MARRIED TO THE LORD by Samantha Holt

Title:  MARRIED TO THE LORD

Series:  The Wallflower Brides #2

Author:  Samantha Holt

Publisher:  Helstone Press

Publish Date:   09.09.2019

Category /Genre:  Historical Romance

Recommended for:  18+ due to sexual content

Grammar/editing:  A – near perfect

Received from:  Samantha Holt (as an ARC gifted copy)

Goodreads link: Married to the Lord

Date completed: 09.08.2019

Description from the publisher:

Waiting for one’s fiancé to set a date is never fun.  Especially when it has now officially been years.  Particularly when one is a veritable wallflower with little chance of anything better coming along.  More so when said fiancé’s brother is paying particular attention to one’s life and causing all sorts of confusing emotions.

All Miss Augusta Snow wants is for Henry to return home and set the date.  If that means trying as hard as she can to break out of her quiet temperament to gain his attention, then she’ll do her best.

But it seems she’s attracted the wrong brother’s attention…

The brooding Miles Stanton, Viscount Ashwick has always been quietly fascinating to her.  She knows he was a little less than a gentleman in his past but she cannot help be intrigued now that he is showing interest in her wellbeing.

He only intended to protect his brother’s interests…

Miles always had a soft spot for Gus.  However, everyone knew she was meant for his brother and all he wants is for her to be happy—especially with the specters of his past hanging over him and guaranteeing to bring trouble.  He has to protect Augusta from doing something silly and somehow persuade Evan to cease being a fool and return home.

All the while ignoring his feelings for her…

Augusta’s plans to show Henry that she is not just some dull wallflower seemed doomed to fail and now Miles is back in her life and behaving…well…strangely.  She cannot help but wonder if she has been hanging her hopes on the wrong brother this whole time.

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MARRIED TO THE LORD is the second book in the Wallflower Brides series.  Each will stand on its own, but I highly recommend reading them all and in the order of release.

I loved reading this story.  I would say it was a slow down and relax type of story, but I still read it in a day.

I loved the way that Miles was always on hand to rescue Augusta “Gus.”  It was sweet, heroic, and perfect.  He saw himself as flawed and his past as an irrevocable barrier, but she found her Prince Charming.  As I’ve always said, “Who wants a knight in shining armor?  They haven’t worked hard enough to earn your trust or your hand.  Give me a knight who has dings and dents!”

Two down and one to go – Chloe and Augusta have found their perfect men, but next will be Joanna.  I’m looking forward to reading about the man who will claim her heart.

Note:  While I received this book as a gifted ARC via Booksprout, my opinions are my own and are given freely.

The Wallflower Brides Series:

1.      Married to the Rake

2.      Married to the Lord

Also from Samantha Holt:

·         The Angel’s Assassin

·         Buckle Down

·         Christmas Seduction

·         The Crimson Castle

·         Eden’s Fire

·         Gentlemen Prefer Spinsters

·         Heart of a Viking

·         Her Dream Cowboy

·         Her Highland Defender

·         How to Marry a Rake in Ten Days

·         Hunting His Highland Lass

·         Kissed at Midnight

·         Knight’s Captive

·         Love or Loyalty

·         Must Love Lords

·         Not Another Soldier

·         Once Upon a Rake

·         The Rake Who Rescued Me

·         The Sexy Bartender’s Virtual Seduction

·         A Summer Siege

·         Tempting His Mistress

·         Too Much to Lose

·         Warriors

·         The Warrior’s Reward

Bluestocking Brides series:

1.      Amelia and the Viscount

2.      Julia and the Duke

3.      Emma and the Earl

4.      Catherine and the Marquis

5.      Lilith and the Stable Hand

Borderland Legacy:

1.      Borderland Bride

2.      Borderland Beauty

3.      Borderland Betrayal

Cynfell Brothers series:

1.      Sinful Confessions

2.      Sinful Deeds

3.      Sinful Liaisons

4.      Sinful Cravings

5.      Sinful Possession

6.      Sinful Temptations

7.      Sinful Secrets

Highland Fae Chronicles:

1.      To Steal a Highlander’s Heart

2.      To Dream of a Highlander

3.      To Avenge Her Highland Warrior

The Inheritance Clause series:

1.      There Are Plenty More Dukes in the Sea

2.      A Rake Never Changes His Spots

3.      Once a Wallflower, Always a Wallflower

4.      All’s Fair in Love and Debauchery

One Knight Collection:

1.      One Knight

2.      Black Knight

3.      White Knight

4.      Highland Knight

Regency Fairy Twists:

1.      Wake Me with a Kiss

2.      The Beast Who Loved Me

3.      Dance with Me at Midnight

Rogues of Redmere Series:

1.      You’re the Rogue that I Want

2.      When a Rogue Loves a Woman

3.      Waiting for a Rogue Like You

4.      What’s a Rogue Got to Do with It?

Spinsters Club Series:

1.      Gentlemen Prefer Spinsters

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READY ON SET DRAMA by Maisie Dean

Title:  READY ON SET DRAMA

Series:  Booker Brothers Detective Agency #3

Author:  Maisie Dean

Narrator:  Marie Hoffman

Length:  3 hours and 52 minutes

Audible Release Date:  07.09.2019

Publisher:  Maisie Dean

Publish Date:   03.07.2019

Category /Genre:  Cozy Mystery

Recommended for:  14+ due to mature concepts

Listenability:  OK  or  NSFW

Received from:  Maisie Dean (as an Audible gifted copy)

Goodreads link: Ready on Set Drama

Date completed: 08.02.2019

Description from the publisher: Kacey Chance said goodbye to her actress dreams to become a private investigator, but now her work is sending her straight into the heart of Hollywood.

Her new assignment takes her undercover, working as a personal assistant to a handsome actor. Someone is trying to destroy his career, and it's up to Kacey to find out who, and why.

Being on set is every bit as fun as Kacey imagined. The case seems easy enough, until she hits a moral dilemma. Exactly how far should an investigator go to discover the truth? Kacey doesn't want to ruin anyone's life, and yet, she finds herself holding secrets that could destroy careers.

Back at the office, the Booker brothers have their own unique approaches to handling delicate secrets. Of course. And then there's Tippy Booker, the supposedly "retired" matriarch of the family, who's always around to drink coffee, look glamorous, and dispense her cynical advice.

Kacey and the Booker family race against time to unravel the twisted mystery of the Ready On Set Drama.

Kacey Chance said goodbye to her actress dreams to become a private investigator, but now her work is sending her straight into the heart of Hollywood.

Her new assignment takes her undercover, working as a personal assistant to a handsome actor. Someone is trying to destroy his career, and it's up to Kacey to find out who, and why.

Being on set is every bit as fun as Kacey imagined. The case seems easy enough, until she hits a moral dilemma. Exactly how far should an investigator go to discover the truth? Kacey doesn't want to ruin anyone's life, and yet, she finds herself holding secrets that could destroy careers.

Back at the office, the Booker brothers have their own unique approaches to handling delicate secrets. Of course. And then there's Tippy Booker, the supposedly "retired" matriarch of the family, who's always around to drink coffee, look glamorous, and dispense her cynical advice.

Kacey and the Booker family race against time to unravel the twisted mystery of the Ready On Set Drama.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

READY ON SET DRAMA is the third book in the Booker Brothers Detective Agency series.  Though each will stand on their own, it is best to read them all and in the order of release

This is the perfect timing for this story in the series.  Kacey is faced with her former life as an actress while investigating her newest assignment.  She is established as a PI, but starting to feel a longing to return to return to the limelight.  The push and pull can be strong.

How about this for a twist in a cozy mystery?  There is no body.  Nobody died!  Instead, this is a straight up investigative job for Kacey on the studio set of a pilot episode of a new show.  This story was more about the psychology of sabotage for their client and Kacey’s decision to stay with the firm or return to acting.

I love this series and I’m enjoying every episode.  The first paragraph, it was hinted that Kacey will eventually be romantically connected with one of the Booker Brothers.  Three books in and we don’t know which one yet.   I love the anticipation!

Narration:  The narrator is Marie Hoffman and she is one of my favorites.  Her voice continues to delight as she provides a perfect reading experience.

Note:  While I received this book as a gifted audiobook copy, my opinions are my own and are given freely.

Booker Brothers Detective Agency series:

1.      State of the Art Heist

2.      Stunt Double Trouble

3.      Ready on Set Drama

 

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CRYSTALWING ACADEMY by Marty Mayberry

Title:  CRYSTALWING ACADEMY

Series:  Outling #1

Author:  Marty Mayberry

Publisher:  Marty Mayberry

Publish Date:   08.31.2019

Category /Genre:  YA

Recommended for:  12 – 18

Grammar/editing:  A – near perfect

Received from:  Marty Mayberry (as an ARC gifted copy)

Goodreads link: Crystalwing Academy

Date completed: 09.05.2019

Description from the publisher:

Welcome to CrystalWing Academy, where the magical Elite reign…and Outlings are an endangered species.

Magic doesn't exist in the human world.  As far as I know.  But when I fling a fireball at a bully, my horrified Mom dumps me at CrystalWing Academy, a place straight out of my favorite fantasy books.

They tell me I’m an Outling, a wizard born from non-magical parents.  Mom’s human.  Dad?  I don’t exactly know who he is.…

One thing I do know is I’m not an Elite—descendants of the original six families who split from the Fae ages ago.  At seventeen, their children and despised Outlings like me attend the Academy to learn to control our power. 

I’m barely on campus when I’m targeted by a mean girl.  Figures.  Thankfully, the Academy’s not all bad.  My pixie roommate’s awesome.  I score a coveted moonstone during Stone Selection.  And let’s not forget Donovan, a cute guy who seems to like me, not the mean Elite girl who’s determined to win him.

Except something’s luring students into the forest and draining their power, leaving only shriveled husks behind.

The Headmistress warns me not to investigate, but the killer goes after Donovan.  Big mistake.  My magical skills may be untrained and wild, but if a power-sucking vamp thinks he can harm my kinda-sorta boyfriend, he’s about to discover I’m a wizard unlike any other.

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CRYSTALWING ACADEMY is the first book in the Outling series.  These will need to be read in the order of release.

I’ll admit, I was one of those people standing in line (with my very young son) waiting for each of the Harry Potter books as they were released – and then arguing with said son over who got to read it first.  This will be that type of series for the next generation.  It is full of magic, teenage drama, a touch of romance, adventure, and secrets just waiting to be discovered.

Fleur has to learn about magic from the ground up since she is an outling, a child born of human parents.  Luckily, we get to learn with her and that makes us root for her even more.  Bullies, mean-girls, and evil in the woods along with a new academy, new magic, a new maybe-boyfriend, new roommate, and so many new discoveries – is it any wonder Fleur has a team of dragonflies taking up residence in her stomach!? 

I’m ready for the next book now!  The line forms behind me.

Note:  While I received this book as a gifted ARC via Booksprout, my opinions are my own and are given freely.

The Outling series:

1.      Crystalwing Academy

2.      Dragonsworn

Also from Author:

The Janie Davis Mystery series:

1.      Dead Girls Don’t Lie

2.      Beware the Ruins (coming soon)

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CRAZY DAZE AND A KNIGHT by Barbara Plum

Title:  CRAZY DAZE AND A KNIGHT

Series:  N/A

Author:  Barbara Plum

Publisher:  PlumBooks

Publish Date:   08.19.2019

Category /Genre:  Contemporary Romance

Recommended for:  18+ due to sexual content

Grammar/editing:  received as an unedited ARC

Received from:  Barbara Plum

Goodreads link: Crazy Daze and a Knight

Date completed: 08.26.2019

Description from the publisher:

Hop off the fast track.  Buy a boat.  Write the Great American Novel.

Forty-four-year-old Susanna Walker knows the importance of taking risks and dreaming big.

Mother of two grown kids.  Former CEO of a Silicon Valley PR firm.  Ex-wife of a still-present, former compulsive gambler.  Susanna ignores their objections to her new life and refuses to accept she may be perimenopausal. 

As with all well-laid plans, hers quickly derail when the hunk from the boat next door drops by and invites her to supper on his vessel Camelot.  The boat's name, his boyish appearance, and the medieval armor leave her a bit dazed

Yet, against all reason, Susanna agrees to inspect the armor more closely while he puts the finishing touches on fresh pasta, shrimp, and a cheeky Chardonnay.

When she wakes hung over the next morning, her clothes neatly folded on the chair next to her bed, she's naked.

And mad.  He suckered her in with his knight-in-shining armor disguise.  But does he think he can steal her underwear without consequences?

Unfortunately, the Bold Knight rejects the consequences and issues his own challenges …

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CRAZY DAZE AND A KNIGHT is a stand-alone contemporary romance with an older woman/younger man trope.

Because of Susanna’s hang-ups with her age, her reference to her superego as a separate entity named Zenoba, and boundary issues with her daughter and ex-husband, there was a lot to keep me frustrated in this story. 

On the other hand, the story is humorous and sweet with beautiful descriptions throughout.  The characters are each unique and the two main characters are multi-layered.  The spark between them was instantaneous.  I loved how Rex, aka The Bold Knight, had fallen head-over-heels for Susanna and was in it for the long haul from day one; He just had to convince the fair maiden that age was just a number.  That took time, patience, and gentlemanly pursuit.

This was fun and funny, and I recommend it as a nice, light-hearted story to while away an afternoon.

Note:  While I received this book as a gifted ARC, my opinions are my own and are given freely.

Also by Barbara Plum:

·         Crazy Daze and a Knight

·         Prince of Frogs

·         Queen of the Universe

Weird Magic trilogy:

1.      Big Magic

2.      Hard Magic

3.      True Magic

Writing as Allie Hawkins

·         Presumed Guilty

·         Unraveled

Writing as AB Plum

Misfit series:

The Boy Nobody Loved

1.      The Early Years

2.      The Lost Days

3.      The In-Between Years

4.      The Reckless Year

5.      The Dispensable Wife

6.      The Broken-Hearted Many

7.      The Whole Truth

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BLOOD CURSE by Adrienne Blake

Title:  BLOOD CURSE

Series:  Misty Cedars #1

Author:  Adrienne Blake

Publisher:  Adrienne Blake

Publish Date:   09.03.2019

Category /Genre:  Paranormal suspense

Recommended for:  18+ due to sexual content and language

Grammar/editing:  received as an unedited ARC / errors excused

Received from:  Adrienne Blake

Goodreads link: Blood Curse

Date completed: 09.03.2019

Description from the publisher:

Killing the vampire, Micah, may be Holly's only chance to survive. In three days his Blood Curse will be complete, and Holly's soul damned forever.

During a chance traffic stop in remote Pennsylvania, Holly is dragged out of her car by a rogue cop.  Her neck is ruthlessly torn open, and the last thing she sees as she passes out is a gargantuan wolf leaping toward her.

When she wakes in a handsome stranger’s home, she fears she’s been kidnapped, only to discover a truth far more frightening.  Within three days, Holly will turn into an undead creature of the night, a slave to her vampire sire, Micah, who has been terrorizing the valley for years.

With the help of Noah, who saved her, and relying on a combination of wits and willpower, they set off to hunt down Micah... not knowing that the ancient vampire is aware of their plan and is waiting for them....

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BLOOD CURSE is the second book in the Misty Cedars series.  It is billed to be part of the world portrayed in Spelling Bee, although those characters do not appear in this book.  Perhaps it will be clearer once we have a few more books in the series how that short story relates to the series…?

This is one of those books where I wondered why they bothered to put in chapter marks.  There is no putting this thing down and coming back to it later.  I have the sleepy droopy eyes to prove it.  Once Holly jumps into her red Alfa Romeo car the non-stop action starts, along with the nail-biting, the heart pounding, and the page turning to find out what happens next.

Adriane Blake provides amazing descriptions that drop you right into the scene.  So much so, that I forgot I wasn’t in Pennsylvania.  Which considering I’m in the path of Dorian right now, PA isn’t a bad place to be instead.

Note:  While I received this book as a gifted ARC via Booksprout, my opinions are my own and are given freely.

Misty Cedars series:

           0.5  Spelling Bee

1. Blood Curse

Also from Adrienne Blake:

• The Cardinal’s Whores
• London Lady
• The Rancher’s Runaway Bride
• Tamed by the Rancher

Sassy Captives of Corolla Series:

            1.      Tamed by the Alien

            2.      Taken by the Alien

Wonderful Women of History Series:

1. Loving the Duke’s Daughter

 

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