"Dangerous Lover", by Lisa Marie Rice

The Dangerous Trilogy book #1

Synopsis literally taken from Goodreads: Riddled with medical expenses after the death of her young brother, Caroline Lake desperately takes in boarder Jack Prescott, a seemingly down-on-his-luck stranger with a high-stakes past who awakens previously unexplored passions in Caroline.

My thoughts:

This story was so out of my comfort zone it wasn’t even funny…. Give me a story with a backbone something that will not only entertain but will keep me wanting more. This story was so boring rehashing the same things over and over again pages after pages of mediocre sex scenes and not much else.

I sum up the story as such

Lust, sex,sex,sex and a very poor story line.

Conclusion:

Since this book was given by the publisher, I felt obliged to read it to the end but my verdict is: Not worth the time.

"No Way Out", by John W Mefford

Jack Whitfield Thriller book # 10

The story in a few words:

In the past one of Jack’s s rich friends, Sokol, saved his daughter who had been kidnapped. It was time to return the favour now. His new mission sends him in the middle of the El Salvadoran forest where he will need to pull of one highly dangerous rescue..And the mayhem begins..enjoy.

My thoughts in a few words:

I loved ¾ of this book immensely, reading it brought flash back of the terrible effects mining can bring to a remote area: water is sucked out of region, threatening water resources by dumping pollutants and affecting the lifestyle of indigenous communities, thus, leaving the population in fear of disappearing.

This story touches some of this but Mr. Mefford expertly added his own spin by having Jack taken prisoner and becoming along with the mine workers unwilling participant in mind altering experiences. But Jack is Jack and after 10 thrillers we know he will come out safe and sound but in the mean time the last ¼ of the story is never ending action…Maybe a bit unbelievable but fun to read.

The author doesn’t miss a beat and once more gave us in “No Way Out” a tense, existing, well- plot out story hard to put down.

Thank you, Mr. Mefford, you once more given me hours of enjoyment.

"Dreading Darkness" by Melinda Woodhall

Bailey Flynn FBI book # 5

I have been a fan of this author since her first book was published in 2018 and since then I read and reviewed each one and given them high marks, after all the stories were top notch. This year Melinda has concentrated her writing on the Bailey Flynn Mystery this is her 5th book in the series and is as exciting to read as the others. Well-done Melinda.

The story in a few words:

When the daughter of a local detective goes missing from her home in Belle Harbor, Florida, FBI Special Agent Bailey Flynn joins the search and makes a gruesome discovery. Two dead teenagers have been dumped in an abandoned car near Summerset Park. One of the bodies has already been embalmed. Then, Bailey follows a trail of death and destruction into the terrifying trap of a greed-fueled killer who will stop at nothing to get what he wants.

My thoughts:

This is very suspenseful and fast-paced drama very hard to put down. It is also quite interesting in many ways especially when we are brought into the shady practice of funeral homes and crematoriums, including the presence Cartel members who are behind the smuggling operation of using bodies as mules….

The story moves smoothly even if I needed to pause when two characters’ name were mixed up. A little hiccup, a little pause and here I went back enjoying Bailey in her saga.

This story offers a bit of everything: a creative and well- written storyline, including some plot twists to keep us on our toes, pretty good players and giving us recuring characters that have nicely developed through this series.

No doubt, this latest is a great addition to a wonderful series.

I received an advance copy, and I am leaving this review voluntary

"The Life and Death of Rose Doucette", by Harry Hunsicker

What an engrossing and emotionally charged mystery this one turned out to be.

The story in a few words:

Dallas PI Dylan Fisher hasn’t seen his ex-wife, Rose in three years. Rose is a homicide detective wanting them to meet. She needed his help with a murder investigation she was working on. After leaving each other, Dylan felt uneasy when he noticed seeing someone tailing her car, he wanted to warn her…. but it was too late, the driver had shot her, killing her instantly. Then things turned seriously wrong when the police fast determined that Dylan had done the deed…..

My thoughts:

I love the PI genre a lot they are suspenseful and keep you on the edge of your seat. When Detective Lutz tries to pin Rose’s murder on Dylan Dylan’s lawyer Mia Kapoor had his back and out on bail pronto. Can Dylan stay idle? No way. Doing so brought us into a series of twisted events.

“The Life and Death of Rose Doucette” grabbed me from the get-go. The author’s writing style is so smooth that I found myself almost through the book so captivated by the going on that time had just passed by in a jiffy.

I like the Dylan’s character, a determined man wanting to clear his name while looking for answers. It is hard not to be rooting for him. Teaming with Rose new husband Tito, a defense attorney, was something else to read. As the investigation unfolds this story gives secrets and surprises and danger galore lurking in the darkness….No doubt, we are into one exciting mystery to follow.

Pleasantly, the narrative is very active and is said in the first person by Dylan. As for the supporting cast, they are varied and unique giving the perfect touch to this engrossing mystery.

This story is well-written and move smoothly at a leisurely-pace. Passing time reading this story was not wasted time.

I received a copy of this book from Oceanview Publishing

"Cabin", by Patrick Hutchison

Off the grid Adventures with a Clueless Craftsman

To be honest if this mémoir wouldn’t have triggered fond memories I would have said this is the most boring book I have read this year but no it wasn’t too bad after all and I stayed with it till the very last page. Did I enjoy passing all that time …not really but I didn’t dislike it either…

The book tells the author’s journey from an office job to restoring a cabin (shack) in the Pacific Northwest. Wit’s End, it’s the name of a gravel road and the address of a run down off the grid cabin. 120 shabby squared feet of fixer upper purchased on a whim. The man had zero carpentry skills and learned a lot over the six years it took to renovate it….This book is the story of those renovations.

The way it is told is sometime laugh out loud funny, can you picture the dilemma over drills and interchangeable batteries in tools, how to use a gas can, which nails to use, what kind of wood for finishing, what metal to use on the roof, how about a chimney and a sink and yes an outhouse, the driveway needs gravel….and it goes on and on….over the course of 28 chapters Mr. Hutchison comically details every step of his journey. Lucky him he had equally adventurous friends wanting as much as him to spruce up the shabby cabin that didn’t even have a light switch. With his friends he shared good times drinking beer, cooking meals but in construction all of them displayed a complete lack of experience. But they made it eventually.

Along the way the author discovered a surprise knack for handiwork and a new career was born.

Thank you, St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for this ARC