I have been reading The Girl Once Known series by R M Demeester from the very beginning. I had wondered if Lotus would get her own story…and, I’m happy to say the answer is yes. I knew it would be interesting an interesting story, because Lotus is an interesting character.
Lotus Oliver, more or less, raised herself. Her mother was lost to drugs and it created an inability to trust others in Lotus. She and Joseph Oliver are in love. When she turns up pregnant, all her insecurities rise to the forefront. Joseph wants to marry her, telling her he will support her and the baby, he will not desert her…BUT, he’s a bit of a mama’s boy…and mama is one nosy bitch to Lotus.
R M Demeester sure knows how to break a girl’s heart. I love a book that makes me grip my ereader so tightly that my knuckles turn white, that leaves me teary eyed, empathizing with the characters.
My thanks go out to R M Demeester for the opportunity to read The Flower Once Wilted.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Lotus Oliver learned early that survival meant pretending.
Lie when you’re scared. Smile when you’re cornered. Trust no one. Never let your guard down. Because wanting something only ever meant one thing: losing it.
Then she met Joseph “Jo” Oliver. He didn’t just see her. He unraveled her, layer by layer, until there was nothing left to hide. And somehow, she gave him everything: her fire, her fight, her heart. A marriage. A family.
But the voice inside her never went quiet. It kept whispering that she wasn’t safe. That it could all slip away.
And maybe, just maybe, it was right. The question is: will Lotus be able to stop it?
Genre: Fiction, Psychological
364 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication July 11, 2025
Series: The Girl Once Known #4
ABOUT R M DEMEESTER
R.M. Demeester, from Saskatchewan, loves being a mom, reading books, and writing. She’s been writing since she was very young. Today, she’s known for her stories in women’s fiction, romantic suspense, and thrillers. She also has a rescue dog named Gainer, a chocolate lab who passed away recently, but is still very much loved and missed. Her newest book, “The Girl Once Known”, comes out in February 2024.
I love horses and I think they are magnificent creatures, so when I saw The Blue Horse by Bruce Borgos on NetGalley, I clicked the request button. I was not disappointed.
In all my trips to Nevada, I never got to see a wild horse, but I did hear about them and it wasn’t good. The Blue Horse deals with those who would rather shoot them dead than marvel at their beauty.
Many landowners, especially out west, use government owned land for grazing cattle, etc. They fight over who gets to use what, but it seems to me the horses would have more rights than the landowners. After all, they were there first.
The Blue Horse centers around a wild horse roundup and all the controversy that entails. Murder of human and horse alike create a mystery that kept me guessing. We have lots of suspects and more than one villain. That leads to intriguing characters.
We also have a group of troubled kids on a wilderness retreat and they will become involved in the mystery of the Canadian Lithium mining company. When push comes to shove, one of those most troubled kids will rise to the occasion. I love when a character redeems themselves.
If you love animals and a good mystery, The Blue Horse by Bruce Borgos may be for you.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
A controversial wild horse round-up in the high desert of Nevada results in two murders and too many suspects for Sheriff Porter Beck to deal with.
A helicopter driving a controversial round-up of wild horses suddenly crashes and the pilot is found to have been shot. Then the person coordinating the round-up for the Bureau of Land Management is savagely murdered, buried up to her neck and then trampled to death by the very same wild horses. And there’s no lack of suspects—with the wild horse advocacy group having sworn to protect the horse At Any Cost! Now the state and federal agencies are showing up looking for answers or at least a scapegoat.
Sheriff Porter Beck has had better days.
Porter Beck’s new girlfriend, Detective Charlie Blue Horse, arrives to help with the investigation, which leads them to Canadian Lithium mining operation near the round-up area that sets off Beck’s mental alarm bells. Brinley, Beck’s sister, is leading a group of troubled kids in a wilderness program, when one of them, Rafa, bolts one night. When Brinley catches up to him, they’re just outside the mine—in the wrong place, at the wrong time.
With his personal life in turmoil, too many suspects and too many secrets, the feds pushing for a quick resolution, and his impetuous (if skilled) sister in the mix, one wrong step could be deadly for Porter Beck.
Genre: Animals, Fiction, Horses, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Western
368 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication July 8, 2025 by Minotaur Books
ABOUT BRUCE BORGOS
Bruce Borgos is the author of several novels, including the Porter Beck Mysteries. His latest, THE BLUE HORSE, is the third in the series starring Sheriff Porter Beck of Lincoln County, NV. and is scheduled for publication in July, 2025. https://bit.ly/TheBlueHorse
I have read several of Michael Geczi’s books and loved them. Pointless did not disappoint. It’s rare when the villain is exposed from the opening pages, but it works, revealing his motivation for revenge. We start out with a car wreck, then move to poison laced bottles, then on to the assassination of the FBI agent put in charge of the investigation. Each piece of the puzzle is carefully planned. The mystery is muddled and characters are betrayed. Who’s doing what to who? Michael Geczi keeps the answer close.
Project Les Talionis – An Eye For An Eye
We have a diverse group of characters, and not all will survive. As the body count increases, so does the level of suspense. The pacing of Pointless keeps the story moving at a steady clip. The suspense mounts as we approach the final pages, and, no sooner do I breathe a sigh of relief…The ending is worth a star of its own, because as much as I hate it, I love it.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
POINTLESS – THE FIRST BOOK IN THE REVENGE, UNHINGED SERIES!
Poison-laced bottles of water are sent to three states in the U.S Southwest. A bottling plant employee is killed in a questionable traffic accident. The first illnesses – and the initial death – surface, and the FBI takes over the cases.
Just as the perps planned.
The agent in charge is assassinated, and Senior Special Agent Kari Dineh, a rising star, is put in charge. She’s encouraged to include a former agent, a felon she helped drive out of the agency years earlier, as an advisor. The case immediately takes on political overtones, spurred by poems sent by the perps, opportunistic pundits rallying pro- and anti-FBI supporters, and aggressive media reporting.
Violence erupts and cities burn.
Dineh, a brilliant investigator, at first struggles with her new role, as memories of misogyny and Indigenous prejudice resurface. But she overcomes them, ultimately figuring out the real intentions of the criminal group behind the crimes.
However, the U.S.’s 50-50 split on the rule of law is above her pay grade.
REVENGE IS A RATIONALIZATION, NOT A MOTIVATION.
Genre:
294 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 10, 2025 by Tierra Buena Publishing
ABOUT MICHAEL GECZI (from Amazon)
Former Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek, Associated Press and Dallas Morning News writer and editor; Wall Street executive; best-selling author; communications/crisis consultant and university instructor (University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism). Also author of Futures: The Anti-Inflation Investment. Lives in Scottsdale, Arizona with his wife, Lisa.
I have read numerous novels by Jeffrey Deaver, but this is my first experience with Isabella Maldonado and I was not disappointed. Fatal Intrusion brings together Carmen Sanchez, a Homeland Security agent, and Jake Heron, a security expert. Carmen is by the book, but Jake…not so much. I love the combination.
Jake owes Carmen a favor and she is calling it in. The peripheral characters who surround them are all important players and each has their own talent to contribute to the investigation.
I love a book that draws me in from the opening pages, making it impossible to put the book down and Jeffrey and Isabella make it look easy. I love a feisty, kickass female lead. The tension was high and the pacing furious. Danger oozes off the pages and I rapidly flip them, having to know what comes next…and I sure didn’t anticipate where they took me. I do love a story that twists and turns and keeps me guessing.
I want to thank Thomas & Mercer and MB Communications for the opportunity to read and review Fatal Intrusion by Jeffrey Deaver and Isabella Maldonado.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
As a wave of murders grips Southern California, an unlikely pair must untangle the mysterious patterns of an elusive killer. A propulsive new series by New York Times bestselling author Jeffery Deaver and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Isabella Maldonado.
