Carries Book Reviews

Montana Home by Kathy Hendrickson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

When Carrie Vernon received a letter from the man who had been courting her, Hank Anderson, asking her to meet him so that they can get married she decides to defy her father and go ahead with the marriage. Carrie knew that her powerful father had plans to use Carrie as a pawn in his plans and knowing he would never approve of Hank.

Hank may not have been as rich and powerful as Carrie’s father but he owned his own small ranch and was determined to make it prosper to earn his and his new wife’s way. After refusing to sell his ranch to Carrie’s father though cattle and horses go missing, fences are destroyed and Hank knows just who has to behind the damage.

Montana Home is a part of the Love Letters series and is a historical romance with a tad bit of a thriller edge added in with the ongoing struggles with Carrie’s father. This book is a novella length read so it goes fairly quickly but did an OK job bringing the story to life within the few pages of the book.

I did think however that it seemed to miss the mark by not giving any lead in to Hank and Carrie’s relationship such as what led to his note or how they were courting before jumping to the marriage. Again that is probably due to the short length of the book but it felt as being dropped into something already going on a bit. Otherwise, it was a nice little historical tale.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Crimson Footprints
Shewanda Pugh
Publication date: June 20th 2017
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

On the night of her brother’s murder, Deena Hammond stumbles upon Takumi Tanaka, lost and on the wrong end of a .32. After rescuing him from the certain fate driving through her neighborhood in a Porsche will bring, a sweet kind of friendship begins. A balm for her grief.

Maybe, Deena likes to think, it happened the day her mother killed her father. Or maybe, it was always a part of them, like DNA gone bad. Whatever the case, Deena knows that her family would never approve, hell, never acknowledge, her fast-growing love for Tak. And had he never made love to her in that unraveling, soul-searching sort of way, she could’ve done the same. But loves a devil that way. So, their game begins. One where they hide what they are from everyone. Anyone.

Tak understands this for now. After all, Deena’s career hinges on the favor of her mentor and boss: his hard-ass of a father. And the Hammond family is already stretched thin with grief. Yet, each step Deena takes toward family and career brings her closer to an acceptance she’s never had—and away from him.

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Author Bio:

Shewanda Pugh’s a tomboy who’s been writing romance since an inappropriate age. While she’s been shortlisted for a few awards and snagged a bestsellers list or two, there’s nothing she enjoys more than hearing from her readers.

In another life, she earned a BA from Alabama A&M University and an MA in Writing from Nova Southeastern University. Though a hardcore native of Boston, MA, she now lives in Miami, FL, where she sulks in the sunshine, guzzles coffee, and puzzles over her next novel.

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Never Stop on the Motorway by Jeffrey Archer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Diana is doing her best to clear the work on her desk and be out of the office by 5:00 when a co-worker hands her another report. Grudgingly Diana tackles the report hoping that she can get out soon for her one weekend away a month to spend with friends in the country as her children spend the weekend with Diana’s ex.

At a little before 6:00 Diana heads to her car to tackle the long ride out to her friend’s farmhouse. After leaving the city traffic and heading onto the motorway though Diana ends up with quite the surprise. Before she knows it there is a black van in her rear-view mirror getting ever closer and closer.

Never Stop on the Motorway is a short story from Jeffrey Archer which was originally part of a collection of short stories called Twelve Red Herrings. Even though my first complaint is usually I want more with a short read I really didn’t feel that with this one. I would compare reading this to skipping ahead to the juicy action in a thriller.

