Happy Friday. I am sharing my July book reviews in this post as I want to tell you about some great books I’ve read! I promise to return to Ireland next Friday. 🙂
MY REVIEW:
I love the setting of this story. A remote mining area in Australia with harsh conditions doesn’t seem like an ideal place for a young single woman to take a new job. But that’s exactly what Jenny Williams did. And not just any job, but a job in a male-dominated law enforcement office. She most certainly has her challenges, but when her motive for taking the job is revealed, it all makes sense. Jenny’s aunt and cousin went missing from this remote location years ago, and she is determined to find out what happened to them. Are they still alive somewhere? She gets less than a warm welcome when she shows up to start the job. Then there is a murder. Only no one wants to call it that. Again, Jenny is determined to get to the bottom of it and finds herself in a situation where she is unsupported by her boss and her teammates. The young handsome doctor, Nev, is a great side character, as is Marj, who runs the hotel and keeps on top of all the local gossip.
I also greatly enjoyed the author’s ability to make me see the landscape and feel the intense desert heat. Opal mining is fascinating, and the author did her homework on how it is done and the people who do it. They are a tough bunch. I will say the identity of the murderer surprised me, and I didn’t guess it until the very end. A great mystery in a great setting with compelling characters. This was the first book I’ve read from Ms. Tarr, but it won’t be my last.
MY REVIEW:
Any true love deserves a second chance, and that is exactly what this book is about. Josie, aka Jade, returns to the small town in Oklahoma to settle her aunt’s estate, sell the house and get the money she needs to start her own business with her partner, Zoey. Should be simple, right? Only the man she’s hired to do the renovations on the old house is Dalton, her first and only love. Sparks fly as old feelings surface right away. But their worlds are miles apart from when they were teenagers and in love. Jade is now a high-fashion girl living in New York, and Dalton is still a salt-of-the-earth rancher.
When Jade finds an antique pink pistol and a personal note from her beloved aunt, she’s confused. How could this pistol possibly help anyone find love, especially when she accidentally shoots Dalton with it?
This story is an easy read with believable characters. I especially loved Dalton and his steadfastness, but there are other likable side characters like Raelynn, Wyatt, and Jessica. Can the pistol work its magic and close the chasm between Jade and Dalton? You’ll have to read the book to find out!
MY REVIEW:
This story grabbed me from the opening and held me captive until the end. The characters came alive through the author’s vivid descriptions and actions.
Rina is a college student working at a bar at night to make ends meet. Things take a turn for the worse when her best friend, Gretchen, is attacked one night outside the bar, and Rina attacks the attacker only to find herself hopelessly overpowered. That is until a mysterious man appears and rescues her.
Damien is a gargoyle made of stone by day, turning into a creature free to roam the city at night. But when he suddenly changes into human form after thousands of years, he is shocked. It is his innate need to protect Rina that brings about the change. He’s waited over two thousand years to find his soulmate and be free of the curse that makes his life one of lonely misery. But how can this timeless creature ever hope to adapt to Rina’s modern world? The author did a fabulous job of weaving this paranormal romance and helping the reader to believe in the impossible. I loved the side characters, especially the angel assigned to assist Damien on his journey. While the ending was somewhat shocking, it was the only true way the impossible union could happen. Great story. I highly recommend this to any readers who enjoy a well-written story.
MY REVIEW:
This book checked all the boxes for me. Romance, a cruise, a beautiful setting, spicy romance, and a murder mystery!
Suzanna Shay has never won anything in her life. That is until she wins a ticket to a mystery-themed cruise. She’s shocked to discover she is paired with the handsome hunk, Austen Kincade, to solve the faux murder mystery while aboard the ship. They both fall hard and fast, and the rest of the cruise is spent with the two of them having mind-blowing sex. What will happen when the cruise ends and they go their separate ways?
A despicable woman sets her sights on Austen and will do anything to have him, including blackmail. And to add to the complexity, the woman is married to the CEO of the publishing house that is signing Austen for his debut mystery novel.
I will leave no spoilers, but Ms. Grahl took me on a heart-racing journey that had me rooting for Suzanna and Austen all the way. I read the book in two sittings and didn’t want to put it down. I had to find out how it would unfold and whether or not the two lovers would find their way back to each other. The setting is gorgeous. And while I’ve never been to Hilton Head Island, I had no trouble visualizing the quaintness of the area. If you love spicy romance intertwined with a complex mystery, you’ll love this book. I did not guess whodunit until the author revealed the murderer’s identity. Great story! My hat is off to this author!
MY REVIEW:
Such a good story! I hardly ever tackle a book that is over 500 pages, but I am so glad I did. It did not feel like 500 pages.
Naomi has a quintessential evil twin, Tina, and she’s spent her entire life trying to make up for all the chaos and heartbreak her twin has caused. Yet, when she receives a text from Tina saying she is in trouble and needs help, Naomi goes. It gives her the reason she needs to leave her husband-to-be standing at the altar.
She arrives in Knockemout (yes, that’s the name of the town) with her wedding dress tossed into the back seat of her car and wedding flowers still in her hair. But Naomi is not prepared for the icy welcome from the locals. They think she is Tina. And while Naomi is busy convincing everyone she is not her sister, Tina steals her car and all of her money, leaving Naomi stranded. Then to add insult to injury, Tina has also left behind her eleven-year-old daughter no one in the family knew existed. Now Naomi is broke, bedraggled, and in charge of her niece, Waylay (Yes, that’s her name).
It’s the local grumpy, devastatingly handsome hero, Knox Morgan, who comes to her rescue. First, he moves Naomi and Waylay into his vacant cottage, then gives her a job at one of the establishments he owns. As this story unfolds one delicious layer at a time, an off-the-charts steamy romance between Knox and Naomi had me gasping at times from the intensity. This book is so well written it kept me turning pages long after the lights should have been turned out. I had to see how it would all come together. I loved all the side characters, including Knox’s brother, Nash, who is the local chief of police. The tension between the two brothers is so thick you could cut it with a knife. But why? I had to know that, too. A great read for anyone who loves a hot steamy story rife with impossible complications.
That’s it from me for now. I am away at a writer’s conference in Oklahoma, so I will have some delay in responding to comments. I hope you found something new here today that grabbed you! I only post 4 and 5-star reviews. All opinions expressed here are strictly my own.
Happy Weekend!