I was provided an audible code via the author, all opinions are my own.
This was more of a romantic suspense which is a bit different than what the author typically writes and I'm here for it. I'm used to her more rom-com style of writing with the Mason Family series and now the Carmichaels so this was a bit of a surprise. This is Adriana's first book, and it has recently received a new cover and the audio has been re-recorded, and it now includes The Connection as a bonus epilogue. The narrators both did a great job with their chapters, I very much enjoyed the narration.
This follows Jada, who has recently divorced her abusive husband and has moved home to Arizona to start over. The last thing she wants in her life is an alpha male playboy like Cane Alexander to barge into her life and complicate things. Cane is a one night stand kind of guy, but there is something about Jada. His best friend and co-worker, Max is seeing Jada's sister, so they are often at the same place at the same time, so Cane is determine to get Jada to spend time with him. She isn't interested, but eventually he wears her down. They fall into easy banter and their attraction and chemistry overshadow their desire to not enter into a relationship.
This follows some pretty standard romance tropes. Cane does some really stupid things in an effort to deny his feelings for Jada, and Jada forgives him a little too easily. Jada naturally has trust issues after dealing with her jerk of an ex, and Cane has some relationship baggage as well so it takes them some time to figure out trust and communication. Their road to happiness isn't an easy one, especially as Cane's family has made some enemies along the way and Jada has gotten caught in the crossfire of their family feud. Cane being the overprotective alpha that he is does what he thinks is best to protect her, which of course isn't necessarily the best thing for their relationship.
This is fairly steamy, so I would say it is definitely NSFW. If you are listening to the audio, I'd recommend listening to this with headphones on if you are concerned with little ones, co-workers, or anyone else overhearing anything you wouldn't want them to hear if you know what I mean.
Overall this is a fun, fast paced romance. It was a quick listen, and I was totally invested in the story. I'm really looking forward to reading Max and Kari's story, I loved them as side characters. There is obviously something holding them both back from taking the next step and I'm anxious to find out what that is.
The enemy is closing in and everything is on the line.
THE REVENGE, the must-read finale to The Insiders Trilogy from New York Times bestselling author Tijan is out now!
The Revenge is the taut, edgy, sexy, explosive conclusion to The Insiders trilogy by New York Times and USA Today bestseller Tijan!
Bailey and Kash were used to living in the shadows. Now they are thrust into the public eye. Together, they can do anything, but undeniable danger and seemingly insurmountable challenges threaten the love and passion that binds them.
1. Bailey is reeling from the greatest loss she has ever suffered.
2. Enemies are closing in.
3. Even bigger secrets and twists are coming to light.
Win or lose, for Bailey and Kash, everything is on the line.
I didn’t recognize the night guard, but he straightened from the wall where he was positioned when I stepped into the hallway.
“Where is he?” I asked, before he could say anything.
His hands came together in front of him and he stood even taller. He nodded forward. “In the basement gym, ma’am.”
Ma’am.
I grinned at that, literally hearing Chrissy chuckling next to me. “You’re just like me now, girly. Ma’am. What a hoot.”
Yeah. A hoot.
I padded past him and headed for the elevator that went past the main section of the house. Going inside, I hit the basement floor, and there were two guards waiting for me.
I paused, seeing Josh as he was eyeing me. “Don’t you ever sleep?”
He grinned. “I sleep when your man sleeps.”
I narrowed my eyes.
His grin deepened. “So that’s rarely, ma’am.”
I bared my teeth. “Don’t you start with that ‘ma’am’ shit.”
He just laughed. “Would never entertain the thought, ma—”
I growled.
He amended, still chuckling, “Bailey.”
I scoffed, “Better.”
If anyone had asked me where the gym was on the Chesapeake estates, I wouldn’t have had a clue. I would’ve rolled my eyes and said something sarcastic like, “Of course there’s a gym; it’s alongside the Olympic-sized pool,” but now I knew exactly where it was, and it was right next to an Olympic-sized pool, though the pool was only two lanes wide. It wasn’t built for playing and horsing around, not like the pool outside, which had a complete slide with it.
Heading farther toward the gym, I was shocked to not hear sounds of grunting and punching from inside. Instead, the door to the pool was open.
“He had some extra energy to work off.”
I glanced sideways, not having heard Josh walking beside me.
“I honestly don’t think he’s human.”
Josh’s mouth twitched. “You might be on to something, Bailey.”
We came to the door and he stepped forward, checking the room before nodding for me to go ahead. I stepped inside, feeling the humidity and breathing in the chlorine before I noticed Josh shutting the door. A second later, I met his gaze through the door’s window, and he gave me another polite smile before pressing a button. The window frosted over.
