Tag Archives: Broken

Broken (The Four #3) by Layla Frost-review

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Broken (The Four #3) by Layla Frost-review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 1, 2024

You know the deal by now. Fated mates. Nefarious baddies. Grumpy-sunshine. And all the spicy tension.

I’d been called a lot of things.

Cold.
Cynical.
Jaded.

An antisocial basta—You get the point.

I’d say it came with being an overworked doctor, but that wasn’t the case. In my own personal purgatory, I’d lost touch with what I was meant to do—who I was.
Until I got stuck in a hospital elevator with a beautiful, broken woman. Comforting her through hell reminded me why I’d become a doctor in the first place.
I had no clue why, but the hippie goddess consumed my thoughts. I was obsessed. From the first touch, I knew I wasn’t going to let her go.
And that was before I got my memories back.

At the best of times, I was crap at relationships—and we were far from the best of times.
Thrust into a war I’d forgotten, I had to find a way to explain that we were targets of the soul stealing organization that’d cursed me.
That magicks, fate, Heaven, and Hell were not just tales.
That she was my mate.
The literal other half of my soul.
Unequivocally mine.

•••••••

REVIEW:Let’s see if I can keep this short and sweet…Broken is book three in the paranormal romance series by Layla Frost. The first two books, Styx and Stoned must be read before going into Broken, there is far too much goodness that happens in the first two books that readers can’t miss.

Lennon and Lilith’s story was the best way to start off the month of love. These two are such a kick in the pants together, even without all the other drama going on in the storyline, the two main leads will take you on the best adventure. Readers who love a little grumpy/sunshine romance, tossed in with fated mates and paranormal vibes, you will love Broken. Be warned though fellow readers, you will live in all your feels for a while after this one! I sure did.

Fantastic job to Ms. Author, we patiently waited for the next book in the Four series, and I can totally say it was well worth the wait. But I totally can’t wait to see what comes next of our lovely little group of crazies.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sarah

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Growing up, Layla Frost used to hide under her blanket with a flashlight to read the Sweet Valley High books she pilfered from her older sister. It wasn’t long before she was reading hidden Harlequins during class at school. This snowballed into pulling all-nighters after the promise of “just one more chapter”.

Her love of reading, especially the romance genre, took root early and has grown immeasurably until it was time to write her own stories.

When she’s not writing, Layla Frost is an insomniac with a deep love of iced coffee, tchotchkes, plants, and her hens. She’s also the world’s okayest mom, but her kids think she’s cool… ish.

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BROKEN PROMISE/ BROKEN TRUST by Nana Malone & M. Malone-review tour

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BROKEN TRUST / BROKEN PROMISE (Broken 1 & 3) by Nana Malone & M. Malone

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date July 20, 2023

I am the ghost that haunts your dreams. I am a liar, a protector … a killer… I am death.

You think you know my story, but you have no idea. My death was just the beginning. In the years since I escaped the shadow organization that owned me, my vow to protect my family is the only thing keeping me alive.

Until I meet her.

Too bad I need the monster to protect her from the demons of her past.

Too bad she’s not that innocent.

•••••••

REVIEW: BROKEN PROMISE is the third instalment in the contemporary, adult BROKEN erotic romance suspense series co-authored by M. Malone and Nana Malone. This is former assassin/former FBI agent turned security specialist Rafe DeMarco, and Diana Renquist-Vandergraff’s story line. BROKEN PROMISE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary but I recommend reading book one BROKEN TRUST for back story.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Diana and Rafe) BROKEN PROMISE follows the building relationship between Rafe DeMarco and Diana Rehnquist, a relationship predicated upon a number of lies. Ten years earlier Diana lost everything, and blames Rafe DeMarco for it all. Having set a plan into motion to destroy our story line hero, Diana lies about who she is, in an effort to get up close and personal with Rafe DeMarco but Diana never expected to fall in love. As Diana and Rafe’s relationship becomes more serious, Diana begins to execute her plan only to come face to face with people intending to destroy them all. What ensues is the building relationship between Rafe and Diana, and the potential fall-out as the past collides with the present; secrets and lies are revealed; and Rafe finds himself in an impossible situation when he discovers the truth about the woman with whom he is falling in love.

The world building continues to focus on past assignments and contracts, and the vengeance wreaked by those who have been betrayed. Rafe DeMarco is no longer an assassin for hire or an agent with the FBI but he is unable to let go of the past when the past continues to haunt his days and nights.

The relationship between Diana and Rafe is predicated upon a lie. Diana needs revenge for sins of the past but the sins may not be Rafe’s alone. Never expecting to fall in love, Diana struggles between head and heart knowing her time with Rafe is nothing more than a mission to take down the man she blames for her broken heart. Rafe, for all intents and purposes, is easily manipulated by our story line heroine, and finds himself at a disadvantage on more than one occasion. The $ex scenes are numerous, provocative and intense.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful, energetic and determined secondary and supporting characters most of whom play a role, past and present in our hero’s life. We are reintroduced to the team at Blake Security: Noah and Lucia, Jonas, Oskar, Ian and JJ, as well as Interpol Agent Emelie Durand.

