Review: Kari & Levi (Rojo, TX Series Book 4) by Cee Bowerman

Kari & Levi by Cee Bowerman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Third Time’s A Charm

I’d probably give this book 3.75 ⭐️ if I could.

This book is this fourth in the Rojo, TX series. This series is connected to others written by this author set in the same place with lots of cross over characters. You don’t *technically* need to read the other books before this one, but you’ll find it a lot less confusing if you do.

TRIGGER WARNING: This book deals with people with mental health issues including OCD, panic attacks, PTSD, anxiety and depression. There is also the aftermath of surviving domestic abuse, though not the specific details of what occurred to create the problems. If these subject matters cause you to experience emotional difficulty, you may want to stay clear of this book.

Kari has been in Cee Bowerman’s books since the beginning. Before she was introduced she was in an abusive relationship and got out, but not before she was scarred both physically and mentally. After her escape, she decided to make a safe haven for other women like her, who needed a safe place to make a fresh start. She’s spent most of her life looking after other people at the expense of her own health.

Levi has also been around in a supporting role from quite early on in Cee Bowerman’s books. After college, he went into the army and broke Kari’s 18-year-old heart. They had been dating several months when he had to go away and though he asked her to go with him she felt she couldn’t leave her family, so he went alone and their relationship ended.

After being in the army Levi became a police officer in a different city until he was kidnapped and tortured. After that, he was unable to work in the force and left to set up a gym with his family. Since he’s been back in Rojo, he’s wanted to see Kari but felt his mental health wasn’t good enough to try starting up a relationship again, especially as he knew what she’d been through whilst he’d been gone. Then when Kari moved into her old family home they discovered they were neighbours.

The beginning of this book is quite muddled and a lot of information is thrown at the reader in order to help make the rest of the book comprehendible. There are a lot of scenes from past books and flashbacks in a short period of time which was quite overwhelming as I tried to place all the reminders in the right order. I didn’t particular enjoy wading through that initial section of the book, but once past it I found the book to be of the usual high standard of this author.

This story is a journey of two very damaged people who truly love each other but don’t know how to love themselves. They are both on the same road to happiness, but they are at different stages in the journey. At first glance, Kari seems to be happy and fulfilled and it’s only because Levi lives next door and sees her all the time does he come to suspect that she’s never really dealt with her problems. Levi has a support dog who helps him with his PTSD and he is on medication and seeks counselling because he knows he’s not healthy yet. Kari however denies there is a problem. It takes a lot of work for both of them to get healthy and a lot of heartache is exposed along the way.

It’s really nice to get a HEA for Kari who has been such an important character throughout all of the books set in Rojo. She does so much for others that it’s nice to see her rewarded for that work. It’s also good to read a book about how people can appear fine on the outside but inside are screaming in pain. If you’ve never suffered from mental health issues this is a good reminder that just because your friends and family look OK, they might not be. It’s a good reminder to people who do suffer from mental health issues that you need to do the work to get better, and you need to keep doing the work to stay that way. It’s a very good example of why you need help when you spiral out of control and that it doesn’t mean you are weak or ‘broken’ to ask for it.

There’s a lot love in this book and a lot of hard work. At times it was painful to read, but it was worth it to get to the HEA that these characters deserved.

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Review: Crime and Periodicals (Green Valley Library Series Book 2) by Nora Everly

Crime and Periodicals by Nora Everly
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Hot Cop and the Shy Librarian

This is the second book in this series of connected books, which stand alone. The books all contain the same characters and they all have shared history, but the other books aren’t required to make sense of this one. The series is a spin-off from Penny Reid’s Winston Brother Series, and is written by different authors.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series and was intrigued by the characters selected for this book and decided to give it a go despite never having read anything by this author before. I’m glad I gave it a chance because I enjoyed it a lot.

Sabrina is incredibly shy and suffers from anxiety and panic attacks. She is an assistant librarian and hides from nearly everyone, even at work. She lost her mother when she was a young child and later lost her sister when she was 17. Since the death of her sister, she has raised her sister’s children along with her father at the family ranch. Sabrina's father is a pretty famous surgeon and popular in the small town where they live. The two eldest children they are raising are now in their teens and will graduate in the next couple of years. They are happy and well adjusted young people. Harry the youngest was born the day his birth mother died and sees Sabrina as his mother, he is also
on the autistic spectrum.

