Review: Immortal Danger by Cynthia Eden

Immortal Danger by Cynthia Eden

Publication Date: August 28th 2018 by Kensington Publishing

Pages: 352

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

About the book:

WHO NEEDS AN APP WHEN YOU CAN PAY IN BLOOD?

Once, Maya Black was a badass cop patrolling the streets of L.A. She still keeps the city safe, but these days her bad guys of choice include demons, werewolves, and assorted nocturnal scum. Something Maya knows a thing or two about. She's a vampire--and not thrilled about it. Payback meet bitch.

Adam Brody hopes Maya is as dangerous as they say she is. He needs her to help rescue his niece Cammie from a ruthless band of vamps, and he's willing to pay--in blood. Trusting her is another matter. Adam has never met a vampire who doesn't lie. Then again, he's never met anyone like Maya, who fills him with a desperate need that ignites into explosive, no-holds-barred encounters . . .

"A wild, adventurous ride readers will love!"
--New York Times bestselling author Angela Knight

My Thoughts:

When his niece is kidnapped by a vicious group of vampires Adam Brody seeks out Maya Black’s help to find her.  Even though Maya is a vampire herself she has a fierce reputation of taking out the bad guys, vamps, demons, whatever kind of creature. 

Maya was a police officer when she was forcibly turned into a vampire, and she hates her kind because most of them are murdering fiends with no conscious.  She thinks Adam’s mission will probably get him killed, thinking he’s just a human, and she doesn’t want to be part of that.  However, Adam’s willing to pay and he’d probably go off on his own anyhow so Maya’s stuck.

Adam and Maya are very distrustful of each other as they join forces, but there’s a spark of attraction brewing between them from the beginning. Adam can’t stand vampires, but he can tell Maya is different, and despite her prickly demeanor she truly cares about people.  Adam he can’t help but admire her strength and skills taking on baddies twice her size and kicking ass!  Maya assumes Adam is a helpless human and he lets her think that, but Adam is much more.  I won’t spoil things by telling you what he is, but I thought it was pretty cool!

In between all the action and danger Adam and Maya battle with their desires. At first, it’s animal attraction, irresistible and desperate, but they start to fall for each other a little more with each passing day.  Cynthia Eden writes some truly hot stuff and whether it be her romantic suspense or paranormal stories, she has her romances dialed to sizzle! Adam and Maya were no exception!

Immortal Danger was fast paced, full of action and a lot of fun. It looks like this story was originally published back in 2009, as the start of the Night Watch series, but may have been updated.  Maya and Adam’s story wraps up, but the series continues centering on other characters.  I plan on getting to the next book soon.

3.5 Suns

Review: Howl For It by Shelly Laurenston & Cynthia Eden

Howl For It (Pride #0.5) by Shelly Laurenston & Cynthia Eden

Publication Date: January 30th 2018 by Kensington Books

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

About the book:

They hunger for your pleasure. They growl for your touch. And in these sizzling stories by New York Times bestselling author Shelly Laurenston and Cynthia Eden, these sexy wolf shapeshifters are lust at first bite. . .


Like A Wolf With A Bone by Shelly Laurenston

Quiet little Darla Lewis couldn't be happier when the most-feared member of the South's rowdiest pack kidnaps her. A girl gets real tired of being overprotected by her own shifter family, and there's nothing like an oh-so-big bad wolf to start a pack feud, unleash her instincts--and have her surrender however and whenever she wants. . .


Wed Or Dead by Cynthia Eden

Gage Ryder knew his human bride had a wild side. But spending their honeymoon night on the run from hunters out to finish him and his pack is sure not the kind of fun he was looking forward to. No problem--Gage will do whatever it takes to lay bare Kayla's secrets and find the truth. If he can keep from being captured by his own seductive game. 

My Thoughts:

Howl For It was two paranormal shifter romances in one book, each novella length. I originally picked up the book because I’m a big fan of Cynthia Eden’s romantic suspense novels, but I’d never tried her fantasy books. After reading Wed or Dead, I’m definitely trying more of her paranormal books, because it was fantastic!  I’ve never read Shelly Laurenston’s stories, so I was pleasantly surprised by her story! It had me cracking up and it was pretty hot!

3.5 Stars Like a Wolf With a Bone-Shelly Laurenston

Egbert Ray Smith, Eggie for short, is on break from the Marine Corps and back home with his family, the Smith Pack.  As usual there’s family drama with his brothers and their mates it seems the Smith boys have married the Lewis sisters and they’re always fighting over something.  Waiting outside while they hash things out inside, Eggie spies the youngest sister, Darla Mae outside as well, shaking her head over the drama playing out between the mates inside.  Eggie is immediately smitten and follows Darla Mae out into the forest where he witnesses a few male figures hunting her.  Apparently, Darla Mae has brought trouble back with her from San Francisco, and Eggie makes it his mission to keep her safe. 

