Thursday, May 16, 2024

Truth or Wolf by Anne Marsh [Review]


Truth or Wolf (Wolf Brothers #1) by Anne Marsh
Format: ebook
Source: provided for review
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: March 26, 2024

Wolf Brothers
1. Truth or Wolf - Paperback | Kindle

Anne Marsh
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):
Welcome to Moonlight Valley, Tennessee… the secret paranormal sibling of Penny Reid’s Green Valley and a small town where bearded werewolves outnumber the unsuspecting human inhabitants.
Twin brothers Atticus and Ford Boone may share the same face and the same supernatural secret, but where Atticus is charismatic and charming, Ford is grumpy and reserved… and that’s before he shifts into his wolf. When hardworking citizen scientist Alice Aymes reluctantly returns to Green Valley to restart her stalled life, she’s sure she knows what to expect. She’ll save up the money she needs to escape to Nashville while nursing her secret infatuation with the ever-popular Atticus Boone—and fighting with her high school nemesis, his twin brother. Alice hates Ford, and he’s always hated her right back. But after a case of mistaken identity has Alice kissing the wrong twin, she does what any good scientist does and analyzes the facts.

Fact #1: It’s time to revisit her unrequited crush on Atticus. Who needs a white-knight fantasy man when there’s a rock-solid, beaded lumberjack in your personal space?

Fact #2: Stimuli and sensory input ahoy! Growing up, Alice saw Ford as the grumpiest, sternest guy in town. They fought for years. Apparently that now sends her amygdalae into sensual overdrive.

Fact #3: The more bearded the wolf, the more protective and possessive.

As Alice finds herself irresistibly drawn to the man she loves to hate, the question lingers: How much of her level-headed heart is she willing to risk in the face of newfound desires and supernatural secrets?
Thoughts on Truth or Wolf: Who knew that versions of the Winston boys transported to a paranormal wolfy setting would do it for me? Given that I adore me some wolfies, I probably SHOULD have known this, but my enjoyment of Ford and Alice's romance was still a fun kick in the pants. Which might say something about my lack of self-awareness OR it might just be that I didn't know what I wanted until it hit me in the brain. (Spoiler: I'm going with the second option.)

So. Ford and Alice. He's a lot less charming than his twin and he's had a little something simmering for Alice for a LOOOONNNNG time. On Alice's end, Atticus (the charming twin) is easy to like and just...easy. Like, he's more fantasy than reality. She likes him because it's uncomplicated. Whereas Ford is Complicated (yes, with a capital C). Whenever they spend time near one another they fight. As it turns out, the fighting is like foreplay and Alice grows to enjoy their verbal spats once that's pointed out to her.

Besides the Ford and Alice romance, we have brothers who are wolves, a town that has a lot hiding under the surface (which is to say more than just the Boone wolves are in residence), familial bonds, secrets, a realignment of goals, some unscrupulous characters, and some sneaky happenings going on behind the scenes by the connivingest of the Boone brothers.

Yep, I didn't know I wanted small town wolfies with strong family bonds when I picked this book up, but BOY did they hit the spot.


Grab your copy TODAY!


Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , ,

Wonderland by Rachel Ember [Review]

Wonderland (In Vino Veritas) by Rachel Ember
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: June 6, 2023

In Vino Veritas
Wildfire
Counterpoint
Unmanageable
Underdog
Wonderland - Paperback | Kindle
Dauntless

Related Series:
(find all the books in the series on the 1st book review)
The Busy Bean
1. Sweetheart

Moo U
1. Boyfriend

Speakeasy
1. Touchstone

True North
1. Bittersweet

Vino and Veritas
1. Roommate

Rachel Ember
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):
I left Vermont on the most painful day of my life and swore I’d never go back. Meadows Park–the shuttered amusement park that’s been in my family for generations–is the home of all my finest and worst memories. They all star Peter Landry–the best friend I ever had, and the only guy I’ve ever loved.

But then my eccentric grandfather buried two million dollars on the property and couldn’t remember where.

So I’m back, and asking Peter for help. He’s an Ivy League lawyer now. Still gorgeous, and able to gut me with a single smile. And I’m still a disappointment, living in the city and washing dishes to get by. As soon as we strike off down the first sunlit path, the Meadows Park magic begins to fill my heart with yearning, lust, and most dangerous of all—dreams.

I’m secretly relieved each time the day ends, leaving us empty-handed. I know it’s wrong—without that money, we could lose the park.

But if I find the treasure, I lose the guy...
Thoughts on Wonderland: I feel like I need to start here by mentioning that I LOVE abandoned places as a setting. Just...the mental picture of these long forgotten places slowly fading away as nature and time creep in...MAN, my heart eyes are strong just thinking about it. The point? A rundown, defunct amusement park in the wilds of Vermont makes my heart sing. Throw in a treasure hunt for some missing money and YESSSSSS.

So. Peter and Riley had a thing when they were in their teens. Things happened and they went their separate ways and now they're back in town. At the same time. Sharing space. Well, sort of. They're teaming up to help Riley's grandfather find his buried money and MAN do they have a lot of pent up emotions to deal with. Guilt and sadness and sexy thoughts and lots and lots of memories.

While they manage to get over the pain of their abrupt parting eight years before pretty quickly (Riley had his reasons for doing what he did), they both have some serious work they need to do on themselves. Peter's adrift and hasn't quite found his groove after bailing on a lucrative career in California. Riley has always felt like he wasn't good enough for Peter and he doesn't want to burden him with all his issues. It takes a little time and a few frank conversations (along with required cooling off periods after said conversations) for them to find their happy places.

As it turns out, their happy places are with one another regardless of the things going on in their lives.

Throw in some treasure hunting, a tortoise names Lemon, an amusement park full of memories (both good and bad), and some giant bunnies and you have the perfect recipe for a second chance at romance.

Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , ,

Wednesday, May 15, 2024

Fair Market Value by Hailey Edwards [Review]

Fair Market Value (The Body Shop #1) by Hailey Edwards
Format: paperback
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: April 22, 2024

The Body Shop
1. Fair Market Value - Paperback | Kindle
2. Amber Gambler

Related Series:
(find all the books in the series on the 1st book review)
The Beginner's Guide to Necromancy
1. How to Save an Undead Life

Black Hat Bureau
1. Black Hat, White Witch

The Potentate of Atlanta
1. Shadow of Doubt

Hailey Edwards
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):
Forgot to feed your goldfish before your untimely demise? Need to jot down a will? Say a goodbye? See the Grand Canyon? Then come visit us at The Body Shop, where unfinished business is our business.

Mary Frances Talbot—Frankie—is a necromancer, probably. Hard to say since she never met her parents. She can see the dead, talk to the dead, and a few other things that aren’t strictly legal. It’s fine. No worries. As long as she doesn’t get caught.

The whole not getting caught thing was going well until Samuel Harrow blew back into town wearing a Savannah Police Department uniform. He might be a witch, but he hates magic. He’s not a fan of Frankie either. Which explains why he’s her ex.

When Frankie’s less than legal side gigs result in dead vampires, she knows she’s in trouble. Big trouble. And that’s before Harrow offers to help. With him waving a Get Out of Jail Free card in her face, Frankie doesn’t have much choice but to accept.

But that doesn’t mean she has to forgive. She’ll certainly never forget him breaking her heart or turning her over to the police or... Yeah. They were doomed from the start. Something tells her this investigation will be too.
Thoughts on Fair Market Value: A new Hailey Edwards series set in the BGtN/BD/BHB world. YASSSSSSS. (To be fair, any new HE book would have had me excited, but throw in the world from a couple of my favorite series and I am absolutely BOUNCING with excitement.)

Our new cast of characters include Frankie (a necromancer of sorts who offers something for the masses no other necromancer offers and who genuinely doesn't even know if she's strictly a necromancer or a necromancer crossed with something else OR something else entirely thanks to her murky parentage), her siblings by choice and deed, and Samuel Harrow (the man who betrayed Frankie and shattered her trust and HOO-BOY there might be more to that whole story than Frankie knows about). Plus we have messengers, partners, ghosts who keep Frankie and her sibs in business, and, well, others.

To make a long story short, the life Frankie has carved out for her and her siblings is potentially threatened. Harrow returning to Frankie's orbit is both distracting and breaks her a little, which isn't great since there are THINGS she needs to deal with to keep her siblings safe. (I'm sorry, I keep saying "siblings" like Josie and Matty are little kids. They're not. They're fully grown individuals with magical quirks as quirky as Frankie's.) Anywho, helping Harrow figure out what's going on while trying to stay off the radar is a challenge (an probably not nearly as doable as Frankie thinks). And that's before Frankie is making friends with people in cemeteries and nearly get run down in unexpected places.

Bottom line: One book in on a new HE series and I'm already smitten! More, please!

Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , ,

Underdog by L.A. Witt [Review]

Underdog (In Vino Veritas) by L.A. Witt
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: June 12, 2023

In Vino Veritas
Wildfire
Counterpoint
Unmanageable
Underdog - Paperback | Kindle
Wonderland
Dauntless

Related Series:
(find all the books in the series on the 1st book review)
The Busy Bean
1. Sweetheart

Moo U
1. Boyfriend

Speakeasy
1. Touchstone

True North
1. Bittersweet

Vino and Veritas
1. Roommate

L.A. Witt
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):
Life in foster care wasn’t easy. Life after prison? Unforgiving. But I’m determined to stay out of trouble, and I’m gaining a foothold on the closest I’ve ever known to normal.

Then, thanks to a pair of escape artist dogs from the sanctuary where I’ve found work, I cross paths with my boss’s neighbor, Ty Adams. He’s a horse trainer, and winter is his quiet season. It’s also the season when he gets restless and lonely—two things I know all about. He’s not interested in love or romance. I’m just happy someone’s interested in me at all, even if emotions are strictly forbidden.

When we’re not together, I’m thinking about him. When we are together… Well, I’m definitely thinking about what he does to me and what I want to do with him.

As we keep each other warm through the Vermont winter, this feels a lot more than physical. Somehow he soothes my pain, and I wonder if I’m touching something deep inside him too. But Ty won’t let himself love anyone. I never had a chance. And now, with my past closing in, I could lose the one man I hoped I could count on. The one I thought might be different.

When his present and my history collide, is it too much to hope he’ll choose me?
Thoughts on Underdog: Next up we have Landon and Ty. One's trying to get his feet back under him after being paroled from prison. The other is convinced he has nothing to offer anyone except hookups and short term coupledom since his farm (and his beloved horses) require all his attention.

First off, Landon has it rough. Sure, he did a bad thing (or two) that ended him in prison, but he's learned his lesson and he's absolutely determined to not end up back there. So he puts up with the wary looks (some more than wary, mind you) and the fact no one trusts him. He puts up with the parole visits and the fear that he's going to get sent back even if he does everything right. He toes the line as tightly as he can and he keeps his head down. Ty's trust in him is a gift and he's not going to betray it.

On Ty's end, he might enjoy the time he spends with Landon, but he doesn't think he's relationship material for anyone since he has to give so much to the farm. He might like all the things he and Landon do and he might like the support Landon gives him when things get tough on the farm, but he refuses to drag someone into a one-sided relationship. Never mind that Landon loves the farm and he loves the animals and he doesn't begrudge Ty either the time he spends on it or how hard he works.

Basically, the two of them have a few issues to work through. Ty needs to realize he DOES have a lot to give in a relationship. Landon needs to realize he's more than the years he spent in prison. It takes a lot of hookups, a long night or two spent with the animals, and a reckless act by someone that puts Landon's freedom at risk for these two to get where they need to be.

Two escape artist dogs, a whole lot of horses, some familiar faces (Brent and Jon! Luke!), and two men keeping warm in the best way through the long, cold winter. *thumbs up*

Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , ,

Tuesday, May 14, 2024

Sara and the Spymaster by Honey Phillips [Review]

Sara and the Spymaster (Alien Abduction #19) by Honey Phillips
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: August 14, 2023

Alien Abduction
1. Anna and the Alien
2. Beth and the Barbarian
3. Cam and the Conqueror
4. Deb and the Demon
5. Ella and the Emperor
6. Faith and the Fighter
7. Greta and the Gargoyle
8. Hanna and the Hitman
9. Izzie and the Icebeast
10. Joan and the Juggernaut
11. Kate and the Kraken
12. Lily and the Lion
13. Mary and the Minotaur
14. Nancy and the Naga
15. Olivia and the Orc
16. Pandora and the Prisoner
17. Quinn and the Queller
18. Rita and the Raider
19. Sara and the Spymaster - Paperback | Kindle
20. Tammy and the Traitor

Honey Phillips
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):
Can a passionate woman awaken a frozen warrior?

Sara’s life is turned upside down when she is kidnapped by brutal aliens. Even after she’s rescued by an Imperial ship, she can’t return to Earth. The only person who seems concerned about her future is the icy alien warrior who interrogates her. He’s rigid, arrogant, and frighteningly intelligent, but she discovers a hidden layer of passion beneath that frozen exterior - one she longs to explore.

As Senior Advisor to the Kaisarian Emperor, it’s Tanaca’s job to know everything about everyone - evaluating their goals and motives with cool, untainted logic. But the vibrant human female they rescue from an illegal slave ring defies his usual approach - she’s smart, hot-tempered, and passionate enough to awaken feelings he has long since put aside.

The logical solution is to retrieve any useful information from her, and then send her somewhere where she’ll be safe, but for the first time in his life, logic fails him. He wants her to stay with him. Forever. But can he allow himself to be driven by something as untrustworthy as emotion?
Thoughts on Sara and the Spymaster: Powerful, secretive Tanaca is ABSOLUTELY sure he won't fall for a human's wiles. He's also smart enough not to test that. Until, you know, he can't avoid interacting with Sara when she and her friend are rescued from what would probably be a very bad situation if the slavers had their way.

No lie, Tanaca might have told himself he wouldn't fall for a human, but his first meeting with Sara proves that to be wrong. The guy is smitten. He tries to ignore it. He tries to stay as far from Sara as he can. He tries to convince himself she would never be safe given the type of life he leads.

You know what? These human ladies do have wiles and Tanaca falls HARRRRD for Sara and her feisty attitude.

On Sara's end, if she's going to go down, she's going to go down fighting. She blames herself for the predicament she and Tammy end up in and she's going to do everything she can to protect her friend from what these aliens have in store for them. Except...Tanaca and the guards aren't like the aliens who abducted her. Tanaca is smart and wily and she likes how careful he is with her. She also likes when he lets go a little and is a little less careful.

Hidden enemies, intrigue, a sassy lady who knows how to play a part, a male who is smitten from the get-go, and a little bit of danger. Sometimes it takes nearly losing the object of your affections to realize how much you don't want to be without them. GOOD STUFF!

Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , ,

Monday, May 13, 2024

Rita and the Raider by Honey Phillips [Review]

Rita and the Raider (Alien Abduction #18) by Honey Phillips
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: July 15, 2023

Alien Abduction
1. Anna and the Alien
2. Beth and the Barbarian
3. Cam and the Conqueror
4. Deb and the Demon
5. Ella and the Emperor
6. Faith and the Fighter
7. Greta and the Gargoyle
8. Hanna and the Hitman
9. Izzie and the Icebeast
10. Joan and the Juggernaut
11. Kate and the Kraken
12. Lily and the Lion
13. Mary and the Minotaur
14. Nancy and the Naga
15. Olivia and the Orc
16. Pandora and the Prisoner
17. Quinn and the Queller
18. Rita and the Raider - Paperback | Kindle
19. Sara and the Spymaster
20. Tammy and the Traitor

Honey Phillips
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):
Every good mating begins with a kidnapping…

Worvak was taught to value honor above all else. When his honor demanded he sacrifice everything to save a friend, he didn't hesitate.

But then a dangerous mission leads him to a fragile, dirty female with enough courage for ten warriors - a female he would do anything to call his own. For the first time in his life, his honor and his heart are at war.

In one night, Rita goes from being a carefree kindergarten teacher to being the prisoner of a group of ruthless aliens. The fierce alien warrior who steals her from them is huge, gruff, and deadly - but he treats her with exquisite courtesy. He promises to take her to sanctuary, but the only time she really feels safe is in his arms.

Can a warrior who has lost everything else give up the one thing he has left to claim the woman he loves?
Thoughts on Rita and the Raider: Not going to lie, I really love these honorable aliens who think they're somehow dishonorable because they broke a rule at some point (usually to help another or as part of the greater good) and who are now stoically inclined toward the belief that they deserve nothing good in life because of said rule-breaking. Worvak, as it turns out, falls firmly in this category.

Yeah, the big guy has honor. Quite a bit of it. Even when he's facing off against someone dishonorable (for example, someone selling human women in a very sketchy locale), he keeps his word. Even more importantly, Rita feels safe with him. He might be big and brawny and play the part of a dishonorable male, but he never treats her as less than a treasure. Given what she's experienced since her abduction, that means a lot to her.

A new trio of abducted women, a few familiar faces, babies, a lady whose priorities change when she meets her special someone (to be fair, considering the whole abduction and rescue thing, a lot about Rita's life went through some big changes in a short amount of time, so what she considered home and what she wants from a home were DEFINITELY due for some sort of a reevaluation), and an honorable male who will do anything to keep his special someone happy. *thumbs up*

Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , ,

Sunday, May 12, 2024

RtP's Week in Review (05/12/24)

Reading the Paranormal's Week in Review Bookish Delights
Posted by at No comments:
Labels:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)