New Release! DEATHWISH (Broslin Creek #6) by Dana Marton

 (Disclosure:  I work for the author.)

BLURB:
Officer Gabriella Maria Flores desperately needs a big win to save her career. A case that proves that she has her act together, something non-controversial to make people forget the recent scandal she's been involved in. Instead, the murder she catches couldn't be more high-profile, the number one suspect her boss's brother. Means, motive, opportunity--check. And open-and-shut case, if she's ever seen one. But then, instead of arresting the suspect, why is she falling in love with him?


REVIEW:
Dana Marton's Broslin Creek series is a wonderful reading treat, because after reading the FREE first book in the series, DEATHWATCH, you realize there are more books to read so you can stay in the world of Broslin Creek longer.  She writes a distinctive and oh-so-readable blend of well-crafted mystery, believable romance, and characters who feel like friends, all packaged in a fast-paced well-written style with Dana's distinctive splashes of humor.
DEATHWISH is no exception.  It starts with an intense military mission in Afghanistan as Hunter leads a team to rescue a fellow soldier.  Shortly after he returns to the States to resume life as a civilian, planning on proposing to his long-term girlfriend.  But the night of his homecoming party at his brother's (Ethan Bing, Chief of Police) ends with Hunter accused of his girlfriend's murder.  Gabi, the newest officer on the police force gets stuck with the case as the only cop in town with no personal relationship with the accused.  
I connected to Hunter and Gabi right away.  Dana Marton is so good at creating characters who are both believable and worthy of being a story hero/heroine.  They feel so real to me.  Hunter is everything a romance hero should be - handsome, strong, smart, self-deprecating, and kind.  And Gabi is the perfectly balanced heroine - I wanted to be her strong kick-ass, capable self and I also rooted for her as a friend, hoping she'd solve the murder, show everyone what a great cop she is, and get the guy.  Gabi is also a rather unique heroine - she is all about the job, and her focus on being better at the job.  She doesn't wear makeup or girly clothes, can't cook, and doesn't decorate.  She's easy to be around, and Hunter is shocked at his response to her, because he thought he wanted a feminine, soft, homemaker type gal.

Towards the end, as Gabi's life is in danger and she's fighting to escape the killer, my heart rate actually went up I was so into it.   And the Christmas backdrop/timeframe is beautifully incorporated - it felt like pretty holiday background music setting the tone of the book.  When there wasn't murder, assault and mayhem, of course:-)



Purchase Links:


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About the Author

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Dana Marton has thrilled and entertained millions of readers around the globe with her fast-paced stories about strong women and honorable men who fight side by side for justice and survival.

Kirkus Reviews calls her writing “compelling and honest.” RT Book Review Magazine said, “Marton knows what makes a hero…her characters are sure to become reader favorites.” Her writing has been acclaimed by critics, called, “gripping,” “intense and chilling,” “full of action,” “a thrilling adventure,” and wholeheartedly recommended to readers. Dana is the winner of the Daphne du Maurier Award of Excellence, the Readers’ Choice Award, and Best Intrigue, among other awards. Her book, TALL, DARK, AND LETHAL was nominated for the prestigious Rita Award. DEATHSCAPE reached the #1 spot on Amazon’s Romantic Suspense Bestseller list.

Dana has a Master’s degree in Writing Popular Fiction, and is continuously studying the art and craft of writing, attending several workshops, seminars and conferences each year. Her number one goal is to bring the best books she possibly can to her readers.

Keeping in touch with readers is Dana’s favorite part of being an author. Please connect with her via her web site (www.danamarton.com) or her Facebook page (www.facebook.com/danamarton).

Having lived around the world, Dana currently creates her compelling stories in a small and lovely little town in Pennsylvania. The fictional town of her bestselling Broslin Creek series is based on her real life home where she fights her addictions to reading, garage sales, coffee and chocolate. If you know a good twelve-step program to help her with any of that, she’d be interested in hearing about it!

***Visit Dana’s website to read the first chapters of her books!

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Last Day at 99c BROSLIN BRIDE by Dana Marton

(I work for the author.  But this book was awesome.)  4.7 stars on 85 reviews at Amazon!

From NY Times bestselling author Dana Marton:
I'm having a 99c Sale until Friday as part of my anniversary celebrations! THANK YOU for supporting me through 10 years and 40 books. Please share.
Kindle: http://amzn.to/1vVsFpn
Nook: http://bit.ly/1roDta0
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1z1yl5U
iTunes: http://bit.ly/1o6ARDo

The worst time to be charged with murder is:

A. When you have no alibi for the night in question.
B. When you have no memory of the night in question.
C. When you told people you hated the victim.
D. When the detective is the 1st guy you ever slept with--which didn't end well.

Check all of the above for Luanne Mayfair. If it wasn't for bad luck, she wouldn't have any luck at all. Okay, maybe a little luck. As it turns out, Detective Chase Merritt doesn't hold grudges.

He still looks at Luanne just as he did in high school, except he's grown some serious 'hot cop' muscles--very distracting when Luanne is trying to avoid the very law Chase represents.

Is she the killer? Is she being framed? Is she the next victim? As Chase and Luanne race to find some answers, danger and heat ratchet up in this fast-paced romantic mystery that will stop your heart one second, then steal it in the next.

SLIM to NONE ( A Cedar Tree novel) by Freya Barker

(I received a copy from the author in exchange for consideration of a review.)

Blurb:
Since moving to beautiful Cedar Tree, Colorado, Emma Young, mother of one adult daughter, has worked from home doing some online bookkeeping and baking for her best friend's diner to supplement her disability pension. Life has been pretty good, that is until she received a strange phone call that starts an alarming chain of events.

Investigator Gus Flemming is hot on the trail of a bail skip with organized crime connections that bring him to Cedar Tree. Once there, the focus of his investigation lands squarely on the gently rounded shoulders of a vivacious red haired Emma, whose physical limitations have done nothing to dampen her zest for life.

When it becomes clear that Emma is at risk, Gus does't hesitate to step in and protect her. Call it a job with some very hot benefits......


Review:
Slim to None is the first book by author Freya Barker, and it was a delightful, steamy surprise. It features a smart, feisty, sexy heroine and a gruff, rough, sweetheart of a hero.  
The book starts with one hell of a sexy wrong number, waking up Emma's dormant libido.  Emma has been so busy living her life, she hasn't made room for intimacy in her life.  Shortly after the phone call Emma's life is turned completely upside down as she finds herself mixed up in a criminal investigation as the target of a desperate bad guy.  The suspense starts right away and keeps the story moving and everyone guessing.

I loved Emma.  She's stubborn, smart, brave, and wants to do the right thing.  And the red-hot romance with Gus, one of the most open-minded, loving and kind heroes I have ever read, was so sweet, steamy, sexy and romantic - the whole package.  I loved that her physical disability was coincidental to the story, and not the focus.  As someone who has similar issues, I found the plot believable and realistic, making the story even better and more intense, keeping me reading way past my bedtime. 

Next, please!






About the author:
Freya has always been creative. Involved in music and dance when she was younger, she followed it up with painting, cake design, quilting, and has most recently added cover design. Now the Dutch-born Canadian mother of two has found her voice - writing.

Freya Barker is the pen name for a well-respected reviewer/blogger, to who - as an avid reader, the next step to pen a book of her own seemed only natural.

Driven to make her stories about 'real' people, Freya's characters are perhaps less than perfect, but just as deserving of romance, hot monkey sex and some thrills and chills in their lives!


Connect with Freya on:


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PENMORT CASTLE (Ghosts and Reincarnation #1) by Kristen Ashley

(I bought this book.)

BLURB:
Cash Fraser is planning revenge and to get it he needs the perfect woman. So he hires her. Abigail Butler has lost nearly everything in her life and she’s about to lose the home she loves.

Cash meets Abby, who is posing as a paid escort, and the minute he does he knows he’s willing to pay for more than Abby being his pretend girlfriend. A lot more. Abby needs the money or the last thing that links her to her dead family and husband will be gone. The deal is struck but both Cash and Abby get more than they bargained for.

Cash realises very quickly that Abby isn’t what she seems and while he changes strategies, Abby discovers that Cash’s legacy, Penmort Castle, is like all the tales say – very, very haunted. Making matters worse, the ghost in residence wants her dead.

Abby’s found herself in the battle of her life so she enlists Mrs. Truman, her nosy neighbour; Jenny, her no-nonsense friend; Cassandra McNabb, white witch and clairvoyant with a penchant for wearing scarves (and lots of them); and Angus McPherson, dyed-in-the-wool Scot (which means he hunts ghosts in a kilt) to fight the vicious ghost who has vowed that she will rest at nothing to kill the true, abiding love of the master of Penmort.
REVIEW:
Kristen Ashley has written 23 books and Penmort Castle is the first I've read.  Actually, I think I've been living under a rock, because I'd never heard of her before.  Proof positive that there are always great new authors out there in the world waiting to be discovered!
Anyway, at 492 pages it's long enough to be two books, and reading it sure felt like it was two distinct novels. The first part of the novel is really the fairly old-school love story of Cash and Abby, two lonely souls who both get more than they bargained for when they strike a deal for Abby to act as Cash's girlfriend.  While Cash is a classic romance novel hero (all arrogant, strong, smart and dominant), Abby is a truly emotionally damaged woman.  Widowed young, she has never recovered from her husband's death and is unable to function as an adult and make responsible financial decisions.  Compounding this is the fact that even while still married she acted foolishly and selfishly, spending their income on fancy clothes and shoes.  Her career is barely mentioned, and when we meet her she has been unemployed for months, and is in dire financial straits.  So she desperately and impulsively decides to sell herself as an escort, capitalizing on the fact that she has been valued for her looks most of her adult life. 
What saves Abby from being a sad stereotype is the beautifully written descriptions of her behavior, clearly showing that underneath she is hurting and damaged.  I actually shed a few tears.  Abby's pain and desperation are evident, and Cash is no fool.  He sees what's really happening and proceeds carefully.
The second part of this novel is a good old gothic ghost story.  Cash's ancestral home is indeed haunted, and Abby is in danger of meeting a violent end.  But the nasty ghost haunting Penmort has never met the likes of Abby's motley crew of friends and ghosthunters, and Abby herself steps up to the plate and decides it's better to kick some spectral ass than get thrown off the roof.   I really loved this part of the book - it was spooky, devious, fast-paced and exciting.
All in all, an entertaining mix of traditional and gothic romance that kept me reading!


Check out the author's website HERE.

Follow Kristin Ashley on Facebook HERE.

       

RELEASE DAY SPOTLIGHT! DEATHBLOW (Broslin Creek #4) by Dana Marton

(I work for the author.)

BLURB:
Former small-town football hero turned cop, Joe Kessler never met a linebacker, perp, or a woman he couldn't handle. Then a troubled single mom walks into his life, and the only place this hot jock will ever see 'easy' again is in the dictionary.

Hiding out in Broslin, PA was working pretty well for Wendy Belle until Cop Casanova took her under his protection. Now she’ll either lose her life to one man, or her heart to another.

REVIEW:
Deathblow is Dana Marton's 4th book in her popular Broslin Creek series, following the romantic suspense adventures of the men of the Broslin Creek Police Department.  I love this series for its fast-paced action, menacing atmospheres and dangerous situations, and the smart, sexy heroes and strong, capable heroines.  Add to that the sense of familiarity and community I get as a reader returning to the small town of Broslin Creek, and this is series makes me one happy reader.

Joe Kessler is a great hero - he's got a love-em and leave-em background dating back to his teenage years, but there's a lot more to this guy than his good looks and easygoing nature.  He is genuinely a good man, and respects women just as much as he has loved them in the past.  When he meets Wendy, he is immediately attracted to her, never realizing how much more there is to her than her cool, beautiful, professional-model exterior.  When the two of them are forced together under stressful circumstances (Joe is assigned as her bodyguard when Wendy is being abused and stalked by her creepy ex-husband), they see past the surface and lust turns into admiration and respect.

Deathblow is probably the fastest-paced book of the series (all of which, by the way, can easily be understood and enjoyed as stand-alone novels), and the author really increased her cliff-hanger moments.  There are several scenes where as a reader we're left hanging  But it worked like an incredible teaser for me, I HAD to keep reading.  As readers, we were left out of the loop a bit and it really heightened the suspense - I could definitely see it as a movie!

Incredibly suspenseful, super sexy, fast pace and believable, likeable characters make this a must read!



Follow Dana Marton on Facebook.
Visit the Broslin Creek Series page on Facebook.

Sign up for Dana's Newsletter HERE.

****Release Day Spotlight****MISSING IN MUDBUG by Jana DeLeon

Blurb:
From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jana DeLeon, a new release in the Ghost-in-Law series.

After an eventful first week on the job, Game Warden Jadyn St. James is happy the small bayou town of Mudbug, Louisiana, seems to have fallen back into its normal routine. But when FBI agent Raissa Bordeaux is kidnapped, Jadyn is certain the short-lived peace has come to an abrupt end. Statistics don’t lie, and Jadyn knows that the longer Raissa remains missing, the less likely she’ll be found alive.

Sheriff Colt Bertrand knows the FBI won’t let him participate in their investigation, but is certain the federal agents aren’t as qualified as he is to locate someone missing in the swamps surrounding Mudbug. And although he’s been avoiding the beautiful game warden, Colt is sure that teaming up with Jadyn gives him the best chance of finding Raissa.

With the clock ticking, Colt and Jadyn defy FBI orders and launch their search, but can they find Raissa before it’s too late?


AMAZON
BARNES & NOBLE

Check out Jana's website HERE.

Jana DeLeon's books NEVER disappoint - check out my reviews of these books by clicking the Jana DeLeon label to the right!

       

HAUNTED by Patricia Rosemoor

(I purchased this book.)

Blurb:
Dunescape Cottage brought Bram Vanmatre home to haunting childhood memories of a night when the lights went out, priceless jewels disappeared, and his father washed up dead on a deserted beach.

The crumbling mansion called to Echo St. Clair every time she came near. She wanted to deny its supernatural attraction until, trapped in one of its underground chambers, she was confronted by its ghost.

Dunescape Cottage linked Bram and Echo together. Even as they succumbed to their undeniable attraction, they were equally seduced by the houses mysteries...and on the stormy night of the Dunescape Halloween masked ball, they came face-to-face with the past.

Review:
I am SO far behind posting reviews.  One very sick dog, two out-of-town trips and a day spent in the ER and my schedule is shot all to hell.  I meant to post this before Halloween, but it's a great spooky romance perfect for any time of the year.
A deliciously atmospheric and creepy paranormal romantic suspense, Haunted is very gothic in style.  Dunescape Cottage is as much a main character as Bram and Echo, with its grand scale, crumbling opulence, secret passageways and ghostly happenings.  As Echo prepares the house for a haunted house benefit, the house seems to come alive as strange things happen.  The owner, Bram's aunt, is a little nutty but loves Echo's plans.  Bram, newly arrived in town after an absence of decades, hates the idea but likes Echo.  Bram was pretty stiff as a character initially, but as the story unfolds his behavior is explained.
As the night of the benefit gets closer it becomes very obvious that someone wants to scare and possibly hurt Echo, which brings out Bram's protective instincts, forcing him to realize his attraction for her is becoming emotional as well.  Worried about Bram and his aunt cancelling the Haunted House benefit, Echo doesn't share all the ghostly happenings she is experiencing until it's almost too late. Throw in an old unsolved murder, Bram's arrogant and bitchy mother, a voodoo practicing health aide and some nasty neighbors, and the cast of characters is satisfying and the mystery is maintained until the end.
Fans of old-school Gothic romances will especially love this book.  A spooky setting, a varied cast of suspicious characters, a hero who appears sinister at times, a spunky heroine and no graphic sex combine to make this a delightful package.



Visit the author's website HERE.

Check out Patricia Rosemoor on Goodreads.



       

SPY IN THE SADDLE by Dana Marton

(I work for the author.)

Blurb:

Two agents must work together without letting a tense past—and a sizzling new attraction—disrupt their most important mission in Dana Marton's HQ: Texas miniseries

It's been ten years since soldier Shep Lewis laid eyes on delinquent-turned-FBI agent Lilly Tanner, and this time they have an even bigger problem than each other: terrorists. In the center of a smuggling operation, Shep and Lilly must partner up and protect each other.

Not even their undercover identities can mask the mounting attraction between the pair as they struggle to survive in the merciless Texas borderlands. Can they put the past behind them and focus on the mission at hand? Or will their partnership reignite the flames of their untapped passions?

Review:
SPY IN THE SADDLE is the very satisfying conclusion to Dana Marton's SDDU (Special Designation Defense Unit) trilogy that takes place in south Texas along the border.  In this installment it's Shep's turn to fall hard in love, and boy does he ever.  Ten years previously, Shep was a parole officer, and Lilly was the case that ended his career, as he broke rules trying to help her. Although Lilly had a serious crush on her back then, Shep merely thought of her as a troubled girl he wanted to help turn her life around.  In return for his assistance, she stole his car, burned his house, and caused him to get fired from his job.
When FBI Agent Lilly Tanner shows up at the SDDU as their new liaison, Shep can't believe his eyes...and bad luck.  And the other guys can't believe their good luck, because Lilly has not only turned her life around, but grown into a beautiful woman at the same time.  She's thrilled but nervous to be working with the man she never forgot, but Shep is annoyed at his attraction to her.  Pretty soon their attraction takes a mild physical turn as part of their undercover identities, and the simple kiss is enough to wake them both up to what's between them.  I found Lilly to be a fascinating character - not only is she trying to resolve her teenage crush with her feelings for Shep now that she's a grown woman, but she's also trying to prove to Shep that she's not the delinquent he remembers.  He's a reminder of the past she's overcome, and watching both of them acknowledge how much they've grown in ten years really added to their believability as people.
Dana Marton never disappoints - she writes some of the sexiest military/law enforcement alpha male heroes around, and her heroines are consistently smart, strong and capable.  Add to that a finely crafted mystery, moments of truly intense action and danger, and SPY IN THE SADDLE qualifies as yet another wonderful romantic suspense literary escape.

Goodreads Link 

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THE REUNION - Mystere Parish: Family Inheritance Trilogy #3 (Harlequin Intrigue #1452) by Jana DeLeon

(I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for review consideration.)

Blurb:

An heiress comes home to terror in New York Times bestselling author Jana DeLeon's Mystere Parish: Family Inheritance miniseries.

Bodyguard to an heiress is Tyler Duhan's idea of hell. The steely, sexy ex-marine has heard—and dismissed—the gossip about the haunted old LeBeau mansion and its "cursed" heiresses. Now the middle sibling—headstrong Joelle—has arrived to comply with her mother's will and reunite with her long-lost sisters.

But no sooner does she move into the house, than Joelle falls prey to terrifying threats and mysterious visions. Tyler, though he's sworn off femme fatales, can't deny his feelings for the Creole beauty. Nor can he let passion distract him. Because falling for Joelle could be a fatal mistake—for them both.

Review:
What a satisfying end to this trilogy!  Jana has described her romantic suspense stories as Gothic-lite and it's the perfect description.  The Reunion is deliciously creepy and spooky, with an air of menace that nicely complements the sexy and intense attraction between Joelle and Tyler.  Tyler is the perfect addition as the third hero in the series for the middle LeBeau sister.  He's a hometown boy who's been away for years, and has returned a strong, scarred man to help is father.  But he never anticipated being asked to bodyguard the beautiful Joelle, and she doesn't need or want a prickly stranger near her 24/7 - even one as hunky as Tyler.
The ending had a surprise twist, especially after events of the first two books, but it was handled nicely and created a satisfying resolution.
If you love romantic suspense with a touch of the paranormal then pick up this trilogy - it's the perfect thing to read on a cool October night while safely tucked into bed!


Click to read my reviews The Accused and  The Betrayed , the first two books in the series.

Check out my reviews of Jana's Mystere Parish series The Reckoning, The Vanishing and The Awakening.

And find my other reviews of Jana DeLeon's book by clicking on her label to the right of this screen - I am such a fan of her writing.
The author's website is at http://janadeleon.com/.

Find The Reunion on Goodreads.