Category / Suspense

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Irreversible by Jennifer Hartmann & Chelley St. Clair

Format: E-Book
Read with: Kindle Oasis
Length: Novel
Genre: Romantic Suspense
POV: First Person, Multiple
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Isaac Porter
Heroine: Everly Cross
Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥
Published On: January 30, 2025
Started On: October 20, 2025
Finished On: October 30, 2025

Irreversible is one of those romances that refuses to fit into a neat box. Dark, disorienting, and relentlessly atmospheric, it drags you into its claustrophobic nightmare from the very first chapter and doesn’t loosen its grip until the final page.

Everly Cross’s life shatters in a single moment when her husband is gunned down in front of her and she herself is abducted by a monster who keeps his victims like collectibles. Locked away for years, Everly’s world shrinks to a cell, a wall, and the voices that comes and goes from he other side. When that voice belongs to Isaac Porter, a disgraced former detective whose obsessive hunt for his missing sister lands him in the same hell Everly occupies, things undergo a monumental shift. Two broken people, separated by concrete and circumstance, become anchored to each other in the darkness.

Isaac is the sort of morally damaged hero I gravitate toward: brash, volatile, wounded, and deeply human beneath those jagged edges. His childhood, marked by violence and neglect, has shaped him into someone who never believed himself worthy of love. Losing his sister pushed him the rest of the way into self-destruction.

Everly, meanwhile, is soft where Isaac is carved out of hard places; educated, sheltered, and gentle, finding herself suddenly thrust into a nightmare she was never built to survive. And yet she does. The strength she develops in captivity and the quiet resilience she carries long after her release form some of the most compelling threads in this novel.

The connection that forms between them, through a wall, shared trauma, and whispered truths and stolen moments is electric. This is not a romance built on grand gestures or tidy emotional arcs. Instead, it is a raw, primal tether forged under extreme pressure.

Once they escape captivity, the story shifts dramatically, exploring the messy aftermath of everything, the jarring return to a world that has moved on without Everly, and Isaac’s continued descent into vengeance. Their eventual reunion, years later, is explosive in every sense and exactly what I wanted; rage, longing, desire, and profound emotional recognition colliding in one unforgettable scene that will live rent-free in my head for a long time.

What I appreciated most was that the authors did not sand down Isaac’s edges or turn Everly into someone unrecognizable to make the romance “fit.” Isaac remains dangerous, volatile, intensely protective, and commitment phobic, a man shaped by his darkness rather than cured of it.

Everly evolves, but she never stops being gentle, empathetic, and soft-hearted. Their intimacy, especially the club scene, is a visceral, scorching culmination of pent-up need and suppressed emotion, but also a turning point that finally allows them to see each other clearly outside the shadows of their shared nightmare.

The villain is deeply unsettling, the timeline jumps are bold, and the twist woven into the ending unexpected and yet strangely fitting. I did find some of the dramatic reveals slightly over the top, but given the genre and tone, the heightened intensity works. What ultimately anchors the book is the emotional core; Isaac and Everly choosing each other not because they become whole, but because they recognize each other’s fractures and love in abundance in spite of it.

Recommended for: readers who love dark romance, morally grey heroes, trauma bonds that evolve into real connection, and stories that blend suspense with searing sensuality.

Final Verdict: Dark, claustrophobic, and scorching—Irreversible delivers a twisted and unforgettable romance between two broken souls who find salvation in each other amidst the most harrowing circumstances.

Favorite Quotes

I settle back against the wall, my hair a tangled curtain around my face. “Isaac…” I murmur. The name falls out effortlessly.
I like it.
His tone dips, veering into that place of vulnerability he loathes to idle in. “You don’t need to say it like that.”
“Like what?”
“All sweet and soft, like it’s your new favorite word.” There’s a notable edge to his tone, gravelly and raw.

Death is easier. Death is tangible.
Loose ends are just tragic, the threads dangling forever out of reach.

“How are you?”
“I’m okay. I took a shower. It was heavenly.”
A smile spreads. “I can imagine. You smell divine.”
“I’m sorry I stank yesterday. I’m sure you needed to take ten showers to eliminate the stench by association.”
“No. You smelled exactly like I remembered.”
God, I hope not. “Like what?”
He pauses, a flash of poignancy lighting up his eyes. “Home.”

When I glance out into the sea of lights and obscured faces…
I notice a man.
I notice a lot of men, but one stands out.
I’m not sure why he snags my attention as he stands off to the side, watching me dance. His arms are crossed, one hip parked against the wall a few feet away. Two long legs are tapered in dark denim, and a gunmetal-gray Henley looks like it’s glued onto him. Muscles bulge against the thin fabric, twitching in time with his stubbled jaw. The man exudes intensity. Something heady and almost…alarming.
I can’t see the color of his eyes through the strobe lights and a cloud of smoke, but I feel them dig into me like a pickaxe.
My breath hitches.
Gazes locked, I squeeze my breasts then drag my fingertips up my chest, my collarbone, and through my hair in an upward, sensual glide. I bite my lip as I stare at him.
He stares back, unflinching. Unblinking.

As I turn the corner, there’s a man leaning against the weathered brick, smoking a cigarette.
I falter.
Our eyes meet through the glow of an overhead streetlamp.
Slowing my steps, I squeeze my purse strap, glancing around at the still-lively street as cars whiz by and people gather in small groups.
My attention flicks back to the man.
The same man I noticed watching me.
He lowers the cigarette, blowing a plume of smoke up toward the sky before settling his dark eyes on me. He doesn’t speak.
“Hey. I saw you in the club.” I’m a few feet away, but I feel the heat emanating from him. Something potent.
I wait for his reply, for the sound of his voice, but his mouth snaps closed. Jaw tight, he just stares at me, wordless. A muscle in his cheek jumps as his eyes roll over me.
He’s incredibly attractive.
Stunning, even.
My skin prickles with goosebumps. I wonder if he heard me over the heavy bass seeping out through the main door. Chewing on my lip, I take a cautious step forward.
I clear my throat, peering down at my sneakers before glancing back up. “I’m Bee. Do you⁠—”
He turns and stalks away.

