The Lies Among Us by Sarah Beth Durst

April 2, 2024 By Leave a Comment


The Lies Among Us by Sarah Beth Durst
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Cholla

After her mother dies, Hannah doesn’t know how to exist without her. Literally. In fact, Hannah’s not even certain that she does exist. No one seems to see or hear her, and she finds herself utterly alone. Grief-stricken and confused, her sense of self slowly slipping away, Hannah sets out to find new purpose in life—and answers about who (and what) she really is.

Hannah’s only remaining family is her older sister, Leah. Yet even Leah doesn’t seem to notice her. And while Hannah can see and hear her sister, she also sees beautiful and terrible things that don’t—or shouldn’t—exist. She learns there’s much more to this world than meets the eye and struggles to make sense of it all.

When Hannah sees Leah taking the same dangerous path that consumed their own mother—where lies supplant reality—she’s desperate to get through to her. But facing difficult truths is harder than it looks…

What happens to a lie after the liar is gone?

For two decades, Hannah’s only focus has been on her mother. But when her mother dies, Hannah’s world and everything she knows is shattered. How does she find her way without the most important person in her life?

Hannah is one of the most interesting characters I’ve ever met. While she stumbles a bit after her mother’s death, she eventually finds her direction after a chance meeting. Sylvie is everything Hannah never thought she could be, and together they alter each other’s perception of the world and the reality they live in. They are truly the biggest catalyst for character development in each other, which was really fascinating to watch.

Leah, on the other hand, doesn’t handle her mother’s death very well. There were so many unresolved issues between them that it’s extra hard for her to process the loss. She lashes out, acts erratically, and attempts to shut out everyone who cares about her while she struggles through her grief. It was heartbreaking to watch, but very real and extremely visceral.

The thing that will stick with me long after I’ve put this book up on my bookshelf is how Hannah reinvents herself after her mother dies. She finds new purpose and new adventures, all while holding onto her past. In addition, there is so much insight into how humans work in this novel. A favorite quote, “Who we are is who we’ve been. And who we’ve known.” That hit me right where it hurt. Every person we meet, even peripherally, becomes a part of us in a way.

The Lies Among Us is one of the most interesting and unique stories I’ve read in a long time. It’s hard to even review it properly. Beautifully written and strewn with intriguing characters, I couldn’t stop reading once I started. We all know that we’ll inevitably lose someone who means the world to us, but we’re never quite ready for it, even when we have advanced notice of it. This novel shows you both the horror and beauty of love, loss, and moving on in a relatable and emotional way.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Other, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Smoke and Mirrors by Pelaam

February 7, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Smoke and Mirrors by Pelaam
Publisher: Pride Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, LGBTQ, Paranormal
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Cholla

Two may be company, but four is pure magic.

Leo thinks he’s scored the scoop of a journalist’s lifetime when he secures an all-expenses paid trip to write in-depth articles on the magic act Three of Wands.

However, American billionaire and recluse, Paul, who commissioned the articles, isn’t all he seems, and soon Leo is plunged into a situation where things are not what they appear to be.

Leo falls in love with all three men of Three of Wands—Lucien, Xanto and Ahad—and they are equally keen to take him as their fourth.

When evil strikes Leo and Xanto, will even the combined powers of Lucien, Ahad and their familiar, Salem, be enough to save them?

When Leo sets out to interview the renown magic group Three of Wands, he thinks it’s going to be his big journalistic break. After all, who’d fly him all the way from New Zealand to the US if they didn’t think he could handle the job? However, he’s about to discover that the Three of Wands have more than his career in mind – like possibly the rest of his life? But when danger strikes, it’ll take all four of them working together to make it out alive.

Of all four, Leo was by far my favorite character. His attachment to his grandmother was sweet, and I enjoyed how he approached everything he was faced with. Even when he was nervous or afraid, he put himself out there, ready to face it head on. The way the Three of Wands took to him was fun as well, each welcoming him almost immediately into their group. Each magician is different from the other and their wildly varying personalities make their little group a joy. Leo fits right in, too.

However, there were a lot of things going on for such a short novella. At times, it made it hard for me to follow and keep track of who was doing what. There was also the issue of the tentacles. Which simply isn’t my thing, even if it did add an air of exoticness to the story.

Overall, Smoke and Mirrors was fast paced and exciting. The moments between the boys were smoking hot as well, making you eager for the next time they have a minute to be alone. Also, the addition of the mythological aspects was intriguing. I’d love to read more about where the four of them are now and what they’re doing with the magic show and, of course, each other.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Candy Magic by M. C. Roth

January 25, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Candy Magic by M. C. Roth
Publisher: Pride Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Holiday, LGBTQ, Paranormal
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Cholla

Sweeter than candy—hotter than magic.

Crean is trying to leave it all behind—the closet, his overbearing family and, of course, his magic. In a world where vampires and shifters are hidden among humans, Crean is the odd one out. Born as a human to a family of shifters, he’s been hiding his orientation and his magic for his entire life.

In search of a new start, he sets out on a journey to a different province. The only condition is he has to live with his brother and his three roommates.

Living with a vampire, a werewolf and a faerie is bound to be a disaster, and Crean does his best to avoid the strangers. But everything he’s been told about others is wrong, and his life is about to change forever.

What would you do in order to be free? To stop having to hide all that you are? For Crean, that means leaving home and moving in with his younger brother, Rian, and his roommates. What starts out as a risky and possibly disastrous situation turns into more than any of them could have ever imagined.

Crean is a fun character. I enjoyed watching him grow into his sexuality and really own it. His interactions with his brother are fun and very realistic. He also has very different relationships with the other roommates, too, which I appreciated.

Rian’s roommates were a crazy bunch. A vampire, a wolf shifter, and a faery. Even more amusing is that Rian’s a panther shifter himself, so a dog, a cat, a biter, and a fae all in the same house. This diversity of paranormals makes for an enjoyable bit of banter throughout the story, as well as different experiences for Crean as he bonds with each man. It’s hard to choose a favorite, too, because each had a fun or quirky personality trait that endeared them to me.

One small thing that bothered me with the story is that Crean’s magic wasn’t really addressed. He hid it from everyone, but even his lovers don’t know about it. While reading, I assumed that the reason why Nate could feed off him and be sated for a long period of time was due to the magic. The same goes for what transpired with Tristan as well. But it’s a small thing and didn’t really detract from my enjoyment of the story overall.

Candy Magic is a super steamy, funny, and magical romance. Mixing an awkward, inexperienced ‘human’ in with a house full of more experienced paranormal beings is indeed a recipe for disaster, but it can also be a recipe for love, passion, and joy. I’d love to know more about their lives after this story ends, I just couldn’t get enough of Crean and his boys.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The Manor House by Author: Gilly Macmillan

January 5, 2024 By Leave a Comment


The Manor House by Author: Gilly Macmillan
(Narrators: Ethan Reid, Nathalie Buscombe, Clare Corbett, Fenella Woogler, Josh Dylan, Ben Allen, Sian Thomas)
Publisher: Harper Audio
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Cholla

Be careful what you wish for…

Childhood sweethearts Nicole and Tom are a normal, loving couple—until a massive lottery win changes their lives overnight.

Soon they’ve moved into a custom-built state-of-the-art Glass Barn on the stunning grounds of Lancaut Manor in Gloucestershire. They have fancy cars, expensive hobbies, and an exclusive lifestyle they never could have imagined.

But this dream world quickly turns into a nightmare when Tom is found dead in the swimming pool. Was Tom’s death a tragic accident, or was it something worse?

Nicole is devastated. Tom was her rock. And their beautiful barn —with all its smart features that never seem to work for her—is beginning to feel very lonely. But she’s not entirely by herself out there in the country. There’s a nice young couple who live in the Manor itself along with their middle-aged housekeeper who has the Coach House. And an old friend of Tom’s from school has turned up to help her get through her grief.

But big money can bring big problems and big threats. And is Nicole’s life in danger as well?

Nicole’s beginning to feel like a little fish in a big glass bowl.

Surrounded by piranhas.

Nicole and Tom thought that their lives were perfect. They’d won the lottery and had moved into a beautiful home of their own design. The neighbors seemed pleasant, and all was looking up for them. And then Tom turns up dead. What will become of Nicole now that her soulmate is gone?

There are a lot of points of view in this book. Nicole, the widow, Ollie and Sasha, the neighbors, Kitty, the housekeeper, Anna, via a journal, and Hal and Jen, the police officers. You even get Tom’s perspective the morning of his death, which was probably my favorite of all the views we got. Nicole was another favorite character of mine, seeing everything unfold in front of her while she’s dealing with her grief was both exciting and heartbreaking.

I chose the audio version of this novel and was happy with the narration. There are different narrators for each point of view, which makes it easier for me to follow the story. Each narrator brought their character to life, giving them a distinctive perspective and voice. I listen to a lot of audiobooks, and I honestly prefer those with more than one narrator, and this is the reason why. It feels more like an audio production than simply someone reading a novel to you.

I’ve read a couple of books by this author and have enjoyed them both. However, The Manor House exceeded expectations by a long shot. There are several red herrings weaved into the story, things that had me pointing my finger at a suspect, only to be surprised later. As with all thrillers, there are a couple of unexpected twists that caught me by surprise. The ending left me both satisfied and unhappy at the same time. Overall, it’s still the best book of hers that I’ve read to date and makes me eager to pick up more by her.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

There’s No Coming Back From This by Ann Garvin

August 1, 2023 By Leave a Comment


There’s No Coming Back From This by Ann Garvin
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Women’s Fiction
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Cholla

It seems lately that Poppy Lively is invisible to everyone but the IRS.

After her accountant absconded with her life savings, newly bankrupt Poppy is on the verge of losing her home when an old flame, now a hotshot producer, gives her a surprising way out: a job in costumes on a Hollywood film set. It’s a bold move to pack her bags, keep secrets from her daughter, and head to Los Angeles, but Poppy’s a capable person—how hard can a job in wardrobe be? It’s not like she has a choice; her life couldn’t get any worse. Even so, this midwesterner has a lot to learn about the fast and loose world of movie stars, iconic costumes, and back-lot intrigue.

As a single mom, she’s rarely had time for watching movies, she doesn’t sew, and she doesn’t know a thing about dressing the biggest names in the business. Floundering and overlooked, Poppy has one ally: Allen Carol, an ill-tempered movie star taken with Poppy’s unfiltered candor and general indifference to stardom.

When Poppy stumbles upon corruption, she relies on everyone underestimating her to discover who’s at the center of it, a revelation that shakes her belief in humanity. What she thought was a way to secure a future for her daughter becomes a spotlight illuminating the facts: Poppy is out of her league among the divas of Tinseltown.

Poppy must decide whether to keep her mouth shut, as she’s always done, or with the help of a scruffy dog, show the moviemakers that they need her unglamorous ways, whether the superstars like it or not.

Desperate times call for desperate measures, and Poppy Lively sure is desperate. By trusting the wrong person at the wrong time, her entire life has been sent into a tailspin, one she doesn’t think she’ll be able to pull herself – or her daughter – out of in time. So, what does a mom do when there’s nothing left to do? She accepts a job from a man she hasn’t seen in over a decade and moves across the country for a job. Of course she does, right?

Poppy Lively is your typical Midwestern mom. Hardworking, loving, and dedicated to her only child, So dedicated that she does everything in her power to make sure that her daughter has no idea that they’re about to lose everything. Her journey from single mom in Wisconsin to the costume department on a move set in Los Angeles is one that so many make, but never for the reasons she chose.

Her transformation is amazing. When she arrives in LA, Poppy is uncertain, confused, and hopeless. She has no one and nowhere to go, so she sneaks about trying not to get caught surviving. The more desperate her situation becomes, the less she starts to care about what others might think and sets her eye on the prize. Along the way, she gets some very unexpected help from a movie star, an arrogant but traumatized young woman, and a dog that was thrust into her care.

Packed full of laughter, life lessons, and a ton of spunky characters, There’s No Coming Back from This is an entertaining adventure of one woman who is out of her element. Poppy is a brilliant light in a city full of burnt-out bulbs. Even in her lowest moments, I was rooting for her and knew she’d succeed in the end.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Retribution by Robert McCaw

May 30, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Retribution by Robert McCaw
Publisher: Oceanview Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Cholla

As people around him come under attack, Chief Detective Koa Kane wonders if he might be the real target

In the back alley of a bar on Hawaii Island, a young man is found stabbed to death. When Hilo Chief Detective Koa Kane begins investigating the crime, the murder weapon is recovered only a few feet away from the body. Crime scene technicians find fingerprints on the knife — they are a perfect match for Koa’ s younger brother, Ikaika.

As the brothers scramble to prove Ikaika’ s innocence, another crime sends shockwaves through the Hilo police force. A sniper tries to take out Makanui, Koa’ s closest colleague. As Koa tries to figure out whether these crimes are linked, the sinister force continues their killing spree, threatening Koa and his loved ones at every turn.

Could Koa be the real target? If so, who is behind this trail of retribution? With his own secret criminal past, Koa confronts an all-out offensive against those closest to him and his police force to which he has devoted his life. As the bodies pile up, Koa finds himself the ultimate target of a ruthless adversary and must risk it all to survive.

First, it was one of the detectives under his command. Then it was his brother. But before long, Chief Detective Koa Kane began to wonder if there was more to it. Random attacks that just happen to surround him, or was he a connecting thread tying them all together? There was only one way to find out and Koa was determined to uncover the truth.

Retribution is the kind of detective novel that I enjoy the best. A group of detectives working together to solve a crime as a team. The camaraderie and friendships between them are often more important to me than the actual crimes. Koa has a great relationship with his team, with the forensic team, and the local prosecutor as well, which is a huge plus for me.

Koa himself is a tough but fair boss, who strives to do his best while bringing out the best in his squad. He’s a smart and effective detective as well. The way he worked through what was going on and actually listened to the thoughts and advice of others only made me like him more. The rest of his team was well put together and likable as well. The combination of experienced officers with a less experienced one worked well for the story.

The setting is what drew me to Retribution – I’ve not read a book set in Hawaii before now. However, the cast of characters is what kept me reading. Good, honest detectives and some pretty frightening bad guys came together to create an engaging and intense story. Once I picked it up, I didn’t want to stop reading. The bad guy reveal surprised me as well. My only complaint is that this is the fifth book in the series and I’m only just now discovering it. Time to hit the library for the first four.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Liquid Shades of Blue by James Polkinghorn

May 24, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Liquid Shades of Blue by James Polkinghorn
Publisher: Oceanview Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Cholla

First his brother, now his mother—Jack Girard searches for the truth behind his family’s tragedies

When hungover ex-lawyer and Key West bar owner Jack Girard groggily wakes up one morning, he’s greeted by a beautiful woman lying next to him and a shrill, ringing telephone. Seeing the call is from his father, Claude “The Duke” Girard, Jack answers. Within seconds, he learns that his mother is dead in an apparent suicide, and Jack hits the road, heading back to his childhood home in Miami to face his tyrannical father.

The death of his mother brings up haunting memories from Jack’s past—memories of his brother Bobby’s suicide when they were in college together. Being back in Miami only continues to dredge up his family traumas, but things grow more complicated when The Duke suggests that his estranged wife’s alleged suicide may have been a murder.

As Jack begins to uncover the truth about his mother’s death, including the secret she had revealed to only two people—the same secret Bobby had taken with him to his grave—he finds himself in imminent danger. Can Jack reveal the true story before it’s too late? He has to act quickly, or he fears he may be the victim of the next Girard family tragedy.

Jack Girard has seen his share of tragedy. Having lost his brother to suicide in college, he’s blindsided by the news that his mother, too, has taken her own life. But something’s not sitting right with Jack. Is it his past that’s haunting him and making him doubt reality, or was his mother murdered? There’s only one way to find out.

Lawyer turned bar owner Jack Girard is an interesting character. Having mostly abandoned practicing law, he only takes on worthy clients now, focusing his time and attention on the bar. I liked that about him, that he would rather put his energy into something not guaranteed to turn a profit rather than taking on rich clients and banking the retainers. On the downside, he is a bit egotistical at times, which was somewhat a put off for me. I do get it, however, because you need to be very certain you’re right to be a successful lawyer. In the end, that ego is what pushes him until he finds the answers to the questions he’s been asking, so it works for him.

