Title: Lost Innocence
Author: Jannine Gallant
Stars: 4 Stars
Review:
Lost Innocence starts off with sweet Nina Hutton enjoying her quite life than everything is turned upside down with someone breaking in her house, a new neighbor and his daughter moving in across the street and emotions no one wants to feel.
The author used certain charterers as placements until they were needed instead of using them throughout the story.
The story is more romance than mystery but its the characters builds that will have readers hooked to the story.
As the story ends readers will see the twist coming. Its the emotions that come along that readers will not expect.
Add this to your summer to be read pile and enjoy.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Lyrical Press, Inc for the advance copy of Jannine Gallant Lost Innocence.
Synopsis:
BREATHTAKING BEACHES
Artist Nina Hutton finds a lottery ticket on the beach, stuffs the crumpled paper in her pocket--then forgets all about it. Distracted and shaken by a series of break-ins at her home, Nina turns to her handsome new neighbor for help and protection again and again.
MILES OF HIKING TRAILS
Since the death of his wife in a drive-by shooting, Teague O'Dell has moved from the city to the small town of Siren Cove, determined that his daughter will grow up in a safe environment. But when the intriguing woman next door is plagued by a mysterious vandal, he wonders if his new home harbors unexpected dangers.
. . . AND HIDDEN THREATS
The winning lottery numbers have been revealed, and the owner will do whatever it takes to claim the prize. And the closer Nina and Teague get to each other, the closer they may get to exposing a horror that could cost them everything .
Expected publication: June 26th 2018 by Lyrical Press, Inc
About the Author:
Write what you know. I've taken this advice to heart, creating characters from small towns and plots that unfold in the great outdoors. I grew up in a tiny Northern California town and currently live in beautiful Lake Tahoe with my husband and two daughters. When I'm not busy writing, I hike or snowshoe in the woods around my home. Whether I'm writing contemporary, historical or romantic suspense, I bring the beauty of nature to my stories.
Title: Jar of Hearts
Author: Jennifer Hillier
Stars: 4 stars
Review:
Jar of Hearts is told in the past and present with secondary characters readers will enjoy. The story is full of emotions, suspense, told with a brutal truth no one wants to face in the story.
This story is dark gritty and will not be for everyone but warning when you start reading you will not be able to stop. Everything you fear will be found in this book and more.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Minotaur Books for the advance copy of Jennifer Hillier Jar of Hearts.
Synopsis:
This is the story of three best friends: one who was murdered, one who went to prison, and one who's been searching for the truth all these years . . .
When she was sixteen years old, Angela Wong—one of the most popular girls in school—disappeared without a trace. Nobody ever suspected that her best friend, Georgina Shaw, now an executive and rising star at her Seattle pharmaceutical company, was involved in any way. Certainly not Kaiser Brody, who was close with both girls back in high school.
But fourteen years later, Angela Wong's remains are discovered in the woods near Geo's childhood home. And Kaiser—now a detective with Seattle PD—finally learns the truth: Angela was a victim of Calvin James. The same Calvin James who murdered at least three other women.
To the authorities, Calvin is a serial killer. But to Geo, he's something else entirely. Back in high school, Calvin was Geo's first love. Turbulent and often volatile, their relationship bordered on obsession from the moment they met right up until the night Angela was killed.
For fourteen years, Geo knew what happened to Angela and told no one. For fourteen years, she carried the secret of Angela's death until Geo was arrested and sent to prison.
While everyone thinks they finally know the truth, there are dark secrets buried deep. And what happened that fateful night is more complex and more chilling than anyone really knows. Now the obsessive past catches up with the deadly present when new bodies begin to turn up, killed in the exact same manner as Angela Wong.
How far will someone go to bury her secrets and hide her grief? How long can you get away with a lie? How long can you live with it? .
Expected publication: June 12th 2018 by Minotaur Books
About The Author:
Jennifer Hillier writes about dark, twisted people who do dark, twisted things. Born and raised in Toronto and a proud Canadian, she spent eight years in the Seattle area, which is where all her books are set.
She loves her son, her husband, the Seahawks, and Stephen King. Not equally, but close. She's the author of five novels. Her newest psychological suspense, JAR OF HEARTS, is coming June 12, 2018 from Minotaur Books.
Learn more about her at jenniferhillier.ca.
Title: Built to Last (Black Knights Inc. #12)
Author: Julie Ann Walker
Stars: 3 1/2
Review:
Built To Last is possibly the last in the Black Knights Inc Series. With all ends to a series it has a lot to live up to and it seems to be a tradition for authors to catch up readers with what is happening with couples from the other books.
Unfortunately this book falls flat that readers will skip to the end to find out how the author brought readers favorite couples to their Happily Ever After.
Angel and Sonya story is told though different points of view as well as flash backs that don't drive the story forward just fills in the holes when the romance takes over and Sonya fall quickly for Angel. The story feels rushed leaving long times fan disappointed with the outcome of the two love stories.
The action and suspense didn't really live up to the exceptions. It was slow, filled with too many monologues, bad dialogue, and a villain that could have been scary. Instead the author gave us a villain that was nothing more than a wasted character.
Built to Last falls flat in a story, feels unfinished, lacks character development and finishes out a series with a dud instead of a bang.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Sourcebooks for the advance copy of Julie Ann Walker Built To Last.
Synopsis:
Masterful, mysterious, and completely ruthless, Jamin “Angel” Agassi joined the Black Knights Inc. after a mission-gone-wrong forced him to undergo extensive plastic surgery and change his name. He's going to bring down the world's worst crime syndicate, and hopefully keep Sonya Butler, a love from his past, from discovering who he really is...
When a dark-eyed stranger gets caught up in Sonya’s latest mission, she starts to question all her hard-won instincts. Something about Angel tells her he's more than he seems, and sometimes, when she least expects it, he reminds her of a man she used to know. As the bullets fly, she realizes that in love and war nothing is ever what it seems.
Expected publication: July 3rd 2018 by Sourcebooks (first published June 26th 2018)
About The Author:
Julie Ann Walker is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of award-winning romantic suspense. She has won the Book Buyers Best Award, been nominated for the National Readers Choice Award, the Australian Romance Reader Awards, and the Romance Writers of America's prestigious RITA award. Her latest release was named a Top Ten Romance of 2014 by Booklist. Her books have been described as "alpha, edgy, and downright hot." Most days you can find her on her bicycle along the lake shore in Chicago or blasting away at her keyboard, trying to wrangle her capricious imagination into submission.
Title: Bronzed Betrayals (Bodies of Art #5)
Author: Ritter Ames
Stars: 5 out of 5
Review:
This is a series of book that art loves and mystery loves will not be able to get enough of. Ritter Ames transport reader around the world following two characters that will remind you of the classic movies of Cat and Mouse. Laurel and Jack come alive as readers chase along side them in an adventure that end with perfect amount of action, mystery and sexual tension to keep reader dying for more.
This is the perfect action, adventure mystery that will give reader what they have been missing. Twist of James bond, add a dash of Oceans Movies, and shake of Remington Steele and you have The Bodies Of Art Series.
Thank you to the publisher Henery Press and author for the advance copy of Ritter Ames Bronzed Betrayals.
Synopsis:
A masterpiece swapped for a forgery, a murder victim left behind, and a relentless game of hide and seek all work to keep Laurel Beacham and Jack Hawkes on the run as they race to find answers and locate their quarry--despite roadblocks at every turn. This time the chase crisscrosses the Atlantic, as they pursue threads to murders and thefts that extend from the current day and back several decades.
A startling forgery points toward an unexpected new nemesis to contend with, and the team pursues a Paris forger for additional clues. When evidence starts falling into place, Laurel must use her connections and engage an unconventional resource to help bring an arrogant murderer to justice for crimes both contemporary and long past. Crimes that tie both personally and professionally to the Beacham name. While the ruthless criminal’s acts include art history ties, the threat to Laurel is a clear and present danger. It will take every trick and technique she and Jack can conjure to gain the evidence necessary to nab their enemy and start pulling down his empire—before he takes them down instead.
Bronzed Betrayals is the fifth title in the fast-paced Bodies of Art Mystery series from USA TODAY bestselling author Ritter Ames. The series features art heists, international settings and intrigue, and globetrotting over-the-top adventure with engaging characters focused on solving captivating crimes.
Expected publication: June 26th 2018 by Henery Press
About The Author:
Ritter Ames is the USA Today Bestselling author of the Organized Mysteries series and the Bodies of Art Mysteries series. When she's not writing or brainstorming new mysteries Ritter is usually trying to get her favorite yellow Lab to stay out of the pond, or keep her grouchy black cat from trying to give the dog away on Freecycle. Ritter would love to live on a boat and write from far flung locations around the globe, but the dog would constantly have to be fished from the water, and her husband and cat would just complain endlessly about the dog's smell, so staying on land seems to be the only good option to keep her sanity and not get sidetracked from writing.
Title: Major Crimes (Omega Sector: Under Siege #4)
Author: Janie Crouch
Star: 4
Review:
Since this is story is part of a ongoing series I was able to pick up the story pretty fast. The story is your basic romance with action mixed in. The characters are likable enough that if readers had started from the beginning of the series they would be more attached to the different characters mentioned though out the book.
The story moves at a fast pace will make it a fun fast read for the summer pool.
This story is a stand alone but to really enjoy the story readers should start at the beginning.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Harlequin Intrigue for the advance copy of Janie Crouch Major Crimes.
Synopsis:
Working together would bring down a killer
But her secrets could tear them apart…
Hayley Green never wanted to see Omega special agent Cain Bennett again. Ever. He seduced her, then sent her to prison for hacking, and Hayley’s only just started piecing her life back together. Except now Cain needs Hayley’s help to catch a murderer. Their past is colliding with their still-smoldering attraction…and the only thing more dangerous than the killer is the secrets Hayley’s been keeping.
Omega Sector: Under Siege
June 19th 2018 by Harlequin Intrigue
About The Author:
USA TODAY bestselling author Janie Crouch writes what she loves to read: passionate romantic suspense. She is a winner and/or finalist of multiple romance literary awards including the Golden Quill Award for Best Romantic Suspense, the National Reader’s Choice Award, and the coveted RITA© Award by the Romance Writers of America.
Janie recently relocated with her husband and their four teenagers to Germany (due to her husband's job as support for the U.S. Military), after living in Virginia for nearly 20 years. When she's not listening to the voices in her head (and even when she is), she enjoys engaging in all sorts of crazy adventures (200-mile relay races; Ironman Triathlons, treks to Mt. Everest Base Camp) traveling, and movies of all kinds.
Her favorite quote: "Life is a daring adventure or nothing." ~ Helen Keller.
