Tomb With a View

In Casey Daniels's Tomb With a View, the 6th installment in the Pepper Martin paranormal cozy series, this newest mystery had a hint of historical flair to add the drama. For Pepper Martin, she's about to host a commemoration on President James A. Garfield for the Garden View Cemetery in Cleveland, Ohio. But there seem to be a snag and a big problem. Her name was Marjorie Klinker, the newest volunteer member who claims she's related to Garfield as a know-it-all. She's giving everyone at the cemetery a hard time including Pepper. And when she's about to show off her surprise to Pepper, she wound up dead. Someone must've pushed her over the edge. Now it was up to Pepper to solve the mystery with a hand from President Garfield's ghost who seems to haunt the tomb and haven't crossed over yet. As Pepper deals with a love triangle between Scott from the FBI and Quinn from the Cleveland PD, she has more than enough to deal with like a con man named "Jack" and a stalker. While Pepper tries to solve the puzzle by figuring out whodunit and why, she becomes the next victim on the killer's list if he doesn't get what he wants fast.

This was another interesting installment in this paranormal cozy series. It had been a long time since I read one of the books from the series. Once again, I loved how Pepper gets entangled into a chilling murder mystery and have two handsome men fight for her love and affection. I do think her red hair and freckles are attractive and highlights her best features. I wish Quinn could cut her some slack and give her some credit when it's due. I do think he has feelings for her. I did love how there was a bit of a creative nonfiction historical bit to add to the twist. I do love the Cleveland area to set the scene and make those locations visually eye-popping on every page. This would keep you in suspense with non-stop action, a hint of intrigue, a splash of mystery, and plenty of drama to make you want more.

Will you be stopping by to check out the Tomb with a View tonight?

When Lightning Strikes

In Brenda Novak's When Lightning Strikes, the first installment in the Whiskey Creek contemporary romance series, you'll get swept up with this tenderhearted love story. Simon O'Neal is a notorious actor who ended up in trouble and causing a few scandals of his own. Gail De Marco is his former publicist as her PR company is ending up in dire straits. But with the whim of a proposal to clean up his image, they had a marriage of convenience for two years. And with a no-sex rule attached to it, they made a break from LA to go to Whiskey Creek,  Gail's hometown. But everyone didn't think it would last--her brother and father, even her own friends. But within time, they've gotten to know him better. This marriage had a couple of speed bumps along the way which included Simon's own father, a leak to the press, and a scheming ex-wife he would do anything to win him back. Suddenly, both Gail and Simon fell in love with each other and make magic of their own to weather a storm and make it a real marriage more than ever.

This was a lovely contemporary romance.  I did cared for Gail and how she was set out to help Simon out. She also wanted to prove everyone wrong that she could make it work. I also cared for Simon who wanted to make a name for himself without his father's help or his ex-wife Bella trying to screw him over.  I did love the dual locations of Whiskey Creek and Los Angeles, California and how the scenic settings were visual from Hollywood to small-town life. This would make you fall in love with this love story with non-stop action, plenty of intense drama, romance, and a hint of mystery.

Will you be there to read When Lightning Strikes today?

Talk Me Down

In Victoria Dahl's Talk Me Down, the first installment in the Tumble Creek contemporary romance series, this novel is so hot and steamy, you need to fan yourself and have a tall glass of water. When Molly Jennings returned to her hometown of Tumble Creek, Colorado, she putted the spice in that sleepy old town. She ran into her brother's best friend, Chief Ben Lawson, someone she once had the hots for. But ever since she stepped into town, someone's been watching her every move. Of course, she kept her secrets about what she did for a living, but all she wanted to do was please her parents. She kicked up a storm when she reunited with Lori Love, an old friend of hers from high school. But no matter what she does, someone's been stalking her and perhaps frightened her too. And when she called Ben to help her out, she thought it was nothing. And as for Ben, he's been a bit intrigued on what Molly does and what's so secretive about her ex-boyfriend who's manipulative as hell. But whenever they get a chance, they turned up the heat and steam up the room with hot passionate sex. And when her secret's out, it changes everything and put their lives on the line on who wanted to hurt her and why.

This was a steamy and red-hot contemporary romance from start to finish. This had some bits of humor and plenty of steamy hot sex to fog up the scenes. I did care about Molly and how she made a name for herself with her own chosen career. I did think she did more than lit up a couple of sparks whenever she's with Ben. I think they make a perfect couple together. I did think Cameron was a narcissistic and pompous ass. I had found Ben a charming police officer who didn't know who or what he was getting into it. I adored Tumble Creek as a idyllic small town with vivid and mesmerizing scenic locations. This would keep you enticed and thirsty for more with nonstop action, suspense, intrigue and lots of intense drama.

Will you need to douse yourself after you read Talk Me Down today?

The Antiquities Hunter

In Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff's The Antiquities Hunter, the first installment of the Gina Myoko Mystery series, this would send you on a swagbuckling adventurous journey that's a cross between Lara Croft and Indiana Jones. Gina Myoko is a private detective and decided to help her best friend Rose, an agent for the National Park Service, look for clues on who's been stalking her. But when her best friend ends up in a coma from a car accident, it's up to Gina to head to Mexico to track down a powerful antiquities hunter. But for Gina, who's petite, half-Russian and half-Japanese, she comes across Dr. Cruz Veras, an archeologist and a journalist at the same time, who's after the same goal. And when they first found a black market dealer dead, they would have to pull off an undercover stint to get the goods on the ring leader and his ring, even if she has to ward off his advances from him. The closer they get to the truth and learn more about Mexican gods and goddesses of the past in a temple, they ended up trapped in a lethal serpentine labyrinth when Gina learns who betrayed them and why in a struggle for life and death.

This was an interesting and mesmerizing mystery series debut. It has a lot of fast-pace action and lots of intense drama on every page. I cared for Gina, who's diverse as you can get, who's making her name for herself as a private detective, and wants to find her own love interest without her mother's matchmaking. She could pack a punch and whip out a pistol too. I did think Cruz is a possible match for her as they make a helluva team. He's a bit of hot Mexican eye-candy and easy on the eyes. I did love the dual locations of San Francisco and Mexico and the gripping scenic settings that takes us from jungles, to archeological sites and temples, and beyond. We did learn a bit of archeological and mythical information along the way. This would make you swoon and buckle up with tons of suspense and sparks of mystery to keep you hooked and guessing whodunit at the end.

Will you be there to follow the Antiquities Hunter today?

After Nightfall

In A.J. Banner's After Nightfall, this gripping thriller would have you at the edge of your seat and would leave you jaw-dropping speechless. It all started at Marissa's engagement party with a close knit of family and friends. That's when her best friend Lauren acted strange and flirted with her fiance Nathan. She whispered she had something to tell her. But during the next day, she never got a chance to find out why, when she discovered Lauren's dead body on the beach. While the police believed she might had something to do with it, she would do anything to prove otherwise. She also became suspicious of other people including Nathan and his brother's wife Hedra. With every clue and piece of the puzzle, she didn't know what to believe when there were other clues that pointed elsewhere. She also had to dealt with Anna, her future step-daughter, and Nathan's ex Rianne. Little by little, Hedra had an accidental OD on medication and a neighbor of hers almost drowned and died. While Marissa recalled bits and pieces of her past with Lauren, she focused on who could do such a selfless thing to kill her best friend. The closer she had gotten to the truth, the most disturbing it would be on who would come after her next when it was right under her nose in an explosive climax.

This was a spine-tingling and shocking psychological thriller.  I did care for Marissa on how she loved her job as a speech therapist and had been in the center of attention of a hot mess. I did worry about her since Lauren's death and her suspicions on Nathan had put a strain in their engagement. I did feel bad for Anna, who had to overcome a speech impairment problem, and struggled with it again. I did think Nathan was a bit suspicious for his own reasons. I did love the majestic California location and the ground-breaking scenic settings from the shore and beyond. This has breath-taking non-stop action, heart-pounding drama, oodles of suspense and sparks of mystery that would keep you at the edge of your seat.

Will you be listening for whispers After Nightfall?

SEAL's Honor

In Megan Crane's SEAL's Honor, the first installment in the Alaska Force romantic suspense series,  this tale would sweep you off your feet and leave you cold all over. When Everly Campbell discovered her room mate's dead body, she ran away and escaped to Alaska to find someone from her past to help her. And when she tracked down Benjamin "Blue" Hendricks down, she needed him to protect her from who might be out to get here. For Blue, he had just finished his tour of duty with the Alaska Force military team and looked forward to take it easy. But he didn't expect to see Everly, a sister of one of his close friends, who he vowed not to get mixed up in. When she told him about her troubles, he wasn't looking forward on going back to Chicago, when he remained distant from his mother and step-father from over 20 years. And when they returned to Chicago, they stayed at his mother's place, looking for shelter to cover them as Blue deals with a heated and emotional conversation with his mother about the past. Besides that, Everly found out that someone ransacked her home before they torched it and set it on fire. This sent Everly running with Blue away from there as they look for more clues on who had killed Rebecca and why someone would be after her. Later, as they worked together, it bridged the distance between them and brought them closer, while Everly fell in love with him. And Blue wasn't looking for trouble, romance, or both to come his way. When they discover who had killed her, it brought them closer to the stone cold truth that hit closer to home. In the end, Everly returned to Alaska to go after Blue and make him hers forever as they pledge for their love together.

This was a terrific romantic suspense novel that hooked me from the first page. I loved the dual locations of Alaska and of Chicago, which both had vivid descriptions of the scenic settings that took me there. I cared for Everly who needed someone she could trust and how she dealt with this plight.  I loved how she did things on her own and how she got it done. I also cared for Blue on how he now looked forward to civilian life since he finished his tour with the Alaska Force. Though he didn't want to admit it, he did care for her, though he had a funny way of showing it. This would captivate you from the first page to the last with non-stop action, plenty of romance, lots of drama, and a hint of intrigue that would make you want an Alaska Force soldier for your own.

Will you be to check out SEAL's Honor today?

Delayed Justice

In Cara Putman's Delayed Justice, the third installment in the Hidden Justice inspirational thriller series, this would make you a believer of God and fight for the underdog.  Jaime Nichols is a public defender in the Washington D.C. Metro area and loved her job. But there was one thing that held her back, a secret she kept for the longest time: her uncle molested her when she was little girl. Now as an attorney, she did feel strong enough to tell her parents, her friends, and to inform others about the battle, when she decided to prosecute her uncle, Dane Nichols, before his nomination for an one-star general in the Army. And she never believed in God, when she had felt He had let her down. In the same apartment building, she met Chandler Bolton, an Army veteran who loves helping others deal with the transition and uses his dog Aslan as a comfort dog. Though when they first met, they had gotten off on the wrong foot and worked together toward together to help Tiffany Ange in a crisis, when her mother's boyfriend had assaulted her. It reminded Jamie when she was a little girl. While she fought against her uncle's threats and the potential loss of her job, Chandler had receives threatening calls from a mystery caller who would wish to see him harmed. Together they dealt with their inner demons, surrendered to their feelings, and let God lead the way to set things right with them in the end.

This was a truly exceptional and phenomenal inspirational thriller that tugged heart strings of my heart. I did really care for Jamie and how she dealt with that secret now and handled it the best she could. I did like her circle of friends who were there for her and supported her through everything by sending them lifelines and safety nets. I did like Chandler and Aslan, who make a hell of a team, and how they were there for Tiffany, Jamie, and other war veterans who were also in need. I did think they each had found their true callings that God provided them along the way and how they found each other. The scenic locations and the settings for the D.C. area was profoundly gripping, inside and outside the courtroom and Vet center. This would make you believe in God from the depth of your heart as you would sigh, shake your head, and take a big deep breath with non-stop action, suspense, drama and a hint of mystery.

Will you fight for your own delayed justice today?

Christmas in Whispering Pines

In Scarlett Dunn's Christmas in Whispering Pines, the third installment in the Christmas/historical romance series, this magical novel would warm your hearts and get you ready for the holiday season.  Clay Hunt had been a happily married rancher in Kansas until tragedy struck: his wife and son were killed, his beloved horse went missing. Four years later, Clay arrives in Whispering Pines, Colorado, and is a preacher of the local church. Though he had given up the search for the cold-blooded murderers who killed his family, he made piece with it and moved on. And that's when he met Emma Langtry, a successful opera singer who toured across the country and visited her family. When he first met her and heard her enchanting voice, he had been smitten with her. As for Emma, she loved Granny and her sisters and brothers-in-law. She wasn't ready to settle down and start a family. But things had changed when she met Clay as they had gotten off in the wrong foot. Along the way, trouble's on the horizon when Emma's brother Frank comes to town and stirs up trouble with his girlfriend Leigh King. Everyone's not pleased to see him, since he had killed his own brother earlier on. During a snowstorm, things heat up for Emma and Clay, when a French prince wants Emma as his own, and a blast from Clay's past resurfaces. In the end, they surrendered their feeling and had a happy ending around Christmas to count their blessings and their own lucky stars.

This was a magical and enchanted Christmas/historical romance novel.  I did care for Emma and how she found her true soul mate in Clay Hunt. I believe her music is a gift from Heaven and a wonderful talent. I did despite Frank for all reasons and purposes. But I did feel sorry for Clay for losing his family to a selfless and cruel act. But I'm glad he moved on and was ready to give love another chance, one to start it with Emma.  I did love the brief scenes in Kansas and the scenic scenes in Denver, Black Hawk, and Whispering Pines--even in between towns during the storm. This would make you fall in love with miracles and get you ready for the holiday spirit with non-stop action, sparks of mistletoe-planted romance, a heap of drama, and tons of Christmas joy.

Will you spend Christmas in Whispering Pines tonight?