Je suis Charlie

Je suis Charlie
Showing posts with label romantic suspense. Show all posts
Showing posts with label romantic suspense. Show all posts

Wednesday, 1 September 2021

Text by Cambria Hebert

 

 

Text 

by Cambria Hebert

A Nail Biting Romantic Suspense Take It Off Standalone Novel

 


Blurb

 ***This is a new adult contemporary novel and contains sexual content and graphic language. It is not intended for young adult readers.***

One text can change everything.
Honor Calhoun never thought her life would ever be like the books she writes for a living. One morning while out for a run, she learns not all bad things are plots in novels. Some horrors can actually come true.
She faces off with a persistent attacker, holds her own, but in the end is taken hostage and thrown into a hole. In the middle of the woods.
But Honor didn’t go down there alone.
She took her kidnapper’s phone with her. With a spotty signal and a dying battery, her hope is slim.
Nathan Reed is an active duty Marine stationed at a small reserve base in Pennsylvania. All he wants is a calm and uneventful duty station where he can forget the memories of his time in a war-torn country.
But a single text changes everything.
Nathan becomes Honor’s only hope for survival, and he has to go against the clock, push aside his past, and take on a mission for a girl he’s never met.
Both of them want freedom… but they have to survive long enough to obtain it.

 

Review

Wow, what a ride! One text, one single text that changed their lives and saved both of them as a result. The war veteran and the writer, the survivors...both of them are fighters and willing to do everything to protect themselves and those around them.
I loved that both of our heroes, Honor, and Nathan were unabashedly honest in the way they dealt with each other. No games, no shyness, just honesty.
Surviving not just the kidnapping but everything that came afterward, well, those two and the events definitely kept me on my toes. Towards the end, I barely breathed but just kept turning the pages faster and faster. Once again a great book by an amazing author, I can't wait to explore the other books in this series!

🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞

 

 

 

 

Friday, 15 November 2019

Red Zone (Red Zone #1) by Janet Elizabeth Henderson






 SYNOPSIS

Welcome to the new world. Things have changed just a bit. Big Brother’s not only monitoring important things like what toilet paper you buy—it now has direct access to everything you see thanks to the mandatory implant you get at birth. And Friday Jones has seen something she wishes she hadn’t.

Now she has all kinds of undesirables after her—some to straight up kill her and others who want to steal what’s locked in her head. So, she’ll need the help of a ruthless mercenary, Striker, if she has any chance at survival. That he’s a jerk, who she wants to punch in the face, well…a dying woman sometimes has to make tough choices.

Striker’s special abilities have kept him in the shadows for a reason. He has no interest in getting mixed up with the smart-mouthed, hard-headed women no matter how his body reacts. But then he discovers what’s in her head and all bets are off.



Wow, what a pleasant surprise! I just saw the cover and, well, being a cover-lover I went for it. I bought this book and "just browsing" immediately turned into reading intensely and not putting it down. This imaginative, fantastic story full of suspense, action and romance drew me in from the first page on.

I loved Friday so much, she is a wonderful character, full of quirks and when she starts to think and, yep, chocolate... I laughed so much and I mean, who could resist that talking, hitch-hiking handbag with an attitude to match its....partner's? Did I forget to mention that the talking handbag is also lethal? Well, yeah, it is. And it loves to cuddle - go figure.

Though I forgot to mention our hero, Striker. Friday and Striker are an amazing couple, you can feel not only their chemistry but even more their love right from the start. You get it, you can feel why Striker, the hard, capable Striker falls for Friday with all her quirks and her open heart who embraces everyone. At first she seems weak though the reader very soon realizes how intelligent and strong she really is, how capable and courageous. She is not fearless but no matter what happens, she pulls through, she fights, she cares even with a death sentence hanging over her head and things very soon going to hell, she still cares for others and never gives up.

Did I mention how much I loved this book?


★★★★★



Saturday, 11 May 2019

Danger Next Door (Red Stone Security #2) by Katie Reus






 

 
 Blurb:

After an explosion leaves detective Grant Caldwell scarred he quits his job and tries to hide from his well-meaning family while he heals. When Belle Manikas, a beautiful new neighbor, moves in next door with problems of her own he finds himself drawn to her even while he tells himself she’s nothing but trouble. Even though he knows he’d never have a chance with a woman like her—not with his disfigurement—he can’t stay away.

Thanks to severe health problems as a child Belle grew up sheltered and smothered by her loving, if overbearing, family. Now that she’s finally out on her own she plans to wring everything she can out of life. When she sets her sights on her brooding neighbor nothing can stop her from getting him into bed—until a madman fixates on her.

With Grant now working for Red Stone Security, he sees it as his duty to protect her at all costs. Unfortunately a violent criminal is stalking Belle and will stop at nothing until he’s destroyed her
.


 
This was a short but captivating read that kept me glued to my reader from the first page on. I just wanted to sneak a peek...and suddenly I was at about 67% of the book. Well, needless to say, that I had to read the rest of the book right then and there as well, right?

I really liked the way Grant and Belle accept each other especially the way Belle never thought of Grant as someone who was wounded or, worse, disfigured but as someone strong, protective and absolutely attractive. The way they very quickly came to care for each other was touching and despite the fact that they didn't really know each other, their feelings made sense and felt authentic.

The only thing that I didn't like about the book - it was too short. Even though it was well done, well - written and there was nothing left to tell, no cliffhangers, the characters are well developed but still - I would have loved to learn more about them and their story just because I loved those two and their story. I guess that I'll just have to read the next books in the series to find out more about them. I've read some already of them but not all of them, so this is a nice excuse.

★★★★
 
 
 

Monday, 18 February 2019

Armed 'N Ready by Tee O'Fallon








 Blurb:

Massachusetts State Police Sgt. Nick Houston is as tough as they come, and he and his K-9, Saxon, are hot on the trail of a major illegal gun dealer. But his best lead—the beautiful owner of the Dog Park Café, Andi Hardt––is not cooperating. Doesn’t matter how sexy she is, or that his dog seems to be in love with her. She’s a suspect and he won’t cross that line. Ever.

Andi Hardt sank everything into her dream business—the Dog Park Café, a restaurant catering to dogs as much as people. Now everything is in jeopardy because of one extremely frustrating, incredibly hot state trooper. Like it or not, she’s in Nick’s crosshairs, and he’s calling the shots. Her only option: cooperate, or lose everything she’s worked so hard for.

Nick and Andi are catapulted straight into the danger zone, forcing them to make life-altering choices, and face their desires. Risking his life for Andi is the easy part. Risking his heart is the toughest assignment Nick will face.



Suffice to say that I downloaded this book yesterday evening around half past eleven and finished it at half past five...

I really loved this book! I laughed and I was shocked and I held my breath - Nick and Andi, our hero and our heroine kept me on my toes. Andi was an amazing character, I loved that she was capable and no push-over but someone who fights for what (or whom) she wants. With Andi and Nick's pasts, well, they had their work cut out for them because experiences like that aren't easy to overcome. Not at all. And then - this end? *SIGH*

Well-written and fast-paced with a captivating and well-plotted story, this book really kept me glued to my reader. I tried to sleep, really but... I failed. This was the first book by Tee O'Fallon that I've read and I must admit that I picked it up because it reminded me of the books by Katie Ruggle that I adore and sure enough, it didn't disappoint, not at all! This was definitely not the last book by the author and I can't wait for the next book in this series!

★★★★★


Saturday, 26 January 2019

Lock 'N' Load (Federal K-9 #1) by Tee O'Fallon











Blurb: 

Crack CIA analyst Trista Gold is a whiz with the computer, but not so much with people. She hides behind her job, analyzing Top Secret code and making recommendations on national security. She doesn’t need a man in her life. But she will, very soon...

CIA K-9 officer Sgt. Matt Connors suspects that beneath Trista’s uptight appearance, there’s a sexy woman itching to cut loose. But he doesn’t dare act on his attraction. He’s a loner and always will be. Keeping away from Trista is a must-do directive. Until he doesn’t have a choice...

During a routine assignment, Trista stumbles across a cryptic exchange. She doesn’t think much of it...until someone tries to murder her—twice. Both times, Matt had been there to save her. But now she has to hide. And her new bodyguard, Matt, and his K-9 are the only hope she has against the powerful forces that want her dead.



Somehow this book had been on my reader for some time now and I missed it... Unbelievable but what a pleasant surprise now, when I stumbled upon it and was drawn in from the first page on.
I have soft spot for all books K9 related because...well, I love the action and I love dogs and I love well-written romantic suspense and this book has it all in abundance! What a ride it was!

Computer-genius Trista's life is about to be turned upside down when a couple of spies and agents are out, trying to kill her and she has to rely on a K9 -Officer and his partner to keep her safe. And she definitely is no dog person, really, she is much more of a cat person but with everything that's going down, this might be the least of her worries ...
Matt has his hands full trying to keep his little genius safe because petite she may be but she is not the type to give in and wait for things to happen. Nope, Definitely not. She is more of a hands-on-go-for-it kind of woman, no matter what the risk.
Apart from this whole thing with agents and spies and so on trying to kill the woman he has fallen for (hard), Matt also has some demons of his own to fight. Sometimes even the strongest might need some help - and when the price is the woman you love, well, this is something worth fighting for, right?

Captivating, full of action with many twists and turns, this is another amazing book by Tee O'Fallon!

 ★★★★★


Saturday, 3 November 2018

BLOG TOUR: Tick Tock (EOD #1) by Jane Harvey-Berrick #TickTock







Blurb: 

Forget SEALS, Marines, Fighter Pilots - I have the most dangerous job in the world. And I love it.

James Spears is part of an elite group who lives and breathes danger. Where others run from it, he walks towards it, calm, focussed ice-cold. James is a top EOD operative.
Explosive…
Ordnance…
Disposal…

You’d call him a bomb disposal expert. Or crazy. A guy with a death wish. He’s heard it all before and he doesn’t give a shit. He’s the best.

They say he doesn’t have blood in his veins, he has ice. They say he has no nerves.
All that’s about to be tested.

Amira is recruited by the CIA to infiltrate a terrorist cell living in rural Pennsylvania. She’s the perfect plant, no one would ever suspect her. Because her brother was killed when a bomb was dropped on the Syrian hospital where he was working as a doctor. And now hate burns deeply inside her. She’s perfect.

That’s what they tell James when he’s told to train her to be the best damn bomb-maker there is. In a secret camp, deep in the woods, James teaches her everything he knows about building bombs. He’s not a praying man, but now he’s really hoping that he’s doing the right thing.

Can he trust her? Will she ever trust him? Who is playing who? And who will pay the ultimate price?

Codename: Hansel and Gretel



Oh my... This book shouldn't be read without a big supply of tissues at hand... As much as I loved this book, I also hated it (and the author a little bit as well for writing this story, nothing personal, sorry, just...this book...) and in the end, well, if the book hadn't been that intense and that amazing otherwise, I might have simply hated it. But I didn't. And I don't.
I loved the intense feelings, the love and the respect that all our main characters feel for each other, I feared with them, I feared for them, I was devastated, I cried and...well, I might have cried a bit more.

An intense story of love and hate, also of hope and loss and pain and violence. It is not an easy read, as it deals with all those intense feelings on the one hand but also due to the things that our heroes and especially our heroine experience.
I just hope that the next book in this series will present me with some kind of band-aid because right at the moment I'm still somewhat brokenhearted and, yes - furious as well whenever I think of this book and everything that happened.


 ★★★★★

Excerpt

♥♥♥ 
 
James
Where do I go from here?

The question had been running through my head for days—and now it was my last few hours with Amira.

We were at JFK, two among thousands in the vast, white terminal.

Amira and her family were flying back to San Diego within the hour, and I had a late flight to Heathrow.

Nothing had been resolved between us, and every time I’d tried to start the what next question, she’d shut me down.

A wiser man would have taken the hint, but life could be short, ending suddenly, brutally—and I knew what I wanted. I knew who I wanted.

And now I was down to my last thirty minutes to make use of my limited charms to persuade her to agree with me.

Her parents were clearly uncomfortable with my presence—I definitely hadn’t charmed them. They were grateful, but they didn’t want me around their daughter. They definitely wouldn’t want me for a son-in-law. But I had a plan…

I’d managed to persuade Amira to go for a coffee with me, leaving her family at their flight gate, and we were sitting in a Starbucks concession. Amira was drinking some frothy iced coffee crap, and I had something that was supposed to be English tea (but wasn’t).

As I reached out for my cup, wondering how to start, she caught my hand, exploring the web of scar tissue that crisscrossed my palm and wrist, interrupting the normal lines.

“So, I guess this is goodbye,” she said quietly, laying my hand back on the table.

“Only for now.”

She shook her head sadly.

“I don’t think so, and neither do you. Not really. You said it yourself—you live 6,000 miles away. This has to be goodbye.”

I studied my scarred hand, hoping I’d find the words to convince her that we had a chance.

“Well, I read the other day that they’ve got this crazy new invention called air travel. And email—it’s like writing a letter but without having to buy a stamp—wow, magic! You should try it. And I heard telephones work across the Atlantic, as well, but that could just be a rumour.”

She didn’t crack a smile and she wouldn’t meet my eyes.

“James, you and I don’t exist in the real world—we can’t. It’s a lovely dream, but it’s still just a dream.” She shook her head. “I was so naïve—Operation Hansel and Gretel—it seemed like being in a movie at first, or a fairy tale. I’m so stupid.”

Her words threw ice water over my hopes, but I wasn’t going to accept that as her last word. The game starts after you score. I’d had those words tattooed on my back for a reason—and it meant that I needed to up my game.

I wasn’t what you’d call a spiritual person, but I didn’t believe that we’d been through all this shit for nothing. I was sure of that.

“It doesn’t have to be a dream, Amira. We can make this work: you and me—us.”

She glanced up, startled, and shifted on the hard chair.


♥♥♥ 





Wednesday, 31 October 2018

Wolf Rising (SWAT: Special Wolf Alpha Team #8) by Paige Tyler #WolfRising









Blurb:

Werewolf SWAT Officer Jayden Brooks has yet to meet The One—but when he rescues teacher Selena Rosa from a hostage situation at her high school, he knows he’s in trouble. Her scent is irresistible.

There’s a reason for that powerful scent—and it isn’t an expensive perfume. Thanks to the traumatizing events at the school, the werewolf gene flipped on and Selena’s going through the change. Even scarier, she’s on track to become an omega—an out-of-control and violent breed. It’s going to take everything Brooks has if he wants any chance to pull her back from the edge…and ultimately win her heart.
 


 
Once again we meet the werewolves of our SWAT team  - and once again I found myself glued to my reader. Even when I just wanted to scroll through it to refresh my memory when I was writing this review, I was pulled in once more and ended up reading it - again. 

Gripping, captivating and full of suspense from the first page to the oast, this book was amazing! And Selena and Brooks, well, I loved those two! Oh, and there're brownies. You can never go wrong when there are brownies involved, right? 


Anyway -  those two made me chuckle and laugh, swoon and I worried with them when things got rough and complicated. I loved learning more about the pack and the different kinds of werewolves and I loved learning more about "our" team and its members. 


A highly enjoyable book with a great story and some really amazing characters! I'm looking forward to the next book in this series and I can't wait to finally read it!


 ★★★★

Sunday, 2 September 2018

Sinful Seduction (Red Stone Security #8) by Katie Reus











Blurb:

He'll do anything to protect her....

Former Marine and newest Red Stone Security employee Alexander Blue is still adjusting to the civilian world after a decade spent at war, but when he sees someone in danger, nothing can take away that intrinsic need to protect. After stopping a would-be mugger, Blue finds himself being bandaged up by a sensual local artist in her Key West condo. He never expected to stay the night, even if it is on her couch. The mysterious Mina gets under his skin in a way he never thought possible. When it becomes clear that her mugging wasn’t random and she’s being targeted by deadly men, Blue has no problem stepping into the role of protector.

But she doesn't want to be saved

Tired of being coddled and treated like a child, Mina has tried to distance herself from her family. When danger finds her, she’s forced to turn to the sexy stranger who she feels a strong, unexpected connection with. In him she sees glimmers of herself; a little broken, withdrawn and wary of the world. Soon she learns that the biggest threat might not be from the men trying to kidnap her, but from the quiet warrior who poses an immediate risk to her heart.



I haven't yet found a book by Katie Reus that I didn't love and "Sinful Seduction" is no exception from the rule. This book got me hooked right from the first page on and when I went through it to write this review....it drew me right back in and I didn't stop reading till the last page. Again.

This book is part of the Red Stone Security Series, a series of 15 books, all of them packed with lots of well-written action and romance.
In "Sinful Seduction" we get to meet Mina and Alexander. I really loved the chemistry between the two, you can feel their attraction and that they belong together.
It all starts with Alexander Blue rescuing Mina when someone tries to kidnap her... Their attraction is instant and when Blue stays around to protect her, the two can't help but fall in love - while at the same time trying to find out who is after her. The story is fast-paced and keeps you on your toes.



★★★★



Tuesday, 7 August 2018

Release Day Blitz ***HOT SEAL Target (HOT SEAL Team #6) by Lynn Raye Harris***Release Day Blitz


New Release

Blurb:

Navy SEAL Adam “Blade” Garrison’s assignment to infiltrate a tech billionaire’s criminal operations just got complicated. His cover: bodyguard for the man’s wife. His problem: Blade knows Quinn Halliday far too well. A sophisticated version of the chubby, shy girl Blade once knew, Quinn brings out all his protective instincts—as well as a few carnal ones that surprise him.

Quinn’s pride in having improved herself has turned bitter. She’s trapped in a relationship with a brutal man who views her as nothing more than a possession. Blade’s unexpected arrival makes her hope for more than a barren existence in a gilded prison. Until tragedy strikes, and Quinn realizes she’s next on the hit list.

Blade will do anything to shield Quinn from danger and keep her safe. But as they draw closer, an enemy works to flush them out. If he succeeds, he’ll put an end to Blade and Quinn’s budding happiness.

Unless Blade and his SEAL Team strike first…

**Stand Alone, No Cliffhangers, No Cheating, Happily Ever After Guaranteed!**


Another captivating pageturner in the Hot Seals series by Lynn Raye Harris. I really enioyed this story about Blade and Quinn and the action around it. It was sweet, sexy and filled with lots of action from the first page to the last! 
I loved to see Blade help Quinn, the girl he knew in High School when he defended her against some bullies. He makes her see her own worth again and helps her see that it is not about her weight but about what she feels and how she feels. 
Having dealt with my own share of weight problems, imagined or not, I felt with Quinn and loved Blade for being there for her when she is caught in a marriage with someone who is not only a criminal but also someone who tears other peoples down.Another bully in town....
I loved the love story and the action that went along with it. This book was once again a wonderful and thrilling read that made me look forward to the next installment in this amazing series!

★★★★


Tuesday, 31 July 2018

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

 
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.
★★★★

Monday, 30 July 2018

Blogtour mit Gewinnspiel - Der Fluch der Schwarzen Dahlie




Herzlich Willkommen bei unserer Blogtour!


Heute erfahrt Ihr bei mir etwas über  -

Cocktails...
oder die Überschriften in Der Fluch der Schwarzen Dahlie


Ein Blick in das Buch zeigt, dass hier jedes Kapitel mit dem Namen eines Cocktails beginnt. Es finden sich hier bekannte und weniger bekannte Namen wie etwa die Bloody Mary, die passenderweise von, na? - genau, einer Vampirin getrunken wird, aber auch Blue Lagoon oder Tequila Sunrise sind hier vertreten, ebenso wie der Mojito, die Pina Colada, die Margarita oder der Kamikaze, ein simpler Gin Tonic oder auch ein Manhattan.



Warum Cocktails? Na, immerhin fängt Cara, unsere Protagonistin, hier an, als Barkeeperin zu arbeite, um als Tochter der Besitzerin vor Ort zu sein und die Ohren aufzusperren, da es in der Nähe des Red Rose binnen kurzer Zeit bereits dreimal zu einem Mord gekommen ist!

Schon ab dem 16. Jahrhundert gab es den "Punch", der ebenfalls ein Mischgetränk war und spätestens Lesern von Jane Austen oder Regency-Romanen vermutlich auch ein Begriff ist, da er auch in dieser Zeit gerne zu den Bällen und anderen sozialen Ereignissen serviert wurde. Laut der Webseite von Bols, wurde der Begriff "Cocktail" das erste Mal 1806 in einer Zeitung erwähnt. Die Theorien zur Entstehung des Namens, die man im Web findet, gehen von einer direkten Ableitung des Namens von echten Hahnenfedern, den "cocktails", mit denen die Drinks nach einem gewonnenen Hahnenkampf geschmückt wurden, bis hin zu einem französischen Apotheker aus New Orleans, der zwecks Umgehung des Alkoholverbots seine Drinks als stärkendes Tonikum in Eierbechern, den "coquetiers" servierte.

Fest steht, dass das erste Buch über Cocktails und deren Zubereitung "The Bartender's Guide to Mixing Drinks" von 1862 von Jeremiah "Jerry" Thomas, immer noch als Standardwerk gilt. Rein aus Lokalpatriotimus, immerhin haben wir den Geburtsort gemeinsam, möchte ich aber auch
William Schmidt, bekannt als "The Only William" und sein 1892 herausgekommenes Buch "The Flowing Bowl" nicht unerwähnt lassen, das sich ebenfalls intensiv mit Mixgetränen und deren Zubereitung befasste.


Der Tequila Sunrise wurde natürlich am meisten dadurch bekannt, dass er zum inoffiziellen Cocktail der Welttour zum Album "Exile on Main Street"der Rolling Stones 2972 geworden war, wobei die Eagles mit ihrer Single "Tequila Sunrise" natürlich noch zur Populatität und Bekanntheit dieses Cocktails beitrugen. Mick Jagger wurde laut einem Artikel im Magazin "GuitarPlayer" einen Tequila Sunrise von Lozoff selbst, dem Erfinderder heute gängigen Variante des Tequila Sunrise empfohlen, als er eigentlich einen Margarita bestellen wollte. Mit seinen kräftigen Farben in Form eines Sonnenaufgangs, schmeckt der (gut gemischte, wie Cara vermutlich jetzt anmerken würde) Tequila Sunrise natürlich auch nicht nur gut, sondern er sieht auch noch recht spektakulär aus. Mit einem schlecht gemischten Tequila Sunrise, fängt unsere Bekanntschaft mit unserer Protagonistin Cara leider aber an. Allerdings ist das nicht das einzige, das ihr an der Situation und der Gesellschaft, in der sie sich befindet, nicht so ganz "schmeckt".

Die Anfänge des Manhattan hingegen, des Lieblingscocktails von Caras nicht ganz so heiß geliebter Mutter, liegen hingegen ein wenig im Dunkeln. Eine sehr bekannte Version ist laut einer Webseite, die, dass ein Dr. Ian Marshall den Mahattan für eine Feier kreiert hat, die von der Mutter Winston Churchills in den frühen 8oer Jahren des 19. Jahrhunderts im Manhattan Club in New York ausgerichtet wurde und der Manhattan Club besteht bis heute natürlich darauf, dass er namensgebend für diesen Cocktail war. 1882 wird er wohl in der Zeitung "Der Demokrat" erwähnt, allerdings ohne Angabe eines Namens, wobei eine der ersten namentlichen Erwähnungen sich tatsächlich 1892 in The Only Williams Buch "The Flowing Bowl" findet.

Der Mojito ist wohl am meisten dafür bekannt, dass er der Lieblingsdrink Hemingways in einer Bar in Havana, Kuba war. Erfunden worden sein, soll er von Sklaven die ihn aus einfachem Rohrzucker herstellten, allerdings gibt es auch noch eine Variante, derzufolge er als Zufallsprodukt entstand, bei dem Versuch einiger Mitglieder der Schiffscrew von Sir Francis Drake, eine Medizin gegen Ruhr und Skorbut zu finden, unter der die Seeleute bei ihrer Ankunft auf Kuba litten. Ob diese Geschichte wahr ist, vermag ich nicht zu sagen, egal wie ist der Mojito offensichtlich nach wie vor sehr populär, immerhin tauchte er unter anderem auch in einem James Bond Film auf - und wird auch in Bars nach wie vor gerne getrunken.

Oh, der Kamikaze taucht natürlich dann auf, wenn die Dinge ein wenig....stressig sind. Oder lebensgefärhlich. Oder so. Seine Ursprünge als Cocktail liegen etwas im Dunkeln, allerdings hat er
sehr viel Ähnlichkeit mit einer Margarita, wobei er auf Wodka basiert und nicht auf Tequila wie die Margarita.

Auch für den Blue Lagoon, den Lieblingscocktail von Bessie, Caras Kusine, braucht man Wodka, seine markante Farbe bekommt er jedoch durch den Blue Curacao. Erfunden worden sein, soll der Blue Lagoon 1972 in Paris, in Harry's New York Bar.

Tja, so weit zu diesen Cocktails!  

Wenn Ihr an der Verlosung für ein Exemplar des "Fluchs der Schwarzen Dahlie" teilnehmen wollt, beantwortet mir doch einfach die Frage, welches Getränk Ihr gerne zur Hand hättet, wenn Ihr auf ein erstes Date mit einem echt kernigen und ziemlich coolen Wolfsshifter gehen würdet.

Ich selber würde vermutlich lieber ein Wasser nehmen, um einen klaren Kopf zu behalten, wenn mir der Kerl den da gerade verdrehen will, weil mein Lieblingscocktail, der Brasilero, von mir nur in sehr geringen Maßen genossen werden darf, damit ich mich noch halbwegs plietsch äußern kann (hier wären wohl die oben erwähnten "coquetiers" angebracht)....

Was wäre das Gertränk oder der Cocktail Eurer Wahl in dieser Situation?

(Eine falsche Antwort gibt es übrigens nicht!)

Zu den Teilnahmebedingungen für das Gewinnspiel guckt Ihr bitte hier: https://redaktionsbuero-lanfermann.de/teilnahmebedigungen-fuer-blogtouren-und-gewinnspiele/ . Die Auslosung findet dann am 02.08. statt, der Gewinner wird auf allen teilnehmenden Blogs bekanntgegeben.

Viel Glück! 

Monday, 16 July 2018

Men Under Fire (Grayce Walters #3) by Jacki Delecki









Blurb:
  
Hollie Thomas, the feisty, tattooed office assistant to Grayce Walters, has come a long way from living on the streets. Along with finding a job she loves, she’s found friends and safety. When her new life unravels, she faces dangers that dwarf her troubled past. Fighting to survive, she discovers that sometimes what you need the most might be found in the one person you failed to see coming.
Returning home from the war and struggling to find his way, Sergeant Nick Welby, and his bomb-sniffing golden lab, use their skill set in the last place he’d ever imagined—Seattle’s Waterfront. To protect the one woman who matters, Nick and his trusty canine partner will risk everything to rescue her and Seattle from disaster.
Embroiled in Grayce Walters’ most perilous case—a terrorist plot with the threat of deadly explosives—can Nick and Hollie work together to save themselves and each other before it’s too late?



Even though I liked the storyline, I couldn't really get into the book. I read about the hero and the heroine falling in love, okay, in insta-love, actually but I couldn't feel it. The hero, Sergeant Nick Welby is rather determined in his pursuit of Hollie, our heroine and even though I understand where he is coming from and I read all about his reasons for acting the way he does - I don't really get it. It's just a bit too much, a bit too determined, too strong.

When Hollie's boss, the veterinarian Grayce Walters, is threatened by terrorists, I can't really understand why she becomes a target because, well, it didn't make sense in my eyes.
With Grayce and Hollie's lives on the line, Nick and his bomb-sniffing dog Talley have to work hard to prevent the worst - and somehow without really knowing anything about the situation, those two save the day despite other equally trained people being around who know much more about everything that's happening. That might happen but... well.

Soooo.... I liked Hollie and I liked Nick and Talley - and I even liked other books by Jackie Delecki that I've read but somehow this book and I, we were not a good match. I'd rate it weak three stars, rather 2,5 actually.

★★★



Thursday, 14 June 2018

Marriage Under Fire: Grayce Walters Mystery Series 4 (Grayce Walters #4) by Jacki Delecki








Blurb:

Marine veteran Maddy Jeffers never expected her most demanding and daunting mission would come off the battlefield. Ordered to infiltrate a Seattle terrorist cell, Maddy must pose as a loving wife to Major Hunter Hines. The undercover role begins to feel all too real when Maddy falls hard for the rugged, macho Marine.

Duty and discipline are Hunter Hines’s credo, guiding every decision and every action. But constant proximity with the fierce and enticing Maddy is veering his mission wildly off course. Although their role as man and wife is only pretend, there is nothing false about his out-of-control desire for his partner.

When Maddy’s life is threatened by an ISIS cell, protecting her becomes the only mission that matters, and Hunter is willing to break all the rules to save her. As the danger heats up around these two veteran heroes, Maddy and Hunter must walk a narrow path between passion and survival.



A short and sweet read with some action sprinkles to spice it up, this was a book that I definitely enjoyed reading even though it is not a book that will stay with me.

This book concentrates on Maddy and Hunter and their very fast developing relationship and not on the frame story of them working undercover while infiltrating a terrorist cell.

Some minor inconsistencies and a somewhat rushed story but nevertheless a nice read due to the characters and their interactions.
If you are looking for a story full of suspense and action, this might not be the right book for you but if you are okay with a sweet love story (with some not that sweet content though) spiced with elements of action and suspense, this is your book.

★★★


Tuesday, 8 May 2018

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












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!)


★★★★★

Sunday, 4 March 2018

Collision Point (Brute Force #1) by Lora Leigh - BLOGTOUR #CollisionPoint #NetGalley

  

 Blogtour

 Collision Point by Lora Leigh



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Blurb: 

 Riordan “Rory” Malone is a force to be reckoned with. A member of the Brute Force Protection Agency and an operative working with the Elite Ops, Rory is the fiercest of warriors and protectors. Honed from the strong Irish stock of their grandfather and sharpened to a razor’s edge, Malone men live for one single purpose: to protect the women who own them, body and soul. From the moment he saw Amara Resnova, he knew she could be that woman.

But Amara, daughter of an alleged notorious crime lord, is a force in her own right. When she betrays her father, she’s finds herself in the arms of a man who is dangerous for her body and soul.

Can Rory keep Amara safe while protecting his own heart? Can Amara trust Rory not to break hers even as the danger mounts, threatening to take them and their passion to a breaking point?



This book might have fared better if I had realized that it was a spin-off of the Elite Ops series by this author. The first, well, quite many pages, I was just trying to find out what exactly happens and why  - and why it doesn't really make sense.
I can deal with the somewhat mystic parts but sometimes it felt as if there was just lots of steam. Enough at least that it might have fueled an engine full of action but somehow a lot happened without anything really happening.

When Rory comes back into Amara's life he just takes over and all others seem to somehow step back and let him. Amara is suffering from a memory loss after a traumatizing experience where Rory also almost lost his life. It took me a long time to understand who is who and what role they are playing in the book especially as Amara's father is very protective as well but negates the fact that somebody is after her despite several attempts on her life. Rory is working his way back into her be...uhm...life and her father is ...well.... okay with it. Or not.

Even though the story itself was good, it couldn't fully captivate me and I was sometimes a bit frustrated with this book. As I said, I think it might have been different if I had known the Elite Ops books, without that I was missing too much and tended to get lost.
If you know the Elite Ops series and love lots and lots of steamy scenes this book might be a good choice for you. On the whole, it was well written and had an interesting plot as well as interesting characters.

★★★


Sorry, I'm still sick that's why I'm not posting as often as I usually do...

Wednesday, 28 February 2018

Blogtour - City Under Siege by R.J. Prescott



Sorry for neglecting you, dear reader! 

First it was RARE...RARE LONDON....and it was huge....and amazing...

and now I am sick so this is why I am a bit late with my post for

the blog tour for the amazing....

 

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City Under Siege by

 

Blurb: 

London is a city in flames. Tensions are high and a critical situation is about to go from bad to worse. The Prime Minister wants to send a message, and the SAS will be the ones to deliver it.

Emotional detachment is my speciality. I’m ruthless and cut throat, but there is nobody better.

Sarah Tatem is an innocent. Caught up in a world in which she doesn’t belong, and trying desperately to do the right thing. My job is to keep her safe long enough to get what’s needed, and bring an end to this siege of terror.

But something has changed. I’ve learned that the only thing stronger than loyalty is love, and now she’s gone.
 

My name is Lieutenant Tom Harper, and I’m about to unleash hell.

 

Captivating, thrilling and, yes, even romantic till the end!


Once I had started reading, I just couldn't stop till the last page was turned.

Being there to see Sarah abnd Tom get their "forever" against all odds, was a rough ride on an emotional roller coaster - bit it was so worth it! So worth all the tears and sniffles, so worth the goofy grins, so worth all the worry and fear  for "my" hero and "my" heroine.
You can feel the chemistry right from the start, it's not just sparks but fireworks with a cozy promise of forever.

Sarah and Tom are amazing characters who I'd love to call friends in RL. Honest, courageous, and absolutely loyal, they do what is right no matter what it might cost them.
Okay, they mostly do what is right but there might be a slight bending of those rules on Tom's side when it comes to Sarah and his interactions with her.

Add a gripping and well-plotted storyline, an intense and captivating style and you'll understand why this was my first book by R.J. Prescott but definitely not the last!
 

★★★★★

Monday, 19 February 2018

City under Siege by R.J. Prescott - Release Day Blitz



LIVE TODAY!






Blurb:

London is a city in flames. Tensions are high and a critical situation is about to go from bad to worse. The Prime Minister wants to send a message, and the SAS will be the ones to deliver it.

Emotional detachment is my specialty. I’m ruthless and cut throat, but there is nobody better.

Sarah Tatem is an innocent. Caught up in a world in which she doesn’t belong, and trying desperately to do the right thing. My job is to keep her safe long enough to get what’s needed, and bring an end to this siege of terror.

But something has changed. I’ve learned that the only thing stronger than loyalty is love, and now she’s gone.

My name is Lieutenant Tom Harper, and I’m about to unleash hell.



***

About the author


USA Today bestselling author R.J. Prescott was born in Cardiff, South Wales, and studied law at the University of Bristol, England. Four weeks before graduation she fell in love, and stayed. Ten years later, she convinced her crazy, wonderful firefighter husband to move back to Cardiff where they now live with their two equally crazy sons. Her debut novel The Hurricane was an international bestseller and finalist in the Goodreads Awards in the category of debut author.