Mystery/Thriller Romance for Review: Happily Never After by Bess George

After being shot in a brutal attack outside her office, no-nonsense Assistant District Attorney Kelsey Brackston suffers from PTSD, panic attacks that won’t allow her return to work. In need of a fresh start, she heads to California to accept a job from her brother. All seems to be going well until the past comes hunting. Someone wants to kill her—again.

Former SWAT officer Bode Taggert doesn’t want to feel anything for anyone after a split-second decision caused the death of an innocent woman and nearly ruined his life. He’s pulled himself out of the bottle and has one last chance to be a cop again—the only thing he’s ever wanted. When Kelsey asks for his help hunting down a stalker, he resists, knowing the sizzling attraction he feels for her could jeopardize his focus.

Kelsey’s determination to put the past behind her and move on with her life is the one thing that he can’t resist, and despite his intention to remain uninvolved, Bode falls for the sexy lawyer. While he and the police are focused on catching the stalker, however, Kelsey vanishes. With his career—and his heart—on the line, Bode will stop at nothing to find her. But will their newfound faith in each other be enough to save the day? Or will the demons from their pasts destroy them both?

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Praise for HAPPILY NEVER AFTER:

“Whole lot of sparks and intrigue and unexpected surprises…” ~ DivaC, 4 stars

“Crazy intense…I loved it!” ~ mskind81, 5 stars

“Romance with a twist…great romance…” ~ CV36, 4 stars

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Paranormal Romance for Review: Releasing the Demons by L.D. Rose

Blaze Knight has been through hell and back, but the nightmares aren’t over yet.

Five years after Blaze was maimed by Cyrus Chimola, a powerful vampire with a penchant for torture, he’s still trying to pick up the pieces of his shattered life. As a genetically engineered mercenary with the ability to bend fire to his will and to see in infrared, Blaze’s mission is to protect what’s left of humanity. When Chimola and his crew return to the Bronx gunning for Blaze’s blood, Blaze is forced to face the demons of his past. Hell-bent on revenge, he seeks the help of Valerie Medeiros, an NYPD detective who manages to steal his heart and save his life in more ways than one.

Motivated by her sister’s gruesome death, Valerie has made it her life’s goal to bury every vampire in the ground where they belong. When she brings in Blaze Knight for suspected murder, she discovers he’s not only innocent, he isn’t a man at all—he’s a half-vampire hybrid working with a band of brothers for the U.S. military. Valerie has a hard time trusting anything with fangs, yet she quickly falls headlong into Blaze’s life, a life full of darkness and horror she can’t even begin to fathom. The bodies are stacking up, but Valerie can’t seem to let go of this hybrid, a beautiful monster filled with pain, rage, and passion unlike anything she’s ever known.

In a world where the line between good and evil is blurred, Blaze and Valerie will find danger at every turn, risking everything they’ve come to know and love, including one another.
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Praise for RELEASING THE DEMONS:

“Action packed ride that kept you at the edge of your seat…” ~ jodietwhite, 4 stars

“Awesome story…grabs you from the very first paragraph.” ~ karent, 4 stars

“Great start to series!” ~ dmmconn, 4 stars

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Romance for Review: Moving On by Annette Bower

Anna is a mysterious young widow who just moved to Regina Beach. The residents of the small town know everyone’s business and they are very keen on discovering Anna’s secrets. She meets Nick, a Sergeant in the Canadian Army, until a horrific accident sent him home to recover from his injuries sustained in an IED explosion. He helps Anna feel safe and comfortable in her new environment, just as he has always done for his men in strange, dangerous places. Meanwhile, he focuses on preparing for his future physical endurance test to prove that he is capable of returning to active duty.

Because Anna doesn’t talk about her past and Nick doesn’t talk about his future, she is shocked to discover that his greatest wish is to return to active duty. Afraid of getting hurt, she won’t love a man who may die on the job again. Intellectually, she knows that all life cycles end, but emotionally, she doesn’t know if she has the strength to support Nick.

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Western Historical Romance for Review: Wyoming Heather by DeAnn Smallwood

Heather is a spirited, independent woman living alone on a ranch left to her by her parents. She is also a healer of animals, domestic and wild. A woman doing a man’s work running a ranch that everyone said couldn’t be done, not in this untamed, vastly unsettled land, in the mid 1800’s. The ranch had everything she needed except water. She stole that from a neighboring abandoned ranch watched over by a lonely cabin and a grave.

He rode alone coming back after five years to an empty cabin, a run-down ranch, and a grave on a hill. A former Texas Ranger burnt out on life and afraid to love. Whip had spent five years hunting the man that took his wife’s life and left him to die.

Whip and Heather meet in an explosive moment on the banks of the Powder River. Both lonely, both drawn to one another, and both fight the attraction.

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Praise for Wyoming Heather:

“I love Ms. Smallwood’s book!” ~ mizging01

Western Romance for Review: Unconquerable Callie by DeAnn Smallwood

Sometimes a lie can lead to love.

Callie Collins, a proud woman in the late 1800’s is a liar and a darned good one, a master of the dubious art. She is also a dreamer. Her greatest hope is to reach a new life in South Pass City Wyoming, where she can open a bakery and live an independent life. To be successful, she will need her greatest gifts of deception to date. As a woman alone, she has to prove to Seth McCalister, the wagon master, that she has the wherewithal (a wagon and a set of oxen), the stamina to survive months of drought, dust, hardships and even risk of death, and a mythical fiancé who waits at the end of the line.

McCallister is uneasy, but also mystified by the audacity and determination of the young woman. He allows her to join the train west. What he doesn’t realize is there is no fiancé. To make matters worse, Callie is in love with Seth McCallister, too. For the first time, the lies that have brought her so far in life threaten to keep her from her one, true love. McCallister is a man of strong character and Callie feels certain that once he realizes her deception, he’ll turn away, ashamed of his love and trust in her.

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Praise for Unconquerable Callie:

“Wonderful Western.” ~ birdlady

“Surprisingly good read…will keep you fascinated.” ~ Delta

Mystery and Thriller Book for Review: Death Crosses the Finish Line by DeAnn Smallwood, D.M. Woods

Carrie Preston has a puzzling and mysterious gift for sensing motive, desire and direction of a perpetrator and killer. Homicide Detective Tom Watts recognizes this gift and is not beyond exploiting it. Waking past midnight to the ringing telephone, Carrie knows the voice on the other end. Tom begins his familiar plea, asking for her help in solving recent murders that appear to be connected. A pattern develops of brutal knifings in health clubs with the victims all women. What is the tie in?

Carrie protests she doesn’t need Tom Watt’s brand of sickness, but she cannot help feeling the familiar draw both to solving the tragic killings and to Tom Watts. Carrie and Tom chase clues throughout Colorado from Denver to the famous ski town of Aspen, stopping over to recoup and enjoy each others company in the world famous Hot Springs Pool at Glenwood Springs.

Carrie and Tom may be getting closer as they follow the horrendous trail, the sites of brutal and gruesome deaths, but so is the killer. Closer to Carrie that is. Suspense mounts with each murder, each clue, and every sensation that Carrie follows toward revelation. In a parallel line, the growing tension between Tom and Carrie increases and builds. Both resolutions promise like terror-risk and danger. Will the killer change his pattern and decide to make Carrie his next “special treat, his bon-bon”?

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Mystery and Thriller Book for Review: Death Is A Habit by DeAnn Smallwood

Carrie and Tom join together again to track a serial killer bent on eliminating selected petite blondes. Death comes in a takeout cup of deliciously brewed latte. The clues are meager-a cup of latte, a missing lock of hair, and an unidentifiable poison. What is the link between the murdered women? Carrie and Tom fight against a timetable known only to the killer.

Homicide detective Tom Watts isn’t beyond exploiting Carrie’s particular talent as he lures her back into helping him, needing her gift of perceiving what isn’t there, feeling what others refuse to see or acknowledge, and his desire to have her back in his life. He senses Carrie is ready to do combat again after her last brush with a serial killer dubbed The Jock, a harrowing brush with death that left her healing in a hospital bed. Carrie stops fighting Tom’s request and joins this man who holds a piece of her heart. What will stop the Latte Lover from deciding that although neither Tom nor Carrie meets his criteria, they could be the next victims?

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New Books for Review: Paranormal Romance by Donna Shields and Susan Griscom

Check out these Paranormal Romance books at Reading Alley!

Dr. Trent Moore’s life is complete-–a no-strings relationship, financial security, and great health-–until he is summoned to his father’s grave and discovers a grave robber stole one of his father’s bones … a finger bone. From there, Trent’s seemingly perfect world spirals out of control. Strange occurrences happen, and the sexy lead detective informs him that a grief-stricken mother has placed a curse upon him. As his near-death experiences ramp up and he finds himself falling in love, he’s beginning to believe there may be some truth to it all. But will he run out of time before he can tell Ciarra he loves her?

When Detective Ciarra Pacelli is assigned to a prominent judge’s suspicious death, she doesn’t know her little world is about to be turned upside down. She discovers other possible victims of a deadly Voodoo curse, one being the gorgeous and stubborn doctor. As she becomes wrapped up in protecting him at all costs, she finds she’s fighting against her developing feelings for him. Once she realizes she can’t, she gives her all in finding a cure against the curse that promises to take him away from her for good.

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Breena Cassidy

Cursed with what could be one of the worst supernatural abilities imaginable, Breena has never had the luxury of falling in love. Hell, she’s never even held a guy’s hand. At only twenty-two years old, she’s just about given up on the whole love thing. After all, when you can see twelve hours of someone’s future by a simple touch, and they, in turn, can see what you see, well… relationships are sort of out of the question. Her gigs performing psychic readings at parties, and the occasional one-on-one private appointment are just about Breena’s only connection with people. No matter how much she might wish otherwise.

Hawk Covington

Hawk’s hard body and skill have earned him a starting position on the Pioneer’s college hockey team. But it’s not his talent with a hockey stick that’s the most remarkable. His gorgeous two-colored eyes not only draw the attention of every female on campus, they also allow him to track people and objects. But when he suddenly finds himself stalked by a stranger, he seeks out the help of the rumored, “campus gypsy” for help.

Despite his vow to stay single and play as many college women as he can while the fun lasts, Hawk can’t ignore his attraction to the lovely and spirited Breena. And she can’t get the hunky star hockey player out of her mind once a single touch of his hand reveals something utterly strange. Surrounded by mystery, they realize that fate has brought them together for a reason, but can they stay alive long enough to recognize the depth of their feelings for one another?

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New #Books for #Review: Mystery and Thrillers @ #ReadingAlley by #author DeAnn Smallwood @StanaleiFletch @WildRosePress @jamiejeffries7 @SoulMatePublish

Check out these new mystery and thriller books at Reading Alley!

Screw-ups don’t get second chances. That’s what Caitlin Malone believes when she returns to Oregon after failing her first Northstar Security assignment. When she inadvertently stumbles across a plot to steal deadly pathogens from the bio-lab near her hometown, she sees a chance at redemption.

USDA Forest Ranger, John ‘Mac’ MacAlistair, doesn’t want to babysit the motorcycle club holding their annual rally in his national forest. To make matters worse, Caitlin is attending the rally with Mac’s estranged uncle. Having her home again brings up feelings that are better left buried.

It’s early September. Any spark will send the dry timber into a raging fire. The terrorists are counting on that distraction to work in their favor. When Caitlin is trapped by the wildfire, her only hope of rescue is pinned on Mac, the man she’s tried two years to forget. Before they can share their feelings, Mac and Caitlin must first escape the burning forest and stop the terrorists from releasing the deadly pathogens.

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Alex Ward is a college student and aspiring investigative journalist. She lives in Dodge, AZ, a tiny town near the US-Mexico border, works for her father’s weekly newspaper and commutes to her college classes a couple of times a week. Nothing much happens to interrupt her routine, which is why she’d love to escape the small town and find excitement in a big city. Until, that is, she finds herself at the scene of a possible murder. Her life is shaken up big time by the arrival at the scene of her ex-boyfriend, who left four years ago and vowed never to come back.

Dylan Chaves, a US Park Service ranger at nearby Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, left town after his high-school graduation, determined to escape the town, the embarrassment of his alcoholic mother, and the torture of inappropriate feelings for a younger girl. Recently called back because of his mother’s terminal illness, he never expected to find Alex still in town.

Alex is drawn into the murder investigation when Dylan falls under suspicion. Before it’s solved, there is another death and both Dylan and Alex face near-death experiences, while the old attraction exerts its pull again.

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Carrie Preston has a puzzling and mysterious gift for sensing motive, desire and direction of a perpetrator and killer. Homicide Detective Tom Watts recognizes this gift and is not beyond exploiting it. Waking past midnight to the ringing telephone, Carrie knows the voice on the other end. Tom begins his familiar plea, asking for her help in solving recent murders that appear to be connected. A pattern develops of brutal knifings in health clubs with the victims all women. What is the tie in?

Carrie protests she doesn’t need Tom Watt’s brand of sickness, but she cannot help feeling the familiar draw both to solving the tragic killings and to Tom Watts. Carrie and Tom chase clues throughout Colorado from Denver to the famous ski town of Aspen, stopping over to recoup and enjoy each others company in the world famous Hot Springs Pool at Glenwood Springs. Carrie and Tom may be getting closer as they follow the horrendous trail, the sites of brutal and gruesome deaths, but so is the killer. Closer to Carrie that is.

Suspense mounts with each murder, each clue, and every sensation that Carrie follows toward revelation. In a parallel line, the growing tension between Tom and Carrie increases and builds. Both resolutions promise like terror-risk and danger. Will the killer change his pattern and decide to make Carrie his next “special treat, his bon-bon”?

Click here to review this book.