Tag Archives: Sandy’s Reviews

Siblings, Love & Murder (Hammer & Sharpe Noir 6) by David Feldman

Posted on by
Reply

Siblings, Love & Murder (Hammer & Sharpe Noir Mysteries 6) by David E Feldman

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 15, 2026

Dinah Hammer keeps her brother Judah’s empire running — the books, the family, the secrets. She’s never let herself want anything for herself. Until Dan Martin walks into her life, and for the first time since her own nightmare with Wallace North, she lets her guard down.

But someone is coming for the Hammers. One of Judah’s men is murdered and mailed back in pieces — a warning from an enemy no one can name.

Judah calls in private investigator Sam Sharpe, newly sober and never quite free of this family, to find out who. What they uncover is bigger than a turf war.

When the attack finally comes, it doesn’t just draw blood. It shatters what’s left of the family’s innocence, drags a twelve-year-old boy into manhood at gunpoint, and forces Dinah and Judah to become people they swore they’d never be.

Some families protect each other. The Hammers go to war.

•••••

REVIEW:SIBLINGS, LOVE AND MURDER is the sixth and final instalment in David E Feldman’s contemporary, adult SHARPE AND HAMMER NOIR MYSTERIES crime thriller series.

SOME BACKGROUND: Inspired by real-world political and social tensions, the series examines power, corruption, and the personal consequences of moral compromise

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from several omniscient third person perspectives including Dinah Hammer, and PI Sam Sharpe SIBLINGS, LOVE AND MURDER focuses on the hunt for a killer(s), and the identity of a new competitor taking aim at the Hammer Crime Organization. Judah Hammer is the head of the Hammer Crime Organization, and as such, is about to face an unknown enemy, who is determined to undermine the family run Hammer Organization including weapons and drug supplies. Meanwhile, single mother Dinah Hammer is about to place her trust in a man she meets at the local grocery store, a man, who on the surface may be too good to be real.

The world building focuses on a fight for power and control. The Hammer Crime Organization is desperate for help, and call on PI Sam Sharpe to dig up close and personal for any information that will prepared them for war. Sam Sharpe has been beaten down and struggling to move forward, while the darkness continues to embrace the deeper he falls. Criminal enterprise, betrayal, loss and grief, are but the stepping stones for a family facing an unwelcome outcomes.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful, determined and often questionable secondary and supporting characters including the Hammer siblings, supportive of one another yet fractured where it counts.

SIBLINGS, LOVE AND MURDER is the culmination of six story lines, where the past often controls the future, and trust must be earned before giving freely. The premise is suspenseful, dramatic and edgy; the characters are desperate, dynamic and dangerous. SIBLINGS, LOVE AND MURDER ends rather abruptly, without any true conflict resolution or finality but the reader must be able to read beyond the words,

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Share

Rebellious (Death Dwellers MC: Legacy 10) by Kathryn C Kelly

Posted on by
4

Rebellious (Death Dwellers MC: Legacy Generation 10) by Kathryn C Kelly-review

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

Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 1,2026

Sex, lies, and motorcycles

Infidelity, old grudges, manipulation, and betrayal threaten the stability of both the motorcycle club and the family. CJ navigates romantic entanglements and personal challenges as he searches for his own identity in a violent, insular world. Outlaw hides the break in the peace agreement from Bash while arranging a dangerous deal that heightens the stakes for the brothers.

Life, love, and the pursuit of happiness

Rebel struggles with heartbreak and conflicted feelings. Diesel is torn between violent retribution, his obligation to Jana, and his struggle to protect Rebel without crossing a line. The Caldwells and the Death Dwellers MC are rocked by secrets and shifting alliances.

Who can they trust and what are they willing to sacrifice to protect each other?

•••••

REVIEW:REBELLIOUS is the tenth instalment in Kathryn C Kelly’s contemporary, adult DEATH DWELLERS MC: LEGACY GENERATION dark, erotic, MC series, a spin off set in the author’s DEATH DWELLERS MC world focusing on the multi-generational family, and dysfunctional membership in the Death Dwellers MC. Most of the original couples plays a significant role throughout the legacy series. REBELLIOUS should not be read as a stand alone, as it picks up after the events of EXPLOSION #9. I also recommend having a working knowledge of the series and the characters as much of the current timeline is as of a direct result from the previous instalments in both series.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise including strong language, graphic violence and SA, there WILL BE triggers for more sensitive readers. Many of the main characters are under sixteen years of age but the series is intended for adult readers.

Told from several omniscient third person perspectives including but not limited to club president Christopher ‘Outlaw’ Caldwell and his wife Meggia, their son CJ, their daughter Rebel, Rory, Ryan, Kaia, Diesel, Johnnie, Kendall, Easton and Mortician REBELLIOUS follows numerous intersecting pathways, personal betrayals, and obsessive behaviors of the Caldwell family, and the Death Dwellers MC. Heir to the Death Dwellers MC legacy, seventeen year old CJ struggles with a need to prove he is a man, while his fourteen year old sister Rebel, has fallen in love with a man twice her age. Broken hearts, betrayal, and the proverbial knives to the heart and back threaten any chance of happiness for everyone involved. Johnnie and Kendall’s relationship may be permanently broken, while Meggie and Christopher’s relationship grows stronger. Diesel battles between head and heart knowing to act on his feelings could end his life, and Mortician is conflicted about his recent behavior having betrayed the woman he claims to love.

REBELLIOUS, like all of the previous instalments is a dark, gritty, dramatic and tragic story of betrayal and vengeance, violence and murder, secrets and lies, jealousy and infidelity, poverty and excess, family and relationships. The character driven premise is detailed, complex and intense; the characters are tragic, questionable, disrespectful, and controversial-again, I see no redeeming qualities for anyone including the younger children who have been forced to grow up too fast in an effort to survive. The children are miniature versions of the adults they have chosen to emulate, adults who are controversial and problematic most of whom are spiralling out of control. The language is graphic, strong, and not for the faint of heart but saying all of that, I am now trapped in the abyss with the Death Dwellers MC- watching from the sidelines as their lives implode

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Share

Tank’s Weakness (Saint’s Outlaws MC: Pensacola 4) by Cala Riley

Posted on by
5

Tank’s Weakness (Saint’s Outlaws MC: Pensacola 4) by Cala Riley-review

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

Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 10, 2026

Delaney
All I wanted was to get my ex off my back. I didn’t know that by kissing him I was opening pandora’s box.

Tank.
The enforcer for the Saint’s Outlaw’s MC in Pensacola.
He is so much more than I could have ever imagined though. The closer I get to him, the more I start to wonder if I have been sheltering myself from what could be.
I want to fall into all that we could be, but there’s something holding me back.
Will I be willing to put it all on the line in order to be with him?

Tank
No woman has ever been up to the task of pleasing me the way I like. I expected no different when she kissed me. Delaney Harris.
She’s supposed to be a good girl. Everything I shouldn’t want, but when she commands me, I ache to follow.
I have everything I never knew I wanted in my fingertips when he takes it all away.
He doesn’t know who he messed with though. I will eradicate him from both our lives even if it kills me.

•••••

REVIEW:TANK’S WEAKNESS is the fourth instalment in Cala Riley’s contemporary, adult SAINT’S OUTLAWS MC: PENSACOLA erotic, MC romance series. This is club enforcer Tank aka Warren, and primary school teacher Delaney ‘Laney’ Harris’ story line. TANK’S WEAKNESS can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for mores sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Tank and Laney) TANK’S WEAKNESS follows the building romance and relationship between our story line couple. Primary school teacher Delaney Harris has a stalker. Her ex-boyfriend refuses to let go, and with it, her personal life is about to affect her professional career. A chance meeting with Saint’s Outlaws MC Enforcer Tank, finds our heroine taking charge, claiming Tank as her own but threats against Laney, and the Saint’s Outlaws MC are getting more aggressive, taking aim at everyone involved.

The world building focuses on obsession and madness. The Saint’s Outlaws MC’s legitimate businesses and those of their significant others have become vulnerable in the wake of one man’s preoccupation, and in this, one of their own, will pay the price. The relationship between Tank and Laney begins as a rescue, of a sort, as Laney struggles to defend herself against the past but Tank is hoping for something more, something that no other woman has been able to give-an unconventional relationship, with our heroine that sees Tank following the commands of the woman he loves.Tank’s teenage years have formed a man whose needs differ from that of others, and in this, our heroine is determined to give Tank what he needs.The $ex scenes are unique and impassioned.

The secondary and supporting characters include the return of several members of the Saint’s Outlaws MC: Pensacola, as well as the introduction of Laney’s friends, co-workers, her ex Blaine, questionable law enforcement, parents and students.

TANK’S WEAKNESS is a story of secrets and lies, obsession and delusion, power and control, dysfunctional family dynamics, acceptance and love. The character driven premise is dramatic and edgy; the romance is unique and atypical.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Social Media: Facebook/ Website/ Instagram/ Twitter (X)/ Amazon Author/ Goodreads/

Cala Riley, better known as Cala and Riley, are a pair of friends with a deep seated love of books and writing. Both Cala and Riley are happily married and each have children, Cala with the four-legged kind while Riley has a mixture of both two-legged and four. While they live apart, that does not affect their connection. They are the true definition of family. What started as an idea that quickly turned into a full-length book and a bond that will never end.

Share

Immortal for a Day by Stephen Piper-review

Posted on by
9

Immortal for a Day by Stephen Piper-review

Amazon.ca

ABOUT THE BOOK: October 1. 2026

Evelyn Bishop thought she was strong, hardened by everything life had thrown at her. She was wrong.

She is murdered by her husband, only to wake again in the distant future—into a manufactured paradise designed to meet the wants and needs of its notionally immortal inhabitants. But something beneath the surface is waiting, watching—plotting.

When everything descends into chaos, her life becomes a living hell. Something inside her snaps. She refuses to be the victim any longer and fights back—only to discover her terrible ordeal has just begun.

•••••

REVIEW:IMMORTAL FOR A DAY is the first instalment in Stephen Piper’s adult, science-fiction, utopian, futuristic series set in the year 9077 focusing on psychotherapist Evelyn Bishop.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from first person perspective (Evelyn) IMMORTAL FOR A DAY follows psychotherapist Evelyn Bishop as she, against her will and on her husband Richard’s order, is placed in cryopreservation, only to be awoken seven thousand years into the future, with a new body, along with a core group of people who are part of the building blocks of a new civilization built into Ganymede, the largest moon of Jupiter. From the outset, Evelyn Bishop is a reluctant but curious member of society until the unwanted attention of one of the founders finds our heroine facing an unknown future.

The world building is detailed, complex and intricate as the reader, along with Evelyn Bishop, endeavors to understand the new world order, and what it means for those left behind. From cryogenics, computerized robots and drones, cyborgs and cloning, paradise and everything anyone could ever want and need, the utopian society created by The Rebirth Foundation is hiding an ugly secret, few of which know little about.

The secondary and supporting characters are numerous, charismatic, determined and often questionable. Paradise may look perfect from the outside but the eccentricities, idiosyncrasies and psychosis of the human mind have yet to be eradicated. The oligarchs, megalomaniacs and power-hungry visionaries find the perfect stooge in those hoping to live forever. We are introduced to Evelyn’s husband Richard Bishop, Michael Whittaker, creator of The Foundation, Rupert Calthorpoe Stewart-the original Head of R & D, Luke Falkner, the new head of R&D but a man struggling with his new life, Clarise Peterson, second largest financial contributor, and Megan Millhouse, the original CEO of The Rebirth Foundation.

IMMORTAL FOR A DAY is a futuristic story of secrets and lies, betrayal and vengeance, power and control, madness and obsession. The character driven premise is dramatic, comprehensive and intriguing; the characters are desperate, determined, and dynamic. IMMORTAL FOR A DAY, ends abruptly on a cliff hanger-of a sort-you have been warned.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Share

Torn by Fate (Fatal Alliances 2) by Lylah James-review tour

Posted on by
10

Torn by Fate (Fatal Alliances 2) by Lylah James-review tour

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

Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 12, 2026

Serafina

When I was fifteen, I made a promise.
One day I would have my revenge.
For years, I played my part.
The obedient daughter. The perfect fiancée. The devoted wife.
And when the time finally came…
I pulled the trigger.
Because vengeance had always been the plan.
A life for a life.
What I never planned for was Adrian Salvatore surviving my bullet.
And now he was chasing me across the world.
The man I betrayed was more dangerous than ever.
More ruthless.
More obsessed.
And worst of all…
He still wants me to be his.

Adrian

Our marriage was built on lies.
But I never expected Serafina to be as ruthless as I was.
My wife thought a bullet would stop me.
But she was wrong.
Now she was forcing me to chase her across the oceans.
Such a silly game of hers.
But I wasn’t chasing.
I was hunting.
For answers. For revenge.
For the woman who had always belonged to me.
Serafina could run all she wanted.
But the world wasn’t big enough to keep her from me.
She started this game. Now I would be the one to finish it.
Till death do us part, wife.

•••••

REVIEW:TORN BY FATE is the second instalment in Lylah James’s contemporary, adult TWISTED ALLIANCES dark, erotic, Mafia romance series. This is the continuing story of Adrian Salvatore, and Serafina Morelli. TORN BY FATE should not be read as a stand alone as if picks up after the cliffhanger of book one BOUND BY LIES.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there WILL BE triggers for more sensitive readers.

SOME BACKGROUND: Since she was five years old, Serafina Morelli had been promised in marriage to Matteo Salvatore but the night before they were to be married, a frightening betrayal resulted in Adrian claiming Serafina as his own but all is not as it appears to be, Serafina soon realizes she is a pawn in a dangerous game between rivals and brothers

Told from dual first person perspectives (Adrian and Serafina) using present day and memories from the past, TORN BY FATE picks up six weeks after the events and cliff hanger of BOUND BY LIES. Our heroine is on the run, in hiding from the man she blames for destroying her life but there are secrets and lies that are pitting brother against brother, and Seraphina Morelli-Salvatore continues to be a pawn in a dangerous game. A deadly past haunts our heroine, a past she blames on the man she will grow to love but once again, all is not as it appears to be, and the twisted reality will destroy any hope for a future.

The world building is more of a written narrative for a good portion of the story; a dual contemplation and introspection of a life destroyed by betrayal and death. As Adrian seeks answers, Serafina is determined to execute vengeance on our story line hero, regardless of the truth. Trauma induced perseverance and determination is the mainstay of their lives. An unreliable narrator sets the scene for personal destruction.

The relationship between Adrian and Serafina is contemptuous at best, catastrophic in nature. A hostility between combatants pits our couple against one another, a war with no true winner , and a misguided need for revenge. The $ex scenes are impassioned and intense.

The interesting secondary and supporting characters are limited including a cameo by Adrian’s brother Matteo; Adrian’s right hand man Rocco, and Serafina’s roommate Elyssa.

TORN BY FATE is a dark story of secrets and lies, betrayal and vengeance, death and destruction, family and relationships. The character driven premise is raw, gritty, twisted and haunting-; the characters are broken, desperate, and destructive; the romance is virtually non-existent. TORN BY FATE ends on a cliff hanger-you have been warned

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

 

Lylah James is an Amazon Best-Selling author, who writes emotionally intense romance featuring powerful, irresistible alpha heroes and strong yet tender heroines. Her stories are known for taking readers on a rollercoaster of emotion: heartbreak, longing, rage, and ultimately, love. Often referred to by readers as the “queen of cliffhangers,” she loves breaking your hearts and putting them back together again.

She is the author of The Mafia and His Angel series and A Vow of Hate. When she isn’t writing, Lylah can be found with her nose buried in a good romance book, enjoying nature and baking.

 Connect w/Lylah:

Website: http://authorlylahjames.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLy.James/

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1738794629699569/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authorlylahjames

Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorly_james

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

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/lylahjames

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16045951.Lylah_James

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/lylah-james

Share

The Wheel of Fortune / Strength by HP Mallory-reviews

Posted on by
10

THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE / STRENGTH (Daughter of the Moon 5 & 6) by HP Mallory-reviews

THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE
Daughter of the Moon 5
by HP Mallory
Genre: adult, contemporary, fantasy, paranormal

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

Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 2025

They say making a deal with a shadow witch is a bad idea. Turns out, they were right.

I thought rescuing Valerian would be straightforward—find the artifact the Raven Witch wants, trade it for the vampire who risked everything to save me, and get the hell out of the shadow realm. Simple, right?

Wrong.

Because now I’ve bargained away a piece of my soul, accidentally pulled my naked mother and her equally naked warrior boyfriend into a hell dimension, and discovered that the “simple artifact” I’m after could literally destroy both the mortal and shadow worlds.

Oh, and did I mention the Raven Witch is Valerian’s psychotic ex who’s been torturing him for weeks? Or that her equally powerful sister—the Eternal Queen—has been imprisoned in her own fortress, waiting for someone stupid enough (me) to free her?

Luke—my patient, devastatingly gorgeous guide through this supernatural nightmare—keeps warning me that Valerian can’t be trusted. But here’s the thing: Luke won’t tell me his own secrets, won’t let me past the walls he’s built around himself, even as every heated glance and almost-kiss makes it clear there’s something explosive between us. And now he’s risking everything to help me save the one man he desperately wants me to abandon.

With my heart pulled between two impossibly complicated men, the fate of both realms resting on my ability to trust myself, and time running out, I’m learning that the hardest part of being a Daughter of the Moon isn’t the magic or the monsters.

It’s knowing which future to choose when the Wheel of Fortune shows you multiple paths—and only one leads to salvation.

One thing’s for sure: nothing will ever be the same.

••••••

REVIEW: THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE is the fifth instalment in HP Mallory’s contemporary, adult DAUGHTER OF THE MOON tarot themed, paranormal/fantasy series. This is the continuing story of forty-five year old, divorcee and author Catherine ‘Kate’ Murray. THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE should not be read as a stand alone as it picks up immediately after the events and cliff hanger of book four THE LOVERS.

SOME BACKGROUND : Following the death of her estranged aunt Artemis, Catherine ‘Kate’ Murray inherited her aunt’s castle, a guardian named Magnus; a magician and guide named Luke Montgomery; Rocco the talking goat; Yolanda the shrunken head; a imprisoned Vampire named Gray / Valerian, a love triangle, her eccentric mother Nancy, and the mantle of DAUGHTER OF THE MOON.

Told from first person perspective (Kate) THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE picks up after the events of book four THE LOVERS in which vampire Valerian has been imprisoned and enslaved Elona, the Raven Witch. Desperate to free her ‘friend’ from centuries of enslavement, Kate Murray, as the Daughter of the Moon, makes a deal out of desperation, that will see our heroine owing her life and perhaps her soul to the Raven Witch. With the help of her guide Luke Montgomery, Kate and Luke venture towards the world known as the Obsidian,where they will come face to face with Elona’s imprisoned sister Elysia, a witch whom knows all too well the type of deal our heroine has made.

The world building focuses on magic and power as our heroine comes into her own, and Luke’s use of the Tarot: jealousy and betrayal between sisters; history and lore of a mirror and key; family and friendships in the wake of cryptic messages and the supernatural.

THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE is a fast paced story of magic and mayhem,search and rescue, secrets and betrayal. The character driven premise is intriguing and entertaining; the characters are desperate, determined and dynamic. THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE ends on a cliff hanger,you have been warned.

Copy supplied for review

________

STRENGTH
Daughter of the Moon 6
by HP Mallory
Genre: adult, contemporary, paranormal, fantasy,

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 22, 2026

She was never supposed to survive this long. Now she has to win.

Kate Murray came into her power as a Daughter of the Moon never expecting to lead an army. But with the Raven Witch and her sister Elysia trapped in a mirror, and Ezra’s Shadeborne horde massing at the edge of everything she loves, retreat is no longer an option.

Valerian is home—but the man who returns from captivity in the Obsidian is haunted in ways Kate’s healing magic can’t touch, and every step toward him feels like two steps back.

But she can’t focus on Valerian for long. Not when there’s the cracked mirror that imprisons the Raven Witch still humming with danger. And somewhere between the tarot cards guiding her visions and the found family who’d follow her into any realm—a vampire, a magician, a talking goat, and a mother who refuses to put clothes on—Kate has to become the leader everyone keeps telling her she already is.

The final battle is coming, and it will cost her everything she has left to give.

••••••

REVIEW: STRENGTH is the sixth and final instalment in HP Mallory’s contemporary, adult DAUGHTER OF THE MOON tarot themed, paranormal/fantasy series. This is the continuing story of forty-five year old, divorcee and author Catherine ‘Kate’ Murray. STRENGTH should not be read as a stand alone as it picks up immediately after the events and cliff hanger of book five THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE

SOME BACKGROUND : Following the death of her estranged aunt Artemis, Catherine ‘Kate’ Murray inherited her aunt’s castle, a guardian named Magnus; a magician and guide named Luke Montgomery; Rocco the talking goat; Yolanda the shrunken head; a imprisoned Vampire named Gray / Valerian, a love triangle, Kate’s eccentric mother Nancy, and the mantle of DAUGHTER OF THE MOON.

Told from first person perspective (Kate) STRENGTH is the culmination of six books focusing on Kate Murray, the newest Daughter of the Moon, a mantle inherited from her late aunt Artemis. Unaware of her familial supernatural history, Kate is thrown-in head first, a pawn in an impending war between the rightful ruler of The Obsidian and the leader of the Shadowborne. Kate’s powers have grown beyond the abilities of the other Daughters of the Moon, and with their reluctant help, Kate, the vampire Valerian, and Elysia, the former Queen of The Obsidian, prepare for a battle, winner take all.

The world building is complex and focuses on preparations for war in another realm, and the threats against our heroine for the role she must play. Paranormal rules and roles, blending real-world settings with the supernatural, the reader is transported through portals and mirrors, as Kate and her team of magical beings fight to save the people they love.

The love triangle aspect is strong on several fronts as a fourth member is about to enter the fray. There are no $ex scenes-the man with whom Kate chooses to spend her life may not be the man you were expecting.

STRENGTH is a story of power and control, magic and mayhem, acceptance and friendships, The character driven premise is detailed and entertaining; the characters are energetic, magical and desperate.

Copies supplied for review

Reviews by Sandy

Share

The Lost Perfumes of Paris by Christine Wells-review

Posted on by
11

The Lost Perfumes of Paris by Christine Wells-review

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Google Play /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 8, 2026

Élodie Limeaux’s beloved mother, Aurore, was the most legendary perfumer in France before World War II, renowned for the exquisite fragrances she created for the family company, the House of Limeaux. Now in her twenties, Élodie longs to join the family business. Her father, however, has refused to let her follow in her late mother’s footsteps and Élodie has had to fight to become a mere lab assistant at Limeaux.

But Élodie plans to enter the Essence of Paris contest run by the French Perfume Institute, hoping that a win will secure investment from Swiss banker Monsieur Caspari, who is looking to launch a new scent for women—and possibly to buy the House of Limeaux.

Impressed with Élodie’s drive and talent, Caspari agrees to back her, provided that she collaborates with his son, Marcelo. Élodie is forced to agree, although Marcelo strikes her as a wealthy dilettante—albeit an extremely charming one.

When they join forces, though, Élodie is surprised to discover Marcelo’s passion for perfume is genuine, his obsession as deep as hers. With Marcelo by her side, Élodie battles family betrayals and corporate sabotage, searching for that elusive essence of Paris that will launch her career…and possibly the love of a lifetime.

••••••

REVIEW:THE LOST PERFUMES OF PARIS by Christine Wells is an adult, story of historical fiction focusing on chemist Elodie Limeaux, and the ‘Art of French Perfumery’ in the post war era of the 1950s.

Told from omniscient third person perspective (Elodie) THE LOST PERFUMES OF PARIS follows chemist and heir to the House of Limeaux, family owner perfume company found herself struggling in the face of misogyny and a family hierarchy that no longer included our story line heroine. An unexpected meeting the with Swiss banker Monsieur Caspari and his son Marcelo, would prove fateful and momentous as Elodie Limeaux would embark on a project of her own when Elodie’s over bearing and controlling father rejected her latest perfume as a contender for the Essence of Paris contest. With the help of Marcelo, Elodie would rise to the top of her profession but her inability to stand up to her father’s betrayal threatened any chance at her own success until the support from several unlikely sources.

The world building focuses on sexism, bigotry and bias in the world of perfumery. At one-time, a male dominated profession, women in the perfume industry were thought to be incapable until a woman in the 1950s took back control from the men who deemed them unqualified and unsuited. As Elodie began a deep dive into her late mother’s journals, a world renowned perfumer in her own right, hidden secrets would reveal a woman looking for inspiration and romance, somewhere else.

THE LOST PERFUMES OF PARIS is a story of secrets and lies, betrayal and vengeance, power and control, misogyny and jealousy, acceptance and love. The premise , inspired by real life events, is intriguing, dramatic and edgy; the characters are desperate and determined, charismatic and dynamic.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Share

Mac Meyers Needs Me (Tilton University 2)by Helena Hunting-review

Posted on by
11

Mac Meyers Needs Me (Tilton University 2) by Helena Hunting-review

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

Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 10, 2026

Mac Meyers.
My secret crush.
Most unattainable guy on campus.
Relentless flirt (except with me).

Being friends with the guy on campus that everyone wants comes with its own set of problems.

None of us can eat in the cafeteria without being interrupted ten times.
Well, I’ve had enough.

So the most unhinged thing comes out of my mouth: I tell them to leave my boyfriend alone.
Except Mac is not my boyfriend.
Not even close.

Until he looks at me like I have the most inspired idea.

My name is Ophelia Forrest-Hammer, and Mac Meyers wants to be my fake boyfriend.
But I wish he was my real one.

•••••

REVIEW:MAC MEYERS NEEDS ME is the second instalment in Helena Hunting’s contemporary, new adult TILTON UNIVERSITY erotic, hockey romance series, a spin off, set in the author’s TORONTO TERROR world. This is university senior and hockey defenseman Mac Meyers, and artist Ophelia ‘Fee’ Forrest-Hammer’s story line. MAC MEYERS NEEDS ME can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary. Fee is the sister of Toronto Terror assistant coach Alexandria ‘Lexi’ Forrest (IF YOU LOVE ME Toronto Terror 4).

Told from dual first person perspectives (Fee and Mac) MAC MEYERS NEEDS ME focuses on the fake relationship between our story line couple. Mac Meyers struggles to fend off the female population. His popularity has become a nuisance for everyone including himself and the woman that calls to his heart. In an effort to dissuade the numerous admirers, Mac suggests to Fee, a fake relationship that will soon turn into something more. Neither one is aware of the other’s attraction and need for one another, and in this, their proclamation of love is only a matter of time

The world building follows Mac’s burgeoning hockey career and his struggles to keep his head in the game. Fee is keeping her own aspirations a secret but with the approach of summer, our couple may be forced to spend their time apart.

The relationship between Fee and Mac is a friends to lovers that is predicated upon their mutual dance of attraction, and a need for Mac to keep everyone else at a distance. As the days turn into weeks, Mac is hoping for something more, something everyone else sees except our story line couple. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate.

Once again, there is a large ensemble cast of colorful, energetic and familiar secondary and supporting characters including many from the author’s Toronto Terror series. WE are reintroduced to Chase and Cammie, Tristan and Trix, Lexi and Roman, Lexi and Fee’s sister Callie, Gage Steele, Brody and Enid, and newcomer Andie.

MAC MEYERS NEED ME is a story of family and friendships, secrets and lies, relationships and love. The character driven premise is familiar, entertaining, engaging and captivating; the romance is seductive ; the characters are determined and dynamic.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

FOLLOW: NYT and USA Today Bestselling author of The PUCKED Series, Helena Hunting lives outside of Toronto with her amazing family and her two awesome cats, who think the best place to sleep is her keyboard. Helena writes everything from contemporary romance to romance comedy, sports romance and angsty new adult romance.
Share