The Changeling Murders - C.S. Quinn

Abduction. Murder. A conspiracy that could bring down the King.

London, 1667: In the wake of the Great Fire, a new city has emerged from the flames. The King has reopened the capital’s theatres, and the royal court is hell-bent on debauched entertainment. But amid the raucous festivities, an actress shows up dead, dressed in the clothes of a missing girl.

It’s a time of great change for thief taker Charlie Tuesday too: his old flame, Maria, is on the cusp of marrying someone else. But when she is abducted on the way to her wedding, Charlie realises her disappearance is linked to the murder.

Meanwhile, as Lent draws to a close, London is exploding into shocking riot. With brothels and theatres being attacked, Charlie and his sidekick Lily must find clues before an angry mob does. And as the mystery deepens and violence fills the streets, can Charlie solve a riddle that threatens not just Maria, but London itself? 

My Review

The Changeling Murders by C.S. Quinn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love a good historical murder mystery/crime novel and this was definitely a good historical murder mystery novel. I hadn't read any of the previous books, but it really didn't matter. This worked fine as a stand-alone novel. Although, having enjoyed it so much, I'd be really keen to go back and read the earlier books.

The sense of time and place was very well written. This book touches on ideas of witchcraft, fairies and superstition. Unlike lots of books, there wasn't a clumsy attempt by the characters to whisper off camera that of course, they don't believe in it. What people believed or not was left shadowed, but their attitudes seemed to fit their time.

I enjoyed the mystery, the characters were well developed and interesting to read and the whole book was a great read. This was a great book to get lost in and visit another time. I couldn't put it down once I'd started and really enjoyed it. Highly recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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Dangerous Passions Book Blitz

About the Book:

Can bitter enemies find love?

Haunted by visions, Calypso sets out to find the man who stalks her dreams. Calypso, an ageless fae, is convinced this man will enslave and torment her just like the one who held her long ago. Determined to track him down and kill him, she's prepared for anything, except for what she finds. The mortal male she encounters stirs embers she thought long dead, making her yearn for his touch.

Lucien has always believed himself to be a mortal slave. The truth, however, is more than he's ever imagined. Born to a fae mother and a warlock father, he is a falock, a being of mixed blood hated by both races. And he's destined for greatness…if he can survive the Roman gladiators' games long enough to grow into his immortality.

When the slim beauty rescues him from the depths of his prison, Lucien comes face to face with the truth of who and what he is. Determined to protect the woman who rescued him, he'll risk everything, including his chance at immortality.

Can a weary, distrustful fae and the falock she's claimed overcome the obstacles in their path?

Book Links:
Goodreads * Amazon

Read an Excerpt:

He leaned forward, her soft whisper echoing in his heart. It seemed she was a slave just as he had been. Heat swirled around him, stirring the embers of want, of need as he traced over her face with the backs of his fingers. Delicately made, she appeared so fragile, yet he knew her strength and her skill. His fingers burned where they touched her skin as he trailed them down her neck to curl around in a loose hold. “I shall protect you.”

The vow fell between them like a stone. He caught the flare of something in her eyes. Fear? Nay, something deeper, something richer.

Leaning forward, he stared into her eyes, her face turned up, lips parted. He could feel the warmth of her breath on his skin, the softness of her hands on his chest as he pulled her into his body. Lucien brushed his lips over Calypso’s, the barest of touches. Soft, moist, her lips yielded beneath his. Again and again, he pressed gentle kisses along her mouth, her nose, her cheeks. The soft whimpers escaping her added fuel to the fire in his blood. Her hands slid around his shoulders, her nails digging in as his fingers tangled in her hair. Tilting her head back, Lucien offered a hint of a smile before he captured her lips in a deep kiss. He licked along the seam, tasting the sweet traces of the fruit she’d eaten. He nipped at her bottom lip, drawing a startled gasp. With a low groan his tongue darted inside, tasting her. Lucien devoured her, claiming her lips repeatedly. Desire licked at him, pushing him closer and closer to the brink.

“We mustn’t.” Calypso’s whisper crept over him even as he felt her move against him. The faint note of fear in her voice like a bucket of water. He pulled back, resting his forehead against hers.

“Aye, we must keep moving. Come, my lady. We’ve a long journey ahead.” He wrapped his fingers around her hand and shot her a quick smile before stepping back. Lucien turned her slightly and fastened her bodice in place. “I will keep you safe.”

“But who will protect me from you?” Her words, spoken so low he knew he wasn’t supposed to hear them, added to the confusion within his mind. What kind of female was the one who even now held his hand as they moved through the growing darkness?

About the Author:

Born in Northern British Columbia, Elise is a small-town girl. She writes in a variety of genres including paranormal, contemporary suspense, m/m in various lengths. Currently, she lives in British Columbia with her husband and son, one dog, one cat, and a gecko. Elise enjoys reading as much as she does writing, with some of her favorite books being read until they fall apart. 
She is currently working on the next book in the Forsaken Series, Burning Rain. As well she has a new contemporary she’s working on. For more information on Elise, or to check out her books you can find her on Facebook, twitter, and her website.

Contact the Author:

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Coming Home to Ottercombe Bay - Bella Osborne

Daisy Wickens has returned to Ottercombe Bay, the picturesque Devon town where her mother died when she was a girl. She plans to leave as soon as her great uncle’s funeral is over, but Great Uncle Reg had other ideas. He’s left Daisy a significant inheritance – an old building in a state of disrepair, which could offer exciting possibilities, but to get it she must stay in Ottercombe Bay for twelve whole months.


With the help of a cast of quirky locals, a few gin cocktails and a black pug with plenty of attitude, Daisy might just turn this into something special. But can she ever hope to be happy among the ghosts of her past?

My Review

Coming Home to Ottercombe Bay by Bella Osborne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I haven't read a book like Coming Home to Ottercombe Bay for quite a while. Although it has a romantic element, I think that I would be inclined to class it as 'chic lit' rather than a romance. I actually hate that phrase if I'm honest, but I think that it best sums up the style of this book. Daisy is a traveller, who has spent the last few years travelling the world and avoiding settling down. Now after the death of her Great Uncle, she finds that she has to return to her childhood home, that she left when she was 7 and face the demons of her past.
I enjoyed this book overall, it was a little slow in the odd part, but I think that matched the style of the storyline and characters. Daisy's Aunt and the dog Bugsy Malone were both entertaining and there was some light relief added by the next door neighbour, Tamsyn. Even if she was a little too over the top and out there at times.
There is a romantic element to this story, but it isn't the main point of the plot and I really liked that about it. There's little be upset or offended by and Daisy even tones down her favourite swear word to cock-a-doodle-do. This would be a great beach read in the summer or when lazing around and if you're looking for a relaxing and enjoyable read, you won't go far wrong with this.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.


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Enchanted Waves book blitz

About the Book:

Tabitha Lock's mundane life changes when her future walks out of the sea into her arms.

Attorney Tabitha Lock has put her career before everything, including her love life. Exhausted from too many late nights, early mornings, and endless days spent in court, Tabitha is at the end of her rope. Add to that the sensual dreams and voices that haunt her sleep, and she's driven to the edge of her sanity.

Jax Aquila, Mer prince and son of Poseidon, is ordered to locate a mortal female in the twenty-first century. Although this woman is unaware of it, she has vampire heritage, but her immortality was forsaken to her due to the sins of her ancestor. Old hatred and prejudice toward vampires push Jax toward pursing his own agenda and avoiding his assigned task.

When Jax meets Tabitha, he has no idea this enticing woman is the one he was sent to find. The magic of their attraction drives him to pursue the beautiful woman. When he discovers the truth, can he accept Tabitha for what she is? And can Tabitha accept herself? As they struggle with the issues at hand, an ancient evil stirs, waiting in the darkness to reclaim their lost position among the immortals. When the evil ones make their move and Tabitha's life hangs in the balance can Jax find her in time, or will she be lost to him forever?

Book Links:

Goodreads * Amazon

Read an Excerpt:

Calypso's breasts heaved with each breath she took beneath the supple black leather. Stretching out beyond the full-length windows, lightning ripped through the night sky as Calypso opened the french doors and stepped out onto the patio. The subtle glide of leather-overheated flesh sent shards of heat through her.

A fine shiver raced over her body and she gasped. Somewhere out there he waited…the culmination of all her lust. From behind her the sound of Angrail and his mate's passion could be heard and it fired her own. Long denied, her lust stirred, slithering through her body like some beast she longed to kill.

She closed her eyes, the image playing across her mind… Sweat slicked skin heaved with each swing of a massive blade. Thin, black lines danced across his chest, swirling down into the curve of a hip, the bulge of his shaft behind his pants teasing her. Muscles bunched and flexed with each step, each blow. Powerful, deadly, his essence called to her, seduced her with its warmth and need.

Calypso stepped to the edge of the balcony and peered over the ornate banister. Beneath her the roaring of the falls drifted upward in a silvery cloud of noise and mist.

She glanced over her shoulder, her fists clenching with emotion. Centuries of service, of loyalty, had been rewarded with freedom, yet she didn't yearn for such a gift. Nay, she yearned for what was beyond her. Angrail was content, he was loved, and out of her grasp. Accepting it hadn't come easy, long nights of bitter envy and tears had come before she'd realized it was necessary.

Come to me. As soft as the wind playing with her braid, the whisper slipped through the chinks in her armor and shot straight to her heart.

With a soft sigh, Calypso hopped onto the banister and inhaled a breath. Arms outstretched, she stepped into mid-air, years of training and skill set in her muscles. Fresh, sweet wind flowed along her body, wrapping her in a warm shawl of familiarity. Without a sound, she landed on the rocks below, her knees folding beneath her as her body coiled in to brace itself.

About the Author:

Welcome to Ciara Lake's World. Meet Gorgeous Werewolves, Vampires, Dragons, Mermaids, Wizards, Witches, Mythological Gods and Goddesses, Mere Mortals And More! Fiction has always been a passion of mine. Creating worlds and developing characters is a great way for me to relieve the stress and strain of my everyday world. In fantasy (paranormal) and sci-fi stories, the author has the unique ability to invent wonderfully exotic places and people. I do that in my books. These fantastic genres provide a limitless ability to be creative and inventive. My stories provide an escape into a special world filled with unique and otherworldly things. And there is always a happy ending.

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His Wicked Secret - Lauren Smith

When a lady decides to become a spy, she must resist all temptation…especially love.

Audrey Sheridan is London’s sweetheart¾a position that allows her access to the ton and all its secrets. As the enigmatic writer, Lady Society, she is wild, reckless, and speaks her mind. She matchmakes wicked rogues with their perfect wives. But there’s one thing she’s failed to find since her debut. A husband for herself. And there’s only one man she’s ever wanted. There’s just one problem…he doesn’t want her. What’s a lady to do to mend her broken heart? Run off to become a spy…

Jonathan St. Laurent is anything but a saint and certainly not husband material. He spent nearly his entire life as a servant to his half-brother the Duke of Essex. He’s trying to play the gentleman now, but it’s damned hard when he’s tempted by the ton’s darling spitfire Audrey. There’s something about her that makes him want to abandon the rules of polite society and show her just how wicked he can be…which is why it’s better to avoid the minx altogether.

When Audrey’s plan to be a spy is discovered, Jonathan knows he must move heaven and earth to protect her while guarding his own secret…


His Wicked Secret by Lauren Smith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love the League of Rogues series by Lauren Smith and I've been (not so) patiently waiting for the next instalment in the series. We were teased with Her Wicked Longing last year, which was just a little taste of what was to come in His Wicked Secret.
Of all the League members, I have to admit that I was less interested in Jonathan's story. I think that is simply because we know less about him. While he is mentioned in the other books, we see less of his character than some of the other members. I do like Audrey though. She's headstrong, willful and a lot of fun. Fortunately, Jonathan proved himself to be her match.
This was a great read and I really enjoyed it, polishing it off quickly. I will admit though, I'm really hanging out for the last of the main league characters stories. Charles has always been an interesting chap and I have a few theories about who he's going to end up with. But, as I don't want to spoil anything, I'm not going to say what they are here.

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The King's Justice - EM Powell

A murder that defies logic—and a killer still on the loose.

England, 1176. Aelred Barling, esteemed clerk to the justices of King Henry II, is dispatched from the royal court with his young assistant, Hugo Stanton, to investigate a brutal murder in a village outside York.

The case appears straightforward. A suspect is under lock and key in the local prison, and the angry villagers are demanding swift justice. But when more bodies are discovered, certainty turns to doubt—and amid the chaos it becomes clear that nobody is above suspicion.

Facing growing unrest in the village and the fury of the lord of the manor, Stanton and Barling find themselves drawn into a mystery that defies logic, pursuing a killer who evades capture at every turn.

Can they solve the riddle of who is preying upon the villagers? And can they do it without becoming prey themselves?

The King's Justice by E.M. Powell
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I love historical murder mystery books, so when I spotted this on NetGalley, I jumped at the chance to read it. The opening setting of the book; a trial by ordeal in front of a crowd of baying spectators set the scene perfectly. Unfortunately, for me at least, the sense of time and place didn't quite continue to the same degree through the rest of the book. The bare bones were there, the characters were for the most part well written and complex, but for me, there was something not quite right.

I'm not sure if it was the two main investigating characters that did it. The two viewpoints making it difficult to get to know either character properly, or something else. There was also a very large body count, I did wonder if we would find out the murder by a process of elimination, with all other contenders being eliminated both from suspicious and life.

With the high body count I couldn't help but be reminded of a medieval Midsomer Murders and this wasn't the only place that there was a similarity. The book lacked the depth and sense of place that other books in the genre have. BUT it was an entertaining, fairly light read. I'm not sure if some of my issues with the book was just because I didn't 'know' Stanton and Barling and if with a bit more familiarity, they might not have been more enjoyable. I'd certainly be willing to read the next in the series to find out.

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A Superior Spectre - Angela Meyer

Jeff is dying. Haunted by memories and grappling with the shame of his desires, he runs away to remote Scotland with a piece of experimental tech that allows him to enter the mind of someone in the past. Instructed to only use it three times, Jeff – self-indulgent, isolated and deteriorating – ignores this advice.

In the late 1860s, Leonora lives a contented life in the Scottish Highlands, surrounded by nature, her hands and mind kept busy. Contemplating her future and the social conventions that bind her, a secret romantic friendship with the local laird is interrupted when her father sends her to stay with her aunt in Edinburgh – an intimidating, sooty city; the place where her mother perished.

But Leonora’s ability to embrace her new life is shadowed by a dark presence that begins to lurk behind her eyes, and strange visions that bear no resemblance to anything she has ever seen or known…

A Superior Spectre is a highly accomplished debut novel about our capacity for curiosity, and our dangerous entitlement to it, and reminds us the scariest ghosts aren’t those that go bump in the night, but those that are born and create a place for themselves in the human soul.


A Superior Spectre by Angela Meyer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When books are sold as being like a well known or well-loved book that you've already read, I'm always a little sceptical. A Superior Spectre was described on the NetGalley email, encouraging me to request it, as being similar to A Handmaid's Tale. I have to say, that although this is set in a dystopian future, it isn't really like it in any way. If it were like any of Atwood's frightening glimpses of a possible future, then it reminded me of the world the Oryx and Crake trilogy or The Heart Goes Last. Really, comparisons are pointless, this is a great read in its own right.

The book is really two stories, that are linked by technology that allows the futuristic Jeff to see into the mind of Leonora, a young Scottish girl from the 1800's. Jeff is dying and uses these journeys into Leonora's mind as a form of escape. The more he joins with her though, the more that his thoughts begin to break into her conscious and life. While Jeff battles his own demons and illness, Leonora struggles to find her place in life and questions her sanity. More than once I couldn't help but wonder if Jeff was a figment of Leonora's imagination, or that perhaps Leonora was a figment of Jeffs.

This is an interesting and engaging read. I wanted to follow the paths of both of the main characters and find out what would happen to them. It is in some ways a book with a science fiction setting, but to describe it as such really sells it short. The tech that allows this all to happen, isn't really the point, but it is about the two main characters and how they deal with their lives and situations.

A Superior Spectre is a fantastic read and I found it gripping from the beginning. I found myself involved in the storyline and just couldn't put it down.

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India Whose country is it anyway? - Book Blitz

About the Book:

India's rich diversity, both in its physical and natural aspects, is widely known. India has had a great past with achievements in literature, the arts, medicine and mathematics.

Indians were sea-faring and they spread their influence through their philosophy, religion and military conquest too. But Like a cosmic phenomenon, decline is every civilization is inevitable. Indian civilization too declined.

When a civilization rises, people are driven by idealism; when people are possessed of greed, it declines and falls.

Indians today are possessed of excessive, abominable, putrefying greed.

The author tells it all in an honest, engaging manner. He holds a mirror unto ourselves.

Book Link:

Amazon

About the Author:

I hail from a middle class family. Son of a soldier, I did my studies in Bengaluru obtaining a Bachelor’s degree (from St. Joseph’s College) in Science and then in Law from a different college. 

Though not very serious about studies, I took to books with keen interest in social sciences history in particular, literature and natural sciences (in general) and current affairs. I am drawn wittingly towards that abstract thinking – that is, philosophy.

Worked in a Government-owned Insurance Company - United India Insurance Co Ltd - as a Salesman (designated as Development Officer) and retired voluntarily a decade ago.

I spend time reading and writing, travelling both within the country and outside. I ardently believe in community work; I concentrate on education of children, obviously from poor background.  

Nationalism – i.e. love of fellow citizens - is my creed. I am passionate about friendships, am devoid of all other -isms.

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The Scars I Bare - J.L.Berg

The Scars I Bare by J.L. Berg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the second book in the By the Bay series and after meeting Dean in the first book (The Choices I've Made) While the book title seems to refer to the physical scars that Dean bears after the ferry accident that he was involved in, more importantly, are his mental scars. Since the accident, he hasn't worked, has been single and hasn't been able to move on. Cora is also mentally scarred. He marriage fell apart after her husband became abusive and now she is reluctant to trust.

Cora and Dean are both likeable characters and although they have problems to work through, it's clear that they belong together. I did like the way that they dealt with their problems. In too many similar books, the hero and heroine have something happen that throws them apart. This wasn't smooth sailing to a happily ever after, but it didn't feel forced or that the things that were stopping them from being happy were unnatural.

I really enjoyed this book and will be looking out for book 3 so that I can find out more about the characters that live on Ocracoke Island.

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Mauri Book Blitz

~ New Release ~

Mauri by Saiswaroopa Iyer

About the Book:

She wanted to kill the man who others called a God.

Love is but an obstacle in her path

With her father’s death shattering her world, Mauri is torn away from everything she had once loved. Anger replacing every emotion within her, she seeks only one thing. To kill her father’s killer. Even if the man is none less than Krishna Vaasudeva, the man who people worshipped as a God! Someone stands in the way, reining in her bitterness when she is the least prepared for it. The Rakshasa Prince Ghatotkacha! But by the time love sprouts within her, Mauri has gone too far in her thirst for vengeance. 

Can Mauri save herself and Ghatotkacha before the consequences of her own actions can destroy both their worlds?

Book Link:

Amazon

Read an Excerpt:

“Good aim! But that sorry-looking insult to all weapons is not going to take you very far.”

Mauri jumped out of her skin. The man who had found her out was a complete stranger. A closer look at him told her he was a Rakshasa. Her first instinct was to make a run towards the exit. It would be only a matter of time before this Rakshasa would go and tell Ghatotkacha. Then it struck her that she had never seen this man in Ghatotkacha’s team! Who was he?

“Your secret is safe with me, little one!” He beamed. The broken canine on his upper jaw could not be missed. He took her arm but she shook him off. “Alright! Remember girl, I am your well-wisher.”

“I don’t even know who you are!” Mauri backed away.

“Someone who can protect you from…,” he smirked and pointed to the gap between the two ornate pillars close to where she was hiding, “them”

Mauri peered through the gap. She could count up to six guards furiously searching for the culprit who had dared strike Krishna Vaasudeva. The foolhardy nature of her attempt struck her now. How had she even dreamt of escaping the heavily guarded palace after doing what she’d done?

“Come with me.” He held her arm. “If you want to escape without being seen, that is.” His voice assumed a lower note. “And if you want to get another chance at your target.”

Unsure and still guided by her frustration, Mauri followed him towards a secluded section of the vast palace garden. When she left the place a good couple of hours later, her mind reeled at the task before her. It was too much, what the Rakshasa had asked of her. But she could not have afforded to be caught by the palace guards. Possibly she could have lied about her aim going wrong when she was trying to get some fruit. The news would still have travelled to Dhatri, though, and who knew how she would react? On the other hand, the prospects that this Rakshasa promised, though at great risk, seemed more welcome. Mauri continued to walk in a daze, aimless and unmindful of the maze of paths. A shrill cry calling out to her brought her back to this world.

“Mauri! Where on earth did you disappear?!” Nandini ran up to her, and not very far behind was Dhatri!

For the first time, Mauri found herself tongue-tied, at a loss for explanations. “I…I came with Ghatotkacha. I lost my way.”

“Any guard would have guided you out of this place.” Dhatri’s voice had traces of annoyance. “And why did you not even inform us before leaving?” She sighed as Mauri slipped back into silence again. “I found us a caravan headed eastward. Let us quickly take leave of our hosts and start this afternoon.”

Mauri followed her without a word. She needed to be in Dhatri’s good books. “Mahadevi…after going back to Kamarupa, can I live with you?”

She saw Dhatri halt in her steps and look visibly delighted. She heard Nandini squeal with joy. Neither had a clue of what was going on in her mind.

When they left Indraprastha later in the day, Mauri looked back at the glorious looking arch receding into the distance. She had not taken leave of Ghatotkacha. It would have been nice to see him just one more time!

About the Author:

Formerly an analyst with a Venture capital firm, Saiswaroopa currently writes Puranic fiction, with a focus on lesser known heroines of Ancient India. Mauri is her third work of fiction after Abhaya and Avishi. Her interests include Carnatic Music, Philosophy, History and Literature of India. She won a state level gold medal from TTD in rendering Annamacharya Kritis. She holds an MBA from Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur.

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Overruled by Fate - Leila Snow

Overruled by Fate by Leila Snow
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book ticked all of the boxes for me from the very start. I love historically set novels especially when an effort is made to evoke the period. In Overruled by fate, this isn't achieved by the language that people use, but I felt the attitudes and ideas fit the time very well. On the whole, the book didn't try too hard, by throwing archaic phrases. Although there were a couple of times that modern expressions or language did creep in, it didn't detract from the whole read.

I was completely immersed in this book until around the halfway mark. Unfortunately, around then, something happened. I'm not sure if it was me, or the style of the writing, but it didn't seem to be flowing quite as well. There was a little too much telling rather than showing. It's a real shame because I think that aside, this would have been a solid five star read.

Overall, I loved the story. The author didn't pull any punches when it came to the characters behaving as they would have been expected to at the time. There were no convenient get-out clauses for awkward or unpleasant duty and I felt the read and storyline was much richer for it.

This is a fantastic story, well told and one that takes you on a very emotional journey of highs and lows. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would highly recommend it to lovers of historical fiction and romance.

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Wheeler - In Darkness, There is still light - Sara Butler Zalesky

'Atherton Leaves Her! Has the Actor’s Whirlwind Romance with the Pro Cyclist Run its Course?' 

“Yes, Charlotte, he left me. In the airport, to fly back to California.” 

Loren Mackenzie knew the headline in The Sun was an exaggeration, but the World Champion time trialist still felt the sting. As her pro cycling season draws to a close, Loren looks forward to taking a break from training and a reuniting with her boyfriend, Graham Atherton. However, rumors and innuendo begin to swirl around them, and secrets they have kept from each other shake their relationship to its foundation. 

A trip to New York City affords Loren a bittersweet reunion with a love she thought was lost. But, echoes from the past ripple into the present and reliving the fractured memories of her childhood has left her afraid to dig deeper. The monsters that dwell in the dark corners of her mind are all too real. 

Meanwhile, obsession and greed churn into a storm on the horizon, threatening Loren and those closest to her. When the tempest hits and the dust finally settles, what is uncovered tilts the axis of her world. 

Loren must find the strength to believe that even in darkness, there is still light, there is still hope; there is still love. 

My Review

In Darkness, There is Still Light by Sara Butler Zalesky
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I've been looking forward to reading this book since I read the first book in the series Wheeler. I was looking forward to finding out what would happen with Loren and Graham and what would happen to them next.

Like the first book, there is a lot happening in this instalment. There is still danger and a threat to Loren, despite the end of the previous book. (I'm trying to be vague here because if you read this review before reading book one, I'd hate to spoil anything.) The relationship between Loren and Graham is not plain sailing either.

In many ways, this is a more emotionally charged book than the first. Although Loren is still cycling, there is much less of the detail in this book. I did enjoy that in the first book, but I think the decision to move away from the technical side a little was a good one in this second instalment. To be honest, once you are swept into the storyline this time around, there's little time to think of anything else.

This is quite an emotional book, with much to deal with alongside the two main characters. It doesn't look like this is the end though and I'm left dying to know what will happen next for Graham and Loren.

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The Choices I've Made - J.L.Berg

I swore I’d never go home again.

With nothing more than a few boxes and a beat up truck, I left behind my old life at the tender age of eighteen to pursue my medical career. 

And I never looked back. 

Twelve years later, I find myself traveling back to the sandy shores of that North Carolina town where my late father has left me his medical practice. Coming here means facing my past… My memories… And her—Molly McIntyre. 

Growing up, Molly had been my entire world, first as a childhood friend and then so much more. We’d made promises to each other back then. Promises I broke when I walked away. And now that I’m back? Well, let’s just say she’s not exactly the head of my welcoming committee. But even she can’t deny the undeniable spark that still burns so brightly between us and soon, we’re tumbling fast and hard into the past.

But I need to keep my eyes set to the future, because mine isn’t here in this dead end town. Not anymore. 

All Molly has ever known is here, on this small island. Could I really ask her to give it all up? For me? If I walk away again, will she follow?





The Choices I've Made by J.L. Berg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was just in the mood for a certain type of romance book and having a trawl on netgalley, I came across this and the second in the same series The Scars I Bare. There is of course, always danger that when you're in the mood for something specific, it just won't live up to what you're looking for. Fortunately, this time, this was exactly what I was hoping it would be.
This is a second chance romance. After the death of his mother, Jake leaves his home, his family, the life he had planned and most importantly, the love of his life Molly. Molly and Jake have been childhood sweethearts and although they haven't seen each other for ten years, they still haven't really moved on, despite trying to.
This story starts with a bang, in more ways than one. I was a little worried that this explosive start would leave to a story that was over the top in every way, but I probably shouldn't have been so concerned. After the initial first chapter or so, it settled into a rhythm of rediscovery and questioning if things have really changed.
The path to the happily ever after is not a smooth one and both Jake and Molly need to evolve and discover themselves before they can finally find out who they are. I loved the fact that Molly wasn't just left behind where they had both grown up, she had her own discovery and growing to do too.
I couldn't help loving both Molly and Jake and feeling their pain as they come to terms with the ghosts of their past. This was just the book that I was looking for and I can't wait to give the second in the series a go.

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