Jill Sanders.. Where Have You Been All My Life?

"The Awakening"

Oh, Jill Sanders. Let me count the ways in which this book thrilled me. I received a copy of this book from my friends at NetGalley (they’re my favourite). I have not read any other works by this author, but I am truly enamoured with the series after reading the first book. 

To briefly break down the plot of this book, I will start by telling you that it is a paranormal/mystery/romance book. If you aren’t into fiction that requires you to think outside the box, this book is probably not for you. However, I do think it has the power to convert you! Christina is the strong female main character and she is returning to her home town to attend her parents’ funeral after a tragic car accident. Christina isn’t exactly grieving as her parents were horrible to her throughout childhood and inflicted cruel and unusual punishments on her. At the beginning, we don’t have a clear understanding that she has this strange gift that allows her to see into the future and revise people’s memories when she touches them. Its a gift that her parents attempted to beat and pray out of her throughout her childhood. 

When she returns to her family home, she notices that the neighbouring cottage has a light on, which was not typically the case since the family who resided there had moved. She decides to see what is going on over there and stumbles upon the hot and sexy ex-cop Michael. That girl got someone looking out for her, at least in the guy department. 

Michael is an ex cop from the Atlantic PD who after a tragic incident whereby his partner was killed after attempting to kill him, he was forced out of the department. Since he has moved into the cottage, he sees a “ghost” every night and up until he discovers Christina being a peeping tom, figured he was the only one who could see her. 

They ultimately form a friendship / romance and Christina discloses her gift to him. The odd thing is that she cannot read him with her gifts. I can’t imagine sexy time with a man when you can see all their memories and feelings. That just sounds awkward and disturbing. Christina and Mike come to share a friend in common, Jessica. Jess had a quick fling with Mike before Christina returned and things went down hill. There is some tension in the air in the beginning  but Jess is a good sport about it. 

Later we come to find out the meaning of the ghost’s story which lands them in some hot water. Of course there are other twists and turns along the way, such as a secret love child and some history between the main characters parents-I mean let’s keep it interesting. Ultimately, Christina is kidnapped by her crazy ass ex boyfriend who ran a cult and thinks that her powers are his to own. The guy gets shot. Well, deserved if you ask me. The guy seemed like a real douche canoe. 

The book ends on cliffhanger and I don’t want to spoil the fun for anyone looking to read this masterpiece from Jill Sanders. I would highly recommend this book to those who love a good paranormal romance. I read it in one day and honestly, I’m buying the second in the series to continue with my reading adventures with the Scooby Doo team. 

Hey Jill… you’ve gained one new lover of your writing. <3

I Gave Logan A Chance & Was Not Disappointed With "Newly FEDs"

“Newly FEDs” by Logan Chance

Thanks to  Kindle Unlimited from Amazon for a free read of this book. I have not read anything by Logan before and this is the first piece of work I have reviewed by this author.  

This book falls under the category of Romantic Suspense and it lives up to its name. The plot was intriguing and there was never a dull moment with any of the characters. There were elements of comedy throughout the course of the book and there is a contrast in personalities between the main characters - Vin and Addison. 

Vin is portrayed as the badass, non committal federal agent with an ego. As far as opposing colleagues this seems to be the standard. Vin grew up wealthy and felt pressure to confirm the high society lifestyle in which he was raised. However, he chose to forego his rights as an heir and join the FBI. Addison is a woman trying to make it in a hardcore primarily male profession. She has worked her butt off to be promoted to a field agent. She grew up poor and hopped around the foster care system after her parents died in a tragic car accident when she was three years old. She was the only survivor and you can see her resilience through her character. Logan does a phenomenal job illustrating the differing characteristic for each character. It only leans to a better view of the internal struggles both Vin and Addison face thorough the book. 

The two are ultimately paired on a case whereby they need to be fake married in order to infiltrate a suburban cul de sac that seems to be straight from a Step-ford Wives horror flick. Their goal is to determine who is laundering money for the mob and find a way to link the guilty party to the crime. 

Both Vin and Addison set off with the beginnings of professionalism, but as in any fake marriage, there needs to be PDAs to encourage the validity of the relationship to their targets. Eventually, the two end up rolling in the hay with each other, which results in some steamy scenes that get your lady bits excited. Or man bits… whatever you are working with. 

Vin struggles with his developing feelings for Addison and Addison is concerned that she is risking her promotion by crossing a professional boundary. She also starts to feel connected with the ladies of the community and experiences guilt because of her betrayal of their trust. This is likely due to the lack of bonding she had as a child and she believes that she has now found a place to call home. Vin on the other hand, sees the lifestyle to be exactly what he turned away from. 

The pair are finally able to make a break in the case and nab the unfortunate neighbours who are laundering money. Vin and Addison are not sure about their relationship after the case ends and when they are dismissed by their boss to recuperate, Vin makes the mistake of telling Addison that it was all pretend, all of it. She turns away hurt and leaves with no plan to see him in the future. 

Addison eventually finds out that all the costs associated with keeping their cover (shopping sprees and catering services) was done by Vin. When they finally see each other a couple days later at one of their fake neighbours  event, they reconnect. Leaving no doubt about the conclusion of the story. He gets the girl. She gets the job. They buy the house and keep the cat. A happily ever after for all… well, except the money laundering neighbours. 

Overall, this piece was an easy read. It was exciting and well thought out and never left me feeling like my eyes were going to get stuck from rolling them. 

There Is Nothing Savage About “Savage News” by Jessica Yellin

There Is Nothing Savage About “Savage News” by Jessica Yellin

I’ll be honest, I thought this book would have romance and competing lovers. Nope. Nada. I got to Chapter 9 before I gave up. The concept of the plot is intriguing, but it left a bad taste in my mouth. There was a lot of misogyny and I think this turned me from reading the remainder. I felt that Natalie’s character should have been stronger when it came to the sexist that she experienced at the hands of those who work with her. The fear that a female may lose a job or an opportunity if she doesn’t cozy up to Hal is absolutely demoralizing.

Do I realize that sexism still occurs in the workplace? Yes! Women all across the world continuing to struggle to overcome the archaic ideals about women and our limitations. I felt Natalie sat by instead of stepping to the plate and making a stance. The book itself is well written and I can’t comment on anything after

Chapter 9 because I lost interest. I believe I lost interest because I could not connect with Natalie. There was little commonality that I could attach myself to and I felt that a stronger character could have overcome that.Sorry, Jessica, But I would not read this book.. as a matter of fact.. I didn’t get past Chapter 9. That’s not saying that others won’t enjoy this novel, but it certainly wasn’t my cup of team.

Cowboy Up Makes Us Want To Run Away To The Nearest Farm Town

“Cowboy Up” by Stacy Finz 

I received a copy of this novel from my friends at Net Galley and the publisher. I have never read anything by this author before, but I have read my fair share of Cowboy Romance novels to be able to compare. 

Firstly, there are many options for continuation of the story, as Swayer and Jace’s stories have potential to develop more. That being said, the characters (both major and minor) were well developed and all had their own unique style and personality. The plot of the book was meticulously laid out. There was never a dull moment and the varying perspectives throughout the novel allowed the reader to see the point of view of different main characters. 

So, on to our main characters and a synopsis of the overall book. The two main characters are Aubrey and Cash (could you think of a more country name…) who have found themselves sharing space on Cash’s family’s farm. The farm has been in the Dalton family for generations and Cash’s cousin, Jace lives in the main house with his two boys. After Cash finds himself without a job, the former Special Agent of the FBI high tails it back to family farm for some R&R. There’s no place like home, although I suspect he underestimated the drama a small county can have. 

Aubrey is best friends with Cash’s cousin, Jace. She and Jace have been friends since childhood and her fiancee, Mitch was also a part of this click of friends. However, the friendliness dwindles when Aubrey finds Mitch screwing someone else a couple weeks before the wedding. Mitch, being the charmer that he is, spreads rumours through the small county that Aubrey was unfaithful and was having a relationship with Jace (the acting Sheriff). No one questions the “golden boy” who is the royal prince of the town as he owns the local construction company. By all accounts, Mitch is a class A douchbag with the moral compass of a lion.  Please see Leo showing his agreement. 

Aubrey ends the relationship and her friendship with Jace allows her to move into a cabin on the farm — right next to where Cash has taken up residence. They share some banter back and forth about his shooting bottles at 6 am and his apparent drinking problem. Eventually, they come to develop a rapport. When Cash finds out he has a long lost 12 year old daughter he has never met, everything changes. Ellie’s mother dies of breast cancer and it is only at that point that Cash becomes aware of her existence. On top of everything else that is happening with the main characters, Stacy adds another complexity to the story. Ellie is a typical 12 year old, who hates the man who has now identified himself as her father and she is torn between developing a relationship and feelings of betraying her mother’s memory. 

There is no doubt that there is a lot going on in this book, but at no point do I feel as though I am unable to keep up with the plot. Stacy is obviously a skilled author as she has managed the complex plot and it did not take away from the story. I felt connected with the characters and was never bored. It's usually a good sign when I don’t roll my eyes throughout the course of a book. Stacy, girl, you knocked it out of the park and I look forward to reading more on the Daltons in the future.