Stone of Doubt by Margaret Izard

 Don’t ever doubt yourselves or waste of second of your life. It’s too short and you’re too special…

 About the Book: Newly graduated from the Edinburgh College of Performing Arts, Evie MacDougall has one goal: to capture a ghost on film. And maybe for learn what happened to Aodhan, the Fae Boy she once loved. He left her at a difficult time; the door feels left ajar. If only once could she see him again. . . to know why he never came back to her.

          On her journey Evie encounters many people, places and things to help her not waste a second of her life. She learns she is too special.

 Our Review: Long time fans of the Stones of Iona series will easily fall into the pace and story line of this series, rediscovering much loved characters and brought up to date for what’s “going on” with members of the clan MacDougall. New-comers will not be lost on the history of the Stones as author Margaret Izard cleverly slips in clues along the way to let them know they are not lost between the realms of Fae and humans. Another winner!

 Based on a scale of 1-5, Stone of Doubt merits a 5.

   Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

 

 

 

 

Chosen, by Toni V. Sweeney

Lifelong enemies vie for the love of a woman who is the key to unlocking the door to the Dark World. . .

About the Book: In the waters off the coast of Georgia, a sleeping behemoth is chained to the ocean floor. On Land’s End Island, off that same coast, a true believer struggles to open the doorway, bringing unknown gods back to this dimension. When a motor vehicle accident kills Robin Chambers, bringing his widow, Lisa, under the care of Dr. Daniel Walker, the stage is set.

          Lifelong enemies, the physician and the master of Land’s End Island, become rivals for Lisa Chambers’ body as well as her love—for she and her unborn child are the key to opening the door to the Dark World.

Our Review: The reader is immediately drawn into this fast-paced paranormal thriller. As Lisa struggles to recover not only from her multiple injuries but her memory of events surrounding the accident that caused her husband’s death, something else, something vivid and evil lurks in the background. Discovering the who—but more important the why keeps the pages turning.

Based on a scale of 1-5, Chosen merits a 5.

 Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

 

 

 

  

Scandalous in Huntington Beach by Melody DeBlois

              Sparks fly when a feminist and a politician inherit a rundown B&B . . . and a baby.

About the Book:  California senate hopeful Bennett Browning knows nothing about babies. When his former girlfriend dies and leaves him with the daughter he knew nothing about, he’s left scrambling until he meets Emma Kuan, his daughter’s aunt, who volunteers to be the baby’s nanny.

Emma is used to keeping secrets. She and her sister always hid their tragic past, but she’s stunned to learn her sister hid the baby even from her. After meeting the infant who steals her heart, she’ll do anything to be with her, even living with a stranger.

Worried about a potential scandal, Bennett and Emma juggle jobs and living arrangements with parenting. Then a doctor delivers bad news about the baby—forcing them to make drastic changes in their priorities.

Our Review: The author paints a complex, vivid picture of two people from diverse backgrounds who come together in order to save an orphaned infant from the foster care system. Over the course of raising that child, a new relationship is born. Just as it begins to thrive, the ultimate blow hits—forcing them to reexamine the direction of their lives. On the surface, this is a heart breaker. Underneath it all is the long-lasting effects of abuse, neglect, substance abuse and mental illness on those who survived—and those who did not.

On a scale of 1-5, Scandalous in Huntington Beach merits a 4.

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

This Wicked City by Michael Walsh

              About the Book: Crime and corruption are rising in Ocean Park, a tired factory town in northern Massachusetts. The police and fire departments are no help—they're staging a work slowdown to protest a pay freeze caused by city budget cuts.

Police Detective Matt Conley is disgusted with the dereliction of duty, and when tasked with solving the murder of a young Haitian immigrant, he infuriates the force by teaming with the victim's friend Emmanuel to find the killer. They encounter an enterprising family of Voudou worshipers, a ruthless real estate magnate, and a clever, love-struck arsonist in their search for justice.

 

Our Review: In this fast-paced contemporary whodunit, the author paints a vivid picture of a city in crisis, struggling to reclaim its former identity. Among the chaos are law enforcement and fire fighters, some who have lost their way along with their city—while others who stand for what is right, working overtime to do the right thing. Fans of police procedurals will love This Wicked City while waiting for the next in this fascinating series.

 

Based on a scale of 1-5, This Wicked City merits a 5.

 

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

Return to Victoria Island by Karen Andover

        Trust is Everything.

About the Book:  When hardworking accountant Ava Morrison is passed over for her dream promotion, she is disappointed. But when her employer gives her two weeks to sign a high-value client or be fired, she is devastated. Then she is reminded of the annual boat show on Victoria Island, a picturesque vacation haven off Florida’s northeast coast and realizes it would be a good place to recruit wealthy businesspeople.

Because someone is stealing from property developer Jack Rutledge, he needs the help of a discreet accountant. He asks Ava to audit his company books; in return he will introduce her to potential clients. Soon, things turn dangerous. As the partnership becomes more personal, it could add up to love—or prove to be a fatal miscalculation.

 

Our Review: In the first pages of this short romantic suspense, heroine Ava describes her situation as “an out-of-control roller coaster”, thus setting the pace. To the credit of the author, the hits just keep on coming. Drawn in from page one where the jist of the story is spelled out in a clear, concise manner, the pages will keep on turning, first to identify who is stealing from handsome, enigmatic Jack, second to learn who is threatening Ava, and third the why of it all. Author Andover has created a beauty of a story. We wonder what she’ll do with the next in this series.

 

Based on a scale of 1-5, Return to Victoria Island merits a 6.

 

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

The Bangers Tavern Romances by Sadira Stone

 Come to Bangers Tavern, where everybody knows your name—and helps promote romance when it’s least expected.

About the Books:

Christmas Rekindled features two Scrooges who collide under the mistletoe, only to discover their kisses are too hot to handle. Home for the holidays, Charlie resumes her old job at Bangers and locks horns with the hunky, hostile bartender. But when greedy developers threaten their bar, River and Charlie must team up to save it.

 Opposites Ignite in a mismatch that sparks the hottest flames. Budding tattoo artist Rosie is too smart to fall for her shy, uptight coworker at Bangers Tavern. But his sweet kisses disarm her defenses—just when she needs them most. 

 Delicious Heat shows off Cupid’s lousy timing. Bangers’ chef Diego falls hard for frazzled nurse Anna who is pregnant with her ex’s child. How can he convince her—and interfering families on both sides—that he’s in it for keeps?

 Sweet Slow Sizzle—where loving someone means risking the only family you have left. Bouncer Jojo yearns for sassy server Lana, but she’s too busy parenting her orphaned brothers. When teenage shenanigans spin out of control, Jojo may be the only one who can save their fragile family.

 Cupid’s Silver Spark: where Cupid’s misfire could cost one woman everything. At Bangers Valentine’s Bash, Carla meets a swoonworthy silver fox. Could a no-strings fling be the remedy for her tattered heart? He suave, attentive, and oh so tempting, but his real estate firm has the hots for her building. To keep her business, Carla must dare to trust the enemy.

 Our Review: The Bangers Tavern set offers 5 steamy rom coms made up of chosen families, diverse characters, inventive cocktails and unforgettable holidays celebrations which come together to save a neighborhood institution. Grins and giggles—of which there are many, come often, and are incredibly deep—are on the house.

Over the last few years, we greatly enjoyed coming to know the individual characters in this series. Having them under one cover keeps them all together—and a prime spot on our Keeper Shelf.

 On a scale of 1-5, the Bangers Tavern Romance Box Set merits an 8.

 Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

Prickly Poppy by Kara O'Neal

 About the Book: Hazel Rutherford hires Kit Kirby, a saloon owner and  hell raiser whom all the women—except Hazel—swoon over, to escort her back to Brownwood, Texas to protect her while she rescues her young cousin from a manipulative villain. He calls her prudish. She calls him irresponsible. He calls her prickly. She calls him a conceited hell trap.