BROKEN PROMISE is a story of betrayal and vengeance, power and control, secrets and lies, family, friendships, forgiveness and acceptance. The fast paced, character driven premise is detailed and intriguing; the romance is seductive and passionate; the characters are dynamic and desperate.

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of book two BROKEN TIES

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

_______

BROKEN TRUST
(The Broken Series 1)
by M. Malone & Nana Malone
Genre:adult, contemporary, erotic, romantic suspense

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Re-release January 24, 2023

I’m what some people call the bogeyman. Most people have the good sense to be afraid of me. Unfortunately, my best friend’s little sister is NOT most people.

She’s not afraid of me at all. But she should be. She doesn’t know the secrets I’m hiding.

Look, Lucia Demarco is a handful. She’s stubborn, gorgeous, a magnet for trouble, and sets my blood on fire.

Ignore that last part. I can’t have her. I promised my best friend on his deathbed that I’d always take care of her. And I have…never you mind about the thoughts that plague me at night

The point is, she’s been poking her head where it doesn’t belong and now some idiots are about to find out why they call me the reaper.

I hear former hitmen make the best bodyguards. True story!

I’ll keep my word and keep Lucia safe. And I absolutely refuse to give in to her sunny smile or sharp wit.

I can be strong. Or will I risk just one taste?

•••••

REVIEW: BROKEN TRUST is the first instalment in the contemporary, adult BROKEN erotic, romantic suspense series co-authored by M. Malone and Nana Malone. This is security specialist Noah Blake, and twenty year old fashion designer Lucia DeMarco’s story line.

NOTE: BROKEN TRUST is a revised and expanded story line originally released in the Shameless Series.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Noah and Lucia) BROKEN TRUST follows the building but tempestuous relationship between security specialist Noah Blake, and twenty year old fashion designer Lucia DeMarco. Six years earlier Lucia’s brother and Noah’s best friend Rafe DeMarco was gunned down on assignment, and in the ensuing years Noah has vowed to protect Lucia with his life but all is not as it appears to be, and Lucia will find herself the target of an assassin, and a pawn between the past and the present. What ensues is the building relationship between Noah and Lucia, and the potential fall-out as a contract targeting Lucia reveals a past shrouded in betrayal and deceit.

The world building is detailed and complex focusing on secrets and lies, betrayal and vengeance, Dark Ops, secret organizations, government spies, double crossing, double agents, and triple threats. There are code names, undercover operatives, IT specialists, and international systems of espionage and threats. There is a blurry line between right and wrong.

The relationship between Noah and Lucia is a best friend’s sister relationship in which said best friend is dead and gone. Noah has promised to protect the woman he has always loved, a woman who begins to suspect there is more to her brother’s death than she is acutely aware. At every turn Noah hopes to be one-step ahead of our story line heroine but someone else is targeting Lucia, and there is more than one player in the game. The $ex scenes are intimate, provocative and intense without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful, strategic and powerful secondary and supporting characters. We are introduced to Noah’s team at Blake Security: Jonas, IT specialist Matthias and Oskar; Noah’s former handler Ian, as well as Lucia’s best friend and designer Jessica JJ Jones, and Lucia’s Nonna DeMarco. JJ and Jonas’ story line is next.

BROKEN TRUST is a story of secrets and lies, espionage, betrayal and vengeance, power and control, forgiveness, acceptance and love. The fast paced premise is captivating, twisted and elaborate; the characters are numerous, dynamic and spirited; the romance is seductive, tender and consuming.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Nana Malone

Follow: Goodreads / Website/ Amazon Author/ Bookbub/ Facebook/ Twitter/ Instagram /

USA Today bestseller Nana Malone’s love of all things romance and adventure started with a tattered romantic suspense she “borrowed” from her cousin.

It was a sultry summer afternoon in Ghana, and Nana was a precocious thirteen. She’s been in love with kick butt heroines ever since. With her overactive imagination, and channeling her inner Buffy, it was only a matter a time before she started creating her own characters.

While she waits for her chance at a job as a ninja assassin, in the meantime Nana works out her drama, passion, and sass with fictional characters every bit as sassy and kick butt as she thinks she is.

M. Malone

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M. Malone is a RITA® Award winner and a NYT & USA Today bestselling author. She lives with her husband and their two sons in the picturesque mountains of Northern Virginia even though she is afraid of insects, birds, butterflies and other humans.

Since starting her indie publishing journey in 2011,  she has sold over a million books and her titles have hit the NYT and USA Today bestseller lists more than a dozen times. 

She also holds a Master’s degree in Business from a prestigious college that would no doubt be scandalized at how she’s using her expensive education.

