Tuesday, April 30, 2019

Review - A Prince on Paper

Title:   A Prince on Paper
Author:  Alyssa Cole
Series:  Reluctant Royals #3
Genre:   Romance
Publisher:   Avon
Format:  Audio
No. of Pages:  384
Date of Publication:  April 30, 2019
My Rating:  4 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

The Reluctant Royals series returns with a good girl searching for the life that’s not too big, and not too small, and the bad boy prince who might be just right for her…

Nya Jerami fled Thesolo for the glitz and glamour of NYC but discovered that her Prince Charming only exists in her virtual dating games. When Nya returns home for a royal wedding, she accidentally finds herself up close and personal—in bed—with the real-life celebrity prince who she loves to hate.

For Johan von Braustein, the red-headed step-prince of Liechtienbourg, acting as paparazzi bait is a ruse that protects his brother—the heir to the throne—and his own heart. When a royal referendum threatens his brother’s future, a fake engagement is the perfect way to keep the cameras on him.

Nya and Johan both have good reasons to avoid love, but as desires are laid bare behind palace doors, they must decide if their fake romance will lead to a happily-ever-after.


MY THOUGHTS:

Nya Jerami left Thesolo for the fun and fabulous of New York City. Like a lot of girls, she dreamed of Prince Charming. But, it seems the closest she is going to getting her very own is a virtual game. She loves the game but she has bigger things on her agenda as she returns to Thesolo. Finding herself a bit too close to a real-life celebrity prince - one who she admittedly dreamed about more than once - is very disconcerting.

Johan von Braustein has a plan. He is the stepson to the King of Liechtienbourg and is the half-brother to the next in line, the prince. Johan's brother Lukas is the target of gossip and the paparazzi and Johan will do whatever it takes to remove the spotlight off of Lukas. So, he decides on a fake engagement - with his new and very tentative friend, Nya. Will she agree and will it be in name only?

Nya's true reason for being back in Thesolo is to attend her cousin, Ledi's wedding to Prince Thabiso. While there, their friendship is bonded further, and Nya confides in Ledi and friend Portia that the engagement is fake. Despite the ruse, the attraction between Nya and Rohan is solid. The challenge will be to resist each other all the while considering there future goals in life.

Meanwhile, Lukas, Johan's brother, although not a principal character, is certainly very important, as his issues carry a lot of weight. This further impacts the actions Johan takes to protect Lukas, and giving Nya a chance to show some really grownup suggestions.

A Prince on Paper was a good read and an excellent addition to this wonderful series by Alyssa Cole. However, I felt at times that Nya and Johan were rather immature. This took the pleasure of reading this book away somewhat, but as things began to wrap up, this engaging story grew by leaps and bounds. I definitely look forward to continuing this series by Alyssa Cole. As a matter of fact, now that I am caught up with this series, I am about to read all three books in her historical fiction series. I am pleased to say that I have found another favorite author.

This is the third book in the Reluctant Royals series. The other books in are A Princess in Theory, Once Ghosted, Twice Shy (novella), A Duke by Default  (available now) and Can't Escape Love (both available soon). This is a series that should be read in order if one wants to follow these royals.

Many thanks to Avon and to Edelweiss for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.


Review for A Princess in Theory,
https://www.robinlovesreading.com/2019/02/review-princess-in-theory.html

Review for A Duke by Default,
https://www.robinlovesreading.com/2019/02/review-duke-by-default.html


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Alyssa Cole is an award-winning author of historical, contemporary, and SFF romance. Her Civil War-set espionage romance AN EXTRAORDINARY UNION was chosen as the  RT Reviewers’ Choice Award’s Best Book of 2017 and the American Library Association’s RUSA Best Romance for 2018. She’s contributed to publications including Bustle, Shondaland, The Toast, Vulture, RT Book Reviews, and Heroes and Heartbreakers, and her books have received critical acclaim from The New York Times, Library Journal, BuzzFeed, Kirkus, Booklist, Jezebel, Vulture, Book Riot, Entertainment Weekly, and various other outlets. When she’s not working, she can usually be found watching anime with her husband or wrangling their menagerie of animals.

She is represnted by Lucienne Diver at The Knight Agency.


To learn about new releases, sign up for Alyssa’s newsletter here. If you would like to contact Alyssa, feel free to email using the form below!



Monday, April 29, 2019

Review - Odd Partners

Author:  Anne Perry, Editor
Genre:   Mystery/Thrillers
Publisher:   Ballantine Books
Format:  Kindle ARC
No. of Pages:  272
Date of Publication:  April 23, 2019
My Rating:  4.5 Stars

DESCRIPTION:
Unlikely pairs join forces to crack a slew of intriguing cases in an anthology edited by New York Times bestselling author Anne Perry, featuring original stories by Jacqueline Winspear, Jeffery Deaver, Charles Todd, and many more, including Perry herself. 

Throughout the annals of fiction, there have been many celebrated detective teams: Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. Nick and Nora Charles. Hercule Poirot and Arthur Hastings. Thomas and Charlotte Pitt. The latter were the creation of beloved mystery writer Anne Perry, the editor of Odd Partners. With this collection, Perry has enlisted some of today's best mystery writers to craft all-new stories about unlikely couples who join forces--sometimes unwillingly--to solve a mystery. From Perry's own entry, in which an English sergeant and his German counterpart set out to find a missing soldier during WWI, to William Kent Krueger's story of a fly-fisherman and a gray wolf in the Minnesota woods trying to protect their land from a brash billionaire, to Robert Dugoni's psychological tale of an airplane passenger who wakes up unsure of who he is and must enlist his fellow passengers to help him remember, each mystery deals in the complexities of human (and animal) interactions.

The collection features stories by New York Times bestselling authors Ace Atkins, Allison Brennan, and Robert Dugoni, as well as Edgar Award winner Joe R. Lansdale and selected members of Mystery Writers of America. With each author's signature brand of suspense, these stories give new meaning to the word "teamwork."
 


MY THOUGHTS:

Odd Partners is a very well-done anthology that comprises of very short stories by 19 prominent authors. This read was edited by Anne Perry. The list of authors were culled from the Mystery Writers of America. Listed in alphabetical order, they are: 

Ace Atkins • Allison Brennan • Shelley Costa • Jeffery Deaver • Robert Dugoni • William Frank • Georgia Jeffries • Lou Kemp • William Kent Krueger • Joe R. Lansdale • Lisa Morton • Claire Ortalda • Anne Perry • Adele Polomski • Stephen Ross • Mark Thielman • Charles Todd • Jacqueline Winspear • Amanda Witt.

I thoroughly enjoyed the stories. It took only a moment to accept the quick revolution of each one as it was told. Having only read Anne Perry previously, although some of the other names are certainly well-known, it was a wonderful way to be introduced to authors that I definitely want to put on my TBR.

As the description shows, each of these titles are new. One title that was quite intriguing to me was Robert Dugoni’s The Last Game, about a man who was an airplane passenger getting help from his fellow passengers. It was done with precise accuracy and definitely grabbed my interest. Then the was the short story, Oglethorpe’s Camera, by Claire Ortalda. This was about a woman and her cat, but, it was far, far more. There were a couple of very touching stories and then a rather odd story. This review would indeed be very long if I were to recount other favorites, never mind each entry.

Many thanks to Ballantine Books and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion. 



Friday, April 26, 2019

BLOG TOUR - The Dare


Today is my day for the Blog Tour for The Dare by Carol Wyer.


DESCRIPTION:

Jane’s daughter is a good girl. What is she hiding? 

When thirteen-year-old Savannah Hopkins doesn’t come straight home from school, as she always does, her mother Jane immediately raises the alarm. 


Leading the investigation is Detective Natalie Ward whose daughter Leigh is the same age as Savannah. Soon Natalie’s worst fears are confirmed when the teenager’s broken body is found in nearby shrubland. 


Evidence points towards a local recluse, but just as the net is closing around him, one of Savannah’s friends, Harriet, is reported missing. 


As Natalie delves into the lives of both girls, she soon discovers a sinister video on their phones, daring the girls to disappear from their families for 48 hours. 


But Natalie isn’t quick enough for this killer, and she is devastated to find Harriet’s body on a fly tip a day later. 


Caught up in the case, she takes her eye off her own daughter and when Leigh goes missing after school she knows she must be in terrible danger. The clock is ticking for Natalie. Can she catch this killer before her little girl becomes the next victim? 


This gripping rollercoaster of a read will have you up in the small hours turning the pages. Fans of Angela Marsons, Rachel Caine and Robert Dugoni will love The Dare. 


Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

Title:   The Dare
Author:  Carol Wyer
Series:  Detective Natalie Ward #3
Genre:  Mystery/Thrillers
Publisher:   Bookouture
Format:  Kindle ARC
Date of Publication:  April 25, 2019
My Rating:  5 Stars

One afternoon, Jane Hopkin's daughter Savannah didn't come home from school. Jane takes immediate action, including phoning her friends. Sadly Savannah's body is discovered. The missing teen becomes DI Natalie Ward's case. This is especially hard for Natalie. For starters, she has a daughter, Leigh, the exact age, so that alone makes the case difficult. Also, Natalie has had other arduous cases involving the death of children. Also, Natalie's marriage is quite strained, so that doesn't help things considering the time and attention she must place on this case.

Natalie begins her investigation and questions several potential suspects, to the point when she is fairly certain that one particular person could be responsible. However, in just a day, another teen girl goes missing. Did they know one another? Are their cases connected? To make matters worse, the unimaginable happens in Natalie's own family.  


The story is mostly told by Natalie's point of view. However, there is another view in the story, that of the killer, and of their plans to harm other girls. And, after the second girl disappears, a very brief, but horrifying video is discovered. This alerts Natalie and her team to a morbid website referring to the Disappear Dare. This is a very dangerous social media challenge where a teen agrees to go off grid for a short time. Could Savannah and the other missing girl, Harriet, have been playing that game?


The Dare is the third compelling story in the DI Natalie Ward series. It is quite a remarkable read, affecting on many levels. I have read most of Carol Wyer's books and each time I pick one up I find them to be utterly thrilling. I read this exceptional book in one sitting. I simply could not put it down. I was hanging on the edge of my seat as this book reached a crescendo. I definitely cannot wait for the next book in the series.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Carol Wyer is an award-winning author and stand up comedian who writes feel-good comedies and gripping thrillers.

Her book, GRUMPY OLD MENOPAUSE won The People's Book Prize Award for non-fiction 2015.

Carol moved to the ‘dark side’ in 2017 with as series of thrillers. LITTLE GIRL LOST became the #2 best-selling book on Amazon, #9 best-selling audiobook on Audible and a Top 150 USA Today best-seller.

The DI Robyn Carter and DI Natalie Ward series have sold over half a million copies, earning her acclaim as a crime writer.

Carol has been interviewed on numerous radio shows discussing ''Irritable Male Syndrome' and 'Ageing Disgracefully' and on BBC Breakfast television. She has had articles published in national magazines 'Woman's Weekly' featured in 'Take A Break', 'Choice', 'Yours' and 'Woman's Own' magazines and the Huffington Post.

To learn more about Carol, go to www.carolwyer.co.uk or follow Carol on Twitter: @carolewyer.



Carol also blogs at www.carolwyer.com.

Thursday, April 25, 2019

COVER REVEAL - Hot Under the Collar


New York Times bestselling author Roxanne St. Claire is kicking off a brand new series and we couldn't be more excited about it! Check out the cover for HOT UNDER THE COLLAR and be on the lookout for it soon!

 



About HOT UNDER THE COLLAR


Firefighter Braden Mahoney is devastated when his beloved Weimaraner, Jelly Bean, fails the canine arson investigator test. Faced with the challenge of raising the money for advanced training, it’s Braden’s sweet grandmother and her best friend who suggest he use the services of the new event planner in town. Not that he needs a push in Cassie Santorini’s direction. Ever since she arrived, Braden has had his eye on the sassy Greek goddess…and can’t stop thinking about getting the rest of him on her, too.

Cassie has spent years putting family first, even moving to Bitter Bark when her mother falls in love with the local veterinarian. Having a huge new extended “family” is fun, especially when one smokeshow of a firefighter attends the gatherings, but Cassie has no plans to remain in this small town. She’s ready to pursue her big city dreams. But when Braden asks for an assist for his precious pup, Cassie agrees to help him set up a town-wide scavenger hunt. It isn’t exactly a hardship to be around those blue eyes and brawny shoulders, especially since they both agree everything – even the undeniable sparks that crackle between them – is temporary.

But when temporary gets complicated by feelings that might lead to forever, Braden and Cassie start to question the direction they're headed. Should they follow their dreams…or their hearts? It’ll take a dog with a bad nose and a sweet soul, two particularly meddlesome grandmas, and some help from the clan that loves them to make sure Cassie and Braden follow the clues and find their way to each other’s arms.

Just like The Dogfather, the covers of The Dogmothers were all photographed at Alaqua Animal Refuge in Florida using rescue dogs and local heroes, and a portion of the first month’s sales of every book is donated to that amazing organization.

Pre-order your copy today! 



 

About the Dogmothers series


Daniel Kilcannon, a widower with six unmarried kids, has not only orchestrated wonderfully happy endings for all his offspring…he’s found one of his own. That leaves his grown nieces and nephews plus his adult stepkids all in need of their own magical romances. Is The Dogfather too preoccupied with his new lady love to pull the strings and make the matches? Maybe. But there’s a new team in town and these two might be polar opposites in life but they are lined up in love. One grandmother has the steel spine of a Greek warrior, the other has the heart of an Irish poet. Together, along with two darling dachshunds, these Dogmothers won’t stop until all nine of their grandchildren are hooked, hitched, and happy.

When Agnes Santorini arrives in Bitter Bark, she has something to prove. The notoriously nasty Greek grandma seeks to show her growing family that she’s an all new Yiayia, inside and out. At the same time, Finola Kilcannon, the beloved octogenarian Irish blogger, knows that her role as the mistress of Waterford Farm is now in the hands of her son’s fiancée, and it’s time for Gramma Finnie to start the next chapter in her life. It doesn’t take long for these ladies to realize that they are stronger, better, and way more powerful together than apart, so they move into a Victorian that’s aging as gracefully as they are, and get to work. It takes a wee bit of meddling, a dash of manipulation, and plenty of help from man’s best friend, but the Dogmothers soon become as good as their predecessor, the Dogfather, at orchestrating a happily ever after.

In this new spin-off series, there’s laughter, love, heartache, hope, and happy endings in store for the Mahoney, Santorini, and, of course, the Kilcannon clans. With nine full length novels planned, plus a holiday novella every year, readers are in for a treat that will take them through 2021! Fans of The Dogfather series will find the same level of emotional intensity, familiar family connections and characters, and, of course, an unforgettable dog at the very heart of every story.

Watch for the first two books in 2019: HOT UNDER THE COLLAR (on sale May 31 – preorder now!) THREE DOG NIGHT (coming Fall of 2019) And many, many more!
 

About ROXANNE ST. CLAIRE


Published since 2003, Roxanne St. Claire is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than fifty romance and suspense novels. She has written several popular series, including The Dogfather, Barefoot Bay, the Guardian Angelinos, and the Bullet Catchers. In addition to being an ten-time nominee and one-time winner of the prestigious RITA™ Award for the best in romance writing, Roxanne has won the National Reader’s Choice Award for best romantic suspense four times, as well as the Maggie, the Daphne du Maurier Award, the HOLT Medallion, Booksellers Best, Book Buyers Best, the Award of Excellence, and many others. A mother of two but recent empty-nester, Roxanne lives in Florida with her husband. She loves dogs, books, chocolate, and wine, especially all at the same time.

Saturday, April 20, 2019

MARCH 2019 READS

I have read 42 books in March. Each link is clickable on Goodreads.

MARCH READS:

Read: THE CASTLE MYSTERY (Jenny Starling, #4) by Faith Martin Mother's Day Murder (A Lucy Stone Mystery, #15) by Leslie Meier The Riverboat Mystery by Faith Martin The Winter Mystery by Faith Martin The Birthday Mystery (Jenny Starling, #1) by Faith Martin The Amish Spinster's Courtship by Emma Miller Closer Than You Think by Darren O’Sullivan My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing The Killer in Me (Frankie Sheehan, #2) by Olivia Kiernan Vengeance in Death (In Death, #6) by J.D. Robb My Sister is Missing by Julia Barrett St. Patrick's Day Murder (A Lucy Stone Mystery, #14) by Leslie Meier Rocky Mountain Cowboy by Sara Richardson Too Close to Breathe (Frankie Sheehan, #1) by Olivia Kiernan The Girl Across the Street by Vikki Patis Knowing You by Samantha Tonge The Widows by Jess Montgomery She's Mine by Claire S. Lewis Hard Loving Cowboy (Crossroads Ranch, #3) by A.J. Pine The Next to Die (Spilling CID, #10) by Sophie Hannah We All Love the Beautiful Girls by Joanne Proulx Tough Luck Cowboy (Crossroads Ranch, #2) by A.J. Pine Death in Kew Gardens (Kat Holloway Mysteries, #3) by Jennifer Ashley Twisted Truths (Blood Brothers, #3) by Rebecca Zanetti Saved by the Cowboy (Crossroads Ranch, #1.5) by A.J. PineLethal Lies (Blood Brothers, #2) by Rebecca Zanetti Scandal Above Stairs (Kat Holloway Mysteries, #2) by Jennifer Ashley Deadly Silence (Blood Brothers, #1) by Rebecca Zanetti Death Below Stairs (Kat Holloway Mysteries, #1) by Jennifer Ashley The Woman in the Dark by Vanessa Savage Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier The Bones She Buried (Detective Josie Quinn #5) by Lisa Regan The Little Guesthouse of New Beginnings by Donna Ashcroft Flare Up (Boston Fire, #6) by Shannon Stacey The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager Cemetery Road by Greg Iles I Invited Her In by Adele Parks Suddenly Mine (Montgomery Brothers, #8) by Samantha Chase The Perfect Alibi (Robin Lockwood #2) by Phillip Margolin The Winter Sister by Megan Collins The Third Victim (Robin Lockwood #1) by Phillip Margolin The Forgotten Secret by Kathleen McGurl Falling for the Cowboy Dad (Home to Eagle's Rest) by Patricia Johns