Ten Things I Hate About the Duke (Difficult Dukes #2) by Loretta Chase

Title: Ten Things I Hate About the Duke: A Difficult Dukes Novel

Classification: Adult Fiction

Genre: Historical Romance

Series: Difficult Dukes

Format: Hardcover; 336 pages

ISBN-10: 0062952633

ISBN-13: 978-0062952639

Publisher: Avon (December 1, 2020)

Author's Website:  https://lorettachase.com/

Notes: I received an eARC loan from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Quotes need to be checked against the final version as they are subject to change. 

Cassandra Pomfre is not your average Miss. She speaks her mind and does not keep her opinions to herself. Known among the men of the ton as Medusa, deGriffith's Gorgon, and Cassandra Prophet of Doom her marriage prospects are slim, for who wants to marry a shrew? When she interrupts and voices her opinion about an ill-constructed bill which would supposedly "better" the enforcement of the Sabbath (but really doesn't), it's the last straw for her father...

"I had deluded myself that being in Society with other girls would soften you," Papa said. "But Season after Season passed, and you only became more fixed in you ways. I cannot allow you to continue to set set a bad example for your younger sisters. I cannot allow you to continue to distress your mother. (...) I will not give Hyacinth permission to marry until you are wed."(...)"In short, as of this minute Hyacinth's Season is over."

Lucius Wilmot Beckingham, the sixth Duke of Ashmont is one of the three Dukes nicknamed by the ton as Dis-Graces. His ill behavior has gotten him banned from court by the King, banned from Almack's weekly assemblies by its patronesses, and crossed off the invitation lists of all but a very few daring hostesses. His latest disgrace ended with him being left at the alter while his would-be bride ran off with his former best friend. Truth be told, wherever he goes, chaos is sure to follow. So, when he accidentally overturns the carriage Cassandra Pomfre is riding in leaving her stranded overnight at a coaching Inn with no appropriate chaperone, he decides for once in his life to do the right thing...

"Marry Me."

Once upon a time Cassandra would have jumped at the chance to marry Lucius, now, not so much. On the one hand, it could solve both their problems--him needing to marry for heirs and her needing to marry so her sisters will be allowed to find husbands (if they so choose). On the other, it could make her life unbearable. If marriage to her is what he truly wants, he'll have to prove himself to Cassandra, but she's making no promises. One thing is for sure, however, she'll make him work for it because her opinion of him is quite low...

"For this I allot you one point. When you accumulate another five thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine, I shall begin to consider you a tolerable human being."

He takes that to be a challenge and for the first time in his life, Lucius Wilmot Beckingham, the sixth Duke of Ashmont, is willing to attempt to change. Let the games begin for as Lucius sees it, her unintentional challenge is accepted.

This is the second book in the Difficult Duke series by Loretta Chase. If you've never read one of her books, you're in for a treat. You can read this novel as a standalone without feeling you've missed anything vital by not reading the first book of the series, 'A Duke in Shining Armor.' I do, however, recommend you read it later because I truly loved the story. Additionally, we are first introduced to Lucius in that first book, and we see him at one of the lowest moments in his life. It gives the reader a better perspective of what Lucius was like and why Cassandra initially didn't want anything to do with the man.

Cassandra is a strong, smart, and independent woman who comes from a loving and prestigious family. She's the eldest daughter of an Earl, and she has ten siblings. She's also a member of a club which her grandmother helped to found called the Andromeda Society. It's a charitable organization home to a group of progressive like-minded women meant to help women needing rescuing from ‘the dragons of poverty and ignorance.’ Alone they may be somewhat powerless, but together they make a formidable entity. Cassandra, due to skills passed down from her grandmother, is the voice of the group which makes her unpopular among the men of the ton.

Lucius is a mess when Cassandra comes upon him, a fact of which she is well aware. She refuses to accept any less than she deserves and, at this point in time, she knows she deserves much better than what he is offering, despite his being a Duke. Lucius likes that she is not intimidated or frightened by him. He likes the way she handles herself when put in a life threatening position. She stands up to others when needed, she doesn't whimper or melt into a puddle of tears, and she isn't faint of heart. She assesses, adjusts, takes charge, and challenges him to do better and use his brain. In a nutshell, he likes what he sees and quickly becomes determined to win her over and prove himself worthy of her.

Overall, I gave this one 4 1/2 out of 5 roses. I loved how Cassandra stuck to her guns and kept Lucius on his toes. It was almost as though Lucius had been sleeping for most of his life and Cassandra woke him up to the possibility of what he could be, and gave him the desire to strive to be all he was meant to be. She brings purpose to his life, and challenges him to be a man worthy of her. His metamorphosis is delightful to watch. I confess, however, with such a large family I would have liked to have seen her brothers mess with him a bit and test his mettle. Perhaps the author thought Cassandra was too independent to do so, but I still would have liked to seen it. Still, I highly recommend this novel. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one earned a STEAM rating--too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed.          