          There is no way she’ll make it to Brownwood with her sanity intact. But when Kit changes the game by kissing her, she’ll be lucky if she gets through this ordeal still owning her heart.

 Our Review: Author O’Neal clearly save the best for last in this series. Gut-wrenching moments of fear and ‘what-ifs’ plague Hazel as every mile brings her and Kit closer to their destination. Interspersed with the persistent sense of failure is the acutely written, spot-on dialogue which is good for more than one laugh-out-loud moment. Kit is the picture of the Old West hero while Hazel, the Prickly Poppy, is the woman we all should strive to become.

 Based on a scale of 1-5, Prickly Poppy merits a 7.

   Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

 

 

 

 

Evil Alice and the Borzoi by DK Coutant

 About the Book:  The paradise of Hawaii’s Big Island is shaken after the body of a young woman is found on a university research vessel during a class outing in Hilo Bay. Psychology professor Cleo Cooper is devastated to learn one of her favorite students knew the girl and is under suspicion for the murder. Danger lurks both on land and the sea for Cleo as she and her friends search for the killer.

          In between paddling, swimming and arguing with her significant other, Cleo discovers all is not what it seems on the Big Island—and she must unravel the truth before she becomes the next victim.

 Our Review: Author Coutant uses her inherent knowledge and experience of the Hawaiian Islands to her advantage when she created this intriguing story of mystery and suspense. Readers will dive into this one for its subtle flavors of the customs, practices and native patois unique to the area. Additionally, her seemingly innate talent at creating suspense is unmatched. We look forward to the next Cleo Cooper mystery.

 Based on a scale of 1-5, Evil Alice and the Borzoi merits a 5.

 Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

The Wrath of Monsters

 Allison Lee and her friends must save the world without becoming the monsters they battle.

About the Book: Allison hoped her life would be free of torment after escaping the faeries. No sooner than she and her friends return home, the government imprisons Bria and Haji on an isolated military base where scientists experiment on them. Allison’s plan to rescue them backfires after she reveals Bria’s location to the faeries who then mount a raid to capture the faery child. With Bria’s blood, they will be able to create more enthralled super magicians to wage war against humanity.

            The attack on the military base is just the beginning. After an electromagnetic pulse knocks out the power for the entire west coast of the United States, it becomes clear more powerful foes than the faeries are invading Earth. Allison and her friends, who know well the dangers involved, have their work cut out for them in order to save the world they know.

Our Review: Faithful fans of the Allison Lee Chronicles will take this latest edition to the series and tuck it on their Books to be Treasured shelf. Despite a somewhat stilted beginning, newcomers to this series will be taken by Allison for her spirit, guts and devotion to her friends, as well as her determination to do the right thing. The action is non-stop; the dialogue is crisp and clear; the price to be paid is enormous. Do Not Miss this one.  

Based on a scale of 1-5, The Wrath of Monsters merits a 5.

 Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

The Birthright of Ezekiel Wilson

 About the Book: At twenty-one, Ezekiel Wilson is a man, grown up after hightailing it to Texas at the age of fifteen. He’s a valuable ranch hand, is prone to fisticuffs and brawling, although he doesn’t drink hard liquor. He has a fondness for saloon girls—until he meets a feisty Irish girl, Katie O’Neill, the sister of a cowboy he hires during a cattle drive. Katie is a healer, and although she lives with her aunt, who keeps a boarding house in Laredo, she soon comes to the ranch.

Before Zeke is able to properly court her, he suffers serious injuries and must be nursed back to health. Youngest of the five Wilson brothers, Ezekiel longs to become a family man, although he misses his mother and brother back in Kentucky. When the Wilsons become owners of the Double Deuce Ranch, Zeke realizes his family and the love they share are his birthright. With Katie at his side, he decides he can face anything.

Our Review: There are many fine points to be found inside this book; the author’s sense of family—of the blood or of the heart—is likely the strongest point of all. The love and respect forged by the Wilson men for their women and each other speaks volumes for author Sontheimer Murphy’s ability to tell a compelling story.

Based on a scale of 1-5, The Birthright of Ezekial Wilson merits a 5.

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews