The Sorbonne Affair by Mark Pryor

 Mystery and love float among the Parisian cafe's while American author, Helen Hancock, has a secret admirer. More likely, not an admirer but someone who thinks it's necessary to hide cameras in her hotel room.

Helen is in the city to direct a small writing seminar and to work on her current romance novel.  After she finds the hidden cameras in her room at the Sorbonne Hotel, she reports them to the US Embassy.  

Hugo Marston is assigned t

o investigate.  One video is highly embarrassing for Helen.  A triste with a student needs explanation, whether it's love or something else.  

Soon, a simple camera investigation turns to murder.  Hugo teams up with a Parisian Lieutenant, Camille Lerens along with breaks to see his girlfriend, Claudia, a journalist.  More help comes in the form of a former colleague claiming the whole affair has something to do with a recently released felon.

Such a tragedy to solve a mystery of spying and murder on the lovely streets of Paris while contenders are eager to keep romance in the air.

Happy reading,

Dawn 

These Tangled Vines by Julianne MacLean

 Starting with an early morning call in Florida, Fiona finds herself making plans to be in Tuscany, Italy for the funeral of her biological father, Anton.  Prior to his death, Fiona, her late mother, and Anton are the only ones who know about his relation.

Fiona flies to Italy where a pile of secrets are stacked for her to discover.  This includes the exclusive vineyard that two half-siblings want for their own without Fiona's intrusion. 

Fiona is awestruck at the beauty of the land, yet she must tread lightly around her new family.  Curious about her mother's past with Anton, she seeks help in finding out the story.

In a slow and meandering path, she follows clues to the love her mother shared with the man who thinks and has taken the position of her father her whole life and her biological father.  

The story is full of love and the sacrifices done for it.  Fiona relives her mother's tale filled with a mix of tragedy and passion.  With a new perspective on what happiness and fulfillment contain, Fiona restructures her own outcome.

Happy reading,

Dawn

The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton

Just a warning...This is a tragic romance.
Nella Oortman is married off by her family to a merchant, Johannes Brandt, at the age of eighteen.  Moving to Amsterdam and becoming the new head of house in a rich home doesn't turn out quite as she expected.
Johannes treats her with respect, although he's rarely home.  Nella is left with a secretive family consisting of Johannes's sister, a house maid, and a black house man.  It is rare in the sixteen hundreds to give a person of color the status and comfort of a home and job.
Johannes gives Nella a wedding present of a miniature house replicating their home.  When Nella is left alone and longing to get to know her husband, she turns to filling the little house and calls on an artist to create the furniture and people.
The artist, or miniaturist, matches the interior of the house strangely with exactness. This includes the current items and those that somehow tell the future.  When a small baby doll arrives for Nella, she wonders if it's her that will be blessed with a child.
More clues that tell the future and aren't understood fill Nella with many questions as to the fate of her marriage, her new family, and the household.
Johannes has his own difficulties with his trading business, his new wife, and his private social life.
Some secrets must be kept hidden and others dealt with.  The strange love circling the Brandt house brings a shattering change to all.

Happy reading,
Dawn

The Woods (A Berry Springs Novel) by Amanda McKinney

The tale opens with a grisly death of Jenna.  Sounds simple; she’s pushed over a cliff.

It sounds even more simple of who pushed her.  That’s until the story is revealed through Katie, Jenna’s sister. 

After a year passes, Dr. Katie Somers returns to the area to sell her family home left empty after Jenna’s death.  A densely grown forest surrounds the house and holds more than an innocent eco-system.

Katie is well acquainted with the cliff Jenna “fell” off of, and cannot believe the fall was an accident.  Katie knows there’s more to the story and is obsessed with finding out the truth.

Katie attempts to empty out and clean the old home and requires frequent trips to town where she meets former Army ranger, Jake Thompson.  Their paths repeatedly cross amidst more deaths in the woods.  The local sheriff blames Katie because she’s new to town.