Order of the Difficult Dukes series:

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Release Day Review of The Empire of Gold (The Daevabad Trilogy #3) by S.A. Chakraborty

Title: The Empire of Gold
Classification: New Adult (between YA and Adult)
Genre: Fantasy
Series: The Daevabad Trilogy (Book 3)
Format: Hardcover; 784 pages
Publisher: Harper Voyager (June 30, 2020)
ISBN-10: 0062678167
ISBN-13: 978-0062678164
Author's Website: http://www.sachakraborty.com/
Notes: I received an eARC loan from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Quotes need to be checked against the final version as they are subject to change.

At first glance, Nahir appears to be an average girl. Take a second glance, and you will probably notice her eyes--they're unnaturally black. If you take the time to take a closer look, however, and really see her, you'll notice there is nothing average or ordinary about her.

Nahir lived on the streets of Cairo from the age of five speaking a language no one else knew or had ever heard. She didn't remember much about her parents or where they hailed from. Living on the streets, she survived anyway she could. She could smell a con from a mile away because she'd used most of them. Six years ago, however, everything changed. While attempting to hold a zar, a traditional ceremony meant to deal with djinn possession, she decided to sing one of the songs in her native tongue (thinking it would sound unusual and eerie) when a disembodied voice responded to  her in that same language--the one no one else had ever known. 

Since that fateful day, her life has been caught up in a series of twists and turns, ups and downs, and life altering decisions. She'd been whisked away to a magical hidden world and discovered djinn, magic, and wonderfully terrifying magical creatures she could never have conceived of were real. She also learned she was somehow a part of it all.

Now, just as Daevabad, the magical city Nahir had been spirited away to, finds itself in the middle of civil unrest, she finds herself back in Cairo faced with another life altering decision--should she stay or should she go back? Yet, the decision is not entirely hers alone. Somehow she and Ali, the djinn prince, were transported to Cairo together, and Ali is not doing all that well.

"Do you know how many times I've had to do this? Forget healing; my specialty should be having my life destroyed and then being forced to rebuild from nothing." (...)

"I'm so tired," she said, her voice cracking. 

"Everything I build gets broken. My life in Cairo. My dreams for Daevabad. I give everything--everything--I have. Only for someone to come along and smash it. It's all for nothing. Nothing."

This is the third and final book in the Daevabad Trilogy, and I am very sad to see this tale end. If you haven't read any of the previous books do not start with this one.  It begins where the last book left off, and the events in each book build upon those in the last. If you don't read the previous books, you'll find yourself utterly lost and won't enjoy the tale as much as you should. That said, I always worry that when the last book in a series comes out that it won't keep up with the momentum and bookish goodness of the previous books before it. I am happy to say this one passed the test and delivered a wonderful and magically delicious ending. I absolutely loved it. While I tried to devour this one in one sitting, it boasts nearly 800 pages, sadly I had to take some time to sleep before continuing through to the end of the saga. If you can manage to hold out to the end, however, your sacrifice will be well worth it.

It's been six years since Nahri was whisked away to Daevabad, and a lot has happened. Her skills as a healer have become stronger, she's gained friends and family, but could it be her forever home? Orphaned at an early age and living off the streets in Cairo she'd never truly felt she fit in anywhere, but Daevabad has been the closest she's ever come. Not all she's experienced in Daevabad has been pleasant. She's been lied to, betrayed, used as a pawn, but she's also grown in so many ways. She's stronger and wiser than when she first arrived, and now, she finally has the chance to decide her own fate. She'll have to do it, however, without her magical healing abilities. For whatever reason, magic is gone, and she and Ali will have to survive using nothing but their wits and resourcefulness. If they decide to return to Daevabad, they'll have to travel halfway around the world just as regular humans would. There will be no shortcuts. 

There is no doubt that the kingdom of Daevabad is in trouble with Manizheh vying to be the kingdom's next ruler. Nahri and Ali have been granted a reprieve from the chaos, but eventually Ali, if not both of them, will need to return. What I liked about the situation in Daevabad is that it mimics life. Someone can seem like they'd be the perfect leader, but until they come into power you truly don't know how they'll handle things. They may have a hidden agenda that will be revealed only after they take control. Promises may be broken. Still, people will follow them because they won't believe the person they believed in is capable of doing whatever it is they do. Some will never be able to wrap their head around it. The story also captures the complex emotions that motivate people to do things they'd never think themselves capable of doing whether that be for the better good or bad. I must say I enjoyed the contrast between Nahri and Manizheh. They found themselves in somewhat similar situations, but handled themselves in very different ways. In many ways I felt they were two halves of the same coin, but, oh, how their perceptions on things varied.

