SIster Dear

 In this blog post, I reviewed Hannah Mary McKinnon's Sister Dear. This domestic suspense novel would make you skin crawl with goosebumps and the hairs stand at the back of your neck. All Eleanor Hardwicke every wanted was a loving family who appreciated her. But they treated her like garbage since she wasn't pretty enough to deserve their love.  But before her father died from cancer, she learned a shocking truth she shouldn't have heard from her parents: she was born from an affair and was kept a secret. This set her on edge to seek her real father out. But he wanted nothing to do with her and had sent her mother hush money to kept it a secret. So she sent out in a mission to know her half-sister Victoria and to get into her world by befriending her and learning her family's darkest secrets. The only person she told was her neighbor Lewis who had a thing for her. It all started for her from disclosing her identity and "accidentally" stealing Victoria's wedding ring when she'd gotten chummier with her and closer to Lewis. In fears of being found out, she kept up with the charade until she'd been discovered and caught into her lies when she'd lost everything she loved and worked hard for in a twisted blink of an eye with a shocking ending.

 This domestic suspense had me at the edge of the seat and piqued my interest right from the beginning. It was dark and twisted as it would come in this domestic thriller. I cared for Eleanor and how everyone mistreated her, making her feeling unwanted and unloved, even by the way she looked, like a ghost. I did care for how she would handle this situation  when she should've quit while she a head and took a chance.  But her own house of cards had toppled in an epic collapse when everything was yanked from her in a puff of smoke. I liked the intricate locations in the Portland area from Eleanor's home to Victoria's posh apartment and everywhere in between. The theme of the story is that secrets and lies have a way of coming out into the open before you're found out.

If you love spine-tingling domestic suspense novels with twisted non-stop action, plenty of heart-racing drama, and tons of goose-bumping suspense, Sister Dear is right up your alley.

Who She Was

 In this blog post, I reviewed Braylee Parkinson's Who She Was, the first installment in the Sylvia Wilcox mysteries series. This captivating mystery debut will keep you guessing right to the end. For Sylvia Wilcox, she's a young widow and a former cop, who received her first mystery case to solve a two-year-old unsolved murder of Liza Stark as a private investigator when her husband Carson Stark asked her to investigate into the mystery behind it. With her brother-in-law Martin working by her side, they delved into her background as a wife and mother and unraveled the threads of her past. Who could've killed her in the poorest neighborhood in Detroit and why? Was it her best friend? Her family and in-laws? Or someone unbeknown to them since the DPD believed it was an affair gone wrong? The deepest they dug closer to the truth, the most suspects they had to believe it could be as they separate the truth between the secrets and the lies. In the end, they pieced the together the puzzle with the biggest surprising twist of them all to receive closure to the case.

 This mystery debut had me on tenterhooks from start to finish, starting with page one. I instantly cared for Sylvia, who mourned her late husband Derek, so young into their marriage. I also liked how she worked well with Martin to help solve the case. The more I've gotten to know about Liza and her sordid past, the more I've felt sorry for her and what she'd gone through in the end before her untimely death in the most cruelest way. This pulled at my heart strings. I loved the scenic settings in Brightmoor and Northville Township, and in Detroit. It also showed how well it depicted how poor and rich both neighborhoods were in Michigan from the slums to a lavish lifestyle for the locations. The theme of the story is how well perceived we think and treat others.

If you love nail-biting mysteries that leave you hooked with non-stop suspense, plenty of gripping drama, and goosebumps to keep you up at night, check out Who She Was for a feel-good read.

Murder Most Fair

 In this blog, I reviewed Anna Lee Huber's Murder Most Fair, the 5th installment in the Verity Kent historical mystery series, this newest edition would raise eyebrows and keep you in suspense. It all started for Verity Kent, a former Secret Service Agent for Winston Churchill, when she relaxed by their London home to enjoy their time together in November 1919. For five long years, the war was tiring to fight their enemies, even when she thought her husband was presumed dead. But when her German great-aunt Ilse arrived at their doorstep, claiming she'd thought she'd seen a second deserter from the war. To calm her great-aunt down, she talked to her about how she was afraid for her life back home in Germany and how someone threatened her life. From London, Verity returned to her hometown of Hawes, when her homecoming was nothing more than bittersweet with her family. The tension was high in the air, even when her great-aunt was ill, and she still mourned her late brother Rob who died in the war a few years ago. In the midst of this all, one of her great-aunt's maids was acting suspicious among the family and was later found dead in the barn by a pitchfork. Now it was up to Verity and Sidney to find out who killed her and why, even if it brought her answers close to home and closer to danger to find out the answer in the end.

 This was a scintillating and intriguing  historical mystery that transported us to the World War I and how it changed history and shaped the world. I cared for Verity, who was a young auburn-haired wife, who loved her family, husband, and entranced life of working for the government. I could see how her estrangement had affected her and her family after Rob's death, even  in her own marriage to Sidney. She had a lot of spunk and tons of courage to put on a brave face. I loved the countryside of Hawes and how the small-knit community came together and supported her family, even when they treated her aunt like a stranger. The theme of the story, which is so related to the past wars of yesterday, is that how it changed people's views and shaped people's lives today: it affects everybody, no matter what side you were on.

If you love daring historical mysteries that deal with factual drama from the past, intriguing suspense, and plenty of non-stop action to keep you hooked on reading, this delightful book is a must-read for you.

Never Mix Sin With Pleasure

 In this blog post, I reviewed Renee Ann Miller's Never Mix Sin With Pleasure, the 5th installment in the Infamous Lords historical romance series. This daring newest tale would captivate you and enthrall you in an intriguing love story. Olivia Michaels never had a family and lived in an orphanage. During the day, she worked as a companion to a lady until she came across Lord Anthony Trent's carriage and gotten mixed up with him. During the night, she roamed the streets as the Phantom, exacting revenge to those people who discarded pregnant woman and orphans like her late friend Helen. When she went to apologize to Lord Trent, jobless and alone, he made her an offer she couldn't refuse: work as her grandmother's companion instead of being a maid. For Tony Trent, he mooned over his sister-in-law Caroline and became jealous of his brother's marriage with her. While they were away for the month, he was left in charge of the finances. But he had trouble dealing with numbers, until Olivia helped him with the ledgers to stay on top of things. While she'd gotten the glimpse of the good life with the dowager, Tony treated her with some fun and excitement while trying not to fall in love with her. But he can't get her out of his mind. On the moment she needed to finish the revenge, her life depended on it if she could avoid being caught as the thief. It was hard to separate the two when she had to tell the truth to Tony before it was too late. Can they withstand the odds and find true happiness together to give her the family she ever wanted?

This was a compelling and very intriguing historical romance novel. This had an almost rags-to-rich theme to it. I cared for Olivia and how she kept her secret life a secret to keep all of London guessing who was the Phantom. I also loved how she helped Tony with the ledgers and had a good old time with him on a night out in the town. I also loved Tony, who had difficulty with math--something we've never seen before, a character with a learning disability as in numbers, and requested Olivia's services. I loved the London scenery in a vast array of locations for the settings from the pubs to the shipyards and beyond. The themes of the story are be true to yourself and never be afraid to show your true self, flaws and all.

If you love fascinating historical romances with non-stop action, plenty of romantic drama, lots of intrigue, and sparks of humor, this novel is right up your alley to read.

Not the Kind of Earl You Marry

 In this blog post, I reviewed Kate Pembroke's Not the Kind of Earl You Marry, the first installment in the Unconventional Ladies of Mayfair historical romance series. This scintillating love story is like no other and would sweep you off your feet. It all started when someone posted a fake engagement announcement in the local paper that pitted William Atherton, Lord of Norwood, and Charlotte Hurst, a wallflower and country girl, together. At first, the idea was absurd since he was the most eligible bachelor in London and left many  tongues wagging across the ton. But they've gotten to know each other better when Charlotte received  curricle lessons from William as she learned how to live in London in style and made new friends along the way. Until they discovered who planted that scheme into the paper, they put on the charade that they were a couple before an evil threat lurked to reveal its ugly head to throw a moneywrench into the romance. Before they could say I do, they have to conquer this latest obstacle and get their happily ever after.

 This historical romance was so enticing and interesting with the fake proposal trope. I love how it brought them together in the beginning and straight to the end. I cared for Charlotte, who wasn't the type of woman to fall for any type of love match. She loved the quiet life until she found William and sought after an adventurous side to her. I loved how William transformed her and molded her into the type of woman he ought to marry, while he kept his political role with the chairman's board in check. I loved the dual locations of Chartwell and London painted a vivid picture in my mind with mesmerizing scenic settings. The theme of the story is that love can move mountains and transform you into something beautiful.

If you love historical romances that pull at your heart-strings with non-stop action, plenty of romantic drama, tons of suspense, and a hint of humor, Not the Kind of Earl You Marry is perfect for you.

Hooked

 In this post, I reviewed Brenda Rothert's Hooked, this sexy and daring standalone hockey sports romance novel will have you hooked from the first page. Miranda Carr worked at a hotel maid and a bartender to make her ends to support her when she studied for college. But when she cleaned Jake Birch's hotel room, this meeting was one of a kind between them when she accidentally tossed out his lucky shirt before the big game. Jake Birch was having a bad day when he discovered his shirt was missing. He also had to deal with terms from the team owner when he was caught kissing her at the bar. To save face, he had to date her, or deal with the consequences. But when Jake met Miranda, all bets were off. Their chemistry were off the charts and scorched the ice. Though they hit it off, he had to contend with Hailey while keeping their romance a secret from her boss--or she could loss her job. But deep down inside, Jake has a secret. He secretly mourned the loss of his younger brother Dustin who died a few years ago that killed him inside and stayed away from his folks due to guilt. With all these complications, Jake and Miranda had to work together and smooth out the wrinkles before they could have their happily ever after in the end. 

This was a delightful and entertaining sports romance for a stand alone novel. I instantly cared for Miranda who worked hard for her money to make ends meet--two jobs to be exact. I loved how she cared for her sister Paige and wanted to do everything her way and loving Jake as is.  I also adored Jake who loved the sport of hockey and did it to honor his late brother's memory, though he kept the guilt close to his heart. I also loved how he supported Miranda and wanted to be by herself in anyway he could, on and off the ice and truly cared for her.  I loved the location of Downtown Chicago and the gripping settings for the scenes on and off the rink. The dual themes of the story are be true to yourself and to forgive yourself from what hurts you.

If you love heart-stopping hockey sports romance that make you heart swoon and sway with non-stop drama, plenty of hot romantic action and tons of heat, Hooked is the perfect one for you.