And Katie has no idea whether to trust Jake.  Maybe if she was allowed to know his real purpose for camping out in Berry Springs, she’d relax. 

Well, who could relax when murders are committed, the local law enforcement has no intentions of finding a killer, and a hot and ready Army ranger has to pick a side?

Hopefully Katie stays in town, alive, long enough to find out all the truths…

Happy reading,

Dawn

Two Hears' Christmas Wish by Tamara Ferguson

Getting to know the hero of the story, Jason Matthews, is an intense and fiery flight.  Jason is an Air Force captain, in the midst of gunfire as he and others of his squadron fight for the USA and for their own lives.

An emotional and touching scene of Jason as he gives ardently and physically to save his men can do nothing but encourage the reader to adore him and feel pride for our service people.

As Jason heals from the airplane fire, he sleeps and dreams of a former crush he had on Kat while they were teens.       

I think the backstory was a nice informative piece, but lasted way too long explaining a teenage crush between Jason, who was too old legally for her, Kat, his junior. For a young adult book- fine, but this is intended for adults.

After the lengthy backstory, we get into the meat of the romance when Jason realizes his life is lonely and he can’t quit thinking about the girl from fourteen years prior, Kat. 

The rest of the story is heartfelt between the two adults along with charitable hearts towards others and animals.  Can’t not like that! 

So, I’d recommend reading Two Hearts’ Christmas Wish.  Drop the backstory, and the rest of the tale is spot on for a wounded warrior romance!

Happy reading,

Dawn

The Devil's Fool by Rachel McClellan

A witch named Eve.  How charming. 
 

Yet, Eve has a long way to become a charming witch.  She sees the rage, anger, and evil of her parents.  Their actions are for power and greed, and Eve vows to not be like them. 

 A handsome vampire, Boaz, floats into her life and claims he can give her whatever she wants.  Their powers together are incredible and unstoppable.  Together, they kill and destroy just for a laugh.  And it’s intoxicating and addictive.

Eve reveals her love for Boaz.  He gives her an ultimate gift from a vampire.  This gift will create more strength in their union.

Until an elusive vampire, Lucien, gives Eve his hand for a brief, new experience.

Lucien’s touch feels safe and positive.

Eve is left in a state of confusion between her initial vow to be the opposite of her parents and the fun experienced through falling into Boaz’s trap of love and the new warm and comforting aura Lucien covers her with.

For better or worse, which angle (or vampire) does she take?

An incredible romance based on the simple theory of right and wrong, power and greed, and the distrust of anything that appears too good to be true.  And a great Halloween read!!

Happy reading,

Dawn

Lord of Chance (Rogues to Riches #1) by Erica Ridley

You can disguise anything but love.

Charlotte Devon leaves behind London and the misguided thoughts of the citizens that she’s just like mom.  She loves her mom terribly, but her mother’s profession puts Charlotte on a rough place.  Scotland knows nothing about her and Charlotte can reform her reputation.

Anthony Fairfax lives on either end of the wallet.  He’s a gamer and sometimes he’s successful and others not so much.  He has an unimaginable debt that’s being called in.             

Anthony and Charlotte, he mistakes her for a lady and she assumes he’s a Lord, play the cards.  Amazing what happens when the whole pot, and all of Anthony’s hope, are turned over to a beautiful female stranger. 

Intriguing and maddingly urgent for Anthony and Charlotte to work together to outrun the collectors right back to Charlotte’s least favorite place.  London.  She swore she’d not go back, yet an unfavorable legal “knot” snuck up on the them. 

For better or worse, they were in this mess together.  Fortunately, they began to like one another, even a bit more than anticipated. 

A fun read on the run and into love!

 

Happy Reading,

Dawn

Sweet Tricks: A Love Bites Novella by Maggie Dallen

 

I see why this is called a “love bites” novella.  At the beginning, anyway. 

Tabitha shares her Brooklyn apartment with her typical choice of bad boy, musician, fly-by-night sort of man.  He camps at her place, she provides, and then he disappears to play a gig.

This time he didn’t come back.

