Monthly Archives: June 2022
Review: Dragon Eternal by Donna Grant
Dragon Eternal
Donna Grant
Dragon Kings Series, Book 4
In the next installment of her captivating new Dragon Kings series, New York Times bestselling author Donna Grant connects an enigmatic and determined Dragon King and a courtesan sent to tempt him to his doom.
He’s a man of few words, but she fills his soul with poetry.
Quiet. Brooding. Capable. Shaw’s mission is simple: Root out Stonemore’s leader and determine what the Divine has in store for the people of Zora and the Kings. Just as he gets started, however, a breathtakingly beautiful woman finds and tempts him like no other. Nothing can stop him from engaging in the pleasures she offers. After all, pillow talk is sometimes the best way to uncover secrets.
Nia’s life has never been hers. From starving on the streets to becoming a slave to the Divine, she merely does what’s needed to survive. But when her latest assignment brings her face-to-face with a handsome man who makes her feel things she’s never experienced before, she begins to see that while she’s been living, she’s not really thriving.
As truths are revealed, and Nia’s blinders are removed, she realizes that she can no longer sit by and allow things to continue as they have been in her city. It’s time to take a stand. With Shaw by her side, they spark a war so many have tried to avoid. But the injustices being perpetrated must be stopped—no matter the cost.

4 Stars
Zora, the realm of the kings has an evil brewing for both its people and the dragons. As the kings set in motion a plan to find out what it is they are exactly dealing with.
Nia is a courtier and a slave for the Divine. Appearances are not all they seem to be. Her exterior shows a wealthy woman in control of her life she is truly nothing more than a slave to the cause. Having suffered a horrific childhood, the divine may have given her a cushy existence but her freedom is something she can only dream of. Nia has her vacation cut short with a task from the divine to deliver one of the dragon kings that is in Stonemore.
Shaw is a man of few words, quite a bit brooding and king of the sapphires. I haven’t quite figured out if he has spent more years asleep or awake. Determine to figure out what is lurking in the shadows for the dragon kings it takes no time at all for Shaw to connect with a local who has more behind her stare than what she lets on. Soon realizing the divine already knows the kings are present and this woman was ready to hand him over for her freedom Shaw finds himself in a place that he has not been before. As the action begins Shaw wonders if he can’t save the girl and get the Divine.
Donna Grant weaves a thrilling tale with Dragon Eternal. Nia and Shaw have amazing chemistry. I love their moments spent together before and after one of the secrets is revealed. Their attraction was natural, and they complemented each other so well. I loved that Nia swore it was magic, that she can never be attracted to a man in that manner. As a story unfolds and more secrets are revealed the two of them make an amazing team. I loved visiting with some of our favorite Kings from past books. The danger is different than what we are used to and there’s a whole different set of rules for Zora. I am truly on the edge of my seat waiting to see how all of this is going to unfold in the end. Donna Grant’s world building is top-notch and amazing. It is so easy to get lost within her realms.

Review: The Friendship Pact by Jill Shalvis
The Friendship Pack
Jill Shalvis
Sunrise Cove Series, Book 2
Alone in the world, Tae Holmes and her mother April pretty much raised each other, but as Tae starts asking questions about the father she’s never met, April, for the first time in her life, goes silent. To make matters worse, Tae is dangerously close to broke and just manages to avoid financial meltdown when she lands a shiny new contract with an adventure company for athletes with disabilities and wounded warriors.
Her first big fundraiser event falls flat, but what starts out as a terrible, horrible, no-good night turns into something else entirely when Tae finds herself face-to-face with Riggs Copeland. She hasn’t seen the former Marine since their brief fling in high school, and while still intensely drawn to him, she likes her past burned and buried, thank you very much. Hence their friendship pact.
But when April oddly refuses to help Tae track down her father, it’s Riggs who unexpectedly comes to her aid. On a hunt to unlock the past, the two of them find themselves on a wild ride and learn a shocking truth, while also reluctantly bonding in a way neither had seen coming. Now Tae must decide whether she’s going to choose love … or walk away from her own happiness.

Jill Shalvis has an amazing talent for getting her readers to connect to her books on deep and emotional levels. The Friendship Pact is a heartwarming, healing story about friendship in love.
Tae Holms and her mother April have a very unique relationship. April being a teenage mom, in many ways they ended up raising each other. They have a solid bond as mother and daughter but also a friendship that goes beyond. They are in many ways each other’s worlds. As Tae begins to take off in a career that she is passionate about she also has many life questions. The big one being who and what happened to her father. April is also discovering new parts of her life, finding herself as a person and not just a mother. On the night of her first fundraiser Tae literally hops into a car and find herself face-to-face with the one person from high school that made an impact on her. Not just a fling but someone she cared about. Riggs is an ex marine who is facing some demons and issues of his own. While there is an instant connection between the two and their past dealings may help egg that spark on Tae tries to play it hard and cool.
As Tae begins to ask questions of her past and her mothers avoidance at answering just makes her want the answers more. With a determination to accomplish this task on her own the last person she expected to help her would be that blast from the past that knows how to get under her skin, without even knowing.
Jill Shalvis broke out all the stops with this one. The Friendship Pact is a highly emotional and healing story about friendship and yes love. Love between a mother and daughter, love between friends and love between a man and a woman. All the characters in this book were healing in some way or another or helping someone heal. The personal issues of both Tae and Riggs have them keeping their barriers up but each of them seems to know a way to soften the others. Tae and Riggs do not have an easy climb but they make it well worth every step they took to find the love they didn’t No was waiting for them.

