Showing posts with label 3. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 3. Show all posts

April 24, 2018

A SCANDALOUS DEAL BY JOANNA SHUPE - ARC REVIEW


Joanna Shupe returns with another unforgettable novel set in the glittering world of New York City’s Gilded Age…

They call her Lady Unlucky…

With three dead fiancés, Lady Eva Hyde has positively no luck when it comes to love. She sets sail for New York City, determined that nothing will deter her dream of becoming an architect, certainly not an unexpected passionate shipboard encounter with a mysterious stranger. But Eva’s misfortune strikes once more when she discovers the stranger who swept her off her feet is none other than her new employer.

Or is it Lady Irresistible?

Phillip Mansfield reluctantly agrees to let the fiery Lady Eva oversee his luxury hotel project while vowing to keep their relationship strictly professional. Yet Eva is more capable—and more alluring—than Phillip first thought, and he cannot keep from drawing up a plan of his own to seduce her.

When a series of onsite “accidents” makes it clear someone wants Lady Unlucky to earn her nickname, Phillip discovers he’s willing to do anything to protect her—even if it requires A SCANDALOUS DEAL.


Eva and Phillip live in a time when a woman is not able to be respected in a "man's world" so even though her father is ailing, and not able to work,  andthe plans for Phillip's hotel were drawn by Eva, she lies and convinces everyone that she is in New York temporarily, and only in charge until her father arrives.

Phillip and Eva meet on a ship, crossing from the UK to New York.  They have an illicit encounter, and they don't see one another again...she gives him a false name and leaves while he is sleeping.

So, they are both surprised when she turns out to be the architect on his newest project...although the reader sort of sees it coming.  But, not in a bad way...as there had to be meet cute, and there had to be a reason for them to continue to stay together.

The parts of the story that are Eva and Phillip are interesting.  And, the times where they address the discrimination toward women were interesting at first, but they actually started to cause the book to drag for me.  And, it felt like the issue was addressed, and they then addressed it again...and again.  And, I am not naive, I know this is not an issue that goes away in one discussion...but, at the same time, the book is fiction and dealing with this issue caused the pace of the story itself to slow down.

I did still enjoy it, but I would have liked a little less of the plot focused on her being a woman, and attacked/disrespected/assumed incompetent...as, well, it seemed a little too much like real life for fiction that is supposed to feel like an escape.

I enjoyed this title, and I recommend it.




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June 20, 2017

AT HIS MERCY BY SHELLY BELL-RELEASE DAY BLITZ



 Angel in his arms . . . Devil at her heels

One last, no-strings night of indulgence. That's all Tristan wants before he begins a much-needed new chapter in his life. Instead he finds an innocent angel in pink who brings him to his knees.

Isabella is done hiding from the world . . . and her haunting memories. Discovering courage in the arms of a perfect stranger, she finally lets go and sheds her inhibitions.

To Isabella's shock, she soon learns that Tristan is more than her mystery man—he's her professor. But Tristan isn't the only person who's found Isabella on campus. A dark figure from her past has come back for her. Now Tristan will risk anything to protect Isabella . . . even if it costs him his life




ABOUT THE BOOK

AT HIS MERCY
Shelly Bell
Forbidden Lovers, #1
June 20, 2017
Forever
Trade Paperback: $14.99 USD
eBook: $4.99 USD


This is my first title by Shelly Bell, and I enjoyed it.

I am not sure what I was expecting, but it took a slightly different turn than I thought it was going to, which was both interesting and, at times, a little overdone.  I liked it, but at the same time, there was a plot twist that I thought was a little too close to the end of the book to allow it to fully be worked through by the characters.

Other than the small issue with the pacing, I enjoyed this.  I was intrigued by Isabella and Tristan.  I liked their first meeting and I liked the idea that they thought it was a one time thing between them, allowing both of them to be more open with the other than they possibly would have otherwise.

I loved that he was her teacher, which is in the blurb so not a spoiler, and I thought the evolution of  the draw they had that was initially being forbidden in one way and moving to forbidden in another was interesting.

I am definitely interested in reading other titles by this author and I do recommend this title.



“Bell opens the Forbidden Lovers series with a sexy thriller that will leave readers breathless. This novel is sultry and hot in all the right places, with just enough plot to keep the pages turning.” –Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

“With a liberal dose of suspense and mega-hot sex, Bell's compelling first novel in the Forbidden Lovers series is exciting right through to the epilogue...absolutely nothing is wasted in this taut tale.” –RT Book Reviews, Top Pick Review


BUY THE BOOK HERE




ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A sucker for a happy ending, Shelly Bell writes sensual romantic thrillers. When she's not working her day job, taking care of her family, or writing, you'll find her reading the latest romance.

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March 7, 2017

FACE THE FLAMES BY JO DAVIS-ARC REVIEW

The author of "Bring the Heat "returns to Sugarland, where a firefighter from Station Five will face the dangers in risking his heart... 

A near-fatal accident left firefighter/paramedic Clay Montana with devastating injuries. Now, after a year-long recovery, Clay is focused on one thing: getting his body back to form, so he can return to the job he loves. And then a chance meeting with a fiery redhead changes his life... 


Detective Melissa Ryan may be the new cop on the block, but she s no stranger to Sugarland. It s where she lived with her violent, criminal uncle a man she needs to see behind bars. But when she meets Clay at a crime scene, the down-but-far-from-out firefighter makes her rethink her priorities. 


Getting close to Clay is intoxicating, but Melissa must keep her wits about her if she s to protect them from a man with deadly intentions.



I enjoyed a lot about this story.  I particularly liked that when we initially meet Clay (aside from the prologue), he is not at his best physically, but is recovering from an injury that was sustained on the job.  This is an interesting twist to a firefighter story, as usually they are the macho heroes with no weakness.  I liked the difference.

I liked that Melissa was a police officer.  That they were on equal footing when it came to being in public service, but that she was recognized as being capable of doing her job.  There was some mention of the idea of women in traditionally male roles, but it was definitely not the focus, which I also liked.

The evolution of the relationship between Clay and Melissa felt authentic and I believed it.  I thought they acted as people who were in a relationship that is just beginning, and who are a little reluctant to get involved due to where they each are in their lives and the things they are facing.

I liked going along for the ride, so to speak, with Clay as he worked to get his position back with his team (no spoilers on how that goes) and I thought the resolution was handled fairly well.

I thought there was, at least in my opinion, a little too much time and focus on the secondary characters and while it did enhance the story, I also thought it pulled away, a little, from the central narrative.  But not enough for me to say I didn't like the story.  I did.

I recommend this book.

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