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Love by Design (The Meraki Series Book 2) by Effie Kammenou – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

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Love by Design (The Meraki series, #2)Love by Design by Effie Kammenou
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Mia Andarakis is one of four children in a typical greek household, however, she doesn’t live the typical single woman’s greek life, she lives in an apartment in the city with her best friend, she has a job with a magazine as a graphic designer amongst other things and a family who loves her, even if they can be stifling and overly opinionated at times, but she is convinced that she was born in the wrong era as her tastes in fashion and music are not current by any means, but she is happy. Today however, she is going to the first meeting of the Community of Creatives in Publishing (CCP), but when she sees the man on the podium, Nicholas Aristedis, the CEO of Aris Publishing, all rational thought and movement are scrubbed from her mind, he is stunning and his voice is like nothing she has ever heard before and she has definitely never reacted in such a way before, so she doesn’t quite know how to handle it. The CCP also have an awards ceremony yearly and this year Mia is proud to have been on the committee organising it, but when she comes face to face with Nicholas, he glares at her and she is dumbstruck as to why, so when she is congratulated on her role in the event and is asked for her resume to be sent to the head of the CCP, she is more than elated, however, when she hears that the company is being restructured and she is called to HR the next week, she starts to overthink and convinces herself that she is being let go of, so when she is told that she is in fact being moved to a different magazine thanks to a recommendation and is to work directly under Nicholas as his Associate Art Director.

Mia throws herself into research about the demographic of this new magazine, so she is prepared for her first day and the staff meeting she will be in, when she finds out more about the magazine and what it will be all about, Mia has an idea already coming together in her head and goes straight to work on a pitch and three hours later emails it to Nicholas and is immediately called into his office to discuss how the meeting should have been three hours ago! She is unnerved and intimidated by the man, but when they discuss everything, he is nothing like what he seemed at the meetings and they end up having a difference of opinion and bringing out the worst in each other, to the point that Mia debates whether she can work with a man who hates her and cannot stand being around her. When she gets back from lunch, she is called into the other CEO’s office and to her astonishment and delight, she is presented with an apology for Nicholas’s behavior and the knowledge that her pitch has not only been discussed and has been accepted, but will be used as the layout for the inaugural issue! She celebrates over dinner with friends and when she gets home is exhausted but brimming with ideas, so she sets up her laptop and works until she falls asleep, however, the next morning doesn’t go to plan and she ends up being a little late to the office and is immediately called into Nicholas’s office, who proceeds to apologise to her, but things are said and they have another disagreement where he says things are not going to work between them on a professional level, hearing this, Mia forwards him what she was working on the night before and packs up her desk to go stay with her sister.

After a long talk with her sister and a good night’s sleep, Mia head to her sisters cafe to help out and work out all the feelings by baking, but when Nicholas turns up after she didn’t turn up for work and searching for her, she agrees to hear him out and after the air is cleared, they return to the office to work on the magazine and she is told that they will be going to Athens in a couple of weeks to work on the next issue. Will Mia and Nicholas be able to work through their differences and together create something beautiful, or will their temperaments get between them and send things off the rails? This is another sweet romance with a carousel of mystery, heartbreak and love rotating throughout where past mysteries collide with current events in a way that would never be expected.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Love is What You Bake of it (The Meraki Series Book 1) by Effie Kammenou – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

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Love is What You Bake of itLove is What You Bake of it by Effie Kammenou
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Kally Andarakis is a greek woman with a plan, she has her dog, her best friend, her cafe and her family and doesn’t need anything else, but it hasn’t always been that way, eight years before, she took a risk on a man who was the complete opposite of what her family wanted for her, mysterious, long haired and tattooed who drove a motorcycle, but when tragedy struck and he died, she discovered something which would shatter her trust in men and it broke her heart completely.

Today is her sister’s name day and Kally has a family meal and celebrates it at her childhood home in Port Jefferson, so she quickly stops in at home to change and take her dog for a quick walk before she heads over there. As usual there is plenty of food, drinks and love, her family is a close one, albeit a bit stifling at times and with some old fashioned greek ideals to boot, but she wouldn’t change them for the world. In her day to day life, when not attending family events, Kally has a routine she has perfected, in the morning she gives her dog a quick walk, then heads to work to begin baking pastries, scones and cakes for her customers, so headphones in and music on, she dances round her kitchen until the rest of her team show up to start their day, then she greets her regulars and chats with the other customers as she prepares their orders, however, today is not like any other when she finds a license plate outside her shop and so she picks it up and resolves to call the police about it when she gets a chance. When an officer shows up to collect the license plate, the cafe is busy and so she grabs it and turns to see which of the local officers had arrived, however, this one she has never seen before and he doesn’t quite fit the description of one, he is gorgeous and she is tongue tied, however, her ever present and man-crazy best friend thankfully takes the lead and makes the small talk. While he is talking Kally notices that although he complements the establishment, she is taken aback a little at the fact that he didn’t introduce himself, but her friend says his name is Max, according to his name badge, but she doesn’t need a man and he is definitely not the one for her, despite what her coworkers think.

The next day, life carries on as normal, however, Kally cannot get Max out of her head, so she bakes to take her mind off him and when her team come in it helps even more, however, when he comes back in to give her an update on the license plate, his interest in her baked goods, followed by an insult to her scones, she doesn’t know how to take his mercurial mood swings. After the cafe closes, her favourite book club arrives and talk diverts to a more steady topic as they discuss the months book and eat the sweet treats accompanying it, however, when a friend of the family tries to set her up with her nephew, Kally is less than impressed, but agrees to meet him if they run into each other at church. Meanwhile Max cannot get Kally out of his mind either and decides to come up with a way to see her again, even if it isn’t in his\best interest, he can’t afford to be distracted from the new life he is creating since moving back home and away from the disaster of his past. After church, he meets up with his daughter, his sister in law and her son and takes them to Kally’s cafe, Kally is happy to see Max and when he introduces the two kids with him, she is happy as well, they are lovely and the little girl worms her way into her heart, but when a beautiful woman joins them at the table nothing else quite goes to plan and she backs away thinking that it was too good to be true after all. When the group is ready to leave, Max stays behind to talk to Kally, he loves how she was with his daughter and feels like things are going well. However, when he bumps into her the next day, he cannot understand why Kally has suddenly lost the warmth she had when she looks at him and talks to him, although when he discusses it with a coworker later on, he realises the reason and is determined to clear up the misunderstanding.

Will Kally listen to Max, let him clear the air and take a chance on him, or will she hold back her heart behind the walls she has erected over time? This is a romance where the past affects the present in more ways than one as experiences are discussed, truths are revealed and hearts are thrown around on a rollercoaster ride, but can a family mystery from the past help two hearts to find each other? Only reading to the end can tell you.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Myths & Legends: An Indie Love Anthology – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

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Myths & LegendsMyths & Legends by Laura Greenwood
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book contains tales of romance where nothing is simple and everything is fantastical.

Mistress Of Sky And Stars is all about Nut and Geb, they have a forbidden love and when their secret is revealed, it is a race against time for a god and a goddess to enable the birth of their children, but will they manage in time, or will they be lost forever?

Queens of the Underworld is a lesbian retelling of the story of Persephone and Hades, but the twist is that Hades is the job title of the ruler of half of the Underworld and Maia has just gotten the job, but will the duties and challenges she face be made easier or harder by Persephone who rules the other half?

Frost And Flame is the story of a Phoenix called Carrie who is responsible for ending and rebirthing the world, however, she is special as she has both Fire and Ice within her, but they also carry the risk that she will be consumed by one before she has the chance to use her skills, will she be able to learn how to control both facets of her powers, or will she be have to choose just the one?

In Search Of Ghosts is s story of betrayal, mystery and true love where Alec has just lost his father and all his plans and goals have been derailed by the betrayal accompanying is, so when he decides to try and follow a ghost from his past, will it turn out in sync with his mothers memory, or will it lead to something unexpected, yet unbelievable?

In Cursed To Love is a twist on the typical tale of a hero and their quest, this is the story of one the ones who protect these objects of desire, they are the cursed, each curse is different and in the case of Maya, her curse is one of love and only love can undo it, but until that one person can come along who wants her for her and not the object she protects, she will kill anyone who tries to take it from her. Will this ultimate love story be told in a favourable light, or will death be the only solution?

I Do It For You is another retelling, this time of Robin Hood where Millie had everything her heart desired, the job, the hot boyfriend and the best friend who knew all her secrets, that is until one disaster of a night destroyed it all. When a letter is delivered with information about an uncle she had no idea existed and then she meets Micheal, a bad boy with a secret past. Will this mystery man be able to help her figure out who this uncle was and what the other benefactors mentioned in the letter might do, or will her life continue to crash down around her?

The final story is Dragon’s Heart and the story of dragon mates Geraint and Mary. Geraint is a dragon shifter and member of the Welsh Dragon Guards, a secret military elite who investigate the actions of a group of people hunting mythical creatures, all the while, keeping his home village safe and he has been waiting a long time to find his mate. Mary has had dreams of dragons all her life, but the night of her twenty-first birthday, a mystery man makes an appearance, his name is Geraint and he is hot as hell, but he is just a dream, isn’t he?

This indie romance anthology is filled with fantastical tales with something for everyone and well worth a read to discover something new.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Jake the Growling Dog Goes to Doggy Daycare: A Children’s Book about New Experiences, Friendship, Stress Relief, and Kindness by Samantha Shannon – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

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Jake the Growling Dog Goes to Doggy DaycareJake the Growling Dog Goes to Doggy Daycare by Samantha Shannon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a lovely children’s book about Jake the dog who goes to doggy daycare for the first time when his owners go on holiday. He is a bit scared and worried about it so he goes to talk to his best friend. They agree on a plan and then Jaske sets off with his family to doggy daycare, he enjoys the journey there, but gets nervous at the actual place, but he is hoping that everyone will be friendly and that he enjoys himself. Will Jake be able to settle into this new experience or will he want to go home?

The book also goes on to talk about stress and how to relieve it in a way that a child would understand with colourful illustrations and a great flow. This book is one both adults and children alike can enjoy and find useful at the same time.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Bovine Tricks (Royals Gone Rogue Book 1) by Seelie Kay – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

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Bovine TricksBovine Tricks by Seelie Kay
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Mathilda Honoria Spencer, or Tillie is an Agent with MISix who works for the Queen, she carries out assignments when needed and is on currently on an assignment investigating a farm but so far all she can see are male farmhands and cows, but no sign of the supposed Hucows she is there to look for. As she discusses the situation further via her earpiece, she learns more about what exactly these Hucows are, how they are trained by fetish schools to become more like the animals, how they can be physically enhanced to resemble the animals and be used for pet play, as well as milking, she becomes more and more disgusted with the whole idea, but carries on tryin to investigate further before finally reporting on what she has found. This is when she finds out that she has an invitation to an auction where these Hucows and other Huanimals are going to be sold to the highest bidder in order to raise funds for a charity, thankfully though, she will be accompanied by her partner in more ways than one, Agent Abdul Ali so that she can search for the main focus of ehr assignment, Lady Annabelle, a minor royal before she ends up in the wrong hands.

The day of the auction arrives and Agents Tillie and Abdul are ready, he has done his research and is prepared to ask the difficult questions when they go to inspect the goods, where Tillie is struggling just to hide her true feelings on the situation. As they are invited to sit and prepare for the main event, they are still looking for Lady Annabelle, but as they are also looking for those there under duress, they join in the bidding on some of the others to keep there cover intact until she appears, however, it appears that she has an almost full transformation and it is shocking to both Tillie and Abdul. They manage to win the bid when they stare down another bidder whom they recognise from past assignments, however when the auction is raided and the Huanimals disappear from under their noses, even as their money has been taken, a race against time begins to find Lady Annabelle and rescue her.

As the search continues and the lines begin to blur Tillie and Abdul are struggling to keep duty and feelings separate and the hunt for Lady Annabelle becomes more complicated and there are more dead ends than leads, will they get to her in time before those who want to do her harm carry through? This is a race against time to rescue a royal but things are not all as they seem and the blurred lines between fantasy and reality keep you on your toes and make you think at the same time.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Murder at Honeybee Lake (Shadow of a Doubt Book 2) by Jessica Aiken-Hall – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

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Murder at Honeybee Lake (Shadow of a Doubt, #2)Murder at Honeybee Lake by Jessica Aiken-Hall
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a book which is only for those over 18 due to the triggers it contains within.

Randy Fletcher is a best selling author of children’s horror novels and is celebrating the anniversary of his boyfriend Ben moving in with him as a couple together in a boat on Honeybee Lake, or at least they were until a knocking sound on the outside of the boat annoys Randy enough that he convinces Ben to have a look, however, when he finds a dead body attached to a rope underneath the dock, their plans are immediately forgotten and the police are called. Randy doesn’t want to believe what he is hearing but Ben’s reaction to the situation convinces him it must be true, so as they wait for the cops to show up, they go back down to the lake and support each other but they end up arguing, especially when Ben hides their relationship from the cops by saying that he is just a friend, it doesn’t help when the cop is dismissive of the whole situation and state that they can’t see as it is too dark and that they will have to come back in the morning to confirm it instead. Ben is stunned by their nonchalance and ends up taking it all out on Randy when all he wants to do is help, they manage to talk it through and spend the rest of the evening trying to forget about the body in the lake.

The next day the cops come back to the house and have the same bad attitude as the day before, but one is eventually convinced to get into the lake and take a look, when they do, it is confirmed that there is a dead body and that it is a crime scene so they have to call in a team to remove it, while they are doing that, they send Randy and Ben back up to the house to wait, but not before another argument. Meanwhile, Mandy Blake is having snuggles with her daughter when the phone rings and her wife brings it to her saying it is her brother Randy and he sounds awful and when he tells her what is happening at his house, her first thought is to go there and support him and Ben, but he delays that telling her there is nothing she can do, he just needed to talk to someone about it all, so she asks her sister in law Tessa if she has heard anything from Randy, but being busy herself, Mandy isn’t surprised when she doesn’t get an answer until later on. Five hours later and the body is on its way to the morgue but with no further information about who the person is, apart from it looks like they have been there a while, so with nothing else they can do, Randy and Ben try to take their minds off it and decide to try and get some sleep.

Mandy is still trying to get her head around what Randy told her over the phone and has a bad feeling about the whole situation, which is confirmed when she sees a bunch of missed calls and messages saying Randy has been taken in for questioning, Randy is waiting for her there in an interrogation room when two men in suits enter and start demanding that he tells them what is going on so that they can get on with their day, but when he clearly states multiple times that he has no idea what they are talking about, they reveal the identity of the body and Randy is completely taken aback and decides to ask for a lawyer before they go any further with their questions. When they leave and Mandy comes in, all the emotions he has been holding spill out when he tells her he has just found out that it is someone from his past better left forgotten and she is as dumbfounded as he is. They leave together and after everyone has returned home, this is when Tessa calls back, this is when she decides to communicate with the victim and see if they can help figure out what happened. When things take a turn for the worse and evidence is collected, fingers are pointed and confusion, temptation and betrayal reign, will Randy, Mandy and Tessa be able to unravel the mystery of the body found in Honeybee Lake, or will the past come back to haunt them all with deadly consequences? This is a triller with a paranormal twist which keeps you guessing all the way through, as you try to figure it all out as you go along the journey with them.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Key West Dead (Jake Wolfe Book 6) by Mark Nolan – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

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Key West DeadKey West Dead by Mark Nolan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jake Wolfe and his ex-war dog Cody are back in another of their thrilling adventures and this time, they are in Key West in Florida so that Jake can attend the wedding of a friend, it is a barefoot beach wedding at one of the resorts on the Marina and while Jake is mingling with the other guests and catching up with people, he has a feeling that all is not well, his neck is tingling and the feeling of a premonition of danger, despite the fact that most of the guests are veterans and it is probably one of the safest places in the Keys, but this feeling only intensifies when a drone passes by and looks directly at him, even though this particular hotel has a no fly policy. After the ceremony finishes and the reception is over, Jake and Cody sail the newlyweds to their cruising sloop, however, as they approach it, Cody alerts Jake that he can smell something on the boat, the newlyweds stubbornly don’t allow Jake and Cody to investigate, preferring to set off on their honeymoon instead. Unfortunately, minutes after they set off there is an explosion followed by a ball of flame as the boat blows up in front of Jake. As the authorities arrive and take control of the situation, Jake is struggling with feelings of guilt and remorse and he is blaming himself for not insisting harder on carrying out the check until he sees the same, or very similar drone flying around and this throws him into a rage where he threatens the person behind it and swears revenge.

The next day, all the local news networks are talking about the devastating event and the person who has claimed responsibility for it by sending them the drone footage, as well as their ransom demand for $30 million from Monroe County. Meanwhile, the criminal being discussed is planning their next targets, the timings of them, planning the method of placement and finding out as much as they can about the man who threatened them. Jake is having breakfast with friends and trying to make sense of what happened when Jake receives confirmation that his request to take Cody to check some of the other marinas in the area has been approved and so the pursuit of the bomber commences in earnest. When the group leave, Cody turns up outside the restaurant and so Jake splits off from the others to take him for a walk back to the marina, but just as they are passing the county courthouse, Cody signals that he senses something followed by Jake seeing an individual jumping out of a car and heading away on a bicycle. Jake realises what is about to happen and shouts a warning before firing a gun shot in the air to encourage people to listen and just as the two clear the area and take cover, there is a blast from the abandoned vehicle. Jake goes into marine mode and starts to fight the fires in the immediate area while making sure that people are ok while demanding that someone calls the authorities. When they arrive at the area, he again has to make a statement and he is again annoyed that he wasn’t able to stop it, or protect the people around him, but as he talks it over with people later on, he is even more resolved to help solve the mystery of what is happening.

As the days follow on and more attacks are planned and carried out, the locals and tourists are becoming increasingly worried by the situation, as are the local government, but they are worried about the economic impact it could have on this area which revolves around tourism. Will Jake and Cody be able to figure out who is behind the attacks and why before more innocent lives are lost, or will they be the next victims before they get the chance? This is another thrilling race against time where an ex-marine and ex-war dog take on another criminal with malicious intentions.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Seductive Prey: The Relentless Trilogy by Vivian Fiano – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

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Seductive Prey (Relentless #1)Seductive Prey by Vivian Fiano
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is only for those over 18’s due to the adult nature of the content.

Officer Grant Summers is a cop in the Boston PD so that he can pay forward the kindness he experienced as a child and Jordan Smith is a dancer with a dream of owning her own studio and decides to do this by joining the National Guard.

We first meet Jordan on her first day at the National Guard boot camp when some fellow recruits decide to try and get a rise out of her by demeaning her, but she doesn’t take any offense and just shakes her head while walking away from them until she hears the command of a higher ranking officer chewing them out for the inappropriateness of their comments, as he finishes with them, he introduces himself and then takes her to where she needs to meet her commanding Staff Sergeant. We first meet Officer Summers when he is attending to a call relating to oa drugs offence and the scene he sees when he gets there reminds him of his own childhood experiences, so as he reminisces, he looks after the child while his mother and another male are arrested.

Jordan is returning home after her nine weeks at bootcamp and as she is waiting to disembark from the plane, she reminisces about her time there and the friend she made while there, she is proud of herself for completing the training successfully and showing that she is more than just a dancer and a fragile one at that, but she is surprised when she and another recruit are allowed off of the plane first with an accompanying the round of applause when it is announced by the pilot over the intercom. When she sees her friends and family at the arrivals gate and later at her parents home, she realises that they are as proud of her as she is for herself and the surprise party her parents have thrown just confirms it, the next day she returns to work at the dance studio and pulls another surprise with the students who attend it, then she gets back into the everyday routine of being home and she loves it. However, when she and her friend get to the studio a few days later, they are shocked to walk in to see that somebody has broken in and is messing with some of their equipment, as Jordan shouts at her friend to call the police, the guy rushes her and her self defence instincts kick in as she fights the intruder off. When the police arrive, the assailant runs off and they don’t manage to catch him, however, it turns out that the officer attending is someone she already knows.

When Officer Summers is called to a breaking and entering, he is surprised to see that the victim is someone he already knows and they have a connection that nobody can deny and the fact that she fought the intruder ups her in his opinions again. After Jordan has made her statement at the station and returned home, the adrenaline runs out and she feels scared at what could have happened, but she is happy when Officer Summers checks in on her a couple of days later and is even more happy when he invites her out for dinner, she agrees and they end up enjoying each others company a lot, as the next few weeks pass and their relationship develops, Jordan starts to receive cryptic notes attached to photo’s of her when they are left on her car and her front door, but is this related to the break in at the studio, or is it something more sinister? This is a thrilling roller coaster ride which keeps you on your toes trying to work out who is behind the notes and photos while becoming more and more invested in Jordan and Officer Summers relationship as well as the pnes of those around them.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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On Viking Seas (Forerunner Series Book 3) by Jay Veloso Batista – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

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On Viking Seas (Forerunner Series)On Viking Seas by Jay Veloso Batista
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the continuation of the story of the Agneson family, in this installment they have split up and are all over the northern reaches, Thorfinn in on the Verdandi Smiles snekke with Karl and his crew as they battle their way through a gruelling storm in the northern seas, Cub has been captured after the battle at Ethandun and is in chains, injured and on his way to a tin mine in Devonshire as a slave. Sorven is travelling with his family to Jorvik where they will be staying so that they can rest and recover from the devastating news of their most recent tragedies, whereas Kara is shocked and appalled by the idea that she is of marrying age and is soon to be paired with a suitor by her uncle as a way to improve the ties to his Mercian comrades, when all she wants is to become a shield maiden. Meanwhile Yeru is recovering from her arrow wound with her cousin Gurid and her family while catching up on the most recent news of the rest of the family.

As their individual trials unfold, will they make their way through and keep themselves alive, or will they succumb to them never to see the rest of their family again? With hidden enemies, secret schemes and adventures galore, this is a fantastic romp through a living myth with twists, turns, happiness and sadness as the adventures continue.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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I Will Bury You by Brandy Nacole – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

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I Will Bury YouI Will Bury You by Brandy Nacole
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It is a sunny day, but it isn’t the right weather for a funeral, especially when you are burying a parent and comforting an aunt, but staying strong is the most important thing when you have to be strong for them, even though you are breaking down inside. As we leave the cemetery and head home, she announces that the house needs to be cleared, things organised into piles for donation, items to sell at the antique shop and things to keep and it all has to be done in less than a week before she moves into a retirement home. This is all a shock and while going through the things in the attic first, this is when the time gaps start, one minute looking at a drawing, the next a banging announcing that tea is late and her routine is broken and routine is everything for her nowadays. Later on after she is settled into her chair with an audiobook, the sorting and organising continues, however, the things that are found are both disturbing and at the same time unknown, there are drawings and pictures, that are new to the eyes and the questions they bring up are blown off when an explanation is needed.

As the packing continues the boy next door comes to visit and it is like no time has passed between the last time he was here, but the conversation is lacking but the passion is still there until he says something unusual and is asked to leave when tempers alight and anger is ignited, but this is the last time he is seen alive, but the person in the spotlight for causing it doesn’t know why they are there, but this is just the beginning of the strange things that start to happen. The time gaps increase and the memories associate them are fuzzy and incomplete, but when somebody else is hurt and the spotlight seems even brighter and more blame is piled on top, things start to unravel, the mind starts to fracture and the explanations seem far fetched, but that is where the truth lies, however unbelievable it is.

As the injuries and bodies pile up and the darkness creeps in, the unbelievable becomes fact and the fear increases, but what has happened during the time gaps and will the incomplete memories explaining them ever be revealed? Who is the one who has been doing all these hurtful things and why? When the person seen in the mirror is not the one you know, how would you react? This is a thought provoking murder mystery with a twist where you have to read to the end to understand the tale, but it is well worth the read and you will be rushing to the conclusion to find out if your suspicions and assumptions are indeed the correct ones.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Sure As Hell (Life Is Hell Book 4) by Naomi Valkyrie – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

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Sure As Hell (Life is Hell #4)Sure As Hell by Naomi Valkyrie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jaru Fane is an Imp, he used to be a contract companion, but now after a horrible experience, he has decided to create his own contact companion company which will employ and look after companions in a safe environment, something which he missed out on and his best friend is Larkspur, a pixie with an unhappy past and a penchant for mischief and playing pranks.

As Jaru is setting up his business, he didn’t quite realise how little time he has to spend with Lark between meeting, interviews, looking at contracts and making the decisions he needs to, but decisions are not the easiest thing for Jaru, he struggles to make them without help and it is
getting him down. Meanwhile, Lark is feeling left out and bored and when he gets bored, that is when the pranks start, nobody is happy when that happens, so he decides to sneak into the office with Jaru the next day. As he has his first interview of the day, he senses that something maybe isn’t quite right with the person he is interviewing, but he seems a good fit nevertheless,
afterwards, he ponders his decision making ability while Lark is planning his way to get to Jaru’s office the next day. While there, Jaru is looking over some more profiles for the business and thinks about getting some breakfast, however, he is startled when he sees some on his desk, this is when Lark shocks him further as he makes an appearance and spends the rest of the morning helping Jaru with the profiles, then just before he leaves the office he receives a strange phone call, but thinks no more about it.

A couple of days later, Jaru goes to his office as usual, but unusually, he finds a note on his desk saying that contract companions have been going missing and that his are next in line, so he tries to think of a solution himself and decides to call a friend for some advice and he agrees
that it is a warning and to call if anything escalates, so when Jaru receives another phone call, this time containing a definite threat, he hires his friend so that he can arrange security for himself and his boys. Jaru has asked not to keep his other friends in the loop, however, Lark ends up hearing what is going on and decides to take matters into his own hands when he realises that Jaru is keeping secrets and confronts him the next day when it looks like Jaru is going a bit off the deep end and slipping back into old habits. During this confrontation, Lark ends up revealing one of his abilities without thinking and this starts a trail of new experiences for him and when Jaru discovers this, he is drawn to Lark in a different way, but when the danger takes a turn closer to home, Jaru starts to believe that he cannot be what Lark needs and encourages another to get close to him instead.

Will Jaru be able to keep his employees and Lark safe as the threats against him and Lark escalate, or will this be the end of something which hasn’t even had the chance to start? Will Lark be able to stay safe, or continuing to take matters into his own hands put Jaru in even more danger as well? This is a story of companionship, danger, revelations and realisations as
the ties that bind are in danger of being ripped away and more problems appear than solutions, but when mental health issues and increased worry are added into the mix, you will have to read to the end to see whether they can be untangled and fixed back into place.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Everything, Somewhere by David Kummer – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

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Everything, SomewhereEverything, Somewhere by David Duane Kummer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In Little Rush, a small town in rural America, it is the final summer holiday before their senior year and Hudson, Willow and Mason decide to make the best of it, they plan on having fun, smoking, drinking and talking the nights away with a final hoorah of not having responsibilities or feeling like they need to be adults, but Hudson is not as joyous as he would seem, he is bored of both life in Little Rush and life in general, he cannot see the life all around him, but can see the death which is slowly coming towards him, his melancholy is catching up with him and he feels like there is nothing which can stop it. He is going through the motions and pretending like there is nothing wrong, at least he is when he is around his friends, but their blossoming romance isn’t helping the situation, neither is the feeling that he cannot escape the stereotypical “farmer boy” image he is stuck with. As they start a typical night of amusement in Mason’s dads cabin, involving alcohol and reminiscing of good times past, Willow suddenly announces that a famous actor will be moving to Little Rush and when she reveals that it is Bruce Michaels, both of the boys get excited as it is their favourite actor of all time, this is where the speculation begins and Willow is bored after the conversation goes on for longer than she anticipated. The next morning amid hangovers from hell the guys tidy up and carry on discussing the news while Willow sleeps the alcohol off and when he is dropped off home, Hudson is in trouble with his parents and the excitement he felt beforehand disappears and his depression comes back full force as he sits on his own in his room with the joy sucked out of him.

Willow and Mason are also thinking about Little Rush and their future, what it will hold, why they are torn between leaving the town and staying, they try and figure out their feelings and as they spend more and more time together, they kind of leave Hudson behind and he begins to feel like a thirds wheel. Meanwhile, a chance encounter while sitting with Mason in the treeline which borders the outside of Bruce Michael’s house leads to a conversation with the man himself and leads to a0 feeling that he can confide in Bruce when he can’t with his friends. As the summer progresses, Hudson’s feelings spin slowly downwards as he receives bad news on top of more bad news, the gap developing between himself and his friends is widening as he feels uncomfortable being around them and abandoned when they stop inviting him to hang out as much. However, he is increasing the amount of time he is spending with the old actor and using it as an excuse to avoid everyone else, but this is leading him into a spiral which nobody seems
to realise he is in.

