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Caught in Midnight Shadows (The Caught Series Book 4) by Sharleen Scott – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Caught in Midnight Shadows (the Caught Series Book 4)Caught in Midnight Shadows by Sharleen Scott
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was eagerly looking forward to this story. I enjoyed this one after a while. It started good but then it seemed to stall, be slow and honestly I skimmed a bit during that time. Just past half way things really picked up and became extremely interesting.

I love this series and the characters that have come out of it. In this one we meet Brant and his lovely children. There is more than one reason to love these. Brant is an honest guy who inspires devotion. His kids are a treat…unless your name is Sebastian. Ha ha! Aubrey is a girl looking for her future which doesn’t include Brant. She is focused and it’s easy to admire her. Their chemistry when together, is off the charts!

Overall this is a good addition to the series. It is not necessary to read the previous books but it will heighten your enjoyment of this one (especially book 1). As stated above I did enjoy the last 40ish percent.

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Born to Fall (Can’t Resist You – Book 2) by Brittany Anne – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Born to Fall (Can't Resist You, #2)Born to Fall by Brittany Anne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the second book in the series. We meet or get to know more of Derek and Julia. They have a strained relationship. Each fears the other won’t accept them as they are..scars and all. This is filled with ups and downs as they work through their fears and outwardly battle strangers who seem like more. Julia is a wonderful strong female and I loved getting her perspective on things as much as Dereks.

Its been a while since I read book one. Honestly I did not remember much of the story or characters. Once I got into this one and realized it offers snippets of the first I started remembering. I enjoyed how this book offers looks into the brothers possible futures. And seriously if that epilogue is ANYTHING to go by…I cant wait for Hayden and Anna. It should be full of action!

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The Elements of the Crown (The Elements of Kamdaria Book 1) by Kay L. Moody – Review by Lisa Helmick

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The Elements of the Crown (The Elements of Kamdaria, #1)The Elements of the Crown by Kay L. Moody
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed most of this book. I did have a few issues which are listed below. Otherwise I love the characters and the world that is built. As the story moved along I came to love the characters and “hope” for some love between a couple characters. I went through ups and downs..enjoying characters then disliking or becoming suspicious of them. It is a crazy kind of good!

This is my only issue with the stories. I felt at times it was overly long. I get this is four short books put together so I’m not sure if they could have been shortened a bit. I did skim a bit in the fire crown….so maybe.

Overall I really did enjoy the story and the characters are well developed. I wasn’t a fan of the ending….just like Talise.

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Spoilsport (Pierce Brothers Book 2) by Belinda Williams – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Spoilsport (Pierce Brothers, #2)Spoilsport by Belinda Williams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was excited to read this story. We met Nadia and Luke in the last book. They really seemed like oil and water. I knew fireworks were going to happen. I was not disappointed. These two would have had a tougher go of it if they didn’t have friends and family.

The story is a good one but at times it seemed overly long. I almost would have preferred more action between them (not sexual but forced proximity or more run ins). I also feel the storyline with Esme did not get finished.

Overall this is a good story that gives the feels. We get to see a lot of the two MC from book 1 who help the story along.

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Red’s Peril Part 1: The making of an MC Prez (Satan’s Devils MC Vegas Chapter) by Manda Mellett – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Red's Peril Part 1: The Making of an MC Prez (Satan's Devils MC Vegas #1)Red’s Peril Part 1: The Making of an MC Prez by Manda Mellett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Man Oh Man! I was hesitant to read this as I don’t care for duets. I am sure glad I did anyway!(I mean its by Manda Mellett so of course I picked it up) This is really the making of a SD Prez and the intro to the LV SD. We take this trip right along with Red. It gives some insight Into what a prospect and on up goes through. The friends he makes and loses along the way. The questions he has , the biker life he doesn’t want and the girl he cant forget all add up to the story I could not out down!

The author did a great job with this one. I can see why the break was needed. Originally I thought she could just sum it up with a couple chapters and a flashback here and there but I really think she did so much better doing it this way. I was really able to immerse myself into Red’s life and almost felt like I was a little devil sitting on his shoulder..keeping an eye on him.

Overall I absolutely LOVE this story and Red. It really was a journey that I took along with Red. I look forward to the next!

Ps. I keep notes while reading a book. This one had me scrambling and rearranging and its about a mile long 🙂 Kept me on my toes!

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The Groomsman (Unexpected Series – Book 2) by Marina Hanna – Review by Lisa Helmick

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The GroomsmanThe Groomsman by Marina Hanna
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I kinda struggled with this one at times. Mark is a little hard to like. He seems to want a good time and is FIRM about nothing else. So it was tough to get to like him since he did many things I didn’t like. Lauren did not seem to have much backbone. I liked her but it took a while for her to stop letting him run over her. I was glad that she finally got her head on straight.

They meet at Jules and Adam’s wedding. Who we met in the last book. It was nice catching up with their lives. Overall I liked the story and most if the characters.

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LUKE (DEFAULT DISTRACTION #4) by A. S. Roberts – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Luke (Default Distraction #4)Luke by A.S. Roberts
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was extremely excited to see this arrive! I love all the others in the series. So I dug right in. I am glad the author saved Luke for last because his story was out (in previous books) and I was curious how she would spin it. I was and wasn’t disappointed. The bad first…It starts off slow until about Chapter 10. There are a lot of details that seemed more filler. Questions asked in conversation then two pages later an answer. In all honesty, I did skim over that stuff and went right to the answer.
I loved a lot about this story! The author does a great job recreating scenes in previous books but this time give us Luke’s perspective (That scene where they play in the hotel-is great). I enjoyed seeing more of Flint and Brie and the fun they have. The band members are also in here and I loved seeing their fun sides as well as their professional sides.

Overall I enjoyed Luke’s story, especially the Epilogue and the ending after that! A perfect ending to the series.

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Blood Oath (Mafia Elite, book 2) by Amy McKinley – Review by Lisa Helmick

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

Another heart stopping story in this series. It is filled with everything I come to expect from this author and a mafia story. Undying love, devotion and of course some blood, war and backstabbing between everyone. We dive deeper Into the life of Sofia and her thoughts of Enzo. The relationship between Sofia and Enzo goes back years but has recently faltered. Their connection is electric and can easily be felt coming off the pages. Her family is the best and seemingly the most “normal”. They are a joy to watch between protectiveness and family changes. I love seeing all the families again and smile at all their secrets!

I enjoy how this author drops tidbits of possible future stories interwoven into each story. I read this quickly and look forward to the next in the series!

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Unlikely to Fit (Parker Lake) by Olivia Sherwood – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Unlikely to Fit (A Parker Lake Novel Book 2)Unlikely to Fit by Olivia Sherwood
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

There were so many things I enjoyed about this book. It had quite a bit of humor in it. Which I love! I enjoy great friendships in stories. This one had Breckin and the girls and also Griff and Wyatt all had great relationships. Animals! Haha I love a story that incorporates animals. Romance…well that’s a given.
It’s been a while since I read an Ashlie Knapp book and I forgot how entertaining they are. I enjoy reading about and getting to know her characters and the writing is so smooth. Sometimes I have to wonder where she comes up with the stuff her characters do in the books. (Mema??) She is pretty imaginative!

I have not read the first book in this series. It has been on my TBR list so I will be moving it to the top. Because now I am all interested in how Wyatt and Annie got together! I bet there is a great story there!
PS..I love the cover! It’s very different from others out on the market! Eye-catching!

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Snowflakes & Stockings (A Wilton Hills Christmas Book 4) by Marianne Rice – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Snowflakes & Stockings (A Wilton Hills Christmas, #4)Snowflakes & Stockings by Marianne Rice
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What an adorable Christmas time story! The characters are charming and made me smile. Liberty and Sawyer are such a cute couple trying to get together. I enjoyed Sawyer and his story plus there was Adam! What a treat!

Liberty’s family just made me smile all the dang time! They really elevated the story and I loved how they make everyone feel like family. I wish they were my family or maybe I could join theirs.

This is a story that js well written and easily drew me into their lives. The author did a good job keeping me in suspense about Liberty’s quest. I will keep an eye out for more from her.

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Twilight’s Curse (Twilight Realm Series Book 1) by K. M. Wray – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Twilight's CurseTwilight’s Curse by K.M. Wray
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love stories like this! There are some many characters, a lot of action and suspense plus the magical element lead to a good story. We have elves and brownies that garner the attention of the story. I loved following both Zoe and Nix on their individual respective journey then when they mesh together things really get interesting. They both had some early life struggles that tugged at my heart. I was pleased with the growth of each of their characters.