Carmen Sanchez is a tough Homeland Security agent who plays by the rules. But when her sister is attacked, revealing a connection to a series of murders across Southern California, she realizes a conventional investigation will not be enough to stop the ruthless perpetrator.
With nowhere else to turn, Sanchez enlists the aid of Professor Jake Heron, a brilliant and quirky private security expert who, unlike Sanchez, believes rules are merely suggestions. The two have a troubled past, but he owes her a favor and she’s cashing in. They team up to catch the assailant, who, mystifyingly, has no discernable motive and fits no classic criminal profile. All they have to go on is a distinctive tattoo and a singular obsession that gives this chillingly efficient tactician his nickname: Spider.
Over the next seventy-two hours, Sanchez and Heron find themselves in the midst of a lethal chess match with the killer as they race to stop the carnage. As the victims mount, so do the risks. Because this spider’s web of intrigue is more sinister—and goes far deeper—than anyone could possibly anticipate.
Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
434 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 6, 2024 by Thomas & Mercer
Series: Sanchez & Heron, Book I
ABOUT JEFFREY DEAVER
#1 international bestselling author of over thirty novels and three collections of short stories. His books are sold in 150 countries and translated into 25 languages. His first novel featuring Lincoln Rhyme, The Bone Collector, was made into a major motion picture starring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie. He’s received or been shortlisted for a number of awards around the world.
Wall Street Journal bestselling and award-winning author Isabella Maldonado wore a gun and badge in real life before turning to crime writing. A graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico and the first Latina to attain the rank of captain in her police department, she retired as the Commander of Special Investigations and Forensics. During more than two decades on the force, her assignments included hostage negotiator, department spokesperson, and precinct commander. She uses her law enforcement background to bring a realistic edge to her writing, which includes the Special Agent Nina Guerrera series, the Special Agent Dani Vega series, the Detective Veranda Cruz series, and the Sanchez and Heron series (co-authored with Jeffery Deaver). Her books are published in 24 languages. For more information, visit www.isabellamaldonado.com.
First off, don’t let the cover of Muzzle The Black Dog by Mike Cobb fool you. The story is about Jack and his journey of self discovery and redemption.
We start with an isolated cabin…isn’t that a great place to start? Then, we have a mysterious stranger…it’s getting better.
Muzzle The Black Dog may be a quick read, but that doesn’t take away from the mystery that lingers on the pages. The fires…who is setting them and why kept me flipping through the pages. Mike Cobb did a great job of making me question what I thought was happening. The plot is more complex that I anticipated and that was a pleasant surprise.
4 Stars
SYNOPSIS
After a mysterious stranger appears at his isolated cabin door, Jack’s life is forever changed. The stranger’s cryptic message sets off a chain of events that lead Jack on a harrowing journey to uncover the true meaning of his own existence.
As a series of unexplained fires threaten to consume everything he holds dear, Jack is forced to confront his deepest fears and question everything he thought he knew about himself.
Set in the aftermath of the Centennial Olympic Park bombing, Jack’s search for the truth takes him to the edge of sanity and puts him on a collision course with a dark and powerful force that has been lurking in the shadows.
Join Jack on a gripping and thought-provoking quest for answers in this thrilling and suspenseful tale of self-discovery and redemption.
