ARC Review: If Books Could Kill by Kate Eberle

If Books Could Kill
Author: Kate Eberle
Publication: Penguin (July 21, 2026)

Description: A NOVEL LOVE STORY meets LOVE IN THE TIME OF SERIAL KILLERS in this rom-com following Roxie Mitchell, an adventure-loving romance reader who finds herself trapped in a meet-cute turned murderous

When Roxie makes a tongue-in-cheek wish to live out the plot of her favorite author’s next novel, she has romance in mind—namely, the sweet, safe, swoon-worthy storylines Anna Matthews is known for. It should be a dream come true when her wish is granted and she finds herself swept into a first date with a handsome stranger who seems designed to take her breath away.

Except for one little hiccup: That handsome stranger tries to take her breath away. Literally. With a knife. The thing is, Roxie may be the new Anna Matthews protagonist—but this time, Anna is writing a crime thriller.

Thrown into a perilous genre she’s never read, Roxie is desperate for help. So when her escape takes her straight into the path of Grant Hoffman, an anxious English professor with a convenient love of crime novels, she decides that kidnapping a grown man is a small price to pay for her own survival. Together, Roxie and Grant navigate a madcap story in which the lines between fiction and reality blur. They’ll find out if they have what it takes to make it to The End—or maybe even Happily Ever After.

My Thoughts: Roxie Mitchell loves romance books for escape but not so much in real life. She's a daredevil who works as a temp to fund her various adventures. When she idly wishes to be the heroine in an Anna Matthews romance, her wish is granted. Roxie doesn't know that Anna has decided to change things up and write a thriller.

Roxie finds herself dropped into the plot of a genre she doesn't read, but all is not lost. To escape her killer, she hijacks an Uber only to discover that quiet, college instructor Grant Hoffman is in the backseat. Luckily, he has read lots of thrillers but has never wanted to take part in one. 

What follows is on over-the-top adventure as the pair tries to find their way out of the story. They travel to London to try to find Anna and convince her to write another story, but they need to battle a variety of odd villains along the way. Also, along the way, they fall in love which is the one experience that really frightens Roxie. 

This was a great story. I enjoyed the romance and loved the adventures. I also enjoyed the humor and the heart of the story. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Enter the Nightmare by Jayne Castle

Enter the Nightmare
Author: Jayne Castle
Series: Harmony (Book 12)
Publication: Berkley (June 30, 2026)

Description: Nightmares become real when a woman trying to rebuild her life enters the Hotel of Dreams in this exhilarating Harmony novel by New York Times bestselling author Jayne Castle.

Alice Radstone should have known not to return. Her life before the Hotel of Dreams had been the perfectly cloistered world of a teacher at the Ballantine Academy. When the death of her mentor forced her out, she was left to reinvent herself in the big city. Since then, things have not gone well. Ten months ago, after her first trip to the hotel, she woke up in the locked ward of a hospital for the criminally insane, told that she had murdered her husband on their wedding night. She has no memory of the husband or the wedding but after escaping the asylum, one thing is certain—she is never going back.

Unfortunately, Alice’s second reinvented life is also deteriorating rapidly, which is why she finds herself once again at the Hotel of Dreams—this time hiding in the shadows of her room, a dead body in the shower, and two men wearing masks creeping toward the bed to kidnap her. Again.

When the enigmatic and decidedly dangerous Owen March shows up, claiming he’s there to rescue her, she has no choice but to accept his offer—and hope that he doesn’t intend to kidnap her, too.

With Alice and now Owen in the killer’s sights, time is running out. Alice and Owen must trust each other and the electric passion between them if they are to make it out of this hotel alive.

My Thoughts: The latest Harmony romantic suspense title pairs Alice Radstone and Owen Marsh. Alice has been in hiding since escaping from a mental hospital where she was sent after being accused of murdering her husband on the first night of their honeymoon. Owen has been hired to find her but has become that his client doesn't have Alice's best interests in mind.

Alice and Owen meet at the hotel where Alice had spent her wedding night. She was called back to that place in hopes of finding out all the things she doesn't remember about her wedding night. Owen arrives in time to rescue Alice from the thugs who are trying to drug her and bring her back to the mental institution. Alice wasn't quite alone. She had a dust bunny named Sebastian along with her as backup. He's duded out in sunglasses and sleeked out in his fighting form when Owen arrives.

The trio manages to escape the hotel and the thugs and find their way to the casino hotels of Illusion Town while they work out who wants to put Alice away and why they do. Owen proposes a Marriage of Convenience which provides Alice with some protection from her enemy. The pair fall in love as they solve Alice's problems.

This was another entertaining paranormal romance from a prolific author. I like the snappy dialog between the main characters. I also really like the antics of Sebastian the dust bunny who has all sorts of fun in a casino hotel. The plot was fast-paced and exciting. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: The Lust Crusade by Jo Segura

The Lust Crusade
Author: Jo Segura
Publication: Berkley (January 13, 2026)

Description: A plucky librarian and an archaeologist on the run fake an engagement to save their lives, leading them into the labyrinth of their own desires.

Daniela Guiterrez has been in love with her brother’s best friend for as long as she can remember—until he went missing a year ago during an archaeological expedition. But on a solo trip to Greece, the intrepid librarian discovers that Theo is very much alive, although judging by the criminals holding him hostage, he is not doing well.

An expert in Ancient Greek archaeology, Dr. Theo Galanis has been abducted by artifact smugglers in search of a priceless gemstone—the Eye of the Minotaur. This ridiculous assignment was supposed to get Dani out of his system, not keep her tied up next to him. But when a little white lie spirals into his captors believing Theo and Dani are engaged, they must utilize her research skills and his expertise to solve the centuries’ old Minoan mystery, all while feigning a romance to keep each other alive.

Now with less than six days to find the jewel, underground societies, mythological beings, and pesky abductors are only half the battle. Because among the ancient ruins and temples they explore is an even bigger danger: falling in love for real.

My Thoughts: Dani Guiterrez decides to take a trip to Greece to memorialize her lost friend Theo Galanis who was an archaeologist who disappeared more than a year earlier. Dani has been in love with her brother's best friend Theo for years. Now, she has to find a way to get over him and move on with her life. 

But Theo isn't dead. He's been kidnapped by a man who wants him to discover the missing Eye of the Minotaur. The main problem with this is that the Eye is mythological. Theo did write a story about it which was published in a children's magazine. But the story was based on stories his grandfather told him when he was a child.

When Dani spots Theo and his captors at Knossos, she is determined to rescue him. She ends up captured herself and now the two of them have only six days to recover the eye before something fatal happens. 

Eluding the villains, finding the jewel, and falling in love have a six day deadline.

This is a "best friends to lovers" story that would be solved a couple of hundred pages sooner if the main characters would just talk to each other. Simple misunderstandings have been magnified by time into major misunderstandings. 

Both characters are interesting people with both strengths and flaws. The story complete with over-the-top villains was fast-paced and engaging. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: It Takes a Psychic by Jayne Castle

It Takes a Psychic
Author: Jayne Castle
Series: A Harmony Novel (Book 11)
Publication: Berkley (June 3, 2025)

Description: Two unlikely allies search for the secrets of their pasts while on the run within the Alien world of Harmony in the thrilling new novel by New York Times bestselling author Jayne Castle.

Leona Griffin is at the height of her career as a para-archeologist thanks to a recent Underworld discovery. Her high profile attracts the attention of an organization of elite, secretive collectors. They want her to authenticate the artifacts that aspiring members submit as evidence to join their group. The ceremony takes place at a glittering reception where Leona is shocked to discover that one of the relics is a powerful Old-World object known as Pandora’s Box. But she’s not the only one interested in that artifact.

Oliver Rancourt, a man with a unique talent—they say you never see him coming—is also there. Leona knows she must not underestimate him. Attempting to make a discreet exit, she stumbles over the body of a waiter wearing the emblem of a dangerous cult. Before she can alert authorities, a police raid sends the reception into chaos. To avoid being arrested, Leona slips away with Oliver—a risky decision that gets her fired.

Now forced to work together, Leona and Oliver pursue an investigation that leads them to the town of Lost Creek where the locals are obsessed with a chilling legend involving a long-dead cult leader and illicit paranormal experiments. But Leona knows the real danger may be the irresistible attraction between herself and Oliver.

My Thoughts: Leona Griffin has been hired to authenticate artifacts at a gala being held by an organization of elite and secretive collectors. When she discovers that one of the artifacts is definitely radiating psychic powers but is of Old World provenance, she finds herself in the middle of a conspiracy. 

Oliver Rancourt is also at the gala because of the object Leona is authenticating. It was stolen from his family's museum. When the police raid the gathering, Leona and Oliver manage to escape with the object and after discovering a murdered server. 

They decide to team up to discover the thief. Oliver wants to know who has stolen the object known as Pandora's box. And Leona wants to track down an artifact that has a connection to her and her sister's origins. 

Leona also finds a friend in a dust bunny she names Roxy and who has a fascination with fascinators. The trio travels to a small town that was purportedly once the center of Vincent Lee Vance's plans to overthrow the existing government and replace it with his own. Rumors say that he was put into stasis and will return someday. 

This was an engaging paranormal romance. I loved the banter between Leona and Oliver who each have psychic gifts that they were trying to keep secret. The dust bunny also adds humor to the story. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

Friday Memes: It Takes a Psychic by Jayne Castle

 Happy Friday!

Book Beginnings is hosted by Gillion at Rose City Reader. She asks that the first sentence is posted along with the author and title of the book and the reader's initial thoughts on the sentence, the book, or anything else it inspires. 

Carrie at Reading Is My Superpower.org also provides a linky for sharing first lines and connecting with others. This meme asks that the chosen books be PG or marked as Mature if they are not. 

Beginning:

The dust bunny chortled from underneath a nearby display stand.

Friday 56:

"Good morning, you two," Darla sang out. "Any manifestation sightings last night in your room?"

"Afraid not," Leona said.

This week I am spotlighting It Takes a Psychic by Jayne Castle. This eleventh book in the Harmony series is from my review stack. Here's the description from Amazon:

Two unlikely allies search for the secrets of their pasts while on the run within the Alien world of Harmony in the thrilling new novel by New York Times bestselling author Jayne Castle.

Leona Griffin is at the height of her career as a para-archeologist thanks to a recent Underworld discovery. Her high profile attracts the attention of an organization of elite, secretive collectors. They want her to authenticate the artifacts that aspiring members submit as evidence to join their group. The ceremony takes place at a glittering reception where Leona is shocked to discover that one of the relics is a powerful Old-World object known as Pandora’s Box. But she’s not the only one interested in that artifact.

Oliver Rancourt, a man with a unique talent—they say you never see him coming—is also there. Leona knows she must not underestimate him. Attempting to make a discreet exit, she stumbles over the body of a waiter wearing the emblem of a dangerous cult. Before she can alert authorities, a police raid sends the reception into chaos. To avoid being arrested, Leona slips away with Oliver—a risky decision that gets her fired.

Now forced to work together, Leona and Oliver pursue an investigation that leads them to the town of Lost Creek where the locals are obsessed with a chilling legend involving a long-dead cult leader and illicit paranormal experiments. But Leona knows the real danger may be the irresistible attraction between herself and Oliver.

Audiobook Review: Rest in Pink by Jennifer Crusie & Bob Mayer

Rest in Pink
Author: Jennifer Crusie & Bob Mayer
Narrator: Cris Dukeheart & Eric G. Dove
Series: Liz Danger (Book 2)
Publication: Brilliance Audio (February 6, 2024)
Length: 9 hours and 40 minutes

Description: From the NY Times Bestselling duo that wrote Agnes and the Hitman, the second book in the Liz Danger series.

Liz Danger is a ghostwriter, trapped in her old hometown for the summer. Good thing she has Vince Cooper, her recurring one-night stand living down by the river in his old diner car, making her feel happy and safe and normal until September when she’ll be leaving again, although she’s starting to wonder if she really wants to.

Vince Cooper is a cop in a town with a shady new housing development that’s bringing a lot of armed strangers, a corrupt mayor, a police chief boss under fire, and an idiot blogger stirring up trouble. Good thing his recurring one-night stand is sticking around for the summer. The only drawback? He’s not looking forward to the empty space Liz Danger will leave behind her when she goes in September.

Treacherous small-town politics, a rust belt biker gang, a widowed ex who doesn’t understand the word “no,” a seven-year-old in need of a temporary mom, a flamboyant blonde boss who needs watched at all times, exploding family secrets, arson, murder, and three hundred and ninety-two soaking wet teddy bears later, Liz and Vince will come face to face with the madman burning down their town, and even worse, with their imploding relationship.

My Thoughts: The second book in the Liz Danger series is filled with small town politics and romance. Liz is a ghostwriter who fled her hometown at eighteen but who has reluctantly come back home. Luckily, Vince Cooper is there to keep her occupied while she deals with family drama.

Vince is a New York City transplant to Burnie, Ohio, who has found a home there. He lives in a restored diner on the banks of the Ohio. His one-night-stands with Liz which are happening almost every night has him rethinking his plan of staying a loner. 

Meanwhile, there is a shady housing development going in, Liz's ex not knowing when to let go, arson, and a needy seven-year-old woven into the plot. Then there's Liz's flamboyant client who has decided to follow Liz so that they can finish her book. 

This was an engaging story told in alternate chapters by Liz and by Vince. The dual narrators did a good job with a complicated story and with the very complicated feelings between Liz and Vince. 

I bought this one October 24, 2024. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: Lavender's Blue by Jennifer Crusie & Bob Mayer

Lavender's Blue
Author: Jennifer Crusie & Bob Mayer
Narrator: Cris Dukehart & Eric G. Dove
Series: The Liz Danger Series (Book 1)
Publication: Brilliance Audio (February 6, 2024)
Length: 11 hours and 54 minutes

Description: From the NY Times Bestselling duo that wrote Agnes and the Hitman, the first book in the Liz Danger series.

LAVENDER’S BLUE: Would it kill you to go home and see your mother?

Liz Danger has returned home after fifteen years to deliver a giant teddy bear for her mother’s birthday (color: Guilt Red) when a cop with a great ass picks her up for speeding, fixes the missing lug nuts on her back wheel, pulls her out of a ditch, doesn’t give her a ticket, and helps her avoid her family. This is a man with real potential. The rest of the day goes downhill, starting with her finding out that the only man she’s ever loved is getting married to Lavender Blue, the most beautiful woman in southern Ohio. Really, the best thing in her day is that cop with the lug nuts.

Vince Cooper still isn't sure about being a cop in Burney, Ohio, a place he just moved to six months ago, since Burney is full of some fairly odd people spaced between long stretches of boredom. Still, considering the dangerous, difficult life he had before Burney as an Army Ranger and New York City cop, boredom is good. Then he picks up Liz Danger for speeding and life gets a lot more interesting. And when he picks her up again in the local bar the next night, he starts to realize that “interesting” doesn’t begin to describe what’s going to happen to him if he pulls Liz into his arms and his life

As Liz navigates her dysfunctional family, her flamboyant boss phoning in from Chicago, her still-interested ex, her bridesmaid dress from hell, a dachshund with issues, a disaster of a wedding, assault, murder, and three hundred and ninety-three teddy bears, Vince shows up to get her through, even though he knows that the real peril for him in Burney is the one who came with her own warning label, Liz Danger.

My Thoughts: I enjoyed this first book in the Liz Danger series. I liked the combination of humor and mystery. I also liked that alternate chapters were from each of the main characters' points of view.

Liz Danger left Burney, Ohio, fifteen years earlier and has a job as a ghost writer which means lots of traveling. She mostly lives and writes in her car. She's home now because she got a call from her aunt ML telling her that her mother needs her. She arrives along with a six-foot-tall stuffed bear in Guilt Red for her mother's birthday gift. She finds that her bear will be joining 393 other stuffed bears at her mother's. 

Liz also learns that the boy she loved in high school is getting married to the lovely Lavender Blue. Through a variety of weird circumstances, she finds herself drafted as maid of honor complete with an unfortunate dress choice. Then Lavender dies a very short time after her wedding and Liz finds herself a suspect. 

All Liz wants is to leave town, connect with the eccentric woman she's ghostwriting for, finish the book, and collect her bonus. 