Wyatt is one of four brothers and is the odd one out. The others all work for the family construction firm but after he got injured and couldn’t play football anymore he became a cop in Nashville, where he attended university. He recently moved back to Green Valley and became a deputy sheriff after his now ex-wife left him for a country music star and decided she didn’t want anything to do with their adorable daughters. In Green Valley, he gets help from his mother and his new job allows him greater flexibility to be a parent.

When Wyatt bumps into Sabrina on a traffic stop he falls for her instantly. He’s great with Harry and later on his daughters are also great with him. When he asks her for a date her shyness overwhelms her, but he is kind and gently persistent.

This is a very sweet love story that is as much about Sabrina becoming less afraid of the world and the people in it as it is about the romance. It’s also not surprising that the children are a big part of the story and they are incredibly sweet and funny.

I like that there is great family support for Sabrina. Her relationship with her 16-year-old, highly intelligent niece is more like a friendship than that of a parent and daughter. Sabrina also starts to find friendship outside her family because of the strides she makes in facing the world.

It’s a really lovely story and I’ll definitely be looking for other books by this author.

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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: Absorbing Inevitability (Artemis University Series Book 13) by Erin R Flynn

Absorbing Inevitability by Erin R. Flynn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

No One Is Listening

This is the 13th book in a continuing series, which means you won’t understand the story unless you’ve read the preceding books first. The book ends at a natural break in the narrative but it’s still one heck of a cliffhanger!

Tamsin is now 21 years old and for the last two years, she has spent practically every day working towards doing things for other people. As she’s freed more fairies life hasn’t got easier, in some ways, it’s more pressure. In other ways, things have got more simple because she doesn’t have to hide who she is, and has support for taking care of some of the problematic supernaturals.

The ordinary fairies are supportive, on the whole, but they are not who she is around all the time. She’s around The Elite, The Ancients and The Guardians and they are not listening to her when she says that she needs an element of freedom. They aren’t listening when she asks for help, no matter how hard she cries.

This is a difficult book to read because Tamsin is basically being triggered and traumatised all the way through the book. She’s emotional and struggling and she is only getting the support she needs from a few limited places. It’s more support than she has had before, but she’s having to deal with more than she ever thought possible. She’s overwhelmed and can’t see things changing.

It also seems like she can’t catch a break with her mates. She never has all the people who claim to love her in a good place with her. They nearly always hurt her and it seems like she’s the one who always has to forgive.

I really enjoyed this book but I felt like I’d been put through the wringer afterwards. No wonder Tamsin needs a break because I certainly do! I just wish the book hadn’t ended on such a cliffhanger. It’s going to drive me nuts having to wait for the next book in the series.

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Review: Cross My Heart (The Westbrooks: Broken Hearts Series Book 1) by Avery Maxwell

Cross My Heart by Avery Maxwell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

More Than It’s Tag-Line

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

Lanie has had a pretty bad run of luck throughout her life, with the exception of her best friend Julia and her amazing parents. Lanie’s own mother was abusive and neglectful and hated her so much she wouldn’t let her be taken in by Julia’s parents who Lanie called Mimi and PawPaw. Lanie has spent the last 18 months holed up with Julia and her infant son, recovering from a vicious and life-threatening attack by one of her social work clients. Over the last year, she doesn’t seem to have improved mentally and both she and Julia decide that it might be time to get away for a while, so she decides to move away to North Carolina for a year to hopefully reset herself.

Dex has three children, Tate the oldest boy and twin infant daughters. Dex’s wife left him and their kids before his twins were born and she handed them over after their birth and signed over parental rights to all the kids. A successful businessman, Dex has no family to help and after losing three nannies since his ex left him, he is desperate for help. Lanie arrives for an interview with Dex and like a modern-day Mary Poppins whirls into action, taming the out of hand household in a few moments. Lanie and Dex both need her to take the job, despite their very instant attraction to each other, so they get the contracts drawn up and Lanie agrees to stay 12 months.

I downloaded this book expecting the usual grumpy boss/attractive younger nanny trope and got something much different. I got a book that was filled with damaged people (and children) who were surrounded by people who loved them. This book was all about healing hearts and the way Dex courted Lanie was really beautiful. He went all out to prove his feelings towards her and he worked tremendously hard to win her trust.

The relationship between Tate and Lanie was beautiful. In helping Tate deal with his issues with his mother, Lanie was able to tackle some of her feelings towards her own mother. Watching their relationship as it gradually evolves over the course of several months was so sweet it made my heart hurt.

One of the things I liked most about this book was the slow progress on the relationships. Though Dex was drawn to Lanie very early on, he spent some time working out what he wanted before he went all-in on trying to win her love. Then he spent months proving how he felt.

All the way through this book their friends were supportive, funny and meddlesome. All of the supporting characters were larger than life and entertaining to read about. I believe these friends will get their own books and after reading all about them through this book, I can’t wait to get to those books. All the characters are interesting and most have a depth to them. Some of the characters have less developed personalities and histories, but I think they will be rounded out in future books.

This was a moving and sweet story, with a bit of passion and humour thrown in. It was entertaining and well written. This is the first time I’ve read this author, but it won’t be the last.

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Review: Watching Trin (On Call Series Book 7, Police and Fire: Operation Alpha) by Freya Barker

Watching Trin by Freya Barker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Single Mum and The Firefighter

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

This is part of a continuing series with characters that appear across all the books, however, the book can be read as a standalone and the experience won’t be lessened. There is no cliffhanger.

Katrina, aka Trin, has just moved back to Durango after more than 20 years away from home. She went away to college and became a journalist and travelled all around the world with work, until she settled in Houston after having a baby. Her baby is now nearly 15-years-old and beginning to enter his snarly teen years. The main reason she’s returned home is to help her sister look after her father who is suffering from dementia.

Bohdi, aka Roadkill, is a firefighter and his new colleague is Vic, Trin’s sister. He loves his job and his family. He has good friends and is pretty content with life. When he meets Trin, he is struck by her in a way he wasn’t expecting and finds himself really drawn to her. Though Trin’s life is currently a train wreck when Bohdi asks her out eventually she accepts because he slips his way into her life being helpful and supportive with a side order of flirting thrown in.

When Trin’s son gets into trouble and Bohdi saves his life their relationship steps up a gear. As Trin gets onto the path of a story about a cold case Bohdi offers her help when he can, support when he can’t and a strong body to cuddle up to.

This is such an enjoyable story, with engaging characters. I really like Bohdi’s relationship with his family and how his family wrapped up Trin’s family so quickly and warmly into their warm embrace. Bohdi’s relationship with Trin’s son was also endearing.

One of the things I really like about this author is her characters feel real. They have all the excitement of a new relationship, the passion and the heady emotions of finding someone you care about, but she also shows what happens when two mature people who are set in their ways try to merge their lives and fireworks happen. It’s not all plain sailing, but they work out their differences like the adults they are.

On top of all this good relationship stuff and believable characters, the plot is interesting and gets the brain working as you try to solve the whodunnit. There is suspense and danger alongside research and determination.

I devoured this book in one sitting and I’m sad I didn’t eke it out a bit more. Now I’ll just have to wait for the next one in this very enjoyable series.

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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: Cabin 12 (Rock Point Series Book 2) by Freya Barker

Cabin 12 by Freya Barker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

FBI Agent and The Paramedic

This is the second book in a series of connected books. The plot stands alone, but the characters share history and this contributes to the story. You will enjoy this book more if you have already read the first book in the series. There is no cliffhanger.

TRIGGER WARNING: There are references to sexual assault and mental health issues. Neither are dwelled on intensely but they have affects on characters in this story.

Bella Gomez is the sister of Damien, the MMC in the first book in this series. She is a paramedic and moved to Durango a year ago after she was forced to quit her old job. Her ex worked with her and spent a big chunk of their years together cheating on her with colleagues and sexually harassing those who weren’t willing partners. Suffering from depression, her very large and meddling family didn’t really know how to help her, and being around them didn't help. Eventually, she moved to be near her brother, the family member who understood her the most.

When Bella first met FBI SA Jasper Greene she saw a pretty and charming man, who didn’t take relationships seriously. She dismisses him out of hand and their interactions are quite abrasive. Jasper really likes Bella but steers clear of her because her brother is his boss and Bella seems to be really against the idea of getting together. Jasper was abandoned at age 3 and spent his childhood in the foster system. He loves his job and when he tried a relationship in the past it didn’t work out too well, so now it’s short term flings or nothing.

Circumstances force them together when Damien is on his honeymoon, and they get to see each other more clearly and things become complicated. I really enjoyed the suspense aspect of this book. It was complex and interesting. It was less of a ‘whodunnit’ and more of ‘howtocatchhim’, all of which had Bella being pulled in because of being at the wrong place at the wrong time.

This is a well-written book, with likeable characters that draw you into their world. The plot is intriguing and the romance is emotionally satisfying. There is passion, laughter and tears in this book and once again Freya Barker writes a thoroughly enjoyable story.

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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: Luke (Texas Kings MC Series Book 15) by Cee Bowerman

Luke by Cee Bowerman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Family Drama

This is the 15th book in a series of interconnected novels. There are also spin-off series that tie into this book, in particular Conner Brother’s Construction. The story stands alone but the history and personalities of the characters are explained in those previous books and that history is referred to.

Luke Evans is ex-military. He served for 14 years and got out a few years ago with a medical discharge and PTSD. He and his brother opened a gym in Rojo, where they grew up. They have another brother and a sister, and their Dad is still a big part of their lives. Luke is a member of the Texas Kings MC and they have helped him a lot since he got home.

Liberty Merida is the youngest Merida sister, at 21. Violet married Angus Conner and London, the country music star, is dating Angus’ younger brother, Tavin. She lives on the Conner Brother compound for safety and for family comfort. She writes and sells computer games and has got pretty rich off the back of it. Liberty recently had a health scare and her doctor told her to stop eating junk food, get to a gym and try and see daylight occasionally. So she made an appointment at Luke’s gym to see a dietician and start an exercise program.

When the two meet during one of Liberty’s epic klutzy moves they don’t realise that it's the start of something, especially as Luke believes though Liberty is all kinds of gorgeous she is far too young to be dealing with him and his messed up head. Liberty doesn’t agree.

It feels like a lot happens in this book. The most straightforward part is that Luke and Liberty are great together. They laugh and play and support each other in every way. They are passionate and loving and the age doesn’t make a difference. There are various difficulties that they have to deal with, some relating to them and other problems caused by other people and the plot is incredibly well written and keeps you crying with both laughter and sorrow.

This book had a lot of tension in it and characters we all know and love didn’t always behave the way we would like them to. Drama ensues and it isn’t resolved by the end of the book. The author notes before the book begins that redemption is always possible which means I hope they sort things out in the next book.

I love this author and her characters are fantastic, especially having written so many stories revolving around one town. There is lots of history and crossovers that make the world that she has created richer and deeper than can be seen in this one book. This is a great book but if you hadn’t read the others you wouldn’t experience the depth of emotions that I did because you won’t have any connection to a lot of the characters. I have given this book 4 ⭐ but if you take the series as a whole with its complex interconnected network of people and groups in Rojo it would probably be a 5 ⭐ series because the world-building is second to none.

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Review: Cooper: Gunslinger (Badass Security Council (BSC) Series Book 16) by L Ann Marie

Cooper: Gunslinger (Badass Security Council (BSC) Series Book 16 by L. Ann Marie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Horses Galore

This is book 16 in a continuing series about a group of MCs that are tightly bound together. The story really needs to be read in order and this series is actually the latest in a very long line of series that are all tied together, starting with The Baxters series. It doesn’t end on a cliffhanger but the story will continue in the next book when it comes out.

This book is about Cooper, the president of Elann Rising. He was raising in the club but joined up, becoming Special Forces. He has only been out around a year and a half and has PTSD, which he’s getting treatment for. Elann has been set up to provide support to former military personnel in the form of being part of the training school and ground ops and also having access to therapy horses. Cooper was raised on horses so it seemed a natural fit, especially as he has need of help.

Cooper meets a little girl, Austen who lives on land next to the boundary of the club, and she has been spying on all the activity for several months before they even speak. When she is in danger he meets her mother, Jane, and is drawn to her.

It’s pretty obvious where this is going because there is a pattern to these books, biker meets cool woman and they know they are meant for each other and move in together almost instantly. Everything between them is awesome but other people suck.

At first glance, these books should be really straightforward, but they aren’t. They are actually filled with an incredibly complicated web of interactions between the various clubs, across the generations, with the local communities and governmental bodies. The clubs have masses of businesses and inventions to keep track of and the books are filled with this information. If you’ve not read the books recently you tend to get confused and lost because you can’t remember who someone is or where you read about them before and what they’ve done. Sometimes you just have to go with the flow and kind of skim over the fact you don’t know what the author is talking about.

These books are weirdly addictive. Sometimes the author seems to say things in an abbreviated manner that take a while to decipher, and there are grammatical errors and spelling errors. However, I just don’t care because I love the stories about bikers and Native Americans who are trying to save the world one person and one town at a time. It gives me a nice warm glow reading about the magic of their world.

I will always try to read these books as soon as they come out because they make me smile, even if they need a more ruthless editor.

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Review: The Mercy of Demons (Underestimated Series Book 6) by Candice Wright

The Mercy of Demons by Candice M. Wright
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Amnesia Sucks

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

This is the 6th book in a connected series of stand-alone stories, with an overarching plot. You don’t need to read the other books to understand this one, but it will certainly help you understand a few sections of the plot better if you do.

Mercy is a Kings of Carnage MC Princess. Her uncle Inigo is a member of the club and as her father died when she was very young her uncle stepped up to provide her with a father figure. As a result she spent a lot of time around the club. This is what pulls her into a bad situation with an enemy of the Club. Left for dead with amnesia it takes an act of faith to follow a clue and believe what the Club tells her.

To protect her she is sent to the Chaos Demons MC, where she will be hidden. She is assigned three protectors, one of which is Scope who is distinctly unhinged and decides that Mercy is ‘his’. The other two Kaz and Wizz get sucked into the situation to help dilute the Scope effect.

This book ties up a lot of loose threads of the story and as such, I feel like it tried to do a little too much. I also thought the whole amnesia part of the story was a little soap opera for my liking. It wasn’t really necessary to the plot except to provide a reason for Mercy’s original vulnerability when she’s a complete bad*ss. It also meant that the book was almost split into two halves, with me feeling a connection with Mercy before she remembered who she was and trying to connect in the same way with a brand new character who had history and knew herself and her capabilities. It made the story a little disjointed to me.

However, as always this author writes a story that sucks you in and characters that make you smile. There is so much filth you will need to fan yourself, so don’t read it in public if you blush easily.

I’ll be sad to see this series end, but the author writes at the end of the book that there will be spin-off books with side characters from this series, so that makes me happy.

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Review: Absolving Blue (Police and Fire: Operation Alpha) (On Call Series Book 4) by Freya Barker

Absolving Blue (Police and Fire: Operation Alpha) by Freya Barker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Breaking Blue’s Shell

This is story is part of a series, however, it can be read by itself. The series is about a group of police and firefighters so reading the other books gives you a stronger idea of the background characters, but if you haven’t read them it doesn’t prevent you from enjoying this book.

Blue is the only woman on her fire crew. She’s an EMT and loves her job with a passion. She sees her crew as the family she never really had, but she doesn’t show much of herself to them. She keeps herself locked down tight and at 40 years old she has never let anyone close. She basically works, hangs out with work buddies and volunteers at the animal rescue. Her nickname comes from her personality rather than her eye colour.

Tony is a police detective and has worked for years with Blue. He’s always been attracted to her but she seemed so unapproachable he never did. He is handsome and charming and enjoys the company of different women too much to settle down, plus his job is very demanding. He has a loving family with his father, brother, sister-in-law and niece and spends time with them as well as his friends and colleagues.

When Blue has a series of patient’s die over a short period of time when she thought they would be ok, Tony sees her tough shell crack a little and he sees the real Blue. When she adopts a dog on a whim he suggests they look after him together as they both have demanding jobs but between the two of them, they should be able to look after Arthur. This impulse finally lets him into Blue’s life and he begins to see the real woman at a time when her world comes crumbling down.

I enjoyed Blue and Tony’s developing relationship a lot. Blue had been alone for so long that it took Tony time to work his way into her life and her heart. He was supportive and loving as well as being protective at a time when she desperately needed it. He also came into her life at a time when she was vulnerable enough to seek help for her mental health. Having a professional guide her through the relationship minefield helped a lot.

All the little details in this author’s books really help to shape her characters. Things like Tony being colourblind or Blue being scared of heights show us real people that we can connect with. Being over 40 means that they have some baggage and are set in their ways which give us a chance to see them work through their differences to create a new life together.

The suspense part of this book was tough on Blue. She was really put through the wringer and the support of her crew and Tony and his family made all the difference to her making it to the other side. The plot was intricate and interesting and kept me on the edge of my seat as it wove in between the romance and the character development. This author is really good at finding the balance between all aspects of a strong Suspense Romance novel. This series as a whole has provided excellent entertainment and I can’t wait to read the next book.

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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: Team Changes (House of Garner Series Book 6) by Erin R Flynn

Team Changes by Erin R. Flynn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

How Much Can One Vampire Do?

This is book 6 in a continuing series, which means you need to read the first books before attempting this one. There is no way you could follow what’s going on without those first books.

As with the rest of this series, this book jumps straight into the action. When Inez revealed vampires and shifters to the human settlement in Texas she opened a can of worms. News of her actions reached the ears of Cerdic’s first love. Inez started getting visions in her dreams that never let her rest. They forced her into actions that she knew her husbands would never agree to. Inez puts everyone before herself and acts whilst trying to keep those she loves safe and has to face unforeseen circumstances as a result.

This book focuses a lot more on the emotions and mental strain of being, not only, a vampire but a princess who is also the champion of Aether. Inez has enormous amounts of responsibility for a 23-year-old woman who has no memories before being 18 years old. She goes from being completely alone to ruling an enormous coven and supporting 14 other covens through treaties. This kind of pressure whilst also trying to maintain relationships with 4 husbands who are hundreds of years her senior is almost impossible.

The rest of this series moves at a cracking pace, with everything getting handled immediately and competently by an intelligent and capable young woman. She throws herself headlong into everything and she and we as readers don’t have time to breathe. This book makes us all stop and take stock of what is going on. It delves into the meat of who Inez is and what she wants from her life.

On its own, this book might feel like not much happens, but as part of the series as a greater whole, it’s an important book. It’s one of the things I like about this author is that she often shows the mental and emotional wear and tear being the heroine takes. In other series, she has had other similar books where they take stock and show their vulnerable side. I admire that the author talks bluntly about mental health in a practical way in the same way she might talk about any other injury. I wish more authors did this. The more mental health is talked about in this way in fiction as well as in real life the more it will become an accepted fact in life and not something to be ashamed of.

There is a bit of a cliffhanger, which means I really can’t wait for the next book. I know I’ll have to wait though because there are several other series by this author that I want her to write too!

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Review: Source Mage (The Awakened World Series Book 1) by William Stacey

Source Mage by William Stacey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Fascinating World Building

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I came across it as a Facebook Ad, which isn’t a great recommendation, but the blurb intrigued me.

The world in which this book is set is fascinating. It’s been 18 years since dragons pulled down the veil between the mundane and the magical worlds and sparked years of chaos.

Angie was adopted as a child by a fey, a succubus. She was raised at her adopted mother’s home where she was trained alongside other human mages how to use magic without killing themselves.

After leaving the only home she really remembered, she joined the Home Guard, the armed forces that protect a group of human compounds against incursions by ‘ferals’ (an unexplained dangerous enemy) and other human factions. Several months ago she was shot down on a mission and she unleashed magic she never knew she had. Terrified she got her adopted mother to sever her from her magic and she was asked to leave the Home Guard as a result of losing her magic.

Isolated from her adopted mother and discarded by her human colleagues, she tries to cope day to day with little sleep and hard work. Stricken by PTSD, she doesn’t know how to find a path towards acceptance and health.

I found the world-building in this book to be really interesting. There’s nothing particularly new in the isolated facts, but they’ve been put together in an interesting way. There is mythology from several different parts of the world, which is always interesting. The magic system, for instance, seems very simple but the more you read the more complex it becomes. This is the same with the structure of society and the treaties and agreements in place. The complexity of the book is revealed slowly as the story is told in an intriguing way that compels you to keep reading.

I like Angie quite a lot. She’s a flawed and damaged human who is pulled taut between two worlds. She dwells partially in both worlds but not fully in either. She is lonely and afraid of her own magic. She is taken on a journey that involved her reappraising her entire life and the people she considered friends. I like how her friendship with Erin grows throughout the book, taking them from mere acquaintances to comrades in arms. Perceived enemies become allies and old friends become enemies. Everything she believed is tossed out and she is left to rebuild from scratch.

It’s a well-written book, with a good strong plot and solid world-building. The characters aren’t deep, but this is the first book in a trilogy so more of the personalities and histories of the characters will hopefully be revealed the further we get into the story. It’s definitely left me wanting to read more though.

I’m glad I took a chance on a Facebook Ad for once.

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Review: The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle by Matt Cain

The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle by Matt Cain
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a little different from my usual choice of book, but it is definitely worth a look at. I got this book as an advanced reader copy and I put off reading it for ages because though the blurb was appealing I never seemed to be in the right mood for ‘Joyful But Also So Poignant’. I’m really sorry I left it so long to read because yes this book is joyful and poignant but in all the best ways. This is a book that isn’t trying too hard. It’s a book about real people who have ordinary lives with ups and downs and all the normal bland in between. This book is about Albert a 64-year-old postman who lives a very very quiet life and doesn’t really have any friends, except his cat. He keeps his head down at work and says little except ‘How do?’ to his colleagues.

Albert is a man created by his age and location. Taught by his policeman father that what he is was sinful and disgusting, he came of age at a time when being gay had just been legalised but it wasn’t legal for those under 21. He was finding his identity in a time when it could get you beaten badly if anyone even suspected he was gay. Since his teens, Albert has suppressed the side of himself that reaches out to other people, afraid of what they might see and what they might say or do to him. He didn’t know anyone who was gay, because everyone kept it secret, and he had no one to turn to. A small town in Lancashire in the 1970s was not a safe or accepting place for homosexuals.

Shutting himself off from everyone and everything meant no one could judge him, but it also meant a life of isolation. Coming up to retirement makes him open his eyes and start looking for connections. Up until then, his work has been his whole existence, watching life around him as he brings pieces of the world to his customers. This book is a journey into a man who is finally allowing the world to see his personality. It’s his first tentative steps into becoming part of the community he watches as he delivers letters and parcels, always standing outside looking in. That journey takes him somewhere different, where people care about him and he cares for others.

This journey is powerful and moving because it teaches us that it’s never too late to turn your life around and search for happiness. If an ordinary grey haired postman from Lancashire can do it, then everyone can. I loved Albert at the same time my heart broke for him. He’s had such a sad and lonely existence, squashing his inner life down behind thick shields so the world can’t judge him. He’s so very brave to take those first steps into sharing himself with others and you feel his anxiety as he reaches out each time.

I loved the characters around Albert almost as much, especially Nicole the 19-year-old, black single mother trying to make it through her beauty course so she can finally take proper care of herself and her daughter. She is at a turning point in her life that echoes with the point in the past when Albert’s life was changed. She’s alone and isolated from others because she is different too. Their friendship is at once unlikely and at the same time utterly predictable. For two such different people, they have so much in common.

This isn’t a fast-paced and exciting book, but each page will be turned a quickly as the most exciting thriller because you want to know what happens next. This is an emotional journey and each step is a giant leap for this frightened man. It is a wonderful journey that at times will make you smile and at others make tears run down your face, so it’s safe to say this book really is ‘Joyful But Also So Poignant’. You will be thinking about this book for a long time because it burrows itself inside your heart and mind and sets up camp whilst you think about your own life and all the missed turnings you didn’t take. At the same time, you are thinking about the things you missed, this book also reminds you that it’s never too late.

This is a wonderful book, you really should read it.

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Review: Scrap (Steel Bones Motorcycle Club Series Book 3) by Cate C Wells

Scrap by Cate C. Wells
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Secrets Unveiled

There is a lot in this book about PTSD and assault, depression and body dysmorphia, so if those subjects are emotional triggers, you may want to avoid this book.

In this book, we find out about what went on between Scrap and Christa that got him sent to prison for 10 years. This book is part of a longer ongoing story arc but you don’t necessarily have to have read the first books in the series to comprehend the story, it just helps.

Scrap has spent the last 10 years in prison for the murder of someone. He doesn’t regret it, what he does regret is how he did it because it got him sent away for 10 years where he couldn’t protect Christa anymore. She’s the bright image that’s kept him going for the last 10 years, knowing she’s outside, happy and living her life.

Christa isn’t happy. She’s not been happy for 10 years. She’s lived that 10 years in pain, depression and guilt because Scrap lost his life for all that time. Everyone knows he did it for her and they are expecting a fairytale ending when he gets out, but Christa knows better. She knows she’s far too broken to ever be someone’s Happily Ever After.

This story was principally about Christa and Scrap and didn’t involve the MC much except on the periphery. In fact, the MC got in the way a lot of the time, because they needed to learn how to get along with Christa’s triggers rather than give up, which is what a lot of the MC seemed to expect Scrap to do.

I really liked that both these characters were so loyal to each other, despite not actually having a relationship before Scrap got sent to prison. They had feelings for each other and they weren’t going to shy away from those feelings, even with the circumstances they were in.

Both Christa and Scrap were strong too. They kept on trying, despite all of Christa’s flashbacks. Neither one was willing to back off because they wanted to be together so much. They were fumbling their way together without much knowledge about what would work, except what their instincts told them. It could have gone horribly wrong, except both were strong enough to keep on trying.

Whilst there were difficult areas of the story to read, there was a lot of humour and sweetness in this book. I really enjoyed reading it and will happily continue the series to see what happens to the MC next.

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Review: Chasing Truth (Outlasting Series Book 2) by LK Magill

Chasing Truth by L.K. Magill
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Intelligent and emotional

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

This is the second book in a continuing series and should only be read after the first book or it won't make any sense.

I am beginning to hate this author with the burning passion of a 1000 fiery suns! Another horrendous cliffhanger!!! I feel like my heart has been squeezed and I can’t take another breath until I download the next book. ARGGHH!!!! I need to sleep!!!! To be honest this author is lucky I’m taking the time to write this review because I want to know what happened next and this is delaying me! I’m just glad the book is already out.

This book is a lot more emotional than the first with some heartbreaking miscommunications, tortuous returning memories and broken women. At the same time the cerebral quality of the first book remains. There are so many layers to this book it’s hard to describe it. This is not the simple dystopian RH series I thought it was going to be when I started. In fact it’s barely a ménage in this book, more of a triangle.

One of the reasons why this is not a typical RH/ménage book is that the reason for starting a polyandrous relationship was purely political. It was to create stability in the compound and in the end it became something else.

As you read the book you see the characters tear themselves apart because emotional relationships must take second place to survival. There is always something that is incredibly important because they are existing on a knife’s edge. There are so many missed moments of connection and explanation because something else must come first. This is a very clever plot device because it is utterly believable. It’s not tenuous or obvious it’s simply understandable and very sad.

The plot is continuing to be slowly revealed and at the same time the tension is ramping up even further as we understand more of what has been going on. We get to gain understanding as Hannah regains more snippets of memories.

This is a very intelligently written series and I still hate the author. I’m going to go and pay for the privilege of hating them some more now. There better not be another cliffhanger or I’m staying awake all night!

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