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Fractured Hearts-Prospect (Grimm Wolves MC Book 7) by D.M. Earl – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Fractured Hearts-Prospect (Grimm Wolves MC Book 7)Fractured Hearts-Prospect by D.M. Earl
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a nice addition to the series. The beginning confused me a little since I didn’t know why the couple was on the run already. It worked itself out but was a few chapters into the story. I enjoyed getting to know Dingo since he hasn’t been a huge character in past books. His lady was a surprise but worked out well. They have had difficult pasts they are working in overcoming.
It is nice to see past characters and a few from the authors other series. I lije seeing where they are now and what is going on in their life. Emmie and Brick surprised me the most even though they had a small part in here. The other three (I wont mention their names) always add a different element to the story.
Overall this is a good solid seventh book in the series. There are some changes and growth to the story and characters. Oh and beware…This one does have a gruesome factor near the end with a couple characters showing off their work.

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Reckless Love (The Bennetts of Langston Falls Book 4) by KG Fletcher – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Reckless Love: A Small Town Slow-Burn Forbidden Love Romance (The Bennetts of Langston Falls Book #4)Reckless Love: A Small Town Slow-Burn Forbidden Love Romance by K.G. Fletcher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a nice addition to the series. It covers villain redemption which at times seemed difficult to swallow. He has been horrible in the first couple books and the author does a good job making the reader feel and change thoughts about Glen. This has a lot about guilt and forgiveness but what connected with me most was the addiction recovery. He has thoughts, feelings and learning new habits that were realistic and I felt the author did a good job. The story seems to drag a bit for me a couple different times. I thought it was a little flowery with the thoughts but other times the author does a cute job with her wording when thinking about the opposite character.
Overall this is a good one but not my favorite of the series. I look forward to James’ story.

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Porter and Midge (Porter and Midge Children’s Book Series) by Jennie Chen and Giselle Nevada – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Porter and Midge: Paws for Safety: A Kid's Guide to Safe Dog Interactions (Porter and Midge Children’s Book Series)Porter and Midge: Paws for Safety: A Kid’s Guide to Safe Dog Interactions by Giselle Nevada
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a wonderful learning book. The authors do a great job incorporating learning important dog rules with rhyming. There is also good illustrations showing how to act and how not to act. I like how the information is broken into sections to move the book along.

Overall this story would be great for kids and some adults who have never owned a family dog. I would call it a must read before getting one.

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Tracker (The Talisman Series) by Tam DeRudder Jackson – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Tracker (The Talisman Series)Tracker by Tam DeRudder Jackson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a delightful read! I really enjoyed every second this one! I did not know anything about this series and the author does a good job explaining it in here. It intrigued me to want to see more about Riley’s brothers because they have a wonderful camaraderie. The action suspense and drama held me to the story but the fantasy aspect kept me there. I was husy trying to figure out what these characters are or did and why. I really thought the talisman was an item not a person so…interesting. I eagerly look forward to more in this series.

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House of Blood and Whispers by Natalina Reis – Review by Lisa Helmick

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House of Blood and WhispersHouse of Blood and Whispers by Natalina Reis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Good Story! It is eye catching at the beginning and only gets better from there. The story just pulled me in with the action and suspense that is filtered in throughout. Not to mention the snappy dialogue from the characters. A couple characters really have some verbal sass going on. So good!

I always enjoy this authors fantasy stories. She does a good job creating the world and her characters are not perfect and but always have room for wonderful growth. It is a pleasure to read these stories.

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The Mating Call (Long Claw Pride Book 1) by Brooke May – Review by Lisa Helmick

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The Mating Call (Long Claw Pride #1)The Mating Call by Brooke May
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a good story. I love reading about shifters so this was an easy pick. The is interesting and held my attention up to a point. After that there was some skimming and just a push to finish. I like Cheyenne and her family is a hoot. Each sister completely different personalities. The future stories should be fun The male lead has such a calming attitude. A perfect addition to this wild bunch! Overall it is a cute story

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The Mating Haze (Long Claw Pride) by Brooke May – Review by Lisa Helmick

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The Mating HazeThe Mating Haze by Brooke May
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This story is nicely done! While it is a stand alone there is an interconnected story running through the series. I highly suggest starting off with the Mating Call which is book 1. Trigger was an enigma to me. But once the story rolled along I really started to like him and actually felt sorry for him. While the mating is a part of the story it is not the main one. So we have a lot of other stuff going on as well. I look forward to the next the series and seeing what will happen next.

