Review: Finally Mine (Benevolence Series Book 2) by Lucy Score

Finally Mine by Lucy Score
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Two Damaged Souls

I’d probably give this book 4.5 ⭐️ if I could.

This can be read as a standalone novel, however, it runs parallel to the first book in the series and the characters and storylines interact. Much of this story is told in the first book from a completely different point of view. You don’t need to read the first book to enjoy this one, but it will give you a deeper understanding of the characters and events in this book. There is no cliffhanger.

Gloria has been living a nightmare for 10 years with an abusive and violent boyfriend, Glenn. She has been isolated from family and friends and is not allowed a job or access to money. She feels like her own personality has disappeared and she is just a shadow. When she finally gets the courage to leave him, she does it in public not realising that Glenn doesn’t care about witnesses, especially when drunk. When Harper helps her survive the encounter, it’s the start of a true friendship. Starting again with only a high school diploma at age 27, having never held a job is hard, but she has the support of quite a few townspeople.

Aldo is gorgeous, fit and charming. He flirts with every woman he meets, no matter the age. He’s also ready to settle down, but the one woman he wants and has wanted for 10 years is Gloria. When Gloria finally escapes her ex, Aldo sees his chance, even though he’s about to go to Afghanistan for a 6-month tour of duty with the army reserves. The timing isn’t great but he’s not going to miss his chance as he did as a teenager. He makes his intentions known to Gloria and then leaves her to make her own way and learn her own wants and needs without anyone telling her what they are.

This story is so honest about the feelings of being abused and how you get stuck in the cycle, unable to see your way out. It’s revealing and enlightening for anyone who thankfully hasn’t had the same experience. Gloria experiences quite a lot of shame from taking so long to leave and hates being pitied. I love the way she grasps the opportunities she has been given with both hands and clings on for dear life, trying to shape her own future in the way she wants.

Gloria grows steadily throughout this book, leaning on her friends and learning to be honest about her feelings after years of having that honesty beaten out of her. She does the work to grow and deal with the aftermath of her trauma and gets counselling. She pushes through her conditioned fear and learns to say no to things she doesn’t want to accept no matter how scared she is to do it. Her friendships are a key part of this book and I love how she and Harper bond, in particular.

Aldo goes through his own trauma after spending most of his life able to work towards anything he wants, pushing through physical limits to condition his body and mind. He’s a successful businessman and has a lovely home and fantastic friends. Everything is rosy, apart from not having Gloria and even that seems to finally be coming together. Then he is injured overseas and his body lets him down for the first time. His worldview crumbles and he doesn’t know how to handle it.

The contrast between Aldo and Gloria’s attitude towards trauma is clear and the way they both have to work through different things in order to be happy makes for an interesting read.

These are two exceptionally well-written characters and they were both believable. I enjoyed their interactions and the way the town is involved with everything. Gloria and Aldo have to work separately on their issues and together on how those issues interact. Negotiating their way through their new relationship is tricky and reading about it is fascinating.

This is a great book and I really enjoyed it. I will definitely be reading the next book in the series because I really like this town and the characters in it.

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Review: Broken Lyric (Meltdown Series Book 2) by RB Hilliard

Broken Lyric by R.B. Hilliard
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Dangerously Obsessive

I'd probably give this book 3.5 ⭐ if I could.

This is the second book in a connected series. This book can stand alone but you get to meet the characters and learn their history in the first book, so reading it will increase your enjoyment. There isn’t a cliffhanger, but there is a hook for the next book.

Nash is the lead guitarist for Meltdown a successful rock band. They’ve had a pretty rough couple of years but things are starting to settle down. They have a new keyboardist after the death of the old one and they now own their record label. The band decides to have a shakedown mini-tour for 3 months and though he has to go, Nash is reluctant because his beloved mother has cancer. The only thing helping him go on tour is knowing his mother has a live-in nurse to look after her.

Rowan Burn, Nash’s mother’s nurse, used to be called Gillian. Gillian had to change her name in order to hide from a very dangerous man who was obsessed with her. Her father was the one who set her up with that man. She decided to change her name at the same time as running away. Since then she hasn’t stayed in one place for very long or formed significant attachments. However, Nash’s mother, Maeve, has wormed herself into her heart, along with her son.

Though the initial set-up for this book seems obvious, the plot is actually quite complex. The suspense plot is intriguing, however, all the emotions feel a little muted because of the emphasis on the plot rather than the characters and what they are feeling. Bad things happen in this book but the characters don’t seem to dwell on how those things make them feel, it’s all about what’s happening and what’s going to happen next. It makes it harder to connect with the characters than I would have thought because on the surface the characters are very likeable and engaging.

This is a diverting book and quite entertaining, and I may read the next in the series at some point, but there are other books in my vast TBR list that will come first.

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Review: The Magic of Betrayal (Emerald Lakes Series Book 2) by Britt Andrews

The Magic of Betrayal by Britt Andrews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Emotional

This book is the second in a continuing series, which means you need to read the previous book before enjoying this one. It also ends on a cliffhanger, but the next book is already available so you can’t get too mad!

TRIGGER WARNING: This book contains instances of sexual assault, emotional abuse and physical assault from outside the harem. If these subject matters affect you adversely, you may want to avoid this book/series.

Saige has been swept off her feet by the new men in her life; Cam, Kai and Fischer, and maybe there’s a possibility of Sloane joining them. However, her magic is failing her, her ex is still causing her emotional damage and she keeps dropping into a strange world in her sleep. Life is complicated and confusing, but she grabs hold of her newfound happiness with both hands.

What she doesn’t know is that her men are lying to her, and Sloane is lying more than the others. Her three boyfriends are very conflicted about lying to Saige and are trying to find a way to be with her when their job is over. They are opening up their hearts to her and beginning to share their history and pain without betraying their mission.

There are a lot of emotions flying around in this book. A lot of trauma is revealed, not just Saige’s that was/is caused by her ex, but also a lot of history is shared as we get to know the men a lot better. As a reader, I feel a bit bounced around as more of the plot is revealed and we learn more about all the players involved and preconceptions are turned on their head. It’s an exhilarating ride as things keep changing and twisting. I felt like I’d been on an emotional rollercoaster with the highs and lows of how the characters all feel.

This is an excellent second book and I’m now heavily invested in the very interesting characters and the complex story. These characters are all well developed and fascinating in their strengths and flaws. It’s the characters that drive this plot and make it so complex because it is their history, personality and secrets that cause the plot to shift at the turn of each page. This author has created intriguing characters and woven a story around them.

I can’t wait to read the next book. It’s hard to believe that this is the author’s first series.

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Review: Running on Diesel (The Whiskeys: Dark Knights At Peaceful Harbor Series Book 8) by Melissa Foster

Running on Diesel by Melissa Foster
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Big Growly Biker and Sparky

I’d probably give this book 4.5 ⭐️ if I could.

This is book 9 in an ongoing series that revolves around the Dark Knights MC and the Whiskey family in particular. This series is linked to other series by the same author but can be read independently of them without missing anything. There is no cliffhanger, but there is a hook to get you interested in an upcoming new series.

Diesel Black is a nomad member of the Dark Knights. He was, until recently, a bounty hunter. Now he works behind the bar for the Whiskeys, as a favour, and has done for 2 years. Diesel is a loner who doesn’t even like people to touch him. He has empty sexual encounters and holds himself back from everyone. However, he is protective and loyal.

Tracey is a waitress at the bar where Diesel works and his boss and friend Red asked him to keep an eye on Tracey when she started working there 2 years ago. She had just escaped an abusive relationship and felt she had nowhere else to turn so ended up at the shelter. The Whiskeys have taken her under their wing and she has begun to thrive again. She’s so much stronger mentally and physically from all the martial arts training and having the loving support of her new friends.

Tracey and Diesel are very attracted to each other but are unaware how the other feels. Then one day Diesel cracks his restraint and all bets are off.

I love these books. The rough talking, hard loving Dark Knights are a lot of fun to read about. They are all about the community and family and aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty in the name of protecting the things that they love. Diesel may be less gregarious than his fellow MC brothers but he has the strong protective thing down pat.

This book starts out as something that looks quite predictable; damaged growly biker falls for cute vivacious girl and they all live happily ever after. It doesn’t stay that way though as there are lots of layers to this book. There are the parts which are about the dangers that women face and how they can protect themselves, there are parts about family and friendship, parts about navigating a relationship and trying to do the right thing to make it work and there are parts about working out what will make you happy. There is an awful lot about family in this book, which is no different from the other Whiskey books, in particular the love of mothers who are no longer around. There are some pretty poignant moments as well as the sexy romantic times we expect from these books.

I very much enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read about Redemption Ranch, now we’ve been introduced to the people there.

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Review: Damaged and the Saint (Damaged Series Book 7) by Bijou Hunter

Damaged and the Saint by Bijou Hunter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Two Damaged Souls

This is part of a continuing series revolving around the family and friends of an MC. All the characters are intertwined through the series and their shared history is important to the storyline. Therefore, though you can read this book as a standalone, you will only get maximum enjoyment if you read the other books in the series first. There is no cliffhanger.

TRIGGER WARNING: If you are sensitive about books containing references to abuse and assault, you may want to avoid this book, and to be honest the entire series, if you haven’t read it yet. There are reasons for the ‘Damaged’ part of the book’s title.

Harlow is very damaged. Her life before being adopted by her new parents as a teenager was very hard, with a drug-addicted mother and an abusive stepfather who got her hooked on drugs to make her compliant, she still tried to look after her mother and siblings and be strong despite her own problems. After the death of her family, she still tried to be strong even whilst trying to heal. She is so sure she will never want to be involved with a man and she is still filled with rage about her past. She fights at the local underground fight club to earn money and to vent some of her rage. She invests her winnings in martial arts training to help her get stronger. When she runs into a stranger in the woods her first instinct is to attack. When the man easily defeats her she runs scared.

Saint is an assassin. He’s in town to help assess the new president of the MC, Cooper, along with other leadership potentials for the national president. He’s not part of the MC but a contractor for unusual and quiet jobs. When he’s attacked by a young woman in the woods he finds himself intrigued and decides to help train her to be stronger, both physically and mentally. Whilst he’s just looking for a diversion, something in him recognises a fellow damaged person and he finds himself reaching for the idea of having a ‘normal’ life with Harlow.

There isn’t much plot in this book beyond these two people trying to work their way through the minefields of their past to find happiness in the present. It’s a complex emotional journey but there’s not much action beyond paintballing. It’s an engaging story that draws you in.

I’ve really enjoyed this whole series with it’s quirky characters in their small Tennessee town. There is humour and kindness wrapped around the violence and pain. The friendship and love of family overrides the damage done to the characters in their troubled pasts. The books are not sweet but they are warming to the heart. I will continue to read this author because she has wormed her way into my favourite MCs list.

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Review: Damaged and the Bulldog (Damaged Series Book 6) by Bijou Hunter

Damaged and the Bulldog by Bijou Hunter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Facing Her Fears.

