Dirty Little Lies by Lora Leigh


Dirty Little Lies by Lora Leigh
A Men of Summer novel
Publisher: St Martin’s Paperbacks
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Action/Adventure, Erotic Romance
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

THE HEART HAS ITS SECRETS.
Zack Richards knows he’s asking for trouble. Trying to protect a member of the notorious Maddox family could get a man killed—even a battle-scarred, muscle-ripped alpha like Zack. But the woman who has captured his wildest fantasies is nothing like the rest of her power-hungry clan. She’s innocent, beautiful, and has quickly become the one shining light in his dark, desperate world. The only woman worth fighting for…and dying for…

BUT PASSION NEVER LIES.
Her name is Grace Maddox—and everybody knows that she is a marked woman. Targeted for her family’s sins and hunted like a wild animal, Grace has no choice but to accept Zack’s protection. In his arms, she finally feels safe. In his eyes, she sees an insatiable desire that mirrors her own. But the truth is dangerous—and could end up tearing them apart. Will surrendering to Zack end up being the biggest mistake of Grace’s life?

Lots of lies, lots of love and a lot of heat.

I know when I pick up a book by Lora Leigh that I’ll get something fantastic. This book was no different. There was heart, heat and so much steam. The writing flowed well and caught me right up in the story from page one. I didn’t want to put it down, even though I had to…darn sleeping anyway.

Zack loves Grace. Always sort of has, but he knows she’s off-limits. Then he’s given the task of protecting her and decides a fake relationship is what will do the job the best. I liked that he was so take-charge about it. He knew what was best. But I also liked that she didn’t let him just do whatever he wanted. She challenged him all the way and that was great, too. Grace isn’t a wilting flower. She’s just as strong, even if she’s caught in something she doesn’t understand.

I liked the chemistry between Grace and Zack and could tell he’d give his life for her. The heat between them scorched the pages.

If you’re looking for something hot on an autumn afternoon, then this might be the book for you. Recommended.

A Whisker of a Doubt by Cate Conte


A Whisker of a Doubt by Cate Conte
Cat Cafe Mystery Series, 4
Publisher: St Martin’s Paperbacks
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Contemporary, Holiday
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

The holiday season on Daybreak Island is a mixed bag for Maddie James. On the one hand, her Christmas spirit is in the doghouse after a break-up. On the other, she’s busy enough that she doesn’t have to pretend to be merry. Business at her cat café is booming, and Maddie’s care-taking of a feral cat colony in one of the area’s wealthiest communities only helps her bottom line.

But tensions between the homeowners and animal activists are escalating to catastrophic levels. . .and before long a body is found dead in a snowbank. To prove that her accused friend is innocent of the crime, Maddie will have to prowl the island for clues to the real killer before everyone on the island goes completely hiss-terical―and more than nine lives are lost.

Good intentions can get you into trouble and how!

This is the first book by Cate Conte I’ve read, so I walked into the story fresh. The writing is good and I was transported to the cat cafe in the story. I liked the idea of the story – helping feral cats and controlling the population humanely. I even liked the idea of the cat cafe. Why not? It’s a cute story and worth the read.

I have to admit the protagonist, Maddie, did drive me crazy a few times. I guess it’s a thing with cozy mysteries, but the amateur sleuths always seem to get right into the investigation and circumvent laws to get there. Seems like that’s not safe, but this is fiction, so it’s still a good read. Maddie does tend to waffle concerning her boyfriend and that got a tad old. I get she wanted a clean break, but I’m the type who wants closure for my characters and I wanted to see her get it. Plus, there aren’t many mentions of cats in this book. I expected more, but there weren’t. Oh well.

It’s still an interesting mystery and I had no idea whodunit until the end. I liked how this story had a small town feel and am interested in reading more in this series.

If you’re looking for a cute holiday mystery, then this might be the one for you.