Time for a cocktail with the best girlfriends.  What could be better?  Maybe the bartender.  And was he!

Jack couldn’t help but hear the girls’ chatter.  Although, all he was interested in was Tabitha.

Tabitha isn’t considering another boyfriend with a job as a bartender and also a musician as she finds out.  He’s probably just like all the others.  But his eyes are so…so beautiful.

Jack can’t tell Tabitha everything about himself.  She wants her to like him for himself, not his, uh, assets. 

So how does the truth come out?  The truth must be revealed to have a real relationship.  It’s a rough road to the truth with a few detours to the end. 

A sweet romance with tingling issues!

Happy reading,

Dawn

Tell Me a Story by Tamara Lush

Emma likes to call herself a “Story Whore.”  The title fits well when she’s reading excerpts of her current romance novel she wrote.  Once a month her book store holds a Story Brothel.  Interested listeners and readers pay a small fee for an exclusive reading. Half the money goes to charity and half to the writer.

Emma dares to read a racy excerpt when her “client,” Caleb, picks her for a reading.  She wonders why the sexiest business man in the city came to the event.

Caleb accompanied his sister to the event out of responsibility.  He soon finds that the event is more fun than he ever would’ve given it credit.  Work is his world and he rarely gives his time to acting socially.

Caleb is awestruck with the vintage-wearing, seductive story-teller and insists he take her out to dinner.

Not sure she’ll fit into his world of money and expensive everything, she accepts.  Maybe this will take her mind off the sale of the historic building her bookstore and other creative stores rent space from.  She’ll worry about that later.

Then Emma finds out he develops and buys real estate.  Caleb’s business is so large that he doesn’t know all the deals happening.  Is his business a deal breaker for Emma and her bookstore?  Does Caleb care? 

This is a great summer read, light and endearing!

Happy reading,

Dawn

Indelible by Karin Slaughter

As we expect, Karin Slaughter has nailed another romantic suspense with a complex plot and love seeping in-between the sheets.

Here we have the police chief, Jeffrey Tolliver, divorced from the medical examiner, Sara Linton.  If they had a romance, married, then ended the romance, what could possibly renew the fire?

Another catastrophe!

Jeffrey’s police force is held hostage at the police station.  Unfortunately, Sara had come to the station for work on a case.  They’re part of the group of the hostages, and the police are being killed off one by one.

In the midst of the tense situation, Jeffrey’s and Sara’s past is played out. I’m not too much in favor of stories going back-and-forth, but Slaughter pulled it off.  She kept the reader in-tune with what’s happened, what’s happening, and how Sara and Jeffrey manage to re-ignite the passion they once felt and never completely lost.

 

Happy reading,

Dawn

Bride of the Dragons by Selina Coffey

Coffey’s menage shifter romance hits the spot for conflict between the dragon clan, humans, and other serpentine groups that want control.  Not to mention a taste of hot sex between lovely Adelina, the human without a dowry, and the steeled bodies of the alpha dragon, Elokon, and his partner dragon, Siron.  They go together, mate and all.

The two male dragons know how to share, the leadership of their clan and their female mate.  Adelina loves it all. 

Of course, there’s the brewing war set up by leaks from…that’s the problem.  Who’s revealing their location, who’s jealous of Adelina, and who wants the power of the clan?

I thoroughly relished Coffey’s quick-moving, high intensity, and steamy account of the magical dragon clan.  If only the story were longer…well, don’t worry, the author treats her readers to an extended selection of her writing!  She gives a handful of stories along with Bride of the Dragons all in the same purchase.  Definitely an author to put on your list of favoritesJ

Happy reading,

Dawn

 

The Girl with the lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer

I had downloaded this e-book in a flurry of looking for books for a long plane flight taken in September.  I’m not a fan of flying.  Not because I’m afraid or get sick, but rather I find it extremely boring and difficult to sit for nine or ten hours in a suffocating chair.  My legs get antsy and begin to twitch along with rolling my head (not eyes) around in order to create the illusion of, maybe, walking or moving.