Looking to the corner, I saw the camera’s light switch from green to red. Josh was giving us complete privacy, and only when that was all done did I seek out where Kash was. He was at the far end, turning, flipping, and coming up a few paces away, heading my way. I went to the edge and sat down, putting my feet in the water.
I didn’t have long to wait, enjoying the view as Kash’s arms were cutting through the water, his shoulders and biceps bulging from the motion.
I forgot how he was a fish in water.
His head was perfectly in alignment with his shoulders, and every fourth arm swing he raised his mouth up for air and went back down. He went past me. I thought he was going to keep going, but at the last second, his hand snaked out. He latched on to my ankle and tugged me into the water.
I shrieked before I was eating chlorine. “Agh!”
He grinned, the water pulsating between us, and he maneuvered me back until I was against the pool wall. “What are you doing down here?” His eyes were alert, taking me in as he placed both hands on either side of me, trapping me.
The buoyancy kept me floating, but then Kash was moving his legs under me and I was completely resting over him. My legs straddled his, and he hooked one ankle around the other, tugging me to open even wider for him.
Heat flared in me, boiling my blood, but when I thought Kash would bend his head, finding my throat, he didn’t. He moved his head back, sinking so he was on the same eye level as me, and he tugged at his sweatshirt. “Nice shirt.”
I grinned, feeling a laziness intertwining with the warmth in me. “It was this or a robe. This was closer.”
“Really?”
I nodded, enjoying the teasing look in his eyes. It was dark, but it was there. “Really.” My voice hitched on a soft sigh with that one. He grew sober, his head moving back so he could take me in more fully. “You look good.” His eyebrows dipped down. “You look like you again.” His hand moved, and he touched a wet finger beside my eye. “I see you again.”
My throat swelled up, my chest filled with an ache that was bittersweet.
“Woke up.”
“I can see that.” His head cocked to the side, but he didn’t say anything further. He was still holding me in place, and as he settled back, I knew he was waiting for me. He was waiting for whatever I was going to say or do, for whatever path I was going to put us on because that’s what I felt in that moment.
I was awake.
I said, “I know you’ve been waiting for me.”
That somber expression settled back on him and his hand went back to the pool wall, trapping me in again.
“I’ll never forget what they did to her, what he did to her, but I wasn’t myself. You gave me that time. You knew I would come back to me and I did. I’m here. Me. And I’m ready for the next chapter.”
Hunger licked my insides, lighting that fire again.
It grew, jumping up, and it was engulfing me.
I sunk down on Kash’s legs, and the higher that blaze built in me, the more I wanted him. But I wanted more.
I wanted blood.
About Tijan
Tijan is a New York Times Bestselling author that writes suspenseful and unpredictable novels. Her characters are strong, intense, and gut-wrenchingly real with a little bit of sass on the side. Tijan began writing later in life and once she started, she was hooked. She’s written multi-bestsellers including the Carter Reed Series, the Fallen Crest Series, and the Broken and Screwed Series among others. She is currently writing a new series from north Minnesota where she lives with an English Cocker she adores.
I was provided an ARC via the author, all opinions are my own.
This is the fourth book in the Adair Family series, but I feel you could read it as a standalone. I highly recommend the previous 3 books in the series, but you can read them all independently. This is the long awaited story of the mysterious yoga and Pilates instructor Eredine at the very private Ardnoch Estates. Ardnoch Estates is an exclusive vacation club for the celebrity crowd to come and relax and gain some privacy set in the Scottish Highlands. The land is owned by the Adair family, with Arran being the youngest member of the family. Arran has been travelling the world for the last few years, but he recently came home for his eldest brother's wedding and has decided to stay for a spell. He has also caught the eye of a certain yoga instructor. Eredine is a very private person, she's got some skeletons in her closet and doesn't let anyone get too close to her. She is very attracted to Arran, and he is determined to slowly break down her walls and get to know the real her. Arran also has some demons, and with Ery's help he's able to work through some of his feelings.
If you have read the previous books in the series this follows a similar prescription. There is alot of emotion between our two main characters and an element of suspense. As Eredine and Arran are working through their relationship and baggage from the past, there is something in the present that is threatening them and with the help of the entire Adair clan they are working to figure out who is sending them strange gifts and sinister notes.
I loved Eredine and Arran together. Despite the fact that they wanted to push each other away, they kept fighting for each other and coming back and working it out. Each time one of them tried to run, the other one stood their ground and fought for their relationship and open communication. Their family and friends also called them out when needed, and they were always supportive. This had a decent level of steam. I'm so glad we finally got to learn about Eredine and got her entire backstory. It is heartbreaking. This is another smash hit addition to the series and I can't wait for Brodan's story.
Arrochar Adair has loved her brother's ex-bodyguard and best friend, Mac Galbraith, for years. Once upon a time, she was too young for him, but now that she's a mature woman in her thirties, Arro can see no issue with their difference in age. Yet something deeper, a problem much more difficult to surmount, is keeping them apart.
Mac Galbraith remembers clearly the night Arro became everything to him, no longer just his best friend and boss's younger sister. However, having made many mistakes over the years, there is one mistake Mac is determined not to make: to believe that he is worthy of Arrochar Adair. Allowing them to grow closer during his daughter, Robyn's, return has proven his undoing. And when Arro forces the subject of their relationship, his response pushes her away. He just never meant for it to destroy them completely.
Devastated by Mac's final rejection, Arro is determined to move on without him in her life, though he seems intent on staying put. And when the Adair family face a new threat, one that may have ties to Mac's past, Arro can't seem to be rid of the man. In fact, Mac will do anything to protect her.
But with so much hurt between them, will Arro let Mac close enough to guard her from their enemy... before it's too late?
Download today on Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Kobo!
Samantha Young is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. She's been nominated for several Goodreads Choice Awards. Samantha writes adult contemporary and paranormal romance, YA urban fantasy and YA contemporary fiction and is currently published in 31 countries.
I was provided an arc via the author, all opinions are my own.
This is the much awaited story of Mac and Arro, but if you haven't read the previous books in the series this can be read as a standalone. The author does a great job filling you in on enough of the backstory of the other characters and details that you can start with this book if you want and go back and read the previous books if you choose. I do highly recommend reading them in order to get the fully backstory on who everyone else is and their stories.
Despite the 13 year age difference, Arro has been in love with Mac since she was a teenager. It started out as an innocent crush on her eldest brother's friend, then as she got older it turned into something more. Mac has always kept his distance out of respect for Lachlan, his best friend and Arro's brother, despite the fact that he feels the same about her. Mac also has some deep insecurities that are uncovered in the book that cause him to push her away. I won't spoil any of that here. I did really enjoy his character development throughout the book.
As with the other books in the series, this book has an element of suspense to it. After a devastating rejection, Mac and Arro' relationship is in a state of disrepair. When Arro begins to receive threatening notes at home and work, Mac has to step in to protect her at any cost. Arro doesn't want him anywhere near her. He is willing to work to regain her trust as he ensures her safety. Around the same time, Mac also receives word that events from his past may be resurfacing and he may be a target.
While I enjoyed the suspense aspect, I would have preferred that there were only one suspense plotline instead of two. They were both well written, but because they weren't related, I would have only preferred one over the other. They both served their purpose in the character development department. I really appreciated the dialogue in the book with regards to their relationship and trust between the two of them. There was alot of emotion in this book for sure.
I suspect the remaining two Adair brothers will get books to finish out the series, and I hope that Eredine gets her own story if she isn't paired with Arran or Brodan. There are hints are a budding relationship with Arran, but who knows what Samantha has in store for our reclusive, mysterious yoga instructor. I'm looking forward to whatever comes next in this series. I love this series and can't wait for more!
"Tijan delivers on the fun, edge, and angst. Her books never fail to please!"―Kylie Scott, New York Times bestseller
The Damaged, the next unputdownable romantic suspense in The Insiders Series from New York Times bestselling author Tijan, is now available!
No longer an outsider, Bailey has a family and love that she never could’ve imagined.
Used to living in the shadows, Kash will now do anything to protect his family and his woman.
They will take on the world together…
In the meantime, stunning motives, lies, and explosive secrets continue to unfold.
1. Quinn is in jail, awaiting trial.
2. Friends might actually be enemies.
3. And what is Calhoun plotting? More importantly, will Kash discover it before it’s too late?
Everything will come to a head as passion and danger ignite in The Damaged.
Excerpt
Swish, swish. The windshield wipers were busy at work this morning. It’d been raining since late the night before, and now there was just a whole dreary feel to the day. Dark and gloomy, matching my mood. It was perfect. Swish, swish. “Are you nervous, miss?” I wasn’t responding, because this isn’t how things were supposed to be. I wasn’t supposed to wake up in the middle of the night and find the bed empty. And I wasn’t supposed to have to be escorted by one of our guards down to the apartment building’s gym to find my boyfriend , the guy I loved, the guy who was so not a secret from the entire world anymore, pummeling a boxing bag so hard that his knuckles ripped open every night. It was not right that I had to stand on the side, waiting for him to fight through his haze before he noticed I was there, and then watch as blood dripped from his hands to the floor. But all of that was happening. Because three weeks after there’d been a kidnapping attempt on me, after he had saved me, everything was just, simply, not okay. To be more frank, everything was shit. And here I was. In the back of an SUV being driven by one of my two personal bodyguards, to a school that I used to daydream about attending, while my boyfriend, that guy I had come to love so much, was heading into his own personal nightmare. Fitz, my guard, clued in on my state and didn’t ask again, but his eyes were on me . He saw. He more than saw, and I knew I’d be getting a call from Kash about two minutes after the first chance Fitz had a moment to text his boss that I was not okay. Because I wasn’t. Today was the day all my dreams were supposed to come true. Instead, I was a week late going to my graduate program and I wanted to be anywhere except where I was going. And I had no say, because the world found out in a big way I was the daughter of Peter Francis, a tech legend that I’d grown up idolizing until I found out myself, this past summer, that he was also my father. And then there was my boyfriend, Kash Colello, whose grandfather was one of the richest men in the world, but that came with strings and dangerous alliances with the dark underground of the world. My boyfriend, with his inherited wealth, now that he had come out of the shadows to the world, and whose “coming out” was even bigger than mine because of his connections and his family, was now the ninth wealthiest man in the world. Life as Peter Francis’s daughter, life as Kash Colello’s girlfriend, was a whole lot different than life had been as Bailey Hayes. There were rules and expectations and lots and lots of people watching you. So no, I was not okay.
About Tijan Tijan is a New York Times Bestselling author that writes suspenseful and unpredictable novels. Her characters are strong, intense, and gut-wrenchingly real with a little bit of sass on the side. Tijan began writing later in life and once she started, she was hooked. She’s written multi-bestsellers including the Carter Reed Series, the Fallen Crest Series, and the Broken and Screwed Series among others. She is currently writing a new series from north Minnesota where she lives with an English Cocker she adores.
I was provided an audio ARC via Netgalley and Macmillan Audio, all opinions are my own. This book comes out tomorrow, February 8, 2008.
This was ok but it was missing the intensity and suspense that The Insiders had. The suspense kicked up towards, but I would have liked a bit more throughout the entire book. Much like the first book, this has the feel of Tijan's other mafia themed books. This installment reminded me alot of Canary, especially when it comes to how the characters deal with trauma and emotions. Our main character Bailey has been pretty traumatized after teh events that took place in book one. She has been raised to not cry or show emotion as it is a sign of weakness. She is doing everything she can to push down her emotion and avoid dealing with her trauma. As you can imagine this is not going well for her especially as she is starting a challenging masters degree program at her dream school and her life as Peter Francis' daughter and Kashton Colello's girlfriend is now public information. She is social media fodder and that is stress she doesn't need. Much like her emotions, Bailey's character is kind of all over the place in this book. She's still insanely smart when it comes to her school works, then in the next second she is completely insecure when it comes to her relationships with her family and Kash. That being said Kash while part of the story spends alot of time off of the page making moves and keeping Bailey in the dark. Matt and Bailey are building on their relationship and I liked that they are getting closer and can lean on each other.
As with book one there are some graphic sexual scenes, alcohol consumption, and violence. This was a fast, easy read. It is full of drama, and sets us up for what is sure to be an epic showdown between Kash and his grandfather.
"April White writes the kind of books I love to read: romantic but
suspenseful, smart yet so consuming. And you’ll love this cast." - Amy
Harmon, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and New York Times bestselling author
Code of Ethics, an all new enemies to lovers romantic suspense standalone in
the Cipher Security series from April White, is available now!
There are three things you need to know about Oliver Curran:
1) He’s a privileged playboy who happens to be a code-writing genius
2) For once in his life he’s trying to do the right thing
3) Someone wants him dead.
Dallas is a close protection specialist at Cipher Security whose bodyguard
skills have already saved Oliver’s life once. But when the assassin gets too
close to her uncooperative client, Dallas takes the party boy away from the
city where he’s the social king, to the Yukon wilderness where she’s a master
of survival.
If Dallas has to put her life on the line for a self-absorbed guy she doesn’t
respect, then Oliver has to take orders from the too-serious woman he can’t
charm. But living wild brings out their true natures, and suddenly funny is
hot, capable is dangerous, and trust is the strongest survival skill of all.
'Code of Ethics' is a full-length enemies-to-lovers romantic suspense and
can be read as a standalone. Book #3 in the Cipher Security series,
Seduction in the City world, Penny Reid Book Universe.
Read Code of Ethics TODAY!
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2W0kaRm
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3yPk4dR
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Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/2TXKBGC
AppleBooks: https://apple.co/3luYkA7
Nook: https://bit.ly/3inehX3
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Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3yR8yOP
Start the Cipher Security Series of standalones TODAY!
“Is there something else I can help you with, Mr. Curran?”
“Oliver,” I said automatically, my eyes still looking in the direction Quinn
had gone.
“Excuse me?”
“My name is Oliver,” I said, my eyes finally meeting hers, and I dug for my
nicest-guy-in-the-room default. “Yours is Dallas, right?”
“Correct.”
She started walking toward the elevators again, and I couldn’t think of a
reason not to follow. I assumed it wouldn’t get me anywhere to go after Quinn,
and Dallas seemed to be the only one who cared that I was still in the
building.
“Proprietary tech is the only game in the marketplace right now. If my code
leaks, my program turns into the equivalent of generic drugs—worth pennies
instead of millions.”
We’d reached the elevators, and she turned to face me. I was surprised that
she wasn’t taller, because her vibe was all ferocity and overbearing
disapproval. “You didn’t ask for my opinion, but I’m going to give it to you
anyway,” she said.
Of course she would. Women like her couldn’t help themselves. They had to be
right—all the time—out loud. I sighed, too exhausted to bother to dig up more
charm for her.
“Millions are just zeroes and ones in an account,” she continued. “This is
your life, and I think the Russian will do a lot worse than try to knife you
if he manages to catch you alone.”
I’d just hit the button, but I whipped around to face her. “The Russian? What
are you, partners?”
The woman almost rolled her eyes at me, and I was glad to get a rise out of
her. It was way more fun than panicking, which was my other option.
“I heard him swear in Russian,” she said in a voice that was back to ice queen
inflection.
“You speak Russian,” I scoffed.
“Enough,” she said. The elevator doors opened behind me, and Dallas reached a
hand past me to hold them.
“What did he say, then?” I asked. She took a step forward, crowding me back
into the elevator.
“Ty moy, suchka.”
“Which means?” I asked, taking a step forward when I realized that she’d
managed to make me move with just her body language.
She let go of the elevator doors. “You’re my bitch,” she said, and I had to
jump back as the doors closed between us.
About April White
** Vivian Award Nominee, 2021 **
APRIL WHITE has been a film producer, private investigator, bouncer, teacher
and screenwriter. She has climbed in the Himalayas, survived a shipwreck, and
lived on a gold mine in the Yukon. She and her husband share their home in
Southern California with two extraordinary boys and a lifetime collection of
books.
Her first novel, Marking Time is the 2016 winner of the Library Journal Indie
E-Book Award for YA Literature, and all five books in the Immortal Descendants
series are on the Amazon Top 100 lists in Time Travel Romance and Historical
Fantasy. Code of Conduct was an RWA Vivian Award finalist for romantic
suspense, a Next Generation Award finalist for romance, and RONE Award
finalist for suspense. And Death’s Door is a Grand Prize winner of the Next
Generation Award, and a Foreword Reviews Award finalist. More information and
her blog can be found at
www.aprilwhitebooks.com.
I was provided an ARC via Smartypants Romance, all opinions
are my own.
Can I say how much I loved Dallas! She is strong and strong willed. She is great at so many things, and while she
is awesome, she's also flawed. She grew
up learning how to hunt, fish, and track with her grandfather, aka
Grandpop. She spent time guiding hunting
expeditions in the Yukon, but when she realized that the outfitter was using
her for her Indigenous status. She left
Canada to get away from the betrayal and the loss she experienced in and began
a career in close protection services (aka she's a bodyguard) with Cipher. If you've been keeping up with the series or
have read the Knitting in the City books you'll know that Cipher is Quinn
Sullivan's security company. She's all
business and very good at her job. She
is also a nomad, never staying in one place for too long and living out of her
suitcase. I really loved getting to know
Dallas and thought her character was very well developed. I also really enjoyed her family.
By pure chance, Dallas ends up helping Oliver out of a life
or death situation and he ends up working with Cipher for protection and
security. Oliver is a bit of a genius
when it comes to computer coding, and his current project is worth millions and
some pretty unsavory folks do no want him to release it to the highest bidder. Oliver decides to accompany Dallas to the
Yukon to get away from it all while she tends to some family business, which
means he has to live a bit off the grid.
Oliver is a pretty interesting character and he offsets Dallas
nicely. He has lived a completely
different life than she has, but he is not without his own emotional baggage
and once he gets to know her he isn't afraid to show it. He compliments her seriousness with his
playfulness. They had great banter and
good dialogue. I'm a sucker for good
banter and conversation between characters!
I really enjoyed the romance and the suspense. This also has some comedic moments. Dallas' cousin Reed is hilarious. I really liked the dark web, security
thriller aspects. If you aren't really
into thrillers, don't worry this isn't super scary or overly psychological. Romance is still the main theme, but it does
have a cool thriller aspect and some good action scenes. Also, this is 100% a standalone. While I recommend the other books in the
series, you can read this without having read them first. They are what I'd consider companion novels,
where the characters are inter-related, but the stories are not connected. I do love this series and highly recommend
it!
I was provided an ARC via the author, all opinions expressed are my own.
You are not prepared for the emotional rollercoaster that this book is going to take you on. If you read book 1 in the series, our main character Regan did not leave you with a great first impression. This book basically picks up were book 1 leaves off with Regan showing up to see her big sister Robyn, unannounced in Scottland after not seeing her for over a year through some trying times. The sisters have quite alot to discuss and emotions are high as Regan has had some pretty tough things to deal with of her own while she was away. She is finally ready to face her sister and make amends for the way she dealt with Robyn's situation, so here she is in Scottland. While the sisters mend their relationship, Regan finds herself a job as a nanny to Robyn's soon to be brother in law Thane, who happens to have the most adorable children. They take instantly to Regan, and the family falls into a comfortable routine with her around. Thane and Regan quickly come to a realization that they are attracted to one another and they begin a secret affair with no strings attached. As things heat up in the bedroom, things from the past threaten to upset Thane's family and their blissful bubble.
I thought the character development was excellent in this. Regan had quite alot of emotional trauma to deal with as did Thane. She was running from several different things that happened and kept running until she came to Scottland to face Robyn. Slowly as she became settled did she feel more comfortable to talk about them and was finally able to talk about things and face the things that happened. I really liked that the author mentioned that going to therapy doesn't make you weak. Mental health is so important and sometimes you need a little help especially if you have experienced a traumatic event such as the characters in the book did. There were some really great emotional scenes in this book that had me tearing up several different times. This was the perfect mix of romance, emotion, family, friendship, and a little suspense. I loved it!
I highly recommend that you read Here With Me first, but this does stand nicely on it's own as a standalone. The author gives you plenty of backstory from the first book that you don't need to read it first to fully enjoy this book. If you want to know more about Robyn and Lachlan's relationship, that's where you'll find them, but you are given enough information here that you don't feel confused or lost if you started with this book first. I'm really excited to see which of the Adair siblings will be featured in book 3. This series is so well executed.
I was provided an ARC via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.
This book was fine, it was way too long in my opinion. It was marketed as a thriller and romantic suspense, but the thriller element is barely present and I didn't feel that it was suspenseful at all. This is a family saga about a woman who has built herself up from her own ambition, despite sitiation. Her mother, who is also ambitious, let her career come first and her daughter come when she had a free moment between filming yoga videos and doing appearances. Adrian built her own fitness empire and family based on her desires and needs. When she starts receiving death threats, her mother passes them off as part of the business and tells her to move on. This is basically what the book does with the thriller aspect of the book. The book focuses on Adrian, her work as a fitness expert, her relationships with her Grandparents, her friends, her dog, and her life in the small town of Traveler's creek. This book is over 400 pages and the thriller aspect takes less than 25% of it. For me it got a bit repetitive with the workouts, filming videos, entertaining of friends, and waiting for the bad guy to make his move.
The writing was good. I like Nora Roberts as an author, but this was not the page turner I was expecting. The romance was slow burn, and when the couple finally gets together it wasn't in my opinion very exciting. The chemistry between them was kind of lack luster. I felt the same about the reveal for the suspense aspect. I had that part figured out very early on, so when it finally came there was no heart pounding suspense for me. It was very much "it is about time" because it took so long to get to the action. I feel had this book been significantly shorter I might have felt differently.
Overall I felt this book was a bit on the boring side. The pace was very slow and the characters were flat. They never really developed beyond who they were. I kept waiting for the action to pick up but it didn't. The family and friends scenes were very repetitive. If you enjoy family saga's you may really enjoy this book. The thriller aspect is fairly tame, there is not a ton of gory violence and there is so little of it in the book if you aren't a fan it won't turn you away from the main story. Unfortunately, this one wasn't for me.
I was provided an ARC from the author, all opinions expressed are my own.
This was a nice change of pace from Samantha Young. She hasn't really delved into Romantic Suspense and I really liked what she did here. This has all of the things I love about her contemporary romance books, great characters, wonderful "world building" (I really felt like I was in Scotland), wonderful dialogue, and emotional exchanges amongst all the players. In this case we also have a bit of a mystery on our hands, and our main heroine Robyn is attempting to work through who is stalking our hero. I had my suspicions as to who was behind the events, but Sam did a great job leading me down other paths until the very end. At every turn there was some reason why whoever you were suspecting at the time couldn't be the culprit, they had an alibi, the suspect had a different description, they weren't on the property at the time, etc. She did a great job misleading the reader until the very end when you find out who really was the mastermind behind the entire thing. I had several different suspects on my list throughout.
Samantha descriptions of Scotland in this book as well as her others, is such that you feel like you are there. I've always wanted to go there, but now I'm desperate to get there after reading this. I could picture Ardnoch and the surrounding areas through her words. She did an amazing job describing the setting, especially when it came to the pictures Robyn was taking and the landscapes. ANother thing that she has always done so well is the banter between characters. Robyn is a spitfire, she quit her job as Boston police officer reconnect with her estranged father. Her dad works as head of security at a luxurious and private club for the rich and famous and it is run by Lachlan Adair. Robyn and Lachlan do not hit it off at first, but their verbal exchanges go from hostile to business to playful over the course of the book. Lachlan has lots of responsibilities, and he likes to keep things under control, so when a stalker starts leaving him messages and "gifts" at his club, things start to get uncomfortable for him. Robyn arriving doesn't help matters, especially as Mac, her father, is attacked. Robyn is now determined to see that her dad is safe and the stalker is put away. This forces her to face her past emotions and current feelings about Mac and Lachlan.
I really enjoyed this. I love thrillers, and while this doesn't have the dark and ominous aspect you expect from a thriller, it does have that suspenseful undercurrent. I was always wondering what was going to happen next or when the next suspense aspect was going to happen. I also loved the character development in all of this. Robyn was such a dynamic character. She is fierce and able to fight off an assailant, but she also wasn't afraid to be vulnerable on her own terms. She may have avoided having difficult conversations until she was ready to have them, but she always knew she would have them on her terms and when she was ready. She never pushed them off and pretended they would go away. Lachlan was interesting as well, he puts up a good front, but as we get to know him there is so much more to the man behind the curtain. I also loved the side characters. There are so many of them with great stories that I can't list them all, but I hope that we get to see more of them as the series progresses. I can't wait for the next book!
I was provided an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This follows Cletus and Jenn as they approach their wedding day, but just as in Engagement and Espionage, they are caught up in solving a crime in the usually quiet town of Green Valley. It all starts at their engagement party, there is a big scene at the party and the next thing you know there is a murder investigation underway. After weeks go by with no suspect being brought to justice, Cletus and Jenn decide that they are going to put their detective work into action and help Green Valley's finest bring the murder to justice. In the meantime, they have their wedding to plan and other life stresses to deal with. I won't spoil anything for you because learning who dun it is half the fun of reading the book. I thought the mystery element was really fun in addition to the emotional and sometimes steamy scenes we get between Cletus and Jenn. This book will take you on an emotional rollercoaster of the best sort. You will laugh, you will cry, you you will say "awww", and repeat.
If you like romantic suspense mixed in with a bit of comedy and some emotion, this is amazing. It is no secret that I'm a huge Penny fan! She hit this one out of the park. Cletus and Jenn are amazing as always, with the two of them navigating their romance amidst a murder investigation but never forgetting how much they love each other. The both have grown so much since Beard Science, and we get to see them both develop quite a bit more as they interact with the other Winston's and their partners. Jenn is still coming out of her Banana Cake Queen shell and learning to be her own person and all of those ideals she was taught aren't necessarily how she should live her life. I also love that she has developed a much healthier relationship with her mother and that she is still holding out hope for Isaac. We also see Cletus soften around the edges a bit. His feelings about his father and getting revenge have shifted a bit and he isn't quite as driven toward his initial goals as he was before. He's also starting to change his attittudes about the people in Green Valley instead of having only one opinion about them forever, I'm looking at you Jackson James.
I really have nothing negative to say about this book other than I want more books in this series ASAP! I love the Winston world and can't wait for more books in Green Valley!
"Readers are in for a thrilling and emotional ride with this one! The storyline is engrossing, the characters are complex, and the chemistry is off-the-charts palpable. It's my favorite book by Samantha Young to date." -- K.A. Tucker, international bestselling author of The Simple Wild
Black Tangled Heart, by New York Times bestselling author Samantha Young, is LIVE!
