CHRISTMAS ARC REVIEW Snowfall on Cedar Trail by Annie Rains

Sweetwater Springs #3, Holona and Alex have been dancing around their attraction for years, since they were both young, but because Alex was best friends with her brother he never wanted to cross that line. Holona ended up getting married and having a son, her husband was a big football star who died in a skiing accident shortly after divorcing her. Holona loved her husband but their was a side of him she never wanted anyone to know about unfortunately Alex was witness to that once but Alex still only knows half the story.

Alex thinks that Holona doesn't want anything to do with him because that one time he arrested her husband, but fate keeps putting them together and finally when Alex gets picked to be her son's mentor

they finally give in to the attraction. Holona's son, Theo, stopped talking after his father died. Holona always doing what she thinks is best for her son she enters him the new mentor program hoping he can find a good male role model.

Alex is tormented by the unsolved murder of his father. Ever year he reopens the case and questions the witness again and tries to find who killed his father. This year is different this year he was given a clue, and now he's worried that going after this person might put Holona and Theo in jeopardy.

Overall, this was a really great read. It's just over 300 pages and it goes by so quickly. The cuteness factor is really high with both Theo and Officer Chew the foster puppy Alex takes in. The romantic build up between Alex and Holona doesn't take long and their chemistry is great. Even as book three this works as a stand alone but all three books and the novella are wonderful reads.

ARC REVIEW One Dark Wish by Sharon Wray

Deadly Force #2, Because of backstory, it's when the main characters met, and why you need to beware of men who bow I would recommend reading the first book before this one. In the events before both books two teams of Green Berets were royally screwed over the ones that aren't in prison were dishonorably discharged and put to the task of finding out who betrayed them so they can free their teammates from prison and clean their record. There is a large cast of characters but their are only a few you need to worry about in this book, the third person perspective focus on Sarah Munro and Nate Walker the main characters but it also adds Zack a fellow ex-Green Beret and one of the bad guys Etienne. For the most part it's easy to tell when it switches,  mid chapter there are chapter breaks and who you are now following is usually named right away. The story is complex there are quite a few different elements to it all lots of different threads that all come together in the end but still leave the overall story arc open for the next book.

I loved Nate and Sarah, they are both complex character with baggage, especially Nate who has health issues. Ever since the ambush and his time as a prisoner and tortured he's suffered from seizures and memory loss, while all his men were in prison he was in a hospital. His CO, Kells, has just informed him he has to go back to the hospital. With only days before he has to go back he has to finish setting up their cover as employees of the Iron Rack Gym and bouncers at the club Rage of Angels but when Sarah gets tied up in this mess he's determined to keep her safe until he's forced to go back.

Sarah wasn't meant to get mixed up in Nate's problems but it seems she was already hip deep in it anyways. Her research into the history of Isle of Grace has landed her in hot water already she's being threatened by both sides; one side wants her to solve the old pirate cipher and the other doesn't even to the extent of going after her father to get her to cooperate. Nate is the only one who wants to protect her even if they were pitted against each other. This book is packed with so much the action it's exciting and there are twists and red herrings, and smoking hot romance. Overall, a great story. 

CHRISTMAS ARC REVIEW Christmas with a Cowboy by Carolyn Brown

I've started my Season's Readings, I'm going to try every Monday to post a New or Favorite Christmas read. 

Longhorn Canyon Ranch #5, Maverick Callahan hasn't been the same since he got back from his Ireland vacation with his Grammy Iris. Since then he has been helping his cousins set up their ranch but when Grammy falls out the pear tree and has to have her hip replaced and her foreman goes off to visit family she needs help around the ranch. She already has a housekeeper, the granddaughter of her best friend whom she invited over to spend the holidays.
Bridget O'Malley lost her best friend, gained guardianship of a new born baby, Laela, and lost her grandmother all in a couple months of each other. So when her grandmother's best friend, Iris, calls and offers her a place to stay and spend the holiday while making some money she jumps at the chance, even if that means leaving Ireland for a couple of months. 

Bridget and Maverick met in Ireland on his last night there and spent the night together, since that night neither has been able to stop thinking about he other but they didn't exchange number or even get each other's last names. When Bridget gets to Texas she never expected to find her cowboy is none other than Iris's grandson. But she's not he same girl she was a year ago she's a mother now and just can't fall into bed with a good looking cowboy. Maverick knows as soon as he sees Bridget again it was fate. He wants her to stay but he just a cowboy with nothing to his name, he has nothing to offer her except his love. Bridget is torn between her love for Maverick and her love of Ireland, she worried that things aren't going to last, that her homesickness will make her miserable, she worries about a lot of things but her love for Maverick isn't one.

Overall, it's a real sweet romance, things get hot and heavy between Mav and Bridget but in the typical Carolyn Brown fashion (she mainly leaves it up to your imagination). I loved Laela, and how quickly Mav bonded with her and Iris is a hoot. I love all the characters and it was such a nice easy read.   

ARC REVIEW Love on Lexington Avenue by Lauren Layne

Central Park Pact #2, I'm happy we didn't have a very long wait for Claire's story. Claire, Aubrey, and Naomi all met when Claire's husband died, Aubrey's boyfriend died, and Naomi's lover died, unfortunately it was all the same man. Claire never knew he was cheating, she didn't find out until after he die. He never told Naomi he was married and he told Aubrey that they were in the process of a divorce. Claire felt betrayed in the worst way so scorned by her husband she said she would never marry again. A year after his death and her newfound friendship with Aubrey and Naomi, Claire is ready to start living her life again and kind of going through a midlife crisis, sort of. She realizes how boring her life was how everything is bland and she wants to change that she wants to be pink lemonade instead of vanilla.

Scott is the contractor Claire hires to do a complete reno of her brownstone, since it hadn't been updated since the seventies. Scott has long been jaded by the actions of his ex-fiancee and has had time to "get over it" he's also never in once place for too long always picking the international jobs. Claire's knows better than to start anything with him and not just because he's best friends with her best friend's boyfriend but he is definitely not her type, but then again.

Overall, another great story from Lauren Layne. Like so many of her other books this has great rom-com qualities, funny situations, quirky side characters, heated looks that lead to scenes that leave just enough to your imagination, and an absolutely adorable dog. I enjoyed the connection between Claire and Scott. I am also really looking forward to Aubrey and Clarke's book from the blurb it sounds like another winner.       

ARC REVIEW The Paris Orphan by Natasha Lester

A beautifully told story that sweeps you away to a time of war, a place where women struggled for equality. Photojournalist Jessica May sets out to photograph the war from a woman perspective, but what she got was a bunch of men  who thought the war was no place for a woman, unless you were a nurse. It took a year of hassle but finally women journalist were finally allowed on the front line. Jess attached herself to Dan Hallworth's battalion over the previous year they became good friends and he more than once help get her out of trouble and always treated her as an equal. Along with Dan and his men Jess also befriended Dan's adopted niece, Victorine. Victorine was orphaned and taken in by Dan's brother who died shortly after leaving Dan to take care of her the best way he could in the middle of a war. 

2004: D'Arcy Hallworth comes to France to organize and oversee the transportation of a famous anonymous photographer's collection for its first ever showing in Australia or anywhere else. D'Arcy was hand picked to do the job what D'Arcy finds are the published and unpublished works of her idol, a war time photographer who disappeared after the war and her connection to D'Arcy's mother and father; a history she never knew.

I loved Jess's story, it was beautifully told and so realistic. The historical elements, the atrocities of WWII are hard to fathom at times and it takes the photos and the stories which aren't always pleasant to hear about to remind up this actually happened. Natasha Lester captures that time frame and those events on the front line and military politics concerning women so well and throwing in real people adds to that. Jess and Dan's friendship blossoms into something beautiful and I absolutely loved their story. D'Arcy on the other hand I thought it seemed rushed. I didn't quite feel the connection between D'Arcy and Josh as much as I did Jess and Dan and the ending seemed very abrupt and I was a little disappointed with that. Overall, it's a brilliant story.     

ARC REVIEW Nothing to Fear by Juno Rushdan

Final Hour #2, Picking up right where Every Last Breath left off this book would be better read if the first book was read prior to this one. They are separate stories with different protagonists leading the way but the big bad is the same and the past events are mentioned frequently and important. I loved this book! Juno Rushdan is so talented her suspense and action is exceptional, the romance between Gideon and Willow heartbreakingly good, and the book in general was a very satisfying read. From start to finish the books take hold of you and won't let go.

