MAY 2026 BOOK REVIEWS! @RZanetti_Author @justsomebitch.bsky.social #A.C. Flory @lindabroday.bsky.social @KGBeckNovelist

Hello, friends. I’m here today to share some thoughts about fantastic books I read in May. So, sit back, grab a beverage and let’s dive in!

MY REVIEW:

I’ve read both previous books in this series so immediately pre-ordered this one when it came up. I knew it would be Ace’s story and I couldn’t wait! Now, I’m impatiently waiting for the mysterious Damian’s story!
This series is about four brothers and even their backstory is one I’d love to see this author write. After an avalanche destroyed an entire town, a trapper, Hank, found these four boys and adopted them. He didn’t know their names, birthdates or anything else, so he made up their names using the alphabet – Ace, Brock, Christian and Damian.
And while each brother is different, they carry the same qualities of not only their physique, but their moral compass and military training.
The first two books featured Brock and Christian. Now it’s Ace’s turn to face his demons, dare to fall in love and risk everything to regain his life.
Ace has always loved to fly. He was a pilot in the military until a horrific accident grounded him, both physically and mentally.
Dr. May Smirnov is the only doctor in the tiny town of Knife’s Edge, Alaska. She was sure her past could never find her there tucked away from civilization, but it did.
The story has plenty of action, mysterious deaths and false accusations. But in the midst of it all, both the lovely doctor and Ace dare to explore their feelings which culminate into steamy sex scenes.
How does it all turn out? I won’t tell you, but I will share that I read this book in two sittings and loved all of it! These four brothers are unforgettable characters. But the women who dare to fall in love with them are also uniquely strong characters who form their own bonds that go beyond mere friendship. I loved all of it and highly recommend it if you’re a fan of steamy romance set in a tiny town with plenty of danger and action to keep the story moving forward.

MY REVIEW:

Things are not always as they seem. In this debut novel from P.J. Gudka, she dives deep into the human psyche of not only one, but several of the characters.
Sally perceives her life to be perfect. She has a wonderful loving husband, children she adores and protects, and an upstanding reputation in the community. She’s escaped her past, or so she thinks.
However, perfection does not exist outside the mind of the person’s mind.

This is a story of that illusion unraveling and bringing with it truths, secrets, and immorality. The book captured my attention from the first page. I couldn’t read it fast enough.

When a high school student, Lily goes missing, then is found murdered, all the evidence points toward Sally’s son, James, who was Lily’s boyfriend. He maintains his innocence, but it’s only the beginning of the unraveling.

I love that the author let us see through all the main characters’ points of view. Things were happening that were not visible from the outside looking in.

Lily was struggling to come to grips with the death of her father, then a strict stepfather trying to replace him, when no one could. She acts out like most normal teenagers would. The grief sits heavy on her. James deals with anger issues that he and his father keep hidden from his mother. He doesn’t want to be the one to spoil her perfect illusion. Mr. Live is a music teacher who lives with his own disappointment in life, having had to give up his dream of being a rock star to raise a child with a woman he doesn’t care for.

The author did a great job of fleshing out all of these characters while we watched each of them implode in their own ways.

There are lots of players in this story. So many suspects to consider in Lily’s murder. But the twist at the end and the reveal was one I could not have even begun to guess at!! I was shocked! My only critique of this novel is that I was left wondering what happened after the murderer was revealed. A woman was sitting in jail to protect her son. Families were torn apart. I would liked to have seen a more satisfying ending. Other than that, I loved the story and will look forward to more from this author!

MY REVIEW:

Miira is dying. And she’s only fifty-two in a futuristic world where the life expectancy is well beyond one hundred. She is the Lady of Dhurai and quite wealthy. So when a brochure promises a new life in Innerscape, she takes the leap. She’s already lost her husband, Gem, to cancer. She won’t let it claim her too.

Thus begins her journey toward a new body, and a chance at a new life. This is science fiction, but is it really so far fetched? It made me think about what could possibly come in our future with the advances in the medical field and AI.

The details the author puts into the science is believable. The process and stages of the transformation are realistic, especially Miira’s emotions as it progresses. She feels everything from crippling fear to elation. I felt it too. It’s not an easy transition, by any stretch of the imagination.

The other characters in the story are woven in and set up for future books in this series. We meet a troubled male who entered Innerscape at the age of eight. He is the youngest to have ever been brought in. We meet a dedicated doctor, Kenneth Wu, who has problems of his own. But he truly cares about Miira and what happens to her. He’s invested in her outcome. We meet the CEO and upper echelon of Innerscape and some of them are not likable characters. Then we meet the staff who care for Miira. Each of them has their own set of problems as well.

This is a well-rounded story. The writing is excellent and the set-up perfect. If you are a fan of believable science fiction, this is the book for you. It makes you think, “What if?”

MY REVIEW:

I have loved all the books in The McIntyres Series, but couldn’t wait for the mysterious Jess to get his story! In the previous two books, we get glimpses into his dangerous life as he infiltrates outlaw gangs and helps bring justice.

Only now, it’s his own justice he seeks. He will not rest until the men who killed his parents and scattered his family to the four winds meet a reckoning. Two things he hadn’t counted on in this pursuit. One – a beautiful and determined newspaper reporter who follows him into danger neither of them could imagine. And two – getting trapped in a town taken over by outlaws with no way out.

Now, he must not only get revenge for his parents’ deaths, but protect Abigail from the evil men who hold the town hostage. I enjoyed all the characters in this story. There are characters to love and some to hate, but they are all in living color and each plays an integral part in the unfolding of the story, from the priest, hotel owner, a group of prostitutes, a Texas Ranger, and the outlaws.

Oh, and we mustn’t forget there is still one sibling that hasn’t been recovered. Jess’s brother and sister, Cade and Summer, have managed to gather all of them except for one, Ashland, the youngest sister. Could the little girl living with the old woman possibly be Ashland? I won’t tell you the answer to that question.

As always, this author stays true to the historical time period and takes the readers into the heart of danger and the heat of a budding romance. If you are a fan of western romance, you will want to get this book. I highly recommend it.

MY REVIEW:

I picked up this book because of the setting AND the blurb. It is set in Austin, Texas, and the author did her homework, as all the places she describes are accurate.
The story opens with a murder. Sydney Everett has been an advocate for the underdog, helping with problems from homelessness to starvation in third world countries. So, who would want her dead?
Dev has been Sydney’s friend for a long time. And she was also on the police force in Austin until one case she couldn’t solve sent her into hiding and doing private investigator work. At least it paid the bills.
Jackson Everett is an esteemed congressman and Sydney’s brother. He is devastated, not only by her death, but that someone would murder her. She had no enemies.
As the story unfolds, we start to see the long history between Sydney, Dev and Jack. Sydney and Jack have been given everything money could buy. Dev was bounced around in foster care from place to place because her mother could not stay out of jail. The dynamics between them is palpable.
It is a classic opposites colliding. Dev and Jack have been in love. They never got over it. While the author presented lots of red herrings, I truly did not guess the identity of Sydney’s murderer. And the twist that came with the reveal was shocking! If you love a good murder mystery with so many layers it’s a process to unfold, you will undoubtedly love this story, as I did. The road to redemption is rocky and long, but they get there. Well worth reading!

Thanks for joining me. I hope you found something that grabs you! Reviews are an author’s lifeblood!