Carries Book Reviews

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beau is trying to regain his life after spending six years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. Life on the outside hasn’t been easy adjusting to though with everyone staring and still talking about him being in prison. Beau’s sister Cora has gotten him a job working for Nash Security that was behind helping Beau get out of prison.

Vera Swain walks into Nash Security wanting to hire them to help find a half sister that she doesn’t really know but she believes may be in danger. Beau and Vera immediately have a spark between them, perhaps drawn to each other by their troubled pasts. Vera however has more secrets and has had a horrid life until she walked into the office.

Atone is the second book in the Recovered Innocence series, it could really be work fine as a standalone though. I actually did read Vindicate, the first book in the series, and I do believe overall I enjoyed Atone just a tad bit more.

Atone tackles much darker subject matter than Vindicate did. I don’t want to go to into detail and give away Vera’s secrets before a reader gets a chance to discover them but her life prior to walking in and hiring Nash Security was the thing nightmares are made of which had me on the edge of my seat wanting to know everything about her past and if it would all work out in the end.

Also, along with being more intrigued with the things in Vera’s life I felt that the relationship in Atone was a bit more on the steamy side. Beau and Vera were steaming up the pages from the beginning and I believe that may be because of the age and/or maturity of these characters as opposed to the relationship aspect in the first book.

Overall, a fast paced romantic suspense that headed down a gritty, cringe worthy path with the subject matter involved that had me glued to the story until finished.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

My rating 4/5 stars

 

 

Cora backs out the front door of her garage apartment, her arms full. I jog up the walk and relieve her of the files she’s carrying. She locks the door and turns to me, a big smile on her face. It gets me every time. A combination of joy and surprise like she can’t believe I’m really there. I can’t believe it either. I hope I never get used to this feeling, or to that smile. I hope she doesn’t either.

I follow her down the walk to her car and put her files in the trunk. I stand just in time to see the car keys flying at my face and catch them before they smack into my nose.

“You have to practice sometime,” she says. “Drive us to work.”

I haven’t driven in more than six years. My license expired while I was in prison. My parents sold my car.

“Are you sure?”

She opens the passenger door and climbs in with a wink. I let out a frosty breath in the cool morning air. This is one more thing I have to relearn in my life outside. I slide into the driver’s seat and adjust it for my bigger body and longer legs.

“The mirrors too,” Cora reminds me.

It’s like I’m taking driver’s ed all over again, but with my little sister as my teacher. I hope driving isn’t as hard as riding a bike. That shit took me too many tries to get right. I’m wobbly like a kid riding without training wheels for the first time. Bike riding is a fucked-up metaphor for my life now. Everything is an uphill struggle and scary as fuck. I suck so bad at it, I wonder sometimes if I shouldn’t just commit a crime for real this time so I can go back to the predictability and reliability of prison life. I won’t, but the thought is scarily tempting sometimes.

You wouldn’t think being free would be so hard.

I do as Cora instructs and start the car. She coaches me the whole way. I’m relieved when we arrive safely. Driving is a hell of a lot easier than riding a bike. We get out of the car and head into the offices of Nash Security and Investigation. I owe Cora and everyone in this place everything. If Mr. Nash and his son, Leo, hadn’t agreed to help Cora find the bastard who killed Cassandra and worked to set me free, I’d still be sitting in a cell. How do you repay someone who rescued you from hell and gave you your life back?

I juggle Cora’s files that I retrieved from the trunk, open the door for her, and follow her inside. The receptionist, Savannah, looks up at Cora, then does a double take when she spies me trailing behind my sister. Her first, fleeting glance is full of female appreciation that quickly morphs into avid curiosity tinged with fear. She doesn’t want to be attracted to an ex-con, but I’d put money on her panties being soaked at the thought of fucking me. I’m a walking, talking good girl’s bad-boy dream. I’m the guy she bangs once or twice on the quiet just so she can brag about it later to her friends.

