It's book 2 in the Secret and Shadows romantic suspense series Secrets and Shadows and it can be read as a standalone though since there quite a few characters involved, it would be better to start from the beginning with book 1, Deeper Than Need.

This books was not what I expected initially - it was an intense, complicated, painful, heart-breaking story with focus is more on the suspense/crime aspect than on the romance. It's a very character driven story which explores the aftermath of some terrible crimes and their effect on everybody in the small town when abominable things have been happening for far too many years now. (A note of warning: the story involved the worst possible child abuse and though there are no graphic scenes, the violence and pain are tangibly present in the story and they do make one heavy reading at times).

I liked how Ms Walker didn't shy away from discussing the consequences of all this violence on everybody involved directly or indirectly. The main characters, Adam and Lana, are both rich and well-developed characters, and their romance is very passionate and turbulent. They come together after she had been missing for 20 years and there are a lot of issues to be cleared between them. They have to deal with the pain from their past and it involves a lot of guilt and regret. At the same time the story is action packed, all of the characters are trying to move forward with their lives

There is depth to the story which I especially liked. Nothing is simple, the reality is not sugarcoated and that makes it all the more thrilling to read. There a numbers of twists and turns in the story that kept me feverishly turning the pages. Even though Lana and Adam are at the center of the plot, we also see a lot of Noah (the hero in book 1), the hero in the next book (I'll keep his identity a secret to avoid a major spoiler) is also prominent here, as well as a number of secondary characters. They move the suspense forward but I felt that their plot lines were sometimes distracting me from the main couple. 

The ending is the Happy For Now type and the main mystery plot remains unresolved. The healing the characters need to get has started but there is a long way to go before a true HEA is achieved.

I liked the writing and the story is very engaging, yet I had one major issue with this book and it's that the plot is too messy. There are too many POV introduced and it's difficult to keep track of who is speaking.

Despite its rather dark subject, this story is also about justice, hope and redemption and I can recommend it to all fans of great romantic suspense intriguing mystery and flawed, yet strong and complex characters.

Now, I'll be going back to read book 1 as soon as possible while waiting for David's story in book 3, Darker Than Desire, which is to be released in March 2015.

Purchase links: 

Amazon | BN | IndieBound | Book Depository | iBooks

Title: No Limits (Ultimate #1)
Author: Lori Foster
Date of publication: 26Aug 2014
Genre: Romantic suspense, Fighters

Author's links:
Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

My rating: 3 stars




A surprise inheritance reunites a mixed martial arts fighter with the woman he's never forgotten in the first in a smoldering new series from New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster… 

Cannon Colter is quintessential hero material: chiseled jawline, shredded body—the works. He's also the guy who rescued Yvette Sweeny from kidnappers, only to put an end to her romantic dreams. These days, she's older, smarter, determined to face whatever life throws her way. Even the prospect of sharing a house and business with Cannon. 

Cannon knew Yvette wanted him three years ago. But she was young—and some things are worth waiting for. Thrown together by her grandfather's legacy, he realizes how deep Yvette's scars really go, and how much danger lurks in their quiet town. As pent-up desire explodes between them, protecting her becomes the only fight that matters. And he'll break all the rules to do it…

This is the first full-length novel in a new series, spin-off of Love Undercover series. There as a prequel novella, Hard Knocks, which sets the stage for the future novels, though No Limits can be read as a standalone. Still, I'd recommend to read Dash of Peril (Love Undercover #4) where we meet the hero and heroine for the first time.

I enjoyed a lot in this MMA fighter romance, especially the hero, Cannon and his fighter friends. My rating would have been higher but there was some plot weaknesses, some slut shaming and I disliked the heroine, Yvette, most the time.

We meet Yvette and Cannon in Dash of Peril (Love Undercover #4), we see her as a love struck teenager/young girl and he rescues her is some rather dangerous situation. After one hot kiss they go on their separate ways only to meet three years later back in their hometown.

I loved Cannon a lot, he was the perfect hero - honest, hot, kind, the neighborhood vigilante. All the women were falling for him which I didn't particularly like since they were portrayed as too pushy and somewhat slutty and the same time he was judging them for being easy. Still, he was kind and patient with Yvette and he was amazing with his friends.