There is a mole in Gray Box, a super secret black ops organization that the higher ups are willing to just whitewash the whole thing and start over; that means kill who they can and discredit everyone else. Gray Box is running out of time to find the mole. Gideon Stone has taken it upon himself to shadow Willow Harper, he knows she's innocent he just needs an excuse to be close to her. But when new evidence is discovered it points right to Willow and there is only one thing Gideon can do to protect her until they find the evidence she needs to prove she's been framed, they run away.

Willow is a high functioning autistic, she's horrible in social situations but she can mimic people's reactions when needed to fit in doesn't mean she understand it she just knows that's what you do. Willow is also a genius when it comes to computers. Willow is confused when Gideon starts talking to her and showing interest in her when he walks her out to her car but is thankful if not a little embarrassed when he's there when her car's breaks fail and she almost dies. Willow is almost certain that now he knows about her autism that Gideon will leave her alone next thing she know Gideon is bolting out of Gray Box with her. Their only hope to find out who was really behind this is to follow the money. Along the way they give into their attraction but Gideon was married once before and she died because of him and no matter how much he's falling in love with Willow he can't do to her what he put his first wife through.

Overall, it's an outstanding book. Juno Rushdan has definitely become one of my must read authors. 

ARC REVIEW Wrapped in Ink by Carrie Ann Ryan

Montgomery Ink: Boulder #1, More Montgomery cousins. Liam is the eldest of the Boulder cousins became a model at a young age, he also knew when to retire from that lifestyle he has since become the famous L.M. Berry an action adventure/sci-fi-ish writer. Arden Brady has been living with Lupus since she was young and since her unpredictable illness may flare up at any time she got into a job that allows her to work from home and from bed if the occasion calls for it, she is a professional researcher for authors and also writes and maintains series "bible" helping them keep track of everything pertaining to their book series. Liam and Arden meet at the hospital, Arden is suffering from a flare up and Liam saved his sister from an accident at a wedding. Despite not looking her best Liam and Arden still flirted and ended up with Arden giving Liam her phone number. Liam finds out something that changes his whole world, he feels like his whole life has been a lie. It was pure happenstance or just plain fate that Liam and Arden ran into each other a couple weeks later and have coffee together turns out they have quite a bit in common, for instance Arden does research for his books.

 Arden deals with her attraction to Liam and fears that this relationship will be just like her other one and leave her heart broken she tries to keep herself distant from him, it doesn't help that he's sweet and kind and even her three very overprotective brothers like him. Liam, after finding out the truth, is dealing with an existential crisis. Arden was just supposed to be a distraction to get his mind off his family and his book but the more he becomes attached the harder time he has dealing with it, he can't even figure out what his characters are doing. Liam has to figure things out one at a time before all the pieces come together and if Arden lets her heart open to him and lets go of her fears.

Overall, another lovely, emotional, sexy story from Carrie Ann Ryan. I loved Liam and Arden. Liam and his identity crisis and Arden's battle with her own body and her mind and them falling in love such a good read. AND Arden's brother are getting their own series eventually YAY!

ARC REVIEW How to Love a Duke in Ten Days by Kerrigan Byrne

Devil You Know #1, The first book by this author I read was the end of the Victorian Rebels series catching that one at the end, and really liking it, I made sure I caught this series at the beginning. From the first page this book pulls you in it emotionally ties you the the three young ladies (at the time) when a traumatic experience binds them together for life. Alexandra, Cecelia, and Francesca bonded in boarding school they were rambunctious girls who formed a group just for them The Red Rogues and gave themselves nicknames and pretended what it would be like if they were men. When they left school they knew each other's darkest secrets, Including the truth about Francesca and her family which she has vowed to find and punish whoever killed them. Fast forward ten years Alex has a doctorate in archeology, Cecilia is a mathematical genius and Francesca has continued her search for her parents killers which may have just lead to the Duke of Redmayne's door.

Piers Atherton, Duke of Redmayne, was a great hunter going off to all sorts of places hunting for the sport of it until a jaguar caught him by surprise and left him with a claw mark on the side of his face; a wound he almost didn't recover from. Upon his return he finds his fiance married his cousin after some time Piers knows he needs to marry to fulfill his duty as duke so he re-establishes an old marriage contract between Francesca's Father and his. But when Francesca's best friends arrive he's completely taken with Alexandra. Alexandra is being blackmailed for what happened at school and her family is going bankrupt when she offers herself up to Piers instead of Francesca in exchange her parents get the bride payment. Piers agrees as long as Francesca does too and the next day they are married and off to spend their honeymoon in Paris at an archaeological dig Pier's cousin setup to to excavate the ruins of what might be an ancestor of the Redmayne line. But things only get more complicated as it becomes clear someone is trying to assassinate either Piers or Alex and when Piers discovers Alex isn't a virgin he thinks the worst of her when his accusations couldn't be further from the truth.     


Overall, the intrigue and the romance together make this book just so good! Piers is so aggravating at times so oblivious to what's right in front of him. Alex is so strong but yet vulnerable at the same time. I loved these two and the mystery of the blackmail and the assassination attempts really keeps you hooked. I love the epilogue and tease about Cecelia can't wait for the next book. 

ARC REVIEW Wolf Instinct by Paige Tyler

 SWAT: Special Wolf Alpha Team #9, wow, book nine already. Out earlier this summer if you haven't the chance yet I highly recommend this series. Throughout the book the SWAT has discovered they not alone, between the Omegas and the Betas but now they discover so much more, the shifters aren't the only paranormal out there. There is a continuing story arc but each of the book is a stand alone you can read it just by itself but really these books are quick and easy to read and so good it worth reading all of them.

The sexy former SAS Brit, Zane, and some of the others go to L.A. to track down the one who betrayed the pack. Zane is slowly recovering from the poisoned bullet that nearly cost him his arm, he's not sure he'll ever get back to full strength but that's not going to stop him from catching the SOB who was behind the attack in the last book. FBI Special Agent Alyssa Carson is part of a unit that technically doesn't exist. She's in L.A. following a lead on a missing persons and the connection to an exsanguinated body. Alyssa has seen some weird stuff but she is in no way prepared for meeting Zane, the hunters and all the other weird stuff L.A. has in store for them.

Overall, it's an exciting read. Excellent action, sweet and hot romance, wonderfully developed characters with the right amount of angst and witty banter.

ARC REVIEW Cowboy Up by Stacy Finz

 Dry Creek Ranch #1, New series I'm so happy. This was a good read, just like so any other Finz stories you have witty banter, complex characters with enough baggage in their past and present to make them interesting, quirky side characters, and hunky cowboys. This is a great start to the series with wonderful character introductions and vague background on the other two cousins who live on Dry Creek Ranch.

Jace, Sawyer, and Cash are cousins who inherited the ranch from their grandfather, the Ranch was already starting to go belly up when they got it now they are arguing about keeping it or selling the main bulk of the land off. Jace and Sawyer are against it Cash on the other hand is being realistic about the three of them running the ranch. Jace who is also Sheriff with two boys, Sawyer who is also a writer, and Cash former FBI and just recently moved to one of the cabin on the property. He needs to fix up the cabin to liveable conditions because he just found out he has a daughter, Ellie, from a one night stand 12 years ago. 

Across the creek from Cash's cabin is another cabin which is occupied by one of Jace's best friends, Aubrey, who walked out on her fiance two weeks before the wedding. Aubrey is now the town pariah, apparently her ex-fiancee is covered in teflon because shit don't stick to him it's "all her fault" and now rumors are going around that her and Jace had an affair and that's why she left. Aubrey isn't telling the truth about what really happened because she doesn't want to hurt a very dear friend who came back from his military service without his legs, the truth that his wife was the one cheating with Aubrey's fiance and she caught them. Aubrey is having to deal with snide remarks, vandalism, and clients canceling jobs.

Aubrey and Cash don't start off on the right foot but soon he has her coming over to help decorate his daughter's new room to make her feel more at home in her new home. While Aubrey and Cash do this slow seduction friends to lovers thing Cash is also trying to build a relationship with a preteen Ellie who thinks he never wanted her in the first place and keeps thinking that she will be going back to Boston. There is also some funny business going on around town that has pulled in Cash to help investigate.

Overall, another great story from Stacy Finz. I liked the romance between Cash and Aubrey and the building of a relationship between father and daughter. I look forward to the other books in the series.