Praise for MUZZLE THE BLACK DOG:
“Muzzle the Black Dog takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions and family secrets. The slow reveal is creepy many times but you still want to read page after page. I loved the combination of thriller, drama, history and mystery.” ~ Erik S. Meyers, author of The Sally Witherspoon Mystery Series
“A mystery whose plot will transfix you and whose finish will stun you, Muzzle the Black Dog is simply superb. A stranger enters narrator Jack Pate’s life and proceeds to upend it through his bizarrely intimate knowledge of Jack’s past. In determining the identity of the visitor, Jack solves a deeper mystery within himself, but doing so provokes demons in his soul, demons he’d been holding at since childhood. Author Mike Cobb provides that rare combination of masterly prose, passion, and insight, in an atmosphere dark and chilling as a Georgia winter.” ~ Charles Philipp Martin, author of the Inspector Lok novels Rented Grave and Neon Panic
“The pages just fly by in this quick-moving, compelling and stunningly unique psychological thriller about a man searching for answers to a deadly crime who uncovers long-buried secrets about himself and his own troubled past. Muzzle the Black Dog takes the reader on a wonderfully wild roller coaster of a ride filled with plenty of twists, thrills and tension. Mike Cobb has written a terrific book – read it!” ~ R.G. Belsky, author of the Clare Carlson mystery series
“Mike Cobb’s Muzzle The Black Dog, is a fast-paced, unputdownable thriller that will leave you guessing until the very end.” ~ Westley Smith, author of Some Kind of Truth and In The Pale Light
“Intriguing doesn’t begin to describe the appeal of this book’s premise: a mysterious stranger on the doorstep of recluse Jack Pate, offering friendship and help. Despite Jack’s surprise (he has no need of aid) and suspicion of the disheveled man—who looks more like a vagrant than any friend he would choose—Jack is fascinated. Who is this man, and how did he find Jack’s secluded cabin? And why does he seem to know things about Jack’s uneasy past?
Just as suddenly as the stranger appears, he vanishes, leading Jack on an odyssey, beginning as a physical search but quickly morphing into self-preservation as reports of heinous local crimes trickle in. Arson and murders begin to stain the remote countryside, and the suspects are few and far-between.
Sneaky clues, well-drawn characters, and swift plotting propel the story forward as the author deftly explores the many ways the past affects the present—and how it might endanger the future. I highly recommend this one.” ~ Jennifer Sadera, author of I Know She Was There
“A slow burn of a story revealing the power of deeply held secrets. Secrets so earthshaking that Jack Pate questions everything he believed when a mysterious stranger knows everything about him. Moody and atmospheric.” ~ James L’Etoile, award-winning author of River of Lies and the Detective Nathan Parker series
Book Details:
Genre: Crime, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction Published by: Waterside Productions Publication Date: April 15, 2025 Number of Pages: 184 Book Links:Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads
Read an excerpt:
Author Bio:
Mike’s body of literary work includes both fiction and nonfiction, short-form and long-form, as well as articles and blogs.
He is the author of three published novels, Dead Beckoning, The Devil You Knew, its sequel You Will Know Me by My Deeds, and Muzzle the Black Dog, a novella. He is also working on Kathleen, a fictionalized account of a cold case murder from 1970.
While he is comfortable playing across a broad range of topics, much of his focus is on true crime, crime fiction, and historical fiction. Rigorous research is foundational to his writing. He gets that honestly, having spent much of his professional career as a scientist.
A native of Atlanta, Mike splits his time between Midtown Atlanta and Blue Ridge, Georgia.
Tim Vee writes some interesting stories, and Above The Clouds had me intrigued. This unique apocalyptic/dystopian novel takes place deep underground, in long unused subway tunnels and sewers. No one knows what came before .
Everyone has their duties to perform, whether it’s raising the young, hunt or work to provide necessities. When their usefulness comes to and end, whether through injury or old age, they are sent to the surface to fend for themselves.
Dara and her sister, Squirt, are the main characters in Above The Clouds. Squirt is still young enough that she helps where she can and not much is expected of her. Dara is a hunter. She is expected to bring back from the hunt a dozen rats or three cats or a dog.
The world Tim Vee has created is bleak and dangerous. It is a world I haven’t visited before and I have read many apocalyptic and dystopian fiction novels. We go from the depths of the earth to the clouds in the sky, where Squirt will find a life she could never have envisioned. I like the twist from dark to light, from despair to hope. I was suitably creeped out and that is always a good thing. LOL
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
In a ruined, distant future of our world, filled with rain, gloom, and danger, Squirt and her sister Dara fight to survive as part of the underground clan, hunting meat to survive and clinging to the edges of existence. When Squirt encounters a mysterious figure above ground, her life is upended. Taken to a gleaming paradise above the clouds, she finds herself trapped in an idyllic prison, where everything seems perfect—but is danger hiding in plain sight? Does Charlotte, her enigmatic and gentle companion, hide secrets behind her perfect smile? Does Mrs Wallis, the tower’s cold matriarch, watch Squirt with a predator’s patience?
Below, Dara hunts alone, trying to find meaning in her life and haunted by her sister’s disappearance while whispers of betrayal within the clan force her to choose between being a victim or fighting for her survival.
As the sisters’ paths converge, truths are exposed: immortality comes at a terrible price, and the ones they’ve trusted most may be their greatest enemies. Above the Clouds is a haunting tale of the fight for survival and identity, asking the question: What does it truly mean to be human?
Tim works in digital marketing in Toronto and is well-traveled, having visited over 80 countries. When he is not working or writing he likes to spend time with his family and German Shepherd – and to go cycling.
Tim has written ten books; The Secret Policemen and The Secret Service – both dystopian dark comedies; as well as seven science fiction novels – Extinction, Annabelle, Fission, The Children of the Third Reich, The Child of Mars, and The Children of Andaalwaald.
Tim has also written Magpie – a dark and intense journey into the world of international espionage and terrorism.
Tim mostly enjoys writing transgressive fiction – mainly about aliens and psychopaths.
Carolyn Arnold is a must read author for me, so I am super excited to share the first book in her new series, Save Her Life (Sandra Vos #1).
If it turned out to be nothing, she’d look the fool.
I wonder how often someone has thought of that when something bad is coming their way.
Sandra Vos is part of the FBI’s Critical Incident Response Group and the Crisis Negotiation Unit. When not in the field, she’s manhunting criminals. She keeps her family’s wealth a secret. She’s forty seven years old, not a youngster, and I kinda like that. When she is called into a hostage situation, it makes her a target. The villain wants her to suffer and will use her teenage daughter, Olivia, to force her cooperation.
Carolyn Arnold uses a Prologue to set the hook right out of the gate. That’s why I love prologues. I love stories that get my heart pounding, unable to put the book down and Save Her Life does that very well. And that ending…WOWZA…love it. I can hardly wait to see what Sandra Vos will have to deal with next.
I want to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Save Her Life by Carolyn Arnold.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
The tears fall down the girl’s pale face as she desperately tries to struggle free from the ties around her wrists. The only sound in the room other than her muffled cries is the ticking of a clock. Her mother has less than one hour to find her alive.
It’s been more than thirty years since Special Agent Sandra Vos’s twin brother was shot dead, an innocent victim caught in a kidnap gone wrong. It devastated Sandra’s family, but it made her who she is today, one of the FBI’s most successful negotiators.
After dropping her teenage daughter, Olivia, at school, Sandra is alerted to a potential hostage situation at her local grocery store and races to the scene. A man has pulled out a gun and is refusing to talk or let anyone out of the building until his demands are met. The fate of dozens of lives rests in Sandra’s hands.
But as Sandra starts to make a breakthrough with the hostage taker, she receives a call that makes her blood run cold. Someone has taken Olivia, and their demand will push Sandra to her absolute limit. If it’s not met within twenty-four hours, she will never see her daughter again.
Sandra knows she should step aside, letting her team take over, but she doesn’t trust anyone else to bring Olivia home alive. Breaking every rule in the book, Sandra is ready to go into her most personal negotiation yet. But how much will she have to sacrifice to save her daughter?
A totally gripping new series which will have you turning the pages long into the night. Perfect for fans of Kendra Elliot’s Mercy Kilpatrick series, Mary Stone and Elle Gray.
What readers are saying about Carolyn Arnold:
“OH MY GOSH!… Had me reading late into the night… I was caught up in the story from the first page to the last… So addictive!” Shortbookthyme, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I was not going to sleep until I finished this book. Wow!… The hits just kept coming, and I never saw most of them until they hit… You will not be able to put it down because you will have to know what happened… Keep[s] you glued to the pages as you race to the end.” Escapetobooks1503, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Wonderful… I love this series… Fantastic… Kept me unable to put the book down… Fantastic… Gripping… Wonderful… Edge-of-your-seat thriller.” The Reading Café, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I was absolutely obsessed with this book… Loved… Amazing.” Read_and_rescue, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“It kept me rapidly turning the pages… Gripping… It’s a must-read.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Had me totally hooked. I love this series.” Karen4013, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Gripping… Page-turning… Nail-biting… This book is a must-read.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Kidnapping, Serial Killer, Suspense, Thriller
346 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication May 27, 2025 by Bookouture
ABOUT CAROLYN ARNOLD
CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has several continuing fiction series and has many published books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from police procedurals, hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures. Her crime fiction series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining. This led to her adopting the trademark: POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT™.
Carolyn was born in a small town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower.
She currently lives near London, Ontario, Canada with her husband and two beagles.
I was eager to get my hands on the second book in The Bloodstone Legacy, Atonement, by V E Huntley. I love vampires and walking on the dark side. There is plenty of violence and brutality, but also some hot and steamy romance.
Atonement takes place in a dystopian future where the vampires rule and humans are slaves. There are lots of triggers, so if you are squeamish, Atonement may not be for you.
I love characters that are put to the test. Characters that have to fight for what they want, and Aden and Ellie fit the bill. They not only have to fight others, but they also have to face their own personal demons. There will be a price to pay, but there are some light hearted moments where we can enjoy a laugh that will help us make it through the dark times.
I am loving The Bloodstone Legacy series by V E Huntley. It has everything I desire in a vampire novel, blood and guts along with some love and steamy romance. Atonement moved at a fast pace, keeping me lost in the story, eager to know how it would end, but not wanting to get there too soon. No worries there. We have a cliffhanger.
I hope you are writing fast V.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
MY PENANCE WILL NEVER BE ENOUGH
The second installment of the The BloodStone Legacy—a dark, seductive paranormal romance about destiny and the prices we pay for love powerful enough to transcend both death and time.
Three centuries of guilt. Two souls reunited. One chance to defy fate.
After spending three hundred years drowning in guilt for murdering his wife on their wedding night, Aden has found the impossible—her soul, reborn in Ellie—a woman who awakens both his deepest love and darkest fears. Their reunion is everything he’s dreamed of, a chance to atone for their tragic past. But some happy endings come with a price.
As Aden and Ellie lose themselves in their newfound passion, they awaken more than just forgotten memories. Ellie’s own demons push her to confront the tragedy that tore them apart, while sinister forces gather in the shadows, determined to destroy their hard-won happiness.
Aden will burn the vampire world to the ground to keep Ellie safe. But with every ancient law he breaks and every powerful enemy he makes, the price of protecting her rises.
Aden thought nothing could be worse than killing the woman he loved. He’s about to learn how wrong he was.
Set in a dystopian future where vampires rule and humans are slaves, against a backdrop of danger and political intrigue, Aden and Ellie’s love will either transform their blood-soaked world—or burn it to ash.
Perfect for fans of J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood, Sarah J. Maas’s Crescent City, Scarlett St. Clair’s Adrian X Isolde, Karina Halle’s The Dracula Duet, and readers who crave their romance dark, passionate, and unforgettable with brooding anti-heroes paired with resilient heroines.
Atonement is Book 2 of a trilogy. It ends on a cliffhanger but Book 3 will have the HEA you’re waiting for.
This book is a dark paranormal romance. Be mindful of the trigger warnings:
Graphic violence
Sexual situations
Non-consent (not between MMC and FMC)
Blood Play
Knife Play
Rape
Adult language – the word “fuck” is used a lot
Scenes and references of physical and/or sexual abuse/assault that some readers may find triggering.
Genre: fantasy, fiction
431 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication May 5, 2025
Series: The Bloodstone Legacy: Atonement, #2
ABOUT V E HUNTLEY
V.E. Huntley is a retired producer who has spent her life telling stories in one way or another. Just ask her cats. They had to endure a lifetime of her endlessly reciting entire dialogue scenes to them, even though all they desperately wanted to do was nap.
Her childhood fear of Dracula was so intense that she couldn’t sleep without the lights on and her mother guarding her bedroom door. Over time, this fear evolved into a lifelong obsession with the dark and twisted world of vampires and the concept of immortality. So, after more than two decades in the film and television industry, she ultimately chose to pursue her true passion—writing dark and sexy paranormal romance.
Besides writing, her hobbies include reading, watching movies, traveling, and keeping her husband busy with an endless honey-do list.
The Other Sister by Jessica R Patch is a psychological thriller that had my head spinning, trying to keep up with all the mystery involved. Jessica had so many surprises, I was kept in the dark until the very end. I love the cover, but even that has a mystery connected to it.
Charlotte Kane wanted to live a different life. When she discovers she has an identical twin, she gets her chance. But, everyone has secrets and she walks a minefield, not knowing who she can believe. The deeper she gets involved in her sister’s life, the more dangerous it is.
As far as characters go, it’s hard to root for any of them, but they are fascinating.
If you think you can solve this puzzle, you might be in for a rude awakening. Every time I thought I had something figured out, Jessica would twist the plot in a new direction. The pacing kept the suspense level rising and me flipping pages.
This is my first Jessica R Patch novel, but now I have her on my radar.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
She thought she was the only one lying about her identity. Until she stepped into her sister’s life.
Charlotte Kane has always dreamed of a different life, one where she isn’t living paycheck to paycheck. An existence worlds away from the chaos of her own. Then her estranged mother dies, and Charlotte makes a stunning discovery—she has an identical twin who was given up for adoption.
Acelynn Benedict is polished, successful and seems to have everything Charlotte yearns for—a wealthy, doting family in Savannah, a handsome boyfriend, a great career. She’s just as surprised as Charlotte to learn she has a sister. But when tragedy hits and Charlotte is forced to assume Acelynn’s identity in a desperate moment, she uncovers something altogether darker…
No one in her sister’s life is quite who they seem to be. And every discovery leads Charlotte deeper into a web of deadly secrets. Charlotte may have wanted Acelynn’s life, yet now that she’s living it, she wants out. But if she reveals the truth about herself, it will mean returning to her old life—and she’s already a dead woman there.
Expected publication April 1, 2025 by Love Inspired Trade
ABOUT JESSICA R PATCH
Publishers Weekly Bestselling author Jessica R. Patch is known for her dry wit and signature twists whether she’s penned a romantic suspense, a cold case thriller, or a small-town romance. When she’s not getting into fictional mischief with her characters, you can find her cozy on the couch in her mid-south home reading books by some of her favorite authors, watching movies with her family, and collecting recipes to amazing dishes she’ll probably never cook. Sign up for her newsletter “Patched In” at www.jessicarpatch.com. Jessica is represented by Rachel Kent of Books & Such Literary Management.
I was late hopping aboard the Fifty Shades Of Grey train, but once I started, I couldn’t stop. I watched the movies first, but knew I had to be checking out the series from the library. I never used to read erotica, but since I’ve been blogging I like some spice in my romance…and Fifty Shades Of Grey is definitely spicy hot. I already loved the characters, so they didn’t need to win me over. Anastasia Steel may be young, but she’s no pushover. She can hold her own against Christian Grey. On to Book II, Fifty Shades Darker.
When literature student Anastasia Steele goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey, she encounters a man who is beautiful, brilliant, and intimidating. The unworldly, innocent Ana is startled to realize she wants this man and, despite his enigmatic reserve, finds she is desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her, too—but on his own terms.
Shocked yet thrilled by Grey’s singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success—his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving family—Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionately physical affair, Ana discovers Christian Grey’s secrets and explores her own dark desires.
Erotic, amusing, and deeply moving, the Fifty Shades Trilogy is a tale that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever.
This book is intended for mature audiences.
Genre: Adult, BDSM, Chick Lit, Erotica, Contemporary Romance, Dark Romance