Yvette was his opposite in many ways - shy, trying to stay in the background. Initially, I sympathized with her because of the violence she had suffered but her drama dragged on too much and was annoying. Yvette's hang-up (in terms of a sexual relationship) didn't seemed believable and was resolved all to easily.She kept wanting to come off as independent, strong, yet she was whiny, childish, immature. She was always pushing everyone away when in reality she needed their support.

Cannon was open and honest about his feelings for her being more than his need to protect her and take care of her, yet she continued to question his motifs. Yvette easily believed what other women said about him over his honest declarations and actions.

I very much enjoyed Cannon's interaction with the other fighters, especially Armie. I quite liked him and I literally can't wait to read his book. There was a great sense of brotherhood among the fighters - they were all fun and carefree, yet also loyal and reliable.

The final 10% of the story was action-packed but the resolutions of some of the conflicts were too quick and simplistic.

The story ends with the expected happy end, yet it was not completely satisfactory. I would have liked to see more of Yvette and Cannon together, being open and honest, not playing games or keeping secrets.

Even though I was slightly disappointed with this story and I'm intrigued about the rest of the characters and will be reading their stories when they come out. Armie is a particular favourite of mine - he is a bad boy with a good heart and a lot of baggage and getting his nice girl should be quite an adventure.

Website / Twitter / Tumblr  /Goodreads

My rating: 5 Stars - Recommended Read

It's been a while since I've done a Teaser Tuesday post but I'm back in the game today. I'm sharing an excerpt from Lay It Down by Cara McKenna. It's a contemporary romantic suspense and I absolutely loved. It releases on today, 5 Aug. I'll be posting my review later this week.

Lay It Down

(Desert Dogs #1) 

Synopsis

Backbreaking days, wild nights, and the hard hum of steel between your thighs...

That’s a life well lived, according to the Desert Dogs—four friends who call Fortuity, Nevada, their badlands home.

Vince Grossier is the self-crowned outlaw king around here. But when Fortuity’s slick new mayor invites a casino development to town, greed isn’t far behind—and it claims Vince’s good friend as its first casualty. With the law turning a blind eye to the mysterious death, Vince must seek his own brand of justice. The pretty photographer hired by the developers might be the key to uncovering the truth. And she’s a temptation too good to pass up.

Finally free of a controlling ex, Kim Paget’s not looking to be taken for a ride—not on the back of some tattooed roughneck’s bike and definitelynot in his bed. But when she uncovers evidence supporting Vince’s suspicions of murder, Kim must entrust her safety to a man whose body threatens danger of a whole different kind.

 

Power. Brute strength. Unforgettable moves. It’s no wonder Harper Gates hasn’t been able to get her fling with Gage “Savage” Ringer out of her head. Months have passed since she laid eyes—or any other body parts—on him. Months without a word of contact… until, sidelined by injury, he comes back to town.

Staying focused on his training seemed like a smart move to Gage, even if he thought about Harper every day. Seeing her again only makes it clear how much is at stake. He’s got one night to earn back her trust. One night to show her that behind his breathtaking skill and ripped body is a man who’ll give her everything she needs.

This is a short novella introducing us to the world of the fighters who will be featured in Ultimate, the new series by Lori Foster. 

It was sweet, light read about Cage and Harper finally coming together and admitting their feelings. Cage was not your typical bad boy fighter, all cocky and self-confident. He was a bit shy, keeping his feelings (for Harper and in general) to himself. His insecurities and his attempts to mentally sort through his relationship with Harper made him seem real and easy to relate to which made me really like him.

Harper was pretty great herself. She was determined to act on her attraction to Cage, to make the first step, even if she was by nature more reserved and has always been too much of Ms Goody two shoes to act naughty. Like Cage, all her behaviour made her seem genuine and very likable. She had an easy friendship with the other fighters and devoted time to help in the gym. Her attitude towards Cage was nothing simple - she loved him, yet she was afraid he might not share her feelings, she wanted to be with him, yet she was worried of being a burden for him in his professional development as a fighter.

These two good people were in love with each other but they needed some help to get together and naturally, the rest of the fighters were only to happy to step in. The easy camaraderie among the guys in the gym and their good-natured ribbing of Cage and Harper and especially, the priceless advice of Armie (I'm already looking forward to his story) was fun to read. 