An image comes into view: two dark, stormy eyes attached to a familiar face, scruff along his jawline, and brown, disheveled hair.
His hand strokes my cheek.
Just a graze. A fleeting, tender touch.
The gesture douses me in warm tingly peace as I slowly twist my head to the side and blink up at him, knowing, believing, with every tortured piece of my soul⁠—
“Isaac,” I breathe out.
His expression changes. He glances around, face hardening as his jaw tics and his muscles clench. He straightens, then backs away gradually, like he doesn’t want to go. His finger curls around a lock of my hair before he releases me.
I watch him retreat.
“No…” Another wave of panic threatens, clogging my throat as I try to pull myself into a sitting position. “Come back…”
I struggle against the new hands that reach out, holding me down. Then I watch, helplessly—heartbreakingly—as he turns on his heel and bolts through the open door, the image of dark-wash jeans and two black boots disappearing from my periphery.

A hand curls around my neck as he bends down, his teeth nicking my jaw.
I shiver. Moan.
Bastard.
Regrouping quickly, I push at his chest again. “Get off me. I swear to God I’ll⁠—”
He snatches a fistful of my hair and tugs my head back, his lips a centimeter from mine. Then he growls out, the tips of our noses grazing, “What’s the matter, Chloe? I thought you liked it rough.”
My eyes widen.
Blood freezes.
Lips parting on a sharp exhale, I gape at him, my fingers twisting the front of his T-shirt. Confirmation glitters in his eyes. His words.
His voice.
Then he fucking smirks.

When the knock comes, it’s light-handed but resolute.
She came to me.
Allowing no time for hesitation, I move to the side, flip the lock, and pull the heavy door open with enough force that it slams into the wall. Before it can fall shut, I lash out like a viper, grip her wrist, and haul her inside. Her gasp lights my nerves like a fuse, and I release her into the room as the door closes, latching automatically.
The lion and his lone gazelle.
She’s all mine.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Heat by R. Lee Smith

Format: E-Book
Read with: Kindle Oasis
Length: Novel
Genre: Dark Romantasy
POV: Third Person, Multiple
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Tagen Pahnee
Heroine: Daria Cleavon
Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥
Published On: January 21, 2009
Started On: August 02, 2025
Finished On: August 08, 2025

“…You,” he said, lowering himself into the sofa cushions, “burn in my blood, Daria Cleavon. I will be ashes when I return. I will never be able to feel again.”

As is with every book that I have read by R. Lee Smith, writing a review proves to be a harder task than anything else. Heat is also the book that left me the most conflicted of her novels that I have read to-date, and yet, the story lives rent-free in my head, all 600-plus pages of it. When I finally reached the end, I found myself questioning everything I thought I understood about morality, about darkness and redemption, and about the fine, perilous line that separates them.

Set on Earth, and ravaged by a heat wave that triggers the alien Jotan breeding cycle, Heat weaves together two vastly different tales — one of savagery and one of unexpected humanity. On one side is Kanetus E’Var, the son of a ruthless slaver turned fugitive chemist, now hiding among humans and creating a drug derived from the human brain. On the other is Tagen Pahnee, a Jotan military officer sent to bring him to justice. In the suffocating grip of the heat, both men are consumed by need, one losing himself to depravity, the other battling to retain his soul.

Kane (Kanetus) is perhaps one of the most complex and disturbing characters R. Lee Smith has ever written. He is not a hero, not even an antihero in the traditional sense. He is a predator; methodical, intelligent, and terrifyingly self-aware. His relationship with Raven, the drug-addicted woman he takes as his possession, is abusive, exploitative, and utterly devoid of the boundaries that define love as we know it. Yet Smith forces us to look deeper, to see glimpses of vulnerability in Kane’s obsession, moments when his twisted affection surfaces in the smallest gestures. It does not redeem him, but it does make him unforgettable.

Raven’s arc, meanwhile, is a tragedy in slow motion. A survivor of addiction and neglect, she endures Kane’s brutality with a numb kind of resilience that breaks your heart. Her choices are born from a lifetime of abuse and deprivation, one that she actually chose for herself when she ran away from a loving home, and watching her transformation, from victim to something far more unpredictable was harrowing. By the end, she becomes as unfathomable as Kane himself, a testament to the way cruelty reshapes human nature. I was left reeling by her transformation, the insidious nature of which still stumps me. Tagen was perhaps the only individual who seemed immune to the victim complex that Raven was so adept at projecting, and I continue to question where exactly the transformation happened.

Tagen and Daria’s story, which unfolds parallel to Kane’s, is the light to that darkness. Tagen, honorable even in the face of his own loss of control, becomes the moral compass of the brutal assault that Earth subjects on his senses. His restraint even when it seems next to impossible, his gentleness, and the love that blossoms between him and Daria offer a desperately needed reprieve from the unrelenting darkness of Kane and Raven’s narrative. The juxtaposition of these two men — one capable of compassion, the other irredeemably monstrous, is what gives Heat its devastating impact.

Reading Heat felt like being torn apart and put back together, only to realize that some pieces don’t quite fit the same way anymore. It is graphic, violent, and profoundly unsettling. There were moments when I wanted to scrub my mind clean after what Kane does, particularly the scenes involving Raven and the mistress that Kane enlists along the way, but there were also moments of unexpected beauty, raw emotion, and philosophical depth that made it impossible to turn away.

What makes R. Lee Smith’s writing so exceptional is her refusal to sanitize darkness. She does not write for comfort, she writes to confront. Every moral dilemma, every discomforting act, forces you to examine the shades of grey that exists within all beings, human or otherwise. Kane’s monstrosity, Tagen’s decency, Raven’s survival, and Daria’s compassion all blend into a portrait of a world where right and wrong are luxuries few can afford.

Recommended for: readers who crave dark, brutal, and unapologetically complex sci-fi romance that tests emotional and moral limits.

Final Verdict: R. Lee Smith’s Heat is a brutal, unforgettable exploration of desire, morality, and survival. Devastatingly dark and impossible to forget.

Favorite Quotes

How easy it would be to take, he mused. To ease the stiffness from her small frame with his unrelenting touch. She would fold, he knew. She had resisted him in the kitchen, but she had clung to him in the end. It would be so now. He had only to fight her a little.
But he was tired of warfare. “I am male,” he reminded her, and stepped forward so that she could feel the proof for herself. “You are female. The females come to us. The females command. Command me, if you want me.”
Color flooded her cheeks and she cast her eyes about despairingly before meeting his gaze again. “I…Kiss me.”
It was a start.

Purchase Links: Amazon

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Redemption by Noelle Adams

Format: E-Book
Read with: Kindle Oasis
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
POV: First Person, FMC
Series: Worthings, #3
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Caleb Morrison
Heroine: Louisa Worthing
Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥
Published On: February 16, 2024
Started On: July 31, 2025
Finished On: July 31, 2025

Redemption by Noelle Adams tells the story of Louisa Worthing, who was once the quintessential rich girl spiraling through parties and bad decisions. Louisa has spent the past three years rebuilding her life in quiet anonymity. Sober and focused on her art, and learning what it means to live without chaos. But when a stalker who was focused on someone else in her family shifts focus to her, Louisa’s peace is shattered, and the man assigned to protect her is none other than Caleb, the ex-military bodyguard who has seen her at her worst.

Their shared history stretches back years. Becoming part of her life when she was merely sixteen years old, he was the one man she could not manipulate, the one who drew boundaries and held firm even when she tried every trick in her arsenal to test them. When trouble comes calling and Caleb is reassigned to protect her, Louisa is determined that this time around, she will redeem herself.

The chemistry between them is undeniable, but Adams writes it with restraint and emotional depth rather than dramatics. Louisa’s attraction to Caleb is not born of rebellion anymore, but rather rooted in understanding and a deep sense of yearning that goes beyond anything she has experience before.

Caleb, for his part, fights a losing battle against his feelings, torn between loyalty, morality, and the haunting awareness that he has always wanted her, regardless. Their romance builds slowly, with Louisa determined to take responsibility for her prior life and actions, and Caleb equally determined not to hold them against her.

What stood out most to me was the sensitivity with which Adams handles Louisa’s recovery. There’s no melodrama here, just the day-to-day honesty of a woman who knows that redemption is never a straight path. Louisa’s guilt over her past isn’t glossed over, and Caleb’s hesitancy feels both justified and also adds that delicious layer of angst to the story. Caleb low-key reminded me of Grant from Princess by Claire Kent, another pseudonym used by Noelle Adams. Their love unfolds with a kind of gentle realism that makes the eventual connection feel that much more worth it when all is said and done.

The only weak thread in an otherwise beautifully told story was the stalker subplot. It serves its purpose in bringing Caleb back into Louisa’s life, but it remains peripheral to the emotional core of the novel. The tension it introduces feels muted compared to the internal struggles both characters face. That said, it does not detract from what truly matters here; their journey toward forgiveness, both of each other and themselves.

Recommended for: readers who enjoy emotional, character-driven romances with age-gap and forbidden elements, and second chances built on quiet strength rather than grand gestures.

Final Verdict: Thoughtful and tender, Redemption is a novel that is quietly powerful and deeply human!

Favorite Quotes

This is different from the other night.
This wasn’t fumbling together in the dark.
This is real.
This is us.
All of us.
He knows me completely—everything I’ve ever done, everything I’ve ever been—and he still wants me.
Right now it feels like he always will.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Apple

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Unspeakable by Sandra Brown

Format: Paperback
Read with: Paperback
Length: Novel
Genre: Romantic Suspense
POV: Third Person, Multiple
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Hero: Jack Sawyer
Heroine: Anna Corbett
Sensuality: 🔥🔥
Published On: June 01, 1998
Started On: June 01, 2025
Finished On: July 19, 2025

Unspeakable by Sandra Brown bears all the hallmarks of a classic romantic suspense; an escaped convict, a haunted drifter, and a woman forced to fight for her life and her son’s future. But somehow, despite its atmospheric setup and high stakes, it never quite delivers the emotional punch I have come to expect from Sandra Brown as one of my favorite and go-to authors.

The story unfolds in Blewer County, Texas, where Carl Herbold, a convicted murderer and psychopath, breaks out of prison and begins a bloody journey home. At the same time, Anna Corbett, a deaf widow raising her young son on her father-in-law’s ranch, takes in Jack Sawyer, a mysterious drifter whose arrival coincides a little too neatly with the prison break. Jack is a man of few words and even fewer explanations, his past hinted at in fragments that suggest ties to both the escaped convicts and a twenty-year-old murder that still haunts the local sheriff.

Anna, meanwhile, is a character who could have been unforgettable. Her deafness gives her a distinctive presence, her world is drawn in sensory detail rather than sound, and the way she navigates both isolation and strength is portrayed with care. Yet, for all the potential in her story, the connection between her and Jack never deepens into the kind of visceral, magnetic bond that defines Sandra Brown’s best work. This is where the magic in characterization happens in her novels, where you see layers to the protagonists that come through in moments of stark revelations and deep passion that was missing from the story. Their interactions are too few, too fleeting, and too understated to build the tension or intimacy that her novels usually thrive on.

The suspense arc dominates the narrative. Brown skillfully crafts a grim picture of depravity through Carl and his brother Cecil, two men bound by blood and violence, and the side characters, particularly the aging and retired sheriff Ezzy, which adds emotional weight to the long-buried secrets that drive the story. Yet, by the final stretch, the violence and the darkness begin to overwhelm rather than serve the plot. The Herbold brothers are monstrous, but in a way that starts to feel senseless; they exist as embodiments of evil rather than as complex villains with understandable motives, and this flattening of their menace dilutes the impact.

Honestly, this was a disappointing Sandra Brown novel. While the villains were horrific, and the tone undeniably dark – two things that I actually love in romantic suspense, it all seemed strangely hollow when the dust settled. Not that one expects logic from criminals of this caliber, but there was little psychological nuance or purpose behind their actions.

Writing romantic suspense, as the genre indicates, is a balancing act. If you fail on one and over-deliver on the other, it is a failed attempt at best. This one seemed to fizzle on both counts, and that was what disappointed me the most. The romance fell flat beyond a few moments that sizzled and fizzled out. Normally, her books pulse with chemistry, the kind that builds quietly until it’s unbearable. Though there were flashes of poignancy and moments that reminded me of why I admire Brown’s storytelling, this one simply didn’t have the spark.

Recommended for: readers who enjoy dark, violent thrillers with a faint thread of romance and an eerie rural setting.

Final Verdict: Unspeakable is bleak, brutal, and atmospheric, but its heart never quite beats. A rare miss from Sandra Brown.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | eBooks | Apple

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Return to Mariposa by Anne Stuart

Format: E-Book
Read with: Kindle Oasis
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
POV: First Person, Single
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Impeccably Demure Press
Hero: Ian
Heroine: Katherine Mirabel Whitehead
Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥
Published On: May 02, 2024
Started On: May 13, 2024
Finished On: May 19, 2024

Anne Stuart delivers another darkly seductive tale in Return to Mariposa, steeped in gothic atmosphere, family intrigue, and the kind of dangerous romantic tension she is known for. Katherine Mirabel Whitehead (Kitty) returns to the ancestral home she was banished from, only to step into her glamorous cousin Bella’s life through a daring masquerade. What follows is a story of secrets, betrayals, and forbidden desire, set against the backdrop of Mariposa.

Kitty, as a heroine, is both compelling and exasperating. She is intelligent on paper, with a PhD in plant eugenics that the story itself wryly points out as fairly useless, but emotionally she is vulnerable, with a deep well of insecurity and lack of self-worth. This makes her ripe for manipulation by her cousin and far too easily dazzled by charming vipers in disguise. There are moments when she veers into “too-stupid-to-live” territory, giving herself away and stumbling headlong into danger, which was as frustrating as it was hilarious. But at the same time, those flaws are what makes her believable — she has been shaped by rejection and she has never learned to see her own worth.

Ian, by contrast, is pure Anne Stuart hero. Harsh, unreadable, disdainful, and yet undeniably magnetic, he embodies that dangerous allure that makes you both wary and desperate for more. There is history between him and Kitty, one that adds depth to their dynamic, and discovering those intricacies is half the fun of this novel. Watching Ian, so certain and contained, slowly crumble under the weight of desire for Kitty is what makes this romance crackle. It is to his credit that he saves her from herself time and again, even when she cannot see the vipers circling.

The suspense of who wants Kitty — or Bella — dead runs alongside the romance, giving the story its bite. But it is the chemistry between Kitty and Ian that steals the show. The sex scenes are scorching hot, some of the best Stuart has written in recent years, and they carry that perfect balance of danger and tenderness that defines her work.

What I loved here was how quintessentially Anne Stuart this novel felt — the manipulative family drama, the enigmatic hero who you cannot quite trust, the heroine you sometimes want to shake, and the sheer heat that explodes between them.

But I also have to admit that this is not the best of her works. The plot meanders at times, and Kitty’s lack of self-preservation instincts can test the your patience. Still, for all that, it is a worthy read — especially for those who, like me, have missed Stuart’s trademark blend of scorching sensuality and gothic romantic suspense. If there was one thing I missed, it was an epilogue to give a glimpse into the future of these characters after such intensity — but then again, withholding that comfort is also classic Stuart.

Recommended for: Readers who love gothic-tinged suspense, darkly enigmatic heroes, flawed but vulnerable heroines, and the unique alchemy that only Anne Stuart can deliver.

Final Verdict: A darkly seductive gothic romance, Return to Mariposa delivers family intrigue, a hero who smolders, and sex scenes that are vintage Anne Stuart at her best.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Out of Nowhere by Sandra Brown

Format: E-Book
Read with: Kindle Oasis
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
POV: Third Person, Dual
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Hero: Calder Hudson
Heroine: Elle Portman
Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥
Published On: August 01, 2023
Started On: October 14, 2023
Finished On: October 19, 2023

Sandra Brown once again proves her unparalleled prowess in creating heroines of class and sensuality, coupled with smoldering heroes that set the pages ablaze. Out of Nowhere, first published in August 2023, is a testament to Brown’s superiority in weaving a spellbinding tale of romantic suspense, with romance and suspense delivered in equally tantalizing doses.

Out of Nowhere thrusts readers into the lives of Calder Hudson and Elle Portman, whose paths intertwine under the most tragic of circumstances. A visit to a county fair ends in disaster, when Elle finds herself grieving for the loss of her two-year old son. Elle, a children’s book author who chose to be a single mother, faces the worst possible calamity that would befall any parent – the untimely demise of their children.

The shooting incident itself is a gripping brain twister, with Ms. Brown keeping the readers guessing until the very end. While little headway is made in identifying the shooter, there are elements at play that leaves a bad taste in Calder’s mouth; his worst fear being that somehow he is the reason behind the shocking and unfortunate deaths of so many people. This twist adds flair to the mystery elements that only an author like Ms. Brown can bring to her stories, and that remains one reason why I always come back for more where her books are concerned.

As things escalate on all fronts, Calder finds himself unable to turn away from Elle, the woman who makes him feel alive and also at peace at the same time. It takes an extraordinary writer to be able to juggle an atrocious event such as a mass shooting, with the heroine facing an immeasurable loss which also results in her coming face to face with the man who undoes her, a bond that is heartfelt and poignant at its very core.

The sensuality between Calder and Elle is once again, classic Ms. Brown. Elle, the beautifully tender and strong heroine who brings Calder to his very knees, and Calder who is just effortlessly carnal in ways that pushes all your buttons. With a searing touch here, and a scorching glance there, Ms. Brown is often able to bring to life imagery of the kind that even the most hardcore erotica is unable to pull off. The earthy sexuality that resonates through the pages warmed the heart of the romantic deep in me, while the killer who remained at large left chills creeping up and down my spine.

Needless to say, I loved everything about the novel, from Calder in whose past lies the key to mystery that unfolds in the story to Elle who was undoubtedly the star of the story. Readers won’t remain untouched by all that she is – good-hearted to the very core, resilient in a way few of us can only ever hope to be, and elegant without even trying to be.

Recommended for everyone who loves a good romantic suspense. There are few authors who can compete with Ms. Brown in pulling one off!

Final Verdict: Out of Nowhere is a compelling and emotionally charged romantic suspense with a masterfully executed whodunit plot, carving into stone Ms. Brown’s reputation as a master storyteller.

Favorite Quotes

He eased his mouth down to hers, giving her time to protest, praying she wouldn’t. He tried a different slant, and this time her lips were more pliant. Their tongues touched. When his slid into her mouth, she gave a purr of permission.
He lowered his hands from her face to her waist, drawing her against him as he had when he’d embraced her the night before. This time, however, as though her form had been sculptured onto him, adjustments were unnecessary. On contact, they fit together so familiarly and perfectly, they breathed sighs into each other’s mouths.
He deepened the kiss, slipped one hand under the roomy sweatshirt, and splayed it over her bottom, lifting her against him until he filled the notch of her thighs. Filled it well.

Under her baggy sweatshirt was skin like warm satin. A scanty, lacy, see-through bra. The stuff of wet dreams, but bothersome as hell when trying to get his mouth around her nipple, already raised.
He would have been fine with the couch, the wall, the floor, but, still glued together, they’d somehow stumbled their way into her bedroom.
Clothing had been an aggravation, but she did manage to wiggle out of her leggings and underwear. He’d unbuttoned his shirt but didn’t waste precious time taking it off. Within a second of levering himself above her, he’d gotten his belt unbuckled, his zipper down, his slacks shoved past his hips.
She’d been wet, but tight, and had felt so good when he’d pushed into her that he’d shuddered and said… something. Hadn’t he? Maybe.
He’d pressed into her until he couldn’t press any farther, then began thrusting. He’d braced himself on his hands, arms straight, back arched. Her hands clutching his ass insistently. It had been hard and fast and vigorous, breath-stealing and heart-pounding, and then they came.
Jesus, it had been amazing.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | eBooks | Apple

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Ghost Moon by Karen Robards

Format: E-Book
Read with: Kindle Paperwhite
Length: Novel
Genre: Western Historical
POV: Third Person, Dual
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Dell
Hero: Seth Archer
Heroine: Olivia Morrison
Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥
Published On: December 18, 2007
Started On: April 21, 2023
Finished On: May 20, 2023

He staged a predatory assault upon her senses, determined, ruthless, driven by a fierce passion that overwhelmed every inhibition she had ever had.

Karen Robards’ “Ghost Moon” is a suspenseful and emotionally charged novel that weaves together elements of romance, family secrets, and chilling mystery. The story begins with a haunting scene from 1969, where a young girl is murdered in her sleep, a girl who had been terrified of the monsters lurking in the shadows. This tragic event sets the stage for a tale that spans three decades, culminating in a gripping narrative of past and present that meshes well together.

26 year old Olivia Morrison, returns to her childhood home, LaAngelle Plantation, after a prolonged absence. As a single mother, Olivia brings her eight-year-old daughter, Sara, back to a place filled with painful memories and unresolved emotions. Once the glamorous and rebellious member of the prestigious Archer clan, Olivia has fallen on harder times and is barely making ends meet. Her return is anything but uneventful, as she is immediately confronted with family tensions, especially with 37 year old Seth Archer, her step cousin that she had faithfully followed around until things had gotten complicated between the two.

Olivia’s homecoming stirs up long-buried memories that haunts her, including the trauma of her mother’s death, and the family dynamics that left her feeling like an outsider. Her struggles to reconcile her past mistakes with her present, and forge newer bonds with the family that she had left behind, made me root for her wholeheartedly.

Meanwhile, the darker elements of the story continues, with chilling accounts beginning from 1979 of young girls kidnapped from their beds. These incidents, echoes eerie similarities to the murder that sets the opening stage of the novel, and brings to the story a different kind of tension that winds the reader up as the story progresses. The recurring theme of young girls fearing monsters in the shadows underscores the lurking danger which echoes patterns of parents being dismissive of their fears as mere fantasies until each and every one of them are taken, never to be found ever again.

Ms. Robards masterfully captures Olivia’s complex emotions as she navigates the memories of her mother’s mysterious death and her difficult past with Seth. The chemistry between Olivia and Seth is tangible, their shared history adding delicious nuances to the story which I reveled in. Seth, who once acted as a protective older brother, now finds himself battling his renewed attraction to Olivia, despite his engagement to another.

Obviously the one factor that I thoroughly loved was the friction between Olivia and Seth and the push and pull that draws them tighter together. There is no denying that both feel the same way about the other, and the delivery on that front I would have to say, was classic Ms. Robards, who does a mean job on the built-up sexual tension in her novels.

While Ghost Moon delivered a great story for the most part, I felt that it occasionally faltered in its pacing. I for one would have loved to learn more about the villain and their backstory, as they brought a facet to the story that kept me intrigued throughout. I am always keen on understanding well crafted villains, as much as I adore the main protagonists and want to know as much my heart desires about them. What makes the villain tick? What made them into who they are in the stories? What role did society play to create such monsters to begin with? I would have loved to learn more on that score.

Recommended for fans of romantic suspense, with a good dose of spicy romance on the side, along with the family theatrics that keeps the pages turning.

Final Verdict: Ghost Moon is a compelling read that blends romance and mystery with a Southern Gothic flair and an eerie undertone of lurking danger of the heart pounding variety.

Favorite Quotes

‘‘Seth,’’ she whispered, unable to help herself as her chin tilted up and her mouth moved infinitesimally closer to his.
‘‘Better?’’ he asked, and his voice was hoarse. His gaze slid from her eyes to her mouth and back.
Olivia nodded. Her breathing had quickened, and so, she saw, had his. From her shoulders down her body was so close to his that they were practically fused together. Some of it was her fault—she pressed against him like they were two halves of the same piece of Velcro.
But his arms were wrapped around her, too, and he wasn’t letting her go.

‘‘Jesus Christ, Olivia.’’ His voice was thick, hoarse, almost unrecognizable. This time he moved, pulling her up on tiptoe as his mouth came down on hers.
His mouth slanted across hers with fierce hunger. His tongue slid between her lips, touching hers, possessing her mouth. Olivia kissed him back just as fiercely, opening her mouth for his taking, possessing his in turn. She couldn’t get enough of him, just as he, it seemed, couldn’t get enough of her.

He took her fiercely, driving into her with an urgency that made her strain and buck and writhe in frenzied response. Her hips arched up off the bed to receive him. She shook, and clung, and at the end, when the firestorm took her, cried out his name.
‘‘Livvy,’’ he groaned in response, huge and hard and hot as he thrust into her trembling body. ‘‘Ah, Livvy.’’

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: My Killer Vacation by Tessa Bailey

Format: E-Book
Read with: Kindle Paperwhite
Length: Novel
Genre: Romantic Suspense
POV: First Person, Dual
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Myles Sumner
Heroine: Taylor Bassey
Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥
Published On: June 06, 2022
Started On: August 19, 2022
Finished On: August 19, 2022

Based on appearances alone, this man might have just walked out of a criminal underworld. If the permanent scowl on his face didn’t scream villain, then the long, unkempt hair and poorly scrawled tattoos do the trick, as do the scars on his knuckles and the side of his neck.

My Killer Vacation by Tessa Bailey is the kind of story that has you laughing one minute, swooning the next, and agonizing over what is coming, because you know that your heart is going to squeezed rather painfully and perhaps broken in a place or two before being fixed as the story plunges head on towards its climax.

Released in June of last year, though it has mystery-thriller elements as a major element of the story, this is still classic Ms. Bailey with the kind of characters that you root for, with the steam factor ramped up high! Told in the first person from the perspectives of both the hero, Myles Sumner, and the heroine, Taylor Bassey, the story begins with Taylor and her brother Jude traveling to a luxurious beach house for six days of vacation. Taylor, a second grade teacher who has always more or less being responsible for her younger brother by three years, has scrimped and saved through the years to finally go on her dream vacation.

However, all of that comes to a standstill when they discover a corpse in the rental house, and things certainly go awry, especially when the rough and tough looking Myles turns up in pursuit of the killer. Nothing prepares Taylor or Myles for the heat that they generate together even when Myles is being his obnoxious best, trying to keep Taylor at bay lest his control be tested.

Taylor however, is a woman on a mission, firstly to prove to herself (and perhaps her parents and brother) that she too has the bravery gene that runs through their family, and hunting for a killers seems like a fool-proof plan to prove that from where she stands. Gunning after Myles too falls into that category, because for the first time in her life Taylor feels as if she has met the type of man who would show her what she is missing, the type of man who would not be afraid to show her what it means to be handled with anything but kids gloves on in the bedroom, if only she could convince Myles of this sound plan as well.

For Myles who has done the marriage thing once and failed at it, knowing deep down that Taylor is the marrying kind means he plans on steering clear of her no matter how much she may tempt him otherwise, or how he knows deep in his soul that she is sort of, kind of, made for him. He also carries a wealth of guilt from his old job as a detective at Boston PD, and it has been three years since he has been making a living as a bounty hunter mainly just running from one location to the other to keep the pain and the memories that haunt at bay.

Taylor definitely wants what Myles can offer, but unless Myles is able to face the demons that plague him and comes to accept that he has what it takes to give someone precious like Taylor the ultimate happily ever after, there is no future for the two of them in the long run. The baggage which Myles carries and prevents him from seizing his own happiness plays its role in delivering the angst factor, which I loved!

I enjoyed this rom-com, mystery-suspense novel, so much so that I read this in one day, which is a rare happenstance nowadays. I loved both Taylor and Myles; Ms. Bailey can do no wrong in characterization and delivery of the steam factor, which was off the charts hot in this tight little number as well.

I was also intrigued by the side drama that was happening, which just leaves readers with tantalizing glimpses of Jude’s love-hate relationship with his best friend Dante, and Ms. Bailey announced this August that she would be releasing a novella with their story pretty soon, which I am pretty sure a lot of readers are anticipating.

The epilogue was in an essence the best thing about this novel. It gives you the laughter, heat, and swoons, all in one! Definitely recommended!

Final Verdict: She is a second grade teacher, the type you take home to meet your mother. He is a bounty hunter, rough around the edges and prefers solitariness. When these two collide, it is fireworks all the way through!

Favorite Quotes

It’s obvious that something happened. I took three wrong turns on the way home. I’ve been responding in one-word sentences, but now that I’ve processed—mostly—what happened, I need someone to confide in. “First there was some kissing.” No need to go into detail. I’m not even sure I could say what happened without sweating through my yoga pants, anyway. “Then we broke up even though we were never dating in the first place. We’ve been ending our non-existent relationship since we met, actually. It’s kind of our thing.”

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Whiteout by Adriana Anders

Format: E-Book
Read with: Kindle Paperwhite
Length: Novel
Genre: Romantic Suspense
POV: Third Person, Dual
Series: Survival Instincts, #1
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Hero: Dr. Ford Cooper
Heroine: Angel Smith
Sensuality: 4
Published On: January 28, 2020
Started On: February 18, 2022
Finished On: February 26, 2022

On the ice, in the antarctic cold, in the middle of freaking nowhere, his tongue showed her how dirty sex could be, his body made her take it, and that dark, raspy husk of a voice broke in to turn the whole thing up a million degrees.

Whiteout by Adriana Anders is the first book in the Survival Instincts series. I have come across this book multiple times since it was published in 2020. I am glad that I finally gave this book a chance because this tale was all consuming on so many levels, be it the suspense factor, the romance, or the breathtaking landscape upon which the story unfolds.

Whiteout takes place in the South Pole where a scientific expedition is ongoing and 31 year old Angel Smith comes in as a cook as part of summer crew. When the story begins, her period of stay is almost over, with her return journey just a day or two away. Angel had needed the remoteness of the location to heal from the wounds that she guards closely and even though she might yearn for a certain someone to look her way, she is done running after emotionally unavailable men. Her sunny disposition and vibrancy might fool everyone, but inside she is a woman who has lost a lot, but has not given up on the potential that life has to offer.

38 year old Dr. Ford Cooper is a scientist on the expedition, who does not like crowds nor too much interaction with the outside world. From the start, Angel rubs him the wrong way, his perception of her being that she is too loud, too enthusiastic, too everything, which annoys him to no end. He is a loner, which means the job at hand suits him perfectly. The fact that Cooper is looking forward to Angel’s departure from the station is indicative of just how aware he is of her presence even if he gives nothing away, even if he might never have exchanged more than a few syllables with her.

When things go awry on the day of the departure, and Angel witnesses the horrific barbarity of a group of individuals who are working towards their own goal which might end up putting the whole world at risk, it is only Cooper and Angel who are left to put piece it together and identify how to best thwart their attempts from coming to fruition.

And so begins their trek through the unforgiving, icy, and harsh terrain of the South Pole in winter, with. As these two fight for their survival and try to outsmart those in pursuit, the circumstances that brings them together forging a bond that is difficult to overlook. Hearts are thawed and healed, desire blooms, and love emerges into the light, willing to brave it out and provide warmth in the cold and hostile environment that seems all encompassing.

Whiteout was a truly phenomenal read in my opinion, up till its end, when the story ended on a weird cliffhanger that paves the way for the second installment in the series, with two different main protagonists, which is why I found it a tad odd. Ms, Anders could have given a more well rounded ending to Whiteout and still ensured that our interest in the series remained intact without giving us such an unexpected ending.

Even if the ending did get in the way of my enjoyment factor, I still loved a lot of things about this story. I loved the breathtaking landscape upon which the story unfolds, that was so vividly brought to light by Ms. Anders. The prose is as such that I felt like I was transported to the setting, where I was witness and party to all that was taking place.

The suspense factor was also well done, reminding me of movies of the same nature, where through large chunks of what unfolds you are left holding your breath, the wait and see factor not an easy one to get through, but definitely why such thrilling movies are so addictive. Whiteout was similar in many ways, and I loved every exhilarating bit of it.

That brings me to Dr. Cooper who demanded nothing less but total surrender of my heart, body, and soul. He is the kind of hero that many romance readers may not find affinity with, but I adored. He is the true definition of a hero who is a loner, who prefers his own company to everyone else’s, who grew up without much affection in his life, who is practical in his approach to life, and who believes that love has no place in his life under any set of conditions. He is as reluctant a hero you will find in a romance, and that is how I often like them.

I loved how sexy and commanding Cooper was, how readers could see and witness his “downfall” when it came to Angel, and how he tried so valiantly even towards the very end to put up a fight and resist what was inevitable. Cooper does not understand his worth, nor his appeal, and I think that was the charm to his character which might not be so obvious to most.

I also fell wholeheartedly for Angel – the things that she had gone through were harrowing not to say the least, and the damage that it had done to her self confidence as a woman is one that can be felt by the readers. But through it all there shines a light from within, where she the beauty of her soul is evident, and that is the ultimate reason why Cooper fell so hard as he did. Angel knows Cooper well, understands the nuances to his character, and yearns for him with every fiber of her existence. But the respect she shows to her own self by walking away from something destructive made me approve of her wholeheartedly, which also led to the ultimate scene of groveling which was satisfying on many levels.

Recommended for fans of romantic suspense. The push and pull factor between the main protagonists alone was enough to keep me hooked!

Final Verdict: Whiteout is the kind of novel that brings out the adventurer in you that you never knew existed. The excitement of the romance and suspense definitely keeps the pages turning!

Favorite Quotes

He went mindless the second his mouth met hers. No cognitive abilities, all nerves and need, this unbearable tightness in his chest, this raging fire in his limbs. He couldn’t slow down to save himself. His mouth wasn’t just on her; he was devouring, prying open, taking everything he could. As wild and out of control as this storm that was trying to end them.
So much softness, but he needed more. He wrapped his arms around her, drew her flush to him, pressed and pulled and lifted, while his mouth ate her up.

When he finally moved, it was a gentle dip, his nose to hers in an achingly slow exploration that shouldn’t have been provocative. She strained for his mouth, but he denied her.
Like a big cat toying with its prey, he stroked his cheek along hers, scruff to soft skin. Just that move made her choke back a moan. How would it be if they could take their clothes off? If skin touched all over?
Deliberately, gently, he ran his nose beneath her ear and a sound escaped him. A tiny, tight-lipped hiss that she’d never have caught if he weren’t so near.

And then, oh God, then he kept her pinned with his mouth, stilling her, while he finally stroked his hand, lazy as a lion basking in the sun, from her head to her neck, then down her side, bypassing the obvious draw of her breasts, to clamp her hip, holding it still when she hadn’t even realized she was fidgeting.
Owning her.
Slowly, as if he had all the time in the world, he shifted above her until she could feel every hard bit of him, put his mouth to hers, and took the kiss from her.

Recklessness edged under his skin. He pressed harder, more desperately, slid his fingers through her hair, tightened his hold.
The deep, consuming kiss, tongues tangling, pushed noises out of his mouth. Painful against his ruined trachea. There was so much to do. He needed to take stock and figure out how they’d live for over two weeks on less than one week of food, but hell, maybe he could live off of this. Off of her.
He barely noticed his erection at first. Then, like his body’d taken over his brain, he moved against her—a slow, rhythmic press of his pelvis to hers.

He lay behind her, utterly still. No arm around her. Just breathing, a little lighter than his usual deep, steady rhythm—faster, too, maybe.
Was he nervous? Or was she imagining it? Projecting, probably.
Her neck grew warm from his exhalations. Was he drawing closer? Was that…
Angel shuddered at the feel of his lips on her nape, and though she wanted to press back into him, she forced herself to wait instead. Let him give without pushing too hard in return. He liked giving, her lone wolf, needed to take the first step in his own good time.

“Can’t stop wanting you.”
“Why would you want to?” She swallowed, for the first time worried about what kind of terrible answer he might come up with.
Instead of something dire, he puffed out a laugh and rubbed his nose gently against her temple. “You mess with my self-control.” A pause and a shift and then his hand was on her hip, just resting there. Slowly, he stroked under her shirt, then up her waist, to where she was braless and more than ready. She gasped, he inhaled, the sounds harsh. “Afraid I’ll lose it.”

“You’re amazing.”
He frowned. Was she kidding? “What are you—”
“You were always such a detached jerk. On the outside.” When he opened his mouth to interrupt, she put a hand to his lips and stopped him. “But it was an act. I get that now.” Straining up, she put her lips to his and kissed him so tenderly he couldn’t hold himself up anymore. He sifted his fingers through her thick, soft hair and gave in. Gently at first, then deeper, their tongues playing, exploring, they finally learned each other’s faces in the murky light of this place. Their bodies did the same, shifting, sliding, pressing together. Skin to skin. Bliss.

Something snapped inside Ford. She watched him go from calculating, to a little lost, then finally a bit…feral.
The thing was, she really liked this animal part. Pounding into her, twisting her body, turning it, bending, pushing, all so he could get closer, deeper. Thrusting into her like he’d die if he didn’t.
And she felt it, too. She needed this thing. Passion, she’d call it, if it hadn’t felt more primal than that.

Each of his hard thrusts scooted the cot toward the metal wall, where it banged like thunder, causing cans and boxes to crash to the floor.
It was hilarious on one level. On another, when she looked him in the eye and he hit that high, bright place just right… No hilarity. Just frightening intensity and a deadly seriousness.
She let out a sound—weak and a little frantic.
He leaned down in response and kissed her again, slowed his movements, twisting his hips, so he got the spot every time and, rather than getting screams now, he forced her into one long, low moan of pleasure.

Around them lay the destruction of a room fucked to pieces, their stuff everywhere. Like a storm had come through.
Above her, Ford’s body heaved. Exhausted and probably overcome.
She wrapped around him and held on to him—this big, tender loner of a man. The man who’d saved her life more than once. Funny how somehow, suddenly, right this moment, she felt like he’d torn it all apart.

“Come here,” he mouthed, as he nudged her up and over him, so perfectly aligned that when she dropped her pelvis, she found him ready, right where she wanted.
Her eyes captured by his, she lowered her body as slowly as she could, needing to feel every second, every millimeter of this coming together. To hold on to, to remember, to unpack it later when she was gone and this man was just a memory carved out of the ice.

When he bent to meet her lush lips with a frantic kiss, it occurred to him that he’d sunk back into her siren’s pull. She was so precious beneath him, her eyes full of life and affection and a good dose of challenge.
I can take you on, the look said. I can turn you inside out and make you like it.
And it was true. The problem was that he didn’t know how he’d find himself again when this was all over.

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by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: The Night Blossoms by Leylah Attar

Format: E-Book
Read with: Kindle Paperwhite
Length: Novel
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: Untitled Series, #2
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Rafael Roza
Heroine: Vee Roza
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: July 28, 2022
Started On: July 14, 2022
Finished On: August 03, 2022

The Night Blossoms by Leylah Attar is a novel that is closely tied to The Paper Swan that was published in 2015. While The Paper Swan was dark, gritty, and breathtaking, The Night Blossoms, like its main male lead is a different ball game altogether, which was spellbinding in a totally different way.

When Vee Roza’s husband Rafael goes missing after a heated argument between the two, never does Vee think that this would in fact be the pivotal event which brings the secrets that she hides to the forefront, test her to her very limits of endurance, and in the end show to the readers the strength of her character.

I went in expecting the kind of immersive experience that was The Paper Swan. Don’t get me wrong; this book was engrossing in the way Ms. Attar unfolded the layers to her characters and revealed all that was simmering underneath. While I would have loved for more darkness in the story, I did enjoy the tumultuous journey that was the Rozas’ before and even after they said their I do’s.

With The Night Blossoms, Ms. Attar shows to readers what resilience really means when it comes to relationships, especially after marriage. Vee and Rafael do not find each other under the most heartwarming circumstances; they both lead equally tough lives, especially during their most formative years. One would think that they would catch a break, but turns out, life wants to test their love to a point where most of us would just probably give up and walk away.

I loved Rafael – his character was one that shone through in many ways. Ms. Attar explores a fascinating trait in Rafael, something which I do not want to particularly reveal in my review. Understanding what it means to live with that sort of “gift” perhaps, is something beyond my capacity as I cannot imagine the impact something like that would have on one’s physical and mental well-being.

Rafael’s smartness is what got me – when he started talking about concepts of physics, I wanted to be sitting in his class, soaking all of it in. We would all be so lucky to have educators who are as enthusiastic as Rafael is when it comes to imparting knowledge that is akin to a gift given for life.

Vee’s character was a tougher nut to crack for various reasons, and I think Ms. Attar wanted it that way. Even when the story is told from Vee’s point of view, there is always a part of herself that she keeps in the shadows, as if penetrating her secrets would threaten her very existence. Her fears and insecurities were all too real and I felt them, which attests to the brilliance that is behind Ms. Attar’s writing.

Recommended for readers who love romantic suspense. You will have to read The Paper Swan first to have an appreciation for the characters, and if you like myself love dark romances, The Paper Swan is definitely a treat!

Final Verdict: The Night Blossoms is tale that captivates the reader on multiple fronts, of love of the kind that prevails and grows in strength through the worst life has to offer.

Favorite Quotes

“Yvette? Did you hear what I s—”
Her kiss was breathless. Clasping her fingers behind his neck, she drew him close. The air expelled from Rafael’s lungs. He angled his mouth to taste her. His lips trailed to her throat, to the pulse under her skin. A wild surge of pleasure gripped him when her hand slipped under his waistband and untucked his shirt.

“Don’t fall in love. Not with me.”
“Why not? You’re smart and strong and determined. You can do anything you set your mind to.” He stroked her hair. “Why do you hate yourself so?”
Slipping out of reach, she gathered the blanket to her chest and sat. “You will too, when I tell you the truth.”
“Fine. Let’s have it.” He grinned.
Bit by bit, she revealed the details.
Bit by bit, Rafael’s world careened out of orbit.
Everything shifted. Everything changed.
By the time Yvette was done, nothing was the same again.

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