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Showing posts with label Forever Romance imprint. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Forever Romance imprint. Show all posts

Thursday, June 14, 2018

#Book #Review: 5 out of 5 stars for Run from Fear by Jami Alden @jamialden @ForeverRomance

TITLE: Run From Fear
SERIES: Dead Wrong, Book #3
AUTHOR: Jami Alden
PUBLISHER: Forever
PUBLICATION DATE: February 28, 2012
FORMAT: Mass Market Paperback
LENGTH: 423 pages
GENRE: Romance/Romantic Suspense
ISBN: 9780446572811
With each step she takes, he tracks her every move, waiting for the perfect time. The perfect revenge. Until then, he'll watch her . . .

Run From Fear

More than anything, Talia Vega wanted to leave behind her harrowing past. Moving eight hundred miles away, she succeeded . . . until the one man who knows her darkest secrets wanders into the restaurant where she works. Now the agonizing memories come crashing back-along with an undeniable desire for Jack Brooks, the ex-Green Beret who rescued her from a sadistic monster two years ago.

Jack Brooks knows that showing up unannounced is a purelfy selfish move. Talia doesn't need his protection anymore, but he can't get the raven-haired beauty out of his mind. And when a twisted madman is hell-bent on resurrecting her torturous past, Jack vows to do anything to keep her safe-even risk his own life to save the only woman he's ever loved.
MY REVIEW:

It's been a while since I read the second book in this series, Hide from Evil. That was back in September! I've forgotten how much I love this series!! This one is better than the last one, and I think it's my favourite one in the series so far.

 The main character in this installment is Talia Vega, the man-eater from the first book in the series, Beg for Mercy. This story takes place two years after the events that transpired in that book, and Talia is a lot different than she was back then! After she was rescued from the hands of a serial killer by Jack Brooks, she spent some time travelling with her sister Rosario before moving to California. Unbeknownst to Talia, Jack arranged a job for her and has been keeping tabs on her to ensure her safety.

 When the wife of Talia's ex-lover is released from prison, Jack flies out to California to check on Talia. He claims that he was there on assignment, but really he just used that as an excuse! Jack always had a thing for Talia, but he never thought she'd ever give him the time of day. Meanwhile, Talia has a huge chip on her shoulder and is ashamed of her past and thinks that Jack would never have anything to do with a woman like her. After all, he did see her at her worst when he rescued her. She thinks he will always see her that way. 

 When someone starts sending mementos to Talia as reminders of her past, Talia's hackles are raised and so are Jack's! He decides to stick around, and that's when things start to heat up between Jack and Talia. There are sparks between them, but neither of them does anything about it and the sexual tension between them just builds. Alden sure makes us wait for the two of them to get together, and that made me really happy. My main issue with the couple in the last book was that they got together way too quickly without the build-up. Jack and Talia have history, and their chemistry smolders and simmers for a long time. By that point, Jack has already made it clear that he's not looking for just a casual fling and that he's waiting for her to feel about him the same way he feels about her. He has fallen in love with her, and he hopes that she feels the same! Thank you, Ms. Alden, for making us wait for Talia and Jack to be together. It was worth the wait!

 I love the change in Talia. She doesn't need to flaunt her body and her look is more understated. Without the glam makeup and clothing, her natural beauty shines through and this just makes her even more attractive to Jack. She doesn't see herself through his eyes, and she absolutely is the one that needs redemption here. She is tenacious, strong, and will do anything for her sister. She's tried so hard to move on from her past and needs this fresh start. Jack is everything that every woman wants: Strong, sensitive, caring, protective...the rocking bod and oodles of money don't hurt either, LOL! Talia and Jack just fit together so well, and I'm happy that they get their happy ending! Their worlds fit so perfectly together as well, with Jack's friends and their wives embracing Talia as one of their own. They were just made for each other!

 This book was fast-paced with non-stop action, and I had a hard time tearing myself away from it! Alden tells the story from three points of view: Talia, Jack, and the nut-bar who is after her. It got my adrenaline going, with the anxiety-inducing goings-on and the steamy scenes between Jack and Talia!

 Memorable quote:
"She'd fought to keep him out of her life, certain she didn't need him, convinced he could only make her miserable as he served as a living reminder of everything she'd struggled to leave behind. But the past had come back to haunt her, and once again he proved to be the only one she could count on to get her out of the muck. The only one she wanted to count on."

 As much as I love Talia and Jack, my favourite character in this series so far is Tommy Ibarra. I can't wait to read his story in the next book in this series, Guilty as Sin.

MY RATING:

5 stars!! I loved it, and you should definitely put it on your TBR if you enjoy steamy romantic suspense!

Posted by at 6:36 PM 2 comments
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Wednesday, April 11, 2018

#Book #Review: 4 out of 5 stars for Sins & Needles by Karina Halle @MetalBlonde @ForeverRomance #CanadianAuthor

SERIES: The Artists Trilogy, Book #1
AUTHOR: Karina Halle
PUBLISHER: Forever
PUBLICATION DATE: August 26, 2014 (first published 2013)
FORMAT: Mass Market Paperback
LENGTH: 384 pages
GENRE: Romance/Contemporary
ISBN: 9781455552191
There's a Fine Line Between Sin and Salvation . . .

Ellie Watt is a woman on the run. Raised by a pair of thieves who taught her the art of the grift-and pursued by a mobster who fell for her con-she hopes to find refuge at her uncle's farm in quiet Palm Valley, California. Ellie swears she's through with her life of crime. But before she knows it, she's right back in the game when she meets an easy mark who's too good-and too hot-to be true. His name is Camden McQueen. A master tattoo artist and a total inked stud, Camden is nothing like the awkward kid who crushed on Ellie back in high school. Now, as owner of the wildly successful Sins & Needles, he's got tats to kill for, muscles to die for, and money to burn. Ellie can't believe the transformation-and can't resist pulling off one last con. But when Camden catches Ellie red-handed, the tables are turned. The mark becomes the master. And when the ultimate player gets played, you never know who's going to end up on top . . .

MY REVIEW:

I remember seeing this book featured on blogs when it first came out, and I added it to my Wishlist back then but wasn't sure it was my thing because I'm not a contemporary romance reader. I am trying to read more Canadian authors and, when I realized that Ms. Halle is Canadian, I decided to pick this one up and I'm so glad that I did!

 Ellie Watt has had an interesting life. She's the daughter of con artists, and grifting has always been her way of life. She has been on the run for two months from her Ukrainian ex, whom she swindled in a scam. She decides to head back to her hometown to lie low, and she hopes that her uncle will take her in for a while. She applies for a job at a local coffee shop, and runs into her former BFF Camden McQueen...only now he's no longer the geeky goth boy he used to be but a tattooed hunk! Back in high school, Camden liked Ellie and she gave in to peer pressure and humiliated him just because he was a bit different and marched to the beat of his own drum. Ellie finds out that Camden runs a tattoo studio and, always looking for her next target, she decides to scope out his place.

 Even though I did not like Ellie, I found it difficult to tear myself away from this story! I like Camden, and I hate how Ellie tried to play him and how she treated her one and only friend in the past. Ellie really hasn't changed much over the years. She's still the same selfish bitch that she always was, always just looking out for herself! I'm hoping that Ellie redeems herself in the books to follow.

 I have already bought the prequel, On Every Street, and will be continuing on with the series. I'm really happy to add another Canadian author to my list!

MY RATING:

4 stars!! It was really good, and you should put it on your TBR list if you enjoy contemporary romance.

This book qualifies as:
#14 for my Strictly Print Reading Challenge
#6 for my 2018 Library Love Challenge
#7 for my 11th Annual Canadian Book Challenge
#25 for my Beat the Backlist 2018 Challenge
#23 for my The Backlist Reader Challenge 2018
#13 for my New Author 2018 Reading Challenge
#14 for my 2018 Try Something New Challenge
#21 for my 2018 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge
#2 for my The Island Reader Challenge 2018
Task #17 for my 2018 Reading Challenge (Linz the Bookworm)
#4E for my 2018 Literary Escapes Challenge
#25A for my Good Rule Reading Challenge
#1 for my 2018 Contemporary Romance Reading Challenge
#3 for my Romance Roundabout Challenge
#4 for my 2018 Literary Pickers Challenge
#1 for my Let's Read Indie 2018 Reading Challenge
#9 for my Bookish Bingo Spring 2018
Task #15 for my Goodreads Spring 2018 Scavenger Challenge - Umbrellas
#6 for my Chapter Break Bingo March 2018
#7 for my March 2018 Take Control of Your TBR Pile Challenge

Posted by at 7:30 AM 2 comments
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Thursday, September 21, 2017

#Book #Review: 4 out of 5 stars for Hide from Evil by Jami Alden @jamialden @ForeverRomance

SERIES: Dead Wrong, Book #2
AUTHOR: Jami Alden
PUBLISHER: Forever Romance
PUBLICATION DATE: November 1, 2011
FORMAT: Paperback
LENGTH: 398 pages
GENRE: Romantic Suspense
ISBN: 9780446572798
Like a chess master, he carefully weighs his next move . . . advancing slowly until he is sure he can capture his helpless pawn. For in his mind, there's no way to . . .

Hide From Evil

Sean Flynn should feel lucky he's alive. But a betrayal by a close friend-and two years on death row-has left him feeling only numb. When his conviction was overturned, Sean retreated to a quiet woodland cabin, far away from prying eyes. There, he believed, the past couldn't come back to haunt him . . . until she showed up.

Overcome with guilt, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Krista Slater can't forgive herself for convicting an innocent man. But when another brutal murder reveals chilling, new facts about his case, she must turn to Sean for help. She's ready to face his anger, but the desire in his eyes ignites a need she's never felt before. Shadowed by danger, Sean and Krista uncover a twisted maze of deception and betrayal-all under the dangerous gaze of a cunning mastermind who will do whatever it takes to keep his evil secrets safe.

MY REVIEW:

 It’s been approximately one year since I read the first one in this series, Beg for Mercy. Though not as good as its predecessor, I still really enjoyed it and already bought the next book in the series!

Krista Slater was the prosecuting attorney who wrongly convicted Sean Flynn, and he narrowly escaped execution. Those events took place in the earlier book, Beg for Mercy. At the outset of the second book in the series, Krista still can’t let it go and is determined to get to the bottom of the case. She even hires a private investigator at her own cost to find out more details about the real serial killer, Nate Brewster, and the prostitution ring that was being run out of the high-end nightclub. When another man is killed that has ties to both Nate and Sean, Krista reaches out to Sean for his help. He wants nothing to do with her! He wants to stay out of it, but Krista won’t give up. She even resorts to sabotaging her own car, hoping that Sean will let her stay with him while her car is being repaired. Sean planned to take her to a local bed and breakfast to stay for the night, but the owner has closed for the season and he is forced to let Krista stay with him. On the way back to his rural cabin, they are nearly run off the road. Someone is out to kill them, and Sean is forced to work with Krista to uncover the truth to save them both.

The story was fast-paced, and the majority of the events happened over several days. I have to admit that I wasn’t as crazy for Krista’s and Sean’s relationship as I was about Megan’s and Cole’s in the first book. With Megan and Cole, they were old flames and their relationship was rekindled. With Krista and Sean, it was more a case of enemies to lovers and it felt too rushed for me. I can’t deny the chemistry and passion that Alden put into their relationship, but it was too "instalove" for my liking. I would have preferred that there was a trust built between them first, or at least a repair in their relationship. My favourite character in the story is Sean’s buddy, Ibarra. I loved all his high-tech gadgetry and how eager he was to help Sean, no questions asked. I want to know more about Ibarra, and I hope that Alden features him in his own story in the series! For now, I’m looking forward to continuing with the next book in the series, Run from Fear.

MY RATING:

4 stars!! It was really good, and you should put it in your TBR if you enjoy steamy Romantic Suspense!

This book qualifies as:
Posted by at 7:00 AM 0 comments
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Tuesday, October 4, 2016

#Book #Review: 5 out of 5 stars for Beg for Mercy by Jami Alden @jamialden @ForeverRomance


TITLE: Beg for Mercy
SERIES: Dead Wrong, Book #1
AUTHOR: Jami Alden
PUBLISHER: Grand Central Publishing
PUBLICATION DATE: June 1, 2011
FORMAT: Paperback
LENGTH: 413 pages
GENRE: Romance/Romantic Suspense
ISBN: 9780446572804

He lurks in the shadows, waiting and watching . . . And once he has you, all you can do is. . .

Beg For Mercy

Megan Flynn thought she was falling in love. Cole Williams wasn't just handsome and passionate, he was one of the good guys. Or so she thought, until he arrested her brother - the only family she has left - for a murder she knows he couldn't have possibly committed. Now, with her heart broken and her brother's life hanging in the balance, Megan will risk everything to prove his innocence. Even if that means throwing herself into the path of a sadistic killer with a hauntingly familiar MO.

Seattle Detective Cole Williams had given up on making Megan see reason where her brother is concerned. But when she insinuates herself into the most shockingly brutal case Cole has ever worked, he can't stand idly by. Plunged into a secret world where the city's elite indulge their darkest desires, Cole will do whatever it takes to bring down a madman who has made Megan his most coveted prey.

MY REVIEW:

Damn, that was hot!!!

 The protagonist is Megan Flynn, who is 29 years old and in love with her boyfriend, Seattle Homicide Detective Cole Williams. As they are getting hot and heavy on the couch, Cole gets a call on his day off from his partner, Nick Jorgensen, who gives him the address of a crime scene. Megan apparently has super-sonic hearing and can hear Nick's voice through the phone and recognizes that the address belongs to her brother, Sean. Megan questions Cole about the address, but he can’t say anything so Megan tries to reach her brother by phone but there is no answer. She drives over to Sean’s house, and she arrives just as Sean is being led out of the house in handcuffs by none other than Cole! Her brother is blood-spattered and in a daze. He is charged with raping and murdering a young woman named Evangeline Gordon, who he had met at a bar, but he has no recollection of the evening. Evangeline was last seen leaving the bar with Sean, and her body was found the next day in Sean’s house. With Sean facing the death penalty and Cole's role in putting him behind bars, the relationship between Megan and Cole falls apart. The story then follows two years after Sean’s conviction, and the Supreme Court has just denied his second appeal and Sean is tired of fighting. He is losing hope. If he fails to file another appeal, the date of his execution will be scheduled.

Megan’s and Sean’s parents were both killed in a car accident. She was 13 years old at the time, and Sean was 15 years old. After that, they lived with their grandmother. Sean is the only immediate family that Megan has left, and she won’t give up trying to save her brother.

 Megan is a volunteer court-appointed advocate for minors. One of her clients is a 14 year-old girl named Devany Sinclair, who lives with her aunt in a trailer park. Devany’s mom is due to be released from court-ordered rehabilitation in a few weeks. When Dev’s dog escapes from the trailer, Dev chases it down to an abandoned trailer where it is barking at the door that has been left ajar. The dog manages to nose its way into the trailer, and Dev follows it inside. She finds a naked woman lying face-down in a pool of her own blood on the bed. Dev grabs her dog and high-tails it back to her aunt’s trailer and phones Megan, who tells her to phone the police and that she will be right over. When Megan arrives at Dev’s, the police are already there to question Dev, and guess who is on the scene? Yup, it’s Cole. Even though two years have passed since they have seen each other, the tension is still there between them as well as unresolved feelings. Megan does her own digging into the murder, and she is convinced that there are similarities between this victim and Evangeline Gordon. With Sean's execution now only 1.5 weeks away, Megan needs to work fast to find the connection between the murders. The body count rises, and Megan puts herself in danger to try to save her brother. Cole cannot stand idly by, so he agrees to help her…not because he thinks Sean is innocent but because he knows that Megan will not give up trying until the bitter end and that she needs to do it. In his mind, he feels that the least he can do is support her and help to pick up the pieces afterwards.

 I have never read a romantic suspense novel that was so steamy! The chemistry between Megan and Cole is so damn hot, and my pulse definitely quickened reading their naughty scenes and my fingers couldn’t turn the pages fast enough!!

 Alden is a new-to-me author, and she totally blew me away! I absolutely loved everything about this book, which received the Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award for Best Romantic Suspense. Aside from the red-hot passion between Megan and Cole, I loved Megan’s commitment to her brother. She remained steadfast in her trust that her brother was innocent, despite the overwhelming evidence against him. Even when he tried to push her away, her loyalty to him did not falter. Sean could see the toll that this drama was taking on Megan’s life, and he couldn’t let her go through the turmoil any longer. For him, it was better that the battle end quickly so that Megan could move on with her life and try to find some happiness. Each one felt that they were doing the right thing and, in their own way, they were! I have already bought the next two books in the series, and I can’t wait to read them!

 If you enjoy romantic suspense and like your novels steamy, I highly recommend it!

MY RATING:
5 stars!!  It was superb, and I will likely re-read it again in the future. You should definitely put it on your TBR list!
Posted by at 7:30 AM 0 comments
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