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Broken (Billion Heirs) by Helen Hardt & Vanessa Vale -review tour

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Broken (Billion Heirs 3) by Helen Hardt & Vanessa Vale -review tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date January 17, 2023

Two lost souls. A past that collides with the present. And secrets. So many secrets…
Unlike his two half brothers, Chance Bridger was raised on the family ranch with the father who left them billions. Still, he hated the man. He’s tried to escape his past, but that’s impossible, especially when it comes back to haunt him in the form of his first and only love.

Special Agent Avery Marsh left Bayfield at eighteen and never looked back, until a field assignment lands her back in her hometown fifteen years later. She’s taken care not to look into Chance Bridger, or even think about him. It would only lead to more heartache, and she’s had enough of that for one lifetime.

When the two former lovers cross paths, time melts away and their passion is still as intense as ever. But one is a murder suspect, and the other has a secret that could change everything.

The thrilling conclusion of The Billion Heirs!

•••••

REVIEW:The Billion Heirs series has returned with Broken, the final installment in this gripping series. As always I recommend reading a series in order, this one included, while Broken can be read as a standalone, the series in total makes much more sense.

Chance, Miles and Austin are strangers to one another until they find out they share a father in Jonathan Briger. After he dies, the new brothers learn that to inherit they must live together in Montana for a period of a year. Each brother has their own reasons for staying, and each book gives us their story. We’ve watched as Austin and Miles found what they were looking for, now it’s time for Chance.

Chance is the youngest of the brothers, and was also no stranger to Jonathan Briger. He technically was raised by the man, if what he did could be called child rearing. Their relationship was rocky at best. The only thing that got Chance through life was Avery Marsh. Or at least she was before she up and left him.

Broken is a second chance (no pun intended) romance filled with love, lies and secrets. When Avery returns to Bayfield for the first time in fifteen years, it’s not for fun, she’s here as a FBI agent investigating a death on Chance’s property. But being back is bringing long buried feelings to the surface, feelings that Chance can never know about. Things that Chance can never know about. As Avery digs into the case and secrets become known, the chemistry between the pair flair back to life. Can they let go of the past and move on to a better future? What happens when the case is over, will Avery stay and rebuild or run again?

These authors never disappoint! Broken was the perfect ending to an amazing series. Chance and Avery are a lovely pair that bring mystery and love to life. The brothers become just that through the series, brothers and family.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Scarred
Flawed

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sarah

About Helen Hardt

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#1 New York Times, #1 USA Today, and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author Helen Hardt’s passion for the written word began with the books her mother read to her at bedtime. She wrote her first story at age six and hasn’t stopped since. In addition to being an award-winning author of romantic fiction, she’s a mother, an attorney, a black belt in Taekwondo, a grammar geek, an appreciator of fine red wine, and a lover of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. She writes from her home in Colorado, where she lives with her family. Helen loves to hear from readers.

About Vanessa Vale

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Who doesn’t love the romance of the old West? USA Today Bestselling author Vanessa Vale takes the sensual appeal of rugged cowboys a step further with her bestselling books set in the Montana Territory. They are much more than just sexy historical westerns. They’re deliciously naughty reads that sometimes push the boundaries of fantasy. It’s pure escapism with quite a few very hot, very alpha cowboys. When she’s not writing, Vanessa savors the insanity of raising two boys, is figuring out how many meals she can make with a pressure cooker, and teaches a pretty mean karate class. She considers herself to be remarkably normal, exceedingly introverted and fairly vanilla, which does not explain her steamy stories and her fascination with cowboys, preferably more than one at a time. She lives in the Wild Wild West where there’s an endless source of ‘research’ material.

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Broken (Deep Ops #3) by Rebecca Zanetti-a review

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Broken (Deep Ops #3) by Rebecca Zanetti-a review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 26, 2020

Dangerous: Former Navy SEAL Clarence Wolfe’s unit was taken out with a land mine. Injured and devastated, he hasn’t been quite right since. Worse, the tragedy was no accident. All Wolfe wants now is to take down the man responsible. In the meantime, he’s good with being the muscle for the Deep Ops team–and leading a steamy no-strings-attached personal life. Until one intriguing woman changes everything . .

Determined: Reporter Dana Mulberry is on a mission to avenge the death of a fellow journalist. She’s finally hot on a trail–right to a sex club–where she runs into . . . Wolfe? It seems both their leads have led to the same spot. To keep from blowing their covers, they’ll have to at least pretend to have a little fun. Trouble is, they genuinely like each other. And that’s way too risky for Wolfe, especially when, to his surprise, Dana agrees . . .

Complicated: Drawn to each other in ways they can’t understand, Wolfe and Dana keep it professional–until they’re shot at one night. And when their adventures land them both at the heart of corruption in D.C.–and at odds in their missions–they’ll have to dig deeper than ever to succeed in their quests–and with each other . . .

••••••••

REVIEW: BROKEN is the third full-length instalment in Rebecca Zanetti’s contemporary, adult DEEP OPS erotic, romantic suspense series focusing on the men and women who work for the US HDD (Homeland Defense Department) and Angus Force’s Requisition Force Team. This is former US Navy SEAL Clarence Wolfe, and reporter Dana Mulberry’s story line. BROKEN can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous instalments is revealed where necessary.

