From the Ashes by Julie Coulter Bellon

ABOUT THE BOOK:
As a suspect in Senator DeMarco’s murder, Sophia Naziri worked hard to bring the true killer to justice and prove her innocence. But she pays a high personal price trying to clear her name when she’s held hostage and nearly killed---and Sophia can’t put it behind her just yet.

Matters get even more complicated when classified information regarding the murder is leaked. Sophia is besieged by the press and trapped even further by the memories that won’t let her move on. In order to escape the situation, Sophia heads to a secluded cabin with Detective Colby Black so they can lay low and figure out who the leak is. But can Sophia find the peace she craves? Or will the circumstances that brought her and Colby together now drive them apart?

MY THOUGHTS:

It was fun to be able to read more of Colby and Sophia's story after reading Ashes to Ashes. I love these little novellas that give you the look and the ending you dream up in your head after reading a good book! This one still has some action and clean romance. It was a great side to the Hostage Negotiator Series!

Ashes Ashes by Julie Coulter Bellon

Ashes Ashes by Julie Coulter Bellon

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Are you ever really innocent until proven guilty? Sophia Naziri is wanted for questioning in the murder of a U.S. senator. She's worried the police will show up on her doorstep any moment, but when Detective Colby Black appears, it's to help her put out a kitchen fire, not take her in. Yet. His easy smile and persistence in getting to know her pushes all her troubles to the back of her mind, until a hit man tracks her down. Getting arrested becomes the least of her worries and the handsome detective could be her only way out---if she tells him the truth. Colby Black's sniper skills have been a blessing and a curse to him. As a member of a Hostage Negotiation Team, he can use them to save people, but sometimes he can't protect the innocent despite his best efforts. When a hostage situation goes bad, he tries to put it behind him by helping out his mysterious next-door neighbor, Sophia Naziri. But she pulls Colby into a web of lies and conspiracy that will force him to use every skill he has in order to survive. Faced with the moment of truth, can he trust anyone around him---including the woman at the center of it all?

MY THOUGHTS:

I think this is a great series! I didn't find this one as suspenseful as the first one but it still had a lot of action and was page turner! I love how the author ties in some clean romance but still keeps the flow of the story that it doesn't feel too lovey dovey. (Not that I don't enjoy a good clean romance as well) I think my teenage son will like this series. I look forward to reading more of Colby and Sophia's story in From the Ashes!

ALL FALL DOWN by Julie Coulter Bellon

ALL FALL DOWN by Julie Coulter Bellon

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Ring around the rosy, a pocket full of posies, ashes, ashes we all fall down . . .

That simple rhyme turns negotiator Claire Michaels’ current hostage situation into an international incident. Claire just wants to help get everyone out safely, but as the crisis escalates she realizes she’s dealing with an al-Qaeda operative who has the means to become another bin Laden---with the potential to attack America. Claire has her own personal reasons for wanting to stop al-Qaeda, but time is slipping away as negotiations break down. Can she overcome her scars of the past in order to get the hostage out alive and possibly stop an assault on U.S. national security?

Navy SEAL Rafe Kelly is on leave to recover from a knee injury he suffered during his tour in Afghanistan and he doesn’t expect to be fighting terrorists on his home turf. But when he is taken hostage and his brother is kidnapped, Rafe teams up with a hostage negotiator in order to stay alive and get his brother back. The terrorist is always one step ahead of them, however, and the situation quickly turns from desperate to deadly. Will Rafe be able to save himself and his country without anyone he loves getting caught in the crossfire?

MY THOUGHTS:

WOW! That is my first reaction after reading this book. It grabs you from the first page. You will never think of the song Ring Around the Rosie the same again! This book was full of action and excitement. I could not put it down. I’m not sure if there really are Female hostage negotiators out there but Claire definitely fits the part! I really do believe that a bond and friendship like the one Claire and Rafe had would be formed in a situation like this. I loved this book! I just bought the next 2 in the series I can’t wait to read them!