I grin at Savannah, following it with a wink and a lick of the lips. She gasps and presses her hands to her chest. Her cheeks bloom red. If we were alone I bet I could take her right there on top of her desk. Wouldn’t even have to pull her panties all the way down, just push up her skirt and pull them aside. She’d shower after, feeling dirty, and later she’d jack off, reliving it. I’m not even the slightest bit tempted by her or any other woman I’ve met since I got out.

Another way my life’s fucked up.

I set Cora’s files down where she directs me to. Her office is small, with two desks in the middle facing each other. It’s an odd arrangement, but Cora likes it this way, I guess.

She gestures to the desk opposite hers. “Have a seat.” She sifts through her pile of files until she finds what she’s looking for, then pulls it out and comes around to where I’m sitting. “I

thought maybe I’d start you off with some simple searches. See if you like the work.” She twitches the mouse, bringing the computer screen to life. “These are the search sites we use.”

Clicking on the top three bookmarked sites, she brings them up, explaining how they use them and what info the sites can provide. She has me do some easy searches, then leaves me on my own. I don’t suck at it. I’m actually quite good. And I like the work. I’m halfway through the searches Cora wanted me to do when Savannah sticks her head in the doorway.

“Vera Swain, your ten o’clock, is here,” she tells Cora. Her gaze darts to me, then back to Cora.

“Thanks, Savannah. Want to sit in?” Cora asks me. “Take a break from the computer?”

“Sure.” I stand and stretch.

Savannah jumps and squeaks, then disappears from the doorway.

Cora’s mouth bends into a frown. “I don’t know what’s wrong with her lately.”

“Don’t you?”

“I’ll talk to her.”

“Leave it.”

I follow Cora into the reception area. Savannah blocks whoever it is she’s talking to so I can’t see who it is, but whoever they are, they’re small, much smaller than Savannah’s five-nine frame. Savannah shifts, revealing a pastel confection of a young woman about Cora’s age.

All lace and silk, she’s sweet looking in her soft colors like she just walked out of a Sunday church service. But the look in her eyes is wary . . . suspicious . . . jaded, reminding me of angry, hard prison stares. This chick’s seen some shit. More than that, she’s experienced some shit, has maybe even done some shit. She’s a survivor. This I understand. I recognize her in the same way I recognize the new man that stares back at me in the mirror.

Her costume is nearly perfect. I bet if I sniffed her she’d smell like baby powder and lemons. I edge closer to her. She catches me with a sudden flick of a glance, freezing me where I stand. Everything about her shouts Back the fuck off. It only makes me want to draw closer. Who is she? Who or what made her this way? And why does she look at me like she knows who I am? Not the TV-news-segment me, but the real me, the Beau deep down inside.

For the first time since I got out of prison I don’t feel alone. There really are others out there like me. One of them is standing mere feet in front of me, regarding me with the same guarded, expectant look I’m wearing.

And she’s beautiful.

 

 

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The Passenger by Lisa Lutz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Passenger starts off with a character named Tanya Dubois finding her husband Frank has fallen down the stairs and died. Instead of calling the police she freaks out and runs because Tanya isn’t really Tanya. She’s been in hiding with a false name for the last ten years and is afraid that her past may catch up to her. On the run Tanya turns into Amelia and then identity after identity. She gets herself mixed up with all kinds of characters and finds herself further and further into trouble.

I didn’t want to write up too much of a synopsis on this book but believe me, you will get whiplash trying to keep up with “Tanya” and her escapades. The book certainly keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering just what may come next with the cast of characters. A lot of action and constant suspense with wondering just what may come next in the story and for the main character.

I will say I was a bit frustrated though with the lack of information given in the emails with a person from Tanya’s past that seems it was meant to give us this flashback look at her life between the chapters. I think if I was understanding a bit more of the past a little quicker this may of worked into a five star read. Really though overall I still found it quite intriguing a story of this girl on the run from something in her past.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Lions in the Garden by Chelsea Luna
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Mila’s father is a high ranking member in the royal court. When Mila finds out that there is a plan for her to marry a baron almost three times her age she decides to run away from the castle. Alone in the woods and with her horse injured she finds herself in danger from a couple of thieves. Out of nowhere Marc comes to her rescue and gives her a ride on his horse back to the castle.

Mila is immediately taken by Marc but he is the son of blacksmith and a Protestant. There is unrest between the Protestants and the Catholic led royal court with rumors of an uprising being planned. To thank Marc, Mila invites him to the castle for a party for the unveiling of the royal jewels. What neither know though is that Marc’s younger brother is in on a plan to steal the jewels to fund the rebellion.

There were a lot of things I really loved about this book and a few that I didn’t. It felt like the book got off to a somewhat slow start for me even with the immediate encounter in the woods. But once it got going I really got hooked on the story and the relationship between Marc and Mila.

Yes, this is a book with a case of the old insta-love but the relationship did develop over a week under intense circumstances so that really didn’t bother me but be warned to those that despise it. It’s a typical connection between the sheltered girl and the commoner boy, Marc was the knight in shining armor and attractive rescuer when Mila was running from a horrible arranged marriage situation so the relationship made sense to me.

At times the historical aspect seemed to be really good but other times it seemed little details didn’t feel quite as accurate. For instance, Mila’s character was obviously very strong willed since we start the story with her running away but it would also seem that she would worry a bit more about her virtue or act more like a proper young lady having been raised in a castle. I did completely enjoy the story line of the opposing religions and the royalty versus the commoners aspect to it though.

When reading I found if I ignored the few flaws I was completely engrossed in the story and loving it. At the end it ended up being one of those “where is the next book??” moments when I’d just love to continue reading on to see what happens next. I really think for me this one turned out to be more exciting and engrossing that I was expecting with an action packed plot along with the historical romance.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Siren’s Fury by Mary Weber
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Siren’s Fury is the second book in the Storm Siren Trilogy. This installment picks up after the huge ending in Storm Siren. Nym had saved Faelen but it seems that Draewulf has taken the one thing Nym cared about from her and now he seems to have taken her elemental abilities from her as well. Nym teams up with Lord Myles with each of them using one another for different reasons but Myles gives Nym the chance to gain a new type of power to be able to take on Draewulf.

I’ll try to keep this review as spoil free as possible with it being the second book so it’s a bit tough to not mention a few things to explain my feelings at the end of this one. I will say I enjoyed the first book a bit more than this one, it was still good overall but I found it a bit depressing with some of the things going on in the story. Decided to go with 3.5 stars for this one as I was still hooked on the entire story and wanting to know where this would go.

When finishing Siren’s Fury I’m definitely looking forward to seeing how the whole series wraps up in Siren’s Song. The world, the magic and the characters involved have me hoping for a really epic conclusion.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Snowed by Veronica Forand
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Andres “Con” Conesa is an FBI agent that has spent the last five years deep undercover as the right hand man to the drug lord, Mendoza. He’s done everything in his power to protect Lorena Rubio over his time spent undercover. He met her when she came to try to get her sister out of a life of drugs. Unfortunately that never happened and Mendoza shot and killed Lorena’s sister.

After losing her sister Lorena tried to get the police involved and get Mendoza arrested but Con went behind her back to protect her keeping the police from believing her. If Mendoza believed she was a threat he would’ve easily taken her out just like he had her sister.

Now that Con’s case is coming to a close Mendoza knows there’s a snitch and sends Con to kidnapped Lorena believing she’s the one again talking to the police. When Con and Lorena spend several days locked away together in the Sierra Nevada Mountains they are forced to confront their feelings for one another.

Snowed is a novella length book that really packs a lot into a short read. Tons of suspense with what will happen with the drug lord. A rather nice budding romance between Lorena and Con, she thinks he’s the nice bad guy but really being an FBI agent I was just on the edge of my seat dying for him to tell her the truth so she could fully trust him. And with an action packed, emotional conclusion to bring it all together.

I was a little surprised that the eventual “steamy” action between the characters ended up a more pg-rated or more implied sexual encounter than actually happening, not that it hurt the story though. But for those that don’t like a lot of graphic sex involved this one should be right up your alley.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.