Are you a Dirty Angel? Spread the word about Karina's latest release using the hashtags

#JaviersDirtyAngels #AreYouADirtyAngel #CartelQueens

Title: Dirty Angels (Dirty Angels Trilogy #1)

Author: Karina Halle

Genre: Dark Romantic Suspense

Release Date: June 15, 2014

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CA

Synopsis

For Luisa Chavez, a twenty-three year old former beauty queen, a better life has always been just out of her reach. Sure, she’s had men at her feet since she was a young teenager but she’s never had the one thing she’s craved – security. Having grown up in near poverty, her waitressing job in Cabo San Lucas can barely let her take care of herself, let alone her ailing parents. Every day is another unwanted advance, every day is a struggle to survive.

When Salvador Reyes, the depraved leader of a major Mexican cartel, takes an interest in her, Luisa is presented with an opportunity she can’t afford to pass up. She’ll become Salvador’s wife and exchange her freedom and body for a life of riches – riches she can bestow upon her deserving parents. But Luisa quickly finds out that even the finest wines and jewels can’t undo the ugliness in her marriage, nor the never-ending violence that threatens her every move.

Soon, Luisa is looking for an escape, a way out of the carefully controlled life she’s leading. She finally gets her wish in the worst way possible.

As it is, being the wife of Salvador makes her an ideal target for rival cartels and there’s one particular man who needs Luisa as part of his cartel’s expansion. One particular man whose quest for power has destroyed lives, slit throats and gotten him out of an American prison. One particular man who will stop at nothing until he gets what he wants.

That man is Javier Bernal. And he wants Luisa. He wants to take her, keep her, ruin her.

Unless she ruins him first.

*** *** ***

Excerpt

(unedited, subject to change before publication)

It was a picture of a woman in white strapless wedding dress, very fluffy and extravagant from the waist down. Her hands were clasped demurely at her front, her face caught in a nervous smile. 

She was extremely beautiful but that was to be expected. The country’s most flagrant excuse for a drug kingpin would never marry anyone less than stunning and this woman, Luisa, fit the bill. But despite her body, with her round, perky tits and elegant neck, her long dark hair and classic face, there was another layer to her that immediately got me hard. It was this look in her eyes. They were so pure and soft, giving her radiance that seemed to leap off the page. 

I wanted nothing more than to have her on her knees, have her fix those round, angelic eyes on me and watch as I pin her down and come right into them. I would take her purity and make her see the world for what it really was – a hot, sticky mess at the end of my dick. 

“I bet she’d be a tight little fuck,” Este leered over my shoulder. 

I shot him a disgusted look. “She’s not a whore, Este,” I chided him. 

“Not to you,” he said, as I looked at the next picture of her, now with Salvador at her side. 

“I mean it,” I said, my eyes drawn to her again and again. “No one is touching her. Not you, not Franco.” 

“I give you my promise,” Este said. “But Franco can barely control himself around the whores.” 

“No one is touching her,” I repeated. “She will be our hostage. She is collateral. No one is laying a hand on her.” 

“Except for you, I assume.” 

She almost seemed too good to even touch. I couldn’t wait to break her. “She is very valuable,” I admitted. 

I flipped through a couple of more photographs and grew harder at each one. I wished Este would just fucking leave so I could deal with it. I almost wished Laura was still alive so I could flip her over and come all over her back. I never fucked the women around here, but that didn’t mean I didn’t use them when I needed to. 

“You know,” Este said, his lazy voice starting to grate me. “If Martin had been there close enough to spy on them, close enough to photograph, why didn’t you just get him to put a bullet in Salvador’s head? Especially if Martin was going to die anyway.” 

I eyed him warily, disappointed that he could be so rash. “Because life is a game and we’re all just trading cards. We play the right hand to get ahead.” I studied the smiling, ignorant face of Sal as he stared at his bride. “Death stops the game. It’s too final, too inflexible. Death is viciously stubborn.” 

When Este didn’t say anything I looked up to see a dull gleam in his eyes. I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose, annoyed at his ineptitude. “What good would killing Salvador do? Right? David Guirez or whoever, anyone, someone, they would step in and take over faster than you can shit after your coffee and nothing will have changed. Look at Travis Raines. The moment he died, I was able to slither on through to the top, to right here, right now.” 

“Only because you killed Travis,” he noted. “More or less.” 

“We killed Travis,” I corrected him. “Anyway, the point is that the dead make lousy deals. If we want the shipping lane, we have to force him to give it to us. Killing him does nothing. Taking his new bride, now that will do something.” 

“You sound so sure,” Este said walking around the desk. 

“I have no reason not to be sure,” I said. “They are newlyweds. He needs her, he wants her. We will get her soon, before he gets bored of her cherry ass. Sal has pride. We all do. It is our weakness. I know that enough about myself to know it about others.” 

He smoothed his hand over the stubble on his chin and gave me a smooth nod. “All right.” 

I stared at a photo of them at the altar, a lavish outdoor ceremony. He was gazing at her with that pride I was talking about. And she was staring at him with a look that was all too familiar to me. 

“She doesn’t love him, though,” I commented, almost to myself. 

“How can you tell?” he said, taking a step closer and peering at the photos again. 

I swallowed uneasily and then shrugged it off. “I just can. She doesn’t.” 

“So is she marrying him for money then?” 

I took the papers and sorted them until they were neat and evenly stacked before slipping them back into the envelope. “Probably. Does it matter?” 

“No. So when do we act?” 

“Soon,” I said, putting the envelope in the first drawer. I knew I’d be taking it out again after he left.

  *** *** ***

About the Author

With her USA Today Bestselling The Artists Trilogy published by Grand Central Publishing, numerous foreign publication deals, and self-publishing success with her Experiment in Terror series, Vancouver-born Karina Halle is a true example of the term “Hybrid Author.” Though her books showcase her love of all things dark, sexy and edgy, she’s a closet romantic at heart and strives to give her characters a HEA…whenever possible. Karina holds a screenwriting degree from Vancouver Film School and a Bachelor of Journalism from TRU. Her travel writing, music reviews/interviews and photography have appeared in publications such as Consequence of Sound, Mxdwn and GoNomad Travel Guides. She currently lives on an island on the coast of British Columbia where she’s preparing for the zombie apocalypse with her husband and rescue pup.

Facebook | Goodreads | Karina‘s Website | Twitter | Amazon Author Page | EIT Website

 

Title: Move the Sun (Signal Bend #1)
Author: Susan Fanetti
Date of publication: 4 Dec 2013
Genre/themes: Romance, Bikers
Author's links:
Website / Goodreads

My rating: 4 stars

The biker books are really popular at the moment and it feels like a new one is published everyday. I've only read, Motorcycle Man by Kristen Ashley and it's one of my favourite books of hers.

After reading some great reviews of Ms Fanetti's book and decided to give it try and I'm more than happy I did. It can definitely rival Motorcycle Man in my affection, though the writing style of the two books is completely different.

Move the Sun is more than just a biker romance. It's a vividly told story of love and trust, honor and justice. It has a strong Sons of Anarchy and Justified vibe, and since I'm a fan of both TV series, I liked it a lot.

On the surface it is just another biker book - there is violence and illegal activities, sexy bad boys and easy women and ultimately true love. What makes this story stand apart are the well developed main characters, especially the heroine. Lilli is not your typical good girl falling for the bad boy biker. She isn't your typical bad girl, either. She is an ex-soldier, strong and smart, completely alone after losing her family, but she is comfortable in her skin and she knows what she wants and  doesn't hesitate to goes after it.

Issac is more predictable than her -  president of an MC club, de facto leader and protector of his city. He has a softer side, though - he cares for his people, his town and comes to care most of all for Lilli. He is no stranger to violence and his adherence to the principle of the end justifies the means, didn't sit very well with me.

They are a perfect match - strong, challenging each other but accepting the other with his/her baggage and issues. I think that they really formed a strong relationship, by overcoming issues of trust and choosing to be together against all odds.

I liked how the author created the perfect atmosphere of a dying small rural town. In succinct and a bit melancholic style Ms Fanetti  manages to build the right settings for her story to develop - the town, the crafts fair, the Horde MC - they all had a character of their own.

The story flows very well, the writing is smooth and engaging. I liked how the plot is developed through flashbacks to Lilli's past. There was a good mix of romance (hot love scenea where the sex was on the rough side) and suspense. I found a minor loophole in the plotline of Lilli's mission but it didn't bother me too much.

Technically the book doesn't end with a cliffhanger in terms of Isaac and Lilli's relationship. Still, the whole story works as a build up for a certain conflict and it's all left to play out in the next book in the series, where Issac and Lilli are again the main characters.

I generally think this is a great biker story that got me deeply invested in the characters, despite the questionable morality of some of their actions. I will be continuing with the next book, Behold the Stars, as soon as possible. 

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Here are the rules:

• Grab your current read 

• Open to a random page 

• Share two (2) or a few more “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page 

• Be careful not the include spoilers!

This my 50th Teaser Tuesday and I just want to share with you how much fun I have with this meme! I've come across some great new books, discovered some interesting blogs and made new friends by joining in the Teaser Tuesday book meme!

Today's teaser comes from Love Irresistibly by Julies James. It's the fourth book in her FBI/US Attorney romantic suspense series. The next book, It Happened One Wedding, is coming out in May 2014.

Because to get in with a woman like Brooke, he would need to let her in, too. And that was something her ... just didn't do. Wasn't sure he knew how to do, even if he wanted to.

A former football star and one of Chicago’s top prosecutors, Assistant U.S. Attorney Cade Morgan will do anything to nail a corrupt state senator, which means he needs Brooke Parker’s help. As general counsel for a restaurant company, she can get a bug to the senator’s table at one of her five-star restaurants so the FBI can eavesdrop on him. All Cade has to do is convince Brooke to cooperate—and he’s not afraid to use a little charm, or the power of his office, to do just that.

A savvy businesswoman, Brooke knows she needs to play ball with the U.S. Attorney’s office—even if it means working with Cade. No doubt there’s a sizzling attraction beneath all their sarcastic quips, but Brooke is determined to keep things casual. Cade agrees—until a surprising turn of events throws his life into turmoil, and he realizes that he wants more than just a good time from the one woman with whom he could fall terrifyingly, irresistibly in love . . .

Title: Dash of Peril (Love Undercover #4) 

Author: Lori Foster
Date of publication: 25 March 2014
Genre: Romantic suspense

Author's links:
Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

My rating: 4 stars

A no-nonsense female cop reluctantly teams up with the one man who makes her lose control in a deliciously sensual new novel from New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster... 

To bring down a sleazy abduction ring, Lieutenant Margaret "Margo" Peterson has set herself up as bait. But recruiting Dashiel Riske as her unofficial partner is a whole other kind of danger. Dash is 6'4" of laid-back masculine charm, a man who loves life—and women—to the limit. Until Margo is threatened, and he reveals a dark side that may just match her own.

Beneath Margo's tough facade is a slow-burning sexiness that drives Dash crazy. The only way to finish this case is to work together side by side…skin to skin. And as their mission takes a lethal turn, he'll have to prove he's all the man she needs—in all the ways that matter.

Review 

This is my first book by Lori Foster and I really enjoyed it. It's the fourth book in the Love Undercover series and tells the story of Lieutenant Margaret Peterson and Dashiel Riske who is Logan's (Run the Risk) brother. The book can be read as a standalone as it focuses on the new couple though most of the characters from the previous books have significant roles here as well. 

The story has a strong suspense element which at times overtakes the romance completely. It worked well for me since it gave more background to the relationship between Dash and Margo. It showed their story as part of the bigger picture which is nice since often in romance novels the whole focus is on the couple and the characters are presented as living in their own bubble, detached from everybody and everything else. I'm really glad this was not the case here and we got much more than the love story of two complex and intriguing people.

The novel explores the journey of Margo to finding and accepting love in her life. She undergoes a gradual transition from the cold-hearted professional police officer everybody sees in her to embracing her softer feminine side. She had tried to hide it believing it was wrong to show weakness and the need for care and love. It was Dash's gentle, yet persistent loving and caring and supporting that made her feel comfortable enough with it to let herself show it more often.

Dash was the perfect man - caring and considerate, yet sure of himself, confident and determined in his desires. He knew from the start what his feelings for Margo were and what she needed from him. He was very open about his feeling and went after what he wanted with singular focus and determination. In a way he was just too perfect - always knew and did the right thing, never experienced any doubt and uncertainty. As attractive confidence was,  real people have their weak moments, they experience insecurities and indecision and he lacked any of it. 

For all her faults Margo felt so much more real. Her struggles with her desire, self-image, family expectations and upbringing were very realistic and they were convincingly portrayed. She was a complex character with strengths and weakness. She made mistakes but she had the strength to try and change things. Margo's family background and her professional standing made it difficult for her to find happiness or to be herself in her personal life.

I liked how patient Dash was with her. I loved that he respected her professionalism, and admired  her for it. She was feminine and gentle with him but she was strong and commanding as a lieutenant.

My main concern with this book was the Dom/sub element thrown in the story. It felt just like the words were spoken but the actions of the characters didn't really back them up. Both Margo and Dash enjoyed taking control and giving it up in their relationship. She liked to let him lead in the bedroom and he enjoyed being in control there. At times though, it was her who took the initiative and he relished all control to her.

The suspense/crime plot line was also well developed though it was a bit predictable. It was focused on the issue of violence against women and how it affects them. The supporting characters, Cannon and Yvette's family had a strong role there. 

I enjoyed this book a lot and would recommend it to readers who enjoy romantic suspense with strong complex characters. I hope that the next book will be about Cannon, whom I grew to like a lot and I'd love to read his story. 

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Here are the rules:

• Grab your current read 

• Open to a random page 

• Share two (2) or a few more “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page 

• Be careful not the include spoilers!

My teaser comes from Dash of Peril by Lori Foster. This hot romantic suspense is book 4 in Love Undercover series and my first book by Ms Foster. I finished it last week and really enjoyed it. I'll be reviewing it on the blog later this week. The book releases on March 25.

I'll be posting two teasers again - the first is from her POV and the second from his.

She would solve this case - or maybe irrevocably lose her heart to Dashiel Riske. 

Either way it went, it would be on her terms. 

Pacing didn't help much, but he did it anyway. He needed this current situation resolved, so that he could concentrate solely on loving her - and getting her to love him in return.

Dash of Peril - Lori Foster

Synopsis

A no-nonsense female cop reluctantly teams up with the one man who makes her lose control in a deliciously sensual new novel from New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster... 

To bring down a sleazy abduction ring, Lieutenant Margaret "Margo" Peterson has set herself up as bait. But recruiting Dashiel Riske as her unofficial partner is a whole other kind of danger. Dash is 6'4" of laid-back masculine charm, a man who loves life—and women—to the limit. Until Margo is threatened, and he reveals a dark side that may just match her own.

Beneath Margo's tough facade is a slow-burning sexiness that drives Dash crazy. The only way to finish this case is to work together side by side…skin to skin. And as their mission takes a lethal turn, he'll have to prove he's all the man she needs—in all the ways that matter.

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Here are the rules:

• Grab your current read 

• Open to a random page 

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page 

• Be careful not the include spoilers! 

• Share the title & author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers. 

I have modified them slightly for my Teasers. It will not be two sentences from a random page but two, usually more, sentences from the pages I have read so far that have struck me as most interesting, original or that I just happen to like a lot.

Otherwise Occupied - Shay Savage 

• Grab your current read 

• Open to a random page 

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page 

• Be careful not the include spoilers! 

I have modified them slightly for my Teasers. It will not be two sentences from a random page but two, usually more, sentences from the pages I have read so far that have struck me as most interesting, original or that I just happen to like a lot.

Here is the teaser:

Sempre (Forever Series #1) - J. M. Darhower

My friend Lexie over at Fastidious reader started an ARC Challenge 2013 together with Deniz from Closet Geeks and Slow Mo. The challenge is pretty simple - read and review at least one, if possible two ARCs a week and it goes on till the end of this year. Since I am literally swamped with ARCs some of which I requested rather foolishly, I decided to join them.

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Here are the rules: 

• Grab your current read 

• Open to a random page 

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page 

• Be careful not the include spoilers! 

• Share the title & author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers. 

I have modified them slightly for my Teasers. It will not be two sentences from a random page but two, usually more, sentences from the pages I have read so far that have struck me as most interesting, original or that I just happen to like a lot.

