Tag: romantic suspense

Book Review: Falling Embers (Tattered & Torn #2) by Catherine Cowles

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Romantic Suspense
Length: 318 pages
Author: Catherine Cowles
Publisher: PageSmith LLC
Release Date: April 12th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

I loved Calder Cruz from the moment he taught me to fly. He might’ve been my brother’s best friend but he was my everything.

The only who understood me. My safest place. My person.

Until one night changed it all and we became strangers in a single breath.

Now, years later, I see him every day at the fire station. I watch him raise adorable twin girls as a single dad. But he has no idea how hard it was to see him move on without me.

How much I still burn for him.

A twist of fate changes everything. When my life is on the line, it’s Calder who saves me–who comes charging back into my heart with a vengeance. And makes it clear he’s determined to stay.

But as long-buried embers light anew, there are those who lurk in the shadows. And they’ll do whatever it takes to extinguish that flame for good…

NEW FAV.

This is now my current favorite in the series. HOW I LOVED THEM.

Calder and Hadley have my whole heart. I loved this combination of second chance + friends to lovers + unrequited love. It worked so well and they were just so sweet on each other!! It’s fast paced and full of longing and hope. Many sentiments had me swooning and loving every moment.

These continue to lean towards the dramatics and I don’t care one bit. I love the suspense elements that keep me on my toes. Just when I thought the end was near, BAM, someone else came out and chose violence that day and I was on pins and needles trying to read fast enough to get to the resolution. I love all of the protective heroes and everything in this small town.

Hadley’s Mother is still enraging and hoping that continues to resolve over the course of the series.

Overall audience notes:

  • Romantic Suspense
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: three very brief open door
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: gun violence, extreme cyber bullying, near death car wrecks, child endangerment, stalking

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Book Review: Naked in Death (In Death #1) by J.D. Robb

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Romantic Suspense
Length: 381 pages
Author: J.D. Robb
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: July 1st, 1995
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In the year 2058, technology completely rules the world. But for New York City Detective Eve Dallas, one irresistible impulse still rules the heart: passion…

Eve Dallas is a New York police lieutenant hunting for a ruthless killer. In over ten years on the force, she’s seen it all—and knows her survival depends on her instincts. And she’s going against every warning telling her not to get involved with Roarke, an Irish billionaire—and a suspect in Eve’s murder investigation. But passion and seduction have rules of their own, and it’s up to Eve to take a chance in the arms of a man she knows nothing about—except the addictive hunger of needing his touch.

MIXED.

Well I gave this series a chance. And I think I liked it enough to try one more book? To be determined.

One of my turnoffs in this one is that everything felt too sexual for me. Just the entire vibe of the book and the main couple getting to things in this book as well that I spent a bit of time fast forwarding my audiobook. I don’t know if it’ll continually be this way, but that was my biggest bleh about it all.

I did love the general set up. With the futuristic things and Eve solving murders. That is cool and reminds me of plenty of shows like NCIS, CSI, etc. I think that could be interesting to see how things develop over multiple story lines.

The romance hasn’t hooked me yet. I needed more from them. By the end I was charmed by Roarke (and his accent on the audio). A protective type who also let’s Eve just be. That’s my kind of hero.

Anywho, I’ll probably give it one more go and see where this takes me.

Overall audience notes:

  • Romantic Suspense
  • Language: strong
  • Romance: multiple open door scenes
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: child sexual abuse recounted, incest, rape, murder of sex workers, gun violence, blackmail

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Book Review: Something Wilder by Christina Lauren

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 384 pages
Author: Christina Lauren
Publisher: Gallery
Release Date: May 17th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Growing up the daughter of notorious treasure hunter and absentee father Duke Wilder left Lily without much patience for the profession…or much money in the bank. But Lily is nothing if not resourceful, and now uses Duke’s coveted hand-drawn maps to guide tourists on fake treasure hunts through the red rock canyons of Utah. It pays the bills but doesn’t leave enough to fulfill her dream of buying back the beloved ranch her father sold years ago, and definitely not enough to deal with the sight of the man she once loved walking back into her life with a motley crew of friends ready to hit the trails. Frankly, Lily would like to take him out into the wilderness—and leave him there.

Leo Grady knew mirages were a thing in the desert, but they’d barely left civilization when the silhouette of his greatest regret comes into focus in the flickering light of the campfire. Ready to leave the past behind him, Leo wants nothing more than to reconnect with his first and only love. Unfortunately, Lily Wilder is all business, drawing a clear line in the sand: it’s never going to happen.

But when the trip goes horribly and hilariously wrong, the group wonders if maybe the legend of the hidden treasure wasn’t a gimmick after all. There’s a chance to right the wrongs—of Duke’s past and their own—but only if Leo and Lily can confront their history and work together. Alone under the stars in the isolated and dangerous mazes of the Canyonlands, Leo and Lily must decide whether they’ll risk their lives and hearts on the adventure of a lifetime.

WELL, THAT WAS DIFFERENT.

And I think I liked it?

I don’t read a lot of romantic suspense but I’m pretty sure this would fit well into that category. What started out as a general retreat into the back country for some R&R quickly turned wild. I was shocked when after those first few chapters things went in directions I couldn’t have even predicted.

The second chance romance was alright. I did like Lily and Leo. I’m glad they were finally able to discuss what happened all of those years ago, even if I wasn’t totally on board with it all. There’s a nice slow burn between them and I’m always here for a fantastic happily ever after.

All of the antics amidst the treasure hunt were really fun. I do like that this was very much an escapism type read. It was completely different than usual CL books and I leaned into the flair this story was handing out. Some of the final twists surprised me and I’m perfectly satisfied with how everything went down in the end. A good story, a wild chase, and another CL book I liked.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: open door
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: gun violence, death, parental abandonment, death of parent (off-page)

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ARC Book Review: Echoes of You (Lost & Found #2) by Catherine Cowles

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Romantic Suspense
Length: 376 pages
Author: Catherine Cowles
Publisher: Pagesmith LLC
Release Date: May 2nd, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Nash Hartley has always been my everything: Protector. Partner in crime. Best friend. The person who was there for me in my darkest hour.

But my heart wanted so much more. So, when I knew for certain Nash didn’t feel the same about me, I tried to move on. What a mistake that turned out to be.

Now, I’m back in our small town, desperate to escape my living nightmare, and the only person I want to see is him.

As secrets are revealed, and Nash finds out what happened to me, he’ll do anything to keep me safe.

But there are those who will do anything to stop him, and this time neither of us may make out alive…

Thank you to Catherine Cowles for an eARC/ALC.

THE MUTUAL PINING.

I thought the pining would destroy me. HOW DID IT NOT. Nash and Maddie were madly in love since children and it shows and I was just happy to be here and watch them realize it. There’s something really great about a childhood friends to lovers trope that brings all of that angst. Shouting at your book WHEN WILL YOU KISS.

This family is my favorite. There’s a lot of terrible people in this book, but the Hartley family is the sweetest and I love the unconditional support that helps brings Maddie back from the brink. I was obsessed with Nash’s protective hero streak and that Maddie was at last able to take some control of her life.

When the suspense ramps up it got even better. While I was expecting some level of it, the second round had me WORRIED. I love that this added an extra dose of me being on edge. I love how fast paced and well crafted each of these books are. Another great read, can’t wait for the next!!

Overall audience notes:

  • Romantic Suspense
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: 2 open door
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: attempted murder, domestic abuse, gun violence, murder, stalking, near death experiences

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