No Limits by Lori Foster

August 19, 2014 By 1 Comment

LIMITSD
No Limits by Lori Foster
Publisher: Harlequin
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (424 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

A surprise inheritance reunites a mixed martial arts fighter with the woman he’s never forgotten in the first in a smoldering new series!

Cannon Colter is quintessential hero material: chiseled jawline, shredded body—the works. He’s also the guy who rescued Yvette Sweeny from kidnappers, only to put an end to her romantic dreams. These days, she’s older, smarter, determined to face whatever life throws her way. Even the prospect of sharing a house and business with Cannon.

Cannon knew Yvette wanted him three years ago. But she was young—and some things are worth waiting for. Thrown together by her grandfather’s legacy, he realizes how deep Yvette’s scars really go, and how much danger lurks in their quiet town. As pent-up desire explodes between them, protecting her becomes the only fight that matters. And he’ll break all the rules to do it…

Ms. Foster once again provides her fans with another heart thumping, entertaining and sexy read starring another yummy SBC hero. This book has to be one of the most eagerly awaited novels because of the star of the story, Cannon. The wait was worth it.
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The first thing to be assured of is No Limits can be a standalone read. Sure, the relationship between Cannon and Yvette started in the last book, Dash of Peril, but Ms. Foster provides enough background in a natural retelling by various cast and characters in this current story to understand how they knew each other in the past.

The author leaves no doubt in a reader’s mind that Cannon loves Yvette. Through the story his love grows, matures and is clarified. Ms. Foster makes sure a reader knows how patient and understanding the hero is by putting him in situations that tests his resolve. He exhibits a care and consideration for others that defies the environment he grew up in. He’s a pretty noble guy.

Yvette is just as head over heels over Cannon as she ever was, but she has to realize that her youth-like love for him in the past has indeed matured into an adult love and it’s real. The only thing stopping her from enjoying and exploring it, is her own hang-ups. They’re a pretty big stumbling block to the romance which is why Cannon has to have such a deep well of patience and perseverance to draw from.

The internal conflict for Yvette was understandable and I could buy into its effect on her life and her choices in life. The external conflicts however, are not unique in any way. I cringed every time she ‘ignored’ Heath and face palmed when she said she ‘handled or could handle’ him. I rolled my eyes a lot too. With all the advancements and warnings over the last twenty years or so and readily available advice about those kinds of ‘relationships’, Yvette’s handling of the situation left much to be desired. The other secondary external conflict was also predictable. It was so blatant, I was flabbergasted that Cannon, of all people, couldn’t guess it for himself much earlier in the book. Despite all of the clichés, it still provided many interesting twists and turns for their relationship and entertaining dialogue and action to keep things interesting.

Secondary characters were definitely a plus in this story. There’s a lot of world building going on to introduce the future heroes in the series and preparation for a reader to understand how they all are interwoven in their lives. It was fun.

The romance, when it was finally allowed to blossom into the fiery passion I knew they were capable of, was awesome and well worth the wait.

No Limits is great entertainment. I was happy to see Cannon and Yvette get their happy ever after and I enjoyed meeting all the new guys with their quirks and unique personalities. I had fun reading this story and I’m sure fans will be jumping for joy when they get to read this novel for themselves. There’s a lot to like within its pages.

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

In Bed with a Rogue by Samantha Grace

August 19, 2014 By Leave a Comment

ROGUE
In Bed with a Rogue by Samantha Grace
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (353 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

He’s the Talk of the Town

The whole town is tittering about Baron Sebastian Thorne having been jilted at the altar. Every move he makes ends up in the gossip columns. Tired of being the butt of everyone’s jokes, Sebastian vows to restore his family’s reputation no matter what it takes.

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Feted by the crème of society, the beautiful widow Lady Prestwick is a vision of all that is proper. But Helena is no angel, and when Sebastian uncovers her dark secret, he’s quick to press his advantage. In order to keep her hard-won good name, Helen will have to make a deal with the devil. But she’s got some tricks up her sleeves to keep this notorious rogue on his toes…

Plot twists and love galore!

This is my first foray into the world of Samantha Grace, but I guarantee it won’t be my last.

