Friday Memes: Brotherhood in Death by J. D. Robb

 Happy Friday everybody!

Book Beginnings on Friday is hosted by Rose City Reader. The Friday 56 is hosted at Freda's Voice. Check out the links above for the rules and for the posts of the participants each week. Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Beginning:

Loyalty to the dead had him traveling to SoHo in icy rain rather than heading home. At home he could have put up his feet -- tired today, he admitted. He'd have enjoyed a cozy fire, a good book, and a small glass of whiskey while waiting for his wife to get home.

Friday 56:

"I'll be stripping off the uniform as soon as the ceremony's over."

"I really hate to miss that."

This week I am spotlighting a reread. Brotherhood in Death by J. D. Robb is the 42nd in the In Death series starring Eve Dallas and Roarke. It was published, and I read it first, in 2016. I chose to read this one again because a Facebook group was discussing it and posting intriguing quotes. It made me want to read the story again.

Here is the description from Amazon:

In this thrilling novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling In Death series, Lieutenant Eve Dallas finds herself in the middle of a conspiracy when she investigates the disappearance of a former U.S. Senator.
 
Just as Dennis Mira is about to confront his cousin Edward about selling the West Village brownstone that belonged to their grandfather, he gets a shock: Edward is in front of him, bruised and bloody...and then everything goes black.
 
When Dennis comes to, Edward is gone. Luckily Dennis’s wife is a top profiler for the NYPSD—and a close colleague of Lieutenant Eve Dallas. Now Eve is determined to uncover the secrets of Edward Mira and learn what enemies he may have made in his long career as a lawyer, judge, and senator. A badge and a billionaire husband can get you access to places others can’t go, and Eve intends to shine some light on the dirty deals and dark motives behind the disappearance of a powerful man, the family discord over a multimillion-dollar piece of real estate...and a new case that no one saw coming.

ARC Review: Guild Boss by Jayne Castle

Guild Boss
Author: Jayne Castle
Series: Harmony (Book 9)
Publication: Berkley (November 16, 2021)

Description: Welcome to Illusion Town on the colony world of Harmony—like Las Vegas on Earth, but way more weird.

Living in this new, alien world doesn’t stop the settlers from trying to re-create what they’ve left behind. Case in point—weddings are still the highlight of any social calendar. But it’s the after-party that turns disastrous for Lucy Bell. Kidnapped and drugged as she leaves the party, she manages to escape—only to find herself lost in the mysterious, alien underground maze of glowing green tunnels beneath Illusion Town. She’s been surviving on determination and cold pizza, scavenged for her by a special dust bunny, when help finally shows up.

Gabriel Jones is the Guild Hunter sent to rescue her, but escaping the underground ruins isn’t the end of her troubles—it’s only the beginning. With no rational reason for her abduction, and her sole witness gone on another assignment for the Guild, whispers start circulating that Lucy made it all up. Soon her life unravels until she has nothing left but her pride. The last thing she expects is for Gabriel Jones to come back to town for her.

The Lucy that Gabriel finds is not the same woman he rescued, the one who looked at him as if he were her hero. This Lucy is sharp, angry, and more than a little cynical—instead of awe, she treats him with extreme caution. But a killer is still hunting her, and there aren’t a lot of options when it comes to heroes. Despite her wariness, Gabriel is also the one person who believes Lucy—after all, he was there. He’s determined to help clear her reputation, no matter what it takes. And as the new Guild Boss, his word is law, even in the lawlessness of Illusion Town.

My Thoughts: Gabriel Jones rescues Lucy Bell after she was kidnapped, drugged, stripped of her amber, and left underground. Then he goes off to his next job leaving Lucy to deal with the fallout: rumors fly saying she was drunk and took drugs. She's lost her reputation and her career and is now driving a tour bus to make ends meet.

When Gabriel returns, Lucy is angry with him, but he needs her skills with managing psychic storms in the underground and also wants a chance to get to know her better. An arcane object brought from Earth has been stolen and he has the skills to track it down - with Lucy's help.

Meanwhile, other plots are unfolding and Lucy is needed for all of them. When a second kidnapping attempt is made and attempts are made on Gabriel's life since he's the new, and first, Guild Boss in Illusion Town, the two begin investigating to protect themselves and restore Lucy's reputation.

The dust bunny in this one is Otis. He finds Lucy when she is lost underground and brings her pizza to live on. Later he leads Gabriel to her. 

I liked the relationship between Lucy and Gabriel. The plot was twisty enough to keep me reading late into the night. There were also a number of Easter Eggs that brought reminders of earlier books in the Arcane series for readers who have read them. 

All in all, this was a fun addition to both the Arcane series and the Harmony series. 

Favorite Quote:

"Things were going well until you gallantly came to my rescue."

"Sorry about that."

"I was trying to make a joke."

"Fail."

Gabriel nodded. "I get that a lot."

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

Book and Audio Review: Orchid by Jayne Castle

Orchid
Author: Jayne Castle
Narrator: Tana Eby
Series: St. Helens (Book 3)
Publication: Pocket Books (September 7, 2010); Tantor Audio (Jan. 17, 2019)
Length: 340 p.; 8 hours and 56 minutes

Description: The wildly popular alter ego of bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz creates “delectably entertaining paranormal romantic suspense” (Booklist) in the “unique, synergistic world of St. Helen’s” (Library Journal ), the not-so-distant space colony where hearts and minds are gloriously in sync!

A top psychic for exclusive Psynergy Inc., Orchid Adams has her hands full with a baffling murder—which doesn’t exactly allow time for husband hunting. Is it even possible there’s a man on St. Helen’s who measures up to her dreams of wedded bliss? Take her new client, Rafe Stonebraker: primitive and elemental, an unlicensed P.I. with some serious secrets, Rafe is hardly marriage material. So why does his powerful presence have Orchid imagining the most outrageous affair? Rafe is embroiled in solving a strange theft while thwarting a hostile takeover of Stonebraker Shipping; he needs a wife—and fast—to salvage his credibility. Orchid Adams doesn’t fit the profile he had in mind, but she fits in his arms. Will their electrifying connection end up getting them burned?

My Thoughts: The final book of the St. Helens trilogy stars Orchid Adams and Rafe Stonebraker. Orchid is the author of some very popular psychic vampire romances and a part time employee of Psynergy Inc. because she is a very powerful and rare ice prism. Rafe is a hunter talent who tests way off the charts and who is planning to take over the family shipping business. However, Rafe needs a wife before he can do that.

Rafe has hired Mr. Batt who successfully found matches for his friends Lucas Trent and Nick Chastain. Even with his unique and somewhat primitive power, he has hopes that Hobart Batt can find a proper wife for him. Unfortunately, Rafe s under a time crunch and can't wait. So Rafe begins looking for his own full spectrum prism by hiring a selection of them from many agencies.

Once he hires Orchid, he knows he has found the right woman for him. He has lured her by encouraging her to help him with his after-hours private investigations. But a search for an alien artifact stolen from a research lab soon becomes more difficult and more dangerous than he had intended. It also links to some bad experiences Orchid had when she was part of a research project at a noted lab. 

Besides their case, Rafe and Orchid are also dealing with family issues. Rafe's cousin is his rival for the job of CEO of Stonebraker Shipping and he seems willing to do anything to get the job. Meanwhile, someone is after Orchid and the others who were with her during the research project but she isn't sure why.

This was a fun paranormal romance set in an intriguing world. I listened to this one and enjoyed the way Tanya Eby read the story. 

Favorite Quote:

He had set out to hunt himself a wife and he had found the one he wanted. He could not believe that they were not a good match. Affinity Associates had fouled up the registration. It was the only possible answer.

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

Friday Memes: Orchid by Jayne Castle

 Happy Friday everybody!

Book Beginnings on Friday is now hosted by Rose City Reader. The Friday 56 is hosted at Freda's Voice. Check out the links above for the rules and for the posts of the participants each week. Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Beginning:

"Time is running out, Mr. Batt." Rafe Stonebraker rose slowly from the massive, old-fashioned Later Expansion period chair. He was well aware of the effect his deliberate movement had on the man seated across from him.

Batt did not exactly flinch but the dapper little man definitely tensed. "Running out?"

Friday 56:

Orchid rolled her eyes. "Of course not. I haven't had an agency date since I got matched with Preston Luce last year. And I'm sure that was not a real date. I'm almost positive that Preston rigged it."

This week I am spotlighting Orchid by Jayne Castle. This is a futuristic romantic suspense title set on the world of St. Helens. It is the third in a trilogy set on St. Helens. I recently added this to my audiobook TBR pile. 