The Random Acts of Cupid By: Amanda Tru

The Random Acts of Cupid By: Amanda Tru

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Elise Hutchins has a secret. She likes to anonymously play matchmaker for people she doesn’t really know.

But when lawyer Ryan Jenkins discovers she’s Seattle’s Cupid, he thinks her methods are deceptive and she shouldn’t be interfering in the lives of others.

Now Elise has 24 hours to present her case and prove her character to Ryan. Otherwise, he will reveal her secret and ruin her reputation along with possibly all of the good she’s done.

Will following her around on her Cupid errands change his mind about her? And, in the end, will Elise sacrifice her own chance at love to make one final match for her best friend?

MY THOUGHTS:

What a cute novella! I love how Elise took it upon herself to become a Cupid. To try to find other people Love when she didn't even know it herself. She was just a sweet girl. I loved the Author's note at the end and Amanda's confession that she based the book off an embarrassing moment she had in High school that made it priceless to me! To take something humiliating and turn it into something great says a lot of her character and her talent. Amanda Tru is an awesome!

Redeem This by Cami Checketts

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Some men are beyond redemption. Alex is one of them.
After Alex Chakhota was blackmailed and manipulated into becoming a hit man to protect his sister, serving time as the FBI's assassin doesn't do much to ease his conscience. His next assignment brings him face to face with Brittany, a beautiful woman that believes he's more than the killer he's been made into. The road to redemption is long for someone with a blackened soul, and with lives hanging in the balance, Alex has a short deadline.
Detective Scott Bentley's days of law enforcement are behind him. When he's asked to host agents at his secluded ranch for an FBI sting operation, Scott cannot refuse. Ivy McMahon shows up with the team, and Scott gets more than he signed up for. Not only can she hack into the any computer system, she's found a way into Scott's heart. The trouble is that she's in protective custody and when the job ends, she'll disappear. Is redemption possible for those whose lives are scarred by the past?
Is redemption possible for those who lives are scarred by the past? With danger crowding close, not even love may have a chance to redeem before it's too late.
Don't miss this exciting sequel to Blog This by #1 Bestselling Inspirational author, Cami Checketts

"This book was so good I couldn't put it down. It was fun to see so many characters from the first book, Blog This. I suggest you read that one first....by the end of the first book you start to like Alex. Yet, you want to hate him for all he has done. This book is really his redemption. You fall in love with all the characters even Alex. It is fast paced excitement the whole way through and such a great story! I was glad to see both Scott and Alex get the chance for love that they didn't get in the first one. Cami is one of my favorite Authors and once again she writes a really great book!" Julia Lance, Reviewer, Book Reviewing Rocks  

MY THOUGHTS:

This book was so good I couldn't put it down. It was fun to see so many characters from the first book. I suggest you read that one first....by the end of the first book you start to like Alex. Yet you want to hate him for all he has done. This book is really his redemption. You fall in love with all the characters even Alex. It is fast paced excitement the whole way through and such a great story! I was glad to see both Scott and Alex get the chance for love that they didn't get in the first one. Cami is one of my favorite Authors and once again she writes a really great book! Note: I was given an advanced copy of this book by the Author in exchange for an honest review!

Key Witness by Christy Barritt

ABOUT THE BOOK:

When Elle Philips witnesses an armed robbery while standing in line at the bank, she sets into motion a deadly game of cat and mouse. Mark Denton, a security contractor and former navy SEAL, also witnesses the robbery, and is hired by Elle's father to keep his daughter safe following the incident. And while Denton's desire to protect Elle goes beyond professional bounds, he cannot let personal desires cloud his judgment—judgment he'll have to rely on when the robbers' true motives are revealed…and Elle becomes a target in the ultimate plot of revenge.

MY THOUGHTS:

This book will have you biting your nails and on the edge of your seat! I don't know why this book isn't more popular and out of print because it was awesome! I love Christy's book and this one, like her others, is full of scary situations and lots of action. I love how she can also tie in some romance just for fun Since I was all caught up with the squeaky clean books I am glad I found some others of Christy's to read that I enjoyed just as much! Highly recommend it!

Of Love and Magic By: Sherry Gammon, Amberlee Day, Cami Checketts, Taylor Hart, Lucy McConnell

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Five intriguing romances wrapped in love and magic

• Angel in a Black Fedora, by Sherry Gammon
  Ciel Björk died a tragic death...but she got over it. Now she works as an undercover angel, answering people's prayers. She's sent to the sleepy little town of Port Fare, New York to help turn Chloe's dreams into a reality. As secrets are revealed, Ciel soon learns that things are not as simple as they seem.

• A Wish in Her Hand, by Amberlee Day
  Professor Miri Keeler's life is perfect, and she knows just the sort of man she wants to share it with. When she meets a genie who's willing to grant her a favor, she uses her wish to get the attention of her crush, poet Jamison Arbor. But has the genie's magic missed its target? Miri suddenly has the attention of not only Jamison, but also of Alex, an attractive maintenance man. How will she know which is the right match for her, or what's real and what's magic?

• Reality Ever After, by Cami Checketts
  Pregnant at eighteen, Sydney Richland's happily ever after is in serious peril. Her grandmother's ghost can work miracles, but she also might ruin Sydney's chances with the man of her dreams.

• Prom Diaries, by Taylor Hart
  Sixteen-year-old Lacy O'Donnell discovers her best friend has cast a spell, putting everyone in a time loop, forcing them to relive the same four days before prom over and over. The good thing--Lacy doesn't remember the loop. The bad thing--Drake Davis, the guy she's been stalking, does. Only true love's kiss can break the spell, but true love's kiss has to happen at a precise moment. It's not exact science...it's exact magic.

• What If Wish, by Lucy McConnell
  Morana is doomed to a life cataloging spells deep below the palace unless she can make her magic bloom. If her deepest wish comes true, it would open up all sorts of possibilities. The whispers that she was a fluke of nature would hush. The King would stop stalking her. Her parents would no longer live under a cloud of shame. And, Adam could look at her as more than a friend. Despite the promises magic holds, Morana will quickly learn that the thing she wishes for most, could quickly be her undoing.

MY THOUGHTS:

I recommend this fun book of Magic and fantasy even if it isn't something you normally read. I am not huge into fantasy and such but it was a good book all around. Here are my individual reviews.... 

Angel in Black Fedora 

What a cute story! Not the normal romance but one I think my daughter will like to read. I'd probably consider it a YA book. I really liked the story line and the ending that shows things don't always go as planned and also people aren't always as they seem. Both good lessons for anyone to remember! 

A Wish in Her Hand

I like when I book helps you to see something in a different light. Some many times in our lives we think our hearts or minds want one thing when in actuality we are meant for something totally different. This book is one on those! 

Reality Ever After 

I love Cami Checketts! Her books never disappoint! This one really hit home for me. I made some choices when I was young that could have easily landed me where Sydney was. Luckily for me, they didn't when I was young and unmarried. However, this story really touched me and I related to it more than I care to admit. I also don't want to spoil the story but I also have faced what she did and felt pain and loss. All around it was an excellent novella and my favorite of the set. 

Prom Diaries 

Another great YA reader. I think my daughter will enjoy this one in a few years. I didn't put the clues together until late in the book which was kinda sad since they were all based on magic. It was a cute story though! 

What If Wish 

For me this was the harder of the set to get through. It wasn't a bad book or anything I guess I have never been one of those girls the believed or wished fairies were real. It was an interesting read and a good fit with the other stories.

All Regency Collection (A Timeless Romance Anthology Book 10) by: Anna Elliott, Sarah M. Eden, Carla Kelly, Josi S. Kilpack, Annette Lyon, and Heather B. Moore.

All Regency Collection (A Timeless Romance Anthology Book 10) by: Anna Elliott, Sarah M. Eden, Carla Kelly, Josi S. Kilpack, Annette Lyon, and Heather B. Moore.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Amazon #1 Bestselling series in *New Release* for Clean Romance
**Amazon Top 20 bestseller in Victorian Romance**
**Amazon Top 30 bestseller in Regency Romance**

Six Award-Winning Authors have contributed new stories to A Timeless Romance Anthology: All Regency Collection. Readers will love this collection of six regency romance novellas.

In THE WEDDING GIFT: A PRIDE AND PREJUDICE STORY, an enchanting novella by Anna Elliott, the story opens two weeks before Elizabeth Bennet’s wedding to Mr. Darcy. He has given her the perfect wedding gift, and now she must come up with one for him. But what do you give a man who has everything? Elizabeth soon discovers that the gift of love is more important than any one thing.

DREAM OF A GLORIOUS SEASON, a sweet novella by Sarah M. Eden, we meet Elizabeth Gillerford who envies her sister only one thing—that she’s been intended for Julian Broadwood since they were children. The trouble is that Elizabeth is hopelessly in love with Julian too. When Julian discovers that Elizabeth has been denied a Season because her older sister is yet unwed, he undertakes his own stealthy measures to introduce her to society, only to find himself falling in love with her himself.

In THE MENDER, a captivating story by Carla Kelly, Thankful Winnings takes a sea voyage with her cousin on the Ann Alexander, in a last adventure before she settles down to marry one of her beaus. Unexpectedly they come upon the aftermath of a fierce ship battle, and Thankful is commissioned to help in the place of an injured surgeon on one of the Royal Navy ships. Adam Farnsworth, surgeon, has been at sea for years. Tired of war, but devoted to his post, it takes a resourceful lady such as Thankful to give him the hope of love and help heal his own wounds, the ones that show and the ones that don’t.

In BEGIN AGAIN, a charming novella by Josi S. Kilpack, Regina Weathers gives up on marrying for love the day that Ross Martin walks out of her life. Now, fifteen years later, Ross shows up at a ball and thinks he can woo Regina. But she is set on her lonely path and stitched-up heart, no matter the excuse Ross gives for his years of silence and neglect. When Ross insists he wrote many letters during his military years, Regina discovers a secret long-since buried by her father, and the revelation might be enough to thaw the coldness of her heart.

In Annette Lyon’s endearing story, THE AFFAIR AT WILDEMOORE, Mrs. Ellen Stanhope escorts her three daughters to a ball. As her oldest flirts with a beau, Ellen is reminded of her courtship and early years of marriage with Anthony, before tragedy struck with the death of their infant son. The marriage has faded and dulled. Not until she sees Anthony dancing with a woman he courted years before does Ellen realize how much she misses him, still loves him, and yearns for him to yet feel the same way for her.

In the delightful novella, THE DUKE’S BROTHER, by Heather B. Moore, Mr. Gregory Clark is having an awful day, and it only gets worse when he’s ran over by … a woman. Mabel Russell reluctantly visits her sister in London for the Season, even though she’d rather stay in the country cataloging insects and aphids. When she runs into Gregory Clark, quite literally, she’s afraid to show any interest, especially since he’s a member of the dreaded ton. But getting to know Gregory becomes an unexpected delight.

MY THOUGHTS:

I don't read many Historical Fiction books. Although, I come from a strong English Heritage and should probably read these types more than I do. The All Regency Collection is a great addition to the Romance Anthologies and even though it is not my first choice to read it was a really good one and I loved all 6 of the novellas. I think my favorite one was Begin Again by: Annette Lyon because it was about a Husband and Wife that had put their love for each other on the back burner as life takes over. I believe that we all tend to do that at some point or another in our lives. So I could really relate to it! I also enjoyed The Duke’s Brother by Heather Moore because my husband and I are both a little different from the norm that people expect us to be and I love it! As always, it is always nice to read clean romance by great Authors!

Note- I was given this book by Heather B. Moore in exchange for an honest review.