This is part of a continuing series revolving around an MC. You will definitely enjoy this book much more if you have read the previous books, as there is a large group of friends who all have shared history. There is no cliffhanger.

TRIGGER WARNING: This book covers subjects such as child abuse and sexual assault in the past and current mental health issues. If any of those subject matters cause you emotional difficulties it might be advisable to avoid this book. If you have read the rest of the series, the way these matters are handled in this book are similar to how they are handled in the rest of the series.

We met Winnie in previous books. She was rescued by the MC from a truly horrible situation with a rival MC who had kept her in a locker chest unless they wanted something from her, which was usually something that would brutalise her more. She’d been there since she was young. She has been badly damaged by her past and has anxiety and panic attacks, for which she takes medication, and has undergone significant amounts of therapy. She often retreats into herself to hide from her pain. She is incredibly shy and it’s only recently that she’s started talking to people other than her adoptive family. As well as being damaged she is sweet and supportive to her friends and family, is organised, hard-working and loyal.

Dylan was introduced in Lark’s book. He is Lark's step-brother but he had a crush on her and borderline stalked her, on his father’s orders. He did as his overbearing and controlling father told him to in an attempt to gain his approval, but he never did. He finally stopped being controlled when he saw the harm that his family was doing to Lark. Since then he has broken free of his family and has focused on his business and become part of the crew of friends that Lark is now part of.

Dylan and Winnie are very attracted to each other but Dylan doesn’t feel good enough for Winnie and vice versa. Eventually, Harlow, Winnie’s sister takes pity on them both and sets them up for a date, which she has to go on because of Winnie’s inability to speak to Dylan.

This is such a strange courtship but it makes sense in the context of the characters. Winnie is very damaged and needs her family to keep her safe but she still longs for Dylan. Dylan isn’t as undamaged as Winnie thinks and as they get to know each other more they see the truth of who each other is.

I’ve always been fond of Winnie’s character as she is so kind and sweet. She works so hard to overcome the obstacles that life has thrown in her path and keeps getting up in the morning and facing her fears. Dylan started out as a character I didn’t much like but has slowly redeemed himself throughout the series, to the point when I was glad to see him get his girl. The HEA is heartwarming for two people who care about each other so much, and have had to overcome a lot.

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Review: 10-Code (Rock Point Series Book ) by Freya Barker

10-Code by Freya Barker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

FBI Agent and the Single Mum

This is the fourth in a series of connected books. The story stands alone but the characters and history carry over from the previous books. Reading the first three books in the series give you a more complete understanding of the main characters in this book, who were supporting characters in the others.

TRIGGER WARNING: This book has discussion of child abduction and sexual assault. There is also discussion of spousal abuse. If these subjects cause you emotional difficulties, you may want to avoid this book.

Marya’s ex-husband walked out on her and her three sons five years ago and she hasn’t heard from him since. She got involved with a man a few years ago and he used her to get information on her boss and friend, Kerry. When she caught him he kidnapped, drugged and beat her. She is very wary of getting involved with another man. She’s also constantly working in order to provide for her sons.

Dylan is a single dad whose wife walked out on him and his son. He’s an FBI Special Agent and is the junior member of his team at 33. He’s lucky that he gets lots of help from his mum and step-dad and the rest of the time he’s not working he’s with his son. He’s known Marya for a while, but only superficially. When Marya’s middle son, Liam, and Dylan’s son Max end up playing soccer for the same team they find themselves spending time together and Marya finds herself looking forward to seeing him at the games, despite her being 8 years older than the handsome man.

This book is quite a lot darker than the rest of the series as it deals with child abuse and kidnapping. It also deals with the subject of grooming victims online. It’s not an easy subject matter and it certainly does not make for comfortable reading. However, it does make it challenging and gripping.

There was so much going on in this book from medical emergencies, to abduction and to drama with exes. The book also deals with the problems of blending two families together during a difficult time. The author deals with all these issues with a gentle hand, giving the reader time to relax at moments during all the difficulties to recover enough to handle the next side swipe.

I really like both Marya and Dylan. They are both devoted parents who try their absolute best to put their children first. Marya in particular wants her boys to have some fun things even when she can’t afford them, so she works extra jobs to provide for them. At the same time, she doesn’t stint on the discipline. There are some pretty funny moments in her mental musings on the joys of being a mother of three boys.

This is currently the end of this series, but the next series, Arrow’s Edge MC, shares some of the characters from this series, so you can still get to hang out with them.

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Review: Damaged and the Dragon (Damaged Series Book 5) by Bijou Hunter

Damaged and the Dragon by Bijou Hunter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Bailey Finally Gets Her Man

This is the fifth of a series of connected books. You need to read the previous books to understand the history and personality of the characters, but you can probably understand the story without them. There is no cliffhanger.

Bailey is the club princess. She is spoilt, demanding, insecure and has a temper. She’s also loyal and loving. She’s always struggled to find her place in her family and is insanely jealous of the crew that have found their partners whilst she still waits for love. She has a history of men using her for sex and then dumping her immediately which makes her clingy and perpetuates the cycle. Since meeting Farah and Tawny she’s been trying to be less volatile and catty. She’s liked Nick for months but never done anything about it.

We met Nick in the first book of the series and he’s popped up a few times in passing in the following books. Cooper, Bailey’s brother beat him up in the first book because he thought that he liked Farah. He put him in hospital but apologised and paid for the rest of the school year for him. After that Nick decided to earn some money in Tucker’s ‘Thunderdome’ fight club. He can take a beating and keep going long after everyone else is done. He’s been longing for Bailey ever since he met her but never had the courage to do anything about it.

Eventually, Bailey gets sick of waiting for Nick to make a move and she makes one. In this book, we see Nick for who he really is. He’s not just a nice guy who likes to help people and be a teacher, he’s also incredibly damaged by a terrible childhood. It makes him pull away from people and put up walls. Bailey hates when people pull away from her but she’s nothing if not determined.

I like how we see the real Bailey and the real Nick in this book and how they work through their problems. There is plenty of well meaning advice thrown around but eventually, there is only the two of them working things out. It’s really nice watching them both grow through working together and helping each other through the things they find difficult. They don’t let their issues get the better of them despite their instincts.

This book, like all the others, has an ensemble cast. It’s nice seeing other characters from previous books and seeing how their lives with their loved ones work out and how their experiences let them help others. Bailey watching how her friends’ issues made things difficult for them in their relationships helps Bailey see why Nick reacts the way he does to things and helps her be patient. Before meeting these friends, she probably wouldn’t have handled his issues at all.

Criminals or not, I really like the Johansson clan. I also like that Nick doesn’t want to be a part of the family business and no one tries to talk him out of it. It's nice that Bailey doesn’t want to be part of the criminal stuff either but she still finds a way to help her family. The family is warm, loving and loyal but to outsiders that hurt their people they are ruthless and they respect Nick because he’s a bit the same, but maybe not quite as extreme. I’m so pleased there are still plenty of books to read by this author. It’s always nice when you discover an author with a huge back catalogue!

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Review: Damaged and the Knight (Damaged Series Book 2) by Bijou Hunter

Damaged and the Knight by Bijou Hunter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Emerging From Darkness

This is the second in a series of interconnected books. There is no cliffhanger and you really need to read the first book to appreciate this one because there is a lot of crossover of information.

Tawny is one month away from her 18th birthday and her father has abandoned her in a very sleazy motel with no food. She’s too terrified to leave because of the very bad men waiting outside the room. She doesn’t even know where she is because he father won’t tell her. The only hope she has is her sister, Farah, who is safe in Ellsberg with her new boyfriend, Cooper, and his criminal family. When help finally comes she is almost too weak to aid in her own rescue but her knight in shining armour manages just fine without too much help.

Judd works for Cooper in an enforcer type role for the MC. He’s ten years older than Tawny and a pretty bad man. He’s violent and emotionally locked down. During the drive home with Tawny, he starts to melt around the beautiful young woman with an honest heart and wise soul. When he leaves her with her sister he knows that he can’t have Tawny because he’s too tainted by both his past and his present, so he tries to break his Angel’s heart by being cruel.

This book has some disturbing descriptions of sexual assault that happened to children. It also has casual violence and emotional abuse described. If these subject matters trigger a negative emotional reaction it may be best to avoid this book. Though the descriptions are not graphic in nature they will still probably cause a response to someone who has difficulties in this area. If you’ve read the first book, this one goes into more detail about what happened with Farah and Tawny when they were 13 and 12 respectively as Tawny didn’t block it out as much as her sister.

I really like Tawny, she faces things head-on, even when they are traumatic and difficult to handle. She’s brutally honest with herself. When she’s dealing with others she’s more gentle. She’s perceptive and capable of observing even the most minute of signals of human behaviour, but she only uses her powers for good rather than the cons her parents used their abilities for. However, she is incredibly insecure and damaged by the abuse of her parents and the traumatic incident that occurred 5 years ago. I really admire how she sees what she wants and goes for it with complete honesty.

Judd is damaged by his youth and doesn’t believe he is worthy of anything good and it’s only when he tries to stay away from Tawny and fails that he begins to accept that even if he doesn’t believe he’s worthy, she does and he gives her something no one else can. He can protect her and make her happy and this gives him purpose, despite knowing he’s likely to hurt her because he doesn’t know what he’s doing relationship-wise.

A lot of this book is quite emotional and difficult to read, but it’s handled well. This is not a light and fluffy romance. There is darkness and pain mixed with passion and love. The HEA feels more real because of the work Tawny and Judd do together to get there.

The book helps explain a lot of what happened to Farah that the first book edged around. It helps show the healing that both sisters experience in their new home and rounds off the two books nicely. However, it also makes me want to know what happens to some of the side characters who we get to know even better at the end of this book. Luckily the author has written more in this series so I don’t have to stop just yet.

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Review: Damaged and the Beast (Damaged Series Book 1) by Bijou Hunter

Damaged and the Beast by Bijou Hunter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Angsty New Adult Romance

This is the first in an ongoing series. I recently started in the middle of the connected stories with a spin-off series, White Horse and enjoyed it so much I wanted to start at the beginning of it all. There isn’t a cliffhanger, just a hook for the next book.

Caution: This book refers to sexual assault. It is not detailed, more inferred, however the emotional results of the damage this trauma did are discussed in detail as it is relevant to the story.

Farah is 18 years old and just starting college. Her grandmother has agreed to pay for it provided she goes to the college local to where her mother is living and shares an apartment with her. She hasn’t seen her mother in 5 years when something so awful happened her father took Farah and her sister Tawny away from their mother and took them on the road with him. This life wasn’t really any better as their father was a con artist, gambler and a drunk. Farah always dreamed of having a normal and stable life and she wanted to become a teacher in order to have that. She’s at college to try and make that happen.

Cooper is a student at the same college and they share one class as he is a senior. He’s local to the area and his dad runs the local MC. He has two sisters, and a brother and the two eldest are also at college with him. Cooper is the really smart one in the family and he’s studying pre-law in order to help the family out. He’s also expected to take over from his dad one day as the MC president. He’s charming, good looking, rich and powerful. People don’t mess with him or his loved ones, women throw themselves at him and men are scared of him unless they want to be him.

When Cooper sees Farah he wants her, not realising that she’s damaged beyond all recognition by her really awful parents and the severe trauma that happened 5 years ago. Farah doesn’t expect anything from Cooper, in fact, he scares her quite a lot as in her experience bikers and dangerous men cause you harm rather than protect you.

This book covers the very turbulent first few months of Farah and Cooper’s relationship. They go through so many ups and downs you can’t help but wonder why on earth they are together. However, they do care for each other and they work through their problems, which are very real and not because of stupid misunderstandings or miscommunications, they are about fitting two very different people together into a relationship when one of those people has suffered years of abuse.

Some of the book makes for some uncomfortable reading, but I couldn’t put it down because it was pretty well done. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of this series now so I can catch up to the White Horse part and then go past it!

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Review: Wrath (The Tempests Series Book 1) by Cee Bowerman

Wrath by Cee Bowerman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Texas Kings MC Spin-Off

This book is the first in a new series created as a spin-off from Texas Kings MC, by the same author. Fain (Texas Kings MC Series Book 12) introduced us to the Tempests and gives us their backstory. Reading this book before starting this new series would probably make the story more comprehensible.

The Tempests are a large family, that used to be larger before their father killed several people. Their father was a leader of a cult and had several ‘wives’ so not all the siblings have the same mother, but they all had the same father. Their father is now dead and his cult scattered, but the Tempests have stayed fairly local and now own some buildings and businesses. Wrath owns a tattoo studio.

Val is writing a doctoral thesis on cults and wants to interview the Tempests. She wants to know why people get sucked into cults and how they escape them. She has tried writing to them several times but when she just shows up Wrath hits the roof. As the eldest, he feels responsible for looking after the rest of his family and refuses to let someone dig up painful memories for no good reason. Val manages to talk the other siblings into coming to her home to meet her and talk to her about what she wants to interview them about and Wrath finds himself wanting to date her. When the problems from Val’s past come back to haunt her, Wrath can’t do anything but help her, even if she doesn’t know he’s doing it.

It’s quite a while since I read Fain, and I think I should have re-read it before diving into this book, as a quick refresher. Because I didn’t refresh my memory I think that there were things that were lacking in this book. If you start with this book without the background I think you miss out on a lot of the world-building and character development. A lot of information about the Tempests isn’t included in this book because it was included in the other one and without that information, you don’t really understand who the characters are.

Despite that lack of background, I enjoyed the book. The characters were interesting with both families being unique in their structure. I felt we got to know Val a little more than Wrath, which isn’t surprising as we were coming into learning about her character cold, whereas we had met Wrath before. I’m sure as the series develops we will get to know Val and her family well, as that is the case in the other Cee Bowerman series, the characters are always popping up in the later books.

I will say this about Val though, for a woman who was seeing clients for counselling, she wasn’t very good at avoiding her own triggers, so she wouldn’t go off the deep end when placed under pressure.

I felt the plot was a little simplistic for a very complex situation and that the author had squashed a lot of the plot down into a simpler form in order to get the book written in a timely fashion. This could have been a much longer book if the author had wanted it to be because it would have been very easy to expand a little on the characters and the plot.

I don’t feel this was one of this author’s stronger books, but it was still enjoyable and I look forward to seeing how this series develops.

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Review: Tracking Tahlula (On Call Series Book 3) by Freya Barker

Tracking Tahlula by Freya Barker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Writer and The Firefighter

This is the third book of a continuing series, however, the book works on its own without reading the previous books. The series contains the same group of characters based around a group of firefighters/EMTs.

Tahlula is a writer who has had moderate success until recently when her book blew up the best seller’s lists. All of a sudden her publisher required her to do interviews and appearances, something she hadn’t done before as she wrote under a pseudonym. When she started appearing in public she received threatening messages and someone broke into her house. In the end, she decided to move away from where she felt threatened to Durango where her big brother Trunk lives. She bought a house high up in the mountains, miles from town and loves her solitude.

Evan is a firefighter and paramedic. He works long and often dangerous hours. He is a good man, who loves his widowed mother, and helps her as much as she will let him. He has good friends and when he’s not working ridiculous hours enjoys spending time with them. However, he’s single and has spent most of his adult life in that state and now he’s over 40 he’s not expecting to meet anyone to alter that.

Evan has got a slow period at work and his boss has sent his staff out into the mountains to check on the houses up within reach of forest fires to make sure they are set up as safely as possible. When Evan meets Tahlula he is smitten straight away, as she likes him too, that’s fine. When external pressures push their relationship onto the fast track, neither of them objects too much, except when Evan gets bossy!

I really enjoyed this book. Lula and Evan were great characters and I loved how they were two lifelong single people trying to fit their lives together because they couldn’t imagine being apart once they met. They rub each other the wrong way sometimes because they are both strong personalities but they work their way through it.

The suspense part of the story is good, though the romance is more of the focus of the story. This story also brings characters from different series written by the same author together. In particular, Lula’s brother Trunk is from the Arrow’s Edge MC series and is a huge character and is immensely important to Lula in this book. Having all these crossover characters is great fun, but does take away time from the suspense plot, which means it isn’t as full and rich as other suspense plots written by this author. It’s still very interesting and intriguing though.

Once again Freya Barker writes a great story about people in their forties, still having time to have their dreams come true.

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Review: Broken Moon: An Urban Fantasy Wolf Shifter Series (Kait Silvers Series Book 1) by Laken Crane

Broken Moon: An Urban Fantasy Wolf Shifter Series by Laken Cane
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Compelling Urban Fantasy

This is the first book in a continuing series. It does not end on a cliffhanger but hints towards future issues to be resolved.

Kaitlyn is a hobbled werewolf. When she was 14 her father attacked their pack alpha and when her father was killed she attacked the alpha in desperation. As punishment, she was hobbled and she and her mother were exiled into the nearby town.

In constant pain from being unable to manifest her wolf, it reaches intolerable levels at the full moon where she has to run to exhaust herself so she can eventually rest. As a werewolf she is stronger, has heightened senses, and she heals faster than a human, however all of those benefits are reduced because she cannot shift.

Not only is Kaitlyn a werewolf, she can see spirits, something she shouldn’t be able to do. She has trained herself to become a paranormal hunter and sort of an exorcist for humans. She is very good at what she does.

She’s so good she has gained the attention of a detective, Rick, who believes in spirits and demons and that Kait can see them. She’s also gained the attention of the other alpha in the area and he offers Kait a job. In exchange, as well as financial reward, he’ll set her wolf free.

This is such a good book and is completely compelling. I couldn’t put it down once I started to read it. (No sleep for Chrissy again!). The characters are so well thought out and described they practically step off the page. You believe they are utterly real because they have very real and nuanced behaviour and speech patterns.

In addition to the fantastic characters, the world-building is fascinating. it’s incredibly well developed and you know there will be much more information to come in future books.

The plot is intricate and captivating. You get pulled along by the story until the very last page. This is such a promising start to a new series by this author that I can barely wait with excitement at the prospect of the rest of the series.

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Review: A Different Sort of Love Affair by Shayne McClendon

A Different Sort of Love Affair by Shayne McClendon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When Two Broken People Meet

Portia is a 34-year-old author who has mental health issues. She suffers from social anxiety and PTSD. She’s never had a romantic relationship. Strange men terrify her. She has a very small and tight circle of friends who adore her and she adores them back. At a party in her honour, she escapes all the people and hides in the library where she meets a beautiful man in a wheelchair.

Edgar is 40 years old and is the cousin of one of Portia’s circle. She’s never even heard of him despite knowing nearly all of the family of her circle. They spend the next hour talking about books, their mutual passion. Excited beyond words at meeting someone whose intellect fascinates her, Portia finds herself being attracted to a man.

Edgar is a neuroscientist and was a bit of a prodigy in his day, but he ran away from it all, got married and had a child. Sadly, his daughter was killed in the accident that put him in a wheelchair. He has heard lots of stories about Portia from his family, especially his beloved nephew Jacob, who is also Portia’s godson.

Their relationship starts tentatively and hopefully as both try to navigate around their own personal demons without triggering the other person’s. It’s beautiful to see.

This book is wonderfully matter of fact in the way it deals with mental illness, PTSD and physical disabilities. It states the condition and its effects without pity or any overemotional response. We watch two damaged people learn to love each other and like themselves just a little bit more. I love the support they are given by their friends and their happiness as they watch Portia and Edgar grow.

I really love the way that Portia and Edgar start to explore their sexuality despite their individual hang-ups. They are both intelligent people who like research!

I will say that Shayne McClendon’s writing can sometimes be a little cerebral, and that is certainly the case with this book. A lot of the emotions feel a bit muted because of the way the author describes them. In some respects, that’s a good thing because a lot of the subject matter is difficult and disturbing. Facing these subjects through the veil of intellect makes it easier to read about without being too disturbed.

I haven’t checked yet, but I really hope that this isn’t a complete one-off and that there are other books written about these wonderful people because I really like all the characters that we meet in this book and want to know about their lives too. If not, I’ll just have to imagine their stories instead.

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Review: Life as She Knows it: Learning to Love Again by Ali D Jensen

Life as She Knows it: Learning to Love Again by Ali D Jensen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Young Single Mum RH

I’d probably give this book 3.5 ⭐️ if I could.

Aria is 18 when she finds out she is pregnant with a guy she had a short term relationship with. When she decides she wants to keep the baby he asks her to marry him and she eventually agrees.

The marriage turns out to be a mistake and she has to run, ending up in a different state, hundreds of miles away, in an old house in the middle of the countryside. Next door happens to be three gorgeous and saintly men.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I really like the characters and the plot but I’m uncertain I ‘click’ with the author’s style of writing. A lot of really bad stuff happens to Aria but there’s a kind of distance from the emotions of it all. I understand that with abuse victims it’s not uncommon to avoid thinking about bad things and pretend everything is ok, but it’s hard to connect with a character who isn’t really connecting with themselves. A lot of things are really glossed over and hinted at more than outright stated and whilst that is good for people with triggers and those of a sensitive disposition, it made it hard to understand the character.

As the book progressed and Aria got away from the situation she found herself in, I felt more connected with her. Up until then, everything feels like it’s a recitation of someone watching through a window.

Of course, as I felt more connected with the character, the men she met and the friends and family she had supporting her, the book ended on a cliffhanger! I want to know what happens, so this means the author got to me despite myself! I’ll have to watch out for the next book so I can find out what is going on.

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Review: Once We Were Starlight by Mia Sheridan

Once We Were Starlight by Mia Sheridan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Tearjerker

This standalone novel is without doubt a total tearjerker. I spent a lot of the book with a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes. This author knows how to tug on the heartstrings and does so with relish.

This is an unusual book because the characters start together, however they are very young. They are also in an appalling situation, even if only one of them really understands that. Zakai and Karys live in Sundara, a compound in the desert, surrounded by beauty and luxury. They sleep in each other’s arms every night and they love each other with every fibre of their being. What they don’t have is their freedom. Trapped with lies, manipulations and location they are forced to sleep together as a performance for the enjoyment of rich men and women.

Kept in ignorance, Karys seeks happiness in her prison. She loves her family, the other inhabitants of the sideshow. They each have a piece of her heart and they have protected her from the worst of their situation to keep her sweet heart intact. She brings sunshine and happiness to the compound and no one has the heart to destroy that.

Zakai is three years older than Karys and remembers much more of life before Sundara. He understands much more of why they are there and the evil that lies at the heart of their home. He is angry and trembles on the edge of violence, but holds himself back to protect Karys.

When they are finally rescued and transported to the other side of the world their love is tested in ways they never expected. Zakai is angry at what they went through and the situation he now finds himself in and Karys mourns the loss of the beauty and simplicity of life before rescue. They both have to find themselves before they can ever be happy.

Not only is this book a tearjerker it is also quite uncomfortable in places. Whilst Karys and Zakai only ever have sex with each other, they are forced to put on a sex show against their wishes, as children. I think this book conveys how people who are subject to abuse of any kind can find enough happiness and beauty in their situation they are prepared to suffer anything to keep that one small part. It also shows how frightening it can be to be taken out of everything familiar even if your new situation is better than the one you left.

The story is mainly told from Karys’ point of view, with the exception of the epilogue, so we never really know what’s going on inside Zakai’s head. He’s not a particularly sympathetic character as a result. We get to understand Karys and the way her mind works but never Zakai’s and I think that’s quite sad because I feel that he would have an awful lot to say. In fact, there are very few conversations between the two, in the book, after they leave Sundara. I think this detracts from the romance aspect of the book. In some respects, this doesn’t feel like a romance novel, though the HEA would say otherwise. This feels like an author attempting to write a literary novel but is scared to let go of their romance roots.

I also had problems with the set-up. Two young people born in a desert country and rescued from trafficking end up in New York, with a scholarship each for a college education when neither of them learnt to read or write until quite late on and didn’t have any real access to books once they did. It’s sort of believable that Karys ends up in the US because her father was from there, but I don’t know how they swung it for Zakai whose only connection to the USA is that law enforcement from there freed him.

There is also no mention of any counselling or much support in transitioning to the outside world after being shut in the walls of Sundara since they were children. The culture shock was glossed over and I thought that was an opportunity that was missed.

However, this was a moving and enjoyable read and will be added to the shortlist of books I recommend when people ask for books that rip your heart out.

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Review: Iron Will (Lords of Carnage Ironwood MC Series Book 1) by Daphne Loveling

Iron Will by Daphne Loveling
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Opposites Attract

I decided to read this book after finishing the original Lords of Carnage MC series, however this book is set some time after book 7 in that series (I think). This book stands alone without the original series, but it’s enjoyable to read the other books first to give a background to some of the characters and the world in which they live.

Once I started reading this book I realised I read it when it first came out but it hadn’t registered on Goodreads for some reason. I still enjoyed the book the second time around as it’s entertaining and enjoyable.

Rourke is a member of the Lords of Carnage Ironwood MC and is visiting his fellow member Bear in hospital after he was stabbed. When he hears a commotion he gets involved in protecting a young girl from her mother’s boyfriend and after spending a little time with the girl decides to get more involved with her long term protection.

Laney is the hospital social worker and she is involved in trying to help this little girl and meets Rourke during her first visit. Laney was raised to be a ‘proper’ young lady and her parents are horrified that she is a social worker as they think she should just be a society wife. Sparks fly between Laney and Rourke and they start spending time together.

I like these two characters and their supporting cast. Laney is determined, compassionate and strong and Rourke is actually fairly similar. For two people with such different financial backgrounds, they had quite similar family situations during childhood. This makes them both protective of others. When looking at their personalities and history they are less opposite than would be thought at first.

As I said above, this is a very entertaining read. I read it one sitting and enjoyed it. It’s not very challenging and though there are disturbing subjects raised, they are handled in a way that prevents any kind of darkness to infiltrate the story. By writing things with an unclean edge the author prevents the story from being boring or twee.

I will definitely be reading the next book in the series, which is already out, in preparation for the third book which will hopefully be coming soon.

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Review: JUDE (Lords of Carnage MC Series Book 12) by Daphne Loveling

JUDE: Lords of Carnage MC by Daphne Loveling
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

So Long Lords of Carnage!

This is the last book in the series about the Tanner Springs Chapter of the Lords of Carnage MC. The book stands alone, but the series can be read in order for additional enjoyment.

We first met Jude as a 17-year-old headache. His sister Jewel took him in after his parents kicked him out when he came out of juvie. Since then we’ve seen him grow into a man who is no longer so terribly angry at the world as he has been brought into the fold by his now brother-in-law, Angel, the club president. He’s now 22 and a strong member of the MC.

Lila used to hang around at Brooke’s gym, Super Girls. In fact, Brooke looked on her as a surrogate daughter. Brooke is Beast’s Old Lady and we read about them in a previous book. When Lila’s family imploded on the death of her mother she was left to the mercy of her stepfather. Once she started driving he made her deliver drugs for him, as well as look after the house and go to school. She couldn’t face Brooke after dealing with all her pain as she felt she wasn’t worth knowing.

When Lila is put in a terrible position by her stepfather she runs to the only place she knows she’ll be safe, the Lords of Carnage compound. She is taken in with no hesitation and this puts her back in contact with Jude who she used to be friends with. She’s just turned 18 and he can no longer look at her as a little girl.

I like that Lila is someone who is a mix of weak and strong. Physically she is strong as she trained for a while in self-defence and even got good enough to teach occasionally, even if it was a couple of years ago. She is not strong emotionally, though she appears that way. She doesn’t feel worthy of happiness or time and attention. She always tries to remain easy to be around and no bother to anyone so she doesn’t get sent away. The Lords of Carnage are the only real friends she ever had so staying away was hard.

Jude is strong and capable. He is also stubborn. He had a really unhappy childhood and hates his parents with a passion. Alternately he adores his sister. He found a real home with the Lords and is incredibly loyal as a result. Becoming involved with Lila is a bit of a no brainer as they were really good friends as teens and he’s always admired her.

It’s pretty obvious what happens in this book. This author writes really solid and enjoyable MC books. They aren’t particularly challenging, nor are they disturbing. They have just the right amount of drama to stop them from being dull. It’s a quick and easy read and I’ve enjoyed every book in this series. This being no exception. I’ll miss the Tanner Spring’s Chapter, but I’m looking forward to reading more of the Ironwood Chapter series.

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Review: Summer's Kiss (The Boys of Ocean's Beach Series Book 1) by Angel Lawson

Summer's Kiss by Angel Lawson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Richly Intelligent NA RH

I’d probably give this book 4.5 ⭐️ if I could.

This is the first book in the series and could almost work as a standalone as there isn’t a huge cliffhanger.

Summer has just turned 18 and her life has taken a swerve off course. She was supposed to spending most of the Summer in France with her friends and boyfriend but her breakup means she feels she can’t go as it would mean forcing them together, something she can’t face. Instead of France, she is going with her mother to Ocean Beach, staying in an Airstream in a trailer park.

Summer’s mother is a writer, who writes true crime books. She wants to write about a serial killer who was local to Ocean Beach and has gone there to do interviews and in-person research in local archives. It’s not the first time Summer has been her research assistant, so her mother doesn’t object to the change in plans. She knows something is wrong but doesn’t push it as that is not the kind of relationship the two have.

When they arrive in Ocean Beach Summer finds out that there is more to her mother’s selection of location and murderer than she realised as her mother is more familiar with the place than Summer knew. During the course of her stay, she finds out more about her mother than she realised there was to find. She also makes new friends, which surprises her as she doesn’t find this easy normally.

This is a story about self-discovery as Summer finds out about her family’s history and her need for a happy life. She learns to connect with her mother and how to become part of a tight-knit group of friends. It’s incredibly well written, with a subtle unravelling of the story and though there were no great surprises during the revelation sections it was interesting in a different way.

The secrets simply provided a framework for the characters to be revealed layer by layer during the course of the book. Though a lot was revealed I still feel like there is much more to learn about the characters which is why I’m happy this is the first book in a series.

I really liked that Summer may have made stupid decisions but she understands that and wants to work on making changes in her life in a sensible way. She’s open to new experiences and doesn’t judge herself for the way she moves forward in life. She’s got a good head on her shoulders for an 18-year-old, which is explained well. She’s not been traumatised by her childhood but she has been shaped by it.

The other characters in the book, including her mother, are equally interesting. They are all well rounded and have interesting backstories that are not fully revealed but give an impression of them being fully formed characters who can be slowly revealed in the same way Summer’s story has been in this book.

The place of Ocean Beach is obviously central to the story of the book, but it also stands as unique as one of the author’s characters. She conveys the magic of a coastal small town, where life is spent on the beach and water, with a deft and elegant hand. I’ve never been somewhere like Ocean Beach, but I can still visualise it and all its nuances. The place shapes the story as much as the people.

I really enjoyed this intelligently and warmly written book. The author obviously loves her characters as her respect and warmth shine from the pages. It’s rare to find a writer who invests so much in all her characters, not just the main ones. I always like it when I find writers like that and can’t wait to see where the rest of the series goes.

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Review: Blackhawk: Heat (Badass Security Council Series Book 15)

Blackhawk: Heat (Badass Security Council Series Book 15) by L. Ann Marie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another Generation Begins

This is the latest book in a vastly long series. Don’t start here, you won’t understand anything. Go to the beginning and start with The Baxters.

I’ve always had a soft spot for the Blackhawk clan and the book where Cloud and CJ got together is a firm favourite. So reading a book about their son Mase finding the love of his life was always going to be something I would enjoy. Mase was the youngest in his family, and the rest of his siblings were adopted by his parents. He’s close to his family and has a good dose of the ‘freaky’ genes. He moved to BSC West with the younger Princes kids and has found his home at Honor Rising, as VP, where he feels a connection to the land that his Native American heritage relishes.

When Mase meets a woman it starts as hookups and very rapidly changes into something else when he finds out she has been keeping secrets and on top of that she is connected to Badass.

This story touches on child abuse and sex trafficking and though it doesn’t have many details, it is a main subject of the book and could affect you adversely if you are sensitive around this subject matter. However, as this subject has been handled many times in this series you are probably aware of the level of detail you will be exposed to.

The last book I read in the series was heavily detail orientated and left me a little cold, whereas this book returned to the heart of the series which is all about the connections between the various families and clubs and how they all help each other to do good that helps communities, country and the world.

There are a few moments that were quite emotional and sweet as well as the usual fun sexy times. As always the kids and Alpha-Bits steal the show with their cuteness.

This book is the reason I keep reading this hugely long and sometimes unpredictable series because for every slightly dubious book, there are a few of these ones. Really enjoyable reading.

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