This book wrecked me and the audio version took it to a whole new level. Hearing the emotion I had already felt just made everything that much more tangible. The performance was well done and did credit to the author’s work. Again I loved the book and am thankful to have found it in audible. An excellent selection!
The Sound of Silence by Dakota Willink
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Emotionally wrecked. It left me emotionally wrecked. Heed the synopsis and trigger warnings. All that out of the way – the author does a brilliant job weaving this story realistically and respectfully. I was consumed by this story, by these characters. I get almost to a painful degree the scars on full display in these pages. I cannot say enough by how moving this story was. Just completely overwhelming and heartbreaking and amazing.
Reviewed by @heatherlovelace
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Secure Boxed Set by R.L. Dunn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
If you enjoy an intriguing story with a great balance between romance and suspense, this box set is a must own. Dunn does a fantastic job in this series and once you start book one you will want them all. Great characters, great plot pacing. Just the right amount of suspense and romance – not too much of either but just enough to keep you completely enthralled. Highly recommend!
Reviewed by @heatherlovelace
View all my reviews
The Sound of Silence by Dakota Willink
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The Sound of Silence by Dakota Willink is an emotional reading. Be forewarned there is a trigger warning concerning domestic violence. The story deals with domestic violence and how we do not really know what goes on behind closed doors. What might appear to be a fantasy, fairy tale life might actually be a horror-filled life. The book focuses on the characters Gianna and Derek. I enjoyed getting a different POV because it tells so much more about the story. This book is well written and the story and characters are thought out and engaging. I did not want to put it down because the characters had so much at stake. This is an engrossing story and handles a difficult subject beautifully. There is so much to say just about the title which speaks to the actual story. I look forward to reading more from this author in the near future.
The Sound of Silence by Dakota Willink
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The Sound of Silence (Leave Me Breathless) by Dakota Willink is a dark and emotional story that has you hooked on the characters. It has to be noted that this book does contain domestic violence so if this is a trigger for you then you should be aware.
I was completely sucked in by this story from the start. For me it had an intensity about it that caught my attention and became the backbone of the book. I really loved the main characters and the connection they forged despite everything.
This is the first book that I have read by this author but I enjoyed the writing style and pace she brought to the book. I thought everything was developed well and the story moved along at all the right times. This was a great book and one I enjoyed even more then I expected I would. I would definitely recommend it to anyone.
Gianluca by Isabella Cassazza
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Gianluca: A stand-alone enemies-to-lovers office romance by Isabella Cassazza is the first book in the Marini Family Romance series. This is a book that is all about the characters and the connection they have. The chemistry between them was undeniable, you can feel it on every page. I really thought they were engaging and drew you full attention to them.
The story was entertaining and quite fast paced, I found myself turning the pages quickly as I read more and more. It was written and had a great development line throughout. This is definitely a great book to read and it is one I thoroughly enjoyed.
The Sound of Silence by Dakota Willink
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The Sound of Silence (Leave Me Breathless) by Dakota Willink
4-stars
The Sound of Silence by Dakota Willink was a truly emotional roller coaster ride of a read! This story is dark, intense, heart breaking, shocking and so profound. The main character, Gia, has lived through truly traumatic experiences and undergoes a whole transformation and I absolutely loved reading how her character developed. From the very first chapter I was hooked, I couldn’t wait to dive into her story, and I was not disappointed in the least. This story had me captivated from the beginning and didn’t let up until I reached the end, I thoroughly enjoyed everything about this story.
I will note that there is some sensitive content that may be triggering; however, this is forewarned. This was my first book by this author but it certainly won’t be my last. I can’t wait to dive into my next read by the talented Dakota Willink.
The Sound of Silence by Dakota Willink
The Sound of Silence by Dakota Willink. I loved this book but let me warn you it can have triggers in it. Its about domestic violence and abuse so be aware. Its the story of Gianna (Gia) who is from the outside living the perfect life but from the inside its a living nightmare. Derek is the perfect guy and he knows Gia has been thru hell and back but actually had no idea what exactly she has been thru. He knows she’s been thru a lot but he still wants to get to know her and wants her in his life. He wants to take away all her pain and make it right. Ethan is Gia’s husband a police officer who you would think would keep her safe but in reality he is everything but safe. When Gia run’s she feels like she might be finally free but will her past catch up with her and ruin the new life she’s made? This was my first read by Dakota Willink but it will not be my last!
Gianluca by Isabella Cassazza
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Gianluca is an enemies to lovers, office romance which is the first book in the Marini Family series by Isabella Cassazza. I had only read one of Isabella Cassazza’s books before reading this book and I had thoroughly enjoyed it. Incidentally we were introduced to Gianluca in that book and he was not exactly to of my favourite men list. Could he redeem himself in this book?
I have to say that to begin with Gianluca doesn’t do much to redeem himself. He is very driven, arrogant and ruthless and will do whatever it takes to get the promotion at work that he believes he deserves. So let’s just say he’s not the nicest person to Callie when they first meet and start working together. Of course, there is a much nicer Gianluca hiding under the arrogant, hard exterior and it takes the awesome Callie to bring out the nicer side to him.
I loved reading Gianluca and Callie’s story. Their interactions together make for very entertaining reading. Both are fantastic characters and are very well written. In addition, the secondary characters add so much to this story, in particular Gianluca’s sister Francesca and Signore Ravelli.
As this series is based around the Marini family, of which there are 6 siblings, I can’t wait for more in this series to see what Isabella Cassazza has in store for them. I’m looking forward to Francesca’s story in particular.
Unwrapped by Evelyn Sola
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I love this book and the characters in play. You won’t want to put this story down once fall in love with Miranda and Nick, and that doesn’t take long at all. This cute, funny, sexy romantic read is just what you need for a Christmas Holiday read. I can’t wait to read more by this author.
Gianluca by Isabella Cassazza
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I loved this book – it was everything I love in a romance read and more! I love an arrogant alpha male and I certainly got this from Gianluca! He is one of those characters you probably should hate but just can’t resist! Sexy, Italian – what more could I want from a book boyfriend!! I love the setting for the story too; something about Italy makes a story even more romantic and sexy! I really liked Callie as well, she wasn’t afraid to stand up for herself when she needed to.
I really like this author’s writing style; it’s very engaging and detailed. The characters were well developed and the plot had a good pace to it.
I would definitely recommend this story and I look forward to reading more from this author again in the future!
Love Heels! The TV news business can be murder by Lynne Russell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
When I saw that the third book in this series was available I grabbed it straight away – I really enjoyed the first 2 books so I couldn’t wait to get started and I wasn’t disappointed! I love PJ Santini, such a great character to read about. There so much in this book it is definitely an all-rounder that can be enjoyed by many. I love the interaction between PJ and all of the characters, she definitely makes this series! I definitely love reading about her. I feel as a reader I’m there solving mysteries with her. The author has a really great engaging writing style and she has definitely held my interest across three books!
A great book and series and I would definitely recommend them to other readers!
Love Heels! The TV news business can be murder by Lynne Russell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is the 3rd book in the PJ Santini series. I haven’t read any of the others but I would recommend to do that as this story was a bit hard to get into without it. However once I got into the story I found it enjoyable. I liked the characters and the humour the lead character has. I love how the writer has brought not only PJ but her whole family to life. With the comedy between her family and the intrigue in the case she’s working there is something to keep everyone gripped.
PJ is a private investigator and a TV reporter. When a divorce case she is working on turns into murder she needs to find out who is responsible. But with pressures from her job and her family this is going to be anything but a simple investigation.
Aiko by Brooke May
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Aiko by Brooke May a sweet and salty five-star read. This was not what I was expecting, but it ended up being so much more. I had not read the blurb on this one, just the cover and the author made me want to read it, so it was a lovely surprise when I got into it and realised the subject. I adored Aiko, even at her most annoying I still warmed to her, everyone has some bad luck, hers was just worse honest. This was a great story and one that will hook you in and not let you go until the last page, so do pick it up and make sure you have time to enjoy it, as you wont want to put it down, so don’t go in thinking you will read a chapter or two before bed like I did as you will get up the next morning and need your own injection of something to pick you up.
Review by @saraoxo
The Sound of Silence by Dakota Willink
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What a read!! From beginning to end I was completely gripped by the story – I am so glad I found this to read. The main characters were just great to read bout – Giana –what an amazing person, her pure determination and strength considering her past just amazed me – she was so determined to start over and try and forget what she endured. In Derek I just knew she had found the perfect person to try and help her with her new life – his patience was so endearing at times. I was definitely rooting for them the whole way through. There were some great twists and turns that had me on the edge of my seat at times.
I cannot recommend this book enough – possibly one of my favourite reads of 2020!! I look forward to reading more from this author again in the future.
Secure Boxed Set by R.L. Dunn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Secure Desire –Book 1
When I first read the blurb for this book it sounded like a book I would really enjoy, I love a Navy SEAL story, there is just something about these characters and overall I enjoyed what I read. I will say that it is a book that is quite complex in its storyline so I wouldn’t say it was an easy read, I did have to re-read the beginning so I could fully understand what was going on but once I settled into the story it picked up in my opinion. There were quite a few things going on so I think you have to be prepared to be able to concentrate on what you are reading, it isn’t a book you can easily dip in and out of. The characters were good, they were well thought out and planned and the authors writing was pretty detailed, there was a good mystery running through the story which definitely had me keep turning the pages to find out what was going to happen. I don’t think there was as much romance in the story as I anticipated but it was definitely a good mystery!
Secure Again – Book 2
Secure Again was another great read from R.L. Dunn; the story was as engaging and exciting to read as the first one. There was great mix of mystery and suspense running throughout and I was engaged from beginning to end. I loved that the plot was predictable either; I loved having to guess what is going to happen!! There did seem to be quite a few different characters and it took me a little while to get used to them all but I loved the main characters! I loved Elizabeth! She was a really strong character and a pleasure to read about. I was definitely on the edge of my seat on a few occasions waiting to see if characters would survive and would Elizabeth be able to help them! There were a few twists in the story too which made it even better to read!
Secure Heart – Book 3
This is the 3rd book in the Chase Security series and it was definitely my favourite! I liked the first two but I just found myself completely gripped by the story in this one. I really liked the characters Julian and Holly and I absolutely adored Holly’s daughter Sadie! She was such a special little girl to read about. Julian’s character appeared in book 2 of the series but I really enjoyed getting to know him more in this instalment. He’s such a lovely character, really genuine and I loved the connection he had with Holly. I was definitely rooting for these two the whole way through because they both deserved to be with someone special.
Santa Got Run Over by a Vampire by Carrie Pulkinen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Santa Got Run Over by a Vampire by Carrie Pulkinen a five-star read that will bring the spirit to you. This is a great Christmas story and falls as number four in the New Orleans Nocturn series and the whole series has just been so much fun, Jane Deveraux has always made me chuckle, but honestly watching her run around like a headless chicken just made me giggle so much, she may have caused all the stress herself, but honestly, she does not it without malice and just adds a great layer to the story. This has been so much fun to read and it is a great addition to the series.
Review by @saraoxo
Santa Got Run Over by a Vampire by Carrie Pulkinen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Santa Got Run Over by a Vampire: A Paranormal Romantic Comedy (New Orleans Nocturnes Book 4)
By Carrie Pulkinen
5 out of 5 stars
I loved reading the book Santa Got Run Over by a Vampire: A Paranormal Romantic Comedy (New Orleans Nocturnes Book 4) by Carrie Pulkinen. It is a story that pulled me in from the beginning and I was hooked. It is a book that includes romance and also moments that make me laugh out loud. I love the characters and enjoyed how they interact with each other. The author does an amazing job of making both the storyline/plot and the characters come alive. What does the future hold for Jane? Will she be able to teach Father Christmas how to be a vampire? Will she be able to get through the holidays as her father is coming to visit? Read this book to find out. Don’t miss out on an exciting and entertaining story that you won’t want to put down until the final page. I highly recommend reading it. This is the fourth story in a series that I have loved since the first book.
Aiko by Brooke May
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This romantic comedy about Cupid’s helpers had me smiling and even laughing at times. Aiko is one of Cupid’s helpers but she hasn’t had the best of luck getting human couples together… she’s accidentally started a fire in a library, a war started by a prince taking a woman, etc. Anyway, the book is entertaining and the characters are fun, caring, and relatable. After waiting for many years, Aiko is given the chance to prove herself to Cupid and the mother figure Brielle that she can do good things and bring people together Can she manage to helping Alejandro finally find his love?
The Sound of Silence by Dakota Willink
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The Sound of Silence by Dakota Willink was a great 5 star read.
I was pulled right in by this story and couldn’t put it down.
Gianna was working as a bartender when she met her husband. He came to her rescue when a patron was getting a little handsy. Little did she know how her world would shift after meeting him.
We jump ahead to their wedding day, this is when she gets the first glimpse at a different side to her husband after he finds her talking to Derek, a man she had just met. We jump ahead a few more years and things have taken a serious turn that has left her world in shambles and she is living in fear. He has control of everything and my heart broke for her and what she was going through.
With a huge twist she finally finds her chance to get away and she runs. And fate steps in and puts her in the same apartment building as the man she met on her wedding night. When he sees her he can’t believe his eyes, he can see something in her eyes that concerns him. Derek has an immediate need to protect her.
Has Gianna finally gotten away? Will she be able to find a HEA with Derek?
Overall this was a great read. I will warn you that there are some very extreme scenes that could cause triggers for some. I was in tears reading some of them. The author does a great job with her writing, she pulls you right in. I look forward to reading more from her. 1-click and get started today on this great thrilling read.
Reviewed by @mab54615
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Unwrapped by Evelyn Sola
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Unwrapped by Evelyn Sola – Review by Gail Guerrero
Three Stars
The story wasn’t bad. There wasn’t much character growth. The relationship between the main characters didn’t really seem all that romantic. I will say that it got steamy. What they lacked in relation goals they made up in bed. It’s a fast paced story so you don’t get the same deep understanding of who the characters really are. Mona was a little annoying but I felt you could understand why. I definitely liked the concept of this story. That instant connection you feel with someone. That deep lust that has to be satisfied. I definitely felt that and knew where the author was going. Though some parts were not what I was expecting I would definitely read more from this author. I see a nice flow in the writing style.
Love Heels!: The TV news business can be murder by Lynne Russell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Love Heels!: The TV news business can be murder (PJ Santini Series Book 3) by Lynne Russell is a romantic crime comedy. As usual Lynne has given us a fun and entertaining read. In typical PJ Santini style she once again finds herself smack bang in the middle of murder and mayhem and as we all know she won’t stop until she has discovered the truth. This story had me laughing out loud at the antics and banter of the characters who are mostly family and friend. This is the third book in the series and each book gets better and better and Lynne has proven she has what it takes to keep the pages turning.
Reviewed by @jennadb
First, We Kill All the Lawyers by Seelie Kay
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
First, We Kill All the Lawyers (Donovan Trait Series)
By Seelie Kay
5 out of 5 stars
I loved reading the book First, We Kill All the Lawyers (Donovan Trait Series) by Seelie Kay. It’s a story that pulled me in from the very beginning and I was hooked. I loved the character of Donovan Trait. He is charming, handsome, confident, and the target of a murderer. He is also a vampire. Donovan is a wonderful character that is well-developed and one that I loved to read about. What does the future hold for Donovan? Will the murder that has set his sights on not only Donovan but other lawyers as well be caught? This story does have romance and it also had me on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next. I also enjoyed reading about the other additional characters that are introduced. Some of them had me wondering what their motives are and others that have an agenda. This is an amazing story that will have you not wanting to put it down until the final page. It is an entertaining and exciting read. I highly recommend reading it.
~ ~ ~ ~ AUDIO BOOK SPOTLIGHT SHOWCASE ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Amy McKinley is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the romantic suspense thriller Gray Ghost Novels, Deadly Isles Special Ops, Moonlit Destination series, Five Fates paranormal romance series, and several stand-alone titles. Her edge-of-your-seat books are filled with surprising twists and just the right amount of heat and danger. She lives in Illinois with her husband, two daughters, two sons, and three mischievous cats. You can find her at www.AmyMcKinley.com
~ ~ ~ ~ AUDIO BOOK SPOTLIGHT SHOWCASE ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Dubbed, “The Singing Author,” KG Fletcher lives in her very own frat house in Atlanta, GA with her husband Ladd and three sons. As a singer/songwriter in Nashville, TN, she became a recipient of the “Airplay International Award” for “Best New Artist” showcasing original songs at The Bluebird Café. She earned her BFA in theater at Valdosta State University, and has traveled the world professionally as a singer/actress. She currently gets to play rock star as a backup singer in the National Tour, “Remember When Rock Was Young – the Elton John Tribute,” www.almosteltonjohn.com She is also a summer artist-in-residence at her alma mater performing roles in musicals for the Peachstate Summer Theatre program, her favorite roles to date being Donna in Mamma Mia!, and Marmee in Little Women the Musical.