The first person Liz meets when she comes to town is Vince Cooper who pulls her over when she hits the town limits. His excuse is that she has a tire ready to fall off. Luckily, he just happens to have the necessary lug nuts. Neither is looking for a relationship, but one quickly forms between the two of them. 

Vince chose Burney, after being an Army Ranger and New York City cop, because there hadn't been a murder on record there. He wanted a less stressful life. But he's suspicious about a recent car accident and then the accidents start happening to Liz and his quiet job becomes a lot less quiet.

I loved the quirky characters in this story including the neurotic blond dachshund. There were also a lot of real issues too. Liz's relationship with her mother needs readjustment. As the daughter of an alcoholic, Liz has a strong need to fix things for the people around her that gets her into trouble. 

I bought this one January 19, 2024. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter

The Blonde Identity
Author: Ally Carter
Publication: Avon (August 8, 2023)

Description: The New York Times bestselling YA author of the beloved Gallagher Girls series bursts onto the adult scene with a fast-paced, hilarious road trip rom-com about a woman with amnesia who discovers she’s the identical twin sister of a rogue spy… and must team up with a rugged, grumpy operative to stay alive.

It’s the middle of the night in the middle of Paris and a woman just woke up with no memory.

She only knows three things for certain:

1. She has a splitting headache.

2. The hottest guy she has (probably) ever seen is standing over her, telling her to run.

And oh yeah…

3. People keep trying to kill her.

She doesn’t know who. Or why. But when she sees footage of herself fighting off a dozen men there’s only one explanation: obviously...she’s a spy!

Except, according to Mr. Hot Guy, she’s not. She’s a spy’s identical twin sister.

Too bad the only person who knows she’s not the woman they’re looking for is this very grouchy, very sexy, very secret agent who (reluctantly) agrees to help her disappear. Which is easier said than done when a criminal organization wants you dead and every intelligence service in the world wants you caught.

Luckily, no one is looking for a pair of lovesick newlyweds on their honeymoon. And soon they’re lying their way across Europe—dodging bullets and faking kisses as they race to unravel a deadly conspiracy and clear her sister’s name.

But with every secret they uncover, the truth shifts, until she no longer knows who to trust: the twin she can’t remember or the mysterious man she can’t let herself forget…

My Thoughts: THE BLONDE IDENTITY, Carter's first venture into adult fiction, was a fun romp. A woman wakes up in Paris with no memory and finds herself in the middle of a spy novel. 

She is rescued by superspy Sawyer and learns that she has an identical twin sister who is really a spy. She learns her name is Zoe and that everyone is after her for some reason unknown to her. 

Zoe and Sawyer have all sorts of adventures together as they run from various groups including the CIA, MI6, and Mossad and from the Russian villain Kozlov. And while Zoe isn't as kickass as her twin, she more than holds her own against the villains and with Sawyer.

Zoe falls in love. But can she trust a man who admits that he is lying to her?

This banter filled story was humorous and heart-warming and just lots and lots of fun. 

Favorite Quote:

Alex always looked like she was in on a secret. But Zoe looked like she was in on a joke--like at any moment she was going to say knock, knock and the whole world was going to lean close enough to whisper who's there?

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: Against the Wild by Kat Martin

Against the Wild
Author: Kat Martin
Series: The Brodies of Alaska (Book 1)
Publication: Zebra Books; Reissue edition (May 27, 2014)

Description: It’s been three years since Lane Bishop tragically lost her fiancé, and she’s finally ready to risk her heart on someone else. The hot look in Dylan Brodie’s eyes says he’s going to be that man.

But when Lane flies to a remote fishing lodge in the untamed Alaskan wilderness to help him renovate it, she discovers a little girl who won’t speak, eerie legends, and strange sounds in the night. And when she investigates the history of the lodge, she uncovers a legacy of injustice and murder.

As danger stalks his daughter and the woman he is coming to love, Dylan must risk everything to uncover the shocking truth . . .

My Thoughts: This first in a romantic suspense trilogy set in Alaska stars Alaska native Dylan Brodie and an interior decorator from LA. Lane Bishop met Dylan while he was in LA. He hired her to decorate his new lodge in Alaska. 

Dylan had neglected to mention that he had an eight-year-old daughter who was selectively mute. She hadn't spoken since her mother left her a few years earlier. His wife's abandonment has convinced Dylan that a city woman like Lane would never be able to fit into the lifestyle in Alaska. And, even though the are strongly attracted to each other, neither is eager for a short-term romance.

But the possibility of ghosts in the lodge, evidenced by a sobbing child, a rocking chair that rocks itself, and ghostly footsteps, do help bring the couple closer. They are brought even closer when Dylan's friend who is helping with the remodel is accused of murdering a former girlfriend. Dylan and Lane begin to investigate since they know their friend isn't guilty.

It begins to look like some of the problems that are happening at the lodge are because trouble followed Lane from LA. And it is quite a lot of trouble.

The story had a lot of interesting characters including Lane's Irish Wolfhound Finn. I liked the romance and thought the story was also quite suspenseful. 

Favorite Quote:

She really couldn't say she believed in ghosts or spirits, and clanging pipes in the middle of the night certainly weren't enough to convince her. Clearly, Dylan didn't believe the stories either or he wouldn't have purchased the lodge. 

Of course, there was that crazy dream...Lane shoved the thought away and settled back to enjoy the ride. 

I bought this one as a BookBub $.99 special. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: The Last Goodnight by Kat Martin

The Last Goodnight
Author: Kat Martin
Series: Blood Ties, The Logans (Book 1)
Publication: Zebra (June 28, 2022)

Description: A thrilling new suspense novel from the bestselling author of The Perfect Murder that fans of Jayne Ann Krentz and Laura Griffin won’t want to miss! A cold case is heating up, and with another body turning up, one woman is hot on the trail of a killer…with the help of the rancher who hired her to deliver justice.

When Kade Logan said goodbye to his estranged wife eight years ago, he never thought it would be the last time he saw her alive. Now her car has been hauled out of a nearby lake and Kade is determined to track down the man who murdered her. Enter Eleanor Bowman, a talented private investigator who’s about to stir up a hornet’s nest on his Colorado ranch.

With old scandals still buzzing about his late wife’s many affairs and new violence erupting, Kade is faced with the discovery of another beautiful woman’s body. Are the two killings linked? Who is the man who seduced, then murdered both victims? Ellie believes they are dangerously close to the truth.

From corporate Denver high-rises to posh Vail mansions, Kade and Ellie sense the killer is closing in again, and this time Ellie is the target. Kade must risk everything to save the woman he’s coming to love—before she becomes the next one to die . . .

My Thoughts: Kade Logan's wife Heather disappeared eight years ago. Her body was found in a shallow grave two years later and her car was just found in a nearby lake. He hires Ellie Bowman to give one more try to find out who murdered his wife. 

It doesn't take Ellie long to discover that Heather and Kade's marriage wasn't in great shape. His determination to work the ranch he inherited from his parents didn't give him enough time with the emotionally needy Heather. She started looking elsewhere and, when Kade became aware of her second affair, he asked for a divorce. She disappeared shortly after leaving Kade feeling guilty and not very trusting of women.

Ellie also has trust issues and a fierce sense of independence. It doesn't matter how much she's attracted to Kade or to life on his ranch, she needs to protect herself from possible hurt. Their attraction is powerful, and they begin an affair but neither expects it to last. But as the bodies mount up Kade and Ellie need to trust each other and find a killer with a major grudge.

I liked the characters and the setting of this story. The suspense was well done, and the plot moved right along with a constant building of the dangers. Fans of romantic suspense will enjoy this story.

Favorite Quote:

He didn't know what was going on between them, but whatever it was, that was the moment Kade decided it was worth finding out.

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Mad for a Mate by MaryJanice Davidson

Mad for a Mate
Author: MaryJanice Davidson
Series: BeWere My Heart (Book 3)
Publication: Sourcebooks Casablanca (April 26, 2022)

Description: Verity Lane might be a Shifter who can't shift (known as a "squib")―but woe betide anyone who tries to tell her who she is or what she's capable of. She's a proud member of a club for squibs out to prove themselves by participating in dangerous stunts. Which is probably how she ended up on this strange island...

Bear shifter Magnus Berne wants two things: to connect with his motherless goddaughter, and to find out who keeps dumping dead bodies on his property. When he discovers Verity on his island, he's determined to get some answers―but it's clear that whoever has been killing squibs is just as resolved to keep it quiet. And now that Verity is in the crosshairs, they'll have to move quickly to stay ahead, stay alive, and stay together.

My Thoughts: MAD FOR A MATE was humorous urban fantasy. Magnus Berne is a bear shifter who is in Minnesota to look after his goddaughter who has recently lost her mother - Magnus's excuse for not having a real relationship. He's living on an island in Lake Minnetonka and is currently wondering who is dropping department store mannequins on his lawn. 

Then, one day, instead of the daily mannequin, he finds Verity Lane. It seems she's ended up there after swimming six miles as part of a challenge from her club of squibs. Verity is out to prove, mostly to herself, that just because she can't shift into a bear form, she is still a powerful and worthy person. 

However, when two of the members of the club die, it becomes apparent that someone is murdering squibs. It is up to Verity and Magnus to find out who the killer is. 

Magnus and Verity are both prickly people and they are both busy denying that they even have a relationship even as they are both falling in love. The dialog is entertaining and witty.

There is a large cast of quirky characters in this story. Many of them were stars of earlier books in the series as noted in footnotes. I enjoyed learning some of their stories and seeing how they fitted into the plot of this story. I also liked the Twin Cities setting for this story and enjoyed seeing places I knew and had visited. 

It did take me a while to get into the flow of this story. The author has a quirky style that reminds me of Shelly Laurenston's urban fantasy stories. 

Favorite Quote:

"This isn't a movie, and I'm not a detective. I'm not gonna find something all the techs missed. I'm not compelled to involve myself because I think the cops aren't doing a good job. And if I come face-to-face with a serial killer, I would scream and scream and run away very, very fast."

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from Edelweiss. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Buried Cold Case Secrets by Sami A. Abrams (Blog Tour)

Buried Cold Case Secrets
Author: Sami A. Abrams
Publication: Love Inspired Suspense Larger Print; Original edition (December 28, 2021)

Description: Recovering her missing memories

could be the key to solving a murder

Searching for her best friend’s remains could help forensic anthropologist Melanie Hutton regain her memories of when they were both kidnapped—unless the killer gets to Melanie first. For her safety, Melanie must rely on Detective Jason Cooper, who still blames her for his sister’s death. Can Jason set the past aside to solve the cold-case murder…and shield Melanie from the same fate?

My Thoughts: This suspense story from the Love Inspired line stars Dr. Melanie Hutton and Detective Jason Cooper. Now a forensic anthropologist, Melanie has come back to town hoping to finally find out who kidnapped her and her best friend Allison fifteen years earlier and to try to recover Allison's body.

Jason Cooper was Allie's older brother and the object of Melanie's teenage crush. He has never forgiven Melanie for surviving and escaping when his sister did not. But Melanie doesn't remember those two days when she was held captive and beaten. But her amnesia and the PTSD she also suffers from don't relieve her guilt that she left her best friend behind. 

But someone is really, really unhappy that Melanie is back to try to uncover secrets. First, she's attacked while jogging. Then her apartment is fire bombed. There are more attacks because Melanie is determined to do her job which puts her out in public. Jason has been assigned and then self-assigns himself to keep Melanie safe. He gradually gets over his anger at her and begins to remember the young woman he was falling in love with.

The attacks don't stop with both Melanie and Jason getting injured numerous times throughout the story. Each injury, each attack, makes Melanie more determined to find out what her brain has suppressed and makes Jason fall in love with her more. 

There are lots of possible suspects and another murder to add to the tension and twists of this story. It was action-packed and fast-paced. Fans of Christian Romantic Suspense will especially enjoy this story. 

Favorite Quote:

Jason's attitude change the other night had thrown her. She'd prayed for years he's put aside his anger and assumptions, and talk to her. Why his questions about starting over had shocked her, she had no clue. She'd asked God, and He had delivered.

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley as a part of the Harlequin Winter Blog Tour. You can buy your copy here.