Review: Twila's Tempest by Natasza Waters

Title:  Twila's Tempest
Author:  Natasza Waters
Genre:  Romantic Adventure
Book Size:  1018 KB / 392 pages

Drake Addison, retired Marine, understands the dangers of the sea, but there’s a storm coming, and she’s all of five foot three.

A dark horse among the Treasure Coast’s elite, Drake’s passion and wealth tempt him. His first love is building yachts. Meeting Twila, he sees she has a passion as well—caring for the elderly, including his parents, but she’s trapped.

Like unearthing a gold doubloon, with one kiss from Twila, he craves a thousand. He makes an excuse to remain in Port St. Lucie and teach Twila about the sea. His mistake: misjudging the heart of one woman, the soul of another, and the ferocity of the one headed their way.
Sometimes, a little knowledge is dangerous, but for Twila—it’s deadly.

The book starts off describing Twila's life among the Florida senior citizens' mobile home park. While it sounds bland to some, the author does a good job in keeping it interesting. One resident, a woman who is proud of her sons and nosey as hell, finagles a way for Twila and Drake to finally meet.

Part playboy, part ex-military, and a whole lotta sexy, Drake has his hands full with a lucrative yacht building business and a self-centered arm-candy model. Hint: Arm Candy hates Twila from the word go. Sparks fly between the women, but flames grow between Twila and Drake.

In Twila's life, her self-imposed responsibility for the seniors comes first. Loyalty is number one. I'm not sure what Drake's priority is apart from his yacht business, but it felt like it was to remind Twila that there's more to life than playing slave to the seniors who gladly took advantage of her good nature.

The excitement builds when the mother of all hurricanes blows in. Twila and Drake are separated but come together in the crest of it all. Together they weather the storm, but barely. And then it's a wrap.

The nautical knowledge Natasza Waters uses in creating this story is almost as exciting as the story itself. Through her pictures in words, the reader is carried along this fast-paced story into the eye of the storm.

You might need one of these after you've finished this book.

***** FIVE STARS

Review: Horses and Heroin by Bev Petterson

Title:  Horses and Heroin
Author:  Bev Pettersen
Genre:  Romantic Mystery
Book Size:  306 pages (Amazon didn't show the eBook for some reason. I purchased this book in 2015 and just now got around to reading)

Jockey School Is Not What It Seems.

A talented rider disappears without a trace.
His frantic sister poses as a student.
A private investigator's plans for quiet recuperation are shattered.

Megan is determined to find her missing brother even though no one else at the illustrious California Jockey School seems to care. Her only ally is a recuperating PI who unfortunately is the owner's best friend. Soon she is caught between a blossoming romance and a far-reaching conspiracy...and misplaced trust can be deadly.

I almost passed on this book because of the title. Yes, I'm against hard drug use, but that's not the reason why. Frankly, it's just a stupid title when another could have worked better. That said, I'm glad I read the book's description because that's what sold me to click the BUY button.

This is my first novel by Bev Petterson and I'd be interested in reading others. I like horses. I like horse racing. Put the two together and she wrote an outstanding, fresh story. There were slow sections of the story where I admit to quickly skimming over to get back into the action. Especially the part authors call "The Sagging Middle".

The heroine Megan enrolls in jockey school (I didn't know there were such things) to investigate the disappearance of her brother. Enter the hero, Scott. He's a P.I. who'd been grazed by a bullet to the head during his last job and he needs to recuperate away from the hustle of his busy P.I. office. Of course, any man in his right mind who'd recently been shot in the head would naturally choose to hide-out at jockey school that just so happens to be owned by his buddy. (who just so happens to need a drug addict instructor)

Throw in the Mexican drug cartel, a few bad jockeys, a few goofy sidekicks, and this turned out to be quite an enjoyable read! I was never quite sure "whodunit" until the author divested the truth. Good job on the part of Bev Petterson and her superb writing skills.

Mystery, suspense, sexy characters as well as despicable ones, and plenty of Thoroughbred racehorse track action to keep you standing in your stirrups until the very end.

**** Four Stars
 

Review: Prophecy's Healing by Brenda Dyer

Title:  Prophecy's Healing, Book 5, The Prophecy Series
Author:  Brenda Dyer
Genre:  Paranormal Romance
Book Size:  904 KB / 322 Pages

Her love for him has spanned time.

After years of betrayal, Julia Murphy is starting over and attempting to leave her broken-hearted past behind. As a waitress at The Green Tree nightclub, she’s working to save enough money to finally take the college courses that will kick-start her new future. But fate has other plans. When two men viciously attack her, a tall, menacing stranger comes to Julia’s aid and thrusts her on a wild journey into a past that death has erased and a world she didn’t know exists.