As I said, Like a Wolf With a Bone had me cracking up.  The antics between the families were funny, just their names alone had me laughing: the Lewis sisters all had Mae as their middle name: Janie Mae, Roberta Mae, Janette Mae and so forth, and all were married/mated to the Smith brothers all with Ray as their middle names: Nicky Ray, Bubba Ray, Frankie Ray. You get the picture. At any rate it was fun seeing the Eggie and Darla Mae get to know each other, falling a little harder with every minute while settling in to his home and town, battling family and danger in the process. Their romance was hot!  Definitely want to read more from Ms. Laurenston.

4.5 Stars-Wed or Dead by Cynthia Eden

Cynthia Eden’s romantic suspense is always a thrill ride, and I can now say the same about her paranormal stories.  Kayla and Gage are on opposite sides, Kayla is a hunter of all paranormal entities, and Gage is a wolf-shifter, a powerful Alpha of his pack; so, you wouldn’t think they’d be getting married, yet as the story opens that’s exactly what’s playing out.

Oh, the chemistry between Kayla and Gage was sizzling! There’s obviously some mistrust between them when they each had secrets, but there was never a question that these two weren’t meant to be together.  Their secrets come out pretty much from the start and they each must deal with betrayals from each of their groups.  It was non-stop action, and when there wasn’t danger to deal with Kayla and Gage couldn’t keep their hands off each other!  Loved the story and the paranormal world set up, but I’m not sure if this book is part of another series Cynthia Eden writes. I see a potential for more stories here, and I’d like to read more!

Review: Into the Night by Cynthia Eden

Into the Night (Killer Instinct #3) by Cynthia Eden

Publication Date: December 26th 2017 by HQN

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

About the book:

Two FBI agents are caught in a merciless vigilante’s crosshairs in New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Eden’s electric Killer Instinct series

Sheltered in the shadows of the Smoky Mountains is the suspect who’s summoned FBI agent Macey Night’s fears to the surface. Every day that the “Profiler,” a vigilante serial killer, escapes justice is another day she’s reminded of what it is to be a ruthless predator’s prey. Capturing him is a craving deeper than anything she’s felt in a long time. But Agent Bowen Murphy, equal parts sexy and volatile, seems hell-bent on changing that. Working together—needing, living and breathing each other—they’re entwined to distraction.

Bowen’s used to operating on impulse: act, don’t feel. Now Macey and the controlled terror behind her beautiful eyes have him rethinking everything, including his rule to never get close to a colleague. He’s willing to fight for a future with Macey, but the consequences of love could be deadly.

My Thoughts:

Bowen and Macey are partners in Samantha Dark’s unique FBI profiling division, and so even though they’re attracted to each other they’ve kept their relationship professional.  That’s about to change when Macey’s dark past becomes their latest case.  Emotions that Macey’s been able to lock down and control come churning up and she turns to Bowen for comfort and oblivion, giving in to that powerful sexual pull between them. 

Bowen’s crazy about Macey, but his own dark past and Macey’s reaction has held him back from revealing his feelings. However, he’s not about to refuse her offer of sex with no-strings now even if he wants more.  And with the new threat, a vigilante killer who knows both Macey and Bowen’s past, he’s grabbing on and holding her tight. 

This killer is a few steps ahead of Macey and Bowen, hunting notorious killers while taunting them.  It seems he’s focused his sinister attention on them for some unknown reason.  They both struggle with a dark past, the reason they were invited to be on Samantha’s profiling team is because they’ve both had personal experience with serial killers. Macey was a friend, colleague, and then victim of “The Doctor”.  She barely managed to get away with her life, while “The Doctor” got away to hunt more. Bowen’s link to a serial killer is revealed as the story progresses, and each of their tales figure into this story. 

While I did figure out a couple of things, there were quite a few surprises and twists in this installment.  I was on the edge of my seat and enjoyed every minute! Bowen and Macey’s romance was a thrill as well; definite sparks and chemistry, everything I hoped it would be!  

4 Suns

Review: Before the Dawn by Cynthia Eden

Before the Dawn (Killer Instinct #2) by Cynthia Eden

Publication Date: July 25th 2017 by Harlequin Books

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

About the book:

The Killer Instinct series from New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Eden continues as an FBI profiler tracks a case that resurrects ghosts from his past

Ex-SEAL Tucker Frost knows that the world is full of evil. He saw it in the face of his own brother, Jason Frost, a cold, methodical, sadistic killer. A killer Tucker put down with his own hands in order to save Jason's final victim--Dawn Alexander, the only girl who got away from the infamous "Iceman."

It's Tucker's up close and personal experience with evil that's made him perfect for Samantha Dark's experimental profiling division in the FBI. And when women start turning up murdered with the same MO used by the Iceman, Tucker is sent back to Louisiana to investigate.

Seven years have passed since the night that Tucker faced down his brother...and since he last saw Dawn, his one-time lover. But as Tucker and Dawn grapple with a desire that never died, they must also face the shared shadow from their pasts. Both have the same question--has Jason Frost come back from the dead to hunt again? And this time, will he succeed in killing the victim who got away?

My Thoughts:

Cynthia Eden’s Killer Instinct series focuses on FBI Agents that have had up-close and personal relationships with killers.  Their dark pasts provide a unique perspective into the minds of killers, making them better at catching them. Or so they hope.

FBI agent Tucker Frost found out his brother, Jason Frost, was the infamous serial killer “The Iceman”, seven years ago, and killed him the same night to save his girlfriend, Dawn.  Dawn and Tucker couldn’t get past the tragedy, and parted ways.  Tucker wasn’t surprised, how could she look at his face, a face that closely resembled her torturer and not be scared?  But Tucker has never got over Dawn. 

Tucker left his heart and Louisiana soon after, but returns for a case when a woman is found murdered in the same way Iceman killed.  Is this the work of a copycat, or did Jason survive those bullets? Either way, Tucker must confront his past, because the victim turned up in the exact city where Dawn now lives.  Coincidence or sinister plan?

Dawn is the Iceman’s only survivor, but she no longer considers herself a helpless victim.  I admired the strength it took to cope and move on.  She’s worked hard to establish herself as a private investigator, earning a solid reputation for solving cases. Dawn’s street smart, and trained to defend herself, but finding out about a possible copycat rattles her, because Jason’s body was never found.  Even so, there’s no way she’ll stay on the sidelines of the investigation, even if Tucker wants her to keep safe.

Before the Dawn combines two of my favorite kind of stories: second chance romance and romantic suspense.  I know when I pick up a Cynthia Eden novel I’m guaranteed a sizzling romance and thrilling ride!  Even though I figured out the killer’s identity pretty early on it was still an exciting read; fast-paced, and full of action. This killer gets personal mighty quick, and it forces Tucker and Dawn to stick close, and overcome the past.  I love it when two people who should’ve been together get a second chance to make it right and get their HEA.  There are forces that try and separate and plant doubt between them, but I was pleased with this couple’s united front.  This romance doesn’t disappoint!

Cynthia Eden sets the stage for the next book in the series, Into the Night.  I know that Macey was a victim/survivor of a serial killer, but I’m not sure Bowen’s past. I’m looking forward to finding out!

4 Suns

Connect with Cynthia Eden:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Review: After the Dark by Cynthia Eden

After the Dark (Killer Instinct #1) by Cynthia Eden

Publication Date: March 28th 2017 by HQN Books

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

About the book:

In New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Eden's gripping new series, a disgraced FBI profiler must save her reputation by stopping a sadistic killer she knows all too well. 
Former FBI agent Samantha Dark was one of the most respected profilers in the bureau, an expert on the twisted minds and dark hearts of the most depraved criminals. But when her own former lover turned out to be the serial killer she was hunting, Samantha's career was destroyed. Blamed for the FBI's failure on the complex case, Samantha fled Washington, DC, for the quiet anonymity of Alabama.
Now an all-too-familiar killer is hunting once again. She can catch the sadistic assassin, but that means putting her trust in her former partner, Blake Gamble. Ex-military, Blake is tough, protective, precise. With her entire life on the brink, she knows he wants her back in the FBI…and possibly more.
But someone else wants her, too. A threat is waiting in the dark, a killer who has set his sights on the ultimate trophy victim—Samantha.

My Thoughts:

FBI Profiler Samantha Dark is shaken after finding out her former lover, Dr. Cameron Latham is a murderer, and she’s fired in the aftermath.  All the signs were there in front of her, but she never thought Cameron would be capable of such darkness.  Licking her wounds, she moves back to her hometown, all the while trying to track down Cameron before he strikes again, because Samantha knows he’s not done.

Blake, Samantha’s former partner, has never doubted her abilities and knew she was unjustly fired by the FBI.  Company policy prevented him from acting on his intense feelings for Samantha, feelings he suspects she returns, but she’s not his partner anymore.  When a new murder happens with a similar MO to Cameron’s, Blake has the excuse to track down Samantha for help, and this time never let her go.

I love Cynthia Eden’s romantic suspense novels! I can always count on a fast-paced, good time with some thrills and chills when I pick up one of her stories. As former partners, Samantha and Blake know each other well, and I just loved the undercurrent of sexual tension they had brewing between them. I knew it was only a matter of time before all that longing gave way to heat and passion!

While After the Dark was an exciting read, I think a little bit of the tension was gone knowing the identity of the killer.  Still, there were some twists to discover, and the jealousy over Blake’s relationship with Samantha made Cameron even more dangerous, making me worry over his reactions.

You could read After the Dark without reading the prequel, Gathering the Dusk, first, but it lays the foundation of Blake and Samantha’s relationship, and has its only little mystery.  It’s only sixty-two pages and currently free (see links below). 

3.5 Suns

The prequel to After the Dark (which I highly recommend reading first) is free on:

Amazon | Kobo | Barnes & Noble

Connect with Cynthia Eden:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Review: Abduction by Cynthia Eden

Abduction (Killer Instincts) by Cynthia Eden

Publication Date: February 21st 2017 by Harlequin Intrigue

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

About the book:

New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Eden has killer instincts when it comes to breathtaking suspense!

Once the town troublemaker, Sheriff Hayden Black became the teen hero who saved young Jillian West from a savage kidnapper. He never got over their brief affair. Now the ex-SEAL and the burned-out FBI agent have reunited in their Florida hometown and rediscovered their powerful attraction. But as they hunt down a long-forgotten killer, will they get a second chance at happiness? When a series of accidents begins to plague Jill, Hayden won't let her fall victim again. There's too much history between them…and too much desire.

My Thoughts:

As teenagers, Hayden and Jillian are bonded together after he rescues her from a kidnapper.  They stick together and fall in love, but as often happens with young love, it didn’t end well. They’ve both never quite recovered.

Now ten years later, Jillian is an FBI agent needing some time off to recharge after a case gone bad.  She goes home recuperate, and doesn’t expect to find Hayden back, too, seeing as he’s supposed to be away serving as a Navy SEAL.  But her intel is a little outdated, and Jillian’s faced with the man who broke her heart.  

Hayden let Jillian go ten years back, but he won’t make the same mistake twice. She may not be ready to let him back in yet, but the sparks are still there and they now have a common goal: solve the cold case murder of Christy Anderson, a teenager taken and killed immediately after Jillian’s rescue. 

I loved that Jillian was a smart, well-trained woman able to defend herself, but smart enough to know when to take help when needed.  I hate it when a character goes off half-cocked, recklessly charging toward avoidable danger.  Not the case with Jillian. 

I’m always a sucker for a second chance romance.  Hayden and Jillian never got over their first love, and so I wanted to see them happy and together.  Hayden was determined and Jillian was understandably cautious, but didn’t push him away.  They didn’t hold back their thoughts or feelings about the past, working things out while trying to stay one step ahead of a killer.  This became trickier as the threats became more and more dangerous!  This wacko just didn’t quit!

I love Cynthia Eden’s writing! She kept me on the edge of my seat for much of the story with action, thrills, and twists! I had to read Abduction straight through!

After meeting Samantha Dark, Jillian’s FBI profiler friend, I’m looking forward to her books in this series!

4 Suns

Connect with Cynthia Eden:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Blog Tour & Review: Torn by Cynthia Eden

Torn (LOST #4) by Cynthia Eden

Publication Date: May 31st 2016 by Avon

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | HarperCollins Publishers/All others

About the book:

In New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Eden’s latest novel featuring the Last Option Search Team (LOST), one agent’s investigation entices a killer into making her his prey.
PARTNERS . . . FRIENDS . . .
Forensic anthropologist Victoria Palmer has always been better with the dead than the living. Shutting down her emotions, she lets few people in. But then Victoria’s latest investigation takes her and agent Wade Monroe to Savannah, Georgia. Handsome, dangerous, and more than ready to play dirty on any case, Wade weakens Victoria’s aloofness with just one glance.
. . . LOVERS
Wade knows their recent cases have pushed Victoria beyond her limits. But her skills are crucial to finding a college student who went missing five years ago. Victoria is able to determine she was murdered, and that the killer is still on the loose.
And when the vicious murderer targets Victoria, Wade must do everything in his power to protect her . . . because he refuses to let a woman he loves be torn from him . . . again.

My Thoughts:

Victoria Palmer, the LOST team’s forensic anthropologist is still on edge after being assaulted and left for dead by the killer they took down in New Orleans (those events took place in book two, Twisted), but there’s more to why Victoria won’t let anyone close.  She has a dark past, everyone knows her father was accused of murdering her mother, but there’s more to that story Victoria doesn’t plan on sharing with anyone even if it does haunt her to this day. 

After almost losing Victoria to a madman, Wade doesn’t want to let her out of his sight, and he’s through staying away.  Being assigned out in the field together on their latest missing person case comes in very handy, but also dangerous because the killer they’re trying to nail down sets his sights on Victoria.  Victoria may feel skittish, but the attraction between them makes it impossible for her to push Wade away. She can’t resist his pull and Wade plans on taking full advantage. No way is his missing his chance with her now or letting anyone hurt her. 

Torn is part of a series, but I don’t think it’s completely necessary to read the prior books to enjoy it. I’ve read all but the first book, Broken, (I’ll be getting to that very soon) in the LOST series and loved every one. Fast-paced, full of danger and intensity! I was scared for these characters a time or two! Cynthia Eden definitely knows how to keep her readers glued to the pages both with the thrill of the mystery, and the passion of this romance!  I love her addictive writing! I can’t wait to get my hands on the next story, Taken, but until then I’ll go back and read Broken.

4.5 Suns

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Award-winning author Cynthia Eden writes dark tales of paranormal romance and romantic suspense. She is a New York Times, USA Today, Digital Book World, and IndieReader bestseller. Cynthia is also a two-time finalist for the RITA® award (she was a finalist both in the romantic suspense category and in the paranormal romance category). Since she began writing full-time in 2005, Cynthia has written over thirty novels and novellas. Cynthia lives along the Alabama Gulf Coast.

Connect with Cynthia Eden:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Review: Twisted by Cynthia Eden

Twisted (Lost #2) by Cynthia Eden

Publication Date: April 28th 2015 by Avon

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

About the book:

In the second seductive LOST novel from New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Eden, an obsessed Last Option Search Team agent goes looking for trouble—and finds her in the Big Easy.

Dean Bannon comes to New Orleans for one reason only: to track down a missing sixteen-year-old girl. That's before he meets the drop-dead gorgeous con artist who makes him want to lose his legendary control.

With her past, Emma Castille doesn't claim to be psychic. She just notices things other people don't. Like the fear in a runaway's eyes—or the pain in an ex-FBI agent's heart. Her chemistry with Dean is blistering, but Emma follows her passion . . . not someone else's orders.

Then a madman breaks into Emma's home and leaves a twisted message: You're next. Now Dean refuses to let her out of his sight until he pries every last secret from her full, sexy lips. And suddenly Emma's aching to give him everything he wants.

My Thoughts:

Dean Bannon was an FBI agent until the bureau’s rules and delays led to the death in a case he was working.  After that he left the bureau to work for Last Option Search Team or LOST, a group of specialists in tracking down missing people.  Dean comes to New Orleans looking for a missing sixteen year-old girl, Julia.  It seems the last one to see Julia alive is Emma Castille, a street vendor with a knack for reading people. To Dean, Emma is just another con artist bilking the public out of money to hear her utter nonsense readings, but he soon finds her skills very handy to their case. Even with his doubts about Emma, he can’t deny the immediate attraction. She’s gorgeous and the more he gets to know her the more he realizes there’s to Emma than meets the eye.

Emma learned from her father to open her eyes and really look around.  She’s a pro at reading people and surroundings so well that some would mistake her as s psychic.  Emma has dealt with death and darkness before, losing her father in the process. She wants to find Julia so much she isn’t afraid when the abductor targets Emma, as well. 

Twisted was everything I want from a romantic suspense novel: action, danger, twists and passion.  This is the kind of story you want to read straight through to find out exactly how it all turns out.  It was easy to get behind Dean and Emma’s instant and intense connection.  Being faced with life and death situations really boiled down what was most important to them and they got to know each other at a deep level quickly. Their romance was hot and desperate, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Even though I did guess who the killer was before it was revealed there was danger and twists at every turn making this one exciting read!  I’m very intrigued by the next installment, Shattered, where Dr. Sarah Jacobs, a criminal psychologist in the LOST group, is paired up with Jax, a guy definitely on the wrong side of the law.  Can’t wait!

I switched back and forth from the audio version to the e-copy and I have to say Abby Craden’s narration is amazing.  Her voice lends a sultry and dark edge to the story I really enjoyed!

4 Suns