better and better with each new book I read.
An Agreement is the story of Bailey and Carter. I loved the sweet slow boiling romance where we did not have crazy ups and downs, not at least the way some of the writers like to send us through a wringer … I loved Baily, the sweet and likable Bailey who had her demons she had to fight … and Carter, who did not think he was good enough for Bailey and had his own baggage to deal with … I loved how they were working through their baggage and how they grew closer and closer and I kept keeping my fingers crossed for a happy ending … it is always great to experience with the characters the light they reach after a long stay in the darkness …
I hope that the writer will keep sharing with us more stories of Summer in New York … she did introduce a number of great potential characters here…

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Jesse (Glass City Hearts Book 3) by Desiree Lafawn – Review by Jana Teppih

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Jesse (Glass City Hearts Book 3)Jesse by Desiree Lafawn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jesse is the third book in Desiree Lafawn’s Glass City Hearts series. I have not read the first two books but I had read The Permanence of Pain so I thought I knew what to expect but it was a bit different. I loved The Permanence of Pain and loved meeting Beck again and I loved Jesse even more … in some ways it was not as dark as my first encounter with the writer though it had sufficient human suffering and weakness and evil …
So, Jesse is the story of Jessie “Jesse” Belton and Harlow Jones and Harlow’s little four year old son JJ (Jesse Jones). They meet when JJ pees on Jesse’s shirt and this is, my friends, how a beautiful love story begins! Jesse came back from LA where he was on the verge of starting his career at a fancy bakery he had worked his life for … he came back after his mom died and his functioning alcoholic father lost his handle on his life, handle he never really had had … Harlow is a single mother who never knew her father, who was completely alone in the world except for her son …
This story tells the story of families, a story of how we define a family … it is a story of dreams and how the dreams change … it is filled with laughter and love and fear and determination and … and I want to know Gabe and Angel and Dino and Jeanette’s stories as well so I will go back and read books 1 and 2 AND I hope that Desiree will give us more of the Glass City Hearts’ stories!

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Say When (A Cedarville Novel Book 9) by Bree Kraemer – Review by Jana Teppih

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Say When (A Cedarville Novel Book 9)Say When by Bree Kraemer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Say When is the ninth book in Bree Kraemer’s fantastic Cedarville series! I have read the whole series as I fell in love with it from book one! I love the small town set up and how a group of friends keeps growing and embraces newcomers and every time I finish a story I wish I could move there!
Say When is the story of Danielle “Dani” and “Pat” Patrick. We met Dani in Wes and Julia’s book, she is that shy baker who created those amazing desserts. We also met Patrick who was hired by Wes as a chef to work in his Dockside restaurant. Dani and Patrick go back long way – Patrick’s sister was one of Dani’s best friends and she had such a crush on Patrick when she was thirteen ….
Patrick has some work he needs to do to get Dani out of her shell! “No more barely living. No more fear.” These two take us on a sweet ride! I like how Bree gives us those sweet stories where we are not overwhelmed by angst and actually drowns us in romance! And do not forget about the good laugh we get as well!
I hope that the writer is not yet done with this charming small town with all those great people and we will get some more Cedarville stories!

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Hard as Steel: Book four (Surviving Series) by Virginia Wine – Review by Jana Teppih

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Hard as Steel: Book four (Hard as Steel: Book four by Virginia Wine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Hard as Steel is the fourth book in Virginia Wine’s Surviving series. This is my first encounter with the writer and I have to confess that I fell for her, hook, line, and sinker from page 1! The way she pulls you in … the way she paints the picture in your head … I had chills going down my arms! I know I should have read the first books before picking up this one but heck, I can do it now (they are all on KU so I will be utilizing it to its fullest this month!)!
This is the story of Steel Archer, an ex-military who is working with PI Securities, and Nicole Lancaster who is an experienced FBI Agent committed to her career and climbing the ladder with another promotion in sight … And then they pick up a case – a broken young woman, who walked out of the shadows … she pulls them both in and the journey through ever present danger commences!
This story … it is so multi layered … and luckily there were plenty of flashbacks that helped the story along … these flashbacks … the way the writer paints the picture … you can just close your eyes and you are there … feeling …
I loved how the writer used different point of views to tell the story, it made it so real and intimate … pick up a copy and I promise, you will want to go back like me and read the first three as well! AND I cannot wait for the continuation of the story of that young broken girl I met on page one!

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Ring Tru (Thick as Thieves Book 1) by Janice M. Whiteaker – Review by Jana Teppih

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Ring Tru (Thick as Theives Book 1)Ring Tru by Janice M. Whiteaker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ring Tru is the first book in Janice M Whiteaker’s new series called Thick as Thieves. I have read EVERYTHING that she has written so I have been sitting on hot coals while waiting for this one to be published! It is very different from her other books and I love how she can pick up a different ‘genre’ and just run with it!
Ring True is a story of second chances peppered with mystery, suspense, danger, intrigue, plots and a lot of love and heartache and … so basically everything under the sun! We meet Gertrude “True” and Will – they share a history, a very intense one and they did not depart on good terms … how would you call when your husband walks out on you when you are in hospital having been shot???!!! Even if he thinks that he did it because he thought it was the best thing he could do for you????!!! Men, do we need to say anything else!
Also, our Tru has been in a very interesting line of business for the last 15 years and she is so ready for a fresh start and this is the last job she will ever do in her old line of business … and then of course there is Will … is he on her side or is she the ‘enemy’ and what is the job he is working? Will he protect her? Will they find their way back to each other?
Pick up a copy and I know you will join me in impatiently waiting for the second book in the series!

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Savannah’s Saviors (The Cowboys of Cavern County Book 5) by Bella Settarra – Review by Jana Teppih

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Savannah's Saviors (The Cowboys of Cavern County Book 5)Savannah’s Saviors by Bella Settarra
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Savannah’s Saviors is the fifth book in Bella Settarra’s Cowboys of Cavern County series and it a contemporary romance with a touch of Western in it; it also has a little twist of ménage a trois blended into it! I love discovering new writers and Bella Settarra has found a place on my list! I know you can read this story as a standalone but you meet other characters and you get curious and I know for sure that I have to go and pick up the other books in the series as well!
Savannah’s Saviors is a heartbreaking story of violence, abuse, lies and secrets. It is a story of new beginnings and misunderstandings that seems to create obstacles that one thinks cannot be climbed … it is a story of laughter and love … We have Savannah who has been kicked out by her husband into a stormy night with nothing to her but the clothes on her back … we have Tom and Greg (our cowboys that bring that ‘bit of Western” who find her in the dark and take her back to where they are staying … you can imagine the questions that arise … Those three do take us on a ride not to be forgotten!

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My Tragic Life: Prequel to the Brothers of Camelot (My Life Series #2) by Necie Navone – Review by Jana Teppih

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My Tragic Life: Prequel to the Brothers of CamelotMy Tragic Life: Prequel to the Brothers of Camelot by Necie Navone
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

My Tragic Life by Necie Navone is the second volume in her My Life series that is a prequel to the Brothers of Camelot series. The second book in her Brothers of Camelot series will be the story of Aless and Greyson and My Life series is Aless’ story – I absolutely love that the writer is preparing us for their story so make sure you read everything BEFORE their story is released as I promise you will want to!
My Tragic Life picks up 9 months after the shocking events at Aless’ 15th birthday! We follow her here over next 3 years! This next book is where Aless is truly growing up and learning and understanding what the family duties require of her. It tells the story of loyalty, revenge, friendship, loss, heartache and luckily also of hope. I am sure you will also fall further in love with Aless, with her strength, her heart and the combination of strength and softness that she exhibits.
The more the writer takes us into the story, the more I fall in love with her writing! I cannot wait for the next steps in this crazy journey she has taken us on!

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My Hidden Life: Brothers of Camelot Prequel (My Life Series #1) by Necie Navone – Review by Jana Teppih

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My Hidden LifeMy Hidden Life by Necie Navone
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

My Hidden Life by Necie Navone is prequel to her Brothers of Camelot series. It is a series in its own rights called My Life. I love how she left us impatiently waiting for Aless and Greyson’s story and now she has given us her story so that we would be well acquainted with her!
My Hidden Life is the first part of Alessandra “Aless” Canzano’s story. The writer has told the story of the Princess of the Canzano crime Family from different point of views that gives it a much more intensive flavour! She started training when she was six years old and became the best while all along she only wishes to be ‘normal’ (normal is soooo overestimated!). So the first volume is about Aless growing up and training and needing to hide her life even from her closest friends and family.
It tries to give us answers to “What happens when you realize your choices for your future are no longer your own? What happens when you experience just a glimpse of another life while knowing it will never be your reality? What happens when you need to walk away because it’s not the life you’re supposed to live? I cannot wait to pick up the next volume!

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Must Love Fashion (Darling Cove #1) by Deborah Garland – Review by Jana Teppih

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Must Love Fashion (Darling Cove #1)Must Love Fashion by Deborah Garland
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Must Love Fashion is the first book in Deborah Garland series Darling Cove. I happened to read the second book first so I said to myself I will go and read the first book now as I really liked her writing and the way she spins a good story!
Must Love Fashion takes place … surprise surprise… in the fashion world! We meet Andrew Morgan, a former male model turned brand manager and Gwendolyn Mallory, a small town PR specialist AND the fireworks go off, the chemistry is off the charts! Not only is the fashion world to be turned upside down but also the very personal world of one Andrew Morgan! It is not just a superficial romance story, it gives us laughter and family and angst and dedication to work and … it tells us the story of overcoming ones insecurities and finding a way in a relationship, or in a potential for a relationship. Until the end you will keep your fingers crossed and hope that they figure out their way to happiness! II know you will look forward to returning to Darling Cove!

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Redemption (Ash Park, #5) by Meghan O’Flynn – Review by Jana Teppih

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Redemption (Ash Park, #5)Redemption by Meghan O’Flynn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Redemption is the conclusion of Meghan O’Flynn’s Ash Park series (there will be another book but she calls it Prequel Novella so …) Oh my goodness, what a closing it is … all those questions we have had in our hear, the pain Detective Petrosky has felt, the guilt that has been drowning him, the losses he has suffered … the puzzle will be put together and revealed and you will be left stunned …
You MUST read all the books leading up to this show down, you need to know the history, the people involved and their stories, you need to have lived with Detective Petrosky … (yeah, someone could say that you do not need to but do yourself a favour, don’t go off half cocked!) ALL the previous books lead up to this one! I promise you, you will be shocked, you will be wrecked, AND you have no idea how it all will end, UNTIL you get to the end (unless you are some sort of genius and mind reader and … not me …)
I think this is the best writing I have seen from the writer so far, she has gotten better with every single story in the series – she has dug so deep into the puzzle that she is breathing it, with every single word she has put down on the paper … You are guaranteed a fantastic read and you will not be able to wait for Jilted (the prequel novella), I wonder where the writer will be taking us …

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Conviction (Ash Park, #2) by Meghan O’Flynn – Review by Jana Teppih

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Conviction (Ash Park, #2)Conviction by Meghan O’Flynn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Conviction is the second book in Meghan O’Flynn’s Ash Park series that takes place in the run down area of Detroit. It could be read as a standalone but there is a backstory and characters that are present throughout the series.
You can see how the writer has gotten deeper into the Ash Park world, the story is complex and the characters have layers, you learn more about them and it makes you understand where they come from and why they act the way they do. All of them are like us – dark and light – and it is up to them how they choose.
We have Petrosky and Morrison with Shannon Taylor from the prosecutor’s office and all of them have their doubts regarding the ‘guilty’ verdict that the young woman Ashley Johnson received. And the doubts grow stronger when Shannon gest stalked and her family gets harassed … and there is a galore of suspects … take your pick! At the same time, the story is much more than just trying to find out who the killer is … I am looking forward to the next story to see where the writer takes us …

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Famished (Ash Park, #1) by Meghan O’Flynn – Review by Jana Teppih

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Famished (Ash Park, #1)Famished by Meghan O’Flynn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Famished by Meghan O’Flynn is the opening to her Ash Park series that introduces us to Detective Petrosky who will be our lead throughout the series. How do I know? Well, I happened to pick up the fourth book first and realized that even though it sort of seemed like a standalone, I needed to come back to the beginning …
This opening to the series was a bit underwhelming, at least that is how I felt as I had read the fourth book … I know though that it will get more intense with each book as the writer gets more and more into the characters, giving them more dimension … it is a great start to a twisted labyrinth of violence where everyone has too many skeletons in their closets. The writer gives us a cat and mouse serial killer universe that leaves you doubting yourself and guessing at who it is.
I loved that the story was told from multiple characters’ point of view as it added dimension and layers. I have to warn you that it is very graphic so it is not for faint at heart! I will forge on to the next book in the series!

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Repressed (Ash Park, #3) by Meghan O’Flynn – Review by Jana Teppih

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Repressed (Ash Park, #3)Repressed by Meghan O’Flynn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Repressed is the third story in Meghan O’Flynn’s Ash Park series and I think she has done it now … I have nothing to say but “she has arrived”, roll out the carpet!
Repressed is THE story of Detective Curtis Morrison who we met in the first book and learnt more about in the second book … but still (zen) waters run deep … his checkered past seems to be catching up to him – his wife (who we also met in the previous books, the second book was her book) and baby daughter go missing and there is this sadistic monster that is ruling this nightmare that he has initiated to make Morrison to pay for the sins from twenty years ago…
The story is dark, disturbing … it is very graphic, the violence, it leaves you shuddering… the way the writer describes addition, it blows your mind … the story is fast paced and you will get a mystery with its beginning, middle and the end! If this is your first book of the series, it will pull you in and you will want to read the other ones and I promise you, you should! I started with book four and now when I have also read the first three, I keep thinking about the fourth one and lamenting what I missed … I think it deserves a re-read!

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Our Unexpected Hope by Michelle Sullivan – Review by Jana Teppih

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Our Unexpected HopeOur Unexpected Hope by Michelle Sullivan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Our Unexpected Hope is an amazing and heart-warming contemporary romance by Michelle Sullivan. It is not my first encounter with this writer and as I absolutely loved her Sunset after the Storm, I knew I had to pick up Our Unexpected Hope. I thought that I knew what to expect but that was not the case … she went beyond anything I had imagined and the ending … you leave me in awe.
Our Unexpected Hope is the story of Quinn and Noah … the story batters at you, it takes you to highs and then drops you to lows and you bawl your eyes out and you sigh in content and you feel, so much, that at times you feel that you cannot breathe …
Quinn is the daughter of Dez and Karalyn (apparently their story was told in ‘Our Next Chapter’ so I need to go and pick that one up next!) and Noah has had no one in his corner, no one loving him … They are a great couple and you simply cannot do less than root for them … I loved how realistic the story was, it had its highs and its lows and it just felt so real …
I will leave you with this: “Hope. A four-letter word I never thought would be the most important four-letter word in my life. I always had hope in my life.”

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Small Town Hero (Small Town Brides, #1) by Kim Koby – Review by Jana Teppih

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Small Town Hero (Small Town Brides, #1)Small Town Hero by Kim Koby
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Small Town Hero is the first book in Kim Koby’s Small Town Brides’ series. It is the first book I have read by this writer so I was not so sure what to expect after reading the blurb … I expected a sweet, a simple love story about love and lost and betrayal and new beginnings. And it was all this. It was a bit too simple for me and I like more complex characters and more layers in my love stories but at the same time I would say that if you just need couple of hours to get your head into something else that makes you feel good, the book does its job!
Small Town Hero is the story of Rebecca and Ryan – Rebecca gets stranded in Tennessee where Ryan is a local firefighter. So you throw together a city girl and a small town hero and you get the ‘opposites attract’ storyline … yes, it is predictable but heck, sometimes you do need something simple to warm your heart and it not a bumpy ride that leaves you emotionally drained!
I am looking forward to checking out the second book in the series to see also how the writer evolves in her writing.

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Georgia Pine (Southern Promises #3) by K.G. Fletcher – Review by Jana Teppih

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Georgia Pine (Southern Promises #3)Georgia Pine by K.G. Fletcher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Georgia Pine is the third book in K.G. Fletcher’s Southern Promises series. I have read the second book which was also my first read by this writer and I fell in love with her Southern story telling! I know now for sure I need to go and pick up also the first book (as it turns out our girl Jessica is friends with Katie who is the female main character in the first story of the series AND both Jessica and Tim love Georgia Clay music!)
Georgia Pine is the story of Jessica Kaufman – a mother to four young girls and just recently divorced from her hot shot cheating real estate mogul husband, and Tim McGill who is hiding out in Georgia and trying to rise like Phoenix from the ashes of his former celebrated career on the West Coast.
The story was heart-warming like Southern hospitality, I loved the simplicity and yet the complexity of the feelings of the two people who feel such a strong pull under the surface so you sit at the edge of your seat and keep your fingers crossed that Tim will learn to trust and open up to these little girls their mother and that Jessica will get her happily-ever-after!

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The Changeup (Resort Romance #6) by Mary Billiter – Review by Jana Teppih

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The Changeup (Resort Romance #6)The Changeup by Mary Billiter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Changeup is the sixth book in Mary Billiter’s Resort Romance’s series! I found the series when the fourth book came out and I have been a fan of her writing ever since. One could think that it is some flimsy easy reading when seeing that it is “Resort Romance” but it is far from that! Mary’s books make you feel, deep, and they make you think and I promise you that you do find yourself thinking of the stories now and then! AND you can read each story as a standalone so it means you have not missed the train!
The Changeup is the story of Rebel Roberts who is trying to keep a low profile as a hotel conference services manager/ being in Witness Protection, and Ryan McHenry who is a former college baseball pitcher/aspiring deputy sheriff. Add to this a dead body and what do you have at your hands? Chemistry that leaves you blushing and reaching for a fan and … suspense/a mess of gargantuan proportions … sort of … They will take you on a ride that you keep wishing that ends in Happily Ever After AND let’s not forget about all those great supporting characters, it is another bunch of great cast and it is something that I have enjoyed with each of the book in the series!

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Give and Take (The Thorne Brothers, #2) by Lee Kilraine – Review by Jana Teppih

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Give and Take (The Thorne Brothers, #2)Give and Take by Lee Kilraine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Give and Take by Lee Kilraine is the second book in her Thorne Brothers series. I had not read the first book when I started reading this one and I think it was pretty ok to read it as a standalone though I did go and get the first book after finishing Wyatt and Rhia’s story and I noted down in my Google calendar when the third book is supposed to be released.
Give and Take is the story of Wyatt Thorne, the youngest of the six brothers, and Rhia Hollis, the only one in her family who does not have close-to-genius-level IQ and doesn’t have even the slightest desire to work in ‘respectable and steady’ fields. Wyatt is quiet (he did not speak for six years after his mother left him and his five brothers with their monster father) and control freak! Rhia is perky, colourful and flighty (at least that is what his family thinks).
I absolutely loved how the writer gives us an amazing story where you both laugh until you snort and cry your heart out, where you feel deep and step light … the way she reminds us that there are monsters out there and that still, you can come out on the other side (though a bit damaged but still alive and kicking), and that sometimes on the surface one seems to have a perfect family but because you do not fit in, you get bullied and humiliated and you need to pull together everything you have and also come out on the other side!
Thank you for a great story and I am looking forward to the other brothers’ stories with abated breath!

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Painting Kuwait Violet by Pamela Q. Fernandes – Review by Jana Teppih

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Painting Kuwait VioletPainting Kuwait Violet by Pamela Q. Fernandes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Painting Kuwait Violet by Pamela Q Fernandes is a book that stays with you … it is not one of the ones that you just inhale and enjoy for a moment and then move on to a next one … In some ways I have really hard time to really describe it … I have to say that I had to take breaks when reading it, it left me unsettled and quiet and pondering and … it had been a while since I had read something that so deeply dug into a foreign culture (foreign to me) and the layers of humanity and a world where woman have no say and are supressed and where other human beings are considered subpar … and then mix it with a mystery …
Violet is a young and well educated woman from Goa who takes a position as a maid in Kuwait to pay off her families debts. She starts to work for a wealthy woman Sabah Dashti. In some ways we are given two stories – the story of Violet and her surprising friendship with Sabah in this patriarchal world, and the mystery that shows us abuse and murder and injustice … what a powerful writing!
I cannot get Sabah’s thoughts out of my head as somehow they resonated so deep as it hit close to home … “She knew trust was like paper. Once crushed, it would never be pristine again, to be discarded as worthless trash. Money and status could not restore what she had tossed away”.

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Hidden (Ash Park, #4) by Meghan O’Flynn – Review by Jana Teppih

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Hidden (Ash Park, #4)Hidden by Meghan O’Flynn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Hidden is the fourth book in Meghan O’Flynn’s Ash Park series. It is not my first encounter with the writer but it was my first read of the series and what a read it was! Do NOT read it late in the evening if you do plan to sleep … I faced a sleepless night haunted by the images my brain came up with when reading the book … oh my goodness! Everyone told me that you can read this story as a standalone and yes, you can BUT I felt so often that I didn’t get all the nuances because I had not read the first 3 books and did not know who was new and who was recurring and the whole backstory so … now I am stuck … meaning I will need to pick up the first 3 books before going for the last one in the series! Detective Petrosky is NOT letting me go … I am still haunted by his pain, his loss, his guilt, his grief …
This story reminded me an extended version of Criminal Minds episode … the gore, the twistiness of the monster, the puzzle that needs to have all the pieces on place to relieve the big picture … I have no words but “pick up a copy and read it over the weekend”. The Ash Park series will be haunting me for some time …

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The Boss (Fire’s Edge, #1) by Abigail Owen – Review by Jana Teppih

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The Boss (Fire's Edge, #1)The Boss by Abigail Owen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Boss is an amazing opening to Abigail Owen’s Fire’s Edge series! It is the very first book I have read by this writer and I cannot wait for getting my hands on the next one in the series! I fell in love with her writing style from page one – with such few and selected words, she took me there, I could feel Finn’s pain and his heart turning into a stone.
The Boss is the story of enforcer dragon shifters team leader, THE BOSS, Finn Conleth and Delaney Hamilton who keeps starting those freaky fires! What a flaming nightmare, literally and figuratively! I love dragon stories and I loved how different Abigail Owen’s dragon world is, it is a totally different take on it – dragons who are firefighters! At the same time, why not? They will be putting out fires and keep the secret of dragons getting out!
I loved the characters, their romance and their struggle with their past, their kink … the action, the suspense, the fight between the dragons and the baddies and the fire … oh my, the fire! I am looking forward to picking up the next one in the series and I am sure the writer will bring even more heat as this is supposedly the prequel!

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The Only One (Brothers of Camelot, #1) by Necie Navone – Review by Jana Teppih

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The Only One (Brothers of Camelot, #1)The Only One by Necie Navone
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Only One by Necie Navone is a great opening to her Brothers of Camelot series! I fell in love with her writing and I will be reading her My Life Series while waiting for the next installments of the series!
The Only One is the story of Drake “Fitz” and Isabella “Bella” – the Beast and the Beauty …
Fitz is part of a group of twelve boys – Brothers of Camelot – and they have been inseparable since they were kids. They have been able to stay true to their adopted knightly code of the Round Table and they are there for each other, no matter what! And it is not just something theoretical! They formed Camelot Enterprises where each and every one of them has their own role and it does not matter who brought in the most money … I absolutely loved this concept!
Bella is … well, she is this four year old girl that fell in love with a six year old Fitz promising that she will marry him when she grows up …
Well, obviously life does not very often go as we dream so Bella and Fitz got separated when Bella was seventeen and Fitz does not believe himself to be worthy of her so he adopted his infamous “One and Done” man whore principle to carry himself through life … it all grows old though and just before his 26th birthday he decides that it is time to find out where Bella is … but no more about the story, you need to pick it up yourself to find out how the story of the Beast and the Beauty ends!
I loved the writing style and the banter and Bella’s inability to swear! Her tries to swear simply cracked me up! I could not put the story down and read it in one sitting and I am sooo happy that there are 12 “brothers” as now I have 11 more stories to look forward to!

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Marks of the Mazza by Blake Blessing – Review by Jana Teppih

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Marks of the MazzaMarks of the Mazza by Blake Blessing
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Marks of the Mazza: Reverse Harem’book is the first isntallment in Blake Blessing’s The Mazza Series and what a beginning it is! It is her debut book and she knocked it out of the park! I cannot wait for the next instalment as she left us hanging … well, that is the meaning with a series, right?
In this first book we are introduced to Isolde – the Mazza – someone who bears the marks of all four houses of this mysterious people and supposedly holds untold powers. Their appearance signals great change and they are supposed to a saviour … the thing is though that Isobel thinks she is completely boringly normal and she has no idea who those people are and what the different players in those different houses are …
What do you do when you end up in a wrong ‘Uber” with a bunch of sexy guys aka our Fae guys, each of them from one of the four houses and the beginning of Issy’s harem. Depending how the writer spins her story … there might be quite a few of them. In the first book we are introduced to Donato “Nato”, Sage, Egan, Jari and Rand …
It is funny how I started thinking of Laurell K Hamilton’s Meredith Gentry series and maybe that explains why I loved the Marks of the Mazza so much! Well done Ms Blessing! You are in good company!

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