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Beautiful Dangerous (Philly Heat Series Book 4) by Becky Flade – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Beautiful Dangerous (Philly Heat series, #4)Beautiful Dangerous by Becky Flade
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What an amazing thrilling story! I loved this and sped through it like a demon. The book is filled with many tense times and action/suspense filled moments. I did struggle figuring out who is behind this mess so that even adds more excitement to the story for me. All of the characters are well done and they surprise than excite me as the story progresses. I do have a favorite moment and it’s during a fight between Hannah and Doyle. I won’t say what was said and done but I loved that whole scene.

I did read this out of order for the series. It can be read as a standalone as I had no problem following along. I think the other books characters were filtered in but they are placed as minor characters. I would love to read more in the series.

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Beautiful Dangerous (Philly Heat Series Book 4) by Becky Flade – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Beautiful Dangerous (Philly Heat series, #4)Beautiful Dangerous by Becky Flade
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What an amazing thrilling story! I loved this and sped through it like a demon. The book is filled with many tense times and action/suspense filled moments. I did struggle figuring out who is behind this mess so that even adds more excitement to the story for me. All of the characters are well done and they surprise than excite me as the story progresses. I do have a favorite moment and it’s during a fight between Hannah and Doyle. I won’t say what was said and done but I loved that whole scene.

I did read this out of order for the series. It can be read as a standalone as I had no problem following along. I think the other books characters were filtered in but they are placed as minor characters. I would love to read more in the series.

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Cruel Truths (Tessa and Jordan Book 3) by T. Christensen – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Cruel Truths (Tessa and Jordan #3)Cruel Truths by T. Christensen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this story. Grumpy boss and enemies to lovers tropes are one of my favorites and this one covered all those bases. So many times I was angry, frustrated or irritated at the male lead. He drove me crazy just like he did Lindy. In fact, a couple times I really didn’t understand why she stayed. I really liked Lindy. She is determined, smart, sassy and doesn’t put up with his guff. I don’t know how she did it day after day and time after time dealing with him, but kudos to her. I suppose it could be the intense sexual attraction that they have with each other. I mean OFF the Charts!

The story is amazing in the respect of the dreams, the hopes and the desires that are played out. It has many ups and downs and drama filled moments that filled my heart or made it go pitter-pat. This is one that can be reread and enjoyed.

This is the third in the series, but it can be read as a standalone. There is mention of characters and situations that we see from the first two books, but it doesn’t really interfere with this story. So grab it and enjoy

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You and Me Equals Love by Marina Hanna – Review by Lisa Helmick

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You and Me Equals LoveYou and Me Equals Love by Marina Hanna
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is the story of both one but two women and their men. This is a case of best friends, dating best friends. I can’t even say whose story I like better as they were both equally well done. Well, the story is good but I wasn’t a huge fan of the execution. It does a lot of bouncing around from past to present. I think the story would’ve been as equally powerful, just starting in the past and working your way to the present and current situations. I have read this author’s stories before, and always enjoy them. This one just seems to be a one off for me. Overall, it’s an entertaining story about a couple girls who find their guy and hopefully a forever after.

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Faking the Fall (Buckeye Falls Book 4) by Libby Kay – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Faking the Fall: A Buckeye Falls NovelFaking the Fall: A Buckeye Falls Novel by Libby Kay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another wonderful story in this series! I did not realize who Alice was until I started reading this one. She is a misfit within her family. She doesn’t fit their mold and that is fine with her. No marriage, no grandkids until she see the elusive artist in town. Then she starts thinking and seeing a different future for herself. Watching Alice change and grow and delightful to observe. James is a fun guy who looks at life differently from others. I enjoyed their path to get together.

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Vixen: (Devil’s Handmaidens MC: Timber-Ghost, Montana Chapter) by D.M. Earl – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Vixen: (Devil's Handmaidens MC: Timber-Ghost, Montana Chapter)Vixen: by D.M. Earl
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a great read but intense! This really brings out emotions for these characters. Mostly Vixen! This girl has been through the wringer and just when she is feeling comfortable….WOOSH! There goes the rug from under her feet. Thank goodness she belongs to the Handmaidens as they always seem to have their ladies backs. Mix in people from a couple other groups and this becomes a full roster.

This also covers suspense, action and drama pretty well. Somehow with serious subject and the posturing of characters the author seems to be able to drop in humor as well. Nicely Done!

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Chasing Cheer (Emerald Hollow Book 1) by Heather Schneider – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Chasing CheerChasing Cheer by Heather Schneider
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a super cool atory. I like when an author pulls out all the stops in creating the world. Everything is perfectly holiday. From the thoughts to the swearing. I was impressed at the cleverness that was put into this holiday story.

I did feel it was overly long as I got the point or idea long before we got there in the story. That is my only complaint. It is a cute light hearted and delightful story. I devoured every word.

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Heart’s Rescue (Fallen Hearts) by Meredith Hart – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Heart's Rescue (Hearts Below, #1)Heart’s Rescue by Meredith Hart
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was very excited for this one after reading the synopsis and seeing that amazing cover. Sadly I did not love it. I liked the idea of the story and these worlds but it was way too vague. The information was just touched on and hinted at with little confirmation. The below and above worlds are a great idea but maybe expand on them a bit more. The characters were easily likable but again unknown and different powers that don’t get explained for a long time in the story. That being said, all the characters are very likable and real. They are really the best part in my opinion.

This is an okay story in my opinion. I am sad because I love fantasy books.

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LIES-TRUTH-LOVE by Marina Hanna – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Lies - Truth - LoveLies – Truth – Love by Marina Hanna
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow! Loving this one! It flows so nicely! I really sped right along and before I knew it I was half way through. I see how the author wrote the story so it goes along with the title but it does seem to slow down a bit as the female lead can’t seem to get past the lies. I did get a little tired of her actions during that time period she almost seemed mean towards him.

There are some good secondary characters that add some insight to these two main personalities. Very helpful to them and I liked the advice!

Overall this is a cute, fun story. I did enjoy many different things about this one. The job that she has is something that interests me. Bringing joy and completion to many people. Anyway I like the flow and how the author grabbed me and kept me entertained.

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Wild For Me (The Balefire Series Book 3) by Tam DeRudder Jackson – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Wild For Me (Balefire, #3)Wild For Me by Tam DeRudder Jackson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I LOVE this one! It easily kept me reading late into the night! The story entertained me and the characters are wonderfully done. Watching Annabelle and Dakota come together is phenomenal! Dakota is a rock star with a large sexual appetite as expected but when he is with Annabelle we really see a different side of him. His nickname(s) for her are beautiful and not run of the mill. Watching him with her family is so fun! Annabelle is a previous groupie who now has a job with the band. She is as smart as she is sexy and fits him and his wildness to a T. Again her families response to him was awesome!

Most favorite scene:
I love the way the author describes the band members coming out on stage for their concert! I was in awe! I absolutely felt like I was there! Not with the throwing of panties and bras but giving me chills because I could feel the excitement just like the characters! Well Done!

There were a few touched on moments near the end that I wish as the reader they would have been shown to us and not just heard snippets from another character. Maybe a few less tour show explanations could have replaced with those scenes. I fell that would have closed out that storyline (Garrett).

It definitely will be going on my re-read pile as it is delicious! I really loved every second and eagerly look forward to Tron’s story.

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Russian and Royally Complicated (The Crowned Hearts Series Book 2) by Gwyn McNamee and Christy Anderson – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Russian and Royally ComplicatedRussian and Royally Complicated by Gwyn McNamee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is quite the story! Full of passion, drama and suspense. I enjoyed meeting all of these characters. They made me laugh, be shocked and…I had a few surprises. I did not read the first book in the series and had no problems following along with this one. I have read one author before but not the other. The story moves along at a quicker pace and is easy to read.

I did not like that there are secrets in here that seemed to be mentioned (a lot) but they never told me (the reader), mentioned it in their thoughts (other then “the secret”) or told the other character. I got tired of that and by the end when it finally came out..I did mot care what it was. I think because it was mentioned too much with no explanation.

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Dead Keen (Things Unseen Book 2) by Anise Eden – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Dead Keen (Things Unseen #2)Dead Keen by Anise Eden
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What a story! Wow! The action, drama and suspense is filling all the pages. I enjoyed getting to know Neve and Con and watching their relationship grow. They also have excellent sleuthing skills which they put to good use in here.

I have not read the previous story. This is a listed as a stand alone and zi had no problem following along with the characters. References were made and explained which really helped out.

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Master Campania (Masters of the Consulate Book 7) by Sylvia Black – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Master Campania: Dark Vampire Romance (Masters of the Consulate Book 7)Master Campania: Dark Vampire Romance by Sylvia Black
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This one really goes on a ride! I enjoy Willow and the path she takes. I am mot a fan of witches as they are usually so sneaky. Willow surprised me. She seemed weak but shockingly she has a backbone. Campania is a master vampire with some pretty impressive powers. He seems a little cold and one sided until “it” happens. You know. That moment when he realizes he would do ANYTHING for her. That changed my mind about him. It was nice to see the characters from the previous stories. Their sass still reminds me of their stories and fun times. Overall another good installment to this series

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Sing For Me (The Balefire Series Book 2) by Tam DeRudder Jackson – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Sing For Me (Balefire, #2)Sing For Me by Tam DeRudder Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this story. The writing is smooth and the story moves along drawing the reader with it. I felt like I was dropped into their lives and felt like I k ew them. It did seem to slow down about half to three quarters of the way through making this seem a little overlong. There was too much time, in my opinion, spent on tour detailing their life. Some of that could have been omitted to keep the storyline moving and the reader mot getting bored.

The author does an excellent job building these characters. Blu with his determination to get the girl. His swoon worthy singing and thoughtfulness made him a memorable personality. His realization going from playboy to boyfriend. Ashleigh did a great job keeping her head about her. My only issue is how quickly she went back to trusting and believing him. Seemed a little unrealistic.

I want to give a “Hey” to a special character. I liked his Mom as a good secondary character. I missed how we never got her story on why she stays in the house and at her job. Anyway I love how she doesn’t see him as a rockstar…just her son. That is cool! She is a positive upbeat lady.

Overall this is a wonderful read. I struggled to put it down multiple times because it is so good. I look forward to reading more in this series.

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Mr Lucky (Trentbridge Tales Book 1) by Lee Wood – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Mr Lucky (Trentbridge Tales #1)Mr Lucky by Lee Wood
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

There are a lot of elements that go into making this a well rounded story. Sadly they did not all mesh for me and i easily got bored. The part of James life and thoughts while being homeless was interesting and made me really feel his plight. The whole Rex side of things I struggled with and not that the story could have done without but I really did not care for him one way or the other. Most of the book I was wondering how he fits into James story. It was ended with all the P’s and Q’s taken care of and that area was the second best part of the story. Sorry I just wasn’t a fan.

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Love Shots (Bluestone Series Book 4) by Isobel Reed – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Love Shots (Bluestone Series Book 4)Love Shots by Isobel Reed
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a fun shorter story! It starts off with bang and kept my attention til the end. I enjoyed the banter and flirting between these two. While this isn’t all fun and games there is a serious side to them and their stories.

I have not read the whole series and feel this could be read as a stand alone if so desired. This does have the other couples in here as they are all friends and or related. Teddy has a friend who we briefly meet in this book, Tyler. He peaked my curiosity and I would have loved to see him meet up with these two. Or even get his own story (hint hint).

Overall this is a wonderful story and great addition to the series. Hopefully there is more.

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Love Shots (Bluestone Series Book 4) by Isobel Reed – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Love Shots (Bluestone Series Book 4)Love Shots by Isobel Reed
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a fun shorter story! It starts off with bang and kept my attention til the end. I enjoyed the banter and flirting between these two. While this isn’t all fun and games there is a serious side to them and their stories.

I have not read the whole series and feel this could be read as a stand alone if so desired. This does have the other couples in here as they are all friends and or related. Teddy has a friend who we briefly meet in this book, Tyler. He peaked my curiosity and I would have loved to see him meet up with these two. Or even get his own story (hint hint).

Overall this is a wonderful story and great addition to the series. Hopefully there is more.

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Cruel King by K.M. Scott – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Cruel KingCruel King by K.M. Scott
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

MAN this guy is tough to take! He is exactly what the title says….Cruel! He made me so mad sometimes with his actions but mostly his words. He surely has a lot of room to grow. The female lead is a kind and forgiving soul..until she is pushed one time too far by him. Then we see another side of both of them.

Was I shocked a time or two in here? Yes but mostly to the extreme someone would go to to push another away.

Did I love the characters? Not a lot. The author does a good job of making these characters extreme and sometimes you can love them and others they are hard to like. I did feel sorry for the male lead a teacher me or two as he tries to figure out his life.

I look forward to seeing where this author can go from here with this family.

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The Magic Carousel (The Brass Ring Series Book 1) by K.L. Small – Review by Lisa Helmick

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The Magic Carousel (The Brass Ring #1)The Magic Carousel by K.L. Small
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a great story! I enjoyed all the adventures that Russ goes on with the magical carousel. This is a wonderful story but has a lot of factual information and some learning/growing that takes place. This author has an imagination and I like how she incorporated it into the different horses on the carousel. I myself have often wondered about the history or back story of each horse. That she brought that to life as well as show us how important horses were to our history is just excellent.

This is written for a median age child but I enjoyed it and think it would be a cool book to read to a child and keep an eye out for illustrations of our hero in action. Many discussions could take place after each chapter. I also recommend reading the “Things you might want to know” after reading. It is very interesting and might answer some questions from a child. I especially like the author’s thoughts on horses and her cute photo at the back. It rounds out the whole book nicely.

Great Cover Art!

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Sleeping with the Enemy (Astoria Royals Book 3) by Deborah Garland – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Sleeping with the Enemy (Astoria Royals, #3)Sleeping with the Enemy by Deborah Garland
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

HOLY SMOKES! This is one fantastic story! I loved just about every second! It drew me in and I was stuck reading late Into the night! The suspense! The drama! Just outstanding! I enjoyed these two different factions butting heads and vying for one girls attention! The characters are deep and fully charismatic. I was shocked and surprised by them more than once as their stories unfolded.

This O’Rourke family is definitely one to watch! We get to know a few pretty well and the others of this large Irish family just a wee bit! I eagerly look forward to each of their stories more in this series.

This is my first book in the series. In fact I did not know there were two others until writing this review. This can easily be read as a stand alone as I thought this was the first. Excuse me since I have a few more stories to catch up on. Wonderful writing and superb story!

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The Secret Humankind (The Discoveries of Julia Xero Book 1) by Gloria Oliver – Review by Lisa Helmick

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The Secret Humankind: An Urban Fantasy Thriller (The Discoveries of Julia Xero Book 1)The Secret Humankind: An Urban Fantasy Thriller by Gloria Oliver
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a different story. I went into this blind and was pleasantly surprised. The story moves along at a quick pace and is darn interesting. The job she takes..Whoa! That pulled me right in! Then all these characters start coming out of the woodwork. About that time the story took a turn I was NOT expecting! Then a lot of thing changed and I was pleased at the turn in the story. The building the MC works in is so cool!

My only issue was the story slowed down for me in a couple of spots. It seemed to dig too deeply into the why’s and there was a lot of jargon I did not understand. I just ended up skimming these areas.

Overall it is a good surprising story. I enjoy the plot and all the characters. It kept me turning pages and wondering what was going to happen. I look forward to more in this series.

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Shadowed Obsession (Shadow Defense Security Series Book 1) by Mavery Ellscott – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Shadowed Obsession: An Action-Packed Romantic Suspense Thriller (Shadow Defense Security Series Book 1)Shadowed Obsession: An Action-Packed Romantic Suspense Thriller by Mavery Ellscott
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Love this action packed romantic suspenseful story! It is fast paced from the beginning to the very end. I could hardly put this one down. This author did a wonderful job pulling me in and making me curious to the outcome of the story. The security firm has a lot of different characters and I am sure some we didn’t get to know. The romance between the two main personalities is slow going and I liked it because that longing was always there.

Overall I am excited that I picked up this new to me author and gave this a shot. I eagerly look forward to more in this series!

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Sliding into Home (Playing for Keeps Book 3) by Lauren Fraser – Review by Lisa Helmick

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Sliding into Home: A Secret Baby Sports Romance (Playing for Keeps Book 3)Sliding into Home: A Secret Baby Sports Romance by Lauren Fraser
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the third installment in this series and they just keep getting better and better with each one! I loved the flow of this one! It is subtle and still hits all the marks. Each of the characters are special in their own right. Kia is a single mom who has made a strong life for herself and her child. Respectable job and wonderful ethics! Smitty is a down to earth player who gets the shock of his life. He takes it in stride and comes out on top. Really they both are just wonderful but not so much that they have some growth in their character. I completely fell into both these characters and enjoyed their emotions right along with them.

I really enjoy all the fun times with Smitty’s baseball brothers! The things they do for him which is also for Max just made me smile! Then there is Max…perfect antics and comments for a young one. He made me smile big numerous times.

Overall another smash hit from this series. This is one of my favorite series! I eagerly look forward to more….maybe Brandon? Or Gonzo?

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