I couldn't help but give this one 5 out of 5 roses. The story started out slow and steady, but consistently gained momentum like a wave until it crested then everything came crashing down. The world building was phenomenal. I felt like I'd stepped into another world that I didn't want to leave. The characters were relatable, complex, and multidimensional. Twists and turns were thrown at you from all directions keeping things interesting and ensnaring the reader under the tale's beguiling spell. If you're looking for a story to escape reality for just a little while, this may just be the trilogy for you. I absolutely loved it, and HIGHLY recommend it. While there is a little romance in this novel, it is not the focus of the story, therefore, I'm forgoing my romance rating on this one. Did I mention I loved this one? lol Definitely in my top 10, maybe even 5 trilogies/series. If you're wondering--Yes, I ended up buying this one. I couldn't help myself. The Daevabad Trilogy is definitely a keeper that would make for an excellent book club discussion.

Order of the Daevabad trilogy:

Giveaway, Excerpt, and Review of Hello Stranger (The Ravenels, #4) by Lisa Kleypas

New York Times bestselling author Lisa Kleypas delivers a scintillating tale of an unconventional beauty who finds passion with the spy who can’t resist her

A woman who defies her time
Dr. Garrett Gibson, the only female physician in England, is as daring and independent as any man—why not take her pleasures like one? Yet she has never been tempted to embark on an affair, until now. Ethan Ransom, a former detective for Scotland Yard, is as gallant as he is secretive, a rumored assassin whose true loyalties are a mystery. For one exhilarating night, they give in to their potent attraction before becoming strangers again.

A man who breaks every rule
As a Ravenel by-blow spurned by his father, Ethan has little interest in polite society, yet he is captivated by the bold and beautiful Garrett. Despite their vow to resist each other after that sublime night, she is soon drawn into his most dangerous assignment yet. When the mission goes wrong, it will take all of Garrett’s skill and courage to save him. As they face the menace of a treacherous government plot, Ethan is willing to take any risk for the love of the most extraordinary woman he’s ever known.

He heard her muffled chuckle. She continued to lean against him while the trio of constables expressed sympathy for the unfortunate patient. Eventually the men departed with a chorus of hearty farewells. Ethan discovered that his other arm had stolen around Garrett. Making himself let go of her was like trying to uncoil a steel spring.

“You should go up to your father now,” he said with difficulty.

“Eliza will look after him while I take a few minutes to show you some slides. I have insect wings . . . pollen grains . . . flower petals . . . What would you like to see?”

“The inside of a hansom cab,” he said softly. “I can’t be alone with you, darlin’.”

Garrett touched the edges of his vest, fingers clamping on the thin leather. “Ethan.” A blush rose in her face, like light glowing through pink frosted glass. “I don’t want to end this. We . . . we could meet in secret, now and then. No one would have to know. We would make no claims on each other. We’ll just . . . do as we please.”

The way she fumbled with the words, so unlike her usual precise way of speaking, devastated Ethan. He could only guess what it cost her to lay open her pride like this. He wasn’t certain what she was offering, or even if she knew. Not that it mattered. He wanted, craved, needed anything she was willing to give. But he had to make her understand that it was impossible. And even if it were, the idea was beneath her.

“Have you had that kind of arrangement with a man before?” he brought himself to ask.

Her eyes were the green of deep summer and lush growing things. “I’m a woman who makes her own decisions and handles the consequences.”

“That means no,” Ethan said softly. At her silence, he continued, “You’d be risking your reputation. Your career.”

“Believe me, I understand that better than you.”

“Have you ever shared a bed with a man? Even once?”

“Why is that relevant?”

Her evasive response sent a pleasure-pang down to the pit of his stomach. “That means no,” he said again, his voice even softer than before. He took a slow breath, trying to steady himself, while his blood sang with the knowledge that she’d been waiting for him. She was meant to be his. God, he wanted her beyond any reckoning of earth or heaven. But her well-being mattered a thousand times more than his own desires.

“Garrett . . . I’m a man full o’ trouble. When I vowed to let nothing harm you, I included myself on that list.”

A frown crimped her forehead. She closed her grip on his vest until her fists were tight as pine knots. “I’m not afraid of you, or your trouble.” Her green eyes were narrowed and intent as she tugged him closer. “Kiss me,” she urged in a whisper.

“I have to go,” he said shortly, and pulled back while he was still able.

But Garrett moved with him, her hands reaching up to grip his head on either side, the way he’d taught her at Baujart’s. The strength of her fingers electrified him.

“Kiss me,” she commanded, “or I’ll break your nose.”

The threat startled a ragged laugh from him. He shook his head as he looked at her, this fearsomely capable woman who loved geese and was afraid of spaghetti, and could either wield a scalpel in a complex surgical procedure or use it as a throwing-knife.

 There had always been a cold streak in him, but he couldn’t seem to find it now, when he needed it most. He was breaking apart inside. He would never be the same after this.

“Christ, you’ve ruined me,” he whispered.

His arms went around her, one hand gripping the heavy silken mass of her braided chignon. She guided his head down, and he lost the battle, all his will vanquished as he began to kiss her as if the world were about to end.

For him, it was.

Lisa Kleypas

Connect with Lisa Kleypas on:

Facebook: @LisaKleypas

Twitter: @LisaKleypas

Instagram: @lisakleypas

New York Times bestselling author Lisa Kleypas graduated from Wellesley College with a political science degree. She is a RITA award winning author of both historical romance and contemporary women’s fiction. Her novels are published in fourteen different languages and are bestsellers all over the world. She lives in Washington State with her husband Gregory and their two children.

Title: Hello Stranger: The Ravenels, Book 4
Classification: Adult Fiction
Genre: Historical Romance
Series: Ravenels (Book 4)
Format: Paperback; 496 pages
Publisher: HarperLuxe; Large Print edition (February 27, 2018)
ISBN-10: 0062792113
ISBN-13: 978-0062792112
Author's Website: http://lisakleypas.com/
Notes: I received an ARC from the publisher for review purposes.



At a young age Garrett Gibson fell in love with science and decided to become a doctor. She believes there will always be people who will say your dreams are impossible, but they can't stop you unless you agree with them. When she was barred from studying in England, she studied abroad. She got her degree and went back to London and began practicing there. The only thing she thought she might never be able to have is a family of her very own. She believed no man would ever let her do what she does. When she meets the mysterious Ethan Ransom, however, she thinks maybe, just maybe, she was wrong...

Ethan Ransom has been fascinated with Garrett since the first time he met her. She's like no one else he's ever met. He's never really thought about marriage, but as he gets to know her there's something about her that keeps drawing him back. He has done things in his life that he's not proud of, but somehow he thinks Garrett may be the one person to accept him as he is--faults and all.

I will confess to being a huge fan of Lisa Kleypas. Of all the novels she writes I feel her historical romances are the most magical. My favorite types of historical romances delve into what life was really like for woman in historical times, and then creates a heroine that defies her station and manages to find a man who allows her to be true to herself.

Now you may think Ms. Kleypas stretched reality a bit by creating a female doctor for a book which takes place in the 1800's, but there was such a doctor at that time. Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, the first female doctor in England, was the inspiration for Garrett Gibson. As a nod to the real life doctor, Ms. Kleypas used Elizabeth's maiden name for her character's first name. Garrett, of 'Hello Stranger', is a smart, strong, independent, and courageous woman. Taking a wild guess, I imagine her namesake couldn't have achieved what she did in the time period she lived if she didn't possess all those same qualities. I  recall a couple of years ago seeing information about Elizabeth Garrett Anderson in a Google Doodle celebrating her 180th birthday. I'm curious if that is what inspired the idea for this character in Ms. Kleypas' mind?

Ethan is a man of mystery, quite literally. He's a secret agent for the crown, although no one but a select few knows it. He is a very fun, smart, sexy, and complex individual with a lot of baggage. His first appearance in this book has him following Garrett. Now, this could be seen by some as being stalker like behavior, but I didn't get that vibe. He sees this beautiful woman entering time and time again a bad section of town at night to help out her patients and he wants ensure nothing bad to happens to her. He does his best to go unnoticed and lurks in the shadows. He never intends to make contact with her, but after three randy, drunk, young men plan to assault her, he takes action. I rather loved this, and I think it both charmed and maddened Garrett in equal measures.

The song that was playing in my mind was Johnny Rivers - Secret Agent Man from 1966...

'There's a man who leads a life of danger
To everyone he meets he stays a stranger
With every move he makes another chance he takes
Odds are he won't live to see tomorrow
Secret agent man, secret agent man
They've given you a number and taken away your name'


I couldn't help but give this one 5 out of 5 roses. I absolutely loved it and all the little details Ms. Kleypas incorporated into the story. I felt I passed through a looking glass and came out in a different time period. There was plenty of suspense, drama, and romance with a couple of twists and turns thrown in. I rather enjoyed seeing these two get to know one another and fall in love. I adored how each saw marriage as something they dare not wish for, but secretly wanted. I also loved how each managed to help emotionally heal the other.  On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one earned a STEAM rating--too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed. I HIGHLY recommend this one.

Order of The Ravenels series by Lisa Kleypas:

Notes to keep you in the know:
Check out 'A Short History of Blood Transfusion' by Phil Learoyd. It mentions Dr. J. Roussell who  was the chief authority on blood transfusions in 1865 and whose invention, the Roussell transfuser, is mentioned in 'Hello Stranger'.
http://www.sld.cu/galerias/pdf/sitios/anestesiologia/history_of_transfusion.pdf

Check out this interview with Lisa Kleypas done by Entertainment. It discusses the creation of 'Hello Stranger'.
http://ew.com/books/2017/09/13/lisa-kleypas-hello-stranger-cover-interview/

Check out the information that was provided by the Google Doodle back in 2016 on Elizabeth Garrett Anderson:
https://www.google.com/doodles/elizabeth-garrett-andersons-180th-birthday


Buy a copy at one of the following book retailers:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2mGsuAd
IndieBound: http://bit.ly/2mRfLvD
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2EQPLH5
Books-A-Million: http://bit.ly/2BckeNI
iBooks: https://apple.co/2DJ339o
GooglePlay: http://bit.ly/2rjQ37l

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Giveaway and Review for About That Kiss (Heartbreaker Bay #5) by Jill Shalvis

About That Kiss (Heartbreaker Bay #5) by Jill Shalvis 

When love drives you crazy . . .

When sexy Joe Malone never calls after their explosive kiss, Kylie shoves him out of her mind. Until she needs a favor, and it’s a doozy. Something precious to her has been stolen and there’s only one person with unique finder-and-fixer skills that can help—Joe. It means swallowing her pride and somehow trying to avoid the temptation to throttle him—or seduce him.

the best thing to do . . .

No, Joe didn’t call after the kiss. He’s the fun time guy, not the forever guy. And Kylie, after all she’s been through, deserves a good man who will stay. But everything about Kylie makes it damned hard to focus, and though his brain knows what he has to do, his heart isn’t getting the memo.

… is enjoy the ride.
As Kylie and Joe go on the scavenger hunt of their lives, they discover surprising things about each other. Now, the best way for them to get over “that kiss” might just be to replace it with a hundred more.

Joe studied her. “I asked you once before, but now I’m going to ask you again. Is there something going on between you two?”

She tossed up her hands. “Why do you both keep asking me that about each other?”

His eyes narrowed. “I thought nothing was going on.”

“And before today, I could’ve passed a lie detector test on that,” she said.

“What happened today?”

She paused. Not because she had anything to be ashamed of, but because she wasn’t quite sure what
had happened.

“Kylie.”

She sighed. “It’s nothing.”

“Try again,” Joe said and gave her the very male universal go on gesture.

She rolled her eyes. “Fine. He . . . finally made a move on me.”

Joe didn’t budge. Not a blink, not a muscle twitch, nothing, but she could’ve popped corn off the electric tension coming off him.

“Describe ‘made a move,’ ” he finally said.

She crossed her arms. “And again, how is this relevant to my case?”

He just gave her that careful stare again and she thought wow, those eyes of his should be registered as a lethal weapon, because she found herself opening her mouth and spilling her guts. “He kissed me.”

“He kissed you.”

“Yeah,” she said. “Do you know that you often repeat what I say?”

“What kind of a kiss?” he asked.

She was momentarily bewildered. “I don’t know. It was a kiss. A normal kiss. A nice kiss.” She cocked her head at him. “How many kinds of kisses are there?”

He just looked at her for a long moment before coming toward her. He backed her to the wall and pressed his big hands on either side of her head.

“There are many kinds of kisses,” he said.

Her breath had backed up in her throat, where her heart had lodged, pounding wildly. “S-s-such as?”

“Such as this one.” And then he leaned in and covered her mouth with his.
At the touch of Joe’s mouth, Kylie’s brain stopped being capable of rational thought. His tongue gave a knee-weakening stroke against hers and she let out a shockingly needy moan as she clutched at him, fisting her hands in the material of his shirt at his chest. Only when he’d thoroughly plundered and pillaged and left her boneless did he lift his head and
look into her eyes.

“Wow,” she whispered, fully aware she was still holding on to him like he was a lifeline, but the bones in her legs had liquefied. “I mean . . .” She shook her head. “Wow.”

He nodded. “Yeah. So to be clear, that wasn’t ‘a normal kiss’ or even ‘a nice kiss.’ It was a ‘wow’ kiss. Any questions?”

“Just one,” she said softly. “Can I have another?”

Joe didn’t have to be asked twice. His mouth immediately descended again, his fingers sliding into her hair to change the angle of the kiss to suit him. It was a controlled, alpha thing to do, but she had only one thought—nothing about the usually carefully, purposely leashed Joe was in control at the moment.

And she liked it.

She had no idea how long they went at it because she was in absolute heaven. Who knew that the man could use his preferred silent mode to communicate in a way that she finally approved of?

Only when she was completely breathless and about to strip him down to his birthday suit did she manage to pull back.

“Any more questions?” he asked, also a little bit breathless, which was more than slightly gratifying. Dumbly, she shook her head. His eyes softened and he gently he stroked his thumb over her bottom lip. “And FYI? Gib’s an idiot.”

Jill Shalvis

Connect with her on:

Her Website: http://jillshalvis.com/

Facebook: @JillShalvis

Twitter: @JillShalvis

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jillshalvis/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jillshalvis/

Tumblr: http://jillshalvis.tumblr.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22370.Jill_Shalvis?from_search=true

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill’s bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold and visit her website, www.jillshalvis.com, for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.

Title: About That Kiss: A Heartbreaker Bay Novel
Classification: Adult Fiction
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Heartbreaker Bay
Fomat: Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Avon (January 23, 2018)
ISBN-10: 0062741772
ISBN-13: 978-0062741776
Author's Website:
Notes: I received an eARC loan from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.


Once upon a time a girl and a guy fell in love, but it took a while. He didn't think he was the relationship type. She was a quiet introvert who didn't open up all that easily. Then a family heirloom goes missing and the two team up to find it. So after trying to deny it, and attempting to avoid it, they finally give in and fall and it all started with a kiss. A heat scorching, heat pounding, bone-melting, world rocking kiss. 

About that kiss...

This past year Jill Shalvis was given the Centennial Award by RWA for the publication of her 100th novel. With each book she seems to up her game, and this one is something special. It's another fun loving, sweet-hearted, sexy as all get out romance with a little mystery thrown into to the mix and a whole lot of depth. It seems like Jill is spreading her wings and tackling some harder subjects. I wouldn't be surprised if this one gets nominated for a RITA. In my humble opinion, it was that good. This is the fifth book of the Heartbreaker Bay series and it can definitely be read as a standalone. Be forewarned, however, it's hard to stop with just one of her novels. They tend to be very addictive.

Kylie reminded me of a cross between Lucille Ball in I Love Lucy and Stephanie Plum from Janet Evanovich's series by the same name. As you read about all her attempts to disguise herself, you can't help but get an amused look on your face. Her attempts had me chuckling and shaking my head in equal measure. I'm thinking she watched one too many humorous detective shows (somehow Scooby-Doo comes to the forefront) and thought detective work was much easier than it is. She's actually very talented and artistic when it come to woodworking, which kind of runs in the family. She should definitely stick with that.

Joe reminded me a bit of Ranger of the Stephanie Plum series. He's gorgeous, has a dangerous air about him, and is all alpha male. He works for a private investigation service and Kylie makes him laugh which is something no one else seems capable of doing. To her he seems to be one big contradiction from head to toe. Badass and ready to save the world one minute, deceptively playful the next. He's got a lot of emotional baggage and his dad isn't exactly the kind of person you want to bring your friends home to. His dad suffers from PTSD and isn't the easiest person to deal with. His dad has a tendency to answer the door with a gun in his hand, and you are never quite sure whether or not he'll use it. Joe's dad's illness led to him and his sister growing up fast and hard after their mother died. At the tender age of ten he'd assumed the parental role of the family.

At first glance, Kylie and Joe seem like complete opposites, but they actually do share something in common. Each is haunted by something in their past. This is where the depth in the story comes from. Each needs to work through their feelings of guilt in order to move on, and together they do just that.

I couldn't help but give this one 5 out of 5 roses. It was a fun, witty, heart warming and emotionally moving romance. I loved watching these two fall for one another, and their chemistry was so hot I thought my e-reader would spontaneously combust. This one had a little sugar and spice and a whole lot of hot and steamy nights cause that's what good romances are made of. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one earned a STEAM rating--too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed. I simply adored it.

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Giveaway and Release Day Review of Cajun Crazy (Cajun #11) by Sandra Hill Blog Tour

Welcome back to New York Times bestseller Sandra Hill’s Cajun country, where love heats up the Louisiana bayou . . .
Former Chicago cop Simone LeDeux is back home in the bayou, sharing a double wide in the Pearly Gates trailer park to help her mama recover from surgery. Her one rule: no Cajun men. Loved and left by too many double-crossing Cajuns, Simone puts bad experience to good use by opening Legal Belles: an agency that uncovers cheating spouses.

Suddenly she’s confronting a two-timer about to swindle his wife out of millions and antagonizing New Orleans bigwigs over an illegal sex club. Adam Lanier learns of the dangerous game Simone is playing . . . and the sexy single dad comes to her aid. Known as a rogue in the courtroom and a player in the bedroom, the ragin’ Cajun has Simone triply on guard.

With their crazy chemistry, danger on their trail, and infamous LeDeux relative Tante Lulu working her magical matchmaking, the bayou has never been this steamy.

Sandra Hill 

Check out her Website: https://www.sandrahill.net/

'Like' her on Facebook: @SandraHillAuthor

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Sandra Hill is a graduate of Penn State and worked for more than ten years as a features writer and education editor for publications in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Writing about serious issues taught her the merits of seeking the lighter side of even the darkest stories.

Title: Cajun Crazy: A Cajun Novel

Classification: Adult Fiction

Genre: Contemporary Romance 

Series: Cajun

Format: Paperback; 384 pages

Publisher: Avon (November 28, 2017)

ISBN-10: 0062566393

ISBN-13: 978-0062566393
Author's Website: https://www.sandrahill.net/
Notes: I received an eARC loan from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.


Simone LeDeux always seemed to look for love in all the wrong places--mainly in the arms of no good Cajun men. For years she's had an inexplicable attraction toward a southern man who could say darlin' in a husky, slow croon. No more. She's been married three times and has just broken up with her fiance after finding him in a compromising position with his female assistant. When her mother calls to let her know she needs knee surgery and would like Simone to help her recover for the few months after, she knows she's in trouble. Talk about going from out of the frying pan and into the fire. Simone's mom lives right in the middle of Louisiana--smack dab in the heart of Cajun territory. Her will power is about to be tested, specifically by one Adam Lanier--a devilishly handsome Cajun man with dangerous, dancing, mischievous eyes...

“I’ve been attracted to you from the first moment we met.”

“I’m surprised that you would admit that. Kind of lessens your odds.”

“You’re assuming this is a game. I’m too old to play games. Actually, they never interested me
much. How about you?”

“Oh, games can be fun sometimes.”

This is the eleventh book in the Cajun series, but can be read as standalone without feeling you've missed anything. Be forewarned, you are probably going to want to read the previous books in the series, and you may get a hunkering, er, hankering for Cajun men. If you're trying to figure out what to read next, this book is an excellent choice for the holiday season. It's a hilariously funny read infused with the perfect combination of naughty and nice to warm your heart and the rest of you too! lol

Simone LeDeux has spent the last two months helping her mother recover from knee surgery. After much deliberation as to whether or not to go back to Chicago or start a new business with her best friend, she and Helene decide to take a leap of faith. They'll be combining their respective talents--her police investigative skills, honed over eight year, and Helene's ability to file court documents--into an investigation agency called Legal Belles. This makes for some hilariously funny situations when the bread and butter of the agency turns out to be catching cheating spouses. I have to admit there was at least one such situation that had me wanting to close my eyes, but that's kind of hard to do when it's a mental and not physical image that's been ingrained into your mind. Picture me saying 'No!' and shaking my head a lot while laughing. Yes, I admit my cheeks were probably flushed too.

Adam is a single father who ruffed it out in a bad marriage. He's a widower who is now relationship shy, and Simone is the first woman who has ever tempted him to consider more than a casual relationship. Her three failed marriage track record, however, makes him reluctant to act on those feelings. To complicate matters more, he's an attorney who moved into the area six months ago and started a law firm with Simone's half brother Luc LeDeux. For the most part I really liked Adam, but he does one thing that made me rather unsure of him. Given the full extent of his history it was, in a way, understandable. Simone, luckily, handled him in just the right way so he understood what he did and why it will never happen again.

Overall, I gave this one 4 out of 5 roses. It was a fun read with a touch of seriousness thrown in. I loved how the story alternated between Simone's and Adam's point of views letting us in to each's mindset. Plus, there were plenty of side characters with colorful personalities. My favorite among them being Tante Lulu who possesses crazy witch-like matchmaking skills as well as a few others which make things very interesting. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one earned a SHOWER rating--a cold shower is necessary (need I say more?). Some books should come with a warning - make sure your significant other is handy or your shower is in working order. lol

Order of Sandra Hill's Cajun series:

Notes to keep you In-The-Know:
Sandra's eighth Cajun series novel 'So into You' was re-released and renamed 'Bayou Angel'.

“I’ve been attracted to you from the first moment we met.”

“I’m surprised that you would admit that. Kind of lessens your odds.”