Jack’s father, Duke Girard, was awful from the get-go. Every interaction Jack had with him was fraught with tension and derision. While I understand that he’s just a character, his attitude sometimes made reading the interactions between himself and Jack tough to get through. He does, however, make for a very dislikable villain.

Liquid Shades of Blue is a slow burn mystery that takes you from a bar in Key West, Florida to a mansion in Miami, on a search for the truth. At times the writing could have been tightened up and made more precise, cutting down on some of the overly long sentences and paragraphs. However, the plot is solid and the characters engaging enough to make you want to know how it ends. I’d be curious to see what the author publishes next.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Three’s Company by Kristian Parker

October 19, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Three’s Company by Kristian Parker
Publisher: Pride Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, LGBTQ
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Cholla

They’re the perfect throuple…if only the rest of the world agreed.

Will Johnstone’s father is desperately ill, and he races home from London to the Yorkshire village of Napthwaite to be with him. Almost immediately he meets cute postman, Hardeep and mysterious newcomer, Andrew. There weren’t handsome men like this in Napthwaite when he lived here…

Heat flares between the three very different men, passion they have no intention of resisting, or denying. But having their roots deep and their lives entwined in a small village is not like living in a bustling metropolis. And with domineering mothers, problem teenagers, sick fathers and someone’s past knocking at the door, the path of true love is anything but smooth.

Can Will, Hardeep and Andrew, three very different people, steer their relationship past the rocks and find a way into uncharted territory…together?

When Will got the call that his father was ill and needed his help, he put on the role of dutiful son and came home. However, when he arrived in the sleepy little village of his childhood, he stumbles into something he’d never anticipated. Something that could change his life – for the better – forever. But is he strong enough to embrace it?

Will’s situation was a tough one. He and his father had a strained relationship that kept them apart for various reasons, reasons that were understandable, but not insurmountable. It was stressful at first, watching their interactions, but as the story moves forward and they spend more time together, they begin to get reacquainted. Seeing their relationship mend was one of the highlights of the story, in my opinion.

Andrew is stuck in a time loop it seems. He wants desperately to move on from his previous, unsatisfying relationship, but doesn’t seem able to move on. It makes sense when you finally find out more about his past, but his entire attitude towards Will and Hardeep almost ruined it all for me. Luckily for him (and me, I suppose), his two potential boyfriends aren’t willing to give up on him.

My favorite of the three by far was Hardeep. I could relate to him being a single father and the clashes he had with his daughter felt very real. He’s also very closeted and, while I’ve never gone through that myself, I could empathize with the fear and anxiety over being discovered. He also had a very sweet relationship with both his mother and his daughter.

Three’s Company is a sweet, spicy, and sometimes difficult story of finding your way through the trauma and hatred to the happiness you know you deserve. The author’s writing style is easy and flowing, and kept me engaged, despite switching between three different points of view. I was thrilled to see them find their happy ending after all they went through. Although part of a series, it works well as a stand-alone, and pertinent events from the previous novel are explained enough so that you don’t feel lost when they’re brought up. I’m looking forward to going back and reading the previous book as well, the inhabitants of Napthwaite are too much fun to leave behind.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Last Mile by Kat Martin

June 9, 2022 By Leave a Comment


The Last Mile by Kat Martin
Publisher: Kensington
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Cholla

When Abigail Holland awakes to the sound of a nighttime intruder in her rambling Denver Victorian, she knows exactly what the black shrouded figure is after—the map she recently inherited from her grandfather. Whoever he is, the man who grapples with her, then escapes, is willing to kill for the location of a treasure King Farrell hunted for more than ten years. The Devil’s Gold has claimed hundreds of lives, and it was her grandfather’s obsession.

With a killer pursuing her and her own family not to be trusted, Abby decides to take up the search herself. But she’ll need help to do it, and there’s no one better than renowned explorer and treasure hunter Gage Logan. Despite the instant chemistry between them, Gage is reluctant. Innocent people have been hurt on his watch before. But when Abby shows him a genuine gold ingot she found with the map, his curiosity is piqued. Before long they’re heading into the flash floods and brutal winds of the Superstition Mountains, straight into a passionate entanglement—and the dark heart of danger.

What happens when the daughter of a treasure hunter is left clues to her own possible treasure? She hunts for it, of course! But not without help. Before Abby can discover whether the map her grandfather, the great King Farrell, leads to anything, she needs to find the right person to lead the expedition. Enter Gage Logan. And let the adventure begin!

Abby Holland is a strong, intelligent, and determined woman. Dead set on finding the treasure her grandfather knows exists, she sets out to find it, help or not. I can’t lie, I loved the way she put Gage in line from the very first conversation. She was not going to let him push her out or keep her ‘safe’ even when she really was in danger. Granted, she could have exercised a bit more caution a couple of times, but I also understand why she didn’t. There was a need to prove herself, not just to Gage or her grandfather, but to herself as well.

Gage Logan is an adventure seeker of the highest order. There is no quest too risky, too dangerous for him and his crew. While he was a bit of a womanizer in his former life, once he meets Abby, that all changes. It’s rather endearing how one woman can do that to a guy sometimes. He is fiercely protective and always ready to put himself between her and danger, making him great boyfriend material.

This is the second installment in Kat Martin’s Blood Ties series. It has a lot in common with its predecessor – action, alpha male hero, gorgeous heroine, steamy romance – but it also ups the ante where the action is concerned. While I enjoyed the hunt for the killer in the first book, the treasure hunt featured in this blew that out of the water. Makes me excited to see what the next book – and the next brother, Edge – will bring.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Last Goodnight by Kat Martin

May 18, 2022 By Leave a Comment


The Last Goodnight by Kat Martin
Publisher: Kensington Books
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Cholla

When Kade Logan said goodbye to his estranged wife eight years ago, he never thought it would be the last time he saw her alive. Now her car has been hauled out of a nearby lake and Kade is determined to track down the man who murdered her. Enter Eleanor Bowman, a talented private investigator who’s about to stir up a hornet’s nest on his Colorado ranch.

With old scandals still buzzing about his late wife’s many affairs and new violence erupting, Kade is faced with the discovery of another beautiful woman’s body. Are the two killings linked? Who is the man who seduced, then murdered both victims? Ellie believes they are dangerously close to the truth.

From corporate Denver high-rises to posh Vail mansions, Kade and Ellie sense the killer is closing in again, and this time Ellie is the target. Kade must risk everything to save the woman he’s coming to love—before she becomes the next one to die . . .

Kade Logan had found a way to move past his wife’s murder and life his life. That is, until her car is pulled out of the lake, dredging up all the rumors and hurt she’d left behind. Will he be able to sort through the rumors to find the truth or will he forever wonder who killed his wife?

Eleanor Bowman is an accomplished private investigator and it’s obvious why she’s so good at her job. She’s smart, she’s determined, and she has the charm and wit necessary to get people to let their guard down and talk to her. She’s also an enjoyable heroine. Despite her wariness of Kade in the beginning, she moves past her distrust of men and finds herself in a comfortable place with him.

Kade Logan is dedicated to his ranch, his ranch hands, and his community. However, he can’t rest easy until he knows for sure who killed his wife. His work ethic and dedication to his crew is admirable and he’s assembled a great crew. My one issue with Kade is his sometimes over-the-top alpha male act. He’s hired Ellie to find his wife’s killer and yet, whenever she starts talking to another man, he gets jealous and interferes. It was frustrating to say the least. I will give him credit, however, due to the fact he does learn to curb this instinct by the end of the story. Both Kade and Ellie are strong-willed and passionate. Once they put aside their issues, they make a great couple.

The Last Goodnight is an exciting and steamy story of murder and betrayal. The author does an excellent job of threading bits and pieces together to slowly show you the whole story. I had nearly as many suspects as Kade and Ellie did and only began to figure it out around the same time as they did. This was my first Kat Martin novel, but it’s not going to be my last. I’m eager to find out what happens in the next in the series.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,
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