The characters are interesting and I needed to know what would happen to them. So who are the players in this tale chock full of twists and turns? Sebastian is a wounded man. His girl ran off with his best friend. To deal with his upset, he drinks. It’s not pretty, but it’s his life. His lifeline? Helena. What a lifeline! She’s got a mission and won’t deviate from it. I loved her pluck. I also loved the way Ms Grace wrote her. It was like reading about my close friends falling in love. I could identify with Helena’s determination to get what she needed.

This is a fast-paced book. There were a couple of spots where I had to read, then reread to make sure I was up to speed on what was happening. The characters do fall in love rather quickly, which took a little bit to believe, but I liked the ride.

If you want a book that has both sweet and cute moments, but will stay with you long after the last page, then this is the book for you.

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

Lead by Kylie Scott

August 19, 2014 By Leave a Comment

EAD
Lead by Kylie Scott
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (238 pgs)
Other: M/F
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Hawthorn

As the lead singer of Stage Dive, Jimmy is used to getting whatever he wants, whenever he wants it, whether it’s booze, drugs, or women. However, when a PR disaster serves as a wake-up call about his life and lands him in rehab, he finds himself with Lena, a new assistant to keep him out of trouble.

Lena’s not willing to take any crap from the sexy rocker and is determined to keep their relationship completely professional, despite their sizzling chemistry. But when Jimmy pushes her too far and Lena leaves, he realizes that he may just have lost the best thing that ever happened to him.

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The third novel in the Stage Dive series features the lead singer, former alcoholic and drug addict and all around jerk, Jimmy Ferris. Lena Morrisey has the task of keeping him clean and sober. If Jimmy seems like the sort of a guy who lets no one tell him what to do, Lena is certainly the sort of a woman who can change that. It shows pretty fast into their ‘business arrangement’ that he can’t help but accept her help with her smartass comments, her pugnacity and gentle intelligence. They are an unlikely pair, but turn out to be surprisingly similar and compatible.

Lead is not as laugh-out-loud funny as Play since Jimmy is a far darker character than Mal, but this infuses the story with a delicious sort of tension. It’s not just the conflicts between Jimmy and Lena and her growing feelings for him that draw the reader, it’s also that as a spectator you’ll root for Jimmy to find his peace and to cope with all the pain and self-loathing. Lena, of course, is just the feisty girl that can help him with it.

Due to the complex situation between Jimmy and Lena, the first love scenes appear only well into the second half of the novel, but they are that much more in character and fantastic. Despite the way they come to happen, they don’t feel forced. Besides, they lead to the major conflict at the end, leaving the protagonists heartbroken, and the reader hungry for a happy resolution.

What made this novel less good than Play was the ending. Seeing what a dark, troubled character Jimmy is, I had difficulty envisioning an ecstatically happy ending for him and Lena, so the conclusion felt a bit rushed. Maybe with a slower finish, a longer build-up to it, it would have felt more believable. I was also bothered by the number of typos that appeared throughout the novel; they were quite distracting.

With Lead offering another sinfully delicious insight into the world of Stage Dive, I now eagerly await big boy Ben’s story, Deep.

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

The Earl’s Mistress by Liz Carlyle

August 19, 2014 By 2 Comments

EARL
The Earl’s Mistress by Liz Carlyle
Publisher: Avon / Harper Collins
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (400 Pgs)
Heat Level: Hot
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Bluet

Women rarely refuse the wicked Earl of Hepplewood, whose daring exploits are only whispered about. But when his new governess answers his proposition with a slap, then stalks out, references in hand, Hepplewood finds more than his face is burning.

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But when fate sends Isabella back into Hepplewood’s arms, the earl must make an impossible choice—draw Isabella down into his sensual darkness, or behave with honor for the first time in his life.

Isabella Aldridge is desperate. Her job as a governess has ended. She has two younger sisters to support, no funds, and no prospects except for a sleazy cousin. The man she just interviewed with, Anthony Chalfont, the Earl of Hepplewood, offered her a position, but it wasn’t as governess. Angry and disillusioned, she returns to her former employer to ask advice. The woman, who is notorious in her own right, suggests that Isabella needs to marry or find a wealthy protector. Isabella is a widow, and has no desire to marry again, so she resigns herself to becoming a mistress. She contacts a broker who makes these kinds of arrangements, and soon sets off to the country home of none other than the Earl of Hepplewood. Ironically, he was so taken with her looks at their initial meeting, that he commissioned the same broker to find him a mistress with her unique violet eyes and dark hair. It turns out that he gets the real thing, not a facsimile.

The Earl, Anthony, is a complex character. There are some tragic events in his past that have changed him. Although he is still mostly a kind man, he also is dominating and controlling. And he’s determined to flee any kind of emotional entanglement. After just one night, he knows he’s in danger of feeling more than just lust for Isabella, so for his own self preservation, he sends her away, but with a small fortune in jewels. Isabella is bewildered at being cast aside. Although she had been married, it was very brief, and she didn’t have much sexual experience. One night with Anthony gave her a whole new perspective, but she accepts that it’s probably for the best, so she uses the jewels to start a small book store and set up a new home for her and her sisters. But Anthony can’t stay away.

I found Anthony to be a real hero. I love his strength, his protectiveness of Isabella. He is off the charts HOT! Isabella was so well written, as well. She is honest, beautiful, loving, and even willing to sacrifice herself to keep her family together. There was a lot of going back and forth in this book about Isabella and Anthony being together, then not together. That’s something that normally annoys me, but in this case it just worked. The author does a great job of showing us the conflict and confusion each of them is feeling. There is also a mystery, and some danger, and it all comes together perfectly. A word of warning without giving too much away – the sex in this book is not all vanilla. If you are offended by elements of BDSM, you may want to avoid it. Normally, I wouldn’t choose to read a book with those elements, but it fits the people that Anthony and Isabella are, and it works.

This is a strong book that will go on my favorites list for this year. It’s hot, it’s emotional, it’s romantic, and the story just flows beautifully. The author, Liz Carlyle, stretched the typical boundaries of historical romance with this book, and in my opinion, it’s one of her best. It all comes down to a beautiful love story of two wounded people who are perfect for each other, and deserve their well earned happy ever after. Highly recommended!

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

Cara O’Shea’s Return by Mackenzie Crowne

August 18, 2014 By 3 Comments

RETURN
Cara O’Shea’s Return by Mackenzie Crowne
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (214 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Daisy

After eight years of self-imposed exile, shy bombshell Cara O’Shea returns to her hometown to create her art in peace. Big city living has left her craving the quiet only a small town can offer. Bitter over the wreckage of her father’s infidelity, she risks town gossip, and her heart, when she enlists the town’s football hero to help renovate her studio and mend a decade-old rift.

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As old truths are revealed, will Cara and Finn overcome the mistakes of the past, trust their hearts at last, and take a chance on love?

Since she was in school, Cara has known exactly what she wanted when she grew up: Michael Finnegan. This is the spicy rendition of her getting to know him in more than his capacity as a football player and it’s just as sweaty as a ball game!

Michael is famous, sexy and talented but more than a little insecure with a failed marriage behind him. This is refreshing in a romance as the man is not completely stable and confident all the time. Cara is the one in these pages who knows what she wants and doesn’t waiver, even if she is a little bad at expressing herself.

However, the reason for Michael’s reluctance to commit, beyond his failed marriage, is unclear. He often seems stone-headedly stubborn and I did wish there was deeper reason for this reluctance to have a relationship extending beyond one-night-stands. I also felt that Cara’s humiliating experience at school which caused her to move away from her home town as soon as she could needed more to the dramatisation in order for the depth of her embarrassment and her resulting reactions to be more realistic.

Despite these small faults, the sex scenes had me sweltering and heady and the chemistry between these two very intelligent characters is steamy as a fogged up car in winter. This is not just a honeymoon romance but a meeting of two like souls who fit each other well mentally and physically, as a real romance should.

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

The Devil and Danna Webster by Jacqueline Seewald

August 18, 2014 By Leave a Comment

DEVIL
The Devil and Danna Webster by Jacqueline Seewald
Publisher: Astraea Press
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, YA
Length: Full Length (171 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Quince
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Danna Webster, a shy fifteen-year-old high school student with a talent for art, is studying in the school library with her friend Joyce when a dark, handsome boy starts flirting with her. Rich bad boy, Kevin Moore, continues to pursue her. But Danna is pulled in another direction by Gar Hansen, football quarterback and honor student who has been assigned as Danna’s math tutor. What is Kevin’s connection to the eerie stranger who offers Danna everything she could ever want in life—in return for her soul?

The Devil and Danna Webster revolves around family and love life of fifteen year old Danna Webster. Danna lives with her mother and stepdad, but she feels that there are some secrets in her family. She is a shy and withdrawn, but not naïve, girl with only one good friend. Therefore, Danna is very surprised when suddenly she becomes point of interest of two completely different boys from the senior class. Both of them are cute, and while one is dark haired bad boy – Kevin, the other is blond haired and (of course) good boy – Gar. Although this situation is totally new to her, Danna handles it very well. Also she handles well the truth that her family was hiding for her.

I have not read The Devil and Tom Walker by Washington Irving nor The Devil and Daniel Webster by Stephen Vincent Benet so I cannot draw any parallels between these three stories. Also I understand that The Devil and Danna Webster is allegorical story, but I cannot see why the author introduces the devil in order to tempt Danna. The temptation part could be done without devil, and the story would be still charming.

Regardless of this I find The Devil and Danna Webster a nice and interesting coming of age story. I like that it deals with the issue of making the clever and right choices. And although this book is more suitable for teenagers than for gown ups who like to read YA, I am glad that I read it.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

What a Lady Most Desires by Lecia Cornwall

August 15, 2014 By Leave a Comment

LADY
What a Lady Most Desires by Lecia Cornwall
Publisher: Avon
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (384 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Bluet

True desire always finds a way…

On the night before the final battle against Napoleon, Lady Delphine St. James finds herself dancing with the one man she has always wanted, Major Lord Stephen Ives. He makes it clear he has no time for a lady he sees as flirtatious and silly, but as the call to arms sounds, she bids him farewell with a kiss that stirs them both. When he returns gravely injured, she is intent on caring for him, even if his surly behavior tests her patience.
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After the battle, Stephen is not only wounded and blind, but falsely accused of cowardice and theft. The only light in his dark world is Delphine, the one woman he never imagined he could desire. But she deserves more than he can give her.

As their feelings deepen and hidden enemies conspire to force them to part forever, can their love survive the cruelest test of all?

Lady Delphine St. James is beautiful, witty and charming. Her politically active father shamelessly uses her to further his own agenda by encouraging her to flirt and flatter his cronies, to sway them to his way of thinking. Her mother’s only desire is to have her make an advantageous marriage. Delphine has had two seasons, and the flirtatious puppet she has become is second nature to her now. Until one night, she encounters Major Lord Stephen Ives. They are instantly attracted to one another. He cares for her opinions and they have a real conversation. Then Delphine’s mother comes to take her away, telling her she must go and charm a duke. When Stephen sees her playing her flirtatious game, he’s convinced that he was wrong about her, and that she really is shallow. Thereafter, he avoids her when he can, and otherwise is just remotely polite. Delphine was truly affected by their meeting, and it made her take a look at herself and her life. Although she lost Stephen’s regard, she’s determined now to do better things.

A year later, Delphine is in Brussels with her sister and brother-in-law, ready to come to the aid of wounded soldiers, if need be. She encounters Stephen, who is just about to leave for battle. She sends him off with a flower and a kiss. Stephen is seriously wounded and is sent to recover with their mutual friend Nicholas Temberlay and his wife. Determined to take care of him, Delphine manages to arrange it so she is at the household at the same time. We soon find out that Stephen has been blinded, and that he has an enemy who is setting him up to be branded a thief and a coward.

Someone being falsely accused is something that always pushes my buttons. We know who the villain is right from the get go, so there’s not a mystery. But he weaves a clever plan, and at times it doesn’t look like there’s any hope. It’s particularly nasty because of the awful shape our poor hero is in. Stephen is strong, though, and begins to recover. This part of the story deals with Delphine caring for him, and their becoming very close. I like both these characters, even with their flaws. I found Delphine to be compassionate and kind underneath her social mask. But I was disappointed that as soon as she returned home, she fell right back into the same pattern. Stephen, while an admirable man, waffled a lot when it came to Delphine. He wanted her, then he pushed her away.

This is my first book by Lecia Cornwall, and I like her writing style very much. I felt the sense of urgency in the story that the villain may never be found out. I also felt the dread that our couple was never going to manage to be together. The way everything was resolved was very satisfactory, and I found myself breathing a big sigh of relief. I recommend this book for all lovers of historical romance, and I know I’ll be looking for more from this author.

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

Conduit by Angie Martin

August 15, 2014 By 2 Comments

CONDUIT
Conduit by Angie Martin
Publisher: Indie World Publishing and Author Services
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Suspense/Mystery, Action/Adventure
Length: Full Length (308 pgs)
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Ginger

How do you hide from a killer when he’s in your mind?

Emily Monroe conceals her psychic gift from the world, but her abilities are much too strong to keep hidden from an equally gifted killer. A savvy private investigator, she discreetly uses her psychic prowess to solve cases. When the police ask her to assist on a new case, she learns the killer they seek is not only psychic, but is targeting her.
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The killer wants more than to invade her mind; he wants her. Believing they are destined for each other, he uses his victims as conduits to communicate with her, and she hears their screams while they are tortured. She opens her minds to help the victims, but it gives him a portal that he uses to lure her to him. With the killer taking over her mind, she must somehow stop him before she becomes his next victim.

Conduit is an entertaining novel with a very good plot that would be perfect for the movie screen. Though it may sound kind of warped I couldn’t put the book down when the killer was stalking his next victim. The book kept my interest and had me ready to see what would happen next. Angie Martin shows her talent and her skills as an author in this well crafted novel of a serial killer’s psychotic mind and the trail of bodies he leave in order to get to the woman he wants. I found the book easy to read. The author has a way of writing that flowed, and gave a visual that I could actually picture as I read. The characters were well developed and likable. The villain of the novel, David Noakes is well developed with a believable malicious and satanic mind.

There is no mystery in the novel as to who the killer is, we already know. It’s more about will the killer get to his intended target? This is a novel of kidnapping, torture and murder so this type of subject matter may not be for the faint of heart.

I enjoyed the clean storyline and how the author did not fall into societies trend of boy meets girls, and they jump into bed. I appreciated reading a book where the couple obviously has a very strong attraction between each other but were willing to wait before introducing the physical part into their relationship. I enjoyed the relationship between Detective Lionel Edwards and his wife Barbara. They have been married for years, and being in the line of work as a detective the life span of a marriage isn’t that long. But Lionel and his wife have found a balance that works for them. They also were an example to the other couples in the book.

Conduit is a filling novel that an avid reader like myself enjoy finding. I am a happy reader that will be looking to see what else Angie Martin has written and I definitely will be adding her to my authors to follow list.

You wouldn’t want to miss out on this great read, so be sure to get a copy!

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

A is for Apocalypse by Rhonda Parrish, editor

August 14, 2014 By Leave a Comment

A
A is for Apocalypse by Rhonda Parrish, editor
Publisher: Poise and Pen Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Horror, Contemporary, Paranormal, Holiday
Length: Full Length (295 pages)
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

What do you get when you take twenty-six amazing writers, randomly assign them a letter of the alphabet and give them complete artistic freedom within a theme?

A is for Apocalypse

A is for Apocalypse contains twenty-six apocalyptic stories written by both well-known and up-and-coming writers. Monsters, meteors, floods, war–the causes of the apocalypses in these tales are as varied as the stories themselves.

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The reason why I’m not mentioning any titles in my review is that they all give away gives major spoilers about what kind of apocalypse to expect from them. The introduction explains why Rhonda Parrish decided to create such a unique collection, and I highly recommend reading it first. In order to avoid confusion, I’ll use the names of the authors who wrote them instead.

I didn’t have a clue what Ms. Cato was doing at first. Rick, her protagonist, is paying close attention to every beep from his dosimeter, but his reasons for doing so with such a calm demeanour aren’t immediately apparent. He remained a fascinating character to me even after I figured out why he wasn’t panicking due to how well this behavior fits in with the rest of his personality. It’s impossible for me to pick a favourite in this collection, but I recommend beginning with Ms. Cato’s entry to anyone who likes skipping around.

