ARC REVIEW The Trouble with Christmas by Amy Andrews

Credence, Colorado #2, Not to long ago the population of Credence increased due to the advert put out to lure women into moving here most of the women moved hoping to find a husband Susanne St. Michelle is not one of those women. She moved temporarily to help inspire her muse into painting original work again. Susanne has made a career of painting replicas, legal forgeries but she wants to create her own work. She rented a cottage on a ranch unfortunately the nephew of the man who owns the ranch isn't very welcoming. Joshua Grady regretted not letting his uncle sign over the ownership of the ranch when he told Grady that he rented out the cottage. Grady likes his peace and quiet and he never plans on marriage and he doesn't want someone on his property that will disrupt his life.

Susanne's muse woke up the moment she set eyes on Grady and her muse couldn't be quited until she painted him, so she did as the statue of David, as Adam, as a cherub and a couple other famous works of art all with his face. Unfortunately Grady is not amused when he finds them. Susanne wasn't planning on going home for the Holidays but when her mother confesses that she's having marital problems Susanne gives in and lets her parents come to her for Christmas, unfortunately that was after she told them all about her Christmas obsessed boyfriend Grady. Now all she has to do is convince Grady into it, he does but only after getting her to give up the paintings of him in return.

Overall, this was a fun read. It works fine as a standalone so you don't have to read the first book of the series. I loved Grady and Susanne they were quite the pair. Everytime Susanne said Joshua it made me think of Rachel from Friends pronouncing it "Josh-u-a". I really enjoyed the story and characters I look forward to more from this author and this series.   

INKSLINGER BLOG TOUR The Highland Outlaw by Heather McCollum

Today we have the blog tour of The Highland Outlaw by Heather McCollum! Check it out and be sure to grab your copy today!

Title: The Highland Outlaw

Author: Heather McCollum

Genre: Historical Romance

About The Highland Outlaw:

Shaw Sinclair, chief of the outcast clan of Sinclairs of Caithness in northern Scotland, has made a deal with the devil. Despite his strength and lethal skills, he needs help—specifically from a woman—to accomplish his mission to bring a bairn to safety to the coast. When he meets the brave and beautiful Alana Campbell at a Samhain Festival, he decides she's the one. Alana Campbell is ready to show the world she's just as skillful with a sgian dubh as any man. Attracting the attention of the brawny chief who coerces her to join him on his journey to the coast of Scotland gives her that very opportunity. Sparks flash between them as they're forced to act as husband and wife to accomplish the deadly mission. However, when secrets threaten to tear them apart, they have to decide if their differences outweigh the reality of their feelings...

The Campbells #4, This can be read as a stand alone. I did take a bit before I really got into the book but overall I did like it. Alana Campbell is one fierce lady when Shaw Sinclair kidnapped her to take care of the baby she didn't go easily and Shaw didn't walk away unscathed. What annoyed Alana so much was that she had just received news that the mother she thought dead was alive and held prisoner. Alana was trying to convince her people to rush to rescue her when Shaw distracted her. But once she realizes they are going in the same direction she makes a deal she helps them they help her.
Along the way the sexual tension between Shaw and Alana grows stronger. Shaw tries to remember he's doing this for his clan but his feelings for Alana and the baby grow deeper.

Overall, I did enjoy it, it was a nice read. As I said it took me a while to get into it, it was nothing in particular it just didn't grab me until almost halfway through. I did like the characters I really liked Shaw. It had a nice strong finish and very nice HEA.     

Grab Your Copy:

Entangled | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iBooks

About Heather McCollum:

Heather McCollum is an award-winning, historical romance writer. She currently has twenty published novels and is an Amazon Best Selling author. She is a 2015 Readers’ Choice winner and a member of Heart of Carolina Romance Writers.   The ancient magic and lush beauty of Great Britain entranced Ms. McCollum’s heart and imagination when she visited there years ago. The country’s history and landscape have been a backdrop for her writing ever since.   When she is not creating vivid characters and settings, she spends her time educating women on the symptoms of Ovarian Cancer. She has recently slayed the cancer beast and resides with her very own Highland hero and three spirited children in the wilds of suburbia on the mid-Atlantic coast.

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INKSLINGER BLOG TOUR Most Ardently by Susan Mesler-Evans

Today we have the blog tour of Susan Mesler-Evans Most Ardently! Check it out and be sure to grab your copy today!

Title: Most Ardently

Author: Susan Mesler-Evans

Genre: Contemporary Romance

About Most Ardently:

Elisa Benitez is proud of who she is, from her bitingly sarcastic remarks, to her love of both pretty boys and pretty girls. If someone doesn’t like her, that’s their problem, and Elisa couldn’t care less. Particularly if that person is Darcy Fitzgerald, a snobby, socially awkward heiress with an attitude problem and more money than she knows what to do with.

From the moment they meet, Elisa and Darcy are at each other’s throats -- which is a bit unfortunate, since Darcy’s best friend is dating Elisa’s sister. It quickly becomes clear that fate intends to throw the two of them together, whether they like it or not. As hers and Darcy’s lives become more and more entwined, Elisa’s once-dull world quickly spirals into chaos in this story of pride, prejudice, and finding love with the people you least expect.

 

 I loved the direction this one went, I love how inclusive it was with lesbian, bi, trans; and biracial characters. I also really liked the changes in the characters. In some of the early reviews some of the things they nitpicked about were the things I liked. I like the changes to the Colin and Lydia characters there is nothing wrong with making them more likeable especially since I really hated the original characters. I loved the updatedness it worked well. I was worried how the Lydia, or in this case Lucia, was going to play out but she did exactly what I had always hoped would happen to Wickham. He has always been a money hungry pervy creep and it was nice to see actually portrayed in this manner.

Now the main character Elisa Benitez, Elizabeth Bennet, is a bi-sexual Mexican American and while technically is still a high school student goes to school at the local community college which is where she meets Darcy Fitzgerald. Darcy a biracial cis lesbian who is just visiting but is staying long enough she fills her time with some college classes before she starts at the university. Their first meet as you can guess is argumentative, they get into a literary debate over Lord of the Flies. It doesn't get any better when they just happen to start running into each other in social situations. It plays out pretty much the same as the original except updated for modern American times, except for the slight personality changes in Colin and Lucia. It's a little bit more obvious to the reader that Darcy and Elisa like each other but Elisa is a little oblivious.

Overall, such a good read. I inhaled this book I didn't want to put it down. It's in third person POV but sometimes changes from over Elisa to Julieta, Charlene, Lucia, and Darcy. It is more of a romance than a social commentary but had there been more I can just hear how people would be complaining that it's "Too Preachy"; there is some and it the right amount of feminism and in one particular case it's also the reason Colin isn't a douche at the end of the book. I loved this book it's definitely one that I would own a physical copy of to keep on my bookshelf.

Grab Your Copy:

Entangled | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iTunes

 

About Susan Mesler-Evans:

Susan Mesler-Evans is a writer, college student, D&D enthusiast, theatre nerd, and horrific procrastinator. Born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, Susan now lives in Florida, and can often be found reading, scrolling through Tumblr until 2 AM, overanalyzing her favorite fictional characters and relationships, bingewatching comedies on Netflix, thinking about writing, and even, on occasion, actually writing. Most Ardently is her first full-length novel. You can find her at susanmeslerevanswrites.com.

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ARC REVIEW Breathless With Her by Carrie Ann Ryan

Less Than #1, Meet the rest of the Carrs. We meet the first sibling Dimitri Carr in Restless Ink, where we got a brief look at his siblings, enough of a look that made us fans know we wanted them. So here they are. Devin Carr was minding his own business sitting in a bar when a stunner in a red sequins dress walked in the door looking shell shocked. Erin Taborn was enjoying her high school reunion until she walked in on her husband doing the former head cheerleader she left the reunion with the only thought of getting smashed. Luckily her older sisters ex-boyfriend from high school, Devin, was there and told her he had her back for the night he even let her crash at his place cause she didn't want to go back home incase the cheating asshole was there.

One embarrassing morning and six months later the divorce is final and Erin is getting on with her life baking up a storm for her business Lace & Cakes. Erin has no interest in another relationship or even just casual she decided to work on becoming more self reliant she didn't need a man in her life and then Devin walks back into her life again. Erin wants to be able to stand on her own two feet and solve all her problem by herself, she learns it's not always possible especially with her friends. Things start casual between Erin and Devin because that's want Erin wants, Devin wants more but he knows she needs time but she also needs to know that it's okay to ask for help.

Overall, it was another wonderful heart wrenching book from Carrie Ann Ryan. The only thing I wasn't happy about was how Erin left things with her father, I felt that it was left unresolved she formed her opinion but never got his side. But other than that I loved it. It's told in first person with alternating POVs. Devin is sweet and patient Erin can be a little overly stubborn and blinded by her own need to prove herself to herself but together they make a great couple.

CHRISTMAS ARC REVIEW Maybe This Christmas by Susannah Nix

AUTHOR: Susannah Nix

RELEASE DATE: October 22, 2019

PRICE: $.99

BLURB:

Two best friends. Ten Christmases. One happy ending.

When best friends Alexandra and Lucas share a first kiss on Christmas night their senior year of high school, it feels like the best years of their lives are ahead of them.

Then Alex goes off to college, and Lucas stays behind to work at his dad’s construction business in the small beach town where they grew up. Life, as they say, happens. And somewhere along the way these two high school sweethearts find they don’t have as much in common as they once did.

Lucas’s life is on Beaufort Island, and Alex is all about getting away and moving on. So he makes one of the hardest decisions of his life and lets her go.

But every year when Alex comes home for the holidays, fate conspires to reunite the two former lovebirds on Christmas Day. Year after year, through good times and bad, Lucas and Alex meet up, catch up, and reconnect on the anniversary of their first kiss.

Is it too much to hope that one year they’ll find their way back to each other permanently?

Maybe even this Christmas.

An absolutely adorable stand alone novella from the same author who brought us the Chemistry Lessons series. It kind of reminded me of that one Christmas movie Love at the Christmas Table (2012) but this book was so much better. Christmas of their senior year Alex and Lucas finally admit they like each other and share their first kiss after knowing each other practically all their lives. The next year after graduation and Alex leaving for college Lucas realizes as much as he loves her he needs to let her go to live her life and they break up a year to the day that they started dating. The next year is awkward they haven't talked practically that whole year but they come to realize they can still be friends and be there for each other. One year she has a girlfriend, and the next not and then Lucas has a girlfriend and then a fiance. Each year they grow closer again learning each other as adults rather than school friends and high school sweethearts until they are together, again.

I love the format of this each year is a single chapter and it doesn't give the reader any extra information on what has happened during the past year so that way the characters have something to talk about especially when they are estranged and then they reflect on the past year. Overall, this is a quick and easy read, I really enjoyed it.

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ARC REVIEW Ragnarok Unwound by Kristin Jacques

An Urban Fantasy where all the pantheons of Gods exist. Ikepele Ives lives with her best friend and tries to ignore the power flowing under her finger tips. Her mother left her with her father and with no knowledge how to control her power. Until one night she has only once tried to use her powers and it didn't work very well now she has a young Valkyrie asking for her help if not then the end of days for the Norse pantheon is coming. Even though Ragnarok is a prophesied event Hildr, the Valkyrie is telling her otherwise and she needs Ives powers to untangle fate and stop Ragnarok. Together with her best friend Jules she sets off with Hildr to find Loki.

They met his daughter Hel and then Fenrir and Jormungand, who like their father have the ability to shapeshift. With each of them the ties that bind them to Ragnarok get stronger and the more energy she needs that her mortal body can barely contain. By the time she finds Loki, who has escaped from his prison, he is so entwined in Fate's threads she almost kills herself to separate him from Fate's thread. Meanwhile Hel, Fenrir, Jormungand, Hildr, and Jules are fighting off the Frost Giants. Back on Ives home island of Hawaii her father and, unbeknownst to Ives, her Great Aunt the Goddess Pele are fighting off the giants as well.

Overall, it was a fantastic story. I love mythology retold stories and I really enjoyed this version of Loki and his giant children. I love how Pele was thrown in the mix too, as a lover of geology and if I had been smarter I would have gone into volcanology; Pele was the first Hawaiian God I had ever heard of, years ago. I loved all the characters. Ives is a strong female protagonist who is at first trying to avoid her own fate but is thrown into it without warning or a choice. Ives also learns everything her father never told her about her mother. There is a hint of romance for future books but mostly it's character driven and story strong. I love the idea of a Fate Cipher a woman who untangles fate when it gets a little to fubar. I really hope there are going to be more.     

CHRISTMAS ARC REVIEW Home for the Holidays by Terry Spear

Silver Town Wolf #9, I love this series and I love the MacTire sisters this one was good, not my favorite but not horrible either. It had plenty of intrigue, a little bit of angst, just enough Holiday spirit and lots of romance. Meghan can see and communicate with ghosts the resident ghost at the inn has become extra emotional this holiday season. She misses her beau and asks Meghan if she can look into finding him, as both were shifter there is a good chance he might still be alive. Meghan and the sheriff, Peter, have been dating for about a year and with a mating inevitably in their future they both decide to come clean about secrets they have been keeping. Unfortunately Meghan's past comes out before she gets the chance to tell Peter when her ex-boyfriend shows up out of the blue with news. Peter takes it in stride because his secret is just as big. When Meghan's secret somehow connects to the inn's ghost, the town's biggest tragedy and Peter's past everything seems almost to much to handle especially since Peter puts Meghan and her sisters under 24/7 protection.

Overall it was a good read. There was a bit more sex in it than I typically like these days, but that's me. The holiday aspect of the book was nice with the full victorian costume caroling, the gingerbread house competition, and the snow sculpture competition and the pack Christmas party and gift exchange. I like Terry Spear's writing the intrigue is nicely done with how everything ties together and a very good ending. 

ARC REVIEW Past This Point by Nicole Mabry

A pervasive outbreak of a new virus from the viewpoint of a civilian. Nicole Mabry captured the intensity, the paranoia, and the heartbreak perfectly. The main character Karis I felt really connected to, I don't know if it was just the similar heritage, or the fact we are the same age, or the fact that she kind of reminded me of my sister but I really felt like I was experiencing this with her from the initial stages of the outbreak and through the quarantine.

Karis' self imposed isolation from her friends after a bad break up and slight germaphobic ways is probably what saved her life. Karis uses life skills she learned as a child to stay alive, knowing how to cook from scratch and how to cook acorns so they are edible to the self defense classes her father made her take, she was even wary enough to stockpile her dogs food when the virus kept most of her coworkers home. Karis tried getting a flight out of NY after the CDC cleared her but she wouldn't, couldn't leave her dog behind. She made friends with two little girls across the courtyard and fought off the madness of the isolation and quiet the was once NYC and then she met Ollie. Oliver "Ollie" is a British citizen who arrived two weeks before the quarantine got stuck in NYC. Karis who saved his life but still unsure if she could trust him, it seemed like this virus and quarantine brought out the worst in people.

Overall, this book was outstanding. Karis is intelligent, strong, and intuitive and a great main character. Julia and Emma the little girls across the courtyard were adorable and Julia was wise beyond her years. Zeke, the dog, a great companion and a sympathetic ear. Ollie is exactly what Karis needed, at first you're unsure of him but he does earn Karis' trust and her love he kept her sane and hopeful. I loved this book it was emotional and heart-poundingly thrilling. This is in my top three for apocalyptic genre along with Z for Zachariah and The Wolf Road.     

ARC REVIEW The Blacksmith Queen by G.A. Aiken

The Scarred Earth Saga #1,  I'm no stranger to Shelly Laurenston but this is my first time reading her under the name Aiken. I'm picky about the fantasy genre I read and I was hesitant to pick this one up fearing it would be overly dramatic, long winded, and full of political backstabbing bs but then I remembered who the author was and read it........And loved it. The beginning of the book with The Old King dying and the sons all killing each other off kind of reminded me of Stardust except less humorous and way more violent. I didn't dislike all the violence, because this book is full of it, I was surprised by how gorey it was described, again not a bad thing for me I just wasn't expecting it. True to form Aiken writes her female characters full of snark. With Keeley you see many sides of the strong fighter standing up for those who can't and when she's around her family you see a funnier side but overall she is protective. But when it comes to her sister, Gemma, you see a more childish side like picking fights doing things she knows bug her. Gemma and Keeley are both head strong and very similar which causes them to butt heads and argue at the drop of a hat but you see throughout the book they are starting to trust each other more and more and that there is love between them. Keeley has plenty of depth. Aiken wasn't gratuitous with the sex either, for which I am grateful. I loved how the story played out and how the narrative switches to other characters so you get the full picture, one reason I prefer third person I must know everything. I liked the characters everyone has quirks that make them unique and memorable. Caid, I really like, he's a good strong warrior and you can see the gradual change in him the more he's around Keely.

It all started as a simple journey protecting her sister, the girl who would be Queen, but turns into an all out war with Keeley in the lead. Keeley must now find allies to fight with her against The Old King's remaining sons. Overall, it was a fun read. There is no cliffhanger there is a definite end to the book but it's far from over.   

ARC REVIEW Down Too Deep by J. Daniels

Dirty Deeds #4, Well, I jumped on to this bandwagon a little late but better late than never. Never read J. Daniels before and I have to say she has a good narrative with the duel first person POVs, which is important to me because I'm picky about my first person POV. I loved the story I love second chance at love stories be it widow(er),  divorced, or just former significant other was a loser and in this case we have a widower and a one night stand that lead to twins and single parenthood. Nathan did not make a good first impression wallowing in his grief and guilt and left his parent to raise his infant daughter Marley. After two years his parents finally said enough was enough. Now on his own to take care of his two year old daughter that he doesn't know and manage his restaurant. Jenna, I Loved. Jenna is a great parent for the last eight years has raised her twins on her own, Oliver and Olivia. At first she hoped the father would come around but gave up hope when he signed away his parental rights. Now all Jenna wants to to find someone who will love her kids as much as she does.

Two weeks into having Marley all on his own and he's at his wits end, keeping her at the restaurant isn't working, thankfully Jenna comes into the picture and saves the day. Honestly she would take care of Marley for free but Nathan conscience won't let her. Thing are going swimmingly, Marley loves Oliver and Olivia and vise versa but the sexual tension between Nathan and Jenna is growing each day and not only that they have become friends and really enjoy each others company. By the time the inevitable happens, because it always does it's romance after all, Nate and Jenna are in deep and not just them but the kids two, and the feels are reals. I was smiling and then all the sudden the smile is gone, I'm crying along with everyone else in the book.

Overall, it was a great read. I loved the story and the kids really stole the show. The book works as a standalone I didn't feel like I needed to read the previous books in the series but I kinda want to now. I do hope to read more J. Daniels books in the future.

CHRISTMAS ARC REVIEW Cowboy Christmas Homecoming by June Faver

Dark Horse Cowboys #4, I am so glad the series didn't end with the Garrett Brothers it has now expanded to Zach Garrett their cousin who has been away in the Army. Like with his cousins when Zach meets the woman that was meant for him he's practically 100% all in from the start. It is an easy romance with very few bumps. Zach spent two tours in the military and during his second his dad died and his mom wasn't able to maintain the ranch so when Zach came home he came to his uncle's house not his mother's new home in Ft. Worth. Big Jim welcomed his nephew with open arms. Zach is dealing with a bit of PTSD and feeling like he doesn't fit in with the family any more, but then there is Stephanie.

Stephanie Gale, we met in one of the previous books, is a firefighter/EMT who specializes in confined space retrieval. She recently was called on to a scene where two young children witnessed their step father murder their mother. She was first on the scene and was the one who took the kids to the hospital. Stephanie and the kids formed an attachment and if the social worker wasn't such a *clears throat* wasn't so old fashion Stephanie would have adopted them weeks ago. Unfortunately right before Christmas the step father managed to escape police custody with help of his two brothers. Stephanie worries about the kids but she should be worried about herself too. After her first official date with Zach he bring her home to a destroyed apartment and a couple hours later she's attacked by one of the brothers. Zach's protectiveness amps up he may not have a lot to offer Stephanie but he can protect her until she's no longer in danger.

Stephanie falls for Zach quickly she wants to help him even if that means tracking down Jewel and bringing her here. Trying to track down Zach's dog from overseas took many phone calls being put on hold and transferred a bunch of times, but being a bit sneaky but it payed off. Big Jim has such a big heart he wants what's best for those poor kids so he offers to bring them to his home for Christmas and since Stephanie will be spending the holiday at his house too, well, two birds one stone everyone is happy. That is until Stephanie goes missing.

Overall, great book. It can be read as a standalone even though Leah (from book one of the series) and her pregnancy have a big chunk of this book just about her. It did distract a little from the other storyline but it was nice to see Tyler, Leah and Gracie I just wish it didn't take up so much of the book. I don't want the series to end I kind of want to see Dex, the deputy, get a book. 

ARC REVIEW Fallen by Rebecca Zanetti

Deep Ops #2, I enjoyed it, I prefer RAZ romantic suspense. I was looking forward to the straight laced Feb hooking up with the laid back hacker, especially after Taken the in between novella that gives background on Raider it's not a necessary read but it is a good, really good, read. Each book of the series have so far been stand alones. This one just fell shy of expectations it was good it was exciting and Roscoe is still as crazy as ever but it wasn't what I was expecting. I'm not crazy about organized crime, it's not something I usually go out of my way to read but it was still a good 3.5 read.

Raider Tanaka worked the organized crime division in the FBI with his partner who was undercover until his partner is killed and Raider crosses the line with the boss's boss's wife and he finds himself on babysitting duty to Brigid Banaghan, a hacker who was arrested and the government decided to use her talents for good within the HDD specifically for Angus Force and his low budget team of misfits. Angus seems to have a reason for recruiting everyone he did and the way it's playing out everyone is going to get a chance to right their wrong or get their revenge. In Raider's case he's finally going to get the change and going after the guy who killed his partner. Their way into the Irish Boston mob is Brigid's dad. Raider goes in undercover as Brigid's fiance and an up and coming crime lord who is seeking out help with the Boston mob. As per usual nothing ever goes as planned and by the end of the day just about everyone is battered bruised and have a few extra GSW on their medical record.

Brigid and Raider together were good, there was a lot of lying going on. They still fell in bed together and fell in love, even when Brigid thought Raider was lying to her she knew she could still trust him. RAZ is great when it comes to the suspense part of Romantic Suspense she's spot on with the action and she's so easy to read unless you pace yourself you can just zoom right through her books. I look forward to Wolfe's book next.

ARC REVIEW The Price of Grace by Diana Munoz Stewart

Black Ops Confidential #2, this was so worth waiting a year for especially since the next one comes out next month (11-26-19). I really enjoyed this, it was non stop action packed romance. There is quite a bit that goes on but it all comes together in the end. Third person POV that jumps from certain people. You don't need to read the first one to be able to follow this one but it might help just to get the established characters down and the whole idea of the Family's true business.

When Gracie was younger she fell in love and had a baby but she believed Momma, the woman who adopted her when she was born, forced her to make the decision between her child and the Family. Grace has always resented that so she wrote a letter. After the events of the last book Gracie distanced herself from her family concentrating on her night club, Club When?, and keeping and keeping an eye on her, now, teenage son from, not so, afar.

SA Leif MacAllister, aka Dusty, has been trying to get inside the Parish Family for a while his first attempt didn't pan out but iti did introduce him to Gracie Parish. The only reason the FBI has any idea as to the Parish Family's true action is a letter written years ago. Using his attraction to Gracie as his new in now seems wrong, especially since the information his SAC is giving him doesn't sit right with him.

It isn't until after Gracie's biological father puts in his bid to run for president do the first assassination attempts on Gracie's life happen. Gracie is determined to get down to the bottom of it whether it truly is her father's doing or someone else entirely and the timing is just a coincidence. Someone is out to get Gracie and Dusty will stop at nothing to protect her even if that means turning against the FBI to do so.

Overall, I loved this book. I enjoyed the writing, the plot I'm not usually one for political type drama in my books but this was so good. I love the characters, Grace and Dusty of hot together the sexual attraction is undeniable for them even when she thinks she can't trust him she's still hot for him. Off topic this is one of three books I have read in the last three weeks where a red headed woman falls for a guy with a southern accent. I had no problem picturing Dusty as a buff Timothy Olyphant-ish type with a Kentucky accent. The book did leave with one heck of a tease, not a cliffhanger per say because everything with Grace and Dusty was settled this was a giant tease about The Cost of Honor.