Jace: Kings of Country Book 1 by Sasha Summers

Jace (Kings of Country Book1) Sasha Summers

Publisher & Release: Sourcebooks Casablanca, March 31, 2020

Time and setting:  Present Day, USA

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Length: 416 Pages

Heat Level: 1 Flame

Rating:  4.25 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

Let the music carry you away in this brand-new series featuring the King family and their country music dynasty

Music is all he has...but is it enough to heal them both?

Jace Black went from an oilfield roughneck to an overnight singing sensation. Now he's working on a duet with country music legend Krystal King, and he's determined to earn his way to the top. But the more time he spends with Krystal, the more he finds himself falling for her—and he's beginning to be more interested in her than he is in making a name for himself.

Krystal King grew up on stage and in the spotlight. No matter how golden her life appears, her past left deep wounds. But Jace Black makes her wish things were different. To do that, she'd have to risk letting him in... And that might be too big a risk for her battered heart to take.

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Jace-Kings-Country-Book-1-ebook/dp/B07YZTW28F

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/jace-sasha-summers

Add to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50628052-jace

Vikki’s Musings

Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the opportunity to read and review Jace, Kings of Country, Book 1 before publication. My opinions are my own and are not influence by the complimentary copy.

There’s plenty to love about this book. The characters are complex, and the plot is intriguing. Jace, Kings of Country, kept me engaged from the beginning to the end. It’s clear that Ms. Summers did loads of research concerning the music industry. I enjoyed the King family and look forward to the next book in her new series.

Krystal King’s character is feisty and has a wall as thick as Jericho. What happened to her as an innocent young girl had a lasting effect on her. While I admit to getting frustrated with hot and cold attitude with our amazing hero.

Jace Black is a fantastic hero. His patience with Krystal is astonishing. Most men would have given up on Krystal, but he sees the true Krystal underneath her prickly persona. He too has baggage, but he refuses to allow it to influence his choices. He’s such an honorable man.

The romance between Krystal and Jace is very up and down with Krystal giving into the overwhelming sexual pull, then turning almost instantly into a shrew (B***H). That irritated me hence the 4.25 Gold Crown rating.

If you enjoy lots of high emotion, hot sex and want an introduction to the amazing King family, then you will love Jace, Kings of Country. I plan to read the next book in this series when it’s released. Happy reading!

Author Bio:

Sasha Summers grew up surrounded by books. Her passions have always been storytelling, romance and travel–passions she uses when writing. Now a best-selling and award winning-author, Sasha continues to fall a little in love with each hero she writes. From easy-on-the-eyes cowboy, sexy alpha-male werewolves, to heroes of truly mythic proportions, she believes that everyone should have their happy ending–in fiction and real life.

Sasha lives in the suburbs of the Texas Hill country with her amazing and supportive family and her beloved grumpy cat, Gerard, The Feline Overlord. She looks forward to hearing from fans and hopes you’ll visit her online. 

Social Media:

Website: https://sashasummers.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SashaSummersAuthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sashawrites

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/sashasummers/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sasha.summers/?hl=en

Book Review: To Save a Child by Linda Warren

To Save a Child by Linda Warren

Publisher & Release: Harlequin Heartwarming, March 01, 2020 

Time and setting:  Present Day, Texas

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Length: 384 Pages

Heat Level: 1 Sweetheart

Rating:  4.25 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

A baby on the doorstep

Could change everything…

Detective Cole Chisholm is in Horseshoe, Texas, to take care of his grandfather. During a winter storm, a baby appears at his door, along with her aunt, Grace Bennett. Grace needs his help, and Cole reluctantly lets them stay while he investigates. Soon the by-the-book cop is breaking his own rules to protect them both. But how far will he go to make sure that both Grace and Zoe stay in his life?

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Save-Child-Clean-Romance-Rebels-ebook/dp/B07VLBZ4JR

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/to-save-a-child-linda-warren

Add to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48773606-to-save-a-child

Vikki’s Musings

Thanks goes to the publisher and Net-Galley for the chance to read and review To Save a Child by Linda Warren prior to publication. My opinions are my own and not influenced by the receipt of a complimentary e-copy.

To Save a Child is a heartwarming story of a family who needs to mend misconceptions and change how they relate to each other. It’s a story of a woman’s determination to save her niece at all cost. A story of a take-charge cop who offers to help.

Grace Bennett’s character is endearing. Her willingness to fight for her niece, even when faced with insurmountable obstacles is amazing. Her kindness to a grieving elderly man is touching, and her dedication to the elderly folks she’s responsible for as a director in an assisted living facility is moving.