Regardless, I picked Amy Schumer’s bestselling tell-it-all, hilarious account of life adventures.  I didn’t know who she was (really, I don’t get out much and forget to watch all the TV I plan to see) and was surprised to see her book plastered in the airport bookstores.

I thought, “Shoot (shit!), I wanted to pick a book not everyone had heard of and be able to write a review to inform the unknown.”

Once in a while I have to join the masses and read the same thing everyone else is reading. 

 So I did.

The novel is filled with funny, lude, and say-it-like-it-is stories.  It will cure depression (I don’t have that, but I’m sure it can help), it can be read in pieces when you need a laugh.  Each chapter is a story.

I don’t recommend it for the bring-to-bed book simply because you’ll laugh and want to keep reading instead of being put to sleep!

And yes, there are some sexy encounters, so I dare to call it a romance of life, fun, and people!

Happy reading,

Dawn

Canada Square- Love in London #3 by Carrie Elks

A delightful story set in London- that’s where the Canada Square comes from- where a young lady named Amy Cartwright decides to do something for herself.

Always making excuses and thinking something’s wrong with herself, Amy has had it!  She dumps her boyfriend, who is a real jack-, and concentrates on her degree and upcoming internship with an exclusive London business.

With her new attitude, she meets her new boss, Callum Ferguson.  She’s not taking any crap from anyone, including a Callum who likes his coffee after nine am.

Callum’s a hard worker, basing his existence on work and getting things done.  The sassy new intern sparks an interest in his manhood, mind and body, so it’s awfully handy to need her help on a regular basis.

Carrie Elks writes a lighthearted, yet real story that I thoroughly enjoyed.  The characters’ dialogue describes their personalities along with the setting.  It reminded me of the Bridget Jones’ Diary movies, so if you love a fun romance, please read!  (Yes, I did see the new movie and it’s great, too).

Happy reading,

Dawn

Beautiful Maids All in a Row by Jennifer Harlow

I loved the character, Iris Ballard.  She’s got spunk, strength, intelligence, tells it like it is, and has faults.  The fault part is what she’s tempted to keep until a non-resistible case confronts her.

Iris is a FBI forensic psychologist living in Georgia.  She’s given up her career for a more sedentary life without many responsibilities. 

 And then Luke Hudson, a hot FBI agent, wants her. He wants her for her mind and abilities to catch a serial killer.  He also wants her for more, but he has a tough time relaying his manly needs.

Iris attempts to keep ahold of her self-destruction, yet the lure of the case and the handsome agent peel away to her better self.

The case becomes personal.  The serial killer murders Iris’s friend.  Luke protects Iris in a warrior way, and Iris takes care of business.

Fantastic read!  The action and love building is constant and surprising throughout.  I’ll definitely keep reading Jennifer Harlow’s novels.  Released on Oct. 11J

 

Happy reading,

Dawn

 

The Unknowns of Eastern Europe…

I recently returned with jet lag from a tour of Eastern Europe, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia (home of the handsome professional cyclist, Peter Sagan), Hungary, and Austria.  It was a fantastic trip, all the history, sites, food, and culture.  We all know that’s what can be enjoyable in a foreign tour.

I’ll tell you a few things people don’t usually comment on, serious and not-so-serious.

The fields in the northern countries are covered with corn, sunflowers, and solar panels.

The toilet paper is like a strip of Bounty…not soft.

Some water closets (toilets) require a fee.

Prague and other cities have a scooper person following the horse carriages.

Wine is served with all meals!

Hot men own wineries.  Their favorite wine is red.

Eating and drinking on a river boat in Budapest (pronounced Budapesht) after the sun retreats is phenomenal.  Buda is on one side of the Danube River and Pest on the other.

Dogs can go into restaurants and water closets.

Coffee is served per half-cup.  Plenty of room for cream and sugar (I don’t use those).

Brie cheese was included with every morning breakfast.  I acquired a taste for cheese with breakfast.

There are armed guards in front of palaces and around the Hungarian jeweled crown, which had been guarded in the US for many years.

Vienna is paradise.  Time to pour a glass of wine.

You can walk the streets at night and feel safe in all of our locations…yet watch out for pick pockets.  My husband and I outsmarted the group of three studying us.  Yeah!

The Hapsburgs ruled all of Bavaria (all these countries and more) for 640 years.  The summer cottage is smaller than the winter palace.  They’re both palaces and I find that funny…the summer palace has about 1400 rooms.

A Viennese symphony concert in the king’s palace is outstanding. 

By the way, does anyone read or write about the Hapsburg reign?  I bought a book and it remains somewhere in Eastern Europe.   Along with the bookmark.

The shower in the Vienna hotel, the Renaissance, had a Renaissance print on the whole wall of the shower.  If I ever remodel my shower, I know what it will look like!

Austrian Alps are magnificent.  The lower mountains have not had snow on the caps for the last twelve years during summer.  First time in recorded history.

The Kleinstanhaus, Eagle’s Nest as named by American soldiers, is on top of a mountain and former home of Hitler.  An amazing piece of architecture and history.

I must say that the funny and fantastic local guide for Austria, Natasha, told us that the “N” word (Nazi) must never be used and never raise the arm in “Heil Hitler.”  You will be pummeled. 

Yodeling is easy.  Just say… Little old lady who, Little old lady who.  Yeah, right. Natasha told our group not to give up our day jobs. 

Hell, let’s have some more wine!

I think long distance flying sucks.  I’m not afraid and I don’t get sick.  It’s really hard to sit in one place for so long.  Alcohol affects me greatly, but I still can never sleep.  Each end of the trip resulted in being wide awake for 22-24 hours.  Bring a book or three.

I must leave this on a good note.  I love men with a European accent.  It makes them all sexy.  I think that’s part of the requirements for the waiters.  I have a picture of one.  Actually, I have 664 other pictures, but I won’t bore you as I did my mother. 

This trip has given me a "total feel" of writing books located in these countries.  I can't wait to get to them! 

I’m sure I left a lot out, but I hope you enjoyed my virtual tour!

Travel lots, travel safely, bring a book,

Dawn

Triptych by Karin Slaughter

Serial murders in Atlanta are something new, but the fact that the victims are prostitutes and low in social ranking typically are not high on the police radar.

This changes idea with Officer Angie Polaski.  Angie is a beautiful and tough cop and considers the atrocities done on the victims inexcusable. 

Another officer, Mike Ormewood, doesn’t see the problem as one needing high priority.  He has other problems of his own.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation sends their man, Agent Will Trent.  Trent has a steady and hidden personality, a tough nut for Angie to crack.

In walks the next most important person, Jon Shelley, in the solving of the murders.  Actually, he walks out of the state prison after paying his dues for a murder.

Jon develops a crush on Angie, Mike hates Jon, Trent has a conflict with Mike’s personality, and Angie’s curiosity about Trent leads to a deep interest.

What a dilemma.  It’s nearly as much a mystery to solve the murders as it is who will end up dating who.

I loved this story.  It had a unique development of the plot and the characters mixed in turbulence similar to a blender.  The only thing I didn’t like was the title of the story.  Triptych?  I looked up the title and found it to define an artistic picture split into three frames.  I seriously did not want to think hard and figure the meaning and how it related to the story other than a character having a triptych on their wall, which ultimately was mentioned once and had little to do with the novel.  Choosing this story had only to do with the fact that the author has always given me a great read!

Happy reading,

Dawn

All the Beautiful Brides (Graveyard Falls Book 1) by Rita Herron

Copycat serial killer?  The former serial killer is in jail and ready for probation.

Special Agent Cal Coulter is called to Graveyard Falls to investigate a woman’s murder at the foot of the water fall, thirty years after a serial killer had taken the lives of three young women.

Mona Monroe returns to Graveyard Falls to discover who her biological mother is.  Mona was adopted and has one small clue to go on. 

