Net Galley Review and Catching Up.....

Net Galley Reviews

Evidence of Desire by Lexi Blake

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Review Copy Provided by Publisher via Net Galley

Ms Blake is a new to me author and I picked this one up on the blurb alone and I am so glad I did.
Evidence of Desire is a good combination of legal thriller and romance/relationship story. Finding the right balance between the two story lines can be difficult and Ms Blake did an excellent job.
Ilsa, David, and their friends are all interesting characters that I found entertaining and would have liked to know better. Evidence of Desire is a story that moves quickly with the action kicking off right away, so we get to know our characters as we move along. This was a refreshing approach as it allowed us to try to figure out what was happening as the characters did.
Very well written, the instant attraction between Ilsa and David was believable as was the way their relationship played out. The legal intrigue part of the story kept me on my toes and I had several theories about how it would play out - all of which were wrong. It was a treat to reach the conclusion of the story and be genuinely surprised about the "who done it" aspect of the story.
This is a book that makes me what to dive into the author's back list as it's obvious some of the secondary characters have been primary characters in other stories and I am curious about those tales. I will definitely be on the look out for other works by Ms. Blake.

Amazon

The Au Pair by Emma Rous

3.5 stars for a solid debut novel

Review Copy Provided by Publisher via Net Galley

This is a book that I picked up because it sounded a bit different and I’m glad I did.
We meet Seraphine shortly after her 25th birthday and shortly after her father’s death. We follow along with her as she investigates a family mystery that heavily involves Laura, the family’s former au pair.
Told in dual point of view and following dual timelines, the story in The Au Pair is complex and compelling. I have to confess that I didn’t feel a strong affinity for any of the characters, but I was quickly invested in seeing how things played out.
Heavy on intrigue and just a bit sinister, the story line kept me engaged and curious as to what would happen next and the motives behind the secrecy. I am pleased to say that the end is one I didn’t expect, but found completed everything nicely.
This is an author whose work I would read again.

Amazon

TBR Reads

Funny story.... this actually wasn't the book I meant to read.... I went looking for an ARC of a similar title on my kindle and picked this one up instead, so glad I did!

My Best Friend's Ex by Meghan Quinn

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A Free Read (from an author's newsletter, I think)

I was a little concerned going into this one after meeting Tucker in Co-Wrecker. In that book, he was a secondary character that was hard to get a good grasp on and was a natural antagonist.
Ms Quinn did an excellent job of bringing a depth to his character in My Best Friend’s Ex that made him not only likeable, but relatable. Emma also made a brief appearance the previous book, but she shines here and is a female lead that you can’t help but root for to see a happy ending.
One of my favorite parts of this story was the idea of a friendship being rekindled and then growing into more. I also appreciated the fact that while the conflict of the story was related to Tucker’s previous relationship, there wasn’t a sense of drama for the sake of drama.
The cast of characters is fairly small, but the group that surrounds Tucker and Emma is fun and entertaining. They support their emotional growth in ways that made me want to get to know them better too.
While this is related to Co-Wrecker, it’s not necessary to read the books in order. Ms Quinn is a newish to me author and each book I read makes me want more.

Amazon

All I Want - A Tryst with a Twist by S.L. Scott

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a cute short story perfect for the Christmas season. Christina and Lawson have a mutual attraction - what appears to be a chance encounter escalates into a very naughty afternoon.
There is a sweet twist that makes this a perfect escape read from a go to author.

Amazon

 My Step-Dad's Brother by Fiona Davenport

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Free Read

This is a quick read with a massive case of insta-lust/love and a dose of taboo. Due to the length of the book, there is very little in the way of character development and the plot is fairly thin.
This was a free gift - for subscribers to a newsletter - and when I factor that in, I think this served its purpose; to be a fun little extra read.
I would have been disappointed if I had paid for this, but since I didn’t, it was a good and naughty read.

Amazon

 All I Want by J. Daniels

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The yo-yo effect in this drove me nuts. This is the 2nd in a series of connected stand alone stories and jumps into things were the previous book left off (even though it’s not necessary to read book 1 first).
Tessa and Luke are in a love/hate relationship that centers around the fact that they can’t communicate with each other.
As we follow their interactions, there are some epiphanies for each character, but not a whole lot of true emotional growth.
Add in some fairly serious issues that are seemingly swept under the rug and high schoolish behavior by both characters, and I was left scratching my head.
This is an author I have not read before. I’m curious to read other works to see if my issues with the book are isolated to this particular story.

Amazon

 As Deep as the Ocean by Serenity Woods

3.5 Stars - Worth a Reader's Time

This was a sweet and slightly unexpected read. The premise is interesting and the characters intriguing.
I liked Mac and Fred and enjoyed getting to know them.
Fred’s sisters are also interesting characters and I hope to meet them as well.

Amazon

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