His past and future collide

As the deadliest vampire warrior in the Surrey squad, Ace is feared and avoided, which is fine by him. He cares for nothing and nobody, including himself. But when he rescues a pretty waitress from a deadly attack, he can’t deny he’s drawn to her. However, this newfound attraction comes with consequences Ace never could have foreseen. He comes face to face with his tormented past, and Julia is the link. Now, he must decide whether he’ll fight for a love that’s spanned the ages, or if he’ll allow centuries old hate and betrayal to destroy their futures.

This is Book 5 in the Prophecy series and while it could be read as a stand-alone, it probably wouldn't make as much sense unless you read the whole series in order.

Throughout the series, Ace has always been grouchy and mean. He wasn't mentioned a whole lot, but the other books weren't about him. Fair enough. In Prophecy's Healing, we find out why he acts the way he does. Two hundred years ago in the past, he'd been betrayed by a woman he loved. A cliche' story plot, but fun to read nonetheless. In the end, her betrayal gets her killed and Ace lives with the residual effect of not only the betrayal, but the fact that he'd been the lucky soul who killed her.

Fast forward to present day Surrey, BC. Julia is working in a dive bar hustling drinks and hates it. Why she works there and not flipping burgers at a greasy spoon or making change at Wal-Mart is unknown, but that's beside the point. The author had to put them together and does so in a way that's enjoyable to read. I mean, what's better than a super tall, super muscular, long-haired, bad-ass alpha male vampire rescuing a weak human female from two drunk brutes after last call? Again, cliche', but well written.

Throughout the story there's all sorts of angst - should she? No! Should he - Hell no! Back and forth, push and pull....I almost quit reading because the overdone melodrama of it all. But again, the author's talent kept me turning the virtual pages. Kudos to Ms. Dyer.

Prophecy's Healing is a good book. I recommend reading all the books in order, however.

**** Four Stars

 

Review: Ghost Hunter by Lori Brighton

Title:  Ghost Hunter

Author:  Lori Brighton

Genre:  Paranormal Romance

Book Size:  739 KB / 291 Pages

When Ashley Hunter inherits the Inn where her father mysteriously vanished years ago, she jumps at the chance to finally uncover the truth about his disappearance. But soon after taking ownership of the decrepit building, Ashley realizes she’s in for far more than she bargained. Not only has she inherited answers to many sought-after questions, she’s also inherited spirits, demons and even fallen angels! Then Cristian arrives, a gorgeous man who insists he merely needs a room to rent. She believes him, until one by one her ghosts start disappearing...

As a fallen angel destined for a life of servitude, Cristian Lucius is relegated to protecting earth from unwanted spirits. But he can’t accomplish this daunting task alone. He requires assistance from the very woman who frustrates him as much as she intrigues him. Cristian is determined to ignore his intense attraction for Ashley, and focus on his mission. If they don’t work together, they won’t have a chance in hell of defeating the demon threatening their lives. The problem is getting Ashley to trust him. No easy task, considering Cristian is the very man responsible for her father’s disappearance.

 Ghost Hunter is a great story with characters whom I immediately liked. The heroine Ashley has been treated mentally insane all her life because she can see and speak to ghosts. I was a bit lost in the beginning, not understanding exactly what powers Ashley held. It was a long time into the story before it became firmly stated. Keeping me on the edge of the seat, if this was the author's intent, didn't work for me.


So, American Ashley inherits a rundown home from her aunt in England, that she calls a Pub. I don't know why it's referred that way since I don't recall any reference made to it being a drinking establishment. So, again, that part threw me off each time the reference was made.

The hero is a well-rounded character named Cristian, who turns out to be a fallen angel trying to make it back into the good graces of Micheal, the head angel and his boss. While he doesn't have wings that outstretch like I'd been hoping, he does have tattoos of wings on his back - which I found as a bit of a letdown. Again, personal opinion. With the build up of what was to come between the demon who plagues the Pub and this avenging angel, I thought there'd be more excitement or fear or something once the cat was let out of the bag, so to speak.

The ghosts who live in the house/pub that Ashley comes to think of as family start disappearing one by one. Perhaps the description of her feelings for the ghosts was too strong because when the last ghost disappears, she really isn't all that upset. Kind of made me go, "huh!".

There are the usual side characters that helped round out the story, but I never understood why everyone kept the "Big Secret" from Ashley. Especially when the reader finds out what the big secret is, and I didn't think it was all that big after all. Though I must admit, I like the twist on Who the big secret turned out to be.

*** 3 Star Review

Review: Stepbrothers Stepping Out: With His Doctor by Delilah Devlin

Title:  Stepbrothers Stepping Out: With His Doctor

Author:  Delilah Devlin

Genre:  Erotic Romance

Book Size:  File size - 1066 kb

She's in luck! The doctor's in...

With the ink barely dry on their D/s contract, big brother's ready to introduce Sasha to a very special friend...
Note: This original 5800-word short story may be short in length, but it's not short in passion!

Sasha has crushed on her Dom stepbrother Jacob since she was 12 years old. Now that she’s all grown up, she makes her move when his last Submissive moves on.

She’s usually good at dealing with Jacob, but when he introduces her to his friend the doctor, that’s when all bets are off. Wanting to please her Dom tests the Submissive role she’s chosen to play when a “physical” examine becomes the scene to test their commitment and realize their feelings for one another.

This is a very short novella with passionate love scenes and two characters who are not only well developed in a very short time but who work well together despite the issues one of them faces. The story dives straight in with a hot sexy scene and immediately the reader is told just how attractive Jacob is. The descriptions given by the author are excellent and will have the reader able to clearly imagine the scenes and play them through in their head.

What a shame the book wasn't longer! Delilah Devlin has great writing skills and the story develops well. An excellent short read.

*****5 Star Review

Review: Shattered Heart (Z series Book 2)

Title:  Shattered Heart, Z series, Book 2

Author:  Jerri Drennen

Genre:  Romantic Suspense

Book Size:  93 pages/338 KB

Covert Z operative, JT Malone, is in Oregon on assignment. By taking an engineering job, he’ll investigate accusations of possible threats to national security made by an informant, who has since died under suspicious circumstances. He didn't plan to fall for the dead man's widow.

Two years after her husband's accidental death, Charlotte Delaney will do whatever it takes to save her cafe from foreclosure, even accepting a marriage proposal from her late husband’s boss. That is, until an appealing stranger insinuates that her husband's death was no accident and the person responsible could be the same man who's asked her to marry him. The attraction between Charlotte and JT is instantaneous and explosive, making her question everything she thought she knew about herself and her life.

Together, the two battle against an unquenchable desire while scrambling to thwart a terrorist act that could thrust the country into epic tragedy. The closer they get to the truth, the higher the stakes, with Charlotte at risk of becoming collateral damage. Now, both will be forced to put everything on the line: for life, liberty, and love.

By all indications from the blurb, this book looked like a great read. The synopsis seemed like everything I look forward in a book.

By Chapter 5, I gave up.

JT Malone's character started out great. Ms. Drennan portrayed him as experienced, yet apprehensive going into his new assignment. All good stuff. Charlotte Delaney's character, though a bit flat, was believable at first too. A widow of two years, she still loved her husband and found it hard to move on. More good stuff.

What curled my lip was how both characters went from JT's ambition of catching the bad guy and Charlotte's desire to save her beloved cafe, to suddenly both having Fourth of July sexual fireworks and wanting to spank the monkey in her front living room.

One minute she's crying in her deceased husband's untouched-since-he-died office to tongue wrestling outside that very door. The flinging of eye-rolling emotions moved faster than a reader kept up with and eventually left me in the dust with a bad taste for this book.

I had such high hopes from everything the blurb promised. Sadly, this book couldn't keep me interested.

DNF

Review: Dark Wolf Rising (Bloodrunners series Book 4)

Title:  Dark Wolf Rising (Bloodrunners series, Book 4)
Author:  Rhyannon Byrd
Genre: Paranormal Romance (werewolves)
Book Size:  302 pgs / 638 KB

Eric Drake, a powerful Dark Wolf, has never trusted himself around human females—preferring to mate only within his pack. That is, until he encounters Chelsea Smart snooping around Silvercrest pack land in search of her missing sister.

Secretly, Chelsea thinks Eric is the sexiest man she's ever seen, though she is wary of his potent Alpha energy. Then it's discovered that Chelsea's sister is being held by a pack of vicious Lycans, and Eric heroically leaps into action. Now, Chelsea will risk everything—her body and soul—to surrender to the passion that will mark her as Eric's woman for all eternity…if they survive.

The book started off strong and immediately sucked me in. By the end of page two, I started having doubts.

Eric Drake doesn't trust humans, females or not. At night, though it's so dark he can't make out her features, somehow he enables Xray vision and is able to suddenly make out everything from the shape of her nose to the curve of her cheek. Mind you, he's far away while she's sitting in her van, in the dark, hidden under the cover of trees. 

Yeah. Only it gets worse from there.

I'm not an English major or an expert on how to write a story, but I learned enough in my high school creative writing class to know when someone abuses the word "was" when writing a fiction story. Why Ms. Byrd's Harlequin editors failed to properly edit this book is beyond me. It could have been so much more...

Enter the heroine Chelsea Smart. She's short on cash, lost, can't afford a place to stay, and for some reason chooses to be uncooperative with the local law enforcement. I didn't find this believable in the least. 

When Eric approaches her driver's side window, after two other agents proved unsuccessful in terminating her illegal camping, she suddenly finds him hot, attractive, and her girly parts take notice. Oh! But wait. Although he's law enforcement, she's a bitch and treats him like crap.


Yeah. It got worse. Between the lousy writing and stupid story, I couldn't force myself to go on. Why torture myself when there's other, better written books available.

DNF