Mona and Cal can’t help but run into each other.  She had married Cal’s step-brother and best friend who died in a car accident.

Cal has always loved Mona, but never wanted to reveal what he knows about Mona’s husband which isn’t anything good.

So who breaks the ice and makes the first move?  Will the other be receptive?  Mona and Cal hedge around their opportunities to reveal their true feelings, but repeated murders interrupt the signals.

The dark suspense and hidden love create a quick-to-read and satisfying romance.  Of course, I’m always curious about the following books in a series and who the romantic couple will be!

Happy reading,

Dawn

Known by Kendra Elliot

 

The best place to murder someone starts in the Cascade Range of Oregon.  Although the main target stayed alive, others died along the way.

A blizzard filled the mountains with snow and ice, closing roads, and cutting off communication.

This is when Chris Jacobs checks the smell of smoke a distance from his own cabin.  He finds Gianna Trask and her teenage daughter hiding out in their vehicle near a burnt out cabin.

Naturally, he takes them to his cabin, Chris and Gianna exchange glances of interest and arousal, and they’re stuck together for a few days.

I enjoyed the suspense part of the story as people kept getting murdered by a killer who couldn’t do his job very well –in other words, he still hadn’t gotten his main target, Gianna.

I was all for Gianna and Chris getting it on since they didn’t have a lot else to do in a cabin with a fireplace and beautiful snow tumbled over the forested range outside their  windows, but I felt I didn’t “know” them very well.  Gianna had a flat personality and Chris was too quiet. 

I’ve decided quiet characters aren’t given the best opportunity to express themselves.  Chris is chivalrous, though, in saving the ladies and taking care of them until the killer is discovered.  I’ll give him that.

Known is the fifth story of the series Bone Secrets.  If anyone has read any of the other novels of the series, I’d love to hear what you think!

Happy reading,

Dawn

She Can Kill by Melinda Leigh

Everybody knows everybody in Westbury, Pennsylvania.  Quiet, comfortable, good schools, jobs, and what more could you ask for?

Cristan Rojas wants all this for himself and his daughter.  A dozen years ago Cristan and his daughter escaped a massacre at the hands of his dead wife’s Brazilian family.  He didn’t want anything to do with his former life under a drug cartel and his job was to assassinate when necessary.

Cristan moves frequently and is always ready for another move until Westbury.  It’s so nice, his daughter has friends and she has no idea why he moves constantly, and well, he’d met Sarah.

Sarah was recently divorced from an abusive husband who still antagonizes her.  She Acted as a babysitter for Cristan’s daughter and interest is imminent between the two adults. 

Both have their reasons for holding back, get rid of the ex-husband’s intrusions, get rid of the family member still trying to kill Cristan, and such stuff. 

It’s too bad that the worst of Sarah’s and Cristan’s problems collide at the same time and no one knows who to trust and run from or run to.

It’s a kaleidoscope of issues that Sarah and Cristan must conquer to be rewarded with the simple thing we all want: love and trust. 

 

Happy reading,

Dawn     

Cold Cold Heart by Tami Hoag

Tami Hoag did a fabulous job of portraying her characters with PTSD and personalities surrounding these people. 

The plot is full of twists and many suspects in a gruesome murder.  As soon as you think you have it figured out, think again.

Dana Nolan had been brutalized by a serial killer.  She was a lucky candidate as she survived by killing the killer.  She came away with personality changes and physical problems she had to contend with.

After a year of working on herself, Dana realizes she lost her best friend, Casey, years ago.  Casey disappeared and Dana felt the need to find out what happened to her.  With a scattered memory bank, Dana tries to fill in the blanks that the police haven’t had success with.

The people around Dana include an over attentive mother, a step-father she doesn’t trust, her high school boyfriend who wants to get back together with her, Casey’s former boyfriend, John who has PTSD from being in the service in Afghanistan, and other members of the community.

So many suspects and so little time to figure out who the new killer in town is.

Happy reading,

Dawn