Compelling Evidence

Get ready for a wild courtroom case in the legal thriller debut from Steve Martini. In Compelling Evidence, the first installment in the Paul Madriani, it was told from his point of view in this explosive story. For Paul, he had a full plate on his hands. He tried to pick up the pieces of his failing marriage for his daughter, while he handed a probate issue and then later learned about one of his bosses at the law firm was dead. Staged to look like a suicide, all eyes were turned to his widow. With a lot of compelling damning evidence against her, it was up to Paul to prove her innocence to win the case. And in the end, there was a shocking ending that would blow you away on the true culprit.

This was a compelling legal thriller, two hands down. I loved the California backdrop for the legal thriller series. I loved how we get to see Paul inside and outside the courtroom, too. I did feel a bit of resentment toward his estranged wife Nikki and to Talia Potter. I couldn't stand Tony, who was a pain in the butt. I liked the built up of the trial from jury selection to the reading of the verdict. We can feel a lot of drama and action into this powerhouse legal thriller. From the first chapter to the conclusion, you would be hooked and reeled in like a big fish to keep on reading and find out what happened next.

Ready to hear the verdict? Grab a copy today!

Special Review: Virgin River from December 2008

Welcome to Virgin River. In Robyn Carr's contemporary romance debut, Virgin River, she introduced us to a small-town in California, when everyone pitched in to help each other. For Melinda Monroe, a widowed midwife, had answered the call from a newspaper's classified ad. From there, she knew it was the perfect place to have a clean fresh start to heal her heart and to regenerate her nursing career. When she arrived there, she met an array of friends who welcomed her with opened arms. She also met Jack Sheridan, a rugged Marine and bartender at the local bar, who befriended her and helped cemented her new life there as well.

This was a wonderful introduction to the series. It had five-star quality in my opinion.  In my eyes, I could visualize Virgin River with its scenic depictions and lovely scenery for the setting. I loved how the community came together to meet Melinda and how Jack became the champion she needed in tough times. The pairing with Jack and Mel was perfect in my opinion. This was packed with a hint of drama, tons of hot romance, and plenty of intrigue to spice things up. I love this series. That's my kind of place I want to live in, too.

Want to make a pit-stop in Virgin River? Come on over to check out a copy today!

Death by Blue Water

In the first book in the Hayden Kent Cozy Mystery series, Death by Blue Water, Kait Carson took us to the dangerous depth of scuba diving in the Florida Keys. Hayden Kent was a paralegal and a fellow professional scuba diver, when she discovered a dead body in a salvaged shipwreck. Before she knew it, she'd gotten embroiled into a conspiracy and a controversy, too. Due to blackouts, the police focused her attention on her as a prime suspect, when she'd done her own investigation and ran into her ex who wanted to do her in. A lot of dramatic depth and cutthroat action under the water and above the surface with tons of twists and turns in the Florid Keys, too.

This was a fantastic introduction to the Hayden Kent series. I did feel true emotions for Hayden, who's love for scuba diving became dangerous to her life and others. My heart ached for when she had blackouts and had run-ins with the law and with her icky ex, Kevin.  I felt the same way for Elena, who was stuck into the same rut as she did. I liked how Hayden and Mallory came together to clear her name and protect each others. I loved the settings of the Florida Keys, above and under the water. Very intricate and visual with bright colors. It made me want to go there, too.

Don't go under! Order a copy today!

Special review: Unleash the Night from September 2008

In Sherrilyn Kenyon's Unleash the Night, the 2nd book in the Were-Hunter Series, the 9th in the Dark Hunter World, she told us a different kind of story. Meet Wren Tigerian, a lone were-hunter with no clan to claim him, since he was born of a forbidden species between snow leopard and white tiger. He never listened to anyone when they was something he wanted... and that was Marguerite. Marguerite D'Aubert Goudeau was the daughter of a U.S. senator who was tired of living the socialite life in New Orleans. Like her mother before her, she had no choice but to conform. Her human realm shouldn't ever meet the world of the were-hunters that existed by their side, undetected and unseen. In order to have Marguerite, it was a race against time for the weres who wanted him dead and the humans who would never accept his human nature.

This was a compelling paranormal romance. I loved how she introduced us to a new kind of species or breed in the series. I loved the New Orleans locale too. It was so vivid and rich in detail for the scenery. My heart cried, when no one wanted Wren as one of his own. I felt bad and sorrow for him. I also felt the same kind of feelings for Marguerite, when she was stuck in the life of the rich. But I loved how they broke barrier laws in order to be together and went against the odds. This would send you on an adrenalin rush for sure.

Ready, set, go! Check this out today!

Red, White and Dead

In the third installment of Laura Caldwell's Izzy McNeil legal thriller series, Red, White and Dead, Izzy McNeil was on an adventure of her life. Unemployed and looking for work, she always wondered about the mystery of her father's death. Little did she knew, it would take her to Italy to search for answers from her own aunt. The more she discovered the truth behind it and the Camorra mob connection, the more perilous she and her family would be. And in the end, there was an explosive ending that lead her back to home with a big bang! This one would blow you away...sky high!

I loved how this took center stage and away from the legal firm. This made it more personal for Izzy and for her whole family too. I loved the Chicago and Italy locations, especially to the island of Ischia. I didn't like Dez Romano and Ransom who went after Izzy. I was heartbroken to find out the truth and how it unraveled with a bittersweet mob connection. I loved how Theo and Izzy came together and how her brother Charlie had a pivotal secondary role. Plenty of non-stop action with a grand pace and plenty of dramatic suspense as well.

Ready for a wild ride? Check out the series today!

The Dream Hunter

Welcome to your dream world! In the first installment of the Dream-Hunter series by Sherrilyn Kenyon, she introduced us to a world of Greek mythology and the human realm. In the Dream Hunter,  for Megeara "Geary" Kalfieri, all she wanted was to prove Atlantis existed in the memory of her late father. And in her dreams, she entertained erotic dreams to a god-like man. For Arikos "Arik" Contranides, he was her dream god. He was also an Oneroi and a Skotoa, an emotion-less god. And for once, he would want to be human. For by a price for her soul, this was when two worlds collided with a big bang. When Geary met Arik in human form, she couldn't believe her eyes. And for a price, Arik had two weeks to live, when he never experienced emotions or true love, not until he met Geary and wowed her world. With lots of interesting godlike characters and plenty of drama with a hint of eroticism, this paranormal romance is way out of this world and so much more.

I loved how she portrayed ancient and present day Greece for humans and mythic beings alike. That was great world building to see their world in vivid colors. I loved the introduction of the Oneroi, dream hunters and the vast array of characters in the Greek mythic world. I really felt bad for Geary throughout this storyline about the search for Atlantis, her loss of her family, and about losing Arik in a heart-breaking way. I also felt bad for Arik who want to be human and almost lost his life for it. I didn't like Thia a tiny bit, but I hated the bad Oneroi and the Fueries to claim him. Some characters who grew to love or hate. This paranormal romance had a hint of Greek mythic eroticism to take you above and beyond.

Ready to fall in love with a Greek God? Grab a copy today!

Died in the Wool

In the 10th installment of the Torie O'Shea series by Rett MacPherson, Died in the Wool,  she'd gotten herself into a pickle this time around. She had a lot of hands, since she ran the Gaheimer House of genealogical research and handling artifacts. One of her daughters, Mary, had a rebellious streak. Plus she was in charge of the rose show, and buying the Kendall house. When Evan Merchant decided to sell his house, Torie wanted to buy it for a textile museum. From there, she decided to uncover the mystery behind the Kendall siblings "suicides" and the story behind their life. When one of her neighbors accidentally gotten "poisoned", she wanted to take a closer look behind the tragedy behind. When she finally figured it out, she would never believe the truth to shock her small town.

For starters, I really felt sorry for Torie, since her daughter Mary was a bit rebellious and a troublemaker. She did it all for attention. I love Rudy and Torie. Eleanore, she can be annoying sometimes. New Kassel was an interesting German small town in Missouri with its own charm. I also felt bad for Glory Kendall, when she was trapped in an abusive home. I love the genealogical mystery angle to this cozy series.

Ready for a good tale? Give this one a try!

Daring a Duke

In the fifth installment of the Courtesan series by Claudia Dain, you'll be intrigued to read Daring a Duke. When New Yorker Jane Elliott and her two brothers arrive in England for their cousin's wedding, she had an aire about her. When her cousin-in-laws placed a wager on her, this was more than bets were off. With two protective brothers, she became tempted not to marry the Duke of Edenham, Hugh Austen. Thrice married and widowed with two young children, he became hooked on Jane and wants to marry her. But Jane had other plans for him, which would leave him begging for more. There's Sophia Dalby, a half-English, half-Iroquois woman who dared not to fall in love with another and seeking revenge on her mother's death. Her brothers were also become entangled with their own romances as well. Daring, swift and passionate, this historical romance would make you swoon.

In this historical romance, I loved the daring wits of Jane Elliott. She did lead him on, but she did win him over in the end. There's something you've got to love about her. She didn't let anyone sway her decision. I loved how it all took place in one setting--her cousin's wedding and following breakfast. There's a lot of action and drama in one swooping motion. I loved how Sophia kept her promise to her mother to herself and sought it out in the end. This made me hoot with laughter and root for both of them in the end.

Ready to read this if you dare? Grab a copy this weekend!

The Killer Next Door

In Alex Marwood's latest spine-tingling thriller, The Killer Next Door, she would make you gasping for air with many surprises. When Collette "Lisa" Dunne arrived at her new apartment complex to hide out from someone who was after her, and dealt with losing her mom, she didn't know what she was in for. Every one of her new neighbors had something to hide.  It all started with the disappearance with one of their neighbors. There's Vesta Collins, who wanted to move out and had been stiffed for her rent. Gerald Bright was a quiet type who loved to play music, Cheryl "Cher" Farrell was an African-American teenage runaway, and Houssein, an Iraqi refugee who mourns the loss of his wife while seeking asylum. And there's Thomas Dunbar...  If you think your landlord/landlady was the pits, try Roy Preece, who was a voyeur and a pervert. When there was a plumbing problem, their landlord accidentally fell and drowned in the slop. And that's when they covered up the murder. But that's not the worst of it... Someone in the midst had a sick collection in his apartment, one of their own, who kept his home closed. There was a surprise ending you would never see coming for miles...

This was leaving you gasping for air with every sick twist and turn. I did care for Collette, Cher, and the other tenant in this slum apartment building. Roy was a sick pervert I didn't care about, who got what he deserved. And Thomas Dunbar gave me the creeps with his surgical precisions on his "collection" of his trophies. I did feel bad for Lisa/Collette, who had to hide from the law and her mother was dying from a terrible disease. I loved how Vesta cared for her, how Cher befriended her, and Hossein, I don't know what he was thinking. This left me in a cold sweat to the very end.

How well do you know your neighbors? Buy a copy today!