Deep Cover (Love Over Duty #3) by Scarlett Cole #deepcover

 

 Deep Cover by Scarlett Cole 

Blurb: 

Ex-Navy SEAL Cabe Moss always comes when called to duty―at all costs. Even though the death of his fiancée nearly destroyed him, Cabe won’t let his past interfere with any work that has to get done. When his latest task pushes him to team up with FBI Agent Amy Murray, a fierce beauty with the undercover skills to match, Cabe must admit that, for the first time in years, he wants to do more than just complete their mission together…

Amy was born ready for this assignment, but working side-by-side with the the strong, silent, and frustratingly professional Cabe seems to be the biggest challenge of all. But when the sparks begin to fly―and the stakes rise to dangerous heights―the only thing Amy is left worrying about is how she can resist him. Their lives may be in danger, but their hearts hold the biggest risk of all…

Honestly, I was a bit torn when it came to rating this book.
On the one hand it is as amazing as every other book in this series. On the other hand, even though I really loved Cabe and Amy, their personal problems that threaten to keep them apart, felt a bit like a broken record.

Both of them are hung up in their past and their personal tragedies and feel threatened by their buddening romance despite the fact that both of them feel and acknowledge that they have something special there and want to make it happen. Nevertheless, they can't resist temptation and even risk their assignment because they can't stay apart.
This assignment, meaning the investigation dealing with missing women and potential human trafficking and money laundering, is important to both of them but they still risk Amy's and also Cabe's personal safety.

Okay, right, this is the "Love over Duty" series which means, well, that love rules, right? Well, common sense should also rule, I think. I loved the other books in this series as well, and, I must admit that I loved those even more. Somehow "Deep Cover" feels a bit rushed. The other two books felt a bit more intense and more straight. Nontheless, I also loved "Deep Cover", even when I was rolling my eyes at another woe-me-moment of our heroine or our hero because they are amazing characters and their chemistry is simply great. You get them, you feel why they belong together. Apart from their romance there is also this whole other part of the story, the investigation that captivated me right from the start.

Despite the points that I mentioned, I loved to read the book and would recommend it.

★★★★

Bahama Mama (Key West Escape #2) by Tricia Leedom #BahamaMama #NetGalley

  Bahama Mama by Tricia Leedom

Blurb: 

Troubles are piling up for Molly MacBain. Between navigating the moods of an increasingly sassy teenage daughter, battling mounting financial difficulties, and wading through a mess of custody issues, Molly certainly doesn't need any more stress in her life. But when she learns that her best friend, Sophie, has been keeping a huge secret from her, she's beyond bowled over. Apparently, Sophie's soon-to-be brother-in-law is Molly’s idol, country music superstar Anders Ostergaard and after years on the country music circuit herself, Molly finds herself somewhere between smitten and awe-struck.

Anders flies to Key West to attend his brother’s wedding and keep a low profile after a wicked scandal continues to follow him around like a lurking shadow. Usually, he has a strict rule about getting involved with fans, especially fiery, red-headed hot mamas like Molly MacBain, but her sharp wit and refreshing openness draws him in like no one has before.

But romance and flirting come to a screeching halt, when Molly’s daughter witnesses a murder and winds up in Jamaica. Anders offers Molly the use of his private plane to bring her home and together, they set off for Montego Bay. Between racing against her ex’s impending involvement and the hitman hunting for the witnesses to his crime, both Molly and Anders are completely unaware they’re being stalked by an even greater danger.

In the sultry Caribbean, Anders and Molly discover when a man who’s sworn off love and a woman who guards her heart can’t keep their hands off of each other, something’s gotta give. If their luck doesn’t run out first.

 
Yep, one of those.... One of those books that keep you up at night even though you are really tired but, well, one more chapter. Just one more ...till the end. At 2 am.

I didn't know the first book in this series and expected nothing but a nice romance. What I got was so much more. I got a story that kept me up, turning the pages, reading on and on, shedding some tears when finally...well, ...finally...and I just couldn't put it down. It was thrilling and captivating, it was romantic and it kept me breathlessly following my hero and my heroine from page to page, and, yes, from chapter to chapter.
I knew or at least thought I knew who was behind the worst of the problems but still...it remained gripping and full of suspense.
 
Wonderful characters, a gripping story and all in all a book that kept me up at night. And guess what I did first thing when I had finished it? I went back online and bought the first book in the series. And now guess again who is in for another short night......(and it is sooooo worth it!)

★★★★★

Final Siege (Love Over Duty #2) by Scarlett Cole

  Final Siege by Scarlett Cole

Blurb:

IN THE LINE OF FIRE…

Former SEAL Malachai “Mac” MacCarrick is all about the future he’s created with his Navy brothers in Eagle Securities, taking assignments in the most dangerous places, and doing things no one but ex-military would attempt. But when an urgent phone call brings his troubled past—and the woman he once loved—into the present, it’s a chance to redeem himself that he can’t refuse.

STRAIGHT TO THE HEART…

An investigative journalist researching an explosive story, Delaney Shapiro tells herself she got over Mac—and his role in her brother’s death—a long time ago. But the first moment she sees him at her bedside in an overseas hospital, she knows it’s not true. Every moment together rekindles the desire that once burned between them, and now that she’s a target for an emerging Russian arms dealer, Mac won’t let her out of his sight. To protect her, he’ll risk it all—including his life…


When Mac, Malachai MacCarrick receives a phone call that the one woman he could never forget is badly wounded and asking for him, nothing could stop him from rushing to her side. And once there, well, seals are known for their persistence, right? Now that she is back in his life, he will do anything to keep Delaney there. If she wants it or not.

While slowly recovering from her traumatizing experience, Delaney also has to find out if she is willing to forgive or if she wants to let go of the one person who means everything to her. Between fighting their attraction, fighting her own demons and getting attacked, she is rather busy  - and having a hard time being successful at denying their attraction.

I loved "Under Fire" a lot and I'm absolutely thrilled that this second installment in the series turned out to be just as good and captivating as "Under Fire".
I love the seals and their dynamic and I loved Mac and Delaney together and, of course, I also loved meeting Six and Louisa again.
This amazing and thrilling story sucked me in and kept me reading ...and reading...and reading..... I love this book and I can#t wait to read the other books in this series.

★★★★★

 

 

 

Under Fire (Love Over Duty #1) by Scarlett Cole

  Under Fire by Scarlett Cole

 Blurb:

HE CAN TAKE THE HEAT.

Hot, hard-bodied Sixten Rapp is a former SEAL who’s raring to begin his brand-new civilian life. He and his Navy “brothers” start a security firm that offers the kind of services only a team of military-trained professionals can provide. But nothing prepared Six for his new client: an innocent woman on a mission to improve thousands of lives. . . unless someone takes hers first.

CAN SHE HANDLE THE FLAMES?

Dr. Louisa North knows time is against her as she tries to create a “miracle” medical treatment for a disease with no known cure, until she creates a sample so powerful that the wrong people want to use it as a chemical weapon. At first, Six is unwilling to accept Louisa as his client. But soon he realizes that the danger is real and that there’s much more to this plain-Jane scientist…including a burning passion between them that neither of them can resist. And now that an enemy is on Louisa’s trail, Six will do whatever it takes to protect her—or die trying.


What an amazing book! I really loved reading it. It was a brilliant story, captivating, thrilling and a real page-turner that kept me glued to my reader till the very last page.

I loved the chemistry between our rather shy heroine,  Dr. Loúisa North and our hero, the former seal Sixten Rapp. Those two together are one of the cases of opposites attracting each other and as a couple they are perfect. This fast-paced story kept me on my toes - and our heroes right along with me.

Interesting, strong and unique characters who know their worth, a great storyline, action and an HEA - I loved this book and I am looking forward to the next books in this series. Oh, and should I mention that this was one of the few books that I simply had to get as a print book as well?

★★★★★

 

 

Promise Not to Tell (Cutler, Sutter & Salinas #2) by Jayne Ann Krentz

  Promise Not to Tell by Jayne Ann Krentz

Blurb: 
 
Seattle gallery owner Virginia Troy has spent years battling the demons that stem from her childhood time in a cult and the night a fire burned through the compound killing her mother. And now one of her artists has taken her own life, but not before sending Virginia a last picture...a painting that makes Virginia doubt everything about the so-called suicide--and her own past...

Like Virginia, PI Cabot Sutter was one of the children in the cult who survived that fire--and only he can help her now. As they struggle to unravel the clues in the picture, it becomes clear that someone thinks Virginia knows more than she does and that she must be stopped. Thrown into an inferno of desire and deception, Virginia and Cabot draw ever closer to the mystery of their shared memories--and the shocking fate of the one man who still wields the power to destroy everything they hold dear.


This book drew me in from the first page on. When Cabot and Virginia slowly realize what they are dealing with and when things got really, really tight, I just couldn't stop reading. I flew through the pages and I just hoped that everything would turn out well and that maybe, maybe things would get better for Virginia and Cabot as well.

As survivors of a terrible fire that took their mothers' lives when they were kids, Virginia and Cabot still suffer from nightmares and sleeplessness among other things. When something happens that makes them think that the leader of the cult that they had been part of, the same man who was responsible for the fire, might still be alive and that Virginia might be in danger, they find that it is easier to face their demons - and their enemy - together. And maybe, if they survive, they will even get a chance at love...

I loved those wonderful, multi-layered characters and I was captivated by their intriguing and interesting story. It kept me on my toes and I may have needed a hanky once or twice  - and I really can't wait to read the next book by Jayne Ann Krentz.

Even though I've read a couple of books by the author written under her pen name Amanda Quick, this is my first contemporary romance book by her but I can't wait to read other contemporary romance books by her as well.

★★★★★

 

 

 

Demon Ash (Resurrection Chronicles #3) by M.J. Haag and Becca Vincenza

  Demon Ash by M.J. Haag and Becca Vincenza

Blurb:

 The world is nothing like Mya remembers. While in Ernisi, cities have been bombed and burned in an attempt to stop the hellhounds and the plague. The survivors are doing everything they can to win back their world from the hell that was unleashed with the first quake.

With Drav's help, Mya reunites with her family, but they are far from safe. Marauders, hellhounds, and the infected are doing their best to destroy what's left of the world, and it's up to Mya and Drav to save it.


You know this feeling of dread when you start the last book of an amazing series? The feeling that this book has the power to destroy it all? No matter how good the other books were but a bad or even mediocre last book will bring them down. So, naturally, every last book in a series that I love, is something that I long for while fearing at the same time that I might be disappointed when I get it.

Do you know that feeling? Well, you can stop worrying, "Demon Ash" doesn't disappoint at all. It is simply amazing! From the first page on I was captivated by it and couldn't put my reader down. I loved meeting Mya and Drav again, getting to meet her family and see them interact with Drav and his friends. I laughed and giggled a lot, especially when Mya's mum was around, I stopped breathing, I might have shed a tear or two - and I absolutely loved every single page of this book.

This book was perfect, it was the perfect ending to a wonderful story. It took me on a long journey, getting to know Drav and his friends much better, seeing them interact with children (soooo cute) and women (even though they still have to learn the there are some questions....wellllll..... ), protecting those around them and of course, protecting Mya.
The whole series is amazing. It is funny and captivating and I loved each and every one of those books.

★★★★★

 

 

 

 

Craving Midnight by A.M.Hargrove

Craving Midnight by A.M.Hargrove

Blurb:


She’s a starlet with secrets. He makes scandals go away. Together, they’ll make sparks fly…

Midnight Drake’s squeaky clean reputation has suddenly taken a nosedive. She’s horrified after she wakes up naked from a drugged stupor, but the worst is yet to come. She just found three sex videos on her phone of a night she can't remember. Midnight wonders if her promising new career will go up in smoke …

Harrison Kirkland cleans up Hollywood’s sordid messes for a living, and he’s never met a scandal he couldn’t contain. But when he’s assigned to fix the sultry Midnight’s problems, he never expected to get dragged in after her…

Behind Midnight’s diva exterior, Harrison discovers a mysterious woman with a web of secrets he can’t untangle. The deeper he’s pulled into her world, the stronger his desire for her grows, but can he handle the truth about her past? If he’s not careful, the next heart that’ll need fixing… will be his…

Craving Midnight is a red-carpet ready contemporary romance novel. If you like steamy chemistry, flawed characters with compelling secrets, then you’ll love A.M. Hargrove’s pulse-pounding story.

*This book contains sensitive subject matter that may not be suitable for all readers.


Oh. My. God. This book is simply amazing! It really blew my mind while taking me on a rollercoaster of emotions, gutting me, making me despair and hope - only to get it crushed right away again.

Sometimes while reading the book, I was so furious and felt so helpless and I really hated those guys who...well...them.
For a while I had to remind myself over and over again that I haven't read any books by the author that haven't ended with an HEA, yet and I simply hoped that this would be the case with "Craving Midnight" as well.

Fortunately, the author didn't disappoint me because I couldn't stand the idea of Midnight losing even more due to her past. And what a past that was.... Just a warning - this book is not always easy to read. It is intense and there's a long history of abuse and violence so this book might not be the right choice for everybody even though - or rather exactly because it is amazing.

Fast-paced and full of action, weet and agonizingly slow on the other hand, this book really got it all and I loved (and sometimes hated) every single page of it!

I loved For the Love of English,  which was one of the first books by A.M. Hargrove that I've read, as well as  A Special Obsession and Chasing Vivi, the first books in this series but Craving Midnight, well, that book beats them all. It is even more complex and intense and those characters? Wonderful. Simply wonderful. You must love Midnight and feel with her and Harrison, well, he is amazing in his own right.
Soooo...well, this is definitely a book that I can wholeheartedly recommend!

★★★★★

Hold Your Breath (Search and Rescue #1) by Katie Ruggle

  Hold Your Breath by Katie Ruggle

Blurb: 

In the remote Rocky Mountains, lives depend on the Search & Rescue brotherhood. But in a place this far off the map, trust is hard to come by and secrets can be murder...

As the captain of Field County's ice rescue dive team, Callum Cook is driven to perfection. But when he meets new diver Louise "Lou" Sparks, all that hard-won order is obliterated in an instant. Lou is a hurricane. A walking disaster. And with her, he's never felt more alive...even if keeping her safe may just kill him.

Lou's new to the Rockies, intent on escaping her controlling ex, and she's determined to make it on her own terms...no matter how tempting Callum may be. But when a routine training exercise unearths a body, Lou and Callum find themselves thrust into a deadly game of cat and mouse with a killer who will stop at nothing to silence Lou-and prove that not even her new Search and Rescue family can keep her safe forever.


I loved this book, like- opening it-reading it-and-not putting down-loving it. You might want to think hard about starting to read the books by Katie Ruggle because you might end up like me: Reading one book and having to read all other books by her.

Fast-paced, charming, outright funny, nail-bitingly thrilling, tear-evoking and foolish-grin-producing, this book is amazing. Whereas our hero remains a bit distant even though you get a rather good idea of his character and his past and know that he is honorable and trustworthy, you get a very vivid image of our heroine.

Callum remains something of a mystery, this dark and brooding guy whose life is changed by a sweet and charming (and sarcastic) woman, you know, but Lou, well, it isn't easy to describe Lou. Lou is a bit like a ray of sunshine, touching the lives of those around her without even realizing it. She is strong, resilient, warm and lively, absolutely ignorant of the way other people see her and react to her without ever being naive. It's a fine balance that the author has mastered perfectly. For some time I was afraid that due to her upbringing and her innocence she might end up being too naive but that never happened.

Those two were not the only characters that I loved, I also loved all those interesting, very different minor characters, most of them part of the search-and-rescue family. I loved the way they interacted with the heroine and were looking out for her and I'm really looking forward to getting to know them even better in the next books in this series.
The amazing characters are not the only thing that I loved about this book. The story was also amazing, captivating me from the first page on, reducing me to sobs and hick-ups somewhere in between alternating with giggles and shocked gasps  - and on the whole keeping me glued to my reader with its many unexpected twists and turns.

This book is the first one in the "Search and Rescue" series and I can promise you, if you read it, you won't stop there but like me, you'll have to read the other books as well. Like - yesterday.

★★★★★

Savage Rising (Redemption Harbor #2) by Katie Reus

 Savage Rising by Katie Reus

Blurb:

From USA Today bestselling author Katie Reus comes the second book in the ALL NEW Redemption Harbor series where sparks fly and so do bullets…

He's a former Marine, her new fake boyfriend, and the only way to escape her dangerous past. 

Having a child changed everything for Olivia—she vowed to keep her little girl safe from the mistakes of her past. But when the most dangerous person she ever met blackmails her into doing one last heist, the world she’s so carefully built goes into a tailspin. Frantic, she heads to Redemption Harbor in search of help. Sparks fly when she meets Savage, a man who will do anything to keep Olivia and her daughter safe. He’ll help her get her life back, but can he handle seeing who she once was? 

Can they pull it off? 

Savage poses as her obsessive ex during a daring undercover operation—and soon the line between reality and their cover story becomes blurred. He’ll use every trick he knows to keep the sensual woman alive and out of jail—and in his life. But the clock is ticking and if they can’t find a way to trust each other, no one will make it out alive.


Wow, this book kept me on my toes - and glued to my reader - from the first page on! I loved the first book in this series "Redemption Harbor" and knew that I'd have to read the other books in this series as well. Aaand - "Savage Rising" didn't disappoint, not at all! I was hooked the moment I started reading it.

When Olivia's ex threatens her daughter in order to get her cooperation for a crime, she turns to her friend Skye and her husband for protection. Enters Zac Savage, the guy who will pose as her rather obsessed and protective boyfriend when they gon in to do the job - and hopefully catch the guy while they are at it.
The moment Olivia and Zac meet, sparks start to fly and you can feel their chemistry. Nevertheless, both of them have issues of their own and trust doesn't come easily. Throw in Olivia's daughter Valencia and the fact that Savage and Olivia are on a rather dangerous mission, yup, things aren't exactly simple and it might take them some time to sort it out.  Well, I might also add that they'll have to survive their mission first...

I loved the interaction between the characters and I loved how everybody in this tight-knit group of friends has started to learn ASL to be able to communicate with Valencia. Valencia is sweet and cute and you have no problem to realize exactly why everybody adores her. Olivia is pretty bad-ass - and is there anything better than a heroine with a strong personality? Yup, a strong female character with an equally strong and amazing male counterpart - like Savage.

Amazing characters in a gripping story that makes me want MORE! I can't wait for the next book in this series to come out!

 ★★★★★

Turbulent Intrigue (Billionaire Aviators #4) by Melody Anne

   

Turbulent Intrigue by Melody Anne

Blurb: 

The final novel in bestselling author Melody Anne’s Billionaire Aviators series finds Ace Armstrong back home after years away in the CIA. Faced with the stipulation in his father’s will to find a wife or lose his inheritance, the “black sheep” of the family takes to the skies like his aviator brothers. Soon Ace encounters temptation in the form of the sexy and confident Dakota Forbes, a female pilot who just so happens to be his new sister-in-law’s best friend…and should be off-limits. But Dakota is used to getting what she wants—and she makes it clear she wants Ace.
Ace’s previous line of work is not so easily left behind, and soon someone from his past threatens both him and all he holds dear. As Ace’s relationship with Dakota heats up, he’ll be forced to choose whether to walk away in order to keep her safe or risk it all on the breathless high of passion.


I really really loved this book, especially Dakota is a wonderful heroine but I was a bit surprised as the story is very different from the one described in the blurb. Nevertheless, it is fast-paced, full of action and amazing characters and I just couldn't put the book down once I had started reading.

Ace is troubled due to everything he experienced in his time working undercover for the CIA and well, getting blown up wasn't a very good way to reunite with his family. Okay, it might have made things a bit more emotional but, seriously, there are definitely better ways to reconnect.
Dakota is simply wonderful. I fell in love with that girl right away I think. She is funny, sassy, sweet, charming and courageous. You can easily see why Ace falls for her and would do everything to keep her alive no matter what happens. And there is a lot that happens. Sometimes it is not easy to leave the past in the past where it belongs, sometimes it comes back to haunt you...

I loved the chemistry and the interaction of Ace and Dakota and I loved to see how Ace reconnected with his family. Slowly, tentatively but when things get rough, his family is there for him.

I really enjoyed reading this book and can definitely recommend it - and even though this book is a standalone you should be prepared for desperately to read the other books in the "Billionaire Aviators" - series as well when you have finished "Turbulent Intrigue".

★★★★

 

 

 

On the Chase (Rocky Mountain K9 Unit #2) by Katie Ruggle

  On the Chase by Katie Ruggle

Blurb:

After witnessing a horrifying crime, Kaylee is forced to flee to a small Colorado mountain town and take on a new identity. There she becomes Grace, a dog kennel worker trying to avoid the dangerously attractive K-9 Officer Hugh Murdoch.

When an accident leaves Hugh and his K-9 partner, Lexi, on desk duty, both are anxious for Hugh to heal. Until then, the highlight of his day is teasing the beautiful but mysterious new kennel employee. Their simmering attraction fuels a passionate kiss—interrupted by a sniper’s bullet. With targets on both of their backs, Grace and Hugh will do whatever it takes to stay alive…not realizing the most dangerous threat of all is hiding right in front of their noses.

 
Oh my goodness, I really really loved this book! First thing I did when I had finished it, was to go online and look for the other books by the author and of course, the first book in this amazing series.

Fast-paced, witty, with a great story line and really amazing characters, this book drew me in from the first page on and I didn't put it down until the end. Since I've read it that first time, I've read the first book and I've reread this book, I have listened to the audio book of the first one and then I was waiting rather impatiently for the audio book of "On the Chase".

Hugh and Grace are a wonderful couple with lots of chemistry and sparks and I was either turning the pages faster and faster because I just needed to know what would happen next or I was laughing out loud because of something Hugh said or did.
And seriously? I just love all those other characters, Jules Jackson and her siblings, Theo Bosco, Otto - they are vivid, very much alive and lovable and, oh, don't forget about Lexi and Viggy, I think, I fell in love with those two as well.

Right now I can't wait till the next book in this series releases - soooo.....just in case, I haven't mentioned it before, I really loved reading this book and I can definitely recommend "On the Chase" as well as the first book "Run to Ground". Both books are part of the series but they can easily be read as standalones, well, apart from the fact that they are highly addictive, of course.

★★★★★

 

 

 

 

Resurrection (Redemption Harbor #1) by Katie Reus

 Resurrection by Katie Reus 

Blurb:

From USA Today bestselling author Katie Reus comes the ALL NEW Redemption Harbor series where sparks fly and so do bullets…

She faked her own death…

Skye Arévalo left the CIA and faked her death to protect Colt Stuart, the only man she ever loved. Months later, a brutal kidnapping draws her to infiltrate a dangerous cartel. Just when she thinks she’s home free, things go horribly wrong and she escapes with bloodthirsty enemies on her heels…only to find herself face to face with a bewildered and angry Colt.

He’ll cross every line to save her… 

When Colt Stuart, a former Marine, finds out the woman he loved betrayed him, he’s shocked and hurt, but it doesn’t stop him from breaking every law on the books to keep her alive. Unfortunately, it might not be enough to stop a powerful enemy who will do anything to see Skye dead.


Honestly, this book was amazing! Fast-paced, bad-ass heroines and their strong and loving partners, an amazing story - all in all, a thrilling book that kept me hooked till the last page. The group of friends watching out for each other, the amazing characters whose chemistry is off the charts and makes you feel how much they really love each other.
There were times when I wasn't sure if the story might get foreseeable but each time the author surprised me with the direction the story took and I was very happy to see that our hero and our heroine were strong enough to fight for what they want. They don't give up, they fight and they do it together with their friends.

And don't get me started on those friends, they are simply amazing. Close-knit, standing up for each other, caring and having each other's backs. Always, no matter what happens.
It was sweet to see tough Skye find her place in this group, to see her fall in love with Colt all over again (not that she ever stopped laving him) and to see how much he cares for her in return.

I'm definitely looking forward to reading the other books in this series!

★★★★

 

 

 

Some Kind of Hero (Troubleshooters #17) by Suzanne Brockmann

  Some Kind of Hero by Suzanne Brockmann

Blurb: 

Navy men don’t come tougher than Lieutenant Peter Greene. Every day he whips hotshot SEAL wannabes into elite fighters. So why can’t he handle one fifteen-year-old girl? His ex’s death left him a single dad overnight, and very unprepared. Though he can’t relate to an angsty teen, he can at least keep Maddie safe—until the day she disappears. Though Pete’s lacking in fatherly intuition, his instinct for detecting danger is razor sharp. Maddie’s in trouble. Now he needs the Troubleshooters team at his back, along with an unconventional ally.

Romance writer Shayla Whitman never expected to be drawn into a real-world thriller—or to meet a hero who makes her pulse pound. Action on the page is one thing. Actually living it is another story. Shay’s not as bold as her heroines, but she’s a mother. She sees the panic in her new neighbor’s usually fearless blue eyes—and knows there’s no greater terror for a parent than having a child at risk. It’s an ordeal Shay won’t let Pete face alone. She’s no highly trained operative, but she’s smart, resourceful, and knows what makes teenagers tick.

Still, working alongside Pete has its own perils—like letting the heat between them rise out of control. Intimate emotions could mean dangerous, even deadly, consequences for their mission. No matter what, they must be on top of their game, and playing for keeps . . . or else Pete’s daughter may be gone for good.


I must admit that I am very very grateful that obviously, unlike her heroine, Suzanne Brockmann didn't suffer from writer's block when she wrote "Some Kind Of Hero" because this book is simply amazing!
It is not the first book by her that I have read and I really loved the first one as well but after having read "Some Kind Of Hero" I went and downloaded to more books by her straightaway.

The story is great, thrilling and captivating but those characters - wow. I love strong heroines and heroes who know what they want and well, sometimes they may have to work on their communicational skills but sometimes they just leave me sitting there like... okay, let's just say that this is not a book that should be read in public or in a waiting room because, right, because it may be a bit awkward when your name is called and you reply half-choked, misty-eyed, sniffling a bit and...you get the gist, right?
And no, the book is not that sad, it's just that I, well .., some readers might get a bit sentimental and might feel a bit moved by those incredible people and the things happening to them and around them.

I think I kind of fell in love with the hero and the heroine along with them falling for each other. Reading about Peter's feeling when he talks to Shayla and vice versa, wow. You just get the chemistry and I felt myself thinking inane things like "awww..." and "so sweet" when Peter aka Grunge thinks about Shayla's warm-eyes-thing and her sharp mind and when those two have some problems at understanding how much they mean to each other - it almost broke my heart.
And Dingo and Maddie - that was amazing as well. No, it is not a good choice but who can help who he or she falls in love with? Reading about Dingo's feelings, seeing him fight the attraction and the way he cares for Maddie you can't but realize that this is the real thing.
Add Tevin and Frank and all those other minor characters like Hiruko and a bunch of Navy Seals and their friends, an amazing story and - well, you get a book that you just have to read.

As I said, I downloaded two other books today and I know that others will follow and I'm so looking forward to reading them!

★★★★★

 

King of Clubs (Aces & Eights #2) by Sandra Owens

King of Clubs by Sandra Owens 

Blurb:

In the second novel in acclaimed author Sandra Owens’s Aces & Eights series, passions—and tempers—flare as one star-crossed couple gets a second chance at love.

Covert FBI agent Court Gentry loves his brothers, his job, and his Harley-Davidson. Once he loved a girl, too, but when she broke his heart, he put his emotions on lockdown…until she crosses his path again.

On vacation six years ago, free-spirited Lauren Montgomery fell hard for Court Gentry. She returned home happier than ever, only to descend into a spiral of abuse by her ex-husband, Stephan. When Stephan threatened to kill any man who touched her, Lauren cut Court from her life—but not from her heart.

When Lauren and Court reunite after her friend marries his brother, Court guards himself against the person who made him feel such intense passion and pain. Except the undeniable spark between them is impossible to contain and heating up fast. Six years ago, it was love. Now, it’s just lust. Keeping it merely physical is a foolproof plan…right?

When Stephan is released from prison, Lauren can’t outrun her past anymore, and Court vows to protect her. But with Lauren in imminent danger, Court must question his heart and risk his life to save the woman he never stopped loving.

Wow, this book captivated me from the first page on. It kept me on my toes and left me breathless more than once -  and sometimes it made me swoon and sigh and smile goofily and most of all, my heart went out to Lauren and Court who were hurt so badly by Stephan's actions.

I loved to see those two find their love for each other again and of course, you just have to love those Gentry brothers, they are so amazing! I must admit that I'm a bit worried about Nate especially as the epilog ruled out one of the explanations for his behavior but well, I guess, that story is for the next book to tell. Right now, I just can say that the story about Court and Lauren, as heartbreaking and painful as it is at the beginning, is just amazing!

I loved those wonderful characters and the fast-paced story that didn't let me put down my reader till I had read the last page. I loved it and I know that I'll definitely read the other books in the series and of course, I am looking forward to reading other books by Sandra Owens. This was my first book by her but definitely not my last.

★★★★★

Fraud Twice Felt (The Oddities #2) by J.T.Hall

Fraud Twice Felt by J.T.Hall

Blurb:

Three weeks after solving his old boyfriend’s murder, bounty hunter Derwin Bryant is trying to let go of the past and embrace his new life with Elliot Leed, a former rentboy and fellow Oddity. Elliot, meanwhile, is trying to adjust to working at Bob’s Bail Bonds and having a real relationship despite his strange power of Object Reading. Hanging over the couple is the fear that Roy Yoshiro, notorious gang lord, will make good on his threats to claim Elliot. If that happens, not even Derwin’s superhuman strength will be enough to protect the man he loves.

Their concerns are overshadowed when Derwin’s friend asks for help finding her missing son. It’s not long before the case takes Derwin and Elliot back to the crime-ridden underbelly of the city and straight into Yoshiro’s clutches. Two gangs are vying for power, and Derwin and Elliot get caught in the middle of their very public fight.

Derwin and Elliot must find a way to thwart both gangs’ plans and escape alive. This time, one misstep could spell disaster for all the inhabitants of Nis. 


On the whole I enjoyed reading this book but...and that is a big BUT for me, I wasn't expecting BDSM here. Despite those scenes being caring and sweet and the fact that you can feel that the heroes care for each other, are very much in love, actually, and the fact that the need to practice BDSM has reasons that are logical and understandable, it is just not my cup of tea. I don't have a problem  with explicit sex scenes but BDSM is different. As I said, the scenes themselves are well written and you get that they are not just sadistic but, well, I don't feel comfortable with it. 

Apart from that, the book was great. It is well written, has amazing and well developed characters and it is really great to see how the interaction between the heroes changes when Elliot becomes more confident and Derwin learns to trust him more. They are very different from each other but both are very vulnerable and very strong at the same time.  Reading the book you can see how Elliot matures and learns to stand up for himself and to pull his weight. The feelings between the two are palpable, you can feel how much they care for each other, how important the other one is for each of them and how far they are willing to go to protect the other one. 

Take this remarkable and really sweet couple, add an interesting and well written story, a couple of gangs and other foes threatening our heroes, a damsel (and her boyfriend) in distress and spice it with some fantastic elements. Sounds good? It is worth reading, at least if you don't mind all this BDSM-stuff. I enjoyed reading this book despite those scenes but, well, no warm, fuzzy feelings for me there, right? 

★★★★

True Hero by Susan Owensby

True Hero by Susan Owensby

Blurb:

Ally
On the run, with no one to turn to,
I’m doing all I can to stay alive, protect myself, and my little boy.
I left everything behind, determined to start over and give my child a normal life.
I have rules. Rules I have to follow. Rules that keep me alive.
1.    Keep my head down.
2.    Keep life simple.
3.    Trust no one.
 
That definitely includes retired Navy Seal Jonah Bradford. He’s completely off limits.
It doesn’t matter if he wakes up the woman inside of me.  
I can’t be that woman anymore. No matter how much he makes me wish I could.
 
Jonah  
Giving up my career to run the family business wasn’t an easy decision. Once a SEAL, always a SEAL.
Yet, I’ve adjusted. I like my life, but something is missing.
One look at the freckle-faced beauty working at the local diner and I know exactly what it is.
But, I’m alive today by following my instincts and everything about Ally is setting off alarm bells that scream she’s trouble.
I don’t care. I want her.
The problem is she won’t give me the time of day.
That’s okay. I like a challenge.
I just have to uncover all of her secrets and end the fear that keeps shining in her eyes.
Operation Ally is underway.

Ooookay....the good thing is that I really liked the story and the characters. Unfortunately the interaction between the characters and every direct speech, actually, were to stilted, somewhat awkward even when it was not part of the situation and everything sounded a bit forced. 

If the dialogues had been more natural and would have sounded more fluent, more flowing, the book would have been great. 
Unfortunately this is not the case and I must admit that at the end when things got really tough, well, let's just say  that some parts made me question if it was really three already weak stars and not rather two. I mean, experiences like that, sure, strange things may happen and you may "meet" people that you are fond of and that are not around anymore but -both of them? I mean - Ally and Jonah?


The story itself was nice and captivating but I'm pretty sure that I won't read this book again or even another one by the author.

★★★

A Counterfeit Heart (Secrets and Spies #3) by K.C. Bateman

 A Counterfeit Heart by K.C. Bateman 

Blurb:

A feisty counterfeiter and a cocky British agent clash in this sultry Secrets and Spies novel by K. C. Bateman, whose witty, intelligent, and sexy historical romances have become her signature.

As Sabine de la Tour tosses piles of forged banknotes onto a bonfire in a Paris park, she bids a reluctant farewell to her double life as a notorious criminal. Over the course of Napoleon’s reign, her counterfeits destabilized the continent and turned scoundrels into rich men, but now she and her business partner must escape France—or face the guillotine. Her only hope of surviving in England is to strike a deal with the very spy she’s spent her career outrunning. Now after meeting the arrogant operative in the flesh, Sabine longs to throw herself upon his mercy—and into his arms.

Richard Hampden, Viscount Lovell, is prepared to take any risk to safeguard England from the horrors of the French Revolution. To lure the insurgents out from the shadows, he’s even willing to make a pact with his archenemy: Philippe Lacorte, the greatest counterfeiter in Europe. But when a cheeky, gamine-faced beauty proves herself to be Lacorte, Richard is shocked—and more than a little aroused. Unlike the debutantes who so often hurl themselves at him, this cunning minx offers a unique and irresistible challenge. Richard will help her. But in return, he wants something that even Sabine cannot fake.



"...if you detain me, Lacorte will never come."
Philippe Lacorte, the greatest counterfeiter in Europe - a woman? Or, as Viscount Lovell eloquently puts it - a confounded bloody woman?
When Sabine de la Tourre proves to Richard Hampden, Viscount Lovell, that she is indeed the famous French forger he and his colleagues at the secret service have been trying to  catch for a long long time now, he is intrigued  - and captivated.

Well, I guess it says a lot when I say that I bought the second book in the series right away, when it was on sale the other day without even reading the blurb just because I loved "A Counterfeit Heart" that much and saw that it was another book by K.C. Bateman.

The characters are charming and complex and I liked them a lot, especially Sabine, our very strong and very independent heroine who made her way in hard times in a man's world. A slip of a girl who can definitely hold her own when it comes to negotiating with a Viscount.
Oh, don't misunderstand me - I also liked Richard a lot and the chemistry between them, yes, that wasn't bad either! The feelings they develop for each other are believable and convincing and their interactions are funny and sweet, okay, sometimes or some more times also sarcastic and they made me laugh out loud more than once.
And for those of you who have always wanted to know how identify the different classical artists, well, Sabine has a wonderful way of explaining it for everyone to understand.

I really loved this book and I'm very much looking forward the other book by K.C.Bateman that I bought the other day!

★★★★★

Invincible by Alana Alberson

Invincible by Alana Albertson

Blurb:

I’ll be honest with you—I’m no hero. Sure, the media tries to brand every Navy SEAL as some kind of Batman dressed in cammies. There’s even a line in one of our cadences: Superman is the man of steel, he ain’t no match for Navy SEAL. You’ve seen the movies—we’re infallible, invaluable, invincible. But that night, the one you read about in the papers … all I really wanted to do was get laid.

One harmless fuck with an Aruban whore, no strings attached. I picked her out of a lineup—wild, dark hair, long legs and a crooked smile. After she sucked me off, I relaxed back onto the creaky, cum-stained cot, thankful for the blissful moments she gave me when I actually forgot for a second the faces of my buddies who died because I made the wrong call, the tears of the children I couldn’t save, and the eyes of the enemies I slaughtered during their last seconds of life.

But before I left, her hazel eyes peered into my soul. She whispered in a distinct Californian accent, “My name is Annie Hamilton. I’m an American citizen. I was kidnapped on spring break five years ago. You’re my last hope. Please save me.”

One desperate plea. This wasn’t a Hollywood blockbuster or a New York Times best-selling thriller. I knew this time there was no room for excuses, no margin for errors. I had one chance to put on the cape and be her hero. 


This book wasn't perfect by far but it drew me in from the first page on and kept me glued to my reader. I loved the story even though Patrick was not a hero who was easy to love but he grew on you, with every page and with every step toward Annie's rescue it was easier to like him. He was never a "bad guy", simply one who made bad choices and, well, I was very upset when I found that a woman is a woman and not a whore no matter what the circumstances when she is an American as in "an American woman in contrast to a native woman". 

As I said, the hero definitely wasn't perfect but I think you got that by reading the blurb, didn't you?
Why I was captivate by the book despite a lot of things that really annoyed me - well, there is nothing about sex trafficking that can't annoy you. It's people like Patrick who don't mean harm but who enable this business, who represent the market and those others, the victims, they suffer for it. 
It's people who -unlike Patrick- don't go back and help those victims or at least tell about them and their fate so that somebody else may go and find them who make this system profitable and who condemn people to a life in hell. 

And that's why Patrick grew on me. He made mistakes but he went back, he brought Annie back and he is at her side and helps her. Yes, he has a problem with her past but he is honest with himself and he is able to work it out and accept her past. 
Annie, well, life definitely was hell for her but she is strong and she is able to overcome her experience. Sure, she can't undo it, it will always be a part of her life and will probably haunt her forever but she learns to live with it. 
Perhaps things are a bit easier for her than for vicitims of sex traffick in real life but you could feel her pain and her terror and - well, it is a book, isn't it? So some liberties are justified, I think, especially as I think that it is important to show that there is a life or at least a possibility of a real life even after an ordeal like that. 

★★★★

I read this book shortly after having heard Ashton Kutcher's passionate speech on Capitol Hill against Human trafficking, that deeply impressed me. I knew that sex trafficking is still an issue but I had never before realized how much of an issue it is. 

For those of you who want to listen to his full speech:

*Short video with German subtitles*

About THORN, the "Digital Defenders of Children, driving tech innovation to fight child trafficking and the sexual exploitation of children" - and a group supported and founded by Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher among others.

https://www.wearethorn.org/child-sexual-exploitation-and-technology/

“WHILE OUR WORK IS ABOUT TECHNOLOGY, IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THIS IS A HUMAN ISSUE. 

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SOMEONE’S CHILD, SOMEONE’S SON OR DAUGHTER, SISTER OR BROTHER.”

-DEMI MOORE, CO-FOUNDER, THORN