The things a gumshoe does to pay the rent.
The closer he gets to finding
the soul of Eve's wife, the more Talon's life may be on the line as he learns
that there is more to his client than an angry woman. When his investigation
leads him into hell, Talon has an epiphany: if he's going to free Eve's wife,
he has to uncover her true identity.
“I do not want to go meekly to my fate”—Rosalee Thompson
About the Book:
Adopted as a tiny girl straight off the orphan train, Rosalee Thompson has
always been pampered by her wealthy parents. Now a young woman, she chafes at
the restrictive bonds of the ribbons and ruffles, chosen for her by an
over-protective mother. When the choices made for her include a prospective
husband, she becomes a runaway bride.
Matthew Speedwell has a
past he’d rather keep hidden and ideas for a future he’s not sure he can
achieve. The last thing he expects is to be made part of a reluctant bride’s
snowy escape. He believes he’s not good enough for Rosalee, but his heart has
ideas of its own. As, so it seems, does Miss Rosalee.
Our Review: And so
concludes this compelling American Historical series. After disembarking the
Orphan Train, four of the five orphans suffered untold abuse and neglect while Rosalee
was pampered, petted and above all—wanted. Desperately as it turns out. Rosalee
knows that; she reminds herself of the facts every day of her life. Imagine her
guilt and self-derision each time she encountered one of “the others” in the
small town of Clabbers Mills.
To find herself, in truth to
save herself, she does the only thing she feels possible—she runs. Straight
into Matthew Speedwell who, in his own way, shows her things she never felt
possible. Along with the new new chances come risks—ones which Rosalee learns
to face on her own.
Based on a scale of 1-5, Slow Train to Nowhere: Rosalee merits
a 7.
Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews
If she fails to fight back, all she ever could want will be lost forever.
Keaton
is a something of a mystery to all. A bachelor who is successful, chivalrous,
he keeps the ladies guessing. And Adeline is falling for him. She cannot fall
for him. She cannot stay in Houston, surrounded at every turn by her
past mistakes.
But
there are more dangers lurking—beyond the fear of losing her heart. Adeline
must learn to fight back—or everything she would ever want could be lost
forever.
The line between good and bad is dangerously blurred after an FBI informant is tasked with infiltrating a dangerous Mafia crew. But when the mob boss turns out to be a woman, he’s forced to question who the real bad guy is.
About the Book: Luke Daniels has done his fair share of bad things. But when
the FBI offers
him a deal in exchange for infiltrating the local
Mafia’s infamous Costa Crew, Luke has no choice
but to accept the challenge.
Beautiful, smart and tough,
Sophia Costa wants out of the Crew. Appointed boss by her brother after he’s sent to
prison, she
wants no part in the murder, deceit and secrecy typical of Mafia life. Just as things heat
up between Luke and Sophia, a mysterious hitman targets
Sophia,
and Luke’s handler starts to wonder if Luke is up for the task.
As the lovers face the possibility of losing everything in order to be
together, and the lines between loyalty and betrayal blur.
Our Review: With its fast pace and crisp dialogue, Bad Guy is the next must read for devotees of mob-themed fiction. The characters jump off the page with their logical and relatable goals and conflicts. An added plus is when the lines between who is truly good and who is truly bad keep the reader’s attention until the very end. Putting the roses on this particular cake is the snazzy cover art. Well done all the way around!
Based on a scale of 1-5, Bad Guy merits a 6.
Will
finding out about their pasts bring two people together—or tear an entire world
apart?
About the Book: Even in outer space there are dictators. Eiko, a crystal hunter for the Masaaki people, escapes marriage to a man she reviles. Forced to flee, she mourns the loss of her fiancé Hopper who disappeared thirteen years ago.
Hopper's
life is torn apart when he is kidnapped. His mind and body abused--leaving him
with no memory of the past. Now, as captain of the ship Amaya, he finds
information about the woman who haunts his dreams.
Trapped
and injured, Eiko is startled to find Hopper is not dead. His attempt to save
her is derailed when some of the same forces who put his kidnapping into place
abduct Eiko. Can Hopper, with Amaya, his living ship, their friends and the
Blessed Three bring down a dictatorship or die taking a stand for honor, and
right?
Our Review: There is no limit to the cast of characters, both primary and secondary, in this energetic and inventive story. Eiko, a woman of values and honor, will let nothing stop her from discovering the true fate of her beloved Hopper. Akino, aka Hopper, brutally injured and without much of his memory, is haunted by an unknown woman named Eiko. Regardless, he is a captain of high renown, with skills and intuition which place him above his peers. That his crew, both human and sentient, demonstrate their devotion Hopper every day in every way, speaks volumes for his character. Fans of this genre will take Found Among the Stars and keep it in their hearts.
Based on a scale of 1-5, Found Among the Stars merits a 4.
Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews
What must he surrender in exchange for love?
About the Book: Milo Digsby
remembers life before he rode the orphan train to Clabber Mills, Indiana,
including the farm back in England where his father worked so hard. He’s always
done his best to get along, but now as a grown man he’s being asked to give up
the one thing he won’t: his name.
Jessica Downing is the new
schoolteacher in Clabber Mills, though she prefers her ancestral vocation of
fortuneteller and witch. Milo stirs her instincts and her desire. But before
she can belong to him, this man so often denied his liberty must have the
chance to choose his future, even if it doesn’t include the gift of her heart.
Our Review: While all of the
books in this marvelous series are clear examples of what is known as “character
arcs”, Slow Train to Nowhere: Milo is clearly the strongest to date. Having
buried all of his emotions under a flannel shirt, Milo ‘Digger’ Digsby makes a
life for himself—dismal as it is—even when his dreams are thwarted at every
turn. The hubris demonstrated by the citizens of Clabbers Mills knows no
bounds, each day inventing new reasons to drive Milo, and other survivors of
the Orphan Train, from their tight-knit puritanical community, simply
because they can.
Readers would be wise to remember this
important adage: If we forget the past, we are doomed to repeat it.
Will they finally put an end to his sadistic reign of terror?
On the day of their daughter’s birth, Jessica and Jon learn David is
alive and plans to come after them again. Running with a newborn daughter and a
nine-year-old son isn’t an option. Instead, they fortify their homestead with a
sophisticated security system and prepare to make a final stand.
Despite being surrounded by allies, Jessica struggles to care for her
newborn under the strain of their living situation. Alone in the night, she
sees and hears things the cameras don’t capture. She questions her sanity but
refuses to break, determined to protect her family from the monster of her
nightmares—David.
David can’t forgive Jessica, and he can’t move on. Instead, time fuels
his obsessive need for revenge. With a new identity and a surgically altered
face, they’ll never see him coming.
Our Review: The author is adept at keeping the action at a non-stop pace. As well, the sharp, well written suspense keeps the reader glued to the page. The characters, everyday people with whom readers will quickly identify, keep the emotional quotient at warp speed. Fans of psychological thrillers will love Fatal Stand. It’s a winner.
Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women
Reviews
To find her happiness, first she must believe.
About Slow Train to Nowhere: Jenny
Jenny Withers has never asked for much. Following a
tragic childhood in England, she arrived in America only to be sent west on the
orphan train and passed from one caregiver to another. Now grown and widowed,
she might build a fulfilling future, but only if she finds the courage to stand
up for her true desires.
Robert MacKenna hopes what Jenny desires is him. A man
with a broken past and a restless spirit, he has trouble settling at anything.
He’s never met a woman like Jenny, and he’ll move heaven and earth to be with
her. But his toughest task may be convincing her he can provide the love for
which she’s always yearned.
Our Review: Several
things stand out with any story written by Laura Strickland. Among them is the attention
to historical fact, particularly the fine details of customs and mores, as well
as phrases commonly used, which took us, unwillingly, back to our youth. As
with all the Slow Train stories, it is Strickland’s ability to show
emotions of the lead and secondary characters which elevates her skill as a
writer above others in this genre.
Based on a scale of 1-5, Slow
Train to Nowhere: Jenny merits a 7.
Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews
A salute to those who are good at small talk. . . and those who are masters at avoiding it.
Ewan
Judge, while capable, smart and frustratingly handsome, has needled and teased
Annalee through the years but somehow, she must learn to get along with him, annoyingly,
the best cowboy in Texas. So, she accepts the challenge and finds herself in
the midst of more than one enemy.
Miss Green Eyes portends a terrific Wildflowers of Texas series and
we cannot wait for the next edition.
Only through hope can one find true love.
About the Book: In an unexpected twist of fate, USAF officer Dominic DeVolt looks into the Eye of Ra and is shown the beauty of Egyptologist Moira White. While trying to save his niece and nephew from evil Fae powers, he’s sucked into the past and dumped in the middle of Moira’s dig near the ruins of Tanis.
Moira
fears the attractive man who literally fell at her feet in the middle of her dig,
with two teenagers in tow, might be partnering with her arch-nemesis. That is
until the bold Special Ops pilot distracts her with a kiss. His duty as an uncle
tugs her heart, but is he only after her precious artifacts?
After
working together to survive, Dom will fight any number of mystic forces to be
with her—and Moira will do anything for his love.
Our Review: It
is always a treat to read one of Margaret Izard’s stories because we are
assured we’ll learn valuable history lessons of a country or culture. In Stone
of Hope it’s ancient and present Egypt—and what a history it is. In the
late 1930s, looting of ancient tombs has gone international as well as lethal. Because
of the times, women are considered less than, mainly due to rigid gender roles.
Once Dom shows Moira a different kind of consideration all bets are off
and she evolves from a shy, science nerd into a graceful, desirable woman. This
is an adventure to enjoy and cherish.
Based on a scale
of 1-5, Stone of Hope merits a 7.
Kat Henry Doran,
Wild Women Reviews
No Good Deed…goes unpunished.
Kiya James’ relocation to idyllic Riverton Colorado is
disrupted when she discovers a critically wounded man lying in a field near her
home. Little did she know that her selfless act to save the man’s life would
thrust her into a world of corruption, greed, and danger. As the only witness
to the initial attack, and shaken by an attempt on her own life, Kiya is
offered refuge with the victim’s family. Together, they struggle to uncover the
circumstances that would trigger an unknown assailant to unleash a string of
deadly attacks in an otherwise quiet rural ranching community.
Jake McCleary’s world could have been destroyed with a
single bullet if it hadn’t been for the quick actions of a stranger. Now, in a
desperate attempt to protect her, and his entire family, Jake must fight to
defend his home, livelihood, and the woman who was rapidly capturing his heart,
against the vicious actions of a criminal that will stop at absolutely nothing
to get what he wants. But will they find the answers they need in time, or will
they lose everything to the conceit of a madman?
And will the bond between his wounded brother and the woman that saved him prove to be too big of an obstacle for Jake to overcome in the pursuit for Kiya’s love?
Our Review: A simple morning ride on horseback sets off a series of events spiced with intrigue, danger, and newfound love. No Good Deed is a story of family, that of the heart as well as by blood. It is also the story of a loner who discovers the roots she’s always longed for—because of one selfless act. Suspense and action are non-stop, lending the reader to believe—make that hope—that this is the beginning of an intriguing series featuring the McClearys and their extended ‘family’. Do not miss this one. It’s a beauty.
Four former jurors, once at odds, reluctantly join forces to track down a serial killer. They answered the call of duty. Now, someone wants them dead.
Harold Ashman’s house is almost
destroyed by a careless driver. Exotic dancer CeeCee Laine discovers her
boyfriend has been two-timing her—and she no longer has a job. Actor Alex Manning
watches his career—stalled by the prolonged trial—go down the tubes and
72-year-old, Helen Ryder learns her family is plotting to have her declared incompetent.
Things only get worse when other
jurors start dropping like flies. Convinced there’s a killer on the loose, the
feuding foursome must find him before he does them in—or before they save him the trouble and murder each
other.
Five children from the orphan train. Can the eldest protect the rest?
About Slow Train to Nowhere: Sean
When Sean Hussey returns
to the town where he lived as a boy, it’s with revenge on his mind. He’s made a
success of himself out west and intends to get even with the farmer under whose
thumb he once suffered. He’ll show mercy only to the others who shared his fate
in days gone by, especially sweet Jenny whose memory he still cherishes.
Sarah Rupert hasn’t had
it easy growing up as a girl from the orphan train, and as a survivor of
shocking abuse. Since the death of her husband, she’s had to support her young
son by dubious means. When Sean Hussey comes back into her life it’s a miracle,
because he’s the boy she always wanted for her own. Trouble is, Sean just may
be in love with another woman.
Our Review:
For those of us who earned our spurs under the rigors of human service
advocacy, this heart-rending tale begins with a chilling flashback: “ . . .
[the five children] all shared one thing: the shocked wide-eyed stare of a calf
being led to slaughter. . .”
Slow Train to Nowhere: Sean is
not a story for the faint-hearted. It is, however, a roadmap for the present
day because things never change—only the perpetrators—be them The Service for
Unwanted Children to the human traffickers of Southern Florida, the warlords of
East Africa who ‘employ’ child soldiers’ for their own means, or the oligarchs
of the modern Soviet Union. No matter the century or continent, victims of
brutality all carry that same wide-eyed stare. We see them every day whether we
recognize them or not.
Laura
Strickland’s courage for showcasing what happened in the past will affect
victim-survivors in their later years is sensitive and proverbial. Sean’s story
is remarkable for his resilience; Sarah in her own way is even more
resilient—for she refuses to give up. One finds themselves rooting for these
two, as well as the other orphans, to the very last page.
Based on a scale of 1-5, Slow Train to Nowhere:
Sean merits a 6.
Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews
