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Twisted Oath (Bound By Blood Book 1) by A. S. Roberts – Review by Tara Johnson Barnes

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Twisted Oath (Bound By Blood Book 1)Twisted Oath by A. S. Roberts
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Twisted Oath is Book One in the Bound by Blood Series. It is a fast paced, dark romance story that centers around the characters of Serafina and Salvatore. This story is beautifully crafted, with fantastic characters, and will pull you into the twisted worlds of Salvatore and Serafina as they are drawn together while simultaneously being torn apart. Serafina is the head of a powerful family in Italy and dreams of escaping but feels misunderstood by everyone except one man. That man is Salvatore whose sole mission in life has been to seek revenge on those that wronged him. Salvatore had to learn to be strong to survive after being orphaned at the age of four years old. He vowed that one day he would take his rightful place and claim his birthright. The chemistry and attraction between Salvatore and Serafina is undeniable but for Salvatore revenge must come first. He has sworn to take vengeance to gain what is rightfully his as head of the family. Serafina finds solace in Salvatore but must push aside her dreams and do whatever it takes to protect her family. The relationship between the two is intense and explosive as it progresses through the story. A great read full of love, hate, vengeance, justice, passion, angst, drama, chemistry, suspense, romance, and intense emotions.

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Grand Slam (Ground Rule Book 3) by Bree Kraemer – Review by Tara Johnson Barnes

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Grand Slam (Ground Rule Book 3)Grand Slam by Bree Kraemer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Grand Slam is Book Three of The Ground Rules Series. It is a sports romance story that can be read as a standalone, or as a part of the series. I highly recommend reading the entire series because this author has a fantastic writing style that will draw you into her stories and make you want to read more. This story centers around the characters of Grace and Heath.

Grace is working her dream job at the local animal shelter which she loves but it barely pays the bills. When she first meets Heath, it is during an event that she planned for the animal shelter, and she instantly dislikes him. She found him difficult to deal with as well as cocky. Heath is a professional baseball player who makes a lot of money and that also rubs Grace the wrong way. Months later Heath’s sister is having a baby and when he arrives at the hospital he is surprised to run into Grace. A woman he found bossy, rude, and who treated him like a child incapable of doing the simplest task while he was trying to help with the animal shelter event months earlier. Grace and his sister have become friends since the event which Heath was unaware of. Although Heath found Grace bossy and rude, he has not been able to stop thinking about her. Grace finds herself attracted to Heath as well but neither want to admit to their attraction to the other. Is there a chance of love and romance between them?

This was another phenomenal story by this talented author. Her writing style immerses you into the lives of the characters who you instantly feel a connection to. It was interesting to read Heath and Grace’s story and watch them evolve and grow as characters. The initial attraction between them slowly grows into more and you find yourself rooting for them to be together. Heath is a good-looking, professional ball player that makes a lot of money, but the fame and fortune have not gone to his head. He is down-to-earth, looking for the right girl and is not into playing the field anymore. Grace is smart, feisty, hard-working, and determined. She loves her job at the animal shelter and puts her heart and soul into her job. Although the two come from different worlds the attraction between them is undeniable. This book has love, romance, attraction, passion, humor, angst, and a rollercoaster ride of emotions.

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Shalom Israel by Melissa Lavi – Review by Tara Johnson Barnes

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Shalom Israel: A place like no otherShalom Israel: A place like no other by Melissa Lavi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Shalom Israel is a guided tour through the land of Israel and its culture. The author immerses the reader into the landscapes, culture, history, and beauty of Israel through poetry and colorful illustrations. As a photographer myself I must note that the photographer did an amazing job of capturing the history, beauty, customs, and culture of Israel through his photographs. I loved the colorful photos that capture the very essence of Israel and thought the cute little cartoon characters were a nice touch that added a sense of whimsy and fun. This book takes the reader on a journey from lush forest to deserts, beaches, The Dead Sea, graffiti, the food, and everything in between. The glossary at the end of the book with information on the words used and fun facts was a nice added touch. Although it is a children’s book, I feel that it would be a good read for anyone of any age that wants to know about Israel.

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