KG is a hopeless romantic continuing her work on her original cabaret act called, “The Novel Romantic – an unexpected evening of sweet & spicy love” to help promote her romance novels. As a full-time indie-artist, a particularly thrilling moment was when her Amazon best-selling romance novel, Georgia Pine became a 2019 Maggie Award of Excellence Finalist. KG loves to interact with readers on social media, and is a conference speaker sharing how music can enhance a writer’s experience.
First, We Kill All the Lawyers by Seelie Kay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I always enjoy books from this author and enjoyed the different turn Kay took with these pages. It is most definitely not a stereotypical paranormal vampire trope but I loved it. The paranormal meets romantic suspense combined with Kay’s flair with her pen – dynamite! I couldn’t put this one down – highly enjoyable and very much recommended!
Reviewed by @heatherlovelace
View all my reviews
The Sound of Silence by Dakota Willink
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
First off this is my first book by this author and I have no idea where they’ve been hiding from me but will now be adding to my list to read. Second please heed the warning as this does have domestic abuse and may be a limit for some.
This was a well written book and kept me on the edge with each page I turned. Gia is so strong and definitely a fighter not just a survivor. I am really not one to detail a book out but this is a great read and I highly recommend.
The Sound of Silence by Dakota Willink
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I was insanely excited to read this book after overlooking the synopsis. I knew from the get-go that this story had trigger subjects and wasn’t for everyone, but I underestimated just how triggering it would be. From the very beginning of this story, I was able to predict to a certain degree what was going to happen, and it terrified me but also made me want to continue. There were several points in the story where I was wiping tears, and other parts where I was yelling out loud. As described in the synopsis It is not for everyone. This story is extremely well written, and I couldn’t put it down. Gianna is a very likable and respectable character, and she’s easy to relate to in the sense that before she met her husband, she struggled the same way most people do. Minimum wage job at a bar. Lost her mom to cancer. Has many credit card debts. Has dreams that will have to wait. But after she met her husband is another story. They went from dating to married in the span of a year and red flags happened the moment they were married. The day of her wedding she meets a man and spends 30 minutes talking to him. She never even learned his name, but for several years to follow, she isn’t ever able to forget him. Nor does he forget her. Derek. He is swoon worthy. He’s athletic, smart, and ambitious. He is a gentle soul and overall pleasure to know. When Gianna finally runs from her husband, she by chance bumps into him. And from there she tries to pick up the pieces of her shattered and broken life. I absolutely loved this story and recommend it to anyone who isn’t triggered by domestic violence and all its forms. 5 Stars.
Unwrapped by Evelyn Sola
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Unwrapped is a great holiday romance about forbidden love. Nick is helping to run his Uncle’s business and one of his employees’ has a daughter Miranda that he just cant seem to keep away from. But Miranda has been forbidden to talk to Nick by her mother let alone start to fall for him. The attraction to each other is clearly undeniable. Will her Mother put a stop to it? will they get the happily ever after we all wish for? read unwrapped to find out you wont be disappointed.
Love Heels! The TV news business can be murder by Lynne Russell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Love Heels: The TV News business can be murder by Lynne Russell is the third book in the PJ Santini series. This series can be read out of order as the stories are all stand-alone however since they follow the same character I would recommend reading them in order to get the full background and build up.
This book has got to be my favourite in the series so far!!! It is so entertaining right from the word go. I loved delving back into this character, she is always so much fun. And yet at the same time the story is always so interesting and well developed. It is fast paced and really attention grabbing, it had me on the edge of my seat a few times.
This whole series has been amazing so far and I am already looking forward to whatever else this author produces!!!
