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An Enduring Love by Wareeze Woodson – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

An Enduring LoveAn Enduring Love by Wareeze Woodson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Rebecca Balodis is a happy young woman who is married to Rhys Sudduth, they met in her native Latvia and married in one of their most revered and famous churches, however, only a few months later, Rhys receives word that his father is deathly ill and that he needs to return to England at his earliest convenience. He doesn’t want to leave his wife behind any more than she wants to be left there, however, her mother is also sick and needs her to stay, as a compromise, Rhys has booked both Rebecca and her mother onto a ship to England in a months time, where they will be reunited, as they both say their tearful goodbyes and watch each other as they part, they are torn with conflicting emotions and hope they will see each other soon, although, Rhys does not know that Rebecca is pregnant with his child because she knew if he did, that he would not leave her and would regret not seeing his father one last time.

As the weeks progress, the political turmoil in Latvia comes to a head and it is too dangerous for Rebecca to travel, even after her mother passes away, so over the next four years she survives and raises their child with the help of a serf belonging to a nobleman in the area. While Rebecca is counting down the days until she can return to her love, Rhys receives the news that Rebecca and her mother have died in the conflict, he is devastated and falls into a deep, dark pit of grief, he allows himself a week to wallow in this before he has to start to engage with the outside world again, this is easier said than done and so he has to bury his grief so far down in his heart that he also forgets the love he and Rebecca shared in the process.

As time moves on for Rhys and Rebecca, she is wondering why she never heard from Rhys and whether he still thinks of her, until one day, the nobleman who lives nearby makes his intentions towards her known, even though he is aware that she is married, this terrifies Rebecca and when she is offered help to leave Latvia with her son, she jumps on the chance, no matter what the danger is. As this is occurring Rhys has found a new life with a new woman and he has intentions of his own, however, this is well and truly disrupted when Rebecca turns up on his doorstep just as he is about to announce his engagement and to make matters worse, she has a young child she claims to be his, this hits him hard and fast, but not in the way either of them expect and he is barely polite as he interrogates her about the past four years and explains why her arrival is so awkward.

Rebecca is astounded by the reception she has received at Rhys’s hands and she is both outraged and filled with despair, but she hopes that she can turn the situation around once morning arrives and she has time to talk to Rhys, but will he accept this new and yet old future, or will too much time have passed for them to rekindle what he thought lost? This is a historical romance which will hit you hard and keep you hooked throughout the story as you are on tenterhooks to see whether their supposedly enduring love will be just that.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Awakening the Gods: A Celtic Urban Fantasy (Rise of the Celtic Gods Book 1) by Kristin Gleeson – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

Awakening the Gods (Rise of the Celtic Gods #1)Awakening the Gods by Kristin Gleeson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Saoirse is a young woman with flaming hair, green eyes and fair skin who wears her hair in the style of a braided coronet has just been fired from her job as a barista, she enjoyed it, but it didn’t fulfil her, but being late one too many times meant that she was not the model employee they were hoping for. Smithy is a man who lives in the rural countryside outside of Cork, he has been a blacksmith for as long as he can remember and he loves what he does, but the magic he used to feel while doing it has gone, it has left him with a hole in his heart and a lack of enthusiasm. He likes to spend what time he can playing in the local village pub with some session musicians and spending time with them, as well as having a bit of banter and good craic with them too.

Saoirse’s lack of a job does not help her pay the rent on the flat she lives in, or the fact that the lease on it will finish in a couple of months, so she will have to find somewhere cheap to live as well as a new job, so to help ease the depression of her situation, she does what she enjoys most and goes to a local bar and joins in with the other session musicians gathering there. Saoirse is just getting ready for bed when she hears a knock on the door, it turns out that it is a couple of Garda who have come to deliver some sad news, they have come to tell her that her father has died in a car accident and that she has their sympathies, she asks some questions, however, when the answers aren’t the ones she is looking for, she agrees to speak to his solicitor, however, when she goes to see him, he drops a bombshell on her about her heritage and how it is complicating the probate proceedings, but that he will be in contact at to let her know how things are progressing.

The next day she receives a phone call from a woman claiming to be her grandmother, she is apprehensive and doesn’t quite know what to make of it, but she agrees to meet her for a coffee and talk to her, this conversation leads to an invite to go and stay with her, Saoirse isn’t sure what to do, but agrees to go anyway and see where she comes from. When she arrives, she has a tour of the farm her grandmother lives on and makes an acquaintance with the woman who lives next door and when she finds out that she is a musician too, it is another thing they have in common. One day, Saoirse goes for a walk in the local area and is caught in a downpour when she comes across a man working in a forge who invites her in for tea and to dry off a bit, they find conversation easy and talk about music and the local area, but agree to meet soon at one of the sessions in the local pubs.

As the two keep running into each other and realise that as they make music together, it isn’t just music that draws them together, there is a deeper connection that neither of them can explain, however, they are both about to be pulled into a world which Smithy would rather forget and avoid and Saoirse doesn’t want to believe exists, but will they be able to fight the summons of Eire and come to her aid, or will they try to avoid a fated path and the danger which it holds? This is an Irish urban fantasy which keeps you entranced with tales of myth and legend, as they are woven into a modern day setting, which will keep you hooked throughout.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Master Descallia : Dark Vampire Romance (Masters of the Consulate Book 1) by Sylvia Black – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

Descallia: Dark Vampire Romance (Masters of the Consulate Book 1)Descallia: Dark Vampire Romance by Sylvia Black
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Salvatore Descallia a centuries old purebred vampire who lives on the Amalfi Coast and he is the Overlord of the Consulate of Masters, a group of vampires who make the decisions on how their kind will live with those around them, he rules with an iron fist and is not afraid to fight those around him into submission, including the human Syndicates around the world. Lucianna Denaro is a young woman with long, dark hair and crystalline green eyes and she is about to run into a man who will make her rethink every strategy she has.

Women have been going missing on the streets of Las Vegas, kidnapped while doing normal, everyday activities, but always at night, Salvatore knows that it is nobody in his clan as they wouldn’t dare do something like that behind his back, but he has no idea who is behind it, or where they are being kept, however, he is determined to solve the mystery and get them back, so he jumps on a plane and sets out to investigate it. As his second in command fills him in on the new information, he is also sent a picture of a woman who he has to keep an eye out for, however, this woman intrigues him and he cannot keep his mind off her for the entirety of his flight, Meanwhile, Lucianna is preparing to use her skills to prepare for another days work and decides to visit her new place of employment and get a feel for the place, but when she gets there, she senses the presence of a man with a magnetic personality, however, as she is being shown round the place, she and another girl are viciously attacked and as she is on the verge of death, Salvatore approaches her and asks for her consent to save her, she agrees, even if it is going to change her life forever.

When she wakes up from her transition, she cannot deny that everything is sharper and clearer, but she still doesn’t like the idea of what she now is, it isn’t made any easier when there is a physical and emotional connection with Salvatore which is so strong they both struggle to keep apart and resist the temptation lying in front of them. As she recovers and more information about the missing women surfaces, she realises that there is something she can do to help and she goes to great lengths to prove just that, however, Salvatore is resistant and doesn’t want her anywhere near the danger looming. Will Lucianna and Salvatore be able to keep denying their connection and make headway finding the missing girls and proving that their kind aren’t the ones responsible and will Lucianna be able to accept her new life and the loss of her old one? This is a thrilling paranormal romance with a mystery entwined within which will keep you guessing until the conclusion.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Fury of Conviction (“Villains” of the Dragonfury Series Book 2) by Coreen Callahan – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

Fury of Conviction (Dragonfury Short Story Collection, #2)Fury of Conviction by Coreene Callahan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Hamersveld is Dragonkind, a dragon shifter with a chequered past, he has seen joy, tragedy and now friendship, but he is also alone, which is how he like it, he has his sanctuary on the edge of Lake Chelan, it is tidy, organised and clean, just how he likes it, but it is also empty, he cannot keep his mind from a woman who appeared a month ago, she is a beautiful redhead with green eyes and the perfect small package, but he cannot avoid the fact that she is also a captive in the lair run by his commander. Natalie is a fiery redhead with a temper, but she is also smart, ever since she was kidnapped in the middle of the night, she has studied her prison and thankfully made a friend in the process, but now is the time for her to try and escape, if only a tall blonde Viking like man didn’t interrupt her thoughts all the time, she would have figured things out a lot more quickly.

Hamersveld is about to go on patrol as soon as night falls, but when he gets to the abandoned bunker he calls his workplace, it is in even more of a state of dishevelment as the other warriors of his kind challenge each other to have access to the females in a couple of weeks, it is a prize they all want and need, so the fighting is vicious and if not curtailed, could turn out to be deadly, so in order to avoid the chaos which could ensue, he has to step in and stop the fighting before announcing the top three places, as he is sorting them out, he receives information that the woman who has caught his eye is in the midst of escaping. Hamersveld knows that if she is caught, a fate worse than she can imagine awaits her, however, when he gets to the site of the prison, another Dragonkind has his hands on her, this tips him over the edge and he becomes a feral fighting machine.

Natalie was so close to escape, she could almost taste it, but when she is caught and she sees the mystery man, she cannot believe her eyes as he transforms before her eyes into something she thought only existed in folklore, after he has placed in a safe space and shown his authority over the other man, he gives her a choice, to go back to the prison, or to go with him, she cannot deny that she is attracted to him, but is that decision in her best interest and which way will the pendulum swing? Which future will Natalie swing towards, a life in confinement, or an exchange of time for a bit more freedom? This is a paranormal romance with an element of danger, where choices could lead to either happiness or heartbreak, but which one is chosen can only be found out by reading to the end.
Hamersveld is Dragonkind, a dragon shifter with a chequered past, he has seen joy, tragedy and now friendship, but he is also alone, which is how he like it, he has his sanctuary on the edge of Lake Chelan, it is tidy, organised and clean, just how he likes it, but it is also empty, he cannot keep his mind from a woman who appeared a month ago, she is a beautiful redhead with green eyes and the perfect small package, but he cannot avoid the fact that she is also a captive in the lair run by his commander. Natalie is a fiery redhead with a temper, but she is also smart, ever since she was kidnapped in the middle of the night, she has studied her prison and thankfully made a friend in the process, but now is the time for her to try and escape, if only a tall blonde Viking like man didn’t interrupt her thoughts all the time, she would have figured things out a lot more quickly.

Hamersveld is about to go on patrol as soon as night falls, but when he gets to the abandoned bunker he calls his workplace, it is in even more of a state of dishevelment as the other warriors of his kind challenge each other to have access to the females in a couple of weeks, it is a prize they all want and need, so the fighting is vicious and if not curtailed, could turn out to be deadly, so in order to avoid the chaos which could ensue, he has to step in and stop the fighting before announcing the top three places, as he is sorting them out, he receives information that the woman who has caught his eye is in the midst of escaping. Hamersveld knows that if she is caught, a fate worse than she can imagine awaits her, however, when he gets to the site of the prison, another Dragonkind has his hands on her, this tips him over the edge and he becomes a feral fighting machine.

Natalie was so close to escape, she could almost taste it, but when she is caught and she sees the mystery man, she cannot believe her eyes as he transforms before her eyes into something she thought only existed in folklore, after he has placed in a safe space and shown his authority over the other man, he gives her a choice, to go back to the prison, or to go with him, she cannot deny that she is attracted to him, but is that decision in her best interest and which way will the pendulum swing? Which future will Natalie swing towards, a life in confinement, or an exchange of time for a bit more freedom? This is a paranormal romance with an element of danger, where choices could lead to either happiness or heartbreak, but which one is chosen can only be found out by reading to the end.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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The God (Her Three Immortals Book 2) by Hazel Storm – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

The God (Her Three Immortals, #2)The God by Hazel Storm
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Vanessa Maan is dead and at twenty four, that is pretty young, but she did it with good intentions, she sold her soul to Grey, the Don of the Underworld so that her brother could survive, a contract she sealed with a steamy kiss in the hospital car park, but when they come up for air, they are both in Grey’s apartment and are covered in gold dust, neither of them can understand why she was judged and sent there, but Grey is the most shocked of all, but that makes his mood terrible and he is more grouchy than usual. As they keep to their thoughts, Vanessa asks to see her brother to make sure that Grey held up his half of the deal, this is where she is handed a mirror with a lady’s face on the front, plus a lot of snakes for hair, he explains how to use it and then abruptly tells her to wash off the gold dust and to leave his penthouse before storming off to complete some business, Vanessa is taken aback by his rudeness, but isn’t overly surprised about it either, so she takes a look around the penthouse looking for the shower. While she is doing this, she notices that everything is in shades of grey, including her, so when the mirror starts a conversation about it’s capabilities and as the conversation flows between them, Vanessa finds out that she is called Gorgonita and that she was cursed by the Gods into her current form, Vanessa finds that they get on well too and it is nice that there is someone she can talk to in her current predicament, Gorgonita also explains briefly about the reason behind all the grey and would you believe it, it is because of Grey.

When she eventually finds the bathroom, she works out to use the shower and while she is in there, she has a visitation from another God who uses the dust to make his presence known and felt, as he does this, Vanessa is told that she can bring the colour back to the Underworld and she starts this with herself, once she is all dust free and feeling a little better about things, she goes for a nap after talking to Gorgonita, but just as she is about to lie down, the pillow under her head starts to purr, this freaks her out a little, especially when it unrolls itself and starts to eat the furnishings and saying that it is hungry. As Vanessa and Gorgonita try to figure out why it is here and why it is so big, Gorgonita reveals that she can order room service, so she does this and feeds the hungry caterpillar its usual fare, all after bringing its colour back. The caterpillar curls up on the sofa when it is done and Vanessa decides to do the same, however, she is happy to find that Raef joins her in her dreams just like before and the next day, she feeds her caterpillar and decides to head out and explore Elysium, however, when the Elevator won’t let her out, she is stumped, so decides to do a bit more research and discover as much as she can about her situation and why she is in the top level of the highest building there.

Meanwhile, Grey is back in the Overworld and carrying on his soul gathering, but leaving Vanessa is something he didn’t think would affect him this much and he doesn’t want to think about what the consequences of this may be, or to think of her at all, he is a God after all and has been strong for two hundred year, why should now be an issues? As both Vanessa and Grey try to figure out what is going on separately and Vanessa tries to navigate her new world and all its quirks, why is life so complicated after death, surely it should be easier than this? This is a paranormal romance with a twist where things are not as they seem and temptation lies around every corner.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Drifting, Falling — Diary Of A Call Girl Suicide by A.J. Ullman – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

Drifting, Falling -- Diary of a Call Girl SuicideDrifting, Falling — Diary of a Call Girl Suicide by A.J. Ullman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ripley Astilla Luna is a young woman with an interesting life and an interesting death too, she is young, beautiful and smart, she was named after the main protagonist in the Alien movies and relates to her in more ways than one, she also enjoys learning and has always had a thirst for knowledge, but she has also had dreams of becoming an astronaut and flying through space, but the closest she has come to is to bungee jump from bridges and buildings, however, she has also got other issues which she sees a therapist for, but she has recently had to change and is now seeing Dr Dan Truscott.

Ripley has decided to start a diary to try and explain her actions and the reasons behind them, she has thought about suicide many times, but she has never attempted it before, she has also read about suicide, as well as a lot of other things, the things she enjoys most are Greek Mythology and anything to do with space. As a child, she went to Space Camp and read everything she could find about being an astronaut, but that all changed when her childhood was filled with one trauma after the other, this has had an undeniable affect on her and the life she has been leading, she has never forgotten her dream, but she has detoured into other things along the way, she is not happy, but is not unhappy either, merely content with the people in and especially her friend Mort who she knows she can turn to and who always turns up or gets in contact right when she needs it.

As she works with her new psychiatrist, she gets the feeling that there is more to him that meets the eye and that he may be someone who she can engage with in other ways as well, however, Dr Truscott is trying his best not to get involved with this mysterious woman and the questionable feelings she raises in him, he has everything he could possibly want, but why does he want her as well? In this interesting and original story of one woman and her dreams, this diary is a glimpse into a mind which is as unpredictable as can be, but will she be able to get to space the way she wants to, or will those around her try to keep her tied to earth?

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Boy on Hold: a must-read psychological thriller by J.D. Spero – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

Boy on HoldBoy on Hold by J.D. Spero
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Hen is a seven year old boy who loves hedgehogs and lives with his mother and his older brother Tyler who he looks up to and loves with all his heart, but he knows that there is something going on with Tyler when he starts to withdraw into himself. One night in October, Hen sneaks out of the house to find a hedgehog so that he can call it Louis and keep it as a pet, he is cold, but he is determined to sit in his tent and wait for his new friend to turn up, however, despite his best efforts not to, he falls asleep and is woken up by a terrible screeching sound. As he tries to work out where it came from, he looks to his neighbours house and sees shadows moving in the windows in front of the light from the television set, he continues to hear shouting and then sees one of the shadows attack the other and the sounds stop. Hen has no idea what he just witnessed but he is terrified and goes and curls back up in his tent until the next morning when his mother comes running out thinking he is missing, but he finds it really hard to find the words to tell her and in the end decides not to, it is only when the next door neighbours son calls and tells the family that his mother can’t look after Hen after school like she normally would, so Tyler is asked to step in, he agrees to, albeit grudgingly as he leaves the house t o go to school with his best friend.

As Tyler is heading to school, he is trying to make sense of what is going on in his head, he feels worse than normal, but can’t remember why, it worries him a little, however, not as much as it should, so he tries his best to ignore it and get on with his day and as usual it is music and cigarettes which are helping him to do this, at least until he heads home from school where he decides to spend some quality time with his brother, but this doesn’t go to plan either when he thinks he hears something and it sets off his other issues. Hen has an idea of what is happening, so he just leaves his big brother to himself until his best friend arrives, Hen doesn’t like him, but he doesn’t know how he can avoid him, until his neighbours son comes round to fix their window, he also tells them that their neighbour is in hospital after being attacked, this is when Hen realises what he has seen was real after all.

It is while they are fixing the window that a police officer knocks on the door and takes Tyler and his best friend in for questioning, this isn’t something anyone expected to happen, least of all Hen, but the longer that they stay at the station, the more worried Tyler’s family becomes and none of them want to believe that he is involved, especially Hen and his mother, but as the case progresses, Hen is determined to tell someone what he saw and to convince them that Tyler is innocent, but as Tyler’s mental issues manifest in more serious ways, will they be able to work out who was the culprit and who is innocent in this tragedy? This is murder mystery which deals with mental health and its effects on people in a thrilling murder mystery you will not want to put down.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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The Third Nanny: A twisted psychological thriller with a jaw-dropping ending (Secrets of Redemption) by Michele PW (Pariza Wacek) – Reviewed by Roxsanne Lesieur.

The Third NannyThe Third Nanny by Michele Pariza Wacek
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Janey is a young woman with a bright future, she is studying psychology and lives with her best friend in a shared apartment, all is going well in her life until one day when she receives a letter in the post, well, it used to be a letter, now it is just some fragments in a plastic bag from the post office with a note attached to it, it has been sent from a town called Redemption in Wisconsin. As she talks to her friend about it, she realises that she doesn’t know anyone in Redemption, however, she did spend summers there as a kid and she has no idea who it is from until she sees the signature at the bottom of a piece of the letter, it says “Kelly”.

This throws Janey into a state of panic as memories surface of a time eight years before when her sister went missing and abandoned her, as her friend gets her some water, Janey debates about what to tell her, eventually she settles on the truth and opens up about what happened and why is has affected her so much. As she talks, she realises that she wants nothing more than to find out why her sister left and why she has only reached out now, but she is also dealing with too many emotions to deal with it, so she avoids opening the letter for a couple of days. After she has had a couple of glasses of wine, together they put the letter together and read what has been saved and realising the urgency in the words, they decide on a plan and even though Janey wants nothing more than to set off to Redemption straight away, she also knows that they need to do some research before she does. It is at this point that they check out the address and the people who live there, this is where Janey finds a picture she swears is her sister, who is named as being their nanny and this convinces her that she needs to find her and that she is wasting time, so she sets off the next day to start putting the plan into action.

Janey starts by learning the routine of the household and determines how she can befriend the lady of the house so that she can find out more about her sister’s situation, over the following days she does just that and ends up managing to step into her sisters shoes as the third nanny. As she takes on the responsibilities associated with her new job while trying to juggle it with finding clues regarding her sisters whereabouts, she realises that things are not as they seem. Will Janey be able to figure out where her sister is, or will the household secrets take precedence and lead her investigations astray? This is a twisted and tangled web of secrets and lies which multiply leaving more questions than answers as this psychological thriller races along at breakneck speed while you hang on until the end.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Houses of Deception (The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 6) by Cynthia Hamilton – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

Houses of Deception (The Madeline Dawkins Series Book 6)Houses of Deception by Cynthia Hamilton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Madeline and Mike are back with the MDPI team and this time they are attending a function their Current Affairs event enterprise have been planning for an anniversary celebration for two up and coming real estate agents with an expensive lifestyle, Troy and Tara, it is the first event that Madeline has taken a back seat on and she is proud of her assistant and what she has done, the couple are more than happy with the result too. When they are about to leave the party, they receive a phone call from an unlikely person, it is their former nemesis and teacher Russel Barnett, he explains that he is concerned that his nephew, Dylan Latham has disappeared without a trace and nobody has heard from him for a week, that includes, friends, family and his employer, he is coming to MDPI for help to find the young man, it shows how desperate he is to ask for their help and because of their shared history, Madeline is inclined to help out however they can. Russel also tells them that he has tried to go see Dylan’s girlfriend Paige DeLong, but she hasn’t been seen or heard from for about the same length of time, but attempts to locate the two have been unsuccessful through the normal channels and it not in Dylan’s nature to just up and disappear.

Unfortunately, they are woken up early the next morning by a frantic phone call that the wife of the host has gone missing overnight and he has no idea what to do, as Madeline talks to Troy, she asks him questions so she can flesh out what he has already done, as well as starting to gather any information she might need and tell him that they will be at his house as soon as they can. When they get to the house, they have a tour and check to see whether there is anywhere that Tara could have hidden herself away, in order to do this thoroughly, they call in another member of the team, after they have done all they can do, they leave their team member there so that they can have any updates as they arise. They then go to their offices where they speak to Russel again and start to plan how they are going to approach Dylan and Paige’s case, as well as who they want to speak to and where they want to check out, they begin with a timeline with all the information they currently have, the first places they visit are Dylan and Paige’s homes and speak to their landlord and landlady, they don’t find much, but they note down what they do find and questions they may want to ask later on, they get a feeling from Paige’s landlady that she isn’t as concerned as she should be and that she is a little evasive. As they continue with the interviews, both Madeline and Mike believe that something isn’t right, but they can’t put their finger on it and the more information they glean about Paige and their relationship, more red flags are appearing.

They return to Troy’s house hoping that Tara has returned, however, when they see a package on the driveway which has appeared since they left, they get really worried, especially when Troy receives a mystery text and finds a lock of Tara’s hair in a package, their missing person’s case soon turns into a kidnapping and ransom. As the demands are made and reality hits in, Mike and Madeline try to convince Troy to go to the police, however, he is adamant that he can’t risk Tara’s safety, so he starts to make calls to get the money together instead, this in itself is a red flag to Madeline as she thinks that there may be al ulterior motive, especially when she starts to dig deeper into their living arrangements. Meanwhile, as they conduct more interviews with Paige’s family, a link to a possible piece of art comes to the fore, but this information just leads to more questions than answers.

As Madeline and Mike try to make sense of the situation with both of these cases becoming more complicated with not enough time to breathe, never mind review all the facts, questions and answers, the two are becoming suspicious that there is more than meets the eye to both these cases and that as the time passes, they are feeling increased anxiety about the welfare of the two young lovers. Will they be able to untangle the web of questions, answers and assumptions to piece the puzzles together, or will they run out of time and the unthinkable happen? This is a thrilling race against time where crimes are committed, mysteries abound and secrets are waiting to be revealed as the MDPI team race to figure out the who, what, where and why of these two complex cases.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Azrael by Matthew Huntley – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

AzraelAzrael by Matthew Huntley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Levi Andrews is a detective who has seen too much and has turned in his badge and turned to the bottle to try and numb all the feelings he is trying desperately to suppress, one day when he wakes up to another sunny day and another hangover, nursing a sore head and a cup of coffee he is disturbed by a knock on the door, when he asks who it is, he is surprised when it is a Detective who is looking for him, he wonders if it is to do with his private investigative business, but he is pretty sure he kept his nose clean, but when he asks what the visit is about, the Detective says is it about Azrael, a name he has tried to forget, a name associated with a case ten years ago which ruined his life. Levi considers his options and contrary to his need to run, he opens the door and invites the Detective in, he introduces himself as Detective Parker Williams and goes on to explain that a murder has occurred which he believes is the return of the Azrael killer, he has brought a case file with him with some photo’s and reports in it to show Levi and ask for his help in solving this new case.

As he looks at the information Parker brought with him, he can see the similarities, but when he is asked if he will help, he is not surprised that it isn’t something that the higher ups don’t want him involved in, especially after who he left when the original killer was arrested, but it irks him that this young Detective is trying to tell him that he thinks he arrested the wrong person, because the details are too similar for it to be a copycat, in the end Levi asks when the Detective is returning to where the murder has taken place, he says he will meet him an hour before and give him an answer. Levi now has to make the hard decision as to whether to return home, or let sleeping dogs lie, as he tries to weigh the pro’s and cons, he concludes the current case he has on.

As it approaches time to go, Levi decides that he will pack his bag and go with the Detective, he is still not wanting to, but he feels that he has to see whether what he suspects is true, or whether Azrael really has returned. Will Levi and Parker be able to work together to solve this new mystery and get to the truth of the matter at hand, or will Levi drown in his past memories as he confronts the things he has buried for a decade? This is a thrilling chase as the two Detectives race against time to solve the case and bring a killer to justice, all the while battling their own personal demons, when they are brought into the light of the present.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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The Forsaken: Wraith by Martin Ferguson – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

The Forsaken: WraithThe Forsaken: Wraith by Martin Ferguson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Alena Athscar is a young woman of sixteen who lost her family in one night eight years before which was filled with blood, fire and snow, all because she has a gift people are searching for, but she is rescued by her Uncle and she is taken to live with him and grew up training to be a part of the Guild of thieves, assassins, saviours and slayers which he is the Guild master, now she is in the midst of her trial and is walking through a torrential downpour towards a tavern at a crossroads, it is warm and inviting and the bar keep is friendly, it looks like there isn’t going to be much information she can use, that is until a man comes running in speaking of a terrifying incident which has destroyed his caravan and possibly those he was travelling with in a nearby forest, that is all she needs to know and she heads off in that direction. When she gets there, she immediately senses something isn’t right and her suspicions are confirmed when she sees a trio of bandits she crossed paths with earlier attack each other in such a way that she knows they are not quite themselves, when she looks closer and is then confronted by the cause of the disquiet, she ends up fighting for her life and triumphs in the end, as she returns to the inn, she observes another confrontation, this time between the man and someone in his party, this leads to her getting paid.

When she returns to the Guildhall to receive confirmation of the her apprenticeship and completion of her trial, she is given the brand of the Guild and the designation of Slayer, closely followed by designation of her first contracted job, she has to retrieve a missing person for the Sacred, a group of sorcerers who either recruit or destroy those with arcane abilities, the need for discretion and speed in insisted upon and after receiving all the information she can, she takes her payment and goes to visit some vendors to stock up on what she will need for the job. Her first stop is the Healer to treat her wounds and give an offering to the Gods, she visits the Fence to sell the things she didn’t give to the Guild, next is the Scholar to gather some information about where she will be going and the current situation there, including a map with the way clearly marked, a trip to the Alchemist for healing potions and something to help slay any obstacles in front of her and finally to the Armourer to replace her short sword, chainmail armour and gathering a few more weapons to add to her arsenal.

After she is packed and ready to go, she goes to a local inn to recruit a party tot travel with her and support her with the job, there isn’t much uptake to begin with, they disbelieve that she, a mere girl is worthy of them, but eventually people step up to the plate and they finally set off onto their journey, but it isn’t smooth sailing on the way, never mind when they reach their destination, however what they find there is nothing short of terrifying, but will the group be able to destroy what needs to be destroyed and stay alive in the process, or will the beasts and demons prevail over the Slayer and her group of individuals? This is a thrilling fantasy adventure which keeps you on a rollercoaster of emotions as you journey along a perilous path with this group of misfits.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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The Dream Catchers: PRESTORIA Series Book 1 by J.U. Menon – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

The Dream Catchers: PRESTORIA Series Book 1The Dream Catchers: PRESTORIA Series Book 1 by J.U. Menon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Radhika Varma is a young girl who lives with her brother and aunt, she has a normal life, she goes to school, has a best friend, she spends a lot of time at the library, or reading in her room and she has a vivid imagination, but in her dreams she sees lost family and the other usual things, but one day she sees someone in her dreams whom she has never seen before, the first time, she thinks nothing of it, however, as he appears more often and even when she is awake, she starts to get worried. One night, she is dreaming as usual when she suddenly becomes surrounded by darkness, apart from a spotlight in which the man in her dreams is sat in an armchair, when she asks what is going on, he just pours some tea and asks her to wait for others to join them and eventually ten others appear and this is when he starts to explain everything.

As Radhika listens to the old man, she is finding what he is telling the group highly unbelievable, apparently, he has been observing them and because of their imaginations, he has picked them and brought them to the land of dreams and nightmares, also known as Prestoria to take part in a Challenge which takes place every fifty years, this challenge involves them using their imagination to travel to a portal while overcoming the obstacles set before them. He says that they are now the Dream Catchers and that they will have until dawn each day to complete the Challenge, if they don’t get to the portal in time, they will be forever trapped in Prestoria and will lose their lives in the real world, but this night, they will be taught the basic skills needed to compete and to have a practice before the real tasks begin.

As she starts talking to some of the others in the group and tries to practice the skills, she is realising that she may not be as good as she is hoping to be, but she is determined to persevere throughout the Challenge, however, as it progresses and she tries to help others in the group to win in the duels against mythical creatures and scenarios which test every aspect of their person, one Catcher in particular is determined to believe that she is not as wholesome as she appears and starts to set things up to prove this to the other Catchers, Radhika is suspicious, but only talks to a select couple of the other Catchers about it, they are the ones who don’t believe the accusations and know the truth. Will Radhika be able to complete the Challenge and prove to everyone that she isn’t the kind of person she is being made out to be, or will the accusations and ill wishes against her come to fruition and leave her in Prestoria forever? This is a thrilling race against time in a fantasy world, which will keep you on the edge of your seat and although it is a YA book, adults will enjoy it as well as you read along and share the experiences of the Dream Catchers.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Out of Time: Westbeach Series 4 by Toni Denise – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

Out of Time: Westbeach Series 4Out of Time: Westbeach Series 4 by Toni Denise
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jessica is a young woman with ambition and a wish to travel as much as she can, but she is feeling stifled and under pressure at her family’s resort, so she decides to temporarily move away and start a bed and breakfast, she chooses somewhere in the small town of Westbeach which needs renovation and determined to do most of it herself, but her cousin keeps steamrolling over that and insists on helping here, even when she doesn’t need it. Will is a young man who works as a web designer, he mostly works from home, but he has had to move in with his sister’s children so he can look after them while she is in rehab, he has left everything behind to take on this new responsibility and he couldn’t be happier about it, especially because he can still do his job.

Jessica is a month into the renovations and has set up a meeting with Will, so that she can get started on the B&B website so that it is ready for when it opens, he is a friend with a bit of a tangled history and as they talk business, they realise that they work together well too, conversation soon turns to Will’s living situation and how it is going, when he inadvertently asks for help with a bake sale, but Jessica agrees, she isn’t going to turn away from spending some extra time with Will, but she is shocked when he suggests his house, they agree on a time and a day and leave it there. When he gets home, he tells the kids about the plan and before they go to bed, his sister calls and wants to talk to them, Will lets her, but he is worried and this turns out to be the least of them, when he receives a mysterious phone call from a stranger, he thinks nothing more of it until he starts to get notes and photo’s taped to his door, they are demanding money and threatening further action if the demands are not met.

As the days pass and life is seemingly back to normal, Will finds another letter, but this isn’t the only escalation, the kids have brought letters home as well that a stranger gave them, this set’s Will’s nerves on edge and he calls on some help, as he thinks about what to do, he is offered a room for him and the kids to stay in by Jessica, he has tried not to think about her and their attraction too much, but her kindness and support are quickly breaking down any barriers he try’s to erect between them. Will he be able to figure out who is behind the letters and threats before the situation becomes too dangerous, or will time run out? Can he keep away from the woman showing his everything he wants to have, or will emotions run wild and free despite the situation? This is a thrilling race against time with plenty of tension throughout, the danger hooks you in and the romance keeps you there as past and present collide to unsettle the future.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Manifested Dreams by Yvonne Johnson – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

Manifested DreamsManifested Dreams by Yvonne Johnson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Amari is a young Africa- American man dealing with the grief of losing his beloved grandmother two weeks before, he misses the stories of her life that she used to tell and now regrets that he didn’t listen to her more and pay more attention, he can still see her in his minds eye and misses her so much so that when he agrees to help to pack his grandmothers belongings up, he is dreading it, but he goes anyway and as he is folding her clothes, he hears someone shout that they found a box of letters, some of them are really old and some of them are more modern. It turns out that these letters are stories, passed down from generation to generation, stories of times past told by the person who lived them, they are the stories which his grandma told them, so when he asks to keep them, everyone readily agrees and Amari cannot wait to read them and learn more.

The first letter is from a woman called Sallie who was a slave on a plantation in Tennessee in the 1860’s, it tells of her first memories and the experiences she went through as a slave, as well as the transition between that and becoming citizens when slavery is abolished. The next story and from is her daughter Isabelle who talks about life in Chicago in the 1920’s where segregation between the races still exists and the troubles it caused between them, as well as the societal upheaval as people fought for equality. Lisa is the next generation of this family to speak and she continues with the fight against segregation and inequality in New York, specifically focussing on school life from the point of view of a child of 5 years old and the rise of Martin Luther King and how his speeches inspired those who lived at the time. Jessica is next with her experiences at college in Atlanta 1990 and how multicultural and interesting life was talking to people from around the world and learning about their lives at the same time as experiencing the changes in her own and finally it is the turn of Amari and their feelings around the events of modern day America.

This collection of stories tells the story of African-Americans from their point of view, not those of the history books, it is emotional, compelling and interesting throughout and inspires you to think about life and how much it has both changed and remained the same, it is thought provoking and well worth a read.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Sign Steal Deliver: A Paranormal Chick Lit Novel (Gods of Thunder MC) by Carrie Pulkinen – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

Sign Steal Deliver (Gods of Thunder MC)Sign Steal Deliver by Carrie Pulkinen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Hermes is the god of couriers, travel and thievery and he is the best at each of those things too, but he still loves a good vacation like nobody else, so when he convinces his friends to come with him to Mardi Gras in New Orleans for a couple of weeks, he is only thinking of enjoying himself and seeing the sites, as well as experiencing Mardi Gras in person, what is there not to like? Kat Gatakis is a young woman who works for a supernatural courier service in New Orleans as she tries to get away from her past occupation as a cat burglar, not to mention that she is a shifter who is literally a cat, she is trying to stay on the straight and narrow so she can keep a promise, however, when she goes on one of her more risky jobs, she unexpectedly runs into a handsome man. As soon as Hermes lays eyes on the courier he has arranged to do a job for him, he cannot take them off of her, he finds her beauty enticing and her attitude even more so, especially when she shows how light fingered she can be to a group of obnoxious young men in the process, but when she unwittingly dares the god of speed to a dare, she has let herself in for more than she bargained for.

As Hermes takes up the challenge offered by Kat, he is surprised to find that she isn’t as affected by his divine status as everyone else, he also can’t help but be completely honest with her and tell her things no mortal should know, however, what he doesn’t know is that he has just spilled a secret which Kat realises is a possible solution to a problem has been longing to solve, a way to contact her sister who passed away so that she can ask for forgiveness and return something she should have given her on her deathbed. As they complete the job together, Kat is already hatching a plan to steal Hermes’s special key and complete her mission, what she didn’t bank on is that she is attracted to the man and cannot deny her physical and emotional reactions to him.

As Kat is devising her plan, Hermes feels like he needs confirmation that how he feels for Kat is the real deal and not just some physical need for a fling, however, as things start to develop between them, she pulls a stunt which both impresses and annoys him, especially when he has to find the thing she stole and has a deadline in which to do it, if he doesn’t succeed, both of their lives are on the line, but things are more complicated than they seem and Hermes has to make some choices, as does Kat in order for them to achieve all their goals, but will they manage to do this, or will their time run out? This is a paranormal romance filled with comedy and misadventure which will keep you hooked while they sort out the tangled web surrounding them.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Check Out (Bobbins Sisters Series Book 1) by Debra Parmley – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

Check OutCheck Out by Debra Parmley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Betsy Bobbin is a librarian, she lives alone and when she is not at work, loves to curl up with a good book, or on occasion go to a movie or dinner, but she lives a quiet life and she is more than happy with it. Nash Ware is a former Marine who has been recovering from injury and moved to so that he can start afresh, but he has been having troubles and still needs to attend his appointments to try and level things out. One day while Betsy is at work, a very handsome man comes in with an eyepatch and an intense look in his other eye, she is intimidated and attracted to him all at the same time, but she cannot resist talking to him when he comes to the counter, although, she seems to say the wrong things each time, however, Nash is quite taken aback and taken with her at the same time, but he is not feeling his best and so is a little sharp with her, but when she seems to be in trouble in the parking lot after closing time comes around, he feels drawn to helping her out. Betsy has closed up and is heading out into the snow and for her car, but when Nash shows up to help her, she is afraid of the man, but accepts his kindness and help, especially when she tries to drive off and realises that she has a flat tyre, Nash offers her a lift home and so she calls her friend to let her know what is happening as she loads her things into his Jeep. He does exactly as he says he will and makes sure she is safe all the while and even offers to take her to get her car sorted the next day, Betsy declines, but she does swap numbers before he leaves.

As the days pass, Betsy and Nash cannot stop thinking about the other and so asks her out, but things don’t go quite to plan as Betsy has her sister visiting and cannot make it, but the next time he goes to see her at the library, he meets her sister and then overhears their conversation of their evening plans and he thinks this would be a good idea of somewhere to go with his friends, but when he sees the sisters getting into a spot of bother, he comes to Betsy’s rescue again, she is more than thankful and her sister is too, however, the side she sees of Nash scares her into thinking that maybe this is a bad idea. The next day after work, when she confronts her sister about what happened the night before, her sister opens up about why she has come to visit and Betsy is worried about her. Meanwhile, Nash is thinking of ways in which he can convince Betsy that she is the girl for him, however, things never seem to go to plan and the drama that Betsy’s little sister keep bringing is starting to worry Nash and it makes him think of the thing his ex-fiancé said and did and how he doesn’t want that kind of attitude around him anymore, but things happen and wires become crossed and nothing is smooth sailing for a while.

As time goes on and Nash and Betsy try to get to know one another more, more and more drama appears and it looks like nothing is going to stop it, but Nash being the gentleman he is steps up and offers to help out in any way he can, but will the drama stop this couple from making an attempt at a love which could become a future, or will barriers and obstacles keep getting in the way of happiness? This is a sweet romance with a touch of adventure and suspense weaved throughout which will keep you hooked and wanting to know more right up until the end.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Snowflakes and Holly: A Small Town Christmas Romance (A Hartwood Holiday Romance) by Jae Dawson – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

Snowflakes and Holly: A Small Town Christmas Romance (A Hartwood Holiday Romance)Snowflakes and Holly: A Small Town Christmas Romance by Jae Dawson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Holly Maryn is a physical therapist in Hartwood Falls, she enjoys spending time with her girlfriends, but hates anything to do with the holiday season, especially Christmas and this year is no exception, she is planning on delving into her work, avoiding anything Christmas related and watching movies which are full of interesting ways to kill off the main characters, she always plays it safe in life and has stopped taking risks ever since her father passed away in a tragic mountaineering accident and it has scarred her emotionally ever since. Blake Bellows is a former Olympic gold medallist who lost his leg due to bone cancer and has spent the last few years recovering from it and a car accident which injured his back, he has found friendship and a reason to keep going in Hartwood Falls, using his knowledge to train others, but he still has to have regular rehab to keep his recovery going the right way, however, he is also still extremely competitive and cannot let his dream of being back in peak condition and participating in sports again go.

As Holly is going back onto the slopes for the first time in years for her friends birthday, she is filled with anxiety and trepidation, but she cannot let her best friend down, so she takes a deep breath and starts slowly skiing down the mountain and is beginning to enjoy it, meanwhile Blake and his best friend are racing down a medium level slope on their snowboards when a young kid suddenly appears in front of him, he swerves to miss the kid, but unfortunately he doesn’t miss the woman he crashes into and this woman just happens to be Holly. After they tumble down the remaining run off of the slope, they are a mess of arms, legs and equipment as their friends race over to check that they are ok. As Holly is berating Blake for his disastrous form, she is also assessing the way he is moving and suggesting that he should see someone about the injuries he may have sustained, this puts Blake’s hackles up and he just retorts back that he knows his own body and knows when he is injured, it is something he has heard too often to count, so the groups head their separate ways, with the girls talking about the hotness levels of the guys and the guys discussing putting crisps in sandwiches and Holly’s attitude.

A couple of days later and Holly is heading into the office and getting ready to see the patients of the practice’s co-owner who has gone on maternity leave, however, as soon as she realises who the first patient of the day is, she is less than impressed and starts the appointment as she means to go on, at the same time, Blake is wondering who his stand in therapist is going to be and is frustrated to find that it is Holly, the woman he crashed into, but after a frank discussion, he decides that maybe she is his best chance for keeping his rehab on track, albeit grudgingly, as they go through the intricacies of the session, neither of them can deny that there is an attraction there, but they both are annoyed by each other, so they ignore that and carry on as patient and therapist. After the session, they run into each other again thanks to friends errands, but things aren’t as smooth as they both hope, but neither can deny the attraction there this time, but will they keep running into each other outside of the appointments, or will their fears around getting involved with someone new hold them back? This is a romance novel with a side of comedy which will keep you laughing and singing Christmas songs as you read through while discovering the journey within it.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Bittersweep by Wareeze Woodson – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

BittersweepBittersweep by Wareeze Woodson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The year is 1897 and Elizabeth is a young woman with a haunted past, one night, when she was five years old, she and her sister and brother were packed into a wooden buggy and sent away with their father, leaving their mother behind, while their house burned down to ashes. It is a sight and smell which has haunted her memories for fifteen years, but now, she is returning to her one time home in Bittersweep, Texas to take up a teaching position and hopefully find some answers to her questions about what happened that day and why. As she arrives into the town on the steam locomotive she has travelled on, she tucks her newspaper under her arm and prepares to disembark from the train and collect her luggage, she briefly questions her sanity of returning to this place and almost turns right back around before she admits that she needs the position and everything else that goes with it. She is looking around at the small town and thinking how much has not really changed overly much, but there is more of everything now, people, horses, homes and stores and because of this she is assaulted by memories she would much rather forget.

It is while she is lost in these memories that she is bowing her head down and hoping that nobody recognises her, but this also leads to her walking into the path of a carriage and horses veering out of control and heading straight towards her, when she does, she is paralysed by fear and cannot move even if she wanted to, that is until she is grasped round the waist and pulled out of the way by an unknown pair of hands and into a very masculine body just before she is run over. When she manages to regain some of her breath and senses, she looks behind her to see the mysterious owner of the hands and body and finds a look of anger in their face and an equally angry outburst along the lines of does she have a death wish and to have some consideration of those around her, even if she has no regard for herself. This encounter brings Elizabeth back to herself and she acknowledges what happened, apologises and states that she wasn’t concentrating as she was looking for the school chairman whom she was meant to be meeting at the station, it is at this point that she finds out that the stranger who saved her is indeed the chairman of the school board and she is more than mortified at this information.