This is a soft ending meaning it will pick up with book 2. I highly enjoyed reading this and look forward to more in this series.

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Rock Me To The Top (Gracefall: Vicious Love Tour) by Victoria Zak – Review by Lisa Helmick

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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

Wow this story! I really enjoyed it. The pace and entertainment are wonderful. I was easily drawn into the lives of these characters. They became almost family like. It focuses on Joe, his band and his first love. I loved watching these two come together. The band..well they are a band who lives and breathes the rock and roll dream.

The secondary characters are perfect. They add to the story and don’t overstep but move slightly forward now and again. I really can’t wait to read more about this group!

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Tenacious (Billionaire Bodyguards Book 6) by Via Mari – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Tenacious (Billionaire Bodyguards # 6)Tenacious by Via Mari
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is my first book by this author and while I parts of the story….others really aren’t in my wheelhouse. I liked the characters, their issues and the problems they are having. There is a larger cast and while we see mostly Nick, Allie, Sheldon and Lexi. They all are lively. I did enjoy all the action that was brought out in here towards the end. I was a bit confused at the beginning since I have not read the previous books in the series.
Overall its a good story that will appeal more to some than others.

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Sea Mage (The Nightshade Guild, Book 10) by Louisa Bacio – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Sea Mage (The Nightshade Guild, Book 10)Sea Mage by Louisa Bacio
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I liked the idea of the story which led me to pick up the book. I struggled at times which led me to “fall” out of the story. I liked Serena and found her plight captivating. The issue came once she started being attacked by others. It seemed too far-fetched and a mix of two different types of beings. I have not read the others in this series and probably won’t as I didn’t really connect or come to “care” about the characters.
Great Cover though!

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Fool Me Twice by Gledé Browne Kabongo – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Fool Me TwiceFool Me Twice by Glede Browne Kabongo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a great story that grabbed my attention from the start! I absolutely loved it! It’s compelling, tricky and full of great characters. This is my first book by this author and it won’t be my last! I really fell into the life with these characters and followed them all the way on their journey.

What I love about this most is that it is told mostly without a lot of back and forth in years. My favorite is that I couldn’t figure it out even when a few tidbits were thrown my way. A downside is that it does have some “filler”(plots that don’t move the story forward) and a couple subplots that just stopped.

This author has a wonderful style. She has a talent…I would call her a magician of words. She led me down a merry trail and I wasn’t sure where I would come out until I got there.

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Wrong for Him (The Love Lottery Series Book 3) by Christi Barth – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Wrong for Him (Love Lottery, #3)Wrong for Him by Christi Barth
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is an ever changing story. I have not read the first two in this series but don’t feel like I am missing anything. This one tells of the long time crush that Amelia has had with her brother’s bestie from childhood to current day. There is that lovely push/pull between them as well as the secret that is kept. It’s fun, heart wrenching and full of great characters! I enjoyed meeting these characters and learning all about them.

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Scarlet Princess (Lochlann Feuds Book 1) by Robin D. Mahle and Elle Madison – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Scarlet Princess (The Lochlann Feuds, #1)Scarlet Princess by Robin D. Mahle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I can see why this book has such wonderful ratings. It is quite the story and it easily drew me completely into their world. What a great concept this story began with..stealing does have consequences. The characters are developed nicely. I really *felt* for and with Rowan. I was hopeful, shocked and surprised while reading her story. She is a strong female character and I enjoyed watching her deal with her fate. Secondary characters are just a lively as Rowan. While I came to love some….others are surprisingly devious and possibly unlikable.

This is one of the reasons I enjoy YA books. The characters are highly entertaining and the world they live in is well developed. I can not wait for the next in the series!

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Whisper Creek: A Logan McKenna Mystery Book 7 by Valerie Davisson – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Whisper Creek (A Logan McKenna Mystery Book 7)Whisper Creek by Valerie Davisson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a good detective story. It really drew me in. Its fast paced and I easily read it in about 24 hours. It was nice to see a lot of the characters we have met in previous stories of Logans plus meet a few new ones.

This is the seventh story I have read from this author. This one I did figure out but that didn’t make it an less entertaining. I look forward to the next.

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The Last Danann (Titanian Chronicles, Book 3) by Victoria Saccenti – Review by Lisa Helmick

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The Last Danann: Titanian Chronicles 2The Last Danann: Titanian Chronicles 2 by Victoria Saccenti
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is my second book in this series. I was pretty excited when I saw this show up. Sadly this didn’t hold up to the previous one. The story covers a long time period and after a while I just seemed to lose interest. Maybe too many plots so I couldn’t become invested in the main story. There also are a TON of characters to keep track of who/what they are and alliances, mates etc. Some we met in the last book others were new to me. While I enjoy stories of this genre it was a struggle for me to finish this one.

It was nice to see Soren and Maya and see how they are getting along and how much they moved forward. Plus seeing more of she skills. I am curious about Eachann’s story though.

Overall this is a good story. I do like the characters and they are interesting.

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No Strings Attached by Lara Ward Cosio – Review by Lisa Helmick

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No Strings AttachedNo Strings Attached by Lara Ward Cosio
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This author never disappoints! I LOVED this story and its characters. It is very relatable on many levels. It has highs and lows and hits all the emotional buttons.

Its hard to pick a favorite character because I enjoy each for different reasons. We read from each of their POV so its easy to feel what they are feeling. I really enjoyed Tanner because of his work ethic but also his helpfulness and love. I liked that the children were written well and antics are within their age brackets.

Overall this is a definite one click. I loved the humor, sense of family, romance and how this has many layers. This author nailed this one!

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Saratoga Roan by Bree M. Lewandowski – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Saratoga RoanSaratoga Roan by Bree M. Lewandowski
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed the first half of this book. We are getting to know Rhett, his family and his ranch. I really enjoyed that. We also get to learn why Cassandra returned. The second half got wonky for me. There are random words and thoughts running through their heads. Particularly Rhetts. At times I didn’t know what he was talking or thinking about. I tried rereading slowly, going back a page but nothing gave me a clue. Eventually I just called it a kerfluffle and passed it by to keep reading. The ending made me feel incomplete.

I loved the idea of this story. There is ranch/ horse work, family disputes, ana a couple that everyone is rooting for them to be together. As I said..I really liked this (other than issues above).

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Runaway to the Outback (Welcome to Bunya Junction, Book 2) by Nicole Flockton – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Runaway to the Outback (Welcome to Bunya Junction, #2)Runaway to the Outback by Nicole Flockton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this one! The story moves along at a good pace. The characters are spot on and there reaction and dialogue is cute. I really liked Jonas. He is smart, loves his town and his place in it. The meet cute between these two is great! When she shows up on scene she could have been high-browed and snooty but she was cool, collected and made the meet between them fun.

I really enjoyed catching up with Ryan and Sindy as well as getting to know more about Scott. I am thinking his story will be next.

Overall this is a quick, fun story. I enjoyed reading it and getting to know more about Jonas and meeting Pandora

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Home to the Outback (Welcome to Bunya Junction Book 1) by Nicole Flockton – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Home to the Outback (Welcome to Bunya Junction, #1)Home to the Outback by Nicole Flockton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a nice story. The two mc haven’t seen each other for years and he is her brother’s bestie from years ago. Those are some of my favorite tropes to read. While I enjoyed this story I didn’t love it. All the elements are there other than the narrative. There is a lot of thinking in their heads even while having conversations. So a couple pages could go by before one would answer the other. To be honest I just started skipping to the dialogue so I could stay in the moment.

I loved the idea of a small town in Australia. It’s different but yet the same and we meet some wonderful characters. Her brothers are great and I could see stories being built here.

Overall its nice, lighthearted and fun. I will check out others in this series.

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THE BOW (HER THREE IMMORTALS Book 3) by HAZEL STORM – Review by Lisa Helmick

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The Bow (Her Three Immortals, #3)The Bow by Hazel Storm
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am loving this series! This is the third book and while I loved the last book this one really took me on a trip. Its so so good! I love what the author did with Aroz’s life. Not where I expected it to go at all but..wow! Of course while I enjoy seeing the boys..Vanessa is the star of the show. She surely shines and changes and grows in these books. My only regret is that we don’t find out what kind of temper tantrum Greys Mom is going to make. I think that would have rounded it out nicely.

I am eagerly looking forward to the next in the series.