When I first started this book I thought I knew more or less what to expect from it because I read so much science fiction and horror. The authors’ imaginative twists on common apocalyptic themes genuinely caught me by surprise, and that isn’t an easy thing to do! With that being said, certain apocalypses would have worked much better as novellas or full-length novels due to how many characters they required or the complexity of their plots.

Ms. Taylor’s tale is a good example of this. In it Dr. Surya Johansson is studying the remnants of human civilization for reasons that are gradually revealed as the plot continues. Figuring out the doctor’s background and motivation for travelling from one tattered colony to the next kept me guessing, but so many characters were introduced that I had trouble keeping track of all of them. It would have also been helpful to have more information about the events that led Dr. Johansson to conducting this study. The tidbits sprinkled throughout the plot provided tantalizing clues about the backstory, but some of them never quite gelled together for me.

Mr. Aldin’s story begins with a flashback to the narrator’s childhood. Eric’s parents always reassured him that monsters aren’t real, but they were dead wrong. For a long time Eric believed that he was the last human left alive on earth, but when he finds evidence of a woman travelling through his terrority he knows he has to do anything he can to meet her. The character development in this piece was well done, especially once Eric’s risk-taking tendencies begin to show up. I had an inkling of what might be happening with this character, but seeing everything unfold through his first-person perspetive made the rest of the plot even better.

A is for Apocalypse is a clever anthology that I’d recommend to anyone who is a fan of hard science fiction.

Filed Under: Horror, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Split Second by David Baldacci

August 14, 2014 By Leave a Comment

SPLIT
Split Second by David Baldacci
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (512 pgs)
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Cholla

Michelle Maxwell has just blown her future with the Secret Service. Against her instincts, she led a presidential candidate out of her sight to comfort a grieving widow. Then, behind closed doors, the politician whose safety was her responsibility vanished into thin air.

Living a new life on a quiet lake in central Virginia, Sean King knows how the younger agent feels. He’s been there before. In an out-of-the-way hotel eight years earlier, the hard-charging Secret Service man allowed his attention to be diverted for a split second. And the presidential candidate Sean was protecting was gunned down before his eyes.
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Now Michelle and Sean are about to see their destinies converge. She has become obsessed with Sean’s case. And he needs a friend—especially since a series of macabre killings has brought him under suspicion and prompted the reappearance of a seductive woman he’s tried hard to forget.

As the two discredited agents enter a maze of lies, secrets, and deadly coincidences, they uncover a violence that shattered their lives were really a long time in the making – and are a long way from over.

Michelle Maxwell has just made a decision that will change her life forever, ending her stint with the Secret Service. It’s set her on a new path she never expected. Sean King has been there and done that once already. As a former Secret Service agent himself, he’s screwed up and recovered, making a happy new life for himself. However, when King and Maxwell’s worlds collide, more than sparks are going to fly.

Sean King is a fascinating and aggravating man. He’s been where Michelle is now and is both sympathetic to her plight as well as slightly obnoxious at the same time. Despite his ability to completely rile her, I loved him from the moment I met him. He carries the arrogance gained while working for the Secret Service, a trait you no doubt need to keep important people safe, but tempers it with humor and seductiveness that not even calm, cool, and collected Michelle Maxwell can resist. Sean is also intelligent, resourceful, and loyal, three things Michelle needs now more than anything.

On the other hand, Michelle Maxwell is young and upcoming in the Service, right until the moment she makes a fatal mistake. By letting a presidential candidate out of her sight for mere moments, he’s kidnapped and her life comes to a standstill. To her credit, she doesn’t curl up in a ball and cry. Quite the opposite. With the help of Sean King and his years of experience, they come together and discover more than what happened to Michelle’s charge.

Split Second was an intense ride taking us through both Michelle’s current situation and running headlong into the incident many years past that caused Sean’s stint with the Service to come to an abrupt end. The way that the two stories come together in the end is both satisfying and exciting. If this first novel in the King & Maxwell series is any indication, the ones that follow are going to be one heck of a roller coaster of action and suspense. I am eagerly anticipating getting to know these two better in the future.

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