Told from several third person perspectives including Wolfe and Dana BROKEN follows Clarence Wolfe as he continues to hunt for the person responsible for, killing every man in his Navy SEAL unit, leaving Wolfe battling the memories where is all went wrong but Wolfe never expected to find reporter and part-time Requisition Force Team member Dana Mulberry haunting the same club as our story line hero, a club that specializes, and caters to the people who live on the kinky side of life. But all does not go according to plan when Dana’s target is killed, and Wolfe soon recognizes they have been looking for the same man. With the help of Angus Force’s Requisition force Team, Dana begins to unravel the clues as it pertains to a missing journalist, a journalist who may have uncovered too many secrets of some very powerful men. Meanwhile, Clarence Wolfe is determined to go it alone-like his name, Wolfe is a lone wolf, and will not stop until Gary Rockcliff, the man that killed his friends, is behind bars or dead but said man has a new target, and Dana is now in his sights. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Dana and Wolfe, and the potential fall-out as Gary is always one –step ahead of our story line hero, one step that places Dana in the direct line of fire.

Clarence Wolfe doesn’t do relationships believing himself too screwed up from the injuries he suffered in Afghanistan. With only one goal and one path, Wolfe is determined to take down Gary Rockcliff, no matter if is gets him killed in the process but meeting and falling for journalist Dana Mulberry, divides Wolfe’s attention, forcing our hero to protect Dana before finishing his mission, on his own.

The relationship between Wolfe and Dana is one of immediate attraction but Wolfe keeps to himself, and refuses to place Dana, or his teammates in the direct line of fire. Worried that Wolfe’s suicide mission will be a success, in more ways than one, Dana pulls the Requisition Force Team together to protect the man with whom she is falling in love. The $ex scenes are intimate, passionate and intense without the use of over the top,sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful secondary and supporting characters including former police detective and undercover operative Malcolm West, and Pippa Smith, (Hidden #1), Special agent Raider Tanaka, and computer hacker Brigid Banaghan (Fallen 2) , Requisition Force team leader Angus Force; Angus Force’s quirky whiskey guzzling, lipstick eating German shepherd Roscoe, and Wolfe’s pocket sized kitten Kat: FBI psychiatrist Dr. Nari Zhang; former MI6 Agent Dr. Jethro Hanson; Special Agents Tom Rutherford, and Kurt Fields.

BROKEN is a story of betrayal and vengeance; family, friendships, relationships and love. The premise is fast paced, energetic and dramatic; the characters are strong-willed, energetic and captivating; the romance is seductive and hot. BROKEN continues to reveal a little bit about Angus Force’s determination to take down a man he once believed was dead; and like so many heroine’s in romantic suspense story lines, Dana Mulberry was a little disappointing- often TSTL (too stupid to live)-determined to place herself in the direct line of fire, claiming, as a journalist, her priority was to finish the job, regardless of the number of people murdered or dead (sigh)

Reading Order and previous reviews

Hidden
Taken (1.5)
Fallen

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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Broken (LOST #1) by Cynthia Eden-a review

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BROKEN (LOST #1) by Cynthia Eden-a review

Broken

Amazon.com / B&N / KOBO / The Book Depository

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date March 31, 2015

The first novel in New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Eden’s sizzling LOST series introduces the Last Option Search Team, an elite unit that must protect the only surviving victim of a serial killer.

Ex-SEAL and LOST founder Gabe Spencer is accustomed to the unusual in his job. But when knockout Eve Gray steps into his office, he’s rattled. For the mysterious woman is a dead ringer for the heiress thought to be the latest prey of the serial killer who goes by the name Lady Killer.

When Eve awoke in an Atlanta hospital, her past was a blank slate. Then she recognized her own face in the newspaper and vowed to learn the truth. Determined to confront the nightmares hidden in her mind, she never expects to find a partner in Gabe.

As Gabe and Eve work together, their explosive attraction becomes irresistible. Gabe knows that his desire for Eve is growing too strong, bordering on a dangerous obsession, but nothing pulls him away from her. And when another Eve lookalike disappears, Gabe vows to protect Eve at all costs. While Eve may have forgotten the killer in her past, it’s clear he hasn’t forgotten her.

•••••••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: BROKEN is the first installment in Cynthia Eden’s adult, contemporary LOST romantic suspense series focusing on the men and women of LOST (Last Option Search Team). This is former Navy SEAL and LOST founder Gabe Spencer, and artist/painter Eve Gray’s storyline.

Told from several third person perspectives the storyline follows Eve Gray as she endeavors to uncover her past, her memories, and truth about what happened years before. A tortured and concussed Eve awoke in an Atlanta hospital with no memory and no idea what had happened; her only clue is a newspaper photo where a missing heiress who looks identical to Eve is said to be a victim of a serial murderer dubbed the Lady Killer. When the authorities refuse to believe her story, Eve seeks out the one person she hopes will help-Gabe Spencer-a virtual stranger but a man she knows will ‘find’ the truth. As Gabe begins to piece together what little information Eve can supply, our couple find themselves on Dauphin Island, Alabama where everyone knows Eve as Jessica Montgomery. What ensues is the unraveling of a suspense filled mystery, where a serial killer has targeted women who look exactly like the woman in question. As Eve’s memory returns, the killer strikes again leaving a path of clues in his wake. I guessed the identity of the killer almost immediately upon introduction although some readers may interpret differently the information and clues.

The relationship between Eve and Gabe is one of immediate attraction but Gabe refuses to become involved with his client-even a beautiful and broken client such as Eve Gray. When Gabe suspects that the killer is close, his only recourse is to keep Eve closer; so close that our couple with eventually act upon their mutual attraction and sexual desires. The $ex scenes are intimate, realistic and moving. There are no erotic, graphic depictions but there is some definite fire and heat.

The spirited secondary and supporting characters include the members and agents of LOST: ex FBI agent Dean Bannon, forensic specialist Victoria Palmer, psychiatrist and profiler Sarah Jacobs, and former detective Wade Monroe. We are introduced to the inhabitants of Dauphin Island including Jessica’s ex boyfriend police chief Trey Wallace, and her brother Pierce Montgomery. Many of the locals have a colorful history; Trey and Pierce are all too willing to reveal Jessica’s sordid past. Cynthia takes us into the mind of a killer: his thoughts, his desires, his need for revenge all the while he plans and searches for his next intended victim.

BROKEN is a story of suspense; a murder mystery where a series of missing and murdered women resemble the one who got away. Cynthia Eden writes with passion and imagination. Her characters are real; their emotions tangible; and their histories heartbreaking. BROKEN is a fantastic start to a new series.

Copy supplied by Edelweiss.

Reviewed by Sandy

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Broken by Laura Wright – Review & Giveaway

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Broken by Laura Wright – Review & Giveaway

 

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BrokenAmazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / The Book Depository

Description:
For years, James Cavanaugh has traveled the world as a horse whisperer, but even the millions he’s earned hasn’t healed the pain he hides behind his stoic exterior. Forced to tackle old demons at the ranch, James throws himself into work to avoid his true feelings. Until he meets a woman who shakes the foundations of his well-built walls…

Sheridan O’Neil’s quiet confidence has served her well, except when it comes to romance. Tired of rejection, she’s ready to swear off men. But after being rescued from a horse stampede by the most beautiful cowboy she’s ever met, her resolve wavers. Only, as Sheridan uncovers James’s belief that no woman is safe with him, she wonders if such a wounded man could ever give in to love, or if some hearts are too broken to be healed…

 

 

Review:

Broken by Laura Wright is the 2nd book in her The Cavanaugh Brothers series. The first book in this series, Branded was a wonderful story, with a bit of mystery and a fabulous couple. I didn’t think Laura Wright could match Deacon and Mac, but I am happy to say I didn’t need to worry. Broken is just as good, with another fabulous couple.

James Cavanaugh is our hero, and the second brother, who is another hottie. James is a horse whisperer, and at the end of the first book, he decided to stay longer to help find a place for the wild mustangs. Sheridan O’Neil is our heroine, and I loved her from the get go. Sheridan (don’t call her Sheri), is Deac’s assistant, and a very good one. She is a smart, tough, savvy business woman, and loves her job. At the end of the first book, she met James and immediately they both felt the attraction. Well in Broken, the attraction between them is burning up, and they both have difficulties trying to ignore the heat. James doesn’t want to get involved, as he has his own demons, where he blames himself for various things that have happened over the years to the women he has cared for. One of course, was his sister Cass, whom we learned in the first book, was killed 20 years ago, with the case still unsolved.

Sheridan besides her normal job, is helping Mac with her wedding plans. I enjoyed seeing Sheridan and Mac becomes fast friends. What I loved about Laura Wright’s writing of this series is how she handles this wonderful romance. Through more than half the book, we see and feel the explosive chemistry between James and Sheridan. Wright lights the fire, and lets it slowly build, reaching a point that we were so ready for them to succumb to the lust between them. The steamy sex between them was so wonderfully done, and my kindle had to be cooled off often. This was a fantastic sexy romance, between a couple meant for each other, even with the demons holding one of them back. I loved loved James and Sheridan together.

What I also loved about this romance was the build-up of this romance, that was hot from the beginning, but Laura Wright allowed us to feel the heat, and suffer the wait too. Lol So much fun, and so worth the wait. I am not a big fan of instant romance and sex on page 2 of a book. Broken is how it should be done. Bravo to Laura Wright for a fabulous story, and series that has every thing you would want; Super romance with a sexy couple; hot steamy sex, mystery, family atmosphere in a ranch town, great secondary characters. Well done.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

giveaway

Laura’s publisher is graciously offering a paper copy of BROKEN  to 1 (One) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. LIKE us on FACEBOOK 

4. LIKE us on Twitter

5. LIKE us on GOODREADS 

6. Like Laura Wright on FACEBOOK

7. Giveaway is open to U,S. Only

8. Giveaway runs from October 6 – 10, 2014

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Broken by Traci L. Slatton-Review and Guest Post

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Broken by Traci L. Slatton-Review and Guest Post

Broken

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 5, 2014

Power is pornographic

Can love sustain light when the forces of evil close in?

Paris, 1939-1942. A fallen angel is trapped in the web of German Occupation. The deadly noose of Nazi control grows ever tighter, ensnaring her and two of her lovers, a bullfighter and a musician working in the fledgling Resistance. Can she save them and the Jewish widow and her child that she has come to love, or will betrayal take them all?

••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: BROKEN is an historical, fictionalized, paranormal storyline that focuses on a fallen angel known as Alia. In the weeks and months leading up to the Nazi occupation of Paris, France during WW II, Alia and her Bohemian friends party like no one is watching. Alia is a watcher-a fallen angel who can see what humans cannot-and a being who absorbs the essence and energy from the people around her.

The storyline is awash in a considerable amount of historical fact and fiction. Beginning in 1939 Alia and her friends take full advantage of the Paris night life and everything it has to offer-plenty of alcohol, plenty of sex and a lifestyle acquainted with the rich, the famous and the infamous. But all too soon, the once fabled Fuhrer and his Nazi party take control of Paris while Alia and her friends must take refuge before their true identities and heritage are revealed.

Traci L. Slatton has written a storyline that is extensively detailed in both WWII and Holocaust history as well as religious overtones and Christian beliefs. Not only does a fallen angel find herself at the mercy of the Nazi party but she discovers that she is fallible to the party demands.

The numerous secondary characters are Bohemian and aristocratic in nature-almost Bourgeoisie. Their artistic lifestyle sets the backdrop for a group of people (the famous and unknown) who believe they are excluded from the incoming hell only to realize, sometimes too late, that no one is safe from the storm. While Europe prepares for war, Alia and her friends wax philosophical the finer points of religion, politics and the Nazi Party. With the introduction of some real-life famous characters and artistes of the twentieth century the storyline spun in a decidedly different direction.

One concern is the paranormal aspect of the storyline and the lack of any real connection to the actual premise. The supernatural element is secondary and does not add anything to the overall plot-it does not play a significant or important role in the overall presentation. Alia is a fallen angel whose human façade enjoys the pleasures of the flesh but an Angel who knows that her time on earth is limited.

Traci L Slatton is an amazing writer whose storylines are infinitely detailed with both fact and fiction; fantasy and reality. Her style of writing is intense; the historical research impressive; and the overall premise is a flight into the fantastic and uncoventional.

Copy supplied by the author.

Reviewed by Sandy

 

Guest Post beige

Writing Historical Romances, Accuracy and History
By Traci L. Slatton, author of BROKEN

War, famine, storms, invention, exodus, heroism, sadism, love, and cycles of despair and enlightenment: it sounds like the kind of novel anyone would be thrilled to pick up and read. In fact, it’s human history. We as a species have struggled with nature and with ourselves—our best and our worst impulses—since we stood upright and picked up a piece of charcoal to draw ourselves, a spear, and a beast on a cave wall.

Text books can render history into dry recitations of dates, personages, and events, but when you ponder what was happening and how it must have actually felt to the people of the time, people like me and you, everything changes. History becomes the most breath-taking, intimate portrait of how we have lived and loved and suffered and vanquished and survived and thrived. It’s a natural resource for storytellers.

Clearly, this topic excites me. I was enthusiastic when Sandy suggested it.

A good story is told with conflict and obstacle, which, as I’ve just pointed out, define history. I try to write stories that are cohesive and focused, so I like to choose a specific era in a specific place. For my first novel Immortal, I chose Renaissance Florence, which was still a broad swathe of time—almost two hundred years. There was so much rich material that had to be left out that for Broken, my latest novel, I selected Paris under Nazi occupation, and I narrowed it even further to three years, 1939-1942, the year before the Nazis marched into Paris and the first two years of occupation.

Winnowing down the horrific German occupation of the City of Lights this way provided an opportunity for me to deeply relate my characters to very specific events. Alia, an angel who fell from heaven, experiences the oppression of the time personally and with great intensity. She and her beloved friends suffer through food shortages, lack, loss, and sacrifices in minute detail.

In one scene, Alia walks with Pablo Picasso, the celebrated modernist painter who stayed in Paris during occupation, and she carries a bag of food containing a few leaves of lettuce, some rutabagas, and three veal sausages. In her mind, as she converses with Picasso, she performs mental food math: these groceries must stretch to feed five people, perhaps for more than one day.

Her calculations were historically accurate. Food was scarce for Parisians, who had to pay for the privilege of German occupation with both money and resources like foodstuffs. Researching Paris under Nazi Occupation, I learned that the French ate about 800 calories per day. Over and over again in documents from the time, I read the same descriptions of Parisians as “skinny.”