Here is the description from Amazon:

The wildly popular alter ego of bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz creates “delectably entertaining paranormal romantic suspense” (Booklist) in the “unique, synergistic world of St. Helen’s” (Library Journal ), the not-so-distant space colony where hearts and minds are gloriously in sync!

A top psychic for exclusive Psynergy Inc., Orchid Adams has her hands full with a baffling murder—which doesn’t exactly allow time for husband hunting. Is it even possible there’s a man on St. Helen’s who measures up to her dreams of wedded bliss? Take her new client, Rafe Stonebraker: primitive and elemental, an unlicensed P.I. with some serious secrets, Rafe is hardly marriage material. So why does his powerful presence have Orchid imagining the most outrageous affair? Rafe is embroiled in solving a strange theft while thwarting a hostile takeover of Stonebraker Shipping; he needs a wife—and fast—to salvage his credibility. Orchid Adams doesn’t fit the profile he had in mind, but she fits in his arms. Will their electrifying connection end up getting them burned?

Book and Audio Review: Zinnia by Jayne Castle

Zinnia
Author: Jayne Castle
Narrator: Tanya Eby
Series: St. Helens Book 2
Publication: Pocket Books (October 12, 2010); Tantor Audio (Dec. 18, 2018)
Length: 356 p.; 8 hours and 51 minutes

Description: Capturing the “lively sensuality” (Library Journal ) of the passion-filled, near-future space colony of St. Helen’s, the wildly popular alter ego of bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz delivers “delectably entertaining paranormal romantic suspense” (Booklist)!

Ever since a false tabloid story ruined her reputation and her interior design business, Zinnia Spring has been labeled the “Scarlet Lady” of St. Helen’s. Now, headstrong Zinnia makes a living using her psychic abilities—a highly prized skill that attracts the attention of another planetary outcast, Nick Chastain. The rough-edged casino owner craves what he doesn’t have— respectability—and he enlists Zinnia to help find his father’s journal and dig up answers to his own mysterious past. Zinnia doesn’t have to be psychic to know what else Nick wants; soon they’re reaching the electrifying heights of ecstasy—and danger. For when a ruthless killer crosses their search, it will take everything in their power to keep their feet on terra firma and survive a deadly trap!

My Thoughts: Zinnia Spring is on off the chart prism talent who works best with matrix talents. She had been declared unmatchable by the very reputable marriage agency she hired to find her a husband. She has also had her reputation and new business ruined by false accusation in a tabloid. That followed her parents' deaths and the bankruptcy of the family business. But that doesn't stop her from confronting casino owner Nick Chastain when one of her clients, who was negotiation to sell him a rare book, disappears.

Nick didn't have anything to do with the disappearance of Zinnia's client but he really wants the diary that the man was going to sell him. When they go to the man's store that find no diary and the dead body of Zinnia's client. Next thing Zinnia knows she's on the cover of the tabloids again. This time she's supposedly having an affair with Nick.

Nick is an off-the-charts matrix talent who thinks it is time to become respectable. A part of that means finding a marriage agency approved wife. He has some problems with that though because he refuses to be tested to certify his talent but a marriage counselor who owes some money to the casino can be pressured to find Nick a wife without going through the pesky process Nick wants to avoid.

Nick and Zinnia find that their two talents mesh perfectly but also know that marriage agencies seldom match high level prisms with high level talents. They are fighting their attraction to each other all the while they are trying to find the missing diary and the criminal who is killing people to keep it hidden. 

This was a nice romance and an intriguing mystery. It is also the second book in the St. Helens trilogy which is sort of a science fiction romantic suspense series. I enjoyed the characters and the paranormal powers they had. 

Favorite Quote:

"Hold it right there." She braced both hands against his shoulder. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm going to kiss you."

"Why?"

"Damned if I know."

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

Friday Memes: Zinnia by Jayne Castle

 Happy Friday everybody!

Book Beginnings on Friday is now hosted by Rose City Reader. The Friday 56 is hosted at Freda's Voice. Check out the links above for the rules and for the posts of the participants each week. Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Beginning:

"There is nothing complicated about our little arrangement, Mr. Batt. I plan to marry soon. Therefore, I require a wife." Nick Chastain folded his hands on the gleaming surface of he massive obsidian-wood desk. "You will find one for me."

Friday 56:

"I take it you're a glass-half-full kind of person," Nick said. "That's okay. I've never understood optimistic types, but I've always found them to be amusing."

This week I'm spotlighting Zinnia by Jayne Castle. This is a recent audiobook addition to my TBR mountain. Here is the description from Amazon:

Capturing the “lively sensuality” (Library Journal ) of the passion-filled, near-future space colony of St. Helen’s, the wildly popular alter ego of bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz delivers “delectably entertaining paranormal romantic suspense” (Booklist)!

Ever since a false tabloid story ruined her reputation and her interior design business, Zinnia Spring has been labeled the “Scarlet Lady” of St. Helen’s. Now, headstrong Zinnia makes a living using her psychic abilities—a highly prized skill that attracts the attention of another planetary outcast, Nick Chastain. The rough-edged casino owner craves what he doesn’t have— respectability—and he enlists Zinnia to help find his father’s journal and dig up answers to his own mysterious past. Zinnia doesn’t have to be psychic to know what else Nick wants; soon they’re reaching the electrifying heights of ecstasy—and danger. For when a ruthless killer crosses their search, it will take everything in their power to keep their feet on terra firma and survive a deadly trap!

Book and Audio Review: Amaryllis by Jayne Castle

Amaryllis
Author: Jayne Castle
Narrator: Tanya Eby
Series: St. Helen's Series (Book 1)
Publication: Tantor Audio (November 20, 2018); Pocket Books (September 7, 2010)
Length: 9 hours and 51 minutes; 318 p.

Description: Acclaimed for her novels of "delectably entertaining paranormal romantic suspense" (Booklist), the wildly popular alter ego of best-selling author Jayne Ann Krentz takes off on a star-dusted excursion to a rich civilization where danger and passion are just a heartbeat away....

Amaryllis Lark is one of the best psychic detectives on St. Helen's, the Earth colony recently cut off from the mother planet, yet not so very different from home....

Lucas Trent, the rugged head of Lodestar Exploration, isn't keen on the prim type - and from her crisp business suit to her cool evaluation of his request to bust a corporate thief, beautiful Amaryllis is excruciatingly proper.

But when a bold hunch heats up into a twisting murder investigation, by-the-book Amaryllis must let her guard down and break some rules - and a red-hot love affair ignites. Now, as they race to solve a puzzle of deadly intrigue, no power - otherworldly or otherwise - can keep them apart.

My Thoughts: The planet of St. Helens was discovered and settled from Earth when a curtain appeared in space above Earth. However, soon after the curtain was discovered and groups of settlers from the Pacific Northwest left to resettle St. Helens, the curtain disappeared stranding the colonists. Two hundred years have passed during which the Earth technology disintegrated due to something in the atmosphere and the settlers had to learn to use native materials to survive. The settlers also began to discover that they were developing paranormal powers that are growing stronger with each new generation.

In order to preserve society, the Founders decided that the family was the basic unit that needed to be strengthened. Marriages were permanent and therefore not to be entered into lightly. Businesses that did complicated tests were established to guide people into successful marriages with compatible people. Few, if any, contract marriages without going through these agencies.

One important point about the paranormal powers on St. Helens is that successful use depends on pairings of talents and prisms. The talents can do things but only if they can focus their powers through prisms. 

In this story Amaryllis Lark is a very high talent prism. She is also illegitimate since her parents ran away together despite the fact that her father was already married. They died soon after they ran away leaving Amaryllis to be raised by her uncle and aunt in a small farming town where she was also actively ignored by her father's relatives and where she was the victim of cruelty because her parents never married. Amaryllis has made a new life for herself in New Seattle first at the university where her talents as a prism were honed and now in a business that contracts prisms to high level talents. 

Lucas Trent is one such talent. He has made his fortune prospecting for and selling jelly-ice which is used to power everything on St. Helens. He is a hero in the Western Islands since he gathered a group of people to defeat pirates who were trying to take over the islands and the jelly-ice business. Now he needs a prism so that he can find out why his VP is selling out his business secrets.

The two couldn't be more opposite in character. Amaryllis is a definite rule follower and quite uptight; Lucas is more free-wheeling. Both are registering with a marriage bureau to find their best matches knowing that the other would never qualify. The only problem is that they are falling in love. 

Well, not the only problem. Amaryllis is concerned that the death of her mentor at the university was not an accident and decides to look into it. Also a local politician seems to be using his charisma talent to convince potential donors to support his candidacy for governor. And the discovered VP isn't going away quietly and would still like her revenge on Lucas.

This was a fun story set in an interesting world. It was filled with adventure, danger, and witty banter. It was also an excellent romance.

Favorite Quote:

"Do you think they'll drum you out of the Corps of Upright Ethical Prisms if anyone finds out about this?"

"I should think that you'd be more concerned with being laughed out of the Western Islands Adventurer's Club for failing to strike the right note of devil-may-care recklessness."

"There is no Western Islands Adventurer's Club. I disolved their charter in a fit of pique years ago."

"There's no Corps of Upright Ethical Prisms, either. I think it was disbanded due to lack of interest." Amaryllis glanced around. "Come on, let's go. The sooner we get into the building, the sooner we can get out."

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

Friday Memes: Amaryllis by Jayne Castle

 Happy Friday everybody!

Book Beginnings on Friday is now hosted by Rose City Reader. The Friday 56 is hosted at Freda's Voice. Check out the links above for the rules and for the posts of the participants each week. Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Beginning:

"Damn it, I don't need a conscience, Miss Lark." Lucas Trent eyed the woman seated behind the desk with grim determination. "I need a security expert."

Friday 56:

"You think she'll bare her soul to you? Forget it. That's the dumbest idea I've heard in a month."

This week I'm spotlighting Amaryllis by Jayne Castle. This is a reread and first listen of an audiobook that is new to my TBR pile. I like the author's romances even though her science fiction is definitely on the light side. Here is the description from Amazon:

Acclaimed for her novels of "delectably entertaining paranormal romantic suspense" (Booklist), the wildly popular alter ego of best-selling author Jayne Ann Krentz takes off on a star-dusted excursion to a rich civilization where danger and passion are just a heartbeat away....

Amaryllis Lark is one of the best psychic detectives on St. Helen's, the Earth colony recently cut off from the mother planet, yet not so very different from home....

Lucas Trent, the rugged head of Lodestar Exploration, isn't keen on the prim type - and from her crisp business suit to her cool evaluation of his request to bust a corporate thief, beautiful Amaryllis is excruciatingly proper. 

But when a bold hunch heats up into a twisting murder investigation, by-the-book Amaryllis must let her guard down and break some rules - and a red-hot love affair ignites. Now, as they race to solve a puzzle of deadly intrigue, no power - otherworldly or otherwise - can keep them apart.

Book Review: Illusion Town by Jayne Castle

Illusion Town
Author: Jayne Castle
Series: Illusion Town Novel, An
Publication: Jove (July 26, 2016)

Description: A new adventure begins on Harmony… 

With its opulent casinos and hotels, the desert city of Illusion Town is totally unique—and will take you on a thrill ride you’ll never forget.

Hannah West isn’t the first woman to wake up in Illusion Town married to a man she barely knows, but she has no memory of the ceremony at all. For that matter, neither does Elias Coppersmith, her new husband. All either can remember is that they were on the run…

With Hannah’s dubious background and shaky para-psych profile, she could have done much worse. The cooly competent mining heir arouses her curiosity—as well as other parts of her mind and body. And even her dust bunny likes him.

But a honeymoon spent retracing their footsteps leads Hannah and Elias into the twisting underground catacombs, where secrets from both their pasts will come to light—and where the energy of their clashing auras will grow hot enough to burn…

My Thoughts: Hannah West is a Finder and, for Harmony, an usual thing: she is an orphan. She has been trying to track down her ancestors with little luck. Her unusual paranormal talent and a necklace which was her only inheritance from her mother have landed her in hot water. Someone very badly wants Hannah to use her talents to lead the way to a fabulous discovery in the underground world created by the aliens.

Elias Coppersmith had hired Hannah for her finding skills and now wants to get to know her better. On his way to their first date, he receives news that makes it necessary to hire her again. He has some people locked behind a trap in the underground. Hannah should be able to open the gate with her talents.

Before they can rescue Elias's men, they are attacked, suffer a psychic burnout, marry in a Marriage of Convenience, and wake up in a seedy motel. That isn't at all the way Elias wanted their first date to go.

Together, they rescue the trapped, figure out who is after them, and fall in love. Along the way they are assisted by Hannah's dustbunny Virgil and the family that she has made for herself in the Dark Zone.

This was another fun paranormal romance from Jayne Castle.

Favorite Quote:

In the Dark Zone, you only had two social circles. One consisted of the people you trusted. The other was composed of the people you did not trust. 

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