Cole Chisholm is a great hero. His tenderness toward his grandfather, even though his memories of his childhood differ from reality, touched my heart. He’s not used to showing his emotions, so I loved the way Grace encourages him to see things from his past in a different light.

The romance develops quickly between Grace and Cole, but it grows from their mutual efforts to save Zoe. I loved their story and wants them to find their happy ending.

While there are redundancies and clichés, the story is so strong, I overlooked them as I became enmeshed in the book. I’m glad I did because I truly liked this excellent novel. If you enjoy clean romances with engaging characters and an intriguing plot, then you will love To Save a Child as much as I. Ms. Warren is an amazing storyteller, and I will look for other books by her. Happy reading! 

Author Bio:

Linda Warren loves happy endings. The Rita® nominated and award-winning author has written 26 books for Harlequin, including Super Romance, American and Everlasting Love. Drawing upon her years of growing up on a farm/ranch in Texas, she writes about sexy heroes, feisty heroines and broken families with an emotional punch all set against the backdrop of Texas. She lives in College Station with her husband and spends her days doing what she loves--creating unforgettable love stories--with happy endings.

Social Media:

Website: http://www.lindawarren.net/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorlindawarren

Twitter: https://twitter.com/texauthor

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/texasauthor/

Book Review: The Last Real Cowboy by Caitlin Crews

The Last Real Cowboy by Caitlin Crews

Publisher & Release: St. Martin’s, January 28, 2020

Time and setting:  Present Day, Cold River

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Western

Length: 382 Pages

Heat Level: 1 Flame

Rating: 3 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

USA Today bestselling author Caitlin Crews returns to the Cold River Ranch series with The Last Real Cowboy!

In Cold River, sometimes forbidden love is the sweetest of them all… 

Perennial good girl Amanda Kittredge knows that her longtime crush on Brady Everett was never really supposed to go anywhere. But when Brady comes home during Amanda’s first attempt at independence, well, who better to teach her about rebellion than her older brother’s bad-boy best friend?

Brady’s plans did not include being forced to work the family homestead for a year—and yet, here he is. And, to make matters worse, his best friend’s innocent little sister is making a menace of herself in the most grown-up, tempting ways. When Amanda begs Brady to teach her about men, he knows he should refuse. But could Brady’s greatest temptation be his salvation?

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Last-Real-Cowboy-River-Ranch-ebook/dp/B07SCTC1CN

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-last-real-cowboy-caitlin-crews

Add to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46218126-the-last-real-cowboy

Vikki’s Musings

Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the chance to read and review The Last Real Cowboy by Caitlin Crews in advance of publication. My opinions are my own and are not influenced in any way.

The Last Real Cowboy is no doubt a well-written novel. It may have helped if I had read the other books in this series, so I would possibly have had some prior knowledge of the secondary characters. However, this can be read as a stand alone novel. It just didn’t resonate with me.

Amanda Kittredge’s character is a mixed bag for me. There are aspects of the heroine that I enjoyed very much, but I had a difficult time wrapping my brain around a woman being as sheltered and naïve as she. This is the 21^st century, and it would be highly unusual for any young woman, unless she’d been raised in a very strict religion such as an Amish community, to be as sheltered as Amanda. If this novel had been set in the late 19^th century, this aspect of the story may have worked much better.

Brady Everett is not my favorite type of hero. He’s arrogant, and at times rude to the heroine. I struggled with him from the start and would have liked more depth to his character to explain his coldness. He isn’t very nice to Amanda throughout most of the book.

For me, there just wasn’t very much chemistry between Amanda and Brady. I never became fully vested in their love affair. Brady and Amanda never seemed to connect on an emotional level. I’m not fond of relationships centered on the physical.

If you like contemporary romance set in the west with cowboys and small-town USA, then The Last Real Cowboy may be a good reading experience for you. Reading is subjective and what doesn’t work for one individual may appeal very well to another. I just downloaded the first book in this series, via Audible since that one has excellent reviews. Happy reading!

Author Bio:

USA Today-bestselling, RITA-nominated, and critically-acclaimed author Caitlin Crews has written more than 100 books, including Frenemies, Princess from the Past, A Royal Without Rules, and Undone by the Sultan's Touch. She's won fans with romances, Harlequin Presents, women's fiction, chick lit, and work-for-hire young adult novels, many of which she writes as Megan Crane (including the dystopian Viking romance Edge series). These days her focus is on contemporary romance in all its forms, from small town heat to international glamour, cowboys to bikers to military men and beyond. She's taught creative writing classes in places like UCLA Extension's prestigious Writers' Program, gives assorted workshops on occasion, and attempts to make use of the MA and PhD in English Literature she received from the University of York in York, England. She currently lives in the Pacific Northwest with a husband who draws comics and animation storyboards, and their menagerie of ridiculous animals.

Social Media:

Website: https://megancrane.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MeganCraneAndCaitlinCrews

Twitter: https://twitter.com/megancrane

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meganmcrane/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/meganandcaitlin/

Book Review: Deep Cover by Scarlett Cole

Deep Cover by Scarlett Cole

Publisher & Release: Montlake Romance, July 31, 2018

Time and setting:  Present Day, USA

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Romantic Suspense

Book Length:   336 Pages

Heat Level: 1 Flame

Rating: 4 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

Ex-Navy SEAL Cabe Moss always comes when called to duty—at all costs. Even though the death of his fiancée nearly destroyed him, Cabe won’t let his past interfere with any work that has to get done. When his latest task pushes him to team up with FBI operative Amy Murray, a fierce beauty with the undercover skills to match, Cabe must admit that, for the first time in years, he wants to do more than just complete their mission together.

Amy was born ready for this assignment, but working side-by-side with the strong, silent, and frustratingly professional Cabe seems to be the biggest challenge of all. But when the sparks begin to fly—and the stakes rise to dangerous heights—the only thing Amy is left worrying about is how she can resist him. Their lives may be in danger, but their hearts hold the biggest risk of all…

Buy Link:

https://smile.amazon.com/Deep-Cover-Love-Over-Novel-ebook/dp/B0765CBPRS

Add to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36386387-deep-cover

Vikki’s Musings

This is the first book I’ve read by Ms. Cole, and I enjoyed it a great deal. My thanks goes to the publisher, via Net-Galley, for the chance to read and review this book. My opinions are my own and are not influenced in any way.

Deep Cover is an exciting romantic suspense with excellent characters and an intriguing plot that kept me engaged throughout the book. The writing flows nicely and the pacing is steady. There is a good bit of suspense as well.

Cabe and Amy are perfect for each other, and I truly wanted them to find their happy ending. The chemistry is strong between the couple and intermingles with the suspense without interfering or slowing down the pacing.

If you are looking for a good romantic suspense with plenty of action and an intriguing plot, then you will enjoy Deep Cover. I hope to go back and read the other books in this series in the near future. Happy reading!

Book Review: Collision Point by Lora Leigh

Collision Point by Lora Leigh

Publisher & Release: St. Martin’s, February 27, 2018

Time and setting:  Present Day, Charleston

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense

Book Length: Full length

Heat Level: 2 Flame

Rating: 3.5 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

SHE’S NOTHING BUT TROUBLE

Riordan Malone is more than a bodyguard. As an Elite Ops agent, he’s ripped, raged, and ready to rumble—a true warrior, inside and out. But no war zone can compare to the battle in Rory’s heart when he lays eyes on the only woman he’s ever loved—and thought he had lost forever. . .

HE’S EVERYTHING SHE NEEDS

 
As the daughter of a crime lord, Amara Resnova has endured the cruelty of her father’s enemies—and has tried to escape that world ever since. Now, she must reach out to the one man who saved her life, even if she’s never forgiven him for breaking her heart. But Amara is tougher today than she was then. She’s also more desirable to Rory—and dangerous to love. Can he protect her from her father’s enemies without surrendering to his own passions…or will love seal their fate for good?

Buy Link:

https://smile.amazon.com/Collision-Point-Brute-Force-Novel-ebook/dp/B075D7453W

Add to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36187756-collision-point

Vikki’s Musings

This is the first book I have read by Lora Leigh, and I enjoyed it for the most part. Thanks go to the publisher, via Net-Galley, for the chance to read and review in advance of publication. Collision Point is an action-paced romantic suspense novel that walks the edge of erotica.

Ms. Leigh writes fantastic suspense scenes that had me nibbling on my nails, waiting to find out what would happen next. It quickly drew me in, and I had a hard time putting it down. This is a plot-driven story, and for anyone who loves hot, steamy sexual scenes, there are plenty of those.

Regarding the characters, I never truly became vested in either of them. I would have liked more inner thoughts from both of them. The relationship was all about sex with very little emotional connection between the pair, so as a romance this book didn’t work for me. At times, the sexual scenes seemed out of place. I found myself flipping through them to get onto the action. I’m sure other readers may not agree because reading is very subjective.

What did work for me, is the high suspense and the startling surprise at the end when I found out who the villain was. I could feel the heroine’s pain at this realization. If I were to give two ratings for this book, I’d give 5 Gold Crowns for the suspense and 2 for the romance, hence my 3.5 rating.

If you love high suspense with a great “who done it” and lots of sexual scenes, then you will enjoy Collision Point. While the romance didn’t work for me, the suspenseful aspect of this novel kept me engaged and on the edge of my seat and made it a worth-while read. Happy reading!