As she takes a moment to regain her composure, she is told that she hasn’t necessarily made the best first impression, however, the town is very easy going and that hopefully that shouldn’t stop her from being accepted anyway, he then offers to take her to the boarding house where she will be staying, Elizabeth is grateful and accepts the kind offer, when she is settled, they agree on a time to meet so that she can see where she will be working and make her preparations for the start of the school year, Elizabeth is now hoping that she will make a better impression the next time, but she also cannot believe that despite her best efforts to enter the town unnoticed, she hasn’t made that happen either. Will Elizabeth settle back into life in Bittersweep and find the answers she needs, or will she find that she is even less welcome now than she was then? This is a historical romance with a thrilling edge to it which will keep you guessing as to what will happen next throughout and keep you hooked until it’s conclusion.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Chatroom with a View by Glenn Maynard – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

Chatroom With A ViewChatroom With A View by Glenn Maynard
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Troy Cullen is a young man with his life ahead of him, but his life in the small town he calls home is anything but normal, he works in the local diner as the night manager and works with a couple of waitresses he has known for a while in passing, when he isn’t there, he is at home where he lives with his parents or he is at the local bar with his best and only friend, sometimes he goes on an internet chatroom to meet girls and look for love, but he isn’t normally too successful and is usually blown off or stood up when it comes to meeting in person. One night, he returns home from work and he know something isn’t right in the house. As he looks around for his parents, all he can hear is silence, and despite the fact his father isn’t overly talkative, it is more unnerving because of it, so as he searches the house for them, he sees that there is a light on in one of the outbuildings, but what he sees within those lights makes him run the fastest he can to get there and this is where he sees the one thing he was most scared of happening in front of his eyes. As things go from bad to worse, Troy has to make some tough decisions and carry them out afterward despite everything that has happened, however, what he decides to do in the end is the lesser of two evils.

Troy eventually completes his tasks which he has set himself and sorts himself out ready for bed where he is out like a light as soon as his head hits the pillow, the next morning, he has to go on living his life in the usual way, however, there is a complication, his dysfunctional family is now even more so, but the topper of the day is when his phone and email light up with multiple messages from his ex-girlfriend Veronica trying to convince his to meet her again, when he tells her he wants nothing to do with her, she doesn’t believe him and instead, decides to convince him it is the other way round and that he needs her in his life. As Troy heads to work, he overhears the conversation the two waitresses are having and he realises what they are talking about seems all too familiar and this has him seething with anger. As all the stress of his living situation starts to get to him, being lonely and somewhat of an outcast is normal for him, but it doesn’t mean he likes it, but when Veronica continues to call, message and email him in a more and more frantic manner, he finally answers the phone and much to his dismay, she announces that she is pregnant and that the baby is his. This news comes as a shock to Try as he was careful and they only met a few times, however, his brain cannot integrate this new information and a shouting match ensues over the phone, in the end, Troy tells Veronica he doesn’t believe her and even if it is true, he wants nothing to do with any of it, this enrages Veronica and so she decides to put a plan into action to find out everything she can about Troy and find a way into his life again.

Meanwhile, as Veronica is concocting her plan to win Troy over, he is concocting a plan of his own, he has been listening to the waitresses conversations and he knows that he has to get back at them for what they are doing, so he decides to play them at their own game and see how they like it, he ropes in his best friend who is more than happy to help and all he has to do is sit and wait, but Veronica’s plan throws a spanner into the works. Will Troy and Veronica’s plans work out as they want them to, or will things come to a head in a much different way than expected? This is a thrilling story of two people and how what starts as a small detail can blow up into something much bigger and with consequences nobody could dream of, it will hook you in and send you on a journey of discovery into how nature and nurture can affect someone and whether there is such a thing as a “Killer Gene” like in the case of Lizzie Borden.

Review by @roxsannel

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A Cold Day In Hell (Life Is Hell Book 5) by Naomi Valkyrie – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

A Cold Day in Hell (Life is Hell #5)A Cold Day in Hell by Naomi Valkyrie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Hadassah Engel is a fallen angel, well, maybe not fallen, but she is on probation from the heaven realm, she dared to lend her powers to her brother Malakhi and she is now powerless and stuck in the human realm with him and that is the last place she wants to be, she misses the perfection of her home and her life, she is in her own hell on earth and she is not pleased in the slightest, although she is happy that she took the risk to help Malakhi, now she only has to bide her time. She has been invited by Malakhi to live with him and his adopted family in Juniper Lake, but she doesn’t really want to interact much with any of them, she prefers her own company after all and would much prefer to stay in her room and read, but as time passes, Malakhi is getting fed up of her attitude and insists that she starts to take the time to get to know the others she is living with, but why would she want to make friends with demons and other supernatural beings?

As Malakhi becomes more annoyed with her attitude and her housemates are being increasingly prickly, she decides to try out talking to one of Malakhi’s friends who seems to be more quiet than the others and keep herself to herself, this is more in line with herself as well, so one day she goes to see Jezebel, the dog shifter who lives down by the lake in a small cabin, but she bites a bit more off than she can chew when Jezebel plays her at her own game and starts to push back with an attitude of her own, this isn’t something Hadassah is comfortable with, but she is polite for Malakhi’s sake, however, eventually, she is pushed too far and calls it quits for the night. A few hours later she sees Jezebel coming out of the woods again, however, Jezebel is full of tension and Hadassah knows something is wrong, it seems that she is right and that Jezebel has sensed something from her past and it completely terrifies her, it is someone whom it turns out she has been hiding from and has no intentions of returning to, so as Jezebel packs a bag with enough clothes in for herself, she tells Hadassah that she is taking the truck and leaving Juniper Lake, knowing that Malakhi would kill her if she let Jezebel go alone, Hadassah is determined to go along with her and no matter how Jezebel tries to fend her off, she is unsuccessful.

As the two take off on their impromptu trip, they try to stay as incognito as they can, but as it progresses, they snipe at each other as usual, but they open up to each other as well when they become more comfortable spending time in the same space as each other, but will Jezebel’s past catch up with them, or will they end up being on the run forever, what will Malakhi do when he finds that they have gone without telling him? This is another great book in this series where life and death struggle to come out on top and a makeshift family comes together to help solve a problem which has been hidden away and ignored for years.

Reviewed by roxsannel

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Remember His Name (Remember My Name Series Book 2) by Laurencia Hoffman – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

Remember His Name (Remember My Name, #2)Remember His Name by Laurencia Hoffman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wren Stafford is an empath, he has known this from a young age, but has never been accepted by others because of it, he lives with his parents, but they don’t get on as well as they probably should do and because of his ability to feel the emotions around him in an amplified manner, it often times overwhelms him, not to mention that if he touches someone, the experience is even more unsettling as he has images thrown at him from the persons past. All Wren wants to do is live a normal life and help others, but this is not going to be an easy thing to do, but as soon as he can leave home, he does, but things change completely when he meets someone at his workplace and finds the love that he has always wanted and the knowledge that they love him too, despite being the way he is and Henry is that person .

Wren still finds it hard to imagine that his one true love has found him and sometimes that plays on his mind, but the more he begins to accept it, the more he flourishes as a person and grows into his abilities and his confidence in every day life and when Henry proposes to him, he tearfully agrees to marry him, the next chapter in his life rushes by him in a whirl of wedding planning, work and love, that is until what should be the happiest day of his life arrives and he has a horrifying vision as he takes his vows. His vision is of his husband being murdered, he tries to tell Henry what he has seen, but he isn’t believed, this is the beginning of an anxious downwards spiral for Wren as he tries desperately to make Henry realise that it is true, but as the vision begins to play in his nightmares and more detail is forced into his dreams, Henry finds it more and more difficult to accept, until the day it actually happens and Wren is too late to stop it.

As the investigations starts, Wren is the prime suspect because of his knowledge of what was going to happen and him being found at the scene of the crime itself and despite the fact that he was attacked and injured himself, nobody believes his innocence and the small life they had been building falls apart around him as people turn on him and pint their accusatory fingers and words in his direction as well, in the end, Wren stops going out, he distances himself from work and closes himself off from the world outside. However, what they don’t know is that Wren is now having visions of his own death and they are just as gruesome, if not worse that Henry’s, again, his nightmare play out the scene, but this time, it is different, this time, he can see certain things he couldn’t see before, could these things lead him to the real killer? Will Wren be able to figure out the puzzle being laid before him, or will he run out of time and become the next victim before he can prove his innocence at last? This is a thrilling mystery with a thread of romance weaved throughout and will keep you guessing the who, where and what all the way until the end as the tangled mess of flashes is unravelled.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Lines by Leon: Poems, Prose, and Pictures by Leon Stevens – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

Lines by Leon: Poems, Prose, and PicturesLines by Leon: Poems, Prose, and Pictures by Leon Stevens
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a compilation of poetry, a couple of short stories and some illustrations throughout which combine to make a thought provoking and interesting read, it deals with a lot of subjects in the current climate, as well as ways of looking at both the light and dark sides of life, this includes personality aspects, the environment, inanimate objects, places throughout the world, from big cities to small businesses and some light-hearted sketches deposited throughout to keep the separation, as well as tying it all together. It is a collection which varies in style and is written in a manner which leaves you in a state of anticipation, wanting to know what the next item will be.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Death of a Coupon Queen by Jenna Harte – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

Death of a Coupon QueenDeath of a Coupon Queen by Jenna Harte
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sophie Parker is back, she is happily living with her Aunt, even if she is a bit gruff and likes things done her own way, she is working her two part time jobs and still going to her couponing club every week, other than that, she is getting to know her boyfriend between his trips away from town with his airplane repossessions. Just as she thinks that her life is moving forward and getting into a place where it could even improve, she goes to see one of the coupon queens in the group for some extra help and guidance when she turns up and the house is too quiet. As she goes round to the back door and tries to find the woman who lives there, she sees something in the house, so worried as she is when she doesn’t get an answer, she manages to get inside and proceeds to call 911 to report what she has found. When the local police turn up to interview her, she isn’t surprised to see a familiar face, just as they aren’t surprised it is her who has made the call.

As she explains what she found, which was her friend with her coupon shears poking out of her neck in a pool of blood, the police ask her if anything is missing from the house, after that has been dealt with, she is allowed to return home where she can hand her clothes over to the deputy who will escort her. All Sophie can thing about was the gruesome scene and what her aunt and boyfriend will say when she tells them what has happened, she doesn’t have to wait long to find out. As the case progresses, Sophie tries to maintain her normal life, however, in a small town, nothing stays quiet for long and trouble again, just seems to find her.

Will the police be able to find out who has killed the coupon queen and why, or will Sophie be drawn into trying to solve the mystery herself like last time? This is a small town mystery with more questions than answers throughout, there is intrigue, danger and a little romance along the way which will keep you hooked until you too find out the solution to the who, what, where and why.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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The Monster That Ate My Mommy by Jessica Aiken-Hall – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

The Monster That Ate My MommyThe Monster That Ate My Mommy by Jessica Aiken-Hall
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This memoir is definitely not for the faint of heart, it is a story of overcoming a childhood full of haunting memories and harrowing experiences, all viewed through a lens of why not being loved is so damaging and how one child worked through it all to become the woman she is today. The book starts with a quote which also became the title, “I’m not your mommy, I’m the monster who ate your mommy.” As a three year old, most children are inquisitive and start asking questions, but this author’s mother didn’t want to answer them, so she distracted her daughter in other ways she could think of, to the point where the author started to believe that the chaos she existed in was the normality and that everyone else was odd in the way they lived. From the start, her life was one lacking in parental love, but in her grandmother, she found the love she wanted, however, this would not keep the experiences of her childhood and the secrets she had to keep because of it away.

As the author grew up, she lived with her mother and brother, but from a young age, tragedy was never far away and each one detached her further from the love she so desperately wanted and as family moved in and out of her life, trauma of all kinds just kept building up and the feelings of depression and despair kept appearing, especially when told that her mother didn’t love her and that nobody else would either. As a child, she blamed it all on bad luck which she had somehow brought upon herself, however, as she got older, the trauma changed and morphed into something horrific which was used against her in such a manipulative way that no matter how hard she chased, her mother just became more distant, so she searched for love in other places which weren’t healthy or at times, appropriate. The only constants in her life were her grandmother and her friends with whom she found an escape from the life she led and those around her, who supported her, even when she fell back into unhealthy ways of thinking and helped her to face things as an adult that had happened to her as a child.

This is a story of overcoming hardship and trauma to become someone more and learn how to live and how to love and be loved which draws you in and makes you see life in a different light, as well as gain an insight into the lives of those around you and help you learn how to be able to offer your support to people in a similar situation. in an appropriate way.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Taking Flight (Code of Honor Book 2) by Brooke May – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

Taking Flight (Code of Honor Book 2)Taking Flight by Brooke May
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jody Meadows is a woman to whom singing and music have been her escape from her life in the shadow of her twin sister, but when her sister wants something, she gets it and one fateful day, Jody signs her soul away so that her sister can get what she wants, again. Holt Preston is an Air Force Pilot and has been in the military for years, but now he is starting to feel like he is stuck, he has flown in and out of the front lines and seen more than his fair share while out there, but now he is on leave in Germany and all he wants is to take advantage of the German girls and beer, but this night is going to be something different.

Jody is taking the night off just to let loose and enjoy herself, yes, she has a couple of bodyguards with her, her hair is straightened, her contacts are in and she is dressed in her sisters clothing, but her sister she is not, as she down shot after shot, she loosens up and sings and dances the night away, until someone starts to dance with her. Holt and his friends are in the last bar of the night when he spots a beautiful and sexy woman singing and dancing on the bar, he has no idea who she is, but his friends do. He is so taken with her that he cannot resist trying his luck and approaching her while she dances and this one action starts a chain reaction of passion which neither of them were expecting.

In her shock at what she has done, Jody rushes out of the bar. back to her friends and complains she isn’t feeling well, so they head back to the hotel, but life goes on and the next afternoon amid a hangover from hell, Jody has to marshal her sister around to make sure she gets where she needs to be and at the right time, meanwhile, Holt has woken up not being able to stop thinking about the mystery woman at the bar the night before, to the point that he does everything he can to run into her again, however, when he does, he realises that she isn’t the person he thought, it turns out that it is someone in her entourage instead. At this point it makes it his mission to try and work out the mystery behind the woman and Jody is the woman he is intending on trying to figure out, but will she let him in, or will her sister do her usual thing and put a stop to whatever this could be before it can even start? This is a romance where two people meet and the connection is undeniable, but as external forces engage in the story, the ending is something you will be racing through the book to find.

Reviewedby @roxsannel

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Mann in the Crossfire: A Jarvis Mann Hardboiled Detective Mystery Novel (Jarvis Mann Detective Book 8) by R. Weir – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

Mann in the Crossfire: A Jarvis Mann Hardboiled Detective Mystery NovelMann in the Crossfire: A Jarvis Mann Hardboiled Detective Mystery Novel by R. Weir
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jarvis Mann Private Detective is back with another case to solve, but first he has to serve papers to a cheating husband, who does not take kindly to the event, he is a minor celebrity and thinks that the world owes him, but Jarvis takes him down a couple of pegs and makes him see sense, especially when he can call multiple witnesses who can back up his side of the event. While he is staking the place out, he receives a visit from a past associate and is given some news he finds sad and distressing about a guy he worked with from time to time in the past who had been through some tragedy of his own, it turns out that he has been murdered while working on something and in a most similar fashion to another event in his life, so Jarvis takes the case on to find out what happened to him and more importantly why, so he goes to tie up some loose ends with the soon to be ex wife, packs a bag and takes a late morning flight out to San Diego so he can make a start.

He leaves the airport, rents a car and checks into his hotel, all his expenses are going to be paid, so he doesn’t have to worry about running low on money, so when he is all settled in, he heads to an appointment he has made with one of the local cops to take stock on what he knows and shares information he has, he wants to be able to work with the local law enforcement and not step on toes too much, but this cop is friendly and more than happy to work together with him on the case. The next meeting he has is with his associate’s former boss, it is purely to ask a couple of questions and double down on the information he already has, as well as to read his body language while the questions are asked and answered. The meeting goes as expected and afterwards he goes to the scene of a past crime to talk to the neighbours and see if he can glean any more information before checking in with the cop to share what he has found. This all leads to one person, but unfortunately, Jarvis and his cop friend end up encroaching on gang territory and they are not happy to see them or having them dig around in their business, however, they come out of the encounter clean and tidy, but not without a warning to stay away. Jarvis wants to talk to the leader of the gang about the reactions he saw as they were driving away, so he tries to set up a meeting to see what he can glean.

In the meantime, he has discovered that he has a tail and when he confronts the individual, it turns out that it is another Private Detective who is looking into him, but the details are sketchy and Jarvis isn’t sure he believes what he is hearing, but he doesn’t have much time to think on it when he tries to follow more leads and lands in hot water, this time, however, he doesn’t come out unscathed and is sent back to Denver in a world of hurt, but with more information than when he started. As he recovers and returns to San Diego, Jarvis is determined to discover who is behind everything, but he also realises that he may be in over his head and has to call grudgingly for reinforcements, but the ones he has to call could make things easier and harder all at the same time, but which way the pendulum will swing is anyone’s guess, but will he be able to find the answers he is seeking, or will he get caught in a crossfire which is not of his own making? This is a thrilling mystery with twists, turns, secrets and revelations throughout which will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout as you try to solve the mystery at the same time.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Avenging Devil Part 1: Satan’s Devils MC San Diego by Manda Mellett – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

Avenging Devil Part 1: Satan's Devils MC San DiegoAvenging Devil Part 1: Satan’s Devils MC San Diego by Manda Mellett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Niran is a biker with the Satan’s Devils MC, he has been a member for a couple of years and was a United States Marine before that, he only left when he was medically retired due to losing his leg and had been drifting in a civilian life until he came across the MC and never looked back, even though the prospecting was hard work. Saffie is a broken woman in more ways than one, she thought she had met the man of her dreams until she married him and it all went downhill from there and five years later, she is still a prisoner in his eyes and the eyes of those around him, but one day after she is beaten to within an inch of her life and needs to go to the hospital. It is in that hospital that she makes a decision which will change her life again, she finds out that she is pregnant with his child, but that though terrifies her enough to agree and accept an offer of help to finally escape her life of hell.

Niran is at work as usual in the auto shop the Devil’s own and he is waiting for his boss and fellow member to get back from a trip to LA, however, when he calls and asks Niran to go to the hospital with his old lady for an prenatal appointment, Niran is honoured to be asked and accepts with no questions asked. Saffie meanwhile is trying to settle down in her new life in San Diego, but she is worried that her husband will find her and drag her back, so she moves to a different and cheaper apartment and now that a few months have passed and he is still nowhere in sight, Saffie decides to go and get a check up and see how her baby is doing. As Niran is escorting his boss’s old lady into the hospital, he notices a woman sat on her own and his eyes keep getting drawn back to her, he thinks no more of it until after the appointment where he sees the woman again in the car park crying hysterically and neither he, nor the woman he is accompanying can leave her in such a state, so they go over and talk to her and try to offer some comfort. In the process of doing this they offer to drive her home, she accepts the woman’s help, however appears terrified of Niran, which he can understand with him being a tall, well built black man. When they get to her apartment, it is not the best place for a woman on her own to be living, so after she has calmed down a bit Niran offers to stay while his companion returns home, Saffie isn’t especially comfortable with this, but she grees because she doesn’t want to be on her own and for some reason, she feels comfortable with him.

This is how the two spend the next few days with Niran staying at the apartment after work until one day she finds out who he is associated with and throws him out of the house, she is even more terrified than before and refuses any more of his help, that is until a few weeks later when he finds out something has happened and steps in to offer his help and comfort again, but this is something Saffie still isn’t comfortable with despite assurances from multiple different people. However, she receives information that her past is possibly coming back to haunt her and she realises that she may need Niran’s help after all, but will she be able to get over her misgivings and accept the help offered to her, or will she run for the hills and disappear? This is an MC romance with a dark twist which will hook you in and keep you on the edge of your seat throughout.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Least Likely Suspect: Revenge by Cooper McKenzie – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

Least Likely Suspect: RevengeLeast Likely Suspect: Revenge by Cooper McKenzie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Samantha Wycroff is a woman in her the middle of her life, she is a mum, she attends a monthly book club, she knits hats for local charities and volunteers at the church as part of the choir, but one day she gets a phone call from the police telling her that her son is in the local hospital and is going into surgery, she finds out that he has been severely beaten and the injuries are worse than originally thought, so as she waits for him to wake up, she spends all her time at the hospital. After a few days it is clear that her son isn’t going to wake up, so she makes the hardest decision in her life to turn off his life support, she is devastated and feels alone, but she isn’t as her son’s friends lend her their support in the aftermath, the police have not found enough definitive evidence to garner a conviction, however, Samantha is sure it was his girlfriend Velvet Flores who did it and she swears that she will get her revenge.

As the days pass between the death of her son and his funeral, she spends more time with one childhood friend of her sons Micah Kerrick, he has been alternating between staying in her spare room and at his own home and has been a rock of support for Samantha, she has told him about her suspicions and what she believes happens and Micah surprisingly offers a possible solution. He offers her his help, however in return she has to join his team, The Misfits, all she knows is that he works for the government, but other than that, she is clueless apart from the fact that they are troubleshooters, but he is sure that she would be the perfect least likely suspect.

Samantha thinks it over, meanwhile Micah reminds her of a couple of attainable dreams which she can start working on while she makes her decision, but she feels too old, too unfit and too out of practice to even think about it, but she does agree to try the things she may have to do in order to join up. Will she make the decision to join Micah’s team and work her way towards the revenge she desperately craves, or will she just revert back to the lonely church going widow who spends her time knitting and singing until she joins her family in the afterlife? This is a story which takes you on a journey of grief, love, acceptance and revenge as you follow one woman as she figures out what her future will be and who will be in it.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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The Halfling’s Court (A Bad-Ass Faerie Tale Book 1) by Danielle Ackley-McPhail – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

The Halfling's Court (A Bad-Ass Faerie Tale Book 1)The Halfling’s Court by Danielle Ackley-McPhail
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Lance Cosain is half fae, his mother was fae and his father is human, they are not close, but they are still family, but Lance has other family, his MC family in the Wild Hunt of whom he is the Wind Walker, they are a group of Harley Davidson riding, leather wearing people, both human and fae alike and they live side by side in harmony with the local fae. The Dair na Scath is the High King of the Fae Realm in Underhill, he has been for a long time and he has a faithful and loyal court around him, but he has become corrupted by power and greed, so when some of his court betray him and leave, he cannot but be furious, however, when he is told that they are dead, he breaths a small sigh of relief, or at least he does for a time.

Lance is just trying to live his life with his lady and prepare for the Steel Horse Stampede, however, when his lady is late and nobody has heard from her, he knows something is wrong, so he does what he does best and goes to find her and see what has happened, however, when he gets there, it isn’t what he expected. The wind starts to blow up a storm followed by a column of darkness coalescing in the middle of the crossroads as a derisive voice throws insults and derisive comments towards Lance and his right hand man just before he reveals himself as a fae, but the most surprising thing is the team of redcaps who have someone in their grasp. Lance barely manages to control himself as he battles with the fae to leave his friend free to free the prisoner, however, although he injures the fae, Lance is brought down by the relentless attacks and his friend is suffering too, although what happens next nearly kills Lance, but allows him to push the fae back to his own realm.

When they have all recovered and have enough strength to return to their home, Lance has to have some difficult conversations, although he isn’t sure if he is getting all the information he needs, however, he has to make do, especially when he is told that more fae will come for him. It is when he is on his way home a few days later when he is attacked again, but this time by a gremlin which does more damage than he expects, however, again he manages to succeed in taming another opponent, but when he later receives a message from the High King of the Fae himself, Lance knows that he has to protect everything he loves now more than ever, but will he be able to defeat a full blood fae, or will his halfling limitations cause him to taste a defeat more painful than any other before? This is a fantastic blend of fantasy and MC romance which will have you on the edge of your seat throughout, as the action continues and the fae on opposite sides fight for both family and honour.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Captured by the Viscount by Wareeze Woodson – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

Captured by the ViscountCaptured by the Viscount by Wareeze Woodson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It is the year 1802 and Lady Isabel Carlyle is a twenty one year old woman on a mission to restore her possessions as well as those not her own, she is hoping to reclaim her family jewels and return some important bonds at the same time, it is a risk, but one she hopes can finally free her from her current living situation. Viscount Matthew Paul Rutherford is in a bind of his own, in order to find relief from his current living situation, he has to find a bride before the month’s end, however, he hasn’t had much luck so far, his last two betrothed suffered from fatal accidents before their nuptials, so he is losing hope now of ever finding one.

As Lady Isabel heads towards the empty residence of Viscount Matthew, she is soaked to the bone thanks to the dismal weather she has walked through, but she is determined to see her errand through to the end, so she approaches under the cover of darkness and manages to avoid the patrol of the guards and levers open the door of his study. As she quietly enters, she locates her missing jewels but just as she is about to place the bonds into a drawer in the large desk, when the inner door opens and she comes face to face with the Viscount who it appears is home earlier than expected and pointing a gun straight at her heart. As he approaches her, she is paralysed with fear, but as he empties the bag she was holding of her belongings, she considers escape, however, soon realises that it would be a fruitless endeavour and would probably only get her killed sooner. The Viscount is less than impressed with this little thief and intends to make it known, but when she replies that he hasn’t the right, he mirthlessly laughs and states that he would normally call the constable and have her arrested at this point, however, he is quite taken with her looks and fiery countenance, but when she explains why she was there and the circumstances behind it, he does not believe her.

As the Viscount considers the position he is in, he considers the young woman and as she tells him more of her story, he is more inclined to believe that she is a liar and a thief, but when she professes her innocence yet again and asks him to let her go, he considers his options and while doing this, he takes her up to a room in the house and binds her to a bed, after removing her wet clothing and says he will return shortly. While he is gone, Lady Isabel tries desperately to escape from her bonds, however, she is unable to and just causes herself more harm, but her mind cannot stay still and she goes through all her options over and over again and as unlikely as it seems this is actually a better option for her. After a while, the Viscount returns and gives her a choice, either she marries him, or he calls the constable and she will be sent to the city’s gaol, she is full of disbelief that despite being a sensible person, she has been put into this position and she sees no way out of it, but will she agree to marry the Viscount and try to make him see the sense in what she is saying, or will she risk the gaol and the life it will lead to? This is a historical romance with an element of the unexpected as the story develops and the characters draw you into their lives and encourage you to follow them through trials and tribulations until the conclusion is reached.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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