Publisher: JustJoshing Publishing, Inc (30th January 2020)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: đź’–đź’–đź’–đź’–đź’– 4 1/2 Hearts
Reviewer: Maya
Blurb: The boys are back in town–for one last adventure!
It’s a good problem to have: more business than they can comfortably handle on their own.
But with resources already overstretched, the last thing former DSS agents and newbie security consultants Will Brandt and Taylor MacAllister need is another client—and the last thing Will needs is for that client to turn out to be an old boyfriend of Taylor’s.
Sure, Will has always known Taylor had a wild past, but he was kind of hoping he’d never have to sit down and have a beer with it. But golden boy Ashe Dekker believes someone is trying to kill him, and Taylor is determined to help, no matter the cost.
It’s a bit of a jolt to have Taylor for once totally disregard his feelings, but Will is equally determined that “the cost” won’t be their relationship—or Taylor’s life.
Review: This is the last book in long running series and the boys certainly go with a bang!
I regretted not rereading previous books, because book throws reader in at the deep end from the beginning. Our heroes are at odds. Outwardly, they should be happy. Their business is finally getting of the ground they are in same place and together. Except a ghost from Taylor’s past seems liable to spoil everything. His old ex asks for his help, and he is resolved to give it, no matter his partner’s justifiable reservations. Their client is lying to them, they are short on manpower, the contract they signed needs to be fulfilled. They are both resenting the other one and the situation they are in, which doesn’t bode well for them: It’s possible that someone is gunning for them.
For most of the book the men are dealing with relationship woes. It was spurred into action by reappearance of Taylor’s ex, but exposes secrets and insecurities they both have, so the ground they are on is seriously rocky. They are trying to plod through trouble and it doesn’t look promising!
Then the villain gets revealed ( and up to this point I was ignoring suspense subplot, so I was shocked at twisty turn My congratulations to the author, definitely wasn’t expecting that). It’s another shake up for Will and Taylor.
It leaves them in bad place, which allows for everything between them which simmered during the book to get out in the open and for them to have happy ending.
It’s a fitting end to interesting series. Loved the book!
Title: The Mermaid Murders Series: The Art of Murder, #1 Author: Josh Lanyon Genre: Romantic Suspense Length: 243 pages Publisher: JustJoshin Publishing, Inc. (February 29, 2016) Heat Level: Explicit Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5 Hearts Blurb: Special Agent Jason West is seconded from the FBI Art Crime Team to temporarily partner with disgraced, legendary “manhunter” Sam Kennedy when it appears that Kennedy’s most famous case, the capture and conviction of a serial killer known as The Huntsman, may actually have been a disastrous failure.
For The Huntsman is still out there…and the killing has begun again.
Review: Special Agent Jason West has gotten saddled with super-agent Sam Kennedy. Unfortunately, Kennedy is being watched by Jason’s supervisor and oh yeah, he’s a bit of an arrogant asshole.
It has been a while since I enjoyed a mystery this much. From page one I was hooked.
Jason has a history with the town and the Huntsman. A history that he chooses to keep to himself. Kennedy has earned the wrath of some higher-ups in the FBI, but we’re kept in the dark as to his exact crimes. The result is that I couldn’t help but put both men on my list of suspects.
Then there was the romance. Forgive my political incorrectness, but they are such guys. They kind of fell into bed with each other, but god forbid they should talk about feelings and relationships.
As for the bad guy, I had my suspicions early on, but got caught by a few red herrings. Readers of James Patterson will appreciate the succinct writing style and well-crafted plot.
Highly recommending.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Cam needs to get away from his troubles and when his sister buys him a ticket to the biggest Hogmanay party in Glasgow. He can’t leave Inverbechie quick enough. But when events conspire to strand him in the middle of nowhere in a snowstorm, not only is he liable to miss the party, he’ll also have to ask his nemesis, Rob, for help.
Zane’s Review: Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts
Written by Joanna Chambers, “Rest and Be Thankful” introduces Rob and Cam, two lonely men, an argument/slight misunderstanding with overreactions on both parts, a friendship (possibly more) cut short by said misunderstanding… the approaching New Year… a broken down vehicle… and the chance to kindle what burned out before it really started.
A short read, this could have been rushed or lacking in substance, but it wasn’t. Well written with plenty of character back-story and detail, this story certainly fulfilled its premise. Who doesn’t want a second chance at a rich and full life? At love? I was rooting for these two from the get-go.
I really liked Cam and Rob – both individually and as a couple. Bring on the hot, broody men who find first friendship, then sexiness, happiness and a future in each other, and just in time to ring in the New Year.
Short and sweet with a bit of sexy, just the way I like my holiday stories, this one is a keeper.
Out by Harper Fox Can a stranger unlock the courage and passion in a young man’s captive heart?
It’s Christmas at Edinburgh’s magnificent Barlinney Hotel, and chief housekeeper Cosmo Grant is in charge of the festivities. He’s already got his hands full when handsome Ren Vaudrey checks in.
It soon turns out that Ren is an undercover cop. Cosmo wants to help him, but unless he can do it within the Barlinney’s walls, Cosmo is stuck. A victim of crippling agoraphobia, he’s been a prisoner in this gilded cage for over a year. Cosmo gathers all his courage to do the right thing by Ren and Sam—and as a glittering Christmas Eve descends on the city, finds himself confronting his very darkest fears.
Cat’s Review: ♥♥♥♥♥5 Hearts (more if I can steal a few)
Cosmo loves his job working at a plush high-end hotel. He has worked up to management but his supervisor George brace is a real meany. All of the staff fear Brace. Brace is taking advantage of Cosmo but when he wants Cosmo to be an extra service to some of the guests, he tries to put his foot down.
A new guest arrives and Cosmo finds himself very attracted but when Brace send him to Ren’s room Cosmo tells Ren he won’t be one of the conveniences of the hotel. Ren lets him know right away that he wasn’t expecting that, he needed information. This is where even more twists start unraveling.
Wow this story is awesome. It was like reading a full novella in a short story. It is perfectly executed. The characters are all interesting the storyline is intriguing the romance is hot, everything is amazing.
If you like romance with a bit of mystery and intrigue, fancy hotels, cops, lots of twists and turns, sweet romance, and a good holiday story I highly, highly recommend this one!
Waiting for Winter by LB Gregg Some mistakes are worth repeating.
Luke always thought he and Winter were the perfect couple—until the day Winter announced he was taking a new job and they were uprooting and headed for Germany. No discussion. No debate. For the first time in his life, Winter miscalculated. Badly. Now Luke is trying his best to move on with his life, but Winter is back in town and he’s set on digging their relationship out of the deep freeze.
Tams’ Review: ♥♥♥♥4 Hearts
Six months ago Luke’s boyfriend, Winter, walked out on him, their life and their home for a job in Germany. Now he’s back and he has one goal in mind, to reclaim what is his. Luke gives being angry and complacent a valiant effort, but Winter knows how to make him squirm, and it doesn’t take long until they are in very familiar territory, the bedroom. The sex is mind-blowing and reminds Luke of when they first met. He’s not going to wait around to be hurt again though, and this time he walks out on Win.
When Christmas rolls around Winter is back and once again trying to prove to Luke that he loves him and that they belong together. Luke is convinced that what happened over the summer was a mistake, the question is, was it one worth repeating?
A fast, fun read about the importance of communication and compromise. Luke and Winter have lost a year they could have spent together all because Luke wanted Winter to ask. But the blame doesn’t lie solely on Win’s shoulders, since Luke was too stubborn to be honest with him about how he felt. Now it’s Christmas, it’s snowing, they are trapped in a beautiful cabin with a glistening tree and two hearts that belong together.
Definitely worth the read and appropriate for the season!
Baby, It’s Cold by Josh Lanyon Or maybe it’s the flu. Breaking up is hard to do — especially around the holidays.
Talk about Kitchen Nightmares! TV Chef Rocky and Foodie blogger Jesse have been pals forever, so it should have been the most natural thing in the world to move their relationship to the next level. Instead, it turned out to be a disaster. But Christmas is the season of love, and someone’s cooking up a sweet surprise…
Leigh’s Review: Heart Rating: ♥♥♥ 3 Hearts
Rocky and Jess had three months together and two months broken up. They have been friends for years prior to that. So they decided to give it a go as boyfriends. Only their own insecurities got in the way and destroyed what they were trying to have. Jesse in a last-ditch effort decides to put together a surprise dinner for Rocky. Only things to not go the way he plans. Both MCs know they made mistakes and the reason they didn’t work. It takes them finally opening up to each other to see what they should have from the start.
This was a well-written piece. However, I was not really drawn into the story. There was just something missing, maybe an emotional pull that I didn’t feel.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Blurb: Two and a half years ago, travel writer Timothy O’Shay let NYPD Detective Luke O’Brien talk him into hiking into the New Jersey Pine Barrens to face down a monster.
Now Tim and Luke meet again under very different circumstances. The old attraction is still there — but so are some of Tim’s monsters. Is it too late to find their way back to each other?
Review: This book was passionate, compelling, painful, hopeful, and ripe with sexual tension that snapped and exploded in a good way! A large part of this storyline continued Tim O’Shay’s battle with alcoholism from the first book. I can practically feel his trembles as I’m reading through his temptations and encounters with friends at parties, dinners and other difficult situations that could easily knock him off the wagon again.
That ultimate sacrifice Tim made to cut his ties with his home and his friends to flee to California and seek help for his addiction was powerful for me. The fear Tim has of coming back and being confronted and tempted with his past are also huge parts of this storyline, handled beautifully and honestly. The pain, anger, heartache, and the desperate need Luke has to understand why Tim did it, why he cut him off so completely is palpable.
You need to read In A Dark Wood to get Luke and Tim’s back-story, but this book stands alone in its power, and is the stronger of the two by far.
I’m not one to easily hand out five star reviews…but this one deserved it, no question.
Blurb: Will is finally braced to bring Taylor home to meet the folks. Unfortunately, not every member of the Brandt clan loves Taylor the way Will does. Then again, not everyone loves the Brandts. In fact, someone has a score to settle — and too bad for any former DS agents who get in the way when the bullets start to fly.
Review: This series is always fast paced, action packed and adventurous.
Now that the guys have quit the DS and are trying to work independently trouble seems to be brewing even more than usual. Trouble that is not only in the form of hunting down bad guys, but between Will and Taylor. Relationships are difficult enough. Combine that with swiftly moving in together, working together, and dealing with the debt starting a small business incurs and redefining boundaries. Throw in feuding family members and ghosts from the past and it spells stress and trouble for two of my favorite action heroes!
Lanyon plays this perfectly in my experience. Posturing is always happening whether it’s between the brother and the brother in-law, or sister vs. sister-in-law and I’ve seen boys duke it out until they come to a rather peaceable understanding. But will Taylor win over Will’s shocked and hurt little brother? Or will fisticuffs lead to a permanent rift?
Family aside, Will keeps running into people from his past, even ex gals that seem to have a hands on policy. Everyone seems to view Will as the hometown hero. And Taylor is dealing with a decent share of irritation, and sexual tension being that “alone time” is a rare thing, and he’s feeling neglected! Sprinkled among all this drama, is the fact that someone has been following Will and Taylor, witness protection is stabling a witness as Will’s father’s house, and someone Will’s dad sent to jail is coming for revenge. Yeah, not much of a vacation if you ask me.
I think Will and Taylor will be happy to return home after this debacle. If you love action this whole series is for you! Also, a hot sexual encounter while fly fishing in the snow…I must say that was a very creative scene!
Title: Blind Side
Title: The Mermaid Murders