The story is only around 25 pages but within those pages you do learn enough about Diana and her life, a bit of build up to why she’s concerned and a rather twisty ending that I loved. Easy to say this one had me gripped all the way through and would definitely recommend it to any fan of short reads.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Lone Wolf
Anne Marsh
(A Breed MC, #4)
Publication date: May 31st 2017
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

A sexy new standalone shifter romance from New York Times Bestselling Author Anne Marsh…

I don’t play well with other wolves. The pack needs muscle, and I provide it as their enforcer. My biker name is Gator—after the alligator that chewed my face up. Sure I can make a woman scream with pleasure, but the scars on my face? That’s truth in advertising right there. There’s not an ounce of pretty in me. I fight, I ride—and I do it alone. So chasing the gorgeous marine biologist who wanders into my bayou hunting for wolves is not my smartest move. She’s Beauty. I’m the Beast. That story’s already been told and life’s fresh out of happy endings.

LONE WOLF is a sexy standalone werewolf shifter romance with more than its fair share of humor, dirty sex, and alpha males who fall in love hard.

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EXCERPT:

Frowning, I tread water and stare up at the man I hit. From my current position, I look up (and then up, up, up some more) a well-muscled chest. His black T-shirt exposes an impressive amount of powerful biceps and forearms, making him more Mount Muscle Man than not. An equally impressive amount of scar tissue snakes across his left arm. Based on the quantity and size of the ropey marks, he’s lucky to still have an arm. Something bit down on him hard.

He grunts. That’s definitely an unhappy sound. “My face is up here, babe.”

Yes, I got sidetracked. Welcome to my universe. I paddle a little harder to stay in place. I don’t think the water’s that deep here, but no way will I put my feet down. God knows what’s lurking on the bottom. Mud, sticks, fanged beasts, and water snakes… I prefer my bayou from a safer, drier vantage point.

I shift my eyes to his face as ordered. The left side of his jaw matches his forearm. I revise my opinion from lucky to have an arm to lucky to be alive.

He runs a hand over his jaw. The scarred side of his jaw. “You swim too long, and you might meet my buddy. On the other hand, you could paddle on over here, and I’ll give you a lift if you ask nicely.”

He makes the choice sound so simple. Stay in the water and face down monsters. Go to him and get rescued. And it’s not like I really have any good choices here. Sure, I can swim to the bank, but getting out is going to be a bitch. I’ll end up scratched to shit, and then I’ll be mosquito bait and miles from civilization. It’s always possible another boater passes by and I can flag them down for a lift, but this particular part of the bayou isn’t precisely Grand Central Station. It’s more like the train-comes-once-a-week depot in the middle of nowhere. I could be waiting for a very, very long time.

But can I trust him?

He sighs. Loudly. “Pretend I’m a fucking Boy Scout, oui?”

Author Bio:

Anne Marsh is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more thirty romances. She loves stories about tough guys with marshmallow interiors, protective alphas, and men who live for the women they love. Because you can never have too much of a good thing (hot alpha males… we’re looking at you!), she writes about werewolf Alphas, Viking werebears, US Navy SEALs, and really smoking hot firefighters.

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Rise of Princes
Janell Rhiannon
(Homeric Chronicles, #2)
Publication date: May 1st 2017
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Historical

In the Song of Princes, the western Greek world is set afire by the brazen escape of Helen of Sparta with Paris, the Forgotten Prince of Troy. As their ship plows east across the Aegean, the Great War trails close behind them. Not even the gods could silence the thundering shields and singing arrows following the lovers back to Troy.

In Rise of Princes, Agamemnon and his horde lay siege to Trojan allies for nearly nine years, but it is Achilles, the Golden Warrior, who brutally ravages the Troad lands becoming the Sacker of Cities. His fierce onslaught prompts the gods to intervene on behalf of the Trojans and their allies. Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love and Beauty and patroness of Troy, sends the Princess Briseis to calm the bloody fury of Achilles.

Hektor, the Golden Prince, leads the Trojan army against the western invaders, keeping Troy safe behind the Great Wall. As Defender of the Citadel, he grants sanctuary to thousands of refugees seeking safety from the death and destruction sweeping the land. Behind the solidarity of the royal family, tensions over the continued presence of Helen of Sparta threaten to topple the empire. When the fate of Troy appears most grim, a ray of hope is offered by a new prophesy. Despite his private losses, Hektor vows to remain the strength his people need.