I enjoy writing historical novels and I enjoy the research that is required because I look for ways to personalize an era for my characters. Before occupation, rutabagas weren’t prized as food; Parisians acquired a taste for them during occupation. The Nazis took almost everything so Parisians made do with what was left. They became very resourceful about finding protein, and bred white rabbits throughout the city, for both their food and their meat. In fact, they were so resourceful that warnings had to be put up against eating cats and diseased pigeons from the parks.

Sometimes I depart from historical fact to make a story truthful, to make it work. Truthfulness and accuracy in fiction are different matters, and truth is the foremost value. However, I do this with care. For example, in Broken, Sartre and Camus are shown at the same party. There are conflicting reports about when these great philosophers met, but it’s widely agreed that they met after the war. For purposes of the novel’s themes and its structure, I placed them together in Alia’s apartment, drinking wine, reading their work, and arguing about the prejudices of the time. Sartre wants the other guests to pay attention to him; Camus wants to hear music. They serve both as characters with all the inherent flaws and foibles of any person and as eloquent voices of their time.

History is a story bonanza for a novelist. It provides a dazzling array of drama as well as opportunities to craft a story with precision. Ultimately, any good story is an argument for a specific value, and writing historical novels gives me a chance to ask myself, What do I care about? What do I value? Answering those questions while metabolizing history is my job as a novelist—and, I hope, gives the reader something that absorbs and enriches her.

 

About The Author beige

Traci L SlattonTraci L. Slatton, author of FALLEN and COLD LIGHT, is a graduate of Yale and Columbia. She lives in Manhattan, and her love for Renaissance Italy inspired her historical novel IMMORTAL and her contemporary vampire art history mystery THE BOTTICELLI AFFAIR. FALLEN is the first in a romantic trilogy set during the end times; COLD LIGHT and FAR SHORE further the dystopian tale. DANCING IN THE TABERNACLE is her first book of poetry. She also wrote a sculpture book, THE ART OF LIFE, with her husband. THE LOVE OF MY (OTHER) LIFE is a bittersweet rom-com that addresses the question: What worlds would you move to be with your soulmate?

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Debt Collector Series 1-3 by Susan Kaye Quinn-Guest Post and Kindle Giveaway

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Debt Collector Series 1-3 by Susan Kaye Quinn-Guest Post and Kindle Giveaway

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Guest Post by Susan Kaye Quinn


Guest post-Black and White

What’s a Serial and Why Would I Read One?
by Susan Kaye Quinn, author of a new future-noir serial called The Debt Collector

Debt Collector 1-3

A serial is a series of episodes – or short stories – that are connected to tell a larger story.

Must Read TV

Serials are actually a lot like a TV series, which themselves vary a lot in type. Series like Law&Order and House are more self-contained, with only a few character storylines carrying over from episode to episode. Series like Lost or Heroes would be difficult to watch out of order because the storylines carry more strongly, sometimes with cliffhangers, sometimes not.

Some readers like the week-by-week suspense of Must Watch TV; others would rather wait until the season is done and get it from netflix so they can watch it back-to-back. Likewise, some readers enjoy the suspense of reading a serial episode-by-episode as they’re released. Others would rather wait until the entire serial is complete and read it all at once. Either is fine!

Is a Serial a New Idea?

Ebook serials are a new thing, because ebooks are a new thing – but serials have been around since Charles Dickens wrote and released Great Expectations (self-published through his own literary magazine!) in 6,000 word “installments” every week for nine months. Readers today aren’t accustomed to reading in serial format because publishing serials was restricted to magazines, which didn’t have wide circulation. Now with ebooks, the cost of transmission is low and the distribution is wide. Ebooks have revived the short story form! But for readers raised on novels, who crave longer works and more in-depth stories, serials are the next natural step.

Is a Serial a Novel Cut Into Pieces?

No. A serial is not a chopped up novel, just like a TV episode is not a chopped up movie. It’s a different way of telling stories. In a way, it’s more demanding to write than novels – you need to immediately draw the reader in, you have to reach some kind of reader-satisfaction-level by the end of the episode (even if you have a cliff-hanger), and you have to maintain that pace and storytelling arc over multiple episodes. But all that hard work on the part of the author makes it (potentially) more enjoyable for the reader.

Can You Name Some Successful Serials?

Yes!

Hugh Howey’s Wool
RaShelle Workman’s Blood and Snow
Platt &Wright’s Yesterday’s Gone

These are all recent bestselling serials that drew audiences in and helped revitalize the serial form.

Why Would I Read a Serial?

Readers tell me that they’re enjoying the short episodes – they can read them quickly over lunch or in an evening and get a full “story” worth of entertainment. The fast pacing means there’s a lot of story packed into a short number of words. Readers also say they enjoy the anticipation of finding out “what will happen next” much like a TV series where you get invested in the characters. Think about how a favorite TV series will sometimes focus one episode on one character or another, diving into their backstory. As a writer, I like that I can go in-depth a little more in each “episode” than I could in a novel, giving a richness to the story and characters that might be more difficult to do in a novel format.

All serials eventually come to an end, just like a “season” of your favorite TV series. Whether you enjoy reading serials as they release, or want to wait until the complete season is out so you can read the episodes back-to-back, serials are a fast-paced, exciting way to enjoy a story.

As a writer, I find serials are the hardest writing I’ve ever loved.


About The Author Black and White

Susan Kaye Quinn

Susan Kaye Quinn is the author of the bestselling YA SF Mindjack series. Her new Debt Collector serial is her more grown-up SF. Her steampunk fantasy romance is temporarily on hold while she madly writes episodes to keep Lirium (the titular Debt Collector) happy.

Plus she needs to leave time to play on Facebook. Susan has a lot of degrees in engineering, which come in handy when dreaming up dangerous mind powers, future dystopias, and slightly plausible steampunk inventions. Mostly she sits around in her pajamas in awe that she gets make stuff up full-time. You can find her at www.susankayequinn.com

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Series Spotlight Black and White
The Debt Collector Book 1-3 by Susan Kaye Quinn
Delirium (Debt Collector #1)
by Susan K. Quinn
Release Date:  March 20, 2013

Order Now: .99cents or less  Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Barnes and Noble/ KOBO

Delirium
What’s your life worth on the open market? 
A debt collector can tell you precisely.Lirium plays the part of the grim reaper well, with his dark trenchcoat, jackboots, and the black marks on his soul that every debt collector carries. He’s just in it for his cut, the ten percent of the life energy he collects before he transfers it on to the high potentials, the people who will make the world a better place with their brains, their work, and their lives. That hit of life energy, a bottle of vodka, and a visit from one of Madam Anastazja’s sex workers keep him alive, stable, and mostly sane… until he collects again. But when his recovery ritual is disrupted by a sex worker who isn’t what she seems, he has to choose between doing an illegal hit for a girl whose story has more holes than his soul or facing the bottle alone—a dark pit he’s not sure he’ll be able to climb out of again.Contains mature content and themes.

 

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Agony (Debt Collector #2)
by Susan Kaye Quinn
Release Date:  March 25, 2013

Order Now .99cents of less:  Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Barnes and Noble / KOBO

AgonyWhat’s your life worth on the open market?
A debt collector can tell you precisely.Lirium tries to forget Apple Girl, but a rough collection finds him spiraling deeper into the abyss. He faces a one-way ticket to The Retirement Home for debt collectors, until his psych officer offers a way out.Agony is approximately 11,000 words or 44 pages, and is the second of nine episodes in the first season of The Debt Collector serial. This dark and gritty future-noir is about a world where your life-worth is tabulated on the open market and going into debt risks a lot more than your credit rating. For more about the Debt Collector serial, see DebtCollectorSeries.com

 

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Ecstasy (Debt Collector #3)
By Susan Kaye Quinn
Release Date:  April 1, 2013

Order Now .99cents of less: Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Barnes and Noble / KOBO

Ecstasy

 

Lirium’s attempts to find Ophelia take him to the last place he wants to be.

Ecstasy is approximately 15,000 words or 60 pages, and is the third of nine episodes in the first season of The Debt Collector serial. This dark and gritty future-noir is about a world where your life-worth is tabulated on the open market and going into debt risks a lot more than your credit rating. For more about the Debt Collector serial, see DebtCollectorSeries.com

 

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The Debt Collector Box Set

By Susan Kaye Quinn

Debt Collector Box set

Order today: Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Barnes and Noble / KOBO

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Broken (Debt Collector #4)
by Susan Kaye Quinn
Release Date: April 17, 2013

Broken

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Barnes and Noble / KOBO

What’s your life worth on the open market?
A debt collector can tell you precisely.

Lirium tries to free himself and Ophelia from the Kolek mob, but Valac has other plans for him.

Broken is approximately 15,000 words or 60 pages, and is the fourth of nine episodes in the first season of The Debt Collector serial. This dark and gritty future-noir is about a world where your life-worth is tabulated on the open market and going into debt risks a lot more than your credit rating. Episode 5, Driven, releases 5/1/13

 

 

Giveaway-redandblack_zps8ff4dc4b

Susan is offering an ecopy of the first book in the Debt Collector series-DELIRIUM to one lucky reader at each of the tour stops including The Reading Cafe.

1. Please register using the log-in at the top of the page or by using one of the social log-ins.

2. To obtain a BONUS entry, sign up for Susan’s newsletter HERE and let us know in the comment section

3. Giveaway is OPEN internationally

4. Giveaway runs from May 1 to May 13, 2013.

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GRAND PRIZE Giveaway: Susan is offering a KINDLE and the Debt Collector 1-3 ebook set to ONE lucky reader. Open to US residents only.

NOTE:  The Rafflecopter Giveaway is NOT the responsibility of The Reading Cafe.  If you have any questions, please contact the author or the tour promoter.

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