Review: Dragon Eternal by Donna Grant
Dragon Eternal
Donna Grant
Dragon Kings Series, Book 4
Kindle Edition
He’s a man of few words, but she fills his soul with poetry.
Quiet. Brooding. Capable. Shaw’s mission is simple: Root out Stonemore’s leader and determine what the Divine has in store for the people of Zora and the Kings. Just as he gets started, however, a breathtakingly beautiful woman finds and tempts him like no other. Nothing can stop him from engaging in the pleasures she offers. After all, pillow talk is sometimes the best way to uncover secrets.
Nia’s life has never been hers. From starving on the streets to becoming a slave to the Divine, she merely does what’s needed to survive. But when her latest assignment brings her face-to-face with a handsome man who makes her feel things she’s never experienced before, she begins to see that while she’s been living, she’s not really thriving.
As truths are revealed, and Nia’s blinders are removed, she realizes that she can no longer sit by and allow things to continue as they have been in her city. It’s time to take a stand. With Shaw by her side, they spark a war so many have tried to avoid. But the injustices being perpetrated must be stopped—no matter the cost.

Zora, the realm of the kings has an evil brewing for both its people and the dragons. As the kings set in motion a plan to find out what it is they are exactly dealing with.
Nia is a courtier and a slave for the Divine. Appearances are not all they seem to be. Her exterior shows a wealthy woman in control of her life she is truly nothing more than a slave to the cause. Having suffered a horrific childhood, the divine may have given her a cushy existence but her freedom is something she can only dream of. Nia has her vacation cut short with a task from the divine to deliver one of the dragon kings that is in Stonemore.
Shaw is a man of few words, quite a bit brooding and king of the sapphires. I haven’t quite figured out if he has spent more years asleep or awake. Determine to figure out what is lurking in the shadows for the dragon kings it takes no time at all for Shaw to connect with a local who has more behind her stare than what she lets on. Soon realizing the divine already knows the kings are present and this woman was ready to hand him over for her freedom Shaw finds himself in a place that he has not been before. As the action begins Shaw wonders if he can’t save the girl and get the Divine.
Donna Grant weaves a thrilling tale with Dragon Eternal. Nia and Shaw have amazing chemistry. I love their moments spent together before and after one of the secrets is revealed. Their attraction was natural and they complemented each other so well. I loved that Nia swore it was magic, that she can never be attracted to a man in that manner. As a story unfolds and more secrets are revealed the two of them make an amazing team. I loved visiting with some of our favorite Kings from past books. The danger is different than what we are used to and there’s a whole different set of rules for Zora. I am truly on the edge of my seat waiting to see how all of this is going to unfold in the end. Donna Grant’s world building is top-notch and amazing. It is so easy to get lost within her realms.

Review: Unforgiven by Rebecca Zanetti
Unforgiven
Rebecca Zanetti
Deep Ops Series, Book 5
Gemma Falls never expected to use her game theory expertise to outrun a killer. But for years, that skill is all that kept her one step ahead of a deadly stalker. When Gemma gets the chance to teach at D.C. University, she hopes she and her young daughter have found a safe harbor. The only flaw is the arrogant philosophy professor who’s always underfoot giving unwanted advice—in his sexy British accent . . .
Hide:
Jethro Hanson has blood on his hands. He’s working within ivy-covered university halls now, but he knows that his work with the Deep Ops team and the deadly acts he once committed for the sake of Queen and country place him beyond forgiveness—until he meets Gemma . . .
Seek:
Soon, the passion between them stuns them both. But when Jethro discovers a threat is fast overtaking her, he must choose between the redemption he seeks—and releasing the ever-present killer inside . . .

Rebecca Zanetti keeps readers hooked with nail biting, thrilling, psychological suspense and a fantastic romance woven in….. Unforgiven is truly an edge of your seat read.
Gemma is a single mother on the run with everything to lose. Changing locations and jobs every few months to keep her and her child safe. The woman is always looking over her shoulder. Not wanting The violence of her past to catch up with her, she presents herself as a cold, uncaring woman. When that’s the last thing in the world she truly is.
Jethro is a college professor with a secret past that he is trying to walk away from. The man is an amazing operative but this Brit is ready for those missions to remain in the past. Yeah when we want things to stay in the past they seem to do so. And now a new hire at the college has somehow made her way into his life and into the path of his past danger.
I’m not even sure where to begin on this one. Hats off to Rebecca Zanetti because this was one of those books that hit you hard. I mean that in the best of ways. Gemma and Jethro are perfect for each other. Her protective demeanor truly makes you not be able to judge a book by its cover. Jethro is all alpha, extremely protective and unconditionally devoted. Their romance is a slow burn but it was one that I was rooting for the entire time. Unforgiven is extremely suspenseful. Lots of twist interns you don’t see coming and totally hits on that psychological level. There are many times I had goosebumps but yet I could not stop reading because I had to know what happened. I also have to mention that Gemma‘s daughter was extremely cute and the story wouldn’t have been the same without her. Rebecca Zanetti truly knows how to keep us hanging on for everything with her tortured heroes and the women that come to love them.

Review: The Proof is in the Poison by Diane Kelly
The Proof is in the Poison
Diane Kelly
Southern Homebrew Mysteries Series, Book 2
Now that her moonshine shop is up and running, Hattie Hayes can focus her efforts on expanding her fledgling business to events in the area, like the Chattanooga Choo Choo Model Train Convention, which is running full steam ahead at the convention center down the block. Hattie is all aboard, seizing this perfect opportunity to promote her Southern homebrew to the folks who have come to the city for the annual event.
But when an attendee dies after drinking some of Hattie’s moonshine, she’ll need to prove her innocence. Between tight-lipped train hobbyists and competitors for a coveted convention prize, Hattie has a wide array of suspects to choose from, and she’ll need to use all the tricks up her sleeve to make sure her moonshine business can survive a murderer and stay on track.

4 Stars
The Proof is in the Poison is a fantastic and exciting addition to the Southern Homebrew Mystery Series.
Hattie Hayes is taking advantage of the Chattanooga Choo Choo Model Train convention being at the convention center down the block. Handing out flyers, hosting a mixer and mingling with the convention goers is a great way to drum up some business for The Moonshine Shake. Haddie and her lovable and Teacher of all things moonshine, Granddaddy on his scooter take the convention by storm. They were even able to manage to drum up some business and turn some people onto some shine. When a convention goer ends up dead, fingers are pointed towards Hattie and her BlackBerry moonshine. To save her name and her business, Hattie decides to do a little sleuthing of her own ”while” helping out Detective Ace find out who killed this train hobbyist.
I very much enjoyed The Proof is in the Poison. Diane Kelly is an amazing writer and it definitely shows in everything she does. I truly could care less about model trains but yet she found a way to have me interested in the topic. Am I going to go and get a model train now, no I will not but it was a different twist and fun twist for a cozy. Hattie is an amazing character. She is proud of what she does. Even though she knows that she should stay out of it she pushes her way in and finds the answers that help solve the mystery. I really enjoyed the amount of time that Hattie and Marlon spent together in the story whether it be helping to clear her name or showing up so she could appease a group of convention goers . He is definitely a good sport and I definitely love the touch of romance that’s within the story. Granddaddy may be my favorite character. He is hilarious and hysterical. I love when he gets fired up and how he’s willing at 90 years old to still stand up for everything he believes in. A fun note to add- blackberries are my favorite berry and I do love BlackBerry moonshine. The recipes included within the book sound amazing and I am very much looking forward to trying some of these fabulous sounding drinks.

Review: Death by Beach Read by Eva Gates
Death By Beach Read
Eva Gates
Lighthouse Library Mystery Series, Book 9
It’s spring in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, and Lucy and Connor have moved into their new home at last, a historic cottage on the Nags Head Beach. The house needs a lot of renovations, but they worked hard over the winter to get it ready. Lucy is now happily immersed in her work at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library, planning her wedding, and decorating the house. That is, until a dead body disrupts their peaceful new abode.
The first night Lucy’s alone in the house, with the company of Charles the library cat, she hears sounds. Investigating they see footsteps in the dust of the unfinished living room, and the door to the outside is open. Lucy’s reminded that the house is said to be haunted: forty years ago the teenage daughter of the owners fled in the night, and never again stepped foot inside her family home.
But the sounds have an all-too-human origin and one evening Lucy and Connor find the dead body of a man they don’t even recognize in their kitchen. They soon realize he has a long-time connection to their house. Lucy’s forced to find out what happened all those years ago and why it’s threatening her happiness today.
Meanwhile, the Classic Novel Reading Club is reading The House of the Seven Gables by Nathanial Hawthorne, a book about another old house full of secrets. Can Lucy find parallels to her own situation in Hawthorne’s fiction before the killer strikes again?


Review: A Fatal Booking by Victoria Gilbert
A Fatal Booking
Victoria Gilbert
Booklover’s B&B Mysteries, Book 3
The victim – an opinionated busybody whose jewelry store sold original designs, along with some possibly “hot” merchandise – had plenty of enemies, spurring Charlotte and Ellen to offer their well-honed investigative skills to assist the local police. But as they delve deeper into the each of the guest’s stories, they realize all of them had a motive, and the means, to close the book on the unfortunate victim.
Enlisting the aid of a few local residents, as well as their new ally, agent Gavin Howard, Charlotte and Ellen vow to reveal the truth, even if the path to any sort of happy ending is strewn with deadly danger.



