Don’t Believe a Word: A novel of psychological suspense by Patricia MacDonald
Don’t Believe a Word: A novel of psychological suspense by Patricia MacDonald
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Eden Radley’s mother had divorced Eden’s father and remarried a younger man years ago. She then had a child who had an incurable disease and moved with her new family to Ohio to be near a treatment center. All of this caused a rift between Eden and her mother as Eden felt abandoned and replaced with her mother leaving for a new family.
Even though Eden had not forgiven her mother the last thing she wanted to hear was news of her death. But not only had Eden’s mother passed but the police had ruled it a murder/suicide in which she had not only taken her life but that of her young disabled son. After Eden attends the funeral all she really wants is answers as she just can’t believe her mother could do such a thing.
With Don’t Believe a Word my biggest complaint had to be it just took so long before the story even started to get into any kind of thriller/mystery vibe. It was probably a good 30-40% of the book before it started to take on any kind of momentum into the deaths of Eden’s mother and half brother. Once it got going though the story picks up tossing different suspects and scenarios as Eden began to question things.
The ending to the story was a great wrap up in itself but a part of me was kind of disappointed in it too because I felt that I’m not sure if anyone could’ve ever possibly figured it out during the story. It was just one of those out of left field answers that even if you like it overall it’s a bit disappointing to only maybe get lucky with a random guess.
Overall, a bit slow paced for my taste but not too bad of a read altogether.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Goodbye Forever: A Woman-In-Jeopardy Thriller by Bonnie Hearn Hill
Goodbye Forever: A Woman-In-Jeopardy Thriller by Bonnie Hearn Hill
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Kit Doyle is a crime blogger and radio show host usually dealing with trying to solve cold cases. When her husband’s niece goes missing Kit can’t help but want to try to find her. Kit comes up with a plan that even though she herself is in her late twenties she thinks she can pass for a teen runaway so with the help of her ex-cop friend and her husband Kit goes undercover looking for Jessica.
Goodbye Forever seems to actually be part of a series featuring Kit Doyle. I didn’t realize there had been other books before this one and I think because of that this one got off to a bit of a slow start for me. I didn’t feel myself really connecting with Kit quickly due to there not being a lot about her job or her co-workers or husband. There were bits and pieces of things that must of happened in previous books but not expanded on enough to get a sense of her or her involvement with solving cases.
Once the story got going it picked up my interest and I began to understand the characters a bit better. Jessica and the other runaways had all had hard lives and issues so once learning more about what was going on I became more intrigued. The whole camp environment and kids there was a bit disturbing and cult like so it became more intense through the middle of the story.
After the slow start and then picking up the intensity in the middle the book became a lot more of a fast paced read from there. But unfortunately my one other complaint came at the very end of the story which was the ending seemed terribly rushed. Still a good read but I would have preferred the end had been a bit more expanding and not over so quickly.
Overall, 3.5 stars. A good read, just needed better pacing throughout with a bit more expanding on the story in the beginning and end.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Cover Reveal: Working Stiff: Casimir by Blair Babylon
Working Stiff: Casimir
Blair Babylon
(Inheritance Trilogy, #1)
Publication date: May 17th 2016
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Here’s the problem: when Rox was hired, she told her smoking-hot boss Cash that she was married, but she’s not. Now, three years later, she’s kind of accidentally living with him, and he’s being a perfect gentleman, dang it.
Everybody in the office said that Cash was a heartbreaker, that he’d bump her and dump her, so Rox decided not to become a statistic. She went out and bought herself some rings of the finest cubic zirconia so that she could work with Cash, who was several inches over six feet tall, emerald-eyed, ripped, gorgeous, his tailored suit clinging to his athletic body, sporting a British accent, and loaded.
It had seemed like such a good plan at the time.
But now, three years later, she and Cash have become friends. They travel together for work often, and they’re the best of buddies.When Rox gets thrown out of her apartment, Cash insists that she come live with him until they can find her a place because that’s what friends do.
Now, even though everyone insists that Cash never goes after married women, something about him has changed. There are little touches, little slips, and Rox is more and more tempted to tell hunky, gorgeous Cash that she never was married.
And then he’ll take her and break her, and then he’ll walk away, and then she’ll lose her job, and she still hasn’t found a place to live.
And yet, every time her looks at her with mischief in his dark green eyes, every time they’re teasing and it somehow turns into tickling, every time she swats at him and somehow ends up in his arms, she wants so much to risk everything.
What’s a working stiff to do when she falls in love with her friend, the boss?
Author Bio:
Blair Babylon often releases ebooks at a special release-day price of 99c.
To never miss a sale, CLICK HERE: http://smarturl.it/Babylon-Email
Blair Babylon is the nom de plume of an award-winning, USA Today-bestselling author who used to publish literary fiction. Because professional reviews of her other fiction usually included the caveat that there was too much deviant sex and too much interesting plot, she decided to abandon all literary pretensions, let her freak flag fly, and write hot, sexy, erotic romance, plus wild, suspenseful thrillers, science fiction, and urban fantasy using the super-secret pen name Blair C. Babylon.
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Cover Reveal: Damage Me by Shana Vanterpool with giveaway
Damage Me
Shana Vanterpool
(Crystal Gulf #2)
Published by: Swoon Romance
Publication date: July 5th 2016
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance
*** AUTHOR’S NOTE and CONTENT WARNING: This story contains triggers for rape victims and soldiers. I did my best to remain respectful to the healing process for both. Hillary’s feelings are hers alone and ONLY represent how she feels about her attack. Dylan’s emotions about his time at war are his ALONE. You are all strong and beautiful, and you will soar again! ***
A broken soldier …
Dylan Meyer lived his life fast and hard, doing anything to keep his emotions masked. In Crystal Gulf, Texas, women, drugs, and alcohol are in abundance. After all, it’s a college town. But eventually, his lifestyle caught up to him. The birth of his daughter, Aubrey, forced him to grow up and take responsibility for his actions. He let his vices go, cleaned up his act, and allowed himself to fall for Harley Evans.
But Dylan is a liar.
He lied to himself. To Harley. To his best friend, Bach. And then he lied himself right into a U.S. Army uniform. When he went to war, he left Harley with his best friend in hopes that he’d look out for her while he was deployed. Not in his darkest nightmares did he think Bach and Harley would fall in love.
A fallen angel …
Hillary Hayes is an eighteen-year-old sophomore in college who understands the importance of rules. She’s followed them her entire life. She gets perfect grades, avoids dating, and won’t stray from the future her mother mapped out. On the outside, she’s perfect. Inside, she’s drowning.
That carefully crafted future disappears when she downs a beer at a party. What’s left of that night is the wreckage of the girl she used to be.
Until she meets Dylan. Her brother’s best friend.
When Dylan returns from war, he can’t move past the betrayal. His daughter’s growing up without him. Flashbacks and PTSD from his time in Afghanistan consume him. He loses himself in a dark depression. There is no light in his darkness …until he meets Hillary. His best friend’s little sister is the only good thing among all the bad.
He’s her safe place.
She’s his light.
Can two damaged souls ever find peace, or is the damage too much to overcome?
Crystal Gulf #1:
Author Bio:
When I walk into a book store I feel at home. When I smell the pages of a brand new book things make sense. When I read I am who I always wanted to be. I read to escape and I write so others can as well. My family, my actress dog Bella, coffee, and a steamy love story are a few of my most precious things. My Sweet Demise is my debut new-adult contemporary romance novel. Keep up to date with future releases: shanavanterpoolauthor.wordpress.com
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Viktor by Clarissa Wild book blitz with giveaway
Viktor
Clarissa Wild
Publication date: April 27th 2016
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense
*NOTE: This book is NOT Paranormal*
Animal. Monster. Beast. That’s what they call Viktor Melikov, the man who hides in the dark … But even monsters need to be loved. The moment he sees the girl hired to dance for him, everything ceases to exist. It’s a feeling he’s unfamiliar with … and craves more than anything.
Alexis Kidd sells her body. Not because she wants to, but because she needs to. A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do to support her family and survive.
Now she must dance for a man hiding behind a veil.
But when the urge to take a look grows too strong … Alexis gets more than she bargained for.
More than Viktor was willing to give.
Inspired by a fairytale, VIKTOR is a standalone Romance by New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author Clarissa Wild.
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EXCERPT:
Without looking away, I grab the cereal and milk and pour them into my bowl. She takes another bite of her cereal, never taking her eyes off mine as I put the spoon in and taste it.
And then we sit and eat … and stare.
“Okay …” Winston says, and he grabs a newspaper and sits down on a stool in the kitchen and blocks us out while reading.
I don’t care. I’m not talking and neither is she. I’m not going to give her any more excuses to make a run for it, and she’s not telling me what she really thought when she saw me, so …
SMACK!
Something’s stuck to my face.
Sticky … milky … cereal.
And her face. It turns from a full-on frown to full-blown laughter.
She places her hand over her mouth, but it can’t hide her sly smile.
Grinding my teeth, I wipe my face off with a napkin and cock my head at her.
Slowly, I put the spoon back into the bowl, watching her stare as I bring it up to my face.
And then I quickly turn it around and catapult it at her.
It smashes right into her forehead.
I grin as it drips off her, and the smile is wiped off her face immediately.
“Motherfucker,” she growls, and she grabs another spoonful. “Oh, it’s on.”
Suddenly, we’re in an all-out war.
Cereal and milk flies everywhere. Spoons too.
“Hey! Watch it! I just bought new China,” Winston says, putting down his newspaper.
“Eat shit!” Alexis yells, throwing her entire bowl at my face.
I only barely manage to catch the bowl, without its contents … which are now splashed over my chest and the floor.
“Oh, now you’ve done it,” I growl, and I pick up my bowl, stand up, walk toward her … and throw it over the top of her head.
She squeals as the cold milk runs over her body, which only a thin nightgown covers. Her instantly hardening nipples catch my attention. They’re hard to miss, and I swallow back the emerging lust.
“Fuck. You’ll pay for that.”
Her fingers are on my chest before I know it, twisting my nipples.
“Ow! Fuck,” I scream, grabbing her wrists. “No, bad Lexi.”
“Woof,” she says, laughing.
I shake my head, laughing too.
I’m fucking angry she threw her food at me, but it was fucking fun too. I can’t decide which one is more important to feel right now.
But when I look into her eyes, everything ceases to matter.
Author Bio:
Want to be the first to get your hands on new books & get access to free short stories, giveaway prizes, previews, and more? Sign up here http://eepurl.com/FdY71
Clarissa Wild is a New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author, best known for the dark Romance novel Mr. X. Her novels include the Fierce Series, the Delirious Series, and Stalker. She is also a writer of erotic romance such as the Blissful Series, The Billionaire’s Bet series, and the Enflamed Series. She is an avid reader and writer of sexy stories about hot men and feisty women. Her other loves include her furry cat friend and learning about different cultures. In her free time she enjoys watching all sorts of movies, reading tons of books and cooking her favorite meals.
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