Review & Excerpt: Cheater by Karen Rose

 

Cheater (San Diego #2) by Karen Rose

Publication Date: March 26th 2024 by Berkley

Pages: 464

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

When a murder happens in a retirement community Detective Kit McKittrick and Dr. Sam Reeves must work together to find the killer. Kit’s been avoiding Sam for the last six months when it seemed like they had a connection, thinking she had little to offer him, but this case has thrown them together again to untangle the many threads in this mystery. Kit can’t avoid Sam anymore with his personal connection to the murder victim and he’s been assigned to assist with the case as the SDPD’s resident psychologist. Kit and her partner Connor, as well as Sam have a lot to uncover.

Kit is a likeable character, and she has a wonderful support system with her adoptive parents, good people who seem to gather all those that need a helping hand. I love Sam! He’s patient with a big heart.

Cheater mixes crime procedure and the personal aspects of the main characters, their extended friends, family, and co-workers. Many of the characters appear again, building on the foundation set in the first book. Sam and Kit’s romance is slow going and one I’m rooting for. 

4 Stars

Excerpt:

Book Description:

A shocking murder leaves an affluent retirement community reeling in this riveting, high-stakes second installment of the San Diego Case Files, from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Karen Rose.

Death is not an unfamiliar visitor to Shady Oaks Retirement Village, which provides San Diego with premier elderly support from independent retiree housing to full-time hospice care. But when a resident’s body is found brutally stabbed and his apartment ransacked, it’s clear there’s someone deadly in their community. Detective Katherine “Kit” McKittrick quickly discovers that Shady Oaks is full of skeleton-riddled closets, and most tenants prefer to keep their doors firmly closed to the SDPD.

A longtime volunteer at the retirement facility, Dr. Sam Reeves honors his late grandfather’s memory by playing the piano for the residents regularly. So it shouldn’t be such a surprise when Kit crosses paths with him during her investigation, after she’d avoided the criminal psychologist—and the emotions he evokes—for the last six months.

Sam’s rapport within the retirement village proves vital to the case, and the pair find themselves working together once again—much to Kit’s dismay. But she is determined to apprehend the shadow of death lurking around Shady Oaks...and equally determined to ignore the feelings she’s developing for a certain psychologist.

About the Author

Karen Rose is the award-winning, #1 international bestselling author of more than 25 novels, including the bestselling Baltimore and Cincinnati series. She has been translated into twenty-three languages, and her books have placed on the New York Times, the Sunday Times (UK), and Germany's der Spiegel bestseller lists.

 

Blog Tour Review: Everyone Is Watching by Heather Gudenkauf

Everyone is Watching by Heather Gudenkauf

Publication Date: March 26th 2024 by Park Row

Pages: 320

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookbub | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Five contestants: Maire “The Best Friend” a mother of two young girls, barely scraping by, Camille “The Confidant” a psychiatrist, Richard “The Senator” a retired senator, Samuel “The Boyfriend” a prosecutor and “The Executive” are all invited to compete for $10 Million Dollars in a reality TV show. Locked away from the world on a beautiful winery in Napa Valley. They arrive and it’s quickly apparent that things are not as they seem, but they’re all intent on winning, each for their own reasons. As the game plays out snippets from the past come to light, secrets the contestants do not want revealed.

Everyone is Watching was a page-turner! While the plot was a little predictable, I wanted to find out how it’d all turn out. I was rooting for several characters, but there were a few I wanted to pay for their actions! It’s hard to write much without spoiling things, but I will say it was an entertaining, popcorn thriller!

4 Stars

 

Excerpt:

Book Description:

The Best Friend. The Confidant. The Senator. The Boyfriend. The Executive.

Five contestants have been chosen to compete for ten million dollars on the game show One Lucky Winner. The catch? None of them knows what (or who) to expect, and it will be live streamed all over the world. Completely secluded in an estate in Northern California, with strict instructions not to leave the property and zero contact with the outside world, the competitors start to feel a little too isolated.

When long-kept secrets begin to rise to the surface, the contestants realize this is no longer just a reality show—someone is out for blood. And the game can’t end until the world knows who the contestants really are…

 

Photo Credit: Kate Cousins Photography

Author Bio: 

Heather Gudenkauf is the critically acclaimed author of several novels, including the New York Times bestsellers The Weight of Silence and The Overnight Guest. She lives in Iowa with her husband and children.

Review: The Trail of Lost Hearts by Tracey Garvis Graves

 

The Trail of Lost Hearts by Tracey Garvis Graves

Publication Date: March 26th 2024 by Macmillan Audio & St. Martin's Press

Pages: 304

Audio Book Length: 8hrs 52min

Narrator: Kate Handford & Eric Meyers

Source: Publishers

Rating: ★★★½

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookbub | Audible | Libro.fm | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Wren and Marshall have each had shock and heartbreak they’re trying to get over and they randomly meet on a trail in Oregon while both geocaching.  Their paths converge in a dramatic way, and they decide to team up for the remainder of their vacation. They bond over and soothe the heartbreak they’ve suffered. They have chemistry and end up falling hard, but the timing is tricky.

The Trail of Lost Hearts started with a bang and had me so frightened for Wren at the beginning! I was enraged by the event, and I feel exactly the same way: A woman SHOULD be able to hike alone without worrying about being in danger! Men do not have this worry and it’s so unfair! I love hiking and have hiked a lot of trails in Oregon, so the setting at the beginning reminded me of all the beautiful scenery! The idea of geocaching, something I’ve never tried, sounds like a lot of fun!

I was in love with this story until I hit the 60% mark. Then it took a turn I wasn’t thrilled about.

I would've enjoyed it more if Highlight for spoiler (I tried to keep it vague still): Marshall was responsible for the surprise situation Wren found herself in. Also, I wasn't thrilled with Wren marching out to New York to inform the widow of what happened. Why not leave the poor woman alone? At least give it some time for hurt to diminish before adding to what must have been a horrible shock on so many levels. I get why Wren wanted it out there, but like I said, maybe wait a while? I would've said the same thing as Shayla said when she answered the door to Wren: "Are you fucking kidding me?!" End of spoiler

Just felt like a lot of messy drama added on to a story I was really enjoying. I will say that I finished the book in one day. It was one I couldn’t put down.

I alternately read and listened to the story. Kate Hanford did a wonderful job performing both female and male voices. She had a steady, calm voice that fit right in with Wren taking all the hits while remaining calm and clear headed. It was a nice feature to have Eric Meyers read his emails and texts to Wren. I listened at my usual 1.5x normal speed.

3.5 Stars

Book Description:

New York Times bestselling author Tracey Garvis Graves takes readers on a life affirming journey, where two lost souls find the unexpected courage to love again.

Thirty-four-year-old Wren Waters believes that if you pay attention, the universe will send you exactly what you need. But her worldview shatters when the universe delivers two life-altering blows she didn’t see coming, and all she wants to do is put the whole heartbreaking mess behind her. No one is more surprised than Wren when she discovers that geocaching―the outdoor activity of using GPS to look for hidden objects―is the only thing getting her out of bed and out of her head. She decides that a weeklong solo quest geocaching in Oregon is exactly what she needs to take back control of her life.

Enter Marshall Hendricks, a psychologist searching for distraction as he struggles with a life-altering blow of his own. Though Wren initially rebuffs Marshall’s attempt at hiker small talk, she’s beyond grateful when he rescues her from a horrifying encounter farther down the trail. In the interest of safety, Marshall suggests partnering up to look for additional caches. Wren’s no longer quite so trusting of the universe―or men in general―but her inner circle might argue that a smart, charismatic psychologist isn’t the worst thing the universe could place in her path.

What begins as a platonic road trip gradually blossoms into something deeper, and the more Wren learns about Marshall, the more she wants to know. Now all she can do is hope that the universe gets it right this time.

Sunday Post #244

 

The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated reviewer book blog, and is a post to recap my bookish and non-bookish things from the last week. I'm also linking up to The Sunday Salon hosted by Deb Nance @Readerbuzz.

Came back from Cancun late Tuesday night. A very long day of travel. Of course I came down with a cold and now I'm living on Day and NightQuil. We had a good time there. It was tropical, hot and a lot going on with four kids under 10 in our group. We were at the pool, the beach, and went to a water park that was so much fun! My grandson (8 yrs old), my daughter and I went on this one ride that had a sheer drop-off that really got your heart pounding! We went on it 5 times in a row, my grandson loved it so much. Looking at the photos they capture as you drop were so hilarious! The look of utter terror on our faces, hair flying and so on, had us laughing our heads off! 

I only have a couple of photos that didn't include us below. The hotel was gorgeous sitting right on the beach, but there were rivers throughout as well. Lots of different pools and restaurants. The cave restaurant was in Playa del Carmen, and it was so hot that we only had a drink and then left to eat somewhere else. I thought it'd be cooler being an underground cave.

One of the rivers at the hotel

Cave restaurant

Another pic of the cave restaurant 

 At home we've had some sunny days, but it's back to rain today (Saturday). I have to work tomorrow (Sunday) to cover for someone and then we meet my sister to go out to dinner. I'm a little out of whack with my routine since coming back and it doesn't help I have to work a day on the weekend. 

Daffodils and vinca in front of our garage.

Peanut enjoying a little respite from the rain

Puzzle I just finished with "help"

I leave for Texas on Thursday to watch my grandkids while my daughter and SIL go on an anniversary trip. My daughter texted me some photos of the bluebonnets and Indian paintbrush flowers that are blooming everywhere, so I'm excited to see them in person!

Read:

(Click on cover for Goodreads link)

My reading for 2 weeks. I hoped to get more in. I listened to A Soupcon of Poison, the prequel novella to A Below Stairs Mystery, to see if I wanted to download an invite of Speculations in Sin, book 7 in the series. I loved it so now I just need to read all six before diving in! 

Leave No Trace by A.J. Landau: 4 Stars

First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston: 4.5 Stars

A Grave Robbery by Deanna Raybourne: 4 Stars

The Love Remedy by Elizabeth Everett: 4 Stars

If Only You by Chloe Liese: 4 Stars

A Soupcon of Poison by Jennifer Ashley: 4 Stars

Received/Purchased/Library Lend:

Thank you to Berkley and Minotaur Books!

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How was your week?

Review: Leave No Trace by A.J. Landau

 

Leave No Trace (National Parks Thriller #1) by A. J. Landau

Publication Date: February 27th 2024 by Minotaur Books

Pages: 352

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookbub | Kobo | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Leave No Trace starts off with a bang when The Statue of Liberty is attacked, and there are multiple casualties! Special Agent Michael Walker of the National Parks Service is called in to investigate, as The Statue of Liberty is one of their sites. Michael starts working with Gina Delgado, an FBI agent also sent in.

Unfortunately, this is the first of several planned attacks on key National Parks around the States. Michael and Gina race to keep up and disable the attacks before more are injured, but along the way they uncover an even more diabolical plan against the US Government! It’s easy to picture real-life homegrown terrorists hatching similar plans, which adds a layer of fear to the story! 

I love National Parks, so the snippet of history included at the beginning of each chapter was a fun addition!

I enjoyed learning about Michael and Gina’s personal history, both likable characters, and wonder how they’ll work together again.

This is a fast-paced, action-packed story and I was on the edge of my seat hoping Michael and Gina would get ahead of these nutjobs and squash their nefarious plans! I thoroughly enjoyed this exciting thriller and look forward to the next installment!

 4 Stars

Book Description:

In a daring, brutal act of terrorism, an explosion rocks and topples the Statue of Liberty. Special Agent Michael Walker of the National Park Service is awakened by his boss with that news and sent to New York as the agent-in-charge. Not long after he lands, he learns two things - one that Gina Delgado of the FBI has been placed in charge of the investigation as the lead of the Joint Terrorism Task Force and two, that threats of a second terrorism attack are already being called into the media. While barred from the meetings of the Joint Task Force for his lack of security clearance, Walker finds a young boy among the survivors with a critical piece of information - a video linking the attackers to the assault.

As a radical domestic terrorist group, led by a shadowy figure known only as Jeremiah, threatens further attacks against America's cultural symbols, powerful forces within the government are misleading the investigation to further their own radical agenda.

Review & Excerpt: The Love Remedy by Elizabeth Everett

 

The Love Remedy (The Damsels of Discovers #1) by Elizabeth Everett

Publication Date: March 19th 2023 by Berkley

Pages: 352

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Lucy Peterson’s recipe for throat lozenges has been stolen and now her salve for croup has gone missing as well. She thinks she knows the culprit and wants it back as her family desperately needs the money that would come from the patent and sales of the remedies, so Lucy goes to Tierney & Co. for help.

Jonathan Thorne is an agent for Tierney & Co solving tricky problems like Lucy’s, but he’s not happy about his assignment to help her because Lucy is beautiful, and Thorne doesn’t need the temptation. After several years of debauchery that led to tragedy and left him a single father, Thorne tries to keep on the straight and narrow.

I really felt for Lucy, working so hard, as the neighborhood apothecary, she was basically the doctor for all that ailed the people around her.  She was talented and smart in her field, working out the throat lozenge and croup recipe, so I was outraged by the theft! I wanted Thorne to get to the bottom of it and restore the recipes back to Lucy! I feel like the matter wasn’t fully resolved and didn’t fully address the culprit’s hand in things.

I felt like there were a lot of threads in this story including women’s rights over their body, and I do appreciate that, but it felt like a lot of things going on. I feel like the pacing suffered by shoving in several issues.

The romance between Thorne and Lucy was a slow burn and I enjoyed their chemistry. Nice and unexpectedly spicy! I did get a little exasperated over the miscommunication in the end. It felt like it dragged out a bit, but I knew everything would turn out by the end.

The Love Remedy is a spinoff of Everette’s previous series, The Secret Scientists of London, a series I enjoyed as well. Athena’s Retreat, The Guardians of Domesticity and a few previous characters show up again. I look forward to the next installment, which features Sam Fenley and Lady Phoebe, a sort of villain in the previous series.

4 Stars

Excerpt:

Book Description:

When a Victorian apothecary hires a stoic private investigator to protect her business, they learn there’s only one way to treat true love—with a happily ever after.

When Lucinda Peterson’s recently perfected formula for a salve to treat croup goes missing, she’s certain it’s only the latest in a line of misfortunes at the hands of a rival apothecary. Outraged and fearing financial ruin, Lucy turns to private investigator Jonathan Thorne for help. She just didn’t expect her champion to be so . . . grumpy?

A single father and an agent at Tierney & Co., Thorne accepts missions for a wide variety of employers—from the British government to wronged wives. None have intrigued him so much as the spirited Miss Peterson. As the two work side by side to unmask her scientific saboteur, Lucy slips ever so sweetly under Thorne’s battered armor, tempting him to abandon old promises.

With no shortage of suspects—from a hostile political group to an erstwhile suitor—Thorne’s investigation becomes a threat to all that Lucy holds dear. As the truth unravels around them the cure to their problems is they must face the future together.

Review: If Only You by Chloe Liese

 

If Only You (The Bergman Brothers #6) by Chloe Liese

Publication Date: February 20th 2024 by Berkley Reprint & Tantor Audio

Pages: 384

Narrators: CJ Bloom and Nelson Hobbs

Audio Book Length: 11hrs

Source: Publishers

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Sebastian Gautier, a professional hockey player, needs to shed his bad boy reputation since he’s on thin ice with his team, and rapidly losing sponsors. Ziggy Bergman is the youngest on the National Soccer team, and is tired of being seen as the naïve, squeaky-clean girl. She wants to be recognized as the smart, capable woman she is. A recent run in with Seb, Ziggy’s brother’s best friend, has her thinking that they could help each other out by faking a friendship. By association Ziggy could polish Zeb’s reputation make it seem like he’s cleaning up his act a bit, and Ziggy might be taken more seriously and treated less like a little girl when seen with an edgy male.

Ziggy and Seb were very opposite: where one was weak, the other helped with a fresh, different perspective, assisting each other to grow in positive ways.  Of course, being so close the fake friendship soon turns into a real one. Each feels the pull of attraction sparking between them as they get closer.  

If Only You was a fun fake-friends-to-more romance! I enjoyed the clever banter and bits of humor that made me giggle more than a few times. I really appreciated that there was no third act drama and I enjoyed the neurodivergent and chronic illness representation that Ms. Liese included here, as she does with many of her romances, portraying characters with real-life problems, making them more relatable. I absolutely love the new covers Berkley has released for the whole series, but I especially love the one for If Only You with its vibrant, spring vibes!

I alternately read an e-copy and listened to an audio of If Only You and I recommend either version. CJ Bloom and Nelson Hobbs bring Ziggy and Sebastian to life with their wonderful performances. They definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the story. I listened at my usual 1.5x normal speed.

4 Stars

Book Description:

The TikTok sensation, now with new exclusive content!

A longtime good girl and unapologetic bad boy score the love of their life when they least expect to in this swoony, slow-burn sports romance.

Ziggy Bergman is tired of being underestimated. Sure, she’s the youngest player on the National Soccer team and the baby of the family, but that doesn’t mean she still deserves to be treated like a kid. It’s time for her angelic image to get a makeover. What better way to do that than hanging out with trouble incarnate and her brother’s best friend, Sebastian Gauthier?

Sebastian has hit rock bottom. His hockey career and sponsorships are in jeopardy of ending if something doesn’t give. Seb’s not willing to actually change his destructive ways, but he’s happy to pretend he’s a reformed reprobate by faking a friendship for publicity with sweet, shy Ziggy Bergman.

When faking starts to feel real, Ziggy and Seb discover an unexpected friendship they’re happy to hold on to. At least, until their once-fake friendship becomes the most loving, empowering relationship they’ve ever known, and the end goal—for both of them—changes.

Audiobook Review: One of Our Own by Lucinda Berry

 

One of Our Own by Lucinda Berry

Publication Date: March 12th 2024 by Simon & Schuster Audio

Audio Book Length: 3 hrs 54 mins

Narrators: A.J. Cook & Tessa Albertson

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★½

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Librofm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Felicia volunteers at a suicide hotline center to help others to avoid a tragedy that rocked her family years back. However, Felicia has had to deal with other adversities! I was riveted by her story and how she related to the poor young girl who called in! The young woman was drugged and assaulted at a local party. The events after have thrown her into desperate despair. Unfortunately, this story could be ripped from the pages of real-life and my heart went out to her! I was on the edge hoping that Felicia could help her.

Things turn more disturbing as Felicia realizes this girl attended the same party her son did a few weeks back. Dread creeps in as Felicia pieces together the puzzle of what happened that night.

I listened to One of Our Own straight through in one go. I needed to know how it all turned out!  The audio isn’t very long, novella length, but the story packs an emotional punch!

I listened to an audio of One of Our Own. A.J. Cook’s (from Criminal Minds) and Tessa Albertson’s performance enhanced this compelling story. A definite recommend!

4.5 Stars

Book Description:

A suicide prevention hotline volunteer answers a call that turns her world upside down in this edge-of-your-seat audio original thriller by the bestselling author of The Perfect Child and The Best of Friends, performed by A.J. Cook (Criminal Minds) and Tessa Albertson (Younger).

Felicia, a single mother and lawyer by day, volunteers at a local crisis center to give back to her tightknit community in a small Wisconsin town. One night, she answers a horrifying call: through tears, a frantic teenage girl tells her that she was a victim of sexual assault at a local house party.

Felicia is shocked, and breaking protocol, she begins communicating with the girl on her own, determined to keep her safe and hold her assailants accountable. But as she gets closer and closer to the truth, she can’t shake the feeling that she and the girl are connected by more than the phone call. As the girl shares more details, Felicia begins to think the unthinkable—someone close to her may be involved in this heinous crime.

As Felicia earns the girl’s trust and more facts emerge about the incident, she faces a gut-wrenching battle between her protective instincts and the moral responsibility to do what’s right. This taut thriller is the perfect listen for fans of The Push, Wrong Place Wrong Time, and We Need to Talk About Kevin.

Review: The New Couple in 5B by Lisa Unger

 

The New Couple in 5B by Lisa Unger

Publication Date: March 5th 2024 by Park Row & Harper Audio

Pages: 382

Audio Book Length: 12hrs 8 mins

Narrators: Vivienne Leheny

Source: Publishers

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Bookbub | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Rosie and Chad are newly married, in love and just getting by financially. Chad is a struggling actor, good looking and talented, but that doesn’t always translate into success. Rosie has authored a best-seller and working on her next book, but hasn’t been feeling great about her efforts.

Rosie and Chad have just lost his elderly uncle Ivan, after a long illness, and aren’t close to any other family. Rosie expects Ivan’s daughter to inherit his historic apartment in the Windemere, but in a surprising turn of events Ivan has willed the stately place to Chad and Rosie. They’re beyond excited and are quickly brought into the fold of its residents. Not a bad thing for extrovert Chad, but not a great thing for introvert Rosie. Plus, she’s getting weird vibes from the place and its inhabitants.

The Windemere has a dark history, murders, suicide and untimely death have plagued the place.  Rosie, before knowing she was to inherit, was basing her next book on the Windermere and its tragic past.

I was rooting for Rosie while trying to figure out who was the bad guy/guys here. People all around Rosie and Chad end up dead. Chad, with his good looks and charisma gave me pause, and I thought Rosie was so very trusting. Still, he seemed to love her so much. I adored Max, Rosie’s best friend and editor, but she only had platonic feelings for him. The residents of the building, as well as the doorman were suspicious, and I wondered what the angle was there. There’s also a bit of the supernatural at play.

The New Couple in 5B was a riveting read/listen that I couldn’t put down! Events built into a crescendo and I worried for Rosie!

I alternated between the audio and e-copy and recommend either! Vivienne Leheny’s performance of both male and female voices definitely enhanced my enjoyment of this addictive story! I listened at my usual 1.5x for the most part and sped up in the intense parts. 

4 Stars

Book Description:

A couple inherits an apartment with a spine-tingling past in this binge-worthy thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six.

Rosie and Chad Lowan are barely making ends meet in New York City when they receive life-changing news: Chad’s late uncle has left them his luxury apartment at the historic Windermere in glamorous Murray Hill. With its prewar elegance and impeccably uniformed doorman, the building is the epitome of old New York charm. One would almost never suspect the dark history lurking behind its perfectly maintained facade.

At first, the building and its eclectic tenants couldn’t feel more welcoming. But as the Lowans settle into their new home, Rosie starts to suspect that there’s more to the Windermere than meets the eye. Why is the doorman ever-present? Why are there cameras everywhere? And why have so many gruesome crimes occurred there throughout the years? When one of the neighbors turns up dead, Rosie must get to the truth about the Windermere before she, too, falls under its dangerous spell.

Review: Dane's Mark by Lora Leigh

 

Dane's Mark (The Breeds #33) by Lora Leigh

Publication Date: February 6th 2024 by Berkley 

Pages: 288

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Katy’s heart was broken eight years ago when she overhears Dane Vanderale, the man she thought she had a connection with, say that Katy could never be part of his world. Katy had already had feelings of abandonment and not feeling good enough after being left by her mother and with the remaining family begrudgingly taking her in. Working in the local diner, she thought she struck up a friendship that felt like it could turn into more with Dane, but after hearing those words she’s crushed. Soon after Graeme Parker, a Bengal Breed, extends an offer of training and employment for Tech-Corp, and she leaves with him immediately.

Eight years later, Katy’s back in Broken Butte, New Mexico to oversee the Tech-Corp’s new facility there. She’s risen in the ranks and has grown in confidence. She now has friends and support, and Graeme is like the father she’s never had. But being back in Broken Butte brings back some of those bad memories and of course she’ll be running into Dane.

Much of the book is centered around the romance between Katy and Dane, why they have such a strong attraction if Katy doesn’t trigger the mating bond in Dane. This is a back and forth and Graeme knows the answer to this and for reasons I couldn’t understand doesn’t share it with Katy or Dane. I also didn’t understand why Katy didn’t question her origins when she’d have these episodes of adrenaline flooding her system and Graeme, a Breed, was the one to help her learn to control them. Also, I was irritated that Dane pulls a stunt that hurts Katy all over again and the thing is just swept under the rug without much of an apology. I get that a lot happened in the end, but come on. 

There were characters gunning for Katy, an attempt on her life but that was just kind of swept away, too. I feel like it would’ve been a more interesting thread to pursue and include than just having the story on this whole mating business.

I haven’t read the previous books and I do feel like I would’ve enjoyed the story more if I had some prior experience with the world and characters, but it can also be read as a standalone. I will say that even with these niggles the story was entertaining, and I did want to find out how it all turned out. 

3 Stars

Book Description:

A new kind of Breed is faced with what happens when destiny and desire collide in the latest novel in the highly charged series from #1 New York Times bestselling author Lora Leigh.
 
A decade ago Katy Chavos was a proud misfit who had her heart broken, crushed by a man who drew her close with one breath and pulled away the next. He left a mark she’s done everything in her power to erase. But when Katy’s job brings her back to the hometown she couldn’t wait to escape, seeing Dane again awakens something inside her that won’t be tamed....
 
Dane Vanderale isn’t like other Breeds. As a hybrid he’s stronger, more primal, and more determined to hide it. He’s also certain that Katy is not his mate—not that that stops him from wanting her with every part of his soul. He knows he hurt her deeply and he intends to make things right, but she is dead set on keeping him at arm’s length.
 
Despite their painful history, Katy can’t deny the intense attraction she still feels for Dane. And before long, it will be impossible for either to deny the truth that has been in front of them all along....