Forbidden Bond - Lee Colgin

Forbidden Bond by Lee Colgin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I've read quite a few books that just haven't quite hit the mark, it was great to finally come across this one that ticked all the boxes. Forbidden Bond is the first book in the They Bite series, based on this one, I don't think that it will be the last that I read.
In this world, supernaturals have come to an uneasy truce, but they are far from friendly with one another. Sinclair, an as yet still living vampire, wants to attend a werewolf university and learn more of the history of the various species. His family are against it, but as he is in his mid-twenties and an adult there's little that they can do about it. (Although, he does appear to be younger than that somehow.) The alpha wolf who looks after the pack at the university, Mitchel is not happy about his arrival, to begin with, but he soon finds that he not only likes the young vampire but is also very much attracted to him.
I enjoyed the romance between Sinclair and Mitchel and the story around humans learning about the existence of paranormals and how they were all trying to deal with it was great. The book did leave me with a few questions, the relationship between Sinclair and Mitchel was unheard of and as nice as it was to see them cement that connection properly, I think that I would have liked to see a little bit more after that. I'm guessing that as more books from this series come, we'll start to learn more about the situation with both wolves and vampires. Perhaps the reason for there being less information here is simply because it's something that will be dealt with in later stories.
Overall this was a great read and as I mentioned before, I'm keen to read more from this world.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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Taking the Lead - Tara Eldana

Taking the Lead by Tara Eldana
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is 3 1/2 stars rounded up to 4 stars read.
I loved the idea behind this book, identical twins, with one woman being attracted to both despite them being quite different in a number of ways. Between them, they decide to go for a bit of an unconventional approach to the relationship and of course this leads to the worries, jealousies and concerns that you would expect.
There was a lot to deal with here, juggling the emotions of all three and how that might lead to something that they could all live with. For the most part, it was an entertaining and interesting read. There were a couple of things that for me at least, stopped this from being a full four stars. The characters, particularly the twins weren't different enough to make it obvious who you were reading about, which was a bit annoying. I also found that there seemed to be quite a few sudden leaps in ideas. (Everyone suddenly decides that Jessa is a switch, with absolutely nothing to suggest that she's anything to be honest before they're all proclaiming it.) The ending was a bit odd too, I sort of see why things unfolded as they did, although I wasn't totally on board with it, there was no need for four or five chapters that were two months later, six months later, a year later etc.
Overall this wasn't a bad read and had quite a bit I did enjoy, but the execution of the plot wasn't quite there and it just stopped it from being a really good read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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Hard Justice - Pamela Clare

Hard Justice by Pamela Clare
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This one get's 3 1/2 rounded up to 4 stars.
I haven't read the previous books in the series, but I think that this one worked well as a stand-alone. This is a romantic suspense with a bit of a murder mystery to get to the bottom of along the way. There's plenty of action and plenty of heat in the romance department.
Set in Scotland with a Glaswegian lead, lots of the book is written with a 'Scottish' dialect which for the most part was fairly well done. The author had clearly done quite a bit research and other than the odd little slip-up, but these were mostly little random things that just slip in there (things like going to a paediatrician's office which is unlikely in the UK). I do struggle a bit with things written in dialect, often it's overdone a bit, as the person writing is less used to the accent. For the most part, this was well done and worked.
I enjoyed the suspense element of the book and although I thought I knew where it was going, it didn't make for a boring read. As for the romance, I think that this might be slightly where things fell a little flat for me. I just didn't fully buy into the chemistry between Quinn and Elizabeth. I also found him calling her Lilibet really cringy. I don't know if it's because the only time I've heard that name ever used before is because it's what the Queen is known as to some people and came about because she couldn't say her own name. It's such a babyish name and not something you could imagine lovers using. It's a shame because I think that it was the romance element that made this less than a four-star read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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Not home for the Holidays - Isabelle Drake

Not Home for the Holidays by Isabelle Drake
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

You know how sometimes you're just in the mood for a nice, feel-good romance? Well Not Home for the Holidays ticks all the boxes in that regard. This isn't a long or intense read with heaps of issues for the various characters, instead, we have quite a sweet little read that leaves you with a smile on your face and a satisfied feeling inside.
Emma hasn't had a great deal of success with romance, but she has been doing rather well with her online chicken business. When she becomes a finalist for a social media competition with an advertising agency, she gets the chance to head to the big city and possibly a life of a bit more excitement.
This is quite a quick read, which is perfect for this kind of story. The romance wasn't drawn out with lots of misunderstanding and confusion. There were some things for the couple to work through and get to their happily ever after, but it didn't feel as though this was being added for the sake of it, or rather the sake of adding some conflict. This was just the kind of book I as in the mood for on a lazy Sunday morning.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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The Case for the Temptation - Robyn Grady

The Case for Temptation by Robyn Grady
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Case for Temptation is a little different to some of your other romance novels. It begins with our hero and heroine getting together for the night. As the book progresses they try to decide if they can fit into each other's lives, particularly when it comes to dealing with the baggage from each other's past.
There is a lot going on in this novel, with both Jacob and Teagan questioning if they want a relationship with one another and if they can make it as a couple. There are a few occasions where we suddenly get a summary of things that have happened, but that we don't actually see. I'm sure that this is to help keep the story moving and at the right pace. The only downside with this is that it doesn't make for the most gripping reading. It didn't really matter, but it was one of the elements that stopped this from being a four-star read.
I liked the relationship between Jacob and Teagan. I did think that towards the end he was a little cruel, there were reasons for it, but I don't usually like my 'hero's' to be like that.
This was a good romantic read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.


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Fell Murder - E.C.R Lorac

Fell Murder by E.C.R. Lorac
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I've been looking forward to reading Fell Murder since I requested it on Net Galley. I've read one or two of her novels before and really enjoyed them, but more importantly, I have a huge soft spot for the part of the country that this book is set in. It may have been fifty years after the time of this book that I lived in Lancaster and knew the lune valley, but I could still recognise the landscape that appears in the pages.
The murder mystery comes about after the return of a son who has long been away from the area. Although he doesn't visit his family, it soon becomes clear that a number of people in the area know of his arrival. It's not clear at first how his arrival causes the murder to take place, but the fact that he's suddenly there is the spark for the events that follow.
I enjoyed this murder mystery, I did guess the murderer right before the end of the book, but it was a guess and I wasn't completely sure that I was right.
I really enjoyed the book, both because of the mystery element but also because of the obvious great love for the area that the author had. If I wasn't on the other side of the world, I have no doubt it would be enough to send me on a visit back to Lancaster and the surrounding area as soon as possible.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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Provoke You - Diana A Hicks

Provoke You
Diana A. Hicks
(Cole Brothers #2)
Publication date: December 16th 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Hotel heiress Ela LeBlanc is ready to take control of her life. Waking up handcuffed to a former marine and the news of her step-dad’s plans to sell the hotel is just the wake-up call she needs.
With only thirty days to prove he has no claim on the property, Ela has to enlist the help of her sexy as sin bodyguard.When things take a dangerous turn, and Matt becomes the only person she can trust, she can’t help but wonder… can she trust him with her heart?
Former Marine Matt Cole came to New Orleans for a fresh start, a chance to make amends. After accepting a job as the chief of security for a wealthy hotelier, he quickly realizes that life in the Big Easy is anything but.
Matt’s greatest challenge is keeping his distance from the tempting Ela LeBlanc, his boss’s gorgeous and very off limits step-daughter.  Surviving Ela is just the beginning. As things unfold it becomes clear that it’s not just his heart on the line, but their lives.
PROVOKE YOU is book two in the Cole Brothers series. A new family saga binge reading experience: 5 brothers, 5 full-length novels in 5 months.
Continue reading on December 16th, January 13th, February 10th, and March 9th. Don’t miss out on this suspenseful and seductive series.
Note: This is a steamy romance with explicit sensual scenes, happily ever after, no cheating, and no cliffhanger.

Goodreads / Amazon

Author Bio:
Diana A. Hicks is an award-winning author of steamy contemporary romance with a touch of suspense. Book two in her Desert Monsoon series, LOVE OVER LOGIC, won the 2019 Readers’ Favorite Silver Medal Winner in the Romance – Suspense genre
When Diana is not writing, she enjoys kickboxing, traveling, and indulging in the simple joys of life like wine and chocolate. She lives in Atlanta and loves spending time with her two children and husband. Connect with Diana on social media to stay up to date on her latest releases.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub

My Review

Although this is the second in the Cole Brothers' series, you don't need to have read the first book to enjoy this one, it works well as a standalone. That said, I have read the first book and very briefly met the Cole Brothers before. This book deals with adopted brother Matt and his relationship with Ela.

Ela is the heiress to a fortune, but her stepfather doesn't think that she is ready to take over. All that she really wants is her Father's love and attention, but since the death of her Grandmother everything seems to have changed and in a failed attempted to get his notice, she has spiralled into a self-destructive path. In recent years, Ela has finally sorted herself out, but it seems that it's not really what her father wants. When he sells the hotel that she loves out from under her feet, then she knows that she needs to do something.

There's quite a lot going on in this story with action and suspense abound. It also has it's lighter moments, Ela first knowingly meets Matt when she wakes up from a bender handcuffed to him. I thought this balance of action and fun worked well together as did Matt and Ela as a couple. There are hints of the other stories to come in the series, but nothing that means that you have to read any of the others or that they even have to be read in order.

Provoke You is a fun and exciting romance which delivers on lots of levels. I'm looking forward to finding out what else the Cole Brothers' series has in store for us.

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