Across the Aegean, the Greek kingdoms struggle with disturbing news from Troy. Queen Clytemnestra of Mycenae, reeling from Agamemnon’s ruthless betrayal, loses faith in the gods and plots her revenge. Queen Penelope of Ithaka, young and uncertain, prays to Athena for her husband’s swift return. And Tyndareus, the former king of Sparta, works to usurp Menelaus’ throne.

Trojans and Greeks face heartbreak as the war, sparked by the vanity and greed of men, continues with no end in sight.

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EXCERPT:

The battle cry, a thunderous roar of thousands, carried on the wind, warning the people of Methymna that death was coming for them. Those seeking safety within the city walls waited far from the gore upon the ramparts. From high above, fear gripped their bones and souls as they watched the soldiers with Black Shields move through their army like a plague. It was impossible to ignore the warrior-god, standing tall among his men, gleaming golden and ferocious in Apollo’s light. His menacing sword slashed flesh and cracked bones and split heads with every stroke; behind him, bodies fell like broken flowers crushed by a beast in the field. As the western tribes lay waste to the Methymnaan army, the princess pulled the pin from the knot holding the gate’s massive latch in place. The devastation could now consume the city for lust and gold and geras untold.

Achilles stood amidst the carnage, blood dripping from his arms and face, as his eyes locked on the commander of the enemy. He watched as Hypsipylos smashed his blade and rammed his shield against his foes; he stood almost as tall as Achilles and almost as broad.

A worthy opponent and a good day for the Methymnaan commander to die. The Golden Warrior’s roar rose above the din of battle and Hypsipylos turned, knowing instinctively who challenged him in mutual combat. He plunged his sword deep into an invader’s chest, pulled it free with fresh blood dripping down the blade, and bore down on Achilles like an enraged bull catching the scent of an enemy afield.

The mighty warriors clashed. Shield against shield, blade against blade, Achilles and Hypsipylos unleashed their fury on each other. Dust clouded around them like a swirling storm. The harsh scraping of metal on metal sang through the air. Citizens from above watched in fascinated horror, while men on the battlefield ceased their fighting and circled the combating champions. The warrior-god of the west arched his sword in a flash of silver, smashing the pommel into Hypsipylos’ cheek. The Methymnaan hero stumbled back, dropping his shield guard momentarily. Achilles, lunging forward, used his shield as a battering ram and smashed its edge into Hypsipylos’ shoulder. The dark hero’s sword arm faltered with the blow. Achilles moved in for the kill with the strength and skill of a lion.

At last Achilles’ blade, glinting cruelly in Apollo’s light, caught the enemy’s exposed chest and slashed ferociously through Hypsipylos’ armor. The gash split his chest open, spilling his guts and blood on the ground. The commander of the Methymnaan army fell hard on his knees in the dirt, kneeling awkwardly at Achilles’ feet. He gasped as dark red blood oozed from the corners of his mouth down his chin and neck. “My city … Peisidike …”

Achilles sneered down at the dying commander. “That whore gave up your city.”

“No …” He grimaced, stiffened, and then fell over, blood still welling up from his throat and spilling through his open mouth. His dead eyes stared at nothing.

A mighty cheer rose among the united Greeks. The enemy turned to retreat, finding escape impossible. Achilles wiped the muck of blood and dirt from his blade. The fighting left his throat parched, so he spat. The bodies of his enemy lay heaped around him. The entire city lay slaughtered and scattered in the dust.

Author Bio:

Janell always had her nose in a book, reading by flashlight when it was “lights out” time. Her love of reading turned to a curiosity about writing. She now writes in all the spare moments she can squeeze out of a day. She also writes fiction and fantasy with some romantic spice for good measure. Janell adores Mythology and Fantasy. Anything magical and mystical. And dragons. And gargoyles. Her guiding motto: “I tell stories, not genres.”

She currently lives in CA.

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