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Deadly Words (Born Bad Book 1) by Meghan O’Flynn – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Deadly Words (Born Bad, #1)Deadly Words by Meghan O’Flynn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This author can write some horrific stories and this one is no exception. We step into the life of a psychotic who is living a normal-ish life. This is written in the past and present and told by his daughter. Both tenses were weaved in to make the stony blend and give us tidbits at a time.

My biggest issue is there were many avenues that were alluded to that just didn’t feel closed at the end of the book. It could be my fault..I might have missed a lot. Its an okay book with twists and turns but not the thrill ride I expected.

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Something Lost (Funerals and Weddings Series Book 1) by Bernadette Marie – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Something LostSomething Lost by Bernadette Marie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a nice story. I like the whole friendship among the guys. How they were always there for each other. That is my favorite thing about this story. Craig and Rachel have a love story over the years. They have a quick relationship but its a slower story in order to bring out all their aches and pains of the past and not being together. This is a wonderful first book of a new series.

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Slow Burn by A.K. Macbride – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Slow Burn (Breathing Hearts, #2)Slow Burn by A.K. MacBride
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a delicious slow-burn. There is something to be said for going slow instead of quick and fast all the time. This one delivers it all in spades. We really get to know the characters and their wants and needs. Adam is quite the guy. At first I loved to dislike him but slowly..oh so slowly he turned a corner as I changed my opinion about him. He is a grump and kinda mean. By the end he is a hot dreamboat. There is one scene in here that I highlighted because I loved it so much. Sadly its near the end so I can’t say anything because I don’t want to give anything away. But let’s just say..my heartbeat picked up as I held my breath. Madison is wonderful. She has challenges that are different from Adam’s but I still enjoyed all her turmoil, tears and smiles.

Secondary characters are super. First off can a dog be a character? Sheldon has a smallish part but its a instrumental in the story. Frankie is a great character. Supportive and there for her bestie. I see her story is next and I am excited. There are parents, friends and family that all help these two try to get together.

Overall this is a wonderful read. The suspense of will they or won’t they drove me crazy! Heck even that first kiss! Yowza! I loved seeing the growth of these two and I look forward to more.
The title of this series (Breathing Hearts) fits perfectly.

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Fight for It by Amy L Gale – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Fight for It (Sunset Cove)Fight for It by Amy L. Gale
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a quick read. I really enjoyed the story for the first half. The characters and their plight drew me in. I cared about them and wondered what would happen. A Fighter (after forced retirement) coming back to his hometown..reinvesting in the town. Great idea! Then meeting back up with his BF sister. Perfect! Then there is her story of divorce from an abusive ex and learning to stand on her own again. Nicely Done.

The second half was not so good. The story went all over the place. The characters really fell flat and things didnt fit in place. The Story/Characters should be like a puzzle where everything fits together. In here I feel like pieces got put in the wrong place. I think a longer, more in depth look at the characters and story would have been more beneficial. Maybe even a look inside Ray’s head. It just felt rushed at times and the story didn’t match up with the great first half.

Overall I liked the idea and premise of this story.

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Unsettled Scores (DAG Team Series Book 2) by Kel O’Connor – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Unsettled Scores (DAG Team #2)Unsettled Scores by Kel O’Connor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a story that kept me guessing. I loved meeting Amy! What an amazing character! She really impresses me with her wit, knowledge and quick thinking. She is an asset to the team and her family. Hugh is just completely adorable! I wanted to hug him and run my hands through his curly locks. The sparks were between them since their first meeting and only grew as time went along.

The team are a slew of smart, quick thinking characters. I enjoyed meeting them and their special skills. I have questions that need answers about them.

This is the second book in the series but it is my first book by this author. I had no problems following along as everything is easily explained. I look forward to more.

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No Way Out (Mafia Elite, book 1) by Amy McKinley – Review by Lisa Helmick

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No Way Out (Mafia Elite, #1)No Way Out by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow! Just Wow! This story is amazing! The suspense in here is incredible! I lived how it kept me guessing! I was really drawn into the life of these characters! I loved some, disliked others and was extremely suspicious of a few. This has a large cast and I just couldn’t get enough of them. Then there is that attraction between Max and Liliana…Man I could feel that coming off the pages!

One of the BEST books I have read by this author! She wields her pen/computer perfectly drawing the reader into the plight of Liliana. Then adds Max and she lets us know a bit about him then makes us adore him for what he is attempting. I am so happy I read this and eagerly look forward to the next!

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