“You’re assuming this is a game. I’m too old to play games. Actually, they never interested me

much. How about you?”

“Oh, games can be fun sometimes.”

“Tease!” Adam said with a chuckle and nipped her on the chin with his teeth.

It wasn’t a kiss or a bite, but she felt it all the way down to “Red-dy and Willing,” the color of her toenail polish.

Simone remembered her bad history with Cajun men and her resolution to avoid them in the future.

“Um, I think it’s time to cut this flower in the bud. I am not going to do this again.”

“Do what, darlin’?”

That damn “darlin’ ” again! “Get involved with another Cajun man.”

“You’re going to give me the boot just because I’m Cajun?”

She nodded.

“Well, lucky you, babe, because I’m only half Cajun.”

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Cajun Crazy by Sandra Hill

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Release Day Review of Shades of Memory (Diamond City Magic, #4) by Diana Pharaoh Francis

Title: Shades of Memory (The Diamond City Magic Novels)
Classification: Adult Fiction
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Diamond City Magic, #4
Format: Paperback; 272 pages
Publisher: Bell Bridge Books (November 3, 2017)
ISBN-10: 1611948371
ISBN-13: 978-1611948370
Author's Website: http://www.dianapfrancis.com/
Notes: I received an eARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.


Most of Riley Hollis' life has been spent in the shadows--staying out of trouble, avoiding both the cops and the Tyet (magical mob) whenever humanly possible, and keeping under the radar. There are five major kinds of magic in the world: tracer, maker, binder, dreamer, traveller. Riley is a tracer. Everybody leaves a magical trail of sorts, like an indelible ribbon unrolling behind them. It isn’t actually on this plane, but in a sort of other dimension that only tracers like Riley can see. It fades pretty quick for most tracers, disappearing in a matter of hours or maybe a week or two if they are really strong. For Riley it never fades. She can even track those who have died. This makes her a highly sought after commodity by the Tyet who would love to use and control her skills.

Riley uses her talent to find missing children. Just months ago while working a case she caught the attention of Clay Price. Price was a cop with connections to Gregg Touray. Touray is one of the top Tyet bosses in the city. What Riley didn't realize at the time was that Price is Gregg Touray's brother. To complicate matters even more, she found herself undeniably attracted to Price and the feeling was mutual. Their relationship took off, but eventually her secrets were revealed in front of the biggest Tyet kingpins in Diamond City. Price then struck a bargain with his brother to put Riley under Gregg's protection. 

A lot can and has happened in a short period of time. As Riley realizes a major power struggle is about to go down in Diamond City, she has to figure out a way to keep herself and her family safe. Aligning herself with Touray is looking less and less like the right choice. Her decision on how to handle things will change everything...

This is the fourth book in the Diamond City Magic series. If you haven't read any of the previous books in the series, I strongly encourage you to do so. The books build on one another and if you skip one, you'll miss out on some of the finer nuances of the relationships between the characters, the intricacies of the world, and the complexities of Riley's current situation. Just be aware this series is highly addictive and it's hard to stop with just one. So you may want to set aside some time for yourself to read these. I devoured the series pretty quickly and can't wait for the next book to come out.

One of the things I like about this series is the relationship between Riley and Price. Being a cop and Touray's brother made Riley want absolutely nothing to do with him in the beginning. The attraction between them, however, once they actually got to know one another was intense. All of Price's instincts scream for him to protect Riley and put her somewhere safe where nothing can harm her, but over time he's come to the realization he has to let her spread her wings and fly. If he doesn't, he'll lose her--and that is something he never wants to have happen. In the time the two have known one another, Price has helped Riley grow as an individual and come into her own. This time Riley gets to return the favor.

This book is a real game changer. Riley must make some hard decisions and will need a little help from both her family and friends. Things in Diamond City are about to change in a big way and Riley will be in the middle of it all. Relationships will be tested, lives will be put on the line, and a new threat will enter into the fray making for a highly intense, compelling, and gripping read.   

I couldn't help but give this one 5 out of 5 roses. I love this dynamic duo and the world Ms. Francis has created. The chemistry between Price and Riley is off the charts, and I love the way they banter back and forth. Price gives as good as he gets from Riley which keeps her on her toes. Be forewarned, however, that this one ends abruptly in a huge cliffhanger. Gah! (If you heard someone screaming loudly last night that was probably me shouting, "NOOOOOOoooooooo!" **smirk**) On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale this one earned a FAN rating--the temperature in the room seems to have suddenly gone up a couple of degrees and a fan would be nice. I highly recommend this series. This series is destined for my keeper shelf.

Order of the Diamond City Magic series: