Category Archives: Review

Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, Review, Romantic Suspense, Sweet Romance, Writers on the River Attending Author

#WOTR24 #Review – The Glassmaker’s Helper: The Getaway Chronicles by Darie McCoy

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In a world of the blessed the unblessed, the Glassmaker proclaims the gifts of those in the realm with their reading of the sparks. They are the only ones with the ability to work the glass and declare the goddess’s blessing.
Generations before Ophelia was born, her birth was prophesied. The Enchantress proclaimed that a blessed girl child would restore honor to the Leander line. However, when she was presented to the Glassmaker to learn of her blessing, she was turned away. Many Winters passed and Ophelia remained unblessed. Until she and her brothers journeyed to Thistledown.
Rylan, the Glassmaker of Thistledown is able to do what none other before him had achieved. He read Ophelia’s blessing in the sparks. The gift from the goddess so rare, Rylan fears for her safety. Knowing the potential danger, he agrees to travel with Ophelia and her brothers on a quest to help her learn to use her blessing to its fullest potential.
The two are drawn together by an inexplicable bond that neither can ignore. As they trek across the realm from his home to hers, they are unable to deny their attraction. While danger lurks, they must reach the Keeper of the Blessings before it’s too late.
Can Ophelia navigate her new blessing and help restore her family’s honor? Can the bond between her and Rylan survive the obstacles before them? Together, can they bring about a change to the realm which hasn’t been seen in centuries?

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Review by Twinsie Kelly

“With every great blessing, evil is always present.” What an amazing story! All the while reading this story, and even more so after I finished it, I have been trying to figure out how to categorize The Glassmaker’s Helper. It is definitely fantasy with a historical feel to it, fated mates, romance with some sexy time, and beings that are blessed and unblessed.

“I don’t question gifts from the goddess. I simply appreciate them.” The world building and character development is fantastic. Being unblessed or without a gift from the goddess isn’t uncommon but when your birth has been prophesied that you will save your family’s line and restore honor, there is no pressure…right? Wrong! Ophelia gets turned away from glassmaker after glassmaker. They cannot read her sparks. Until Rylan (wags eyebrows). Immediately their connection is strong and the need to protect Ophelia is completely instinctual. An unsavory character is now after Ophelia and her very rare blessing. The villain is a collector of sorts. From here, we follow Rylan and Ophelia on a quest that not only brings answers for the prophecy but is enchanting as well.

Highly recommend!

Darie McCoy profile image

Darie McCoy is an independent author of contemporary, interracial, romantic suspense and paranormal/shifter romance books. A reader first, she enjoys reading books across many genres although romance holds a special place in her heart. Her experience working in a STEM field offers her a unique perspective which she uses in each story she pens.

Her first novel, For Real, began as a short story written for a reader competition during an Authors and Readers conference. It was published in November of 2021. In July of 2022, she expanded her writing portfolio to include Kindle Vella serial stories.

When she doesn’t have her nose in a book or her fingers on the keyboard, Darie enjoys working in her vegetable garden. A serial hobbyist, she also enjoys knitting, sewing, baking and canning. One of her favorite treats to make is salted caramel popcorn. Amongst her friends, she’s known to transport the sweet treat in large quantities to share whenever they get together.

Born and raised in the south, Darie stands by the staunchly held southern sentiments that the best tea is sweet tea and college football is life.

Enemies to Lovers, Part of a Trilogy, Reverse Harem, Review, Suspense, why choose

#review #partofatrilogy #whychoose Honed in Havoc (Corrupt Credence 3) by Albany Walker

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They want an heir and I’m the only way they can get it. With or without my cooperation.

I thought Cadieux Island would be a new beginning, but the privileged estates and elite college turned into a nightmare.
My once tormentor and his twin brother somehow became my unlikely saviors while the grandparents, I didn’t know existed, lured me here with the promise of family have shown themselves to be the true tyrants.

The Umbra’s want an heir and I’m the only way they can get it, but I’m not the same girl I was when I stepped onto this island. The Morningstar twins have honed me, sharpened me into something my family will never see coming.

Honed in Havoc is the final book in the Corrupt Credence series. A dark college romance with mature content for adult readers.

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/199264768-honed-in-havoc

Amazon https://amzn.to/47vFgWI

Review by Twinsie Dee

I was given this book by the author for an honest review.

With the Umbra’s having kidnapped Nova, Lucian and Nox are on a mission to get her back and never let her out of their sights again. When 7 students die tragically Nova is allowed to leave the house with her captures, I mean grandparents to attend the memorial. Her heart breaks when Lucian and Nox barely look at her, but little does she know that’s all a part of their plan. 1 gps tracker placed and unknown Lucian is ready to get his lam back at all costs and who knows how much blood will be shed. OMFG this book WOW, swoon, makes you all hot and bothered, and have all the feels the Morningstar twins are so perfectly written Nova is definitely one lucky lady.

Albany lives in Michigan where she’s happily married to her high school sweetheart. She spends most of her time juggling her four children’s extracurricular activities, with her nose stuck in a book. When not reading you can find her writing her very own book boyfriends. Albany’s passion is writing romance with real characters that are far from perfect, but always seem to find their own happily ever afters.

Cops/Detectives, Mystery, Review, Writers on the River Attending Author

#WOTR24 #Review – Tempered Beats (Getaway Chronicles) by Michel Prince

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Blowing Hot Sand Studio has created a respite for those suffering from PTSD. The glass blowing studio in Denver evolved to host a tightknit community of veterans looking for an adrenaline rush and a bit of danger in an otherwise safe environment.

Quieting the demons plaguing them for long enough they can return to enjoying life, not just surviving it. When Specialist Paul Castor is found dead a group that had already lost too much now is trying their best to not fall back into darkness.

Detective Lisa Donald has enough problems relating to others, now she has to walk the line with well-trained soldiers on hair triggers to get to the truth. Her pragmatic style has many questioning her sanity.

Can she discover who turned molten glass into a deadly weapon? Or will she be too disoriented by reflective colors to see the danger beyond the shimmering glow?

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Review by Twinsie Kelly

I honestly don’t even know where to start with this review, SOOOOO you should probably just stop reading my review and scroll on up to one-click the buy now button. However, if you are still here, I will do my best to explain how much wow is in this story. The short version and very high level about the book is that glass blowing is being used by some amazing veterans for therapeutic purposes and one of them is murdered. The journey that Lisa goes on to learn about these veterans and the rush they are after in an attempt to quiet their demons is one that I won’t forget for a long time. Let’s face it, we all have our demons and things from our past that we want to stay there, some are definitely more traumatic than others, and some of our bodies and brains react differently to these traumas. While the story never goes into great detail about what these veterans have experienced, while reading about their triggers and how they handle life really touches you deeply. I felt so many incredible emotions throughout the story as Lisa was working to solve the homicide.

“Demons and nightmares plague these guys even when they are awake. Making these items in a high-risk way takes them from the memories because you don’t have the space to let your mind wander.”

“A perp’s a perp, and here, the want to break them down to give me the answe3r to the ultimate question wouldn’t be satisfied with the number forty-two.”

This was an absolute page turner! With every word, line, page, and chapter, I needed more. Even when I thought I knew exactly what happened, I didn’t. And when I did figure it out, I couldn’t figure out the motive. The author did an amazing job of making me feel like I was right in the middle of the story beside Lisa working on the case. I had all sorts of FEELS going on throughout. I highly recommend it!

Ok, now that you are at the end of my review, go on back up and one-click Tempered Beats!!! You won’t regret it!

Michel Prince profile image

USA Today Bestselling author, Michel Prince, graduated with a bachelor degree in History and Political Science. Michel writes young adult, new adult and adult paranormal romance as well as contemporary romance.

“Ms Prince writing is like summer breeze caressing your body, slow and sultry.”-Amazon review of First and Ten.

“Michel Prince is a wonderful author with a real talent for writing.”-Amazon Review of Triple B Baking Co.

“Prince explores in her novels is interracial romance and friendships. Prince pokes fun at stereotypes, but never allows stereotypes to guide her plot. The focus is on creating two strong, independent characters who can stand on their own, but complement each other as a couple.”- Amazon Review of Silly Girl

“One Last Sunset is a well written story by the awesome Michel Prince that left me wanting to learn more about the rest of the Long family.”- Amazon Review for One Last Sunset.

“I could not put it down, and will definitely be looking for more from this Author.”-Amazon Review of Silly Girl.

With characters yelling “It’s my turn damn it!!!” She tries to explain to them that alas, she can only type a hundred and twenty words a minute and they will have wait their turn. She knows eventually they find their way out of her head and to her fingertips and she looks forward to sharing them with you.

When Michel can suppress the voices in her head she can be found at her son’s games in a variety of sports. She would like to thank her family for always being in her corner and especially her husband for supporting her every dream and never letting her give up.

Michel has been awarded Elite Status with Rebel Ink Press in 2013, the service award for her local RWA chapter Midwest Fiction Writers 2013, 2014, won 2015 Sweetest Romance from IREA for Chrysalis, a 2022 finalist for the Minnesota Book Awards for The Amalgam and was a PAN member of RWA. She lives in the Twin Cities with her husband, son, and new puppy.

Contemp. Romance, nerdy romance, Review, Sweet Romance, Writers on the River Attending Author

#WOTR24 #Review – Comma Kaze: A Neurodivergent Professor Romance (Nerd Love Book 1) by Mellanie Szereto

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Loss brings them together. Will their pact help them find love and happily-ever-after?

English professor Elijah M. Clayton, Jr., (34) has promised his dying cousin he’ll raise her unborn daughter, but his search for a wife has failed miserably. Social awkwardness related to being on the autism spectrum leads to his only decent speed-dating prospect—Beatrix-35—calling him a pervert before the start of their first official date.
Plumber Beatrix Glouster (35) likes Elijah-34 and has high hopes she’s found a good guy until he asks questions that trigger painful memories of losing her premature son, her subsequent inability to have children, and her husband leaving her. An early morning plumbing emergency brings her face-to-cute-backside with last night’s disappointment.
Their lives are forever changed when a call from Elijah’s cousin summoning him to the hospital for the birth of her child interrupts an unexpectedly hot kiss. Only deep commitment will help Elijah and Beatrix avoid the prospective emotional risk of an impromptu marriage, his communication issues, and raising their orphaned newborn charge together.

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Review by Twinsie Kelly

OMG!! ALL THE FEELS!!!! If there is ever a book or story that makes you believe in fate or love at first sight, then this is it for me! Elijah and Beatrix meet at a speed dating mixer and decide to meet afterward. Not realizing that Elijah is on the spectrum, when he starts to ask some weird questions, she decides to cut her losses and just walk away. They are then thrown back into each other’s space when she, a plumber, ends up at Elijah’s house to fix his bathroom faucet. She is with Elijah when he gets the call that his cousin is about ready to pass and Beatrix accompanies him to the hospital. Chloe, his cousin, just knows that she is the one and these two are going to be the best parents for her child. The only problem is, these two literally just met! However, the chemistry, not just sexual, is there and it gets intense. They just calm each other…they just fit.

“Chloe was right. Fate had played a part in her introduction and subsequent meeting with Eli, but this child was the catalyst – not romance, love, or even sexual attraction. The interaction with him been a means to an end. Only Eve mattered – and Chloe passing from the world knowing someone would cherish her baby.”

“A plumber and an English professor walk into a marriage for the wrong reason. And baby makes three. There’s a bad joke if I ever heard one. A deep breath didn’t calm the butterflies in her stomach. And I’m gonna do it anyway.”

One takeaway I have from this story is that average is boring! Parenting means making sacrifices and falling in love has no guarantee of a happily-ever-after, but these two are truly meant to be. Life isn’t always fair but it doesn’t have to be. However, when your instinct takes over and you know you found your person, you will truly be happy.

Please pick up this book. It is an incredible story with ALL THE FEELS!

I received a copy of this book from Booksprout in exchange for an honest review.

Mellanie Szereto profile image

Mellanie Szereto is the USA Today Bestselling Author of over fifty romcoms and contemporary romances, most with characters who have plenty of life experience like herself. Whether you call them older, seasoned, mature, experienced, or later-in-life protagonists, they deserve love too! Her stories are often set in small towns with quirky main characters, fun secondary casts, and lots of humor. She enjoys gardening, cooking, and baking—as well as hiking to work off the fruits of her labor—and incorporates food into all of her stories. She lives in an old farmhouse in rural Indiana with her husband of thirty-seven years.

New Release, Part of a Series, Review, Small Town Romance, Standalone

#review #newrelease #partofaseries Slow Southern Kisses (Magnolia Grove 5) by T.C. Matson

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Wrenley
When my grandmother asked me to run her bed-and-breakfast while she took a three-month vacation, I should’ve said no.
Now I’m stuck in this godforsaken town hours away from the pampered life I live in New York City.
Gone are my days filled with luxury and glamour. I’ve been reduced to being domesticated.
What can possibly go wrong?
Decker Black, that’s what.
He walks into my life—more like breaks in, but whatever—and immediately irritates the hell out of me.
I can’t stand him. He’s moody, grumpy, and surly all rolled into one annoyed glare.
Until one severe storm changes everything.
I never could’ve imagined a slower, simpler life was everything I was missing.
Unfortunately, my home is in New York and my heart is stuck in Alabama.

Decker
My life is quiet and calm. Just how I like it.
Until Wrenley comes barreling in out of nowhere and disrupts everything.
Gone are my days of balance and routine. She brings turbulence and chaos.
She’s quick-tempered with a bold mouth full of sharp jabs and is entirely ungrateful.
She’s a headache, and I’m ready for her to go back to where she came from.
So why can’t I stay away from her?
The more time we spend alone, the more I realize underneath all the anger is something beautiful. And I like it. I like her.
I never thought love and happiness was missing in my life.
Unfortunately, my small town no longer has everything I need.
It doesn’t have her.

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/200608083-slow-southern-kisses

Amazon https://amzn.to/48hpaAC

Review by Twinsie Dee

i was given this book by the author for an honest review

Wrenley was dreading having to go to Alabama, she didn’t like it one bit but since she drew the short straw against her brother, she’s got no choice but to go to Magnolia Grove for 3 months. 3 months of taking care of her granny’s bed and breakfast, but Wren is going to get a huge awaking when she learns that she not just watching over the place, but she has to cook, clean, wash and change the bedding, cleaning toilets, let’s just say living in New York has spoiled her a little bit. With 3 months in a small town can Wrenley slow down her fast-paced life and enjoy her surroundings or will she be on the next flight back to New York before her Granny’s plane hits the runway. Or will Decker the not so southern charmer in Wren’s eyes swoop her off her high horse and get her to really love Magnolia Grove. When fast pace of New York meets the slow pace of Magnolia Grove bantering will the cool whip on top of the pancakes.

TC Matson is an international best-selling contemporary romance author with a passion for all things romance. Love is never perfect and easy, so her stories share all the ups and downs of finding that spark and falling hard while bringing heat, heart, laughs, and swoony moments to every couple.

She lives in the peaceful Piedmont area of North Carolina with her husband, kids (#boymom), and her spazzy Doberman.

When TC isn’t writing or forced into adulting, you can find her feeding her coffee addiction with her Kindle in hand. She often wins employee of the month for her stay-at-home mom and housewife duties and has won the award for “Mom’s dinner is awesome!” countless evenings.

Dark, Dark Humor, Fantasy, Novella, Paranormal, Part of a Series, Review, Writers on the River Attending Author

#WOTR24 #Review – Infernally Marked: A Paranormal/Fantasy Female Assassin Romance: An Infernal Blade Prequel (The Infernal Blade Book 2) by Jewels Arthur

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From this day forward you are one of us. One of the Infernal Blade. When Mara hits her limit, her foster father meets her blade and so starts her induction into a life of death and darkness. The initiation into the Infernal Blade is filled with pain and fear but what comes out on the other side is one of the most powerful creatures to walk the Earth. Years before meeting her men, Mara, living as a homeless teen meets the Elders just as her life is thrown into upheaval. With her best friend Rora by her side, Mara tries to work out what her life has become and works to come to grips with the fact that nothing will ever be the same.Infernally Marked, previously part of the Assassin Society Anthology, is the prequel to Infernally Mine, a medium burn #whychoose book that sets the stage for this epic series of death, loyalty, and love. This prequel is from Mara’s point of view as a teen so there are no explicit scenes but there is foul language. Intended for mature audiences only.

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Review by Twinsie Kelly

A few things to know first: I picked this book up as it was free and I wanted to try a new to me author (no harm no foul if a novella doesn’t do it for you, ya know?!), the cover is pretty incredible (just saying!), and the very beginning of the story absolutely drew me in. It has a very unique storyline. I did not realize it was a prequel when I picked this up and at first, I was getting a little frustrated because there seemed to be gaps in places where I felt I wanted/needed more and then would jump to another part in Mara’s life. However, if I had read the first book prior to this one, I don’t think it would have frustrated me. I am incredibly curious as to what Mara’s story is and will be jumping into book 1 soon. I would highly recommend reading book 1, Infernally Mine, first as I think this prequel would be much more enjoyable. Overall, a unique story that definitely has more to tell!

Jewels Arthur profile image

USA Today Bestselling author, Jewels Arthur, writes steamy paranormal/fantasy RH Romances, that often feature very sassy females. Much like herself.

Swoons are her jam. She spends all her time watching TV/movies, reading books, and listening to music that makes her swoony. When she isn’t doing that she is drooling over her fictional characters or making book-related graphics.

Jewels has thousands of story ideas always flowing through her brain and she can’t wait to share them all with her readers. One thing is for sure, they will all feature steam, smut, and swoons.

Review, Sci Fi, Steampunk

#Review – The Bloodless Assassin: Quirky Steampunk Fantasy (The Viper and the Urchin Book 1) by Celine Jeanjean

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Blackmail an assassin? Who would do such a thing?

Someone pretty desperate, that’s who. Which is exactly the position Rory finds herself in.

As a scrawny, dreadlocked pickpocket who grew up on the street, life hasn’t given her a ton of options. On top of which, her partner in crime has screwed her over for all her money, so she can no longer pay for the sword master who was supposed to train her—her ticket to a new life.

She’s not prepared to give up on her dream of becoming a great sword fighter, though. Which is why when she stumbles across an assassin’s secret, she immediately sniffs an opportunity. Blackmail can be a pretty effective strategy, after all. If he trains her, she’ll keep her mouth shut.

The risks in blackmailing an assassin are pretty high, but if she can pull it off, she might finally be able to realise her dream.
That is until she realises that the assassin’s she’s blackmailing is nothing like what she thought, and she’s landed herself into far more trouble than she bargained for.

Delve into The Bloodless Assassin, book 1 of a complete 9 book series that’s packed with adventure, banter, and quirky characters, all set in a richly imagined tropical world.

Other books in the series:

#1 The Bloodless Assassin
#2 The Black Orchid
#3 The Slave City
#4 The Doll Maker
#5 The White Hornet
#6 The Shadow Palace
#7 The Opium Smuggler
#8 The Veiled War
#9 The Rising Rooks

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Review by Twinsie Kelly

This was nothing like what I expected…at all. Rory is a street urchin who has lead a tough life, but lifting purses and pillaging for coins is how she gets by. Her partner in crime, ends up turning on her and she is left to her own devices. Longinus, aka The Viper, is an assassin that ultimately is afraid of blood. He doesn’t care to actually fight for a kill but would rather it be an elaborate thing using poison. Longinus is an alchemist and longs for notoriety. I understood Rory’s character completely. However, Longinus took me longer as we had to really get to know him. The chemistry between the characters is very dynamic and I truly enjoyed them, and their stories. The story had some curvy plot twists and nothing was predictable, which I very much appreciated! I don’t think that I would characterize the book as “steampunk” but definitely more along the lines of sci-fi. Even though it wasn’t what I expected, I enjoyed the story. This is a good book if you are looking for something different to read that can be read as a standalone OR with the series. It wrapped up quite nicely!

Celine Jeanjean profile image

Celine is a nomadic writer who roams the world laptop in hand, having adventures and then telling stories inspired by those adventures. Kind of like a digital storytelling wanderer.

Her stories feature complex but flawed characters, lots of quirkiness, snappy banter, and richly imagined worlds.

If you’re ready to escape to new worlds and make new book friends, go to http://celinejeanjean.com/freebook/ to grab yourself some exclusive, free novellas.

Fantasy Romance, Review, Romantic Suspense, Vampire, Writers on the River Attending Author

#WOTR24 #Review Immortal Enemies: A STANDALONE Vampire Romance by Jessie Lane

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More than a thousand years ago, their love burned brighter than the sun. Now, the only thing that burns is his hatred for the woman he once sacrificed his life to save… and his skin in the daylight. Arne Eriksson grew up in a time when Vikings ruled the seas. He’d longed for the day he would earn his entrance to Valhalla. A treasured afterlife he’d never see since being turned into a vampire. The person responsible for making him a monster—the woman he’d once wanted to marry. Liv Nornsdottir was the outcast of the Viking era. The daughter of the mystical Norns, she hid from the world around her. All except for one… a boy who grew into the man she came to love. When he sacrificed himself to protect her, she did the only thing she could think of to save him—she had him turned into a vampire. Something so taboo she knew it would cost her Arne’s affections for all eternity. In the moment, she didn’t think, she reacted. She’s been running from him ever since. Lovers turned to immortal enemies. The problem is… he’s found her. And Arne is none to happy to learn the woman who damned him to an eternity without glory is also his mate.

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Review by Twinsie Kelly

I am a sucker for vampires, but when I read the blurb, I was immediately drawn in because we now have a Viking Vampire! Yes please! Arne is a true Viking and looks forward to raiding, protecting his family and earning his entrance to Valhalla. He is absolutely enamored by Liv. He spends much of his time more or less stalking her because he just can’t get enough. He is drawn to her by something unknown. When he and Liv finally become friends, things blossom between these two. They grow up together but have to keep their friendship hidden. It is an incredibly slow burn. Liv is very mysterious and just “knows things.” She knows, and fears, the fact that she has seen that Arne hates her for what she has to do. She can’t speak of it, but she knows. When the worst thing imaginable happens, she has to have him turned into a vampire so she won’t lose him.

The journey of these two getting to know each other, falling in love, and going through a thousand years before they crash together again was a great story. The Viking background was one of my favorite things about this story.

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*

Paranormal, Review, Sci Fi, Urban Fantasy/Urban Fiction, Writers on the River Attending Author

#WOTR24 #Review – The Risen: Reapers Book 2 by Tara Vasser

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As a newly branded Reaper, my first mission was to Sanctuary Academy, a magical school for kids, to fight zombies. I mean Risen. Apparently the supernatural are quite sensitive when it comes to the categorization of the undead. And, okay, I wasn’t actually, technically, supposed to be there. But it turns out I have a knack for defeating the undead, so nobody complained too loudly about me tagging along.
My partner Gunnar and I figured it was a trap, courtesy of the Necromancer who has been dogging my steps from the moment I stumbled into this supernatural world. It was a trap, of course. But I wasn’t the intended prey as we suspected.
Stranded at the school, courtesy of a monster blizzard, I explore hidden passages and unlock new facets of my magical abilities in the process. I just hope I can unearth the secrets of Sanctuary Academy in time to rescue Gunnar from whatever grisly fate the Necromancer has planned.
As a newly branded Reaper, my first mission was to Sanctuary Academy, a magical school for kids, to fight zombies. I mean Risen. Apparently the supernatural are quite sensitive when it comes to the categorization of the undead. And, okay, I wasn’t actually, technically, supposed to be there. But it turns out I have a knack for defeating the undead, so nobody complained too loudly about me tagging along.
My partner Gunnar and I figured it was a trap, courtesy of the Necromancer who has been dogging my steps from the moment I stumbled into this supernatural world. It was a trap, of course. But I wasn’t the intended prey as we suspected.
Stranded at the school, courtesy of a monster blizzard, I explore hidden passages and unlock new facets of my magical abilities in the process. I just hope I can unearth the secrets of Sanctuary Academy in time to rescue Gunnar from whatever grisly fate the Necromancer has planned.

Goodreads

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Review by Twinsie Kelly

Being part of Death’s entourage and doing his bidding has not sat well with Chloe. She is a newly branded Reaper and still doesn’t understand fully what exactly she is. She is under Gunnar’s care and is supposed to be staying with Maude to continue her “education.” Since she wasn’t born into the supernatural world, she is very behind. Gunnar allows her to go with him to Sanctuary Academy to fight “the risen,” or in other words, zombies. Only these are unlike any zombies that the others have fought. It turns into a trap, Gunnar is kidnapped, and she is ordered by Death to stay at the school. Of course, Chloe can’t do what she is told as she is now just feeling like she can be useful. However, this turns into a mess too! As she is moonlighting as an Indiana Jones wannabe, she befriends one of the students, almost kills herself, learns new powers, and uncovers exactly what the kidnapping necromancer wants. Chloe just wants to do what’s right but can’t seem to get anyone to trust her to help. However, she did find some breadcrumbs that take her to Gunnar, but she now has even more questions as questions about her past and soul are triggered.

This story has a very intriguing and unique world. The characters can be very intense but are also witty and sincere. I am completely hooked and cannot wait to continue this series. I need to know what happens next!

Tara Vasser profile image

Tara is a writer who lives in the frozen north in Minnesota with her wonderful husband and two rambunctious little dudes. She is an engineer during the day, a crazy mom in the afternoon and a writer at night. She enjoys spending her time playing in the dirt when her gardens aren’t covered in snow and listening to a wide variety of music that inspires her writing – sometimes doing both at the same time.

Be sure to visit Tara’s web page and sign up for her newsletter for updates on works in progress and upcoming new releases! www.authortaravasser.com

Part of a Series, Review, Small Town Romance, Standalone

#review #newrelease #partofaseries Rugged Southern Charmers (Magnolia Grove 4) by Fabiola Francisco

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A childhood friends to lovers, small town romance

I never imagined I’d be back in my hometown, unemployed, and feeling like a failure. Getting involved with someone at work is a huge mistake, especially when he’s a famous football player, and I’m just a therapist they can easily replace.

The silver lining is reconnecting with my best friend…even if he is hot now. I can ignore that detail, right? I hope so because Dean’s helping me fix my grandma’s old cabin so I have a place to stay, and between seeing him shirtless and working with his hands, I might just give in to temptation.

Crossing that line should be awkward, but when he kisses me on a dare, I feel like he’s sparked life into me.

My time in Magnolia Grove is temporary while I figure out my next steps, and falling for Dean is not a part of my plans.

But sometimes challenges lead us back to where we’re meant to be.

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/201814207-rugged-southern-charmer

Amazon https://amzn.to/3NnBLdu

Review by Twinsie Dee

i was given this book by the author for an honest review.

RaeLynn moved back home after getting fired from her personal trainer job with the NFL, but most people think she’s home to help her sister-in-law whose doctor has made a point to tell her to destress and relax for at home for the rest of her pregnancy. So RaeLynn is now running her niece to school and in charge of her sister-in-law’s flower shop. but soon she will run into well more like yell at her former friend from high school Dean she didn’t even realize it was him at first. Not one memory from her past doesn’t involve Dean in one way or another. But now that they are older and Rae isn’t just the tomboy hanging out with the guys or just a member of the football team, she’s a grown woman and Dean is just as good looking as he was in high school just more muscles. But they both don’t know that each other is starting to have feelings that are more than friends. Will they give in to these feelings and possibly ruin their friendship or keep their feelings buried deep down to keep what they already have.

Fabiola Francisco traded her flip flops for boots when she moved to Spain to live out her small town dreams. She loves the escape books offer. She writes contemporary romance, mostly small town romances with swoony book boyfriends and strong and sassy heroines.

Writing has always been a part of her life, penning her own life struggles as a form of therapy through poetry. Now, she writes novels that will capture your heart and make feel a range of emotions.

She is continuously creating stories as she daydreams. She also enjoys country music, exploring the outdoors, and reading.

Fabiola is represented by Two Daisy Media Literary Agency.