Category Archives: Suspense

#Review – Treasures, Demons, and Other Black Magic (Dowser Series Book 3) by Meghan Ciana Doidge

I hadn’t set foot in the human world for more than a few hours in over three and a half months. Sure, I was stronger and faster than I’d ever been before, and I had a shiny new sword, but I was seriously chocolate deprived. I don’t recommend quitting cold turkey. And the new sword was a problem — to my mind, anyway. It represented all the expectations of a powerful father and a new otherworldly life. A life that wasn’t the one I’d worked so hard to build. It also represented the responsibility I had to bring my foster sister Sienna to … what? Justice? I didn’t know if that was even possible. What I did know was that Sienna wouldn’t stop, and that I couldn’t just leave everything up to fate and destiny … or maybe I was. Maybe I was doing exactly what I was supposed to be doing. If you believed in that sort of thing. I just hoped that before the chaos and mayhem renewed, I’d manage to get my hands on some chocolate. It didn’t even have to be single-origin Madagascar. I was utterly prepared to lower my standards.

Treasures, Demons, and Other Black Magic is the third book in the Dowser series, which is set in the same universe as the Oracle, Reconstructionist, Amplifier, Archivist, and Misfits of the Adept Universe series. While it is not necessary to read all the series, in order to avoid spoilers the ideal reading order of the Adept Universe begins with Cupcakes, Trinkets, and Other Deadly Magic (Dowser 1).

 

Goodreads

 

Amazon

 

Twinsie Kelly’s Review

Whew! Jade learns so much but still needs to learn to trust herself.

“Nothing happens without purpose. It is just the why that is obscured.”

The path that Jade takes from book 2 to book 3 was different than I anticipated but we do get to meet a new friend!  This is quite a different adventure than the first two books, however we are still trying to chase Sienna and her chaotic craziness. The web that the author weaves for the plot is very intricate and done very well. There were a lot more emotional events in this book than I was expecting. There is still the usual wit and banter but it is definitely more emotional. This story brings ALL the Adepts together for a common cause. However, there are more questions. Something still doesn’t feel quite right. I am still not quite convinced that Sienna can be defeated. Even with everyone’s help, I just couldn’t quite shake that uneasy feeling. I am hoping that Jade’s backbone gets a bit stronger because she is still a little too naïve for me. We will see.

 

Meghan Ciana Doidge profile image

Meghan Ciana Doidge writes tales of true love conquering all, even death. Though sometimes the love is elusive, the vampires and werewolves come out to play in the daylight, and bloody mayhem ensues.

#Review – Trinkets, Treasures, and Other Bloody Magic (Dowser Series Book 2) by Meghan Ciana Doidge

Three months ago, I lost my foster sister, Sienna, to the darkness. As in blood magic and chaos and general mayhem. No one saw it until it was too late, but I should have. Now, I have a wounded heart and soul that I can’t even reveal to anyone around me, because I’m supposed to hate Sienna with the fiery passion of the justified. And I do. I just wish I didn’t feel so lost without her, so unsure of the path I thought I had carved for myself, and so outclassed by the powerful Adepts constantly by my side these days. I’m not even sure if they’re with me for my own protection or because my shiny new powers are rare and valuable. Assuming I ever figure out who or what I am, and how my magic actually works. Even chocolate can’t save the day every time … just most of the time. At least I’ve got that going for me.

Trinkets, Treasures, and Other Bloody Magic is the second book in the Dowser series, which is set in the same universe as the Oracle, Reconstructionist, Amplifier, Archivist, and Misfits of the Adept Universe series. While it is not necessary to read all the series, in order to avoid spoilers the ideal reading order of the Adept Universe begins with Cupcakes, Trinkets, and Other Deadly Magic (Dowser 1).

 

Goodreads

 

Amazon

 

Twinsie Kelly’s Review

I was completely hooked after reading Trinkets, Treasures, and other Bloody Magic that I jumped headfirst right into Book 2. Well, Sienna is gone and Jade is working to practice her magic. She continues to be extremely frustrated as everyone seems to be one step ahead of her. There are still lots of questions to be answered…a rare magical species is found, a life debt that is acting up, and then there are the families that are so full of loyalty, love and half-truths. Now a sorcerer wants to use her. The question is whether he wants to use her for good or evil. I really enjoyed the first book and couldn’t wait to get into the second book but the second didn’t go quite the way I thought it would. There were so many new characters that were introduced and then they just disappeared for a long time. You get a new plot with additional information about Jade’s past that then finally brings some answers. The ending really had my head spinning. It definitely wasn’t what I was expecting, and I honestly am not sure I am 100% behind where the story is going. I plan to continue the journey to at least the third book before I make any final decisions because I am very curious what happens next. This has definitely taken some twists and turns that were very unexpected.

 

Meghan Ciana Doidge profile image

Meghan Ciana Doidge writes tales of true love conquering all, even death. Though sometimes the love is elusive, the vampires and werewolves come out to play in the daylight, and bloody mayhem ensues.

#wotr26 #attendingauthor #partofaseries Blood from a Stone (the Stone Chronicles 2) by Maverick Montgomery

When justice is on the line…leave no Stone unturned.

Bloody and armed with the answers he was willing to die for, Jack Stone is sent spiraling into the city’s seedy underbelly to find the enigmatic Drac. His search comes to a screeching halt when unforeseen events force him to rely on questionable strangers. Now with a price on his head, and his loved ones in the crosshairs as collateral damage, Jack must race to find the man who wants him dead.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/204233778-blood-from-a-stone

https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Stone-Chronicles-Book-ebook/dp/B0CQS46FWV?ref_=ast_author_dp&th=1&psc=1

i bought this book here is my honest review 

With the bullet removed from his shoulder Jack is now back to work and flirting with his assistant Abigail. but when a guy comes into his office with a shot gun looking for him, he finds out that he has a bounty out for him dead or alive the drug boss Drac isn’t playing around but he also doesn’t know who he’s messing with. so, while trying to get Drac, Jack now also has to try and not get himself killed in the process. will they all make it out alive or will they all end up with a bullet in their heads. also, the cliffhanger is brutal.
 
 

Maverick Montgomery lives in the Midwest with his wife of nine years and their three partners-in-crime, his two dogs, Austen and Ava, and cat, Jude. Considered a self-proclaimed gamer nerd who was holding a game controller long before he picked up a pen. a gear head at heart who can’t resist drooling over any vehicle whether it be classic or modern, Maverick grew up immersed in classic Alfred Hitchcock films, fueling his lifelong fascination with suspense and crime thrillers.

When he’s not writing, Maverick can be found tinkering with cars or dreaming of his next project, usually no more five in his mind at once or he can be hiding out in his man cave surrounded by comic books, stacks of video games, and story ideas waiting to be unleashed. Equal parts snark and grit, he pulls his inspiration from Dick Tracy and Punisher comics, or indulging his wife’s latest project antics while figuring out ways to avoid admitting she’s right.

#wotr26 #attendingauthor Stone’s Edge (the Stone Chronicles 1) by Maverick Montgomery

When justice is on the line… leave no stone unturned.

Private Investigator, Jack Stone, is closing in on his rival when an unexpected twist throws his investigation – and his life – onto a different course. Going head-to-head with a demon from his past in his quest for vengeance puts Jack’s family and friends in the line of fire, and he must use every resource in his arsenal to bring an end to the tyrant threatening his future.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/123064857-stone-s-edge

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BX4RSX2F?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_digi_asin_title_351

i bought this book and here is my honest review

Jack Stone private investigator is working hard to make sure one drug lord is going to stay behind bar. once he gets that wish he was also threatened that it wasn’t the last time Jack was going to hear from Gino. while Gino is behind bars for the time being his boss is still free and Jack wants nothing more than to bring them down and put a bullet in their heads. Will jack get his wish, especially when the ones he loves are put in the line of fire.

Maverick Montgomery lives in the Midwest with his wife of nine years and their three partners-in-crime, his two dogs, Austen and Ava, and cat, Jude. Considered a self-proclaimed gamer nerd who was holding a game controller long before he picked up a pen. a gear head at heart who can’t resist drooling over any vehicle whether it be classic or modern, Maverick grew up immersed in classic Alfred Hitchcock films, fueling his lifelong fascination with suspense and crime thrillers.

When he’s not writing, Maverick can be found tinkering with cars or dreaming of his next project, usually no more five in his mind at once or he can be hiding out in his man cave surrounded by comic books, stacks of video games, and story ideas waiting to be unleashed. Equal parts snark and grit, he pulls his inspiration from Dick Tracy and Punisher comics, or indulging his wife’s latest project antics while figuring out ways to avoid admitting she’s right.

 

#Review #AudioBook – Compound 26 (The Makanza Series Book 1) by Krista Street

A deadly virus. A brilliant, young researcher. And an infected survivor who threatens to steal her heart.

In a society ruled by sanctions and curfews, Dr. Meghan Forester emerges as the youngest and most promising scientist to join the fight against Makanza—the deadly virus that’s ravaged the world.

Inside Compound 26, a giant government-controlled research facility, Meghan’s new job involves studying the Kazzies, the rare survivors who carry the virus and now exhibit supernatural powers. But as her work unfolds, Meghan’s horrified at the brutal and unethical practices the Kazzies are subjected to.

And most surprisingly, she falls in love with one.

Faced with growing conflict over helping the Kazzies versus following the Compound’s strict policies, Meghan must choose: obey the government’s unethical practices or risk everything to save the only man she’s ever loved.

 

The Makanza Series is a complete series in which fantastical powers collide with modern science. Dive into this imaginative and romantic series today. Download now!

 

Goodreads

 

Amazon

 

Kelly’s Review

I picked this up on a promotion for free and gave it a try. This is during a time that is beyond infection. Infecteds have been rounded up and locked away, for “science.” Meghan has worked extremely hard to understand the virus become a scientist to join the fight against the virus. As she starts work at the facility, she realizes that the Kazzies are being tested against their will. They are being tortured, and she is in waaay over her head. I listened to the audio book and the narrator did very well. However, the story itself moved rather slow and seemed to repeat itself, or rather the scenarios repeated themselves a bit. There really wasn’t a big climax either. I felt like there should have been more action or more of a romance going on but I couldn’t really get invested in the story because it took a bit too long to get there. I am interested in what happens next but I am not sure if I will be continuing this series. It’s a 3.5 stars for me. We will see what happens.

 

Krista Street profile image

Krista Street loves writing fantasy and paranormal romance books. She’s a Minnesota native but has lived throughout the U.S. and in another country or two. She loves to travel, read, and spend time in the great outdoors. When not writing, Krista is either chasing her children, spending time with her husband and friends, sipping a cup of tea, or enjoying the hidden gems of beauty that Minnesota has to offer.

Twinsie Dee’s top 5 from July-December 2025 #thrillers #YAthrillers #holidayread #truecrime

Blurb-

Blake is dead. They say his wife killed him. If so… which one?

Polygamist Blake Nelson built a homestead on a hidden stretch of land—a raw paradise in the wilds of Utah—where he lived with his three wives:

Rachel, the first wife, obedient and doting to a fault, with a past she’d prefer to keep quiet. Tina, the rebel wife, everything Rachel isn’t, straight from rehab and the Vegas strip. And Emily, the young wife, naïve and scared, estranged from her Catholic family.

The only thing that they had in common was Blake. Until all three are accused of his murder.

When Blake is found dead under the desert sun, all three wives become suspect—not only to the police, but to each other. As the investigation draws them closer, each wife must decide who can be trusted. With stories surfacing of a notorious cult tucked away in the hills, whispers flying about a fourth wife, and evidence that can’t quite explain what had been keeping Blake busy, the three widows face a reckoning that might shatter all they know to be true.

Review-

Miles from town lives the Nelson’s Blake and his three wives Rachel, Emily and Tina. this lifestyle is frowned upon by many. so, when the police show up on their front porch, Rachel couldn’t figure out why, but when they tell her Blake was found dead, she couldn’t believe it. one by one each wife gets interviewed by the detectives to try and figure out what happened these three are hard to crack and they are good liars. will the ops catch the killer who could be right under their noses or will they walk away. the killer will shock everyone when the pieces are put together, well if they are caught.


Blurb-

The murders of four innocent college students attending the University of Idaho left us all with so many questions. Now, after more than 300 interviews, James Patterson and prize-winning journalist Vicky Ward finally have the answers.

We know what it was like to live in Moscow, Idaho, on November 13, 2022, the day of the cold-blooded killings. We know what the local police and FBI did right. And what they did wrong. We’ve learned so much about the four heartbroken families—the Mogens, Goncalveses, Kernodles, and Chapins. And we have the backstory for Bryan Kohberger, brilliant grad student, loner, apparent incel.

Now you are the jury. The evidence is in.

Review- Maddie, Kaylee, Xana and Ethan since 2022 have been names that we have all heard on our tv screens and seen all over the internet. The Idaho Four is how they are known to the world now, 4 students at the University of Idaho that were violently murdered in their home one night. Moscow would never be the same again after that night on 1122 King Road when those 4 innocent college students whose lives haven’t really begun lost their lives by the hands of a monster. See a small glimpse into who they were before the world knew their names and they were just Maddie the light of her parents’ eyes, Kaylee 1 of 5 kids in her family, Ethan a triplet with Hunter and Maizie and Xana the life of the party and always taking her older sisters’ clothes when she got the chance. Ever since this story broke these families have been in many people’s hearts and the sad part is they will probably never know why this crime took place in the crime happened. also see a small part of the killer’s life, he doesn’t need it, but it was an interesting part. Maddie, Kaylee, Xana and Ethan will never be forgotten and never should.


Blurb-

After a series of unfortunate events left Holly Hepperdine without an accounting job, the only way to pay bills, pay for her sister’s school, and help her sick mother is to work at the local rub and tug massage parlor, The Happy Stroke Club, making a hundred dollars a “pop.”

Jasper Nicholas is stressed to the max on Christmas Eve. His father is ill, and Jasper has to run the family’s delivery service tonight. On a whim, he stops for a quick massage, realizing too late that there are other perks of the purchased package. He indulges but can’t get the gorgeous woman with the witty banter out of his mind, even after they go their separate ways.

When Jasper comes down Holly’s chimney late on Christmas Eve, she realizes Jasper is Santa Claus’s son and tasked with delivering gifts to the world’s children. He also needs desperate help with navigation and inventory. Can Holly and Jasper keep their hands to themselves long enough to deliver the gifts?

All I Wank for Christmas is an irreverent, raucous romantic comedy standalone, sure to put you in the mood for a happy holiday season…no Happy Stroke Club needed.

Review- Holly was doing what she could to help out her family with her mom being sick and not able to work her dad left for milk and never came back and her little sister helping while going to school Holly’s job isn’t a normal one she’s a professional at giving hand jobs yes that’s right, definably not normal but it helps pay the bills and that’s what matters. but when a walk in comes thinking he’s getting a massage he’s definably in for one didn’t think he’d get. Jasper has eyes on Holly from the moment she left her room at her job and walked into the lobby and after his happy ending and the fact he knows more about her then he should know when never speaking to her before would be creepy for most. but when you are the heir and about to take over delivering gifts to all the kids it’s a gift of his. yes, Jasper is Santa Claus’ son and is soon to be the big man in charge. Jasper needs Holly’s help on the biggest night of his job, will she believe him and help or just think it’s all a dream, twist turns and if she helps, they might end up in a sex dungeon. oh, this is one night nether one will forget.


Blurb- 

Haunted by the past . . .

Penny’s trying to forget about her ex, Nash. His father was arrested for the brutal murder of four teenagers on Devil’s Night last year. Penny’s parents have forbidden her to have anything to do with Nash or his family. It’s hard not to think of what happened as spooky season gets underway–but she’s trying.

That stops when she goes to the Halloween store with her friends to find a costume. What she finds instead is ripped from a horror movie: a girl from school bleeding out on the floor of a dressing room. Stabbed.

Is a copycat killer on the loose? The adults are saying no. But Penny knows better.

Review- Halloween is all about fun unless its the anniversary of hen five teens were murdered by a classmates father. the year before was a nightmare for the whole town, but when they turned their back on the murders kids anything slightly criminal happens now the whole town points the finger at his son. when a teen is found dead by the murder’s son ex-girlfriend a year later the whole town is freaking out again. Penny and her friends are on a mission to prove that her ex isn’t killing like his dad did, but when they find out the truth it will shake them to the core. a huge twist you wont see coming until the very end.


Blurb-

In the latest jaw-dropping thriller from New York Times bestselling author Riley Sager, a man must contend with the long-ago disappearance of his childhood best friend—and the dark secrets lurking just beyond the safe confines of his picture-perfect neighborhood.

The worst thing to ever happen on Hemlock Circle occurred in Ethan Marsh’s backyard. One July night, ten-year-old Ethan and his best friend and neighbor, Billy, fell asleep in a tent set up on a manicured lawn in a quiet, quaint New Jersey cul de sac. In the morning, Ethan woke up alone. During the night, someone had sliced the tent open with a knife and taken Billy. He was never seen again.

Thirty years later, Ethan has reluctantly returned to his childhood home. Plagued by bad dreams and insomnia, he begins to notice strange things happening in the middle of the night. Someone seems to be roaming the cul de sac at odd hours, and signs of Billy’s presence keep appearing in Ethan’s backyard. Is someone playing a cruel prank? Or has Billy, long thought to be dead, somehow returned to Hemlock Circle?

The mysterious occurrences prompt Ethan to investigate what really happened that night, a quest that reunites him with former friends and neighbors and leads him into the woods that surround Hemlock Circle. Woods where Billy claimed monsters roamed and where a mysterious institute does clandestine research on a crumbling estate.

The closer Ethan gets to the truth, the more he realizes that no place—be it quiet forest or suburban street—is completely safe. And that the past has a way of haunting the present.

Review- Ethan was having a normal camp out with his best friend Billy, but when Ethan woke up there was a slash in the tent and Billy was gone nowhere to be found. Thirty years later, still no idea why he didn’t get taken with Billy, Ethan is now back in his childhood home with so many flashbacks and questions now coming back to him. but when Ethan starts having odd things start happening to him that where things between him and Billy, Ethan starts wondering if Billy is trying to tell him something they never found out if he was killed or not, so Ethan just can’t let this slip passed him. Can Ethan remember anything all these years later to help his friend find some peace, what will he do to get those last pieces to this puzzle together and find out what exactly happened all those years ago to his best friend. this book will keep you guessing till the very last page and you won’t see what actually happened coming.

 

#WOTR26 #Review – Unhinged (Necessary Evils Book 1) by Onley James

Adam Mulvaney lives a double life. By day, he’s the spoiled youngest son of an eccentric billionaire. By night, he’s an unrepentant killer, one of seven psychopaths raised to right the wrongs of a justice system that keeps failing.

Noah Holt has spent years dreaming of vengeance for the death of his father, but when faced with his killer, he learns a daunting truth he can’t escape. His father was a monster.

Unable to ignore his own surfacing memories, Noah embarks on a quest to find the truth about his childhood with the help of an unlikely ally: the very person who murdered his father. Since their confrontation, Adam is obsessed with Noah, and he wants to help him uncover the answers he seeks, however dark they may be.

The two share a mutual attraction, but, deep down, Noah knows Adam’s not like other boys. Adam can’t love. He wasn’t born that way. But he refuses to let Noah go, and Noah’s not sure he wants him to.

Can Adam prove to Noah that passion, power, and protection are just as good as love?

Unhinged is a fast-paced, roller coaster ride of a romance with an HEA and no cliffhangers. It features a dirty-talking, possessive psychopath and a sweet cinnamon roll of a boy with Daddy issues and a core of steel. There’s gratuitous violence, very dark humor, enough steam to fog up a hundred car windows, and something a lot like love. This is book one in the Necessary Evils series. Each book follows a different couple.

 

Goodreads

 

Amazon 

 

Kelly’s Review

I have no idea why this book had me hooked, but Adam’s father says never ask a question if you can’t handle the answer. So, we aren’t even going to examine that. This story is absolutely intense! I picked this book up because a friend of mine who is a MM fanatic kept talking about how great the writing is and how sick and twisted the story was. Full disclosure, MM is not my jam, but I was so intrigued about the story itself. Then, I started reading….and reading….and then my heart is racing…then I am biting my nails, then I am flipping past some pages…then get back to the crazy plot. I couldn’t stop myself! I went into this downward spiral of page turning and reading.

Adam and Noah are basically an instant attraction or instant love but on a much deeper, almost scary level. However, their trauma explains some of their actions and decisions in their lives. The fact that Adam’s father trained Adam and his brothers to be assassins will run deep within the story. There is literally never a dull moment, clear up to the very end of the book. When you read this, it will stay with you. You must love all things twisted to get through this book. Go ahead, try it! You know you want to!

 

Onley James profile image

Onley James lives in North Carolina with her daughter, her daughter-in-law, son-in-law, and a menagerie of animals, both good and evil. James splits her time between writing m/m romance and mainlining dangerous levels of caffeine and attempting to maintain her ever-slipping sanity.

When not at her desk you can find her whining about how much writing she has to do while avoiding said writing by binge-watching unhealthy amounts of television and doom scrolling on social media. She loves true crime documentaries, anti-heroes, and writing kinky, snarky books about morally gray men who fall in love with other men.

Stay up to date: www.onleyjames.com/newsletter

Find me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OnleysOubliette

Want more: linktr.ee/OnleyJames

#review #thriller #mystery Black Widows by Cate Quinn

Blake is dead. They say his wife killed him. If so… which one?

Polygamist Blake Nelson built a homestead on a hidden stretch of land—a raw paradise in the wilds of Utah—where he lived with his three wives:

Rachel, the first wife, obedient and doting to a fault, with a past she’d prefer to keep quiet. Tina, the rebel wife, everything Rachel isn’t, straight from rehab and the Vegas strip. And Emily, the young wife, naïve and scared, estranged from her Catholic family.

The only thing that they had in common was Blake. Until all three are accused of his murder.

When Blake is found dead under the desert sun, all three wives become suspect—not only to the police, but to each other. As the investigation draws them closer, each wife must decide who can be trusted. With stories surfacing of a notorious cult tucked away in the hills, whispers flying about a fourth wife, and evidence that can’t quite explain what had been keeping Blake busy, the three widows face a reckoning that might shatter all they know to be true.

Goodreads- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52658299-black-widows

Amazon- https://www.amazon.com/Black-Widows-Novel-Cate-Quinn/dp/1728220467/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2VZ5N6BIC39NN&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.EWHoSShRCSXJmkozSa4q6jgv7_61Z_5ysn9J_ziq9a1wIN8xs60kRu0pZnK-1DuGH-mdORADjFyUHNMJnuRd4GfvmgCaYivV3BSNFUG61J3ga3nY2PpY9E-xF8KKNF4cusWhtx4cSloyehdL9-FyZgjlGK8b_7kv3JxesKVvCNyBobYF8EG6sr7PsyboB8Ot9EALPfVYbRl9-Sv7ZNiRGn1jyyt8Iy7E3Y5gn3uzT1c.bYqSTKGtSVO9TM6ARCDQtJJRPW6ATw1macPf5MANANM&dib_tag=se&keywords=cate+quinn&qid=1758550346&sprefix=cate+quinn%2Caps%2C126&sr=8-3

i bought this book and here is my honest review

Miles from town lives the Nelson’s Blake and his three wives Rachel, Emily and Tina. this lifestyle is frowned upon by many. so, when the police show up on their front porch, Rachel couldn’t figure out why, but when they tell her Blake was found dead, she couldn’t believe it. one by one each wife gets interviewed by the detectives to try and figure out what happened these three are hard to crack and they are good liars. will the ops catch the killer who could be right under their noses or will they walk away. the killer will shock everyone when the pieces are put together, well if they are caught.

Cate Quinn is a travel and lifestyle journalist for The Times, the Guardian and the Mirror, alongside many magazines. Prior to this, Quinn’s background in historic research won prestigious postgraduate funding from the British Art Council. Quinn pooled these resources, combining historical research with first-hand experiences in far-flung places to create critically acclaimed and bestselling historical fiction.

#Review – Secret Maneuvers (Ex Ops Series Book 1) by Jessie Lane

From Best Selling Author Jessie Lane…

Some mistakes from the past haunt us forever… unless fate steps in with a second chance.

One ‘Dear John’ letter haunted Bobby Baker’s every living moment. It was the letter he’d stupidly written to his high school sweetheart, Belle, right after he had left to join the Army. The letter in which he’d told her that he wasn’t so sure they were ready for forever yet. Before he could let her know that the letter, and his second thoughts, were nothing more than a mistake, she disappeared from the small Georgia town they had both been raised in.
Fifteen years after the letter, Belle unknowingly walked back into Bobby’s life when her job as an ATF Agent forced her to work with a group of men secretly headed by the CIA to help her track down whoever was involved in funneling black market weapons to a drug cartel in Mexico.

Bobby planned to use this mission to try to soothe Belle’s hurt feelings while proving to her that their love was meant to be forever. He would use every dirty trick he’d learned since he had joined the Army to maneuver her back into his life for the long haul. Belle was not making it easy, though, as she continued to keep him at arm’s length in the hopes that mistakes of her own would never come to light.

Warning: Mature themes, second chance romance and a secret baby! <- You’ve been warned.

Ex Ops Series:
Secret Maneuvers #1 – Available Now
Stripping Her Defenses #2 – Available Now
Sweet Agony #3 – Available Now
Sweet Recovery #4 – Available Now
Sweet Eternity #5 – Coming Soon

“This is another one of those stories that I find it hard to convey the emotions I had without discussing the reasons for those emotions – hurt, sad, angry, hopeful, anxious, scared, nauseous, relieved – any book that can put me through the ringer as thoroughly as Secret Maneuvers did is one I will recommend to EVERYONE. Even if you don’t think you like Contemporary Romance, you will like this.” Laura, Little Read Riding Hood

Goodreads

Amazon

Twinsie Kelly’s Review

AHHHHHHHHH! Ok, now that I got that out, I have to say that I wanted to shake both of the MCs on numerous occasions. I, as the reader, am able to see things from both perspectives. On the other hand, I am stubborn and completely understand things from their viewpoint when Belle didn’t want to see things from Bobby’s viewpoint and when Bobby didn’t want to see things from Belle’s viewpoint. The road to hell was paved in good intention. When they essentially “lost contact” and then ran into each other again after 15 years, they both have very different thoughts about how things should go. Every single person around them knew that they just needed to sit and hash things out but it just never happened. And this is one of the many times that I wanted to shake them. Seriously, just sit and yell at each other and get it over with! They clearly love each other and had some serious baggage to get out in the open, along with a huge secret. But the two of them have a great support system behind them.

I had a very, VERY difficult time putting this book down. The banter between all of the characters was great, there was an actual mission to go along with the BS between the MCs, when they did explode and get steamy it didn’t get crazy, and the feelings were messy like they should be!  It was a solid story with an HEA that wasn’t perfect, which is perfect.

Jessie Lane profile image

Jessie Lane is an Amazon, Barnes & Noble and iBooks Top 100 best-selling author. She writes Paranormal and Contemporary Romance that might make you laugh, cry or do both at the same time! A sometimes shy, sometimes hyper, but often snarky chick who’s addicted to books, caffeine & hot fictional men. She lives in Kentucky with her two crazy ass grown kids, her dad and her overprotective alpha husband that she’s pretty sure is a latent grizzly bear shifter. Jessie has a passionate love for reading and writing romance, cliff hanging suspense, and out-of-this-world characters that demand your attention or threaten to slap you around until you pay attention to them. So, you’re going to pay attention now, right? *winks*

#review #thriller #mystery When No One is Watching by Alyssa Cole

Rear Window meets Get Out in this gripping thriller from a critically acclaimed and New York Times Notable author, in which the gentrification of a Brooklyn neighborhood takes on a sinister new meaning…

Sydney Green is Brooklyn born and raised, but her beloved neighborhood seems to change every time she blinks. Condos are sprouting like weeds, FOR SALE signs are popping up overnight, and the neighbors she’s known all her life are disappearing. To hold onto her community’s past and present, Sydney channels her frustration into a walking tour and finds an unlikely and unwanted assistant in one of the new arrivals to the block–her neighbor Theo.

But Sydney and Theo’s deep dive into history quickly becomes a dizzying descent into paranoia and fear. Their neighbors may not have moved to the suburbs after all, and the push to revitalize the community may be more deadly than advertised.

When does coincidence become conspiracy? Where do people go when gentrification pushes them out? Can Sydney and Theo trust each other–or themselves–long enough to find out before they too disappear?

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49398072-when-no-one-is-watching

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/When-No-One-Watching-Thriller/dp/0062982656/ref=sr_1_1?crid=UHWS9HERAW4X&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.p4SspVLq-7UHB7rn297qXBOjioqBhN_8D6D54xk5O0QtD8cdgIGRpBxuiPboukj5uYAZPmLJ6XtSsZtglunVay7XTRYg6FGhzSXgTw2MUwmWsj2tZLkx5iAiLJRKZSvLjdwlVMpDxARkLXYY82hwglKle13QePUDL0mZ11jE0WFnVFMP3a5yuNkSvYVTHbGUv90JCGZ3oesxXNF04qFUzXE1H6i2TtCJ68eVMkna6Ow.whREtG1LyJ4qW29oXBwdzI5QkBg61ZqE93_ikmM-b5k&dib_tag=se&keywords=when+no+one+is+watching&qid=1756388158&sprefix=when+no+one+is+watching%2Caps%2C156&sr=8-1

Review by Twinsie Dee

i bought this book here is my honest review

Crazy things happening in this quiet, broke down part of town, when the neighbors are always looking out their windows how does something go amiss? when Sydney and Theo are working on a history tour for the neighborhood block party, they start to notice weird things that are taking place around them, neighbors missing then their homes are getting new owners. something bad is happening and will they find out what’s happening before it’s too late? this book i was looking forward to reading only to be disappointed it was very slow and took a while to really get into it. definitely not total thriller vibes till about the very end.

 

Alyssa Cole is an award-winning author of historical, contemporary, and sci-fi romance. Her Civil War-set espionage romance An Extraordinary Union was the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award’s Best Book of 2017 and the American Library Association’s RUSA Best Romance for 2018, and A Princess in Theory was one of the New York Times’ 100 Notable Books of 2018. She’s contributed to publications including Bustle, Shondaland, The Toast, Vulture, RT Book Reviews, and Heroes and Heartbreakers, and her books have received critical acclaim from The New York Times, Library Journal, BuzzFeed, Kirkus, Booklist, Jezebel, Vulture, Book Riot, Entertainment Weekly, and various other outlets. When she’s not working, she can usually be found watching anime or wrangling her pets.