Will the distance which grows between Hudson, his friends and his family change things so much that it sends him in a direction he shouldn’t be going, or can it be mended enough that
Hudson can come back from it all? This is a story of summer breaks, mental illness, relationships, lies, truths and worlds colliding, it is in the most unlikely pairings where the dangers truly lie, but what the dangers are, only reading to the end will reveal.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Revelations (Separate Worlds Book 1) by Izzibella Beau – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

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Revelations (Separate Worlds Book 1)Revelations by Izzibella Beau
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Zach and Emily are just two seniors in high school in West Lakes, Zach is part of a big family and is close to his siblings, but he has friends who are like family to him as well, but Emily is the new kid in town with only her Aunt who she lives with, but no friends because she moves around so much because of her Aunt’s work. As they both embark on a new school year, they are polar opposites from completely separate worlds, but when those worlds collide nothing will be the same.

As Zach prepares for his new school year, he has the usual single word conversation with his younger brother as he is woken up too early by him coming home too late, they are the complete opposite in personality, if not in looks, but they are still family despite annoying each other to death, whereas Emily is still unpacking from her move and takes a welcome break to go to the mall with her Aunt to get some new clothes for the start of the new school year, she wants to make a good impression as the new kid in town and is not overly sure that the nerves aren’t going to get the better of her in the end.

When the fateful first day arrives, Zach is happy to see his friends, but when he has to go to the administrators office to get his schedule instead of it being at the seniors table, he is more than annoyed with the delay, but when he enters, there is a girl in there before him, she intrigues him, but when she turns around he is lost and when she turns around she isn’t as stunned into silence as him. This girl is Emily as she collects her schedule as well after being dropped off at the school, she smiles at the hot guy standing in front of her, but politely excuses herself when he just stands there and stares at her rudely. As she is trying to find her way to her locker and first period, she is approached by a couple of girls as she is attempting to keep her head down and avoid the usual stares and comments as she walks by, especially from the other hot guys who were in the office before her and it turns out that the guy from earlier is in her first period and as the girls introduce themselves and him, he walks her to their class, but barely says two words to her.

Zach is completely distracted by Emily and has no idea why as he doesn’t normally react to girls like that and it makes him more and more annoyed as the day goes on, especially when Emily is invited to join their group at lunch and then to shopping, the football game and the dance afterwards that Friday. As the days pass, Zach gets a handle on his emotions and inner conflicts and gets to know Emily more, she is as happy with this turn of events as he is and they become closer as time goes on. Will this be the moment when Emily can finally stop moving around and will Zach finally find an attraction like he never has before, or is it all just teenage hormones and nothing more? This is a sweet romance with some adult themes, but it is a romance with a twist which keeps you wanting to know more about their different worlds and what will happen as time goes on between them.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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The Luminara Series: Box Set Volume 1: Lussuria – L’amore – Lucca’s Lust by SJ Molloy. – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

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The Luminara Series: Box Set Volume 1: Lussuria - L'amore -Lucca's LustThe Luminara Series: Box Set Volume 1: Lussuria – L’amore -Lucca’s Lust by S.J. Molloy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is only suitable for those over 18 as it contains adult themes and content which could trigger some readers.

Lexi is a woman who has been to Hell and back again, but the things she experienced there have broken her in more ways than one and she is mired in darkness, but she is also afraid of her own shadow, afraid that she will be dragged back to Hell and she is terrified of what will happen if she is. At night when she sleeps, she has nightmares where she relives everything she has been through, she is closed off and anxious about everything and uses her medication and therapy to try and just survive her everyday life, but when Lucca walks into her life out of the blue, things will never be the same again.

Lexi is preparing for a girls holiday away with her best friend, but before she can get home to pack, she has to finish unpacking the moving boxes in her new physiotherapy office in a leisure centre, the lease has just been agreed and she needs to prepare everything for her business partner when he opens up while she is away. She is also trying to field messages and phone calls from her other friends and family, but she hasn’t got the time or energy to deal with all that drama as well as everything else, however when she does acknowledge them, it leads her into a panic attack and just as she is going full pelt into it there is a knock at the door. She jumps up in shock and turns her back on the Italian voice she hears, but he ignores the request to give her a moment and comes straight over, lifting her chin up to look at him and asks again if she is ok. As she slowly raises her eyes, she cannot help but admire his physique, he is tall, muscly, domineering and very masculine, but the moment that their eyes meet she cannot look away, he is gorgeous and has a warm aura, but the intensity is off the charts, never mind the sex appeal.

After he introduces himself as Lucca, it turns out that he is there for a consultation as his back is hurting him, but she is finding it so hard to concentrate, as she hasn’t been affected in this way by anyone in this way before, however, she manages to get through the consultation, despite trying to ignore the fact that he is most definitely aroused and that it is affecting her in the same way and it terrifies her, especially when he asks her to dinner, but she refuses and just about maintains her professionalism until he leaves. When she eventually finishes work and she goes home and discusses it with her girls, they are all happy that this has happened and help her to get to grips with the feelings, she also deals with her family and the news they have for her, then she focuses on her girls night in and preparing for her holiday the next day.

The next day dawns early and she finialises her preparation, she is looking forward to the three weeks away she has planned, when she does set off on the journey, she is nervous, but excited, especially when they are traveling through the countryside and see the hotel for the first time. They are warmly welcomed with food and drinks and given time to freshen up before heading down for dinner with the other people who are staying there, however, when she entered the room and sees Lucca, her brain goes into panic mode, fight or flight sets in and she does what she always does and runs away. She feels like she is being stalked and just wants to go straight home, however she finds out that it is an accident and that it is actually the hotel owner’s grandson. It turns out that he wants to see her and apologise for the shock, she reluctantly agrees and is happy when her friend supports her with the decision, but when she finds that she finds comfort in his touch and is not acting in her usual way she is shocked, but when she starts to open up and agrees to spend some time with him to get to know him because he is persistent in his requests and this is the start of something neither of them is prepared for.

Will Lexi be able to spend time with Lucca and feel comfortable doing it, will she spurn his advances or will she let her walls down and allow him to see her and everything which she is holding behind those walls and will Lucca be able to accept her as she is, baggage and all, or will this just be something to break out of her shell? This is a story of trauma, emotions, love, acceptance and finding light in the darkness which will pull you into their lives and keep you there as you go on their journey with them.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Spiteful Punks: dolls and douchebags part one by Madeline Fay – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

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Spiteful Punks: dolls and douchebags part oneSpiteful Punks: dolls and douchebags part one by Madeline Fay
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is only for those over 18 due to its adult nature and possibly triggering themes.

Tillie is seventeen and she has only known darkness in her life, apart from when her Uncle was still alive, he treated her better than anyone else, but the abuse she has suffered at the hands of said “family” is horrific and has caused her every kind of pain imaginable. Her father is the President of an motorcycle club and he is the one which has instigated most of her pain and created the nightmares of her abuse which relives at night, that is until someone who cares about her helps her to escape, so she crashes her bike, hitches a ride to the nearest city and heads to an address where she is told she will be safe. She has to do this in disguise and fabricate a story to go with her actions, but she finally feels free and the day after she turns eighteen and makes it to the address, her life is about to change.

Her arrival is unexpected and unknowingly she causes a bit of upset, but she is told to make herself at home and help herself to anything she needs, she decides the first thing is going to be to get something to eat, but just as she is about to eat it, she hears footsteps in the hallway and fearing the worst, she grabs a kitchen knife and confronts the person, however, the young man she finds isn’t anyone she knows, but he is just as dangerous. Even as he is being threatened by Tillie, he has the same tinge of darkness and madness as she sees in her own eyes and as he brandishes his own knife hidden in his boot, she is confused by the fact that she is aroused by the whole scene and even more confused when a second young man approaches from behind and just increases the sensations in his own way, a light to the other’s darkness. They introduce themselves as Logan and Trey and these confused feelings come to a head when the next morning she realises that the suite she has slept in isn’t as secure as she hoped when Logan enters the shower with her and they end up in a passionate embrace, but as a meeting is called with the household and another young man, her world is about to be turned upside down.

Once the truth of where she has escaped to comes to the fore and she is told that she will be attending the local school and that the young men are told that she is not to be let out of their sight, they must escort her everywhere and that she will be meeting the fourth member of the young men’s group and he will have her schedule ready for her to collect, after this revelation, the names of the mysterious third and fourth young man are revealed as Nicholas and Dalton. Will Tillie be able to figure out her feelings about the four young men and whether she will be accepted into thes new life despite feeling like an outcast? Will she be able to keep her sanity in this new type of cage, or will her darkness break through and destroy her once and for all? This is a thrillingly dark romance which is unpredictable, hard hitting and keeps you guessing until the end.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Savage: An Ash Park Novel (Volume 10) by Meghan O’Flynn – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

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Savage: An Ash Park Novel (Volume 10)Savage: An Ash Park Novel by Meghan O’Flynn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Detective Edward Petrosky returns and he is even more of a mess than last time, his sobriety is practically non-existent and although he hasn’t been caught with the alcohol yet, only time will tell as to whether he is, but he and his partner are still solving crimes despite it. He is woken too early as usual by the buzzing of his phone combined with his dogs terrible breath and slobber and as he goes to answer it, it is his partner on the other end, again as usual, however, today she is calling from somewhere all to familiar, the diner where he picks up his laced coffee most mornings because there has been a kidnapping . When he gets to the diner and realises just who is missing, and it his favourite waitress who doses up the coffee who is the victim, she is pregnant and due any day, but the thing which makes matters even worse is that the witness who called it in doesn’t have that much information to give them, so they have no leads and no idea who has taken her, but they have an idea where to start looking, those who were closest to her.

As they start to look into the case more, speak to people to try and find something, they just keep coming across dead end after dead end, the only lead they have is a truck, but with no make, model or even colour to go on, they are starting to lose hope of finding her alive. When he gets home, Petrosky wants nothing more than a drink, but instead he is faced with a family meal with his family and the girls who live next door, as well as his dog, he is trying to keep up appearances, but he is struggling, even though he loves them all dearly, he feels responsible for all that has befallen them. The next day Petrosky and his partner head to a house in the suburbs where a member of the public reported that a truck which could match the one they are looking for pulled up to the house, honked its horn and left, although they say that they didn’t see anyone going in, it isn’t guaranteed that they didn’t, but when they arrive and find that a newborn baby has been left in the basement surrounded by empty, but sealed cardboard boxes, it is clean and healthy, but has been abandoned, however, Petrosky realises that the scene has been set up and is almost identical to one he worked years before.

Later on at the diner, Petrosky and his partner meet with another detective and this is where the deja vu in the basement really hits home when the confirmation is made that it is connected to the past case which Petrosky wishes he could forget, but the similarities and connection to another homicide make it undeniable that there is a copycat on the loose, but there are differences as well and that is what Petrosky is trying to focus on. As Petrosky tries to hold things together and investigate what he can, but after the waitresses body is found, he has to come face to face with an old adversary to get some answers, but while he is there, one of the worst things that could happen does when one of the ladies next door is kidnapped. Will Petrosky be able to follow the trails of breadcrumbs which are the only leads he has, or will he be too late to save his friend, lie all the others he has failed before and will he be able to stop his drinking before it leads him to oblivion? This is another thrilling chase to solve a crime where everything points to a killer who should be dead, but you will be hooked into the investigation as much as the detectives as time passes by.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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In Plain Sight (The Broken Bow Book 3) by Ashley A. Quinn – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

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In Plain Sight (Broken Bow Book #3)In Plain Sight by Ashley A Quinn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Rayna Nydert is a beautiful woman with a successful business growing and selling produce to the locals and in nearby farmers markets, but recently has been full of regret and shame over her part in putting a close friend in danger and Thomas Archer is not letting her forget it easily, and although they once dated, those feelings are well in their past and neither one knows how to deal with that, so they just push each other away, but for different reasons, that is until Rayna finds a young man in one of her fields, he is injured and terrified, but agrees to her help, although he refuses to go to a hospital and this is when she calls in Thomas who albeit is a veterinarian, he has had some medical training on humans as well and this is where everything changes.

As Rayna brings the young man into her home, she tries to talk to him while she is apprehensive waiting for Thomas to arrive and take a look at him and she can tell when he does that this is the last thing that he wants. As he starts to talk to them, he tells them his name and that he has been running with his wounds for three days and that he would rather die than go back to where he was, he has tried to leave before, but he always ended up back with the Smiths. This shocks the two of them and as he takes a look at the injuries, but when the kid announces that he doesn’t know how old he is or even what year it is, it is almost more than Rayna can bear, but the three sit down and eat something while they figure out what to do. Rayna insists that the kid should stay with her, but Thomas isn’t keen on the idea and decides that he will stay as well, but as he hasn’t anything prepared and the kid has nothing but the dirty clothes on his back, Thomas makes a couple of pit stops at home and the local bog name chain store to get supplies. While Rayna unpacks the shopping in the kitchen Thomas takes the clothes and toiletries up to Rayna’s spare room where the kid is just coming out of the shower and when he offers to “pay” for the clothes, the reality hits home of exactly what this kid has been through.

The next morning, the three of them start to have more of a conversation over breakfast and it is apparent just how much this kid has missed out on, but Rayna and Thomas are determined to keep him safe, but in the end they agree that in the end, the decision is up to him, albeit with a few notes of encouragement from Rayna. After a few days where he starts to settle in, the secret comes out and their families find out what has happened and this is where a very quiet investigation is begun into where the kid was being kept, who was doing it and why, but this brings danger to their front doorsteps and things start to go wrong, but things also start to go right as Rayna and Thomas finally start to open up to each other as they grown to know the kid as well. Will Thomas and Rayna be able to keep the kid safe while trying to figure out how to bring down those who hurt him, or will the trail run deeper than anyone expects? This is a thrilling race against time as the group has to find out who is behind everything before the danger comes calling, all the while some of the relationships are strengthened throughout the trying time.

Reviewd by @roxsannel

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In Over Her Head: Lights, Camera, Anxiety (The Cecily Taylor Series Book 2) by Krysten Lindsay Hager – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

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In Over Her Head: Lights, Camera, Anxiety (The Cecily Taylor Series #2)In Over Her Head: Lights, Camera, Anxiety by Krysten Lindsay Hager
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Cecily Taylor returns in this second installment of the series about her life and she is on top of the world, her dream crush Andrew Holiday is now her boyfriend, it is looking like a career in acting could be on the horizon and she has two best friends she tells everything to, well apart from that she has a boyfriend because they have agreed to keep things private at the moment. As the day dawns, Cecily is already up to say goodbye to Andrew which is a shock to those around her, she isn’t normally an early riser in the slightest, but she is already missing him, so when one of her best friends Lila comes over for a visit, she is more than happy about it. As they go shopping and talk about the things happening at school, Cecily gets the feeling that she is distracted by something and that feeling is increased when she doesn’t ask Cecily’s opinions about anything, then rushes out of the store and when they stop for a drink, she is constantly on her phone until a beaming smile appears on her face and she rushes to stop the afternoon and Cecily has a feeling it is because she is talking to her ex again, who treated her badly and that she is ditching her to spend time with him.

When she is unceremoniously dropped off home, Cecily goes up to her room, checks in with her other best friend and finally watches an old tv programme she enjoyed and when Andrew checks in with her, they end up watching it together, even though they aren’t next to each other. The next day she heads to school as if everything is normal again, but there is still a distance between her and Lila, even her other best friend notices and over the next few days it is a pattern which keeps repeating and Andrew is working hard so can’t talk to her as much as she would like, but when she does get to talk to him, it makes up for it and they start to confide in each other more and more. When Andrew gets a gap in his schedule he comes back home for a few days and introduces Cecily to a couple of his friends, but things are a bit weird and Cecily cannot understand why until she talks to Lila, on one of the days when she isn’t ditching her for her boyfriend, but amid all the anxiety, they talk it out and get back on good terms. Meanwhile, Andrew tells Cecily that someone in his management team has spoken to a magazine who saw her in his music video and want her to go to New York and model for them, but Cecily has to convince her parents that this is a good idea and she has no idea whether they will let her, however, they relent when her grandma agrees to go with her.

Cecily meets her grandma at the airport for their flights and the break starts off with a beautiful hotel, upmarket treats and a little bit of shopping, but when it becomes close to the time for the shoot, things start to go wrong, there is a protest and she is late, the staff are rude and this leads to a huge anxiety attack, however, despite it all, when she gets on set they are really impressed and she makes friends with the other models. Andrew is really proud, but also breaks the news that he has to go on a retreat with his brother, his brothers girlfriend and her sister, Cecily is nervous about it, but accepts that things like that are out of her control, however, when a photo of Andrew and the sister come out on social media, the way it looks sends Cecily on an anxiety trip like no other and she immediately fears the worst, but with Lila on another period of not talking to her and her other best friend busy, she struggles to handle it all. Will this be the first major hurdle to get over, or will the past repeat itself and be the end of her and Andrew’s fledgling relationship? This sweet romance whirls you along with Cecily as she deals with life, dating a star and everything which goes along with it, but also teaches you a lot about anxiety at the same time, well worth a read for anyone of any age.

Review by @roxsannel

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Jinxed (Hell on Heels Book 2) by Maggie Adams – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

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Jinxed (Hell on Heels, #2)Jinxed by Maggie Adams
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sadie Beauchamp is a crystal loving, holistic medicine performing, bangle and caftan wearing woman who is one of a group of friends who mean the world to each other, she also believes in spirituality and the life of a hippie, herbal teas and divining the future, however, when she goes to a palm reader to get a reading to do with the dreams and anxiety she has been having recently, however, when the reading is not a good one and she is given a warning and practically pushed out of the door, she finds that she cannot hide her fears from her friends anymore, especially when she announces she has to leave because of parts of herself she has kept secret for years.

As she talks about how she thinks her house is haunted and that she has demons chasing her, but practical as they are, the group immediately put a plan into action where they will take her to see a reputable doctor for a full health check, calling on Mitchell, the brother of one of the ladies as he has experience in investigations and solving problems. After eating and drinking, they finally convince her to spill the secrets she is so insistent on keeping close to her chest and the result is not what they expected in the slightest and they struggle to see how this information could be so dangerous to them, let alone Sadie herself, but she eventually agrees to Mitchell helping her out, despite the fact that he broke her heart the last time she saw him and they have no idea it even happened. Two days later and Sadie is at the airport picking Mitchell up, she is a bag of nerves and cannot deny that she is still attracted to him and that he makes her heart and boy do things she doesn’t want to and he insists on driving as she fills him in on the current situation.

When they get to her apartment, Mitchell insists on staying and investigating the things causing her anxiety, but much to Sadie’s horror, he moves the furniture out of place and proceeds to tell her that he will be sleeping in the same bed as her as well so that he can protect her. Will Mitchell be able to solve the mystery of her present, the conundrum of her past while she tries not to get her heart broken again? This is a romance with a dark twist which is as unpredictable as it is romantic, but will keep you hooked as you travel along Sadie’s path with her.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Minx by Maggie Adams – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

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MinxMinx by Maggie Adams
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Miranda Blake is in her fifties and thought she had her life all sorted out, apart from being a bit klutzy, that is until her husband suddenly wants a divorce, her out of his life and their house within a couple of weeks while he is on a cruise they were meant to be going on together, talk about a bombshell! As he prepares to leave the house, she is equally panicked and angry, she hasn’t worked since she got married, she gave up things for him and he repays her by having an affair, but she does give him a piece of her mind, which he doesn’t expect, but the satisfaction for Miranda is just what she needed, until exhausted she collapses into the spare bed. The next morning, she wakes up feeling worse for wear, but better after a shower, until one of her best friends comes in, gun in hand and nearly shoots her when Miranda attacks her with a hairdryer, both are as surprised as the other but when Miranda explains the situation amid floods of tears and collapses into another exhausted sleep and wakes up with her other friends rallied around her and ready to help out any way that they can, including talking her through why they love her and giving her soon to be ex-husband the nickname of “Rat Bastard”.

As the deadline to leave her home advances, she gets some advice and more help from her friends as they talk about what needs to happen for the divorce to happen and then after packing up her belongings, they discover that they need to take her shopping as he owns everything, including the clothes on her back. As the impromptu shopping trip starts to slow down and the ladies hit Starbucks, they insist that she does a catwalk strut, but when she tries, her klutzy nature comes to the fore and her new heels get stuck in a hole in the sidewalk and she stumbles face first into the lap of an extremely handsome man, much to her embarrassment., but it proceeded to become a horror show when she used his sensitive parts as leverage when she tried to get up which led to her falling back on her rear end all over again. This incident doesn’t stop him from introducing himself, asking for her number and promptly asking her out to dinner the next day and yet again her friends rally round and help her to get ready for her first date in years. As the drink and conversation flow, they get on well and when she blurts out that she needs a job, he says he will see what he can do when he casually name drops that he has a brother who owns the company he also works for and when his brother goes past them and introduces himself, she is a little lost for words and at the end of the night, she doesn’t know which of the two she would prefer.

As the ladies gossip and demand the details from the date as they work on her resume so it is ready when he calls her a few days later and says that a position has opened up as an executive secretary and has set up an interview for her as he thinks that she will be perfect for the position and she does get it, as the lady she is replacing is about to give birth. As she is settling in to her new role, she overhears some conversation she isn’t overly happy about, but she isn’t in any position to challenge, or change, however, when the boss steps in and helps her out with it, she realises that she is going to have to figure out what shape the future is going to take and is asked to move to be his assistant when the one she has stepped in for returns after her maternity leave, this leads to her helping to organise an important fundraiser and while she is at the mall looking at things in person, she has to pop to the bathroom to avoid being caught while overhearing another conversation, however, when she comes out and tries to ignore the sales assistant hailing her, she runs into the boss whom she was just listening to, but her inability not to embarrass herself comes crashing in when she realises that she has been mooning the entire mall and while trying to put her clothing back into place, another unfortunate incident involving her underwear happens. Will Miranda ever be able to get through a situation without embarrassing or injuring herself, or will this nature be her undoing? Will she be able to get through the divorce without anything else getting in the way, or will disaster strike again and her choices be taken out of her hands? This is a romance in an unusual generation which makes it even more humorous as it is romantic and will keep you entertained all the way through and wanting to know more about the adventures of this group of friends at the end.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Wolf’s Beautiful Beast: The Big Bad Wolf and Red Riding Hood, join Rapunzel to battle a beast. (The Untold Stories Book 3) by Suzanna Lynn – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

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Wolf's Beautiful Beast (The Untold Stories, #3)Wolf’s Beautiful Beast by Suzanna Lynn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Lycus is a werewolf, he was cursed to live  this life by a witch and for 18 years he was a man by day and a wolf by night, all to protect the girl in the tower called Rapunzel, but all that changed the day that Red, a girl living near the cursed woods and the only one brave enough to hunt in there despite the woods, came along and rescued Rapunzel and vows to help her return to her home in Oz.

This is how the three unlikely allies and friends end up leaving all they have known all or most of their lives and Red leaving her last living relative behind to board a ship heading to Brackengulch, however the journey is not going smoothly when they are hit by a terrible storm and shipwrecked. Fortunately Lycus is able to transform into his wolf and swim to safety with the two girls in his back, but although they are back on land, they’re not safe as they are told that they have landed in the Kingdom of Bruen, the ones who cut off the cursed Blakx forest in order to save themselves.

They are politely questioned by a soldier who knows about the shipwreck and as they try to warm up in a local tavern, it is announced that they have been invited up to the castle as the King and Queen’s guests, this is not wholly welcomed, but it is grudgingly accepted. While they are travelling in the horse drawn covered wagon, they briefly look out of the wagon to see what the Kingdom is like and all they see are wary subjects and threats are given freely to anyone when things are discussed which should not be, but try as they might they get no more answers apart from there is a curfew at sunset because the dark is dangerous. They eventually arrive at the castle and are offered rooms to freshen up in, clean clothes and an invitation to dine with the King and Queen that evening, but Lycus manages to upset the King with a careless question, which is unexpected as it is normally Red who would do something that, especially with her grave dislike of the royalty and kingdom in question. After dinner they return to their rooms where Lycus talk with his serving boy and asks him for more information about why the villagers are scared and what of and although he gets answers, they just being more question, but manages to get some time with Red and Rapunzel so they can discuss these facts in relative secrecy, followed by Lycus slipping out of the castle to see what he can find out on his own, but he runs into more trouble and ends up having to join in a hunt for this “Beast” everyone is scared of, or his sisters as they have been assumed to be, will be imprisoned.

Will Lycus be able to play his part in the hunt and ensure that Red and Rapunzel are allowed to remain free, or will he find that his inner beast finds a kindred spirit when he is captured by the beast and will this make his choice between his friends and a princess be his downfall? This is another fantastic retelling of an untold story which keeps you just as interested in finding out the differences between them.

Review by @roxsannel

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Kissing the Kavalier by Annette Nauraine – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur .

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Kissing the KavalierKissing the Kavalier by Annette Nauraine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Zdenka Waldner is a Countess, her family live on a farm in the country, but unfortunately they are about to lose it all because of her father’s gambling debts, so the family decide to go to Vienna where her sister Arabella can début into society and hopefully find a handsome and rich husband who will help to solve all their problems. Matteo Von Ritter is Lieutenant with the Kavalier Regiment in the Austrian army and has just come back from the Battle of Königgratz where he and his regiment have been injured in a brutal battle and he is still recovering from his injuries when he attends his Aunts social event, he is only there to support her, but when he is introduced the the belle of the ball, suddenly things don’t seem as bad.

As Zdenka and Arabella prepare for another event in the social butterfly’s calendar, Zdenka is as usual dressed in men’s clothing and acting as Arabella’s chaperone as her younger brother, although maybe she is enjoying her freedom a little too much despite the pressure on them to find Arabella a good match before the final event of the season. As they approach their destination, they pass an elderly man on the stairs who trips, but they also see that a handsome soldier helps him back to his feet, at least there are some good people still in the world, unlike some of the suitors who are arrogant and only wanting of a pretty trophy to marry rather than a woman who has her own mind. That is until the hostess introduces the pair to her nephew who just happens to be the soldier from the staircase, Zdenka is quite taken with him, but it appears he is also quite taken, but not with her, much to her disappointment, with her sister. Meanwhile Matteo is trying his hardest to get through the event with his sanity in place, but the people are loud and obnoxious and albeit the music is pleasant, he feels the need to soothe himself with alcohol, that is until he meets the fair Arabella and makes her acquaintance. As the evening passes and he gets to know her a bit more, he is slightly annoyed at how her brother is always hovering, although he isn’t unpleasant to look at either which is disturbing to Matteo as he has never felt like that towards another male and this makes him even more uncomfortable, if that is even possible.

Later on Matteo speaks with his cousin and together they devise an elaborate plan for Matteo to show his interest in Arabella via her brother and so a scheme is started where Matteo will bond with Zdenka, in order to gain favour with her sister, however, as a friendship begins to blossom and they learn more about each other and what they want out of life, Zdenka to run her families farm and Matteo to help the veterans of war when nobody else will, Zdenka is realising that it is becoming harder to hide that she is not in fact male and add that to the fact that Matteo cannot abide lies and liars and she is both, but as letters begin to be exchanged, little does Matteo realise that he is actually conversing and falling in love with Zdenka and not Arabella.

Will Arabella and Zdenka’s elaborate hoax be discovered and what will this mean for them and the family farm, will they be able to save it, or will they lose the only home they have ever known? What will Matteo do when he finds out about the deception, will he accept the truth, or will this finally be the final straw which breaks his heart forever? This is a fabulous retelling of a famous opera, but with an alternate storyline which is as compelling as the original one.

Review by @roxsannel

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To be a Fae Queen (Realm Chronicles Book 1) by Tricia Copeland – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

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To be a Fae Queen (Realm Chronicles #1)To be a Fae Queen by Tricia Copeland
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Titania is Princess of Aubren in the realm of Middle Earth, she is fifteen years old and for the last three years and since the death of her brothers, she has been in training to take over the throne from her father. She has a fulfilling life between her studies, learning about weaponry and fighting techniques, plus music and sewing as benefits a lady, although she has no friends and there is only one person she is close to, apart from her parents with whom she spends time every evening after dinner, talking with her father and trying to talk to her unresponsive mother. One evening, however, all this changes when Titania learns from her father that the crystals which power the faerie ring and link between theirs and the world above is weakening because an old enemy has returned and is stealing the crystals which power it. She struggles to fall asleep as questions whirl round her head as to what the enemy is planning, how they are getting into their kingdom, so she decides to go and get some books from the library to research and hopefully answer her questions. When she wakes up the next day and notices that it has dawned differently and she has a feeling of unease which she cannot place until she asks whether more crystals have been stolen, when the answer is an affirmative, she is even more determined to find out why.

As there is nothing she can do, Titania carries on with her normal routine of walking in the castle grounds with her mother until it is time for her midday meal, as she ate late, Titania carries on with her walk until she senses that she isn’t alone and confronts the person following her, it turns out to be a young soldier barely older than her who has been assigned to watch over her and although it feels smothering, she just carries on as usual. The next day, that feeling of unease and that something is wrong increases, especially when she discovers that some of her own crystals have disappeared as well, however, when she comes up with a plan to figure out where the enemies are and a way to defeat them, her father acknowledges the worth of it, but assigns the soldiers to carry it out rather than her, despite knowing her skills. As more crystals are stolen and her father still stonewalls Titania from carrying out a search and her plan to find the enemies alternative entrance point when it is clear that they are not using the most obvious one, she devises a plan and the young guard to help her, however, as they search, they do finally uncover where the enemy is hiding.

As she shoots arrows across the entryway, she begins to take down the enemies and knowing this, they summon the rest of the army to come and help to destroy them, in the end the King arrives and heads the forces going into the cave system they two have discovered, but he is injured by the enemy and at that point, Titania takes over and takes the lead in the charge. When they enter the cave system, Titania recovers the stolen crystals and enables the escape of the troops as the caves are hit by tremors and sending the guard ahead with the crystals, she remains to finish off the enemy troops and ensure the safety of as many of her fathers troops as possible. When they all return, the King abdicates his throne and elects Titania to become Queen in his stead, however, this isn’t to everyone’s taste and an uprising begins on the point that a female fae should not be on the throne as they are unsuitable, as her court is split between the two factions, a smear campaign against her begins, this leads to her being arrested for treason before a trial can be convened to decide the ruler.

Will Titania be able to prove her innocence in the matter of treason and be able to compete in the trials for the crown, or should she hand over to a distant male cousin so that he can rule in her place instead? There are more questions than answers for Titania as she tries to keep her head above water in this thrilling fantasy adventure which spans accross realms.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Twisted Throttle: Satan’s Devils MC Second Generation #3 by Manda Mellett – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

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Twisted Throttle (Satan's Devils MC Second Generation #3)Twisted Throttle by Manda Mellett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This story is for those over 18 due to adult content and possible triggers.

Throttle is the Sergeant At Arms in the Satan’s Devils MC and he lives and breathes the club, the life and the women which he propositions and he wants nothing else, he is the happiest he has ever been and change is the last thing he wants, despite his parents best efforts at requesting it.

Today he is dealing with a slight to the club, someone has stolen a Prospects motorbike and that is something which is a sin, a mans bike is sacrosanct and nobody should touch it without their permission, but to let their bike be stolen is just as bad, even if they were only away from it for a few minutes, but as usual the clubs resident technical wizz has trawled through endless amounts of CCTV and actually found it, now they just have to pay a visit to the scrapyard when it has been traced to. Throttle is more than ready for this type of action, it has been to quiet for him as of late, so getting the opportunity to grab the guys who stole it, find out what they were planning to do with it and take them to task while telling them the mistake they have made and the consequences which go along with it, none of which is pleasant, for them at least. After the warning has been given and the people of interest have been returned to their workplace in a much worse state than when they left it, Throttle’s dad asks him for a word and they talk about what his parents wanted for him and how he only ever wanted to be in the MC when he didn’t sign up to the armed forces, much to his parents’ relief, they also discuss the fellow member who has had mental health issues and making sure that Throttle isn’t heading the same way and whether his is happy, as well as says that he is not altogether appreciative of his lifestyle of one night stands and carousel of women he knows his son consorts with.

After the heated discussion, he is needing some space as his emotions are running high, Throttle heads to the bar/ restaurant the Devil’s own where he can get something to eat and a drink, but he doesn’t expect to see a girl he knew as a kid and hasn’t seen for years working there. As they catch up, it is like those years disappear and she seems to have her life sorted out which makes Throttle happy to hear, but as she is working, the conversation peters out and he instead goes on the prowl and sees someone he thinks may be the next to ride his carousel, however, the chance disappears until the manager of the restaurant asks him to come back the next day to help manage a bachelorette party, to which he agrees. The next day he returns to help out, but ends up following the group to the next venue, which happens to be a strip club also owned by the Devils, much to his annoyance, but the same woman who caught his eye propositions him at the end of the night and he agrees to go back to her place, but when he sets out the rules, he assumes she will follow them, that is until the next day when she tries to get him to go out with her, he refuses and thinks no more of it.

When he returns to the clubhouse later that evening, he hears that one of the waitresses has been hurt and when he realises that it is his childhood friend, he rushes to her side at the hospital after stopping at the bar to see what happened. The next day he receives an expensive gift from a mystery person and as he tries to follow up on this, he is still checking in on his friend, but he is starting to think about her more and more and this has him worried, especially when he finds out that her house has also been ransacked. As time passes and his friend heals, he is tailed by a mystery car multiple times as he checks on her, followed by a further gift and silent phone calls, this mystery deepens and he gets involved with someone else,
but cannot see how they are all connected and neither can anyone else, is it a jilted lover, someone with it in for the MC, or something else entirely? This fast paced romp is a romance with a mysterious and dangerous twist as things out of Throttle’s control keep happening until he has no idea what is happening and you are pulled along on the journey with him you are just as mystified until the ending is revealed.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Hawk’s Cry : Satan’s Devils MC (Second Generation #2) by Manda Mellett – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

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Hawk's Cry (Satan's Devils MC Second Generation #2)Hawk’s Cry by Manda Mellett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a story for those over 18 as it deals with adult content and possible triggers.

Hawk is the VP of the Satan’s Devils MC mother chapter and he is in love with a beautiful woman who he has known all his life, he is married to her and has their first child on the way, he is the son of the old Prez and is following in his footsteps by living and breathing the MC life, but it is not the life he wants anymore and he wants out, but it is only when one of the other members comes to find him and find out what is wrong that he opens up and says what has been on his mind, they can’t understand it though and end up storming away in disbelief and leaving him to his thoughts and what he is going to tell his wife. As he approaches her, she knows something is off and has known for a while, but she is astonished when he tells her about his decision and then heads off to the weeks meeting with the other members before they have time to properly talk about it, but as he enters the room, he realises that his talk wasn’t as in confidence as he thought and that he has told the other member, so as he goes through the motions of the meeting, he is hoping it is over soon so that he can find out the ramifications of his decision.

As most of the members leave the room, they are told to stay close as they might end up being needed again and this is when the discussion about Hawk’s choice is brought up and nobody likes it one but it is unprecedented and nobody is really sure of how to proceed, but nevertheless, the conversation starts. As Hawk is trying to explain his decision, he is struggling to find the words he needs ro explain himself, so he just outright states he wants to leave the club, the compound and this life, but that he wants to take his wife with him, as expected, tempers fray and emotions are running high, but reality starts to hit as his options are laid on the table. This is when the other members are invited back in and the cards are laid on the table as they each take a vote, the decision ends up being a close call, but a beatdown and immediate expulsion are chosen, the next thing he knows, he is being escorted to the storeroom and after his dad takes the first hit, he sees him leave while the other members show him exactly what they think of the situation. As he regains consciousness, he is on the floor, in a world of pain and his house is being packed up around him as his wife cries, they are then taken to another place to live until they can find their own feet, he hadn’t realised how hard this would be on his wife, especially when their mums have to explain what decision was made and what the other option was.

As he has now left the club, he has to give up his road name as well and live life as Eli, but as he and Amy try and settle into a new life, he is unable to do anything while he heals and his moods deteriorate and he starts to spiral even more, Amy has no idea how to handle his distance and what to do about it as it is all new to her, but she ends up making a friend, albeit a male one, but one day things take a turn for the worse for both Eli and Amy when one feels unable to cope and the other has no idea how bad things have gotten. What will happen to the not so happy couple when the truth is revealed and things out of their control start to happen around them? This is a romance with a dark undercurrent which sweeps you along as you watch events unfurl and see the decisions which have to be made and the consequences of the actions which follow.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Amy’s Santa: Satan’s Devils MC (Second Generation #1) by Manda Mellet – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

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Amy's Santa: Satan's Devils MC (Second Generation) #1Amy’s Santa: Satan’s Devils MC (Second Generation) #1 by Manda Mellett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This story is only for those over 18 with adult content and may contain triggers within.

Amy is a 27 year old woman who has grown up with the Satan’s Devils and branched out on her own to attend college and get a degree in nursing, albeit to the frustration and worry of her parents, but she is successful and knows what she wants out of life and one thing is to return home every Christmas and see her parents, sibling and the extended family of those living around her, but this year she is dreading it, she is worried that they will see right through her and want to deal with her problem’s the only way she knows how, but she might just manage it with Xander by her side.

As they drive towards the compound, Xander asks her how she is feeling as they get nearer to Tucson and her home, she replied honestly that she is worried and is tempted to go back, but she knows that if she isn’t there, then her family will definitely suspect something and that is the last thing she wants, but even though Xander is trying to convince her that she needs to open up to them about what happened, she is more worried about what their reaction is going to be. It is her fault the event happened and they will all just blame her and agree that she was at fault, but she is so glad that he is there with her so he can help her as he has done for the last three months. As they approach the compound, they stop at the gate so they can be let in and Xander admires the area as it is not what he expected at all, but everything is as she expects and hopes they have waited so that their traditions can be kept up where she puts the last decoration up on the tree. After this has been completed, Amy introduces her friend to everyone, but she awkwardly tries to avoid hugs from the men around her, although she doesn’t hesitate with her dad or the ladies and kids and she is more than thankful that Xander helps her to do that, using wanting to freshen up and unpack as their excuse.

As they unpack, she fills Xander in when he asks about the Club and the people in it, but understands that he can only know so much, but he also knows when to push and when not to, meanwhile her dad is talking to her mum and is worried about her and a little bit about the man she is with, albeit the usual checks have been done, then they reminisce about her childhood and how she had grown into exactly what she wanted to be. As they go back to the clubhouse, they meet up with another member and talk about her and get his view on the situation and he feels the same way that they do, that something isn’t right, but to wait and see what it is. Later on as preparations for the family meal are going on Xander goes straight in and helps where needed as Amy spends time catching up with the family, this is appreciated, but as she talks to her dad, he is watching for her reactions to his questions and the feeling that something isn’t right is solidified, especially as he notices more little things as the evening progresses and he is determined to find out what it is and so asks Xander to have a chat in the morning.

As Xander reassures Amy that nobody noticed anything was amiss, they go about their normal nightly routine, including helping her deal with her nightmares, which she appreciates more than she can tell him and to help calm her, he asks how Christmas works so he knows what to expect later on in the day. The next morning, they exchange gifts and head down to the clubhouse for breakfast and although she is worried, Amy goes along too, but when someone puts his arm around her she goes into a full blown panic attack and has to be taken outside, but just as Xander is talking to her, her dad comes out and overhears them talking, this is where Xander ends up telling him everything. Will Amy be able to handle the rest of Christmas day and be able to relax around her family, or will what they find out tarnish their view of her forever? This is another fantastic installment which deals with some heavy topics, but is engrossing as you ride along with the Devils.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Peaceful Slumber (Soul Connection Book 1) by Nikki Lynn – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

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Peaceful Slumber (Soul Connection, #1)Peaceful Slumber by Nikki Lynn Barrett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Scott is a teenager and a bit of a recluse, he is jaded and sarcastic and pushes people away and keeps his own council, he doesn’t get along with his parents, or at least he doesn’t now, not since he died and was brought back, but the only problem with that is that now he can see the dead when nobody else can and that is why he is how he is. She is a ghost, she is wearing a wedding dress covered in blood and has no memories of who she is or what has happened, apart from that she is dead and nobody can see her, that is until she locks eyes with someone at a funeral and that all changes.

I have woken up in a dark place with fog swirling around my feet, I can’t feel anything and I can’t see anybody else around me, but I’m shivering and can feel a cold wind swirling around me, but as I start to panic, I can hear voices, someone sobbing and others trying to comfort them, but when I try to make contact, they can’t hear me. Scott is at the funeral of his Uncle, they are gathered around the grave while the ceremony is conducted, he is there for his Aunt and nobody else, but the dead are all around him and trying to get his attention, so far he has managed to ignore them all, if not, then they will swarm him and ask for his help, that is until one female ghost catches his attention, she is wearing a bloody wedding dress and for some reason he can’t look away and she notices and looks relieved. After he has finished avoiding his parents, he goes over to talk to her, and albeit he is short with her, she doesn’t back off and he is surprised to find that he invites her back to his house so he can help her.

Why did I have to find the one sarcastic guy in the world who can see me, even worse, I’m slightly attracted to him, as I ask him question and he does in return, how little memories I have are worrying and I don’t know what to do, but as Scott seems to be my only ally and we seem to get on well, I’ll take a chance. I get annoyed with Scott when he keeps calling me Ghost Bride, so I ask him to give me a different name and one he likes, he comes up with Zelda, apparently a character from a video game, but I like it, so that is one thing, as he suggests getting the laptop out to start on the research, I realise that I am happy that he will help me when nobody else can. Scott meanwhile is realising that this ghost is attractive, funny and can give the sarcasm as much as he can, so he decides that helping her could be fun, until she leaves, but still he cannot stop himself from noticing how attractive she is and how even though he knows she is dead, he still can’t ignore the fact that she makes him feel alive again.

Will Scott and Zelda be able to figure out who she is and how she died and how will this affect them both of the mystery can be solved? This is a romance with a very paranormal twist, with a mystery you will want to solve as well.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Forged by Secrets (Deadly Isles Special Ops Book 3) by Amy McKinley – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

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Forged by Secrets (Deadly Isles Special Ops, #3)Forged by Secrets by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Malina Johansson is an ordinary woman working as an analyst for a team of Navy SEALs, but she has secrets in her past which nobody can know about and Tyler Hale is one of three brothers and is on the Navy SEAL team which Malina is the analyst for, they have known each other since high school, but Malina has walls around her heart because of her past and Tyler wants to know the woman behind them because they have an attraction which is off the charts. That all changes when they go to Las Vegas for the birthday of a mutual friend and everyone knows that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, so the alcohol flows and inhibitions lower and Malina and Tyler end up in bed together for the second time, but when she wakes up, Malina slams her walls back up and flees the room with no memories of the night before, but she thinks no more about it and goes back to ignoring Tyler as best she can while Tyler is determined to get under her skin, again as usual.

Five weeks later and Tyler is still pushing her buttons while she tries to ignore it, but she knows he is about to go on a mission which means she’ll have some breathing room while he is away, but things don’t go as planned and Tyler ends up being detained overseas longer than planned when his mission goes awry and this makes him realise that he can’t keep playing games with Malina any longer and is determined to win her over as soon as he returns to Pearl Harbour and debriefed. A few days into Tyler’s mission, Malina heads to the office after a disturbed night and an early morning dealing with the aftermath of it, all the while, she is reminiscing about a time in her life she would rather forget and sees an old friend at the harbour and stops for a quick chat which helps. It is hot, humid and she isn’t feeling her best when she approaches the front door, but she is shocked when she is waylaid by a coworker before she even gets through and what she is told shakes her to the core, she is suspected of treason and if she is seen, she will be arrested. Malina knows what she has to do and returns home to pack a few things, followed by a bus ride to the harbour via a corner shop and ATM for supplies, she stays as hidden as possible and asks her friend for their help to get to her destination. As she is about to leave, she sees a familiar face in the crowd and hopes that they are not there for her, so although she has only been there once, she heads to Tyler’s place, it is the only place she can think of to hide and hope that he will help her when he returns.

Over the next couple of days, Malina settles in and waits for Tyler while hoping that the conversation they will have will not deter him from helping her, even though it will mean danger for him, but when they do have that conversation, it is sober and over cards, this leads to truths being laid out on the table as they each reveal something which will affect the rest of their lives. Will Malina and Tyler be able to find out who has framed her for treason and the reason why, or will all the secrets of their past destroy them before they can? This is a thrilling ride as revelations occur and danger lies around every corner, it hooks you in and pulls you along as you follow the path and untangle the web of intrigue which surrounds the main characters.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Evil Sushi by C.A. King – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

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Evil Sushi (Evil Sushi #1)Evil Sushi by C.A. King
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Two fishermen are down on their luck, as are most of the others with the same livelihood all over the world since people started to blame the meat industry for global warming and which led to a huge increase in demand for fish and the opening of the international fishing routes, since then, the seas have been overfished and not replenished, even the vegetation on the sea bed is dead and people are fighting over any meat they can get a hold of. Rod and Ned live in the town of Treacle, it is a typical small community which centres around the fishing industry and traditions passed down through the generations which has kept it alive, albeit now the boats are all in need of repair but are having to wait until finances allow.

One day, Rod and Ned decide to go out and see if there is anything left after the big corporation’s boats scoured the area and used charges to get as much out of the sea as physically possible, but when they go out and use one of Rod’s homemade gadgets to see the state of play under the water, they find something unexpected, something which could well change their fortunes, so they decide to take a sample back with them to take a closer look. What they discover when they get home is nothing short of breathtaking and when someone accidentally tries to remedy a mistake, the consequences are miraculous, while Rod cautiously decides to do some research, Ned tries something a bit more drastic and when he says that they have tried it and nothing bad has come of it, they decide to try and sell it.

Early the next morning, they go to market to sell their find, but anger the locals when they accidentally start an auction and when Ned hears the amount of money offered by a businessman who doesn’t belong, he takes it upon himself to accept before Rod can do anything about it. This business man then asks for a repeat order a few days later and thinking that this is the end of it and that their luck maybe turning round, they try and pack up while avoiding the rest of the shoppers, it is only when a few days later and the mysterious businessman hires someone to take the rest of the stock by force and pay them for the privilege of staying silent, that they begin to think that they made a mistake.

Rod and Ned try to forget about the whole thing and get on with their lives until strange things start happening in Treacle and that feeling of unease is reinforced by hearing news reports of other strange events. Will Rod and Ned come clean about what they found and try to defend the reasoning behind it, or will the whole thing backfire and end up affecting the world in the opposite way they hoped? This is a horror story which makes you think about whether something similar could actually come to pass while keeping you hooked until the end.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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Daisy’s Darkness (Wheels & Hogs Book 6) by D.M. Earl – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

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Daisy's Darkness (Wheels & Hogs #6)Daisy’s Darkness by D.M. Earl
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book contains graphic descriptions of experiences which could be emotional triggers, read with caution.

Daisy in a teenager with a loving family and a circle of friends she is close to, but she is also being bullied by a group of girls and it is made even worse when her older brother starts to date on of them over the summer holidays, when school starts again, she is struggling with everything and because of all this stress, lack of feeling safe, feeling like she has no control of her life and the mountain of school work she has to do for her advanced classes, she is spiralling and she can’t seem to reach out, no matter how hard she tries, she believes that only she can deal with her demons, alone.

When she returns from her winter school break, she is trying to regain some control, she is restricting her food intake to keep the weight loss going which she started over summer, she is also trying different things to release the thoughts, stresses and demons in her head, but as she prepares for the first day back, she knows that it is going to be hell and that the bullies are just going to get worse. The one thing she is looking forward to is seeing her friends, her queens, although she still feels alone despite all of the people she has around her, however, her worst fears come to pass when she is intentionally hurt by the bullies who blame her for her brother breaking up with one of them, as she is held down, she is in pain, but there is nothing she can do about it and she knows that if she tells someone about what really happened, it will only get worse for her. Eventually she has to go to the hospital, the injuries she sustained are so bad she passes out and wakes up there with no idea how ill she has been, but she still cannot open up to her parents.

As Daisy continues to spiral, she begins to hurt herself more and more, her parents and brother are worried about her as they don’t know what’s going on, she keeps everything to herself and just clams up when they ask her about it all, she knows she is doing things which are especially risky and that hiding them isn’t helping, but she can’t stop herself. She feels so alone and disconnected from everyone and everything that she can’t see what is happening around her, but it is when someone finds what she is doing when she is caught in the act that things finally come to a head.

Will Daisy be able to reach out to those around her to help her to battle her inner demons, or will she continue in this downward spiral and become even more of a danger to herself than she already is? This book is dark, yet enlightening and makes you think as you look through the eyes of a troubled girl and those around her, it is not for the faint of heart and it is not an easy read, but it is well worth the time you take to go along Daisy’s journey with her.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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