My teaser this week comes from The Way Home by Cindy Gerard. It is a romantic suspense novel I read last week and I absolutely loved it (my review). It a very emotional story of love and lost and it is just beautifully told. I have chose a passage towards the end of the which in my opinion reveals perfectly the intensity of the story and author's writing style. I hope it is not too spoilerish since the things in it are already included in the blurb. If this teaser made curious about the book, it released tomorrow, Oct 29.

"She was married to a man who didn't remember her.

She was in love with a man she needed to forget.

She felt confused and guilty on both counts. But there was only one thing she could do right now.

On a deep breath, she gathered herself, then made the longest walk of her life."

The Way Home - Cindy Gerard

Goodreads blurb

Four years ago Jess Albert got the news that her husband Jeff was killed in action in Afghanistan, and a painful void entered her life. The more time passed, the more acutely she felt that emptiness. But when Tyler Brown, former military hero and all-around alpha male, shows up a year after she’d last seen him, Jess gradually begins to realize there is one thing that can make her feel whole again—love.

As they’re planning their wedding and new life together, Jess receives shocking news: her husband is alive, under the care of a young Afghani woman hiding him from the Taliban. Even as he sees their happily-ever-after slip away, Ty arranges for the One Eyed Jacks and Black Ops, Inc. teams to make a daring and dangerous rescue mission to bring Jeff home. The hardest thing Ty or Jess has ever done is to let the other go.

When Jeff returns to Jess, broken physically and emotionally and with no memory of their history, they try to heal their marriage and each other. But as time brings them together more as friends than lovers, an unexpected development helps them see the true way home, to the people they love.

Title: The Way Home (One-Eyed Jacks #2)

Author: Cindy Gerard
Date of publication: 29 October 2013
Genre: Romantic suspense / Military

Author's links: Website / Blog / Goodreads

My rating: 5 Stars



I was provided with an ARC by the publisher via Netgalley.

There are two main plot lines in this book - Jess and Ty's relationship on the one hand and the story of Jeff (Jess's husband, presumably killed in action in Afghanistan) and Rabia, the Muslin woman who saved him. These stories develop parallel to one another and even though they are told from the POV of the four characters, the narrative flows very smoothly.

The four character have unique and strong voices each telling his/her story in a deeply engaging and moving way.  

I really liked both couples, though naturally, I have my favourites. I liked Jess and understood her difficulty to move on after losing hers husband and especially her reluctance to get involved with another (ex)-military man. Yet, Ty was no Jeff. His perseverance, his openness and ultimately his love won Jess over. Out of this couple I found Ty far more appealing. He was the ultimate alpha male military man - honourable, loyal, protective and at the same time patient with Jess, giving her time and space to make her own choices. She came out as a it passive in their relationship, it was Ty was doing all the giving, taking steps towards their common future and she just allowed him to love her and take care of her.

Ty and Jess may be the central couple in this book, at least on first glance, but it was Jeff and Rabia who stole my heart and took my breath way. I felt very deeply for their suffering and all the pain they had to go through. Jeff's struggles initially just to to survive and then to regain what he had lost (his memory, his past, his physical and mental health) were presented with great sympathy and compassion and I found his story absolutely riveting.

Rabia, the Muslim woman who became his saviour both literally and figuratively was also a well developed strong character. There was some politics involved around her but they were in no way intrusive and just completed her character without taking away the romance of the story.

Initially my heart broke for Jeff and Rabia when he first remembered the attack on him, then when he was finally rescued and returned home, Jess's attempts to restore their previous life brought tears to my eyes. 

I loved the romance in this book, but the suspense element also worked well for me. I liked that it didn't overshadow the love story but complemented it perfectly showing the strength and honour of all the military men involved. 

Overall, it is both a heart-breaking and a heart-warming story beautifully told. It focuses on all the important things in life - love, honour, loyalty, family. And the ending provides the perfect HEA for everyone.

PS: Now I need too go back and read Mike's story asap. I just can't help it :)

The new release I am looking forward this week is the romantic suspense novel Search Me by Katie Ashley. I have read two of her previous books - Music of the Heart (my review) and Don't Hate the Player ... Hate the Game (which I plan to review shortly). I am not a big fan of romantic suspense, so far either the romance, or the suspense did not work for me in the books I have read. I hope this one will change my opinion.