To my siblings, Jane was a friend. A pseudo-sister, the girl we grew up with.
To me? She was everything.
Our passion consumed us.
When our world fell apart, I thought our love would be the thing that held us together.
She was the love of my life. But she abandoned me when I needed her most.
And I’ll never forgive her.
For years I’ve been planning my revenge against the people who took everything from me.
Jane won’t be an exception. I’m coming for her.
She knows it.
She says she wants to help me serve my version of justice on the people who hurt me.
I’ll let her.
She probably thinks it will save her from me.
It won’t.
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I stared dully at my painting. My creative mood had left the building, under the weight of the many questions going around and around in my head. Adrenaline made it hard for me to sit still. Cursing Jamie under my breath, I grabbed my laundry basket and headed toward the front door. Peering through the peephole, I double-checked his door was shut before I left my apartment. Glowering at his door as I passed, I hurried downstairs. How the hell had he maneuvered himself into my building? And why?
To my gratitude, the laundry room was empty as I crashed around inside it. I hauled out my stash of detergent and softener from my allocated locker and started separating my whites. That rat bastard. My heart raced, sweat gathered under my arms, and it agitated me. An encounter with Jamie was the equivalent of fifteen shots of caffeine.
And I hated that he knew I was lying to Asher. Something he could easily hold over my head.
“You are a very angry laundry doer.”
Jamie’s deep, rich voice startled me. Trying to control my breathing, I glared over at him standing in the doorway. Arms and ankles crossed as he leaned casually against the jamb. He wore a T-shirt and jeans. Nothing had changed there.
He was still the sexiest man I’d ever seen.
God, I hate him.
“What the hell are you doing in this building?” I turned my back on him, marching over to the stacked washers and dryers.
“I had no idea you lived here,” he lied, his voice growing closer as he crossed the room toward me.
Attempting not to react physically, to not hunch my shoulders in tension, I stared unseeing at the machines. What was I in the middle of doing again?
“What a surprise to find out you’re my neighbor.”
I snorted in disbelief and turned around, shocked to find him already in my personal space. “Liar.” I dragged my gaze insolently down his body and back up. “Move away. And I mean that in more ways than one.”
“Oh, does my presence bother you?” His wicked smile caused somersaults in my belly.
“What are you doing here?” I ignored his proximity. Okay, I tried to ignore his proximity.
In answer, he stepped into me and I stumbled against the machines at my back. Jamie pressed the palms of his hands on the dryer, caging me in. My breath caught and held as his scent flooded me. That dark, earthy scent was enticing, and my body betrayed my emotions.
Feeling panic rise, I pushed at his chest, but he wouldn’t budge. “Jamie?”
Those ocean eyes wandered over my face, cold, calculating. “He doesn’t know who I am. You haven’t told him.”
I lowered my hands. Touching him was even more discombobulating. “No.”
He bent his head toward mine until our noses almost touched. I sucked in a breath. “I wonder why you’re keeping it from him?”
Determined not to let him see how much he affected me, I glared up at him. He’d only have to touch me, hold my hand, to realize I was trembling. His face was so familiar. His lips were lips I’d thought I’d kiss for the rest of my life. Why did the pain of it never dull? Why did it still feel like a shard of glass through my chest? “Did you leak those tapes of Foster Steadman to Asher’s mom?”
Something menacing flashed in his eyes before he banked it. “And if I did?”
“Are you being smart, Jamie?”
“Are you asking out of concern for me or for your billionaire boy toy?”
“Jamie.”
“Never mind. I don’t care.” The bastard dipped his nose to my throat, and I tensed against the stacked machines. He inhaled, his nose brushing my skin, and my fingers bit into the washer behind me. “You smell different,” he whispered, lifting his head to my ear. “Expensive perfume. You’ve come up in the world.”
I felt his breath caress my skin seconds before his teeth touched my earlobe. Gasping, I instinctively pushed my palms against his stomach as he bit down hard, causing a flush of heat between my legs.
With a dark chuckle, Jamie released my ear after one last nibble and whispered, “Is he the jealous type, Jane?”
About S. Young:
Samantha Young is a New York Times and #1 International bestselling author from Stirlingshire, Scotland. On Dublin Street was Samantha's first adult contemporary romance series and has sold in thirty countries. She has since published over thirteen romance titles including the New York Times Bestsellers Into the Deep, Hero, and her most recent contemporary romance Fight or Flight. When writing Adult Paranormal romance she writes under the pen name S. Young.
The Exception by Adriana Locke
