Tag Archives: Suspense

Death Stream (Freelancer Action 2) by Chase Austin-review

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Death Stream (Freelancer Action Thriller 2) by Chase Austin-review

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

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date January 8, 2026

They pay to watch people die. Millions of dollars per stream. And the ratings are getting higher.Elite operative Axel Monk has seen humanity at its worst, but nothing prepares him for his latest mission: infiltrating an underground network that streams real-time murder to paying audiences. At the heart of this dark web empire sits the Producer, a former Hollywood executive who turns death into high art, and his star performer known only as the Ghost – a killer who has elevated murder into theater.

When a grieving tech billionaire’s daughter falls victim to this twisted streaming service, he hires the mysterious organization known as the Conglomerate to dismantle the network. Monk finds himself in a race against time. With each stream drawing bigger audiences and higher stakes, he must navigate a world where the wealthy bid on human suffering and death is just another form of entertainment.

But as Monk delves deeper into this twisted playground of the elite, he discovers that everyone has something to hide – and some secrets are worth killing to protect. In a world where murder goes viral, the only way to destroy the system might be to become part of it.

••••••••

REVIEW: DEATH STREAM is the second instalment in Chase Austin’s contemporary, adult FREELANCER dark, military suspense series focusing on freelance operative Axel Monk.

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

Told from several omniscient third person perspectives (Axel) DEATH STREAM follows Axel Monk as he is contracted by a group known as The Conglomerate to stop and dismantle an underground network that makes millions streaming real-time murders, hundreds of murders, destroying people and villages in the name of entertainment and money. Depraved and sick minded people pay money to watch,never knowing the the truth or the reality of the dead left behind.

The world building is dark and dramatic, following freelance assassin Axel Monk as he becomes the predator, going on the offensive to stop a massacre but Axel would become the prey, targeted for his part in the take down of the man inside.

DEATH STREAM is a graphic, dramatic and dark story of madness and greed. The premise is raw and gritty as the reader is up close and personal with the death and destruction of innocent lives. DEATH STREAM ends on a cliff hanger-you have been warned.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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WOMAN DOWN by Colleen Hoover – review

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WOMAN DOWN by Colleen Hoover -review

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / Indigo paper /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date January 13, 2026

Her words used to set the page on fire. But a viral backlash over her latest film adaptation forced Petra Rose to take a hiatus, resulting in missed deadlines and an overdue mortgage. Branded a fraud and fame-hungry opportunist, she learned the hard way what happens when the internet turns on you. And she’s been uninspired to write ever since.

Now, with her next suspense novel outlined and savings nearly gone, she retreats to a secluded lakeside cabin, hoping to find inspiration. It’s Petra’s last-ditch attempt to save her career―and herself.
Then he shows up.

Detective Nathaniel Saint arrives with disturbing news, his presence igniting a creativity in her she thought long since burned out. Petra’s words return in a rush, and her fictional cop character begins to mirror the very real cop who’s becoming her muse.
Their “research” sessions blur the lines between fantasy and reality. Each glance, every touch pulls Petra deeper into a world she thought she’d never lose herself in again. She’s never felt more alive. But inspiration this powerful comes at a cost.

When Saint starts taking his role in her career a little too seriously, Petra’s forced to confront the chaos she created. But doing so could cost her more than the reputation she’s been trying to salvage. The reputation the world wrote for her―the reputation only she can reclaim.

•••••

REVIEW: WOMAN DOWN by Colleen Hoover is a contemporary adult, romantic thriller focusing on struggling author Petra Rose.

Told from first person perspective (Petra) WOMAN DOWN follows romantic suspense author Petra Rose in the wake of a publicity nightmare. A film adaptation of one of her novels is marred by controversy and backlash, sending our heroine into a writing spiral and encroaching depression. Hoping to rediscover her muse, Petra Rose schedules a personal and private writing retreat at a lakeside cabin but from the outset reality begins to mimic fiction when the story line takes on a life of its’ own-a sexy detective, a fantasy that comes to life, and a series of misunderstandings and misinterpretations set into motion a best selling novel based on a series of lies and betrayal.

The world building is dramatic and complex as the reality of Petra’s choices become dangerous and dark. Not all is as it appears to be, secrets and lies give way to betrayal and issues of trust as Petra’s words begins to spin a tale stranger than truth. I guessed all of the twists early on.

WOMAN DOWN is a a story of secrets and lies, betrayal and obsession, desperation and determination. The character driven premise is dark, dramatic, intriguing and thrilling; the characters are raw and real. Although the author tries to avoid any comparisons to real life, there is a slight familiarity to recent events

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Colleen Hoover is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of several novels, including the bestselling women’s fiction novel It Ends with Us and the bestselling psychological thriller Verity. She has won the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Romance three years in a row—for Confess (2015), It Ends with Us (2016), and Without Merit (2017). Confess was adapted into a seven-episode online series. In 2015, Hoover and her family founded the Bookworm Box, a bookstore and monthly subscription service that offers signed novels donated by authors. All profits go to various charities each month to help those in need. Hoover lives in Texas with her husband and their three boys. Visit www.colleenhoover.com.
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Cooper (Warrior Security 3) by Josie Jade-review

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Cooper (Warrior Security 3) by Josie Jade-review

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date January 6, 2026

Six weeks undercover. One wrong woman. Zero room for error.

Ryan “Coop” Cooper has spent weeks infiltrating a deadly militia running weapons through Montana’s backcountry. He’s one meeting away from bringing them down when Mia Thornton—the woman from his past—walks straight into his operation.

Now he has two choices: watch her die or claim her as his.

To keep her alive, Coop must convince a compound full of killers that she belongs to him. Every rough touch, every possessive threat is meant to sell the lie. But when the militia leader sets his sights on Mia, and members start questioning Coop’s loyalty, their dangerous charade becomes a deadly game of survival.

Mia never thought she’d need saving by Ryan Cooper. Now she’s trapped in his violent world, unsure if he’s protecting her or if he’s become the monster he’s pretending to be. Every bruising kiss, every possessive touch feels too real.

With enemies tightening the noose, Coop must risk his mission, his career, and his life…for the only woman he’s ever loved.

Some mistakes you can’t outrun. Some loves are worth dying for.

•••

REVIEW:COOPER is the third instalment in Josie Joanne’s contemporary, adult WARRIOR SECURITY erotic, romantic suspense series, a spin off from the author’s RESTING WARRIOR RANCH series. This is Ryan ‘Coop’ Cooper, and photographer Mia Thornton’s story line. COOPER can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Coop and Mia) COOPER follows Ryan ‘Coop’ Cooper undercover with a underground militia group as they prepare for an upcoming arms sale but Coop never expected to come face to face with his past, the woman from who he walked away six years earlier. Photographer Mia Thornton was on assignment for a local realtor and found herself the prisoner of the man she once loved. In an effort to save her life, Ryan Cooper claims Mia as his own but the man in charge, Julian Oliver, has other plans for our story line heroine.

The world building focuses on protecting Mia Thornton. Ryan Cooper walked away six years earlier but the possibility of losing Mia to an assassin’s bullet meant Ryan must find a way to protect the woman whose heart he once destroyed.

The relationship between Ryan and Mia is one of second chances. Ryan had been struggling with the loss of his team, and believed he was unworthy of forever with the woman he loved. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful, familiar and dangerous secondary and supporting characters including the return of Beckett and Audra, tech specialist and recluse Travis Hale; Pawsitive Connections owner Lark Monroe, and Sheriff Lachlan Galloway (Montana Justice/ Resting Warrior Ranch 11). The requisite evil has many faces.

COOPER is a story of secrets and lies, power and control, family and friendships, relationships and love. The character driven premise is dramatic and intense;the romance is seductive and captivating; the characters are determined, dynamic and charismatic.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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Private Deal (Kings and Rivals 3) by Nana Malone-review tour

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Private Deal (Kings and Rivals 3) by Nana Malone-review tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date January 9, 2026

They told me he was dead.

I watched them lower an empty coffin into the ground.

Now I’m alone, drowning in a world of enemies I never knew existed. The threats Lance shielded me from have found me, and without his protection, I’m more vulnerable than ever. I have to be strong. I have to survive. Even if my heart feels like it died with him.

But when shadows move in the night and impossible glimpses of a familiar silhouette haunt my dreams, I start to question everything. Am I losing my mind with grief? Or is something far more dangerous at play?

When a stranger with Lance’s eyes steps from the darkness, my world tilts off its axis. The man I mourned. The love I lost. The protector I desperately need.

He’s here. He’s real. And he’s very much alive.

The weeks of grief and terror should make me hate him for letting me suffer. Instead, when he pulls me into his arms, when his lips crash against mine, I remember why I fell for him in the first place.

Our enemies think they’ve won. They think Lance Lakewood is buried and his empire is crumbling. They have no idea what’s coming for them.

••••••

REVIEW:PRIVATE DEAL is the third and final instalment in Nana Malone’s contemporary, adult KINGS AND RIVALS dark, erotic, romantic, crime world, suspense trilogy focusing on fashion designer Morgan Becker -Lakewood, and billionaire businessman Lance Deluc Lakewood. PRIVATE DEAL should not be read as a stand alone as it picks up after the events and cliff hanger of book two HIGH STAKES and is set in the author’s KINGS OF THE BOARDROOM world.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Lance and Morgan) PRIVATE DEAL picks up after the events and cliff hanger of HIGH STAKES in which our hero, Lance Lakewood is presumed dead and buried but all is not as it appears to be, while his ‘widow’ mourns, there are people working behind the scenes to destroy her life. Determined to protect the woman he loves, Lance Lakewood, works under the cover of his ‘death’, in an effort to ferret out the people aiming for take back control.

The world building focuses on grief and recovery, and one man’s vengeance to take back control. Using inner dialogue and introspection, the characters reveal the psyche and emotional reactions to the world around them.

The relationship between Lance and Morgan continues to be erotic and intense but our heroine has been lead to believe her husband is dead, Morgan’s grief is often unbearable to the people in her life, a grief that would quickly turn to anger when the truth is revealed. The $ex scenes are erotic and provocative.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful, familiar and determined secondary and supporting characters including Morgan’s sister Gwen and her husband Atticus (Kings of the Boardroom): fixer Silas McGill, Atticus’ brother Micah: Lance’s brother Hector, and their father Charles; fashion promoter Adele Beekman, and Morgan’s assistant Amber. The requisite evil has many faces, not all are whom they claim to be.

PRIVATE DEAL is a story of secrets and lies, betrayal and vengeance, power and control, greed and murder, loss and grief, family and friendships, forgiveness and love. The character driven premise is emotional and dark; the characters are desperate, determined and charismatic; the romance is passionate. PRIVATE DEAL ends on a cliff hanger-you have been warned.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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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.

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Outrider of Talon Mountain/ Bear of the Deep by Delta James

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Outrider of Talon Mountain/ Bear of the Deep by Delta James-review

OUTRIDER OF TALON MOUNTAIN
(Men of Talon Mountain 7)
by Delta James
Genre: adult, contemporary, romantic, suspense

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

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date January 2, 2026

I came to Alaska hunting the corrupt federal official who destroyed my career. Going undercover in the shadow of Talon Mountain was supposed to keep me focused, no attachments, no distractions.
Until Finn Ashworth walked into my path. Quiet, watchful, infuriatingly steady… and built to make a woman forget every rule she’s ever lived by. He sees through my lies the moment we meet, yet he still offers to guide me into the backcountry where my answers, and my enemies, are hiding.
The deeper we push into the wilderness, the hotter things burn between us. One touch turns into a kiss I can’t take back. One night becomes a line I can’t uncross.
And when a professional killer shows up in Glacier Hollow, my cover blows wide open. Now Finn and I are running for our lives, tangled in danger, desire, and a truth powerful enough to destroy us both.
I came here for justice.
I didn’t expect to want him.
I didn’t expect to need him.
Some secrets are deadly.
Some are worth risking everything to reveal.

••••••

REVIEW: OUTRIDER OF TALON MOUNTAIN is the seventh instalment in Delta James’ contemporary, adult MEN OF TALON MOUNTAIN romantic suspense series. This is former US Army Medevac Helicopter Pilot Finn Ashworth, and FBI Agent Cara Brennan. OUTRIDER OF TALON MOUNTAIN can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Cara and Finn) OUTRIDER OF TALON MOUNTAIN follows in the wake of the arrival of FBI Agent Cara Brennan, an agent on the run, following a disastrous assignment wherein our heroine found herself targeted by the people in charge. Hunting down leads, searching for clues, Cara Brennan arrives in Glacier Hollow, Alaska where she will partner with former US Army Helicopter Pilot Finn Ashworth, as they follows a trail of corruption and betrayal.

The world building focuses on the search for the truth but someone else has followed our heroine’s path, and is determined to keep the past buried in Glacier Hollow, Alaska.

The relationship between Cara and Finn is one of immediate attraction but Finn struggles to trust Glacier Hollow’s newest arrival, a woman who claims to be a journalist, researching a story about survival in the north. Cara has spent six months building a case against the people she blames for destroying her life, and learning to trust is a struggle, including the man with whom Cara will fall in love. The $ex scenes are passionate and seductive without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

The secondary and supporting characters are dynamic and determined. We are introduced to Sheriff Zeke, and diner owner Sadie, Sheriff Rhys Blackwater, and crisis negotiator Harlow Kane. The requisite evil has many faces.

OUTRIDER OF TALON MOUNTAIN is a story of betrayal and vengeance, secrets and lies, power and control, trust and understanding, acceptance and love. The character driven premise is fast paced, dramatic and edgy; the romance is spicy; the characters are desperate and charismatic.

Copy supplied for review

_________

BEAR OF THE DEEP
(Tides of Fate 3)
by Delta James
Genre: adult, contemporary, paranormal, romance

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date December 26, 2025

I came to the Isle of Skara to study the sea.
I didn’t expect it to claim me.
When my selkie heritage awakens and a dark mage targets me, the only one who can keep me alive is Grayson Hale, a bear shifter sworn to guard the deep places.
He says the ocean is calling me home.
I’m starting to believe him…
and to fall for the man fate tied to my blood.

••••••

REVIEW: BEAR OF THE DEEP is the third instalment in Delta James’ contemporary, adult TIDES OF FATE paranormal, romance series. This is grizzly bear shifter Grayson Hale, and Marine biologist Dr. Isla Calder’s story line. BEAR OF THE DEEP can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information forom the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Grayson and Isla) BEAR OF THE DEEP follows Dr. Isla Calder’s arrival on the Isle of Skara, as a prelude to researching the strange phenomenon of the ocean and its’ wildlife but Isla never expected to meet her future in the guise of Grayson Hale, a grizzly bear shifter and guardian of the waters. A group known as Marine Development Corporation, headed by developer Malcolm Carrick is intent on drilling the ocean floor but Carrick is looking for something more dangerous and powerful, he is a collector of all things supernatural.

The world building focuses on the desperate attempts to stop Marine Development Corporation, as they prepare to ravage the natural eco-systems around the Isle of Skara. Something dark and dangerous lies waiting at the bottom of the ocean, and our couple must work together in an effort to save everyone they love.

The relationship between Grayson and Isla is one of fated mates but Isla is unaware of her supernatural powers, long having remained dormant until the ocean calls to the selkie beneath. With the ability to control the ocean’s water, Isla discovers there is more than attraction with the man that calls to her heart. The $ex scenes are passionate and intimate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

The secondary and supporting characters are enchanted and desperate. We are introduced to developer Malcolm Carrick, a man who is more than he appears to be, as well as the return of Declan, Rafael and Moira, wolf shifter Jax, tiger shifter Kian O’Donnell, and dragon shifter Finn. Kian’s story line is next in Tiger of the Tides.

BEAR OF THE DEEP is a story of secrets and lies, betrayal and vengeance, power and control, magic and fate. The fast paced, character driven premise is dramatic; the romance is fated and seductive; the characters are magical, determined and charismatic.

Copy supplied for review

Reviews by Sandy

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Echo Burn/ Echo Line / Echo Dark by Delta James-reviews

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Echo: Burn / Echo: Line/ Echo: Dark (Men of Echo Ridge 1-3) by Delta James-review

ECHO: BURN
(Men of Echo Ridge 1 )
by Delta James
Genre: adult, contemporary. military, romance, suspense

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 17, 2025

I didn’t survive Delta Force by being soft. Fire burned me, missions hardened me, and now I live alone in a mountain cabin where no one crosses my perimeter. My world is fire, steel, and silence.
Until she crashes into it.
Willa Hart is a fugitive with haunted eyes and a past that could expose everything Echo Company has fought to protect. I should’ve sent her away the moment I leveled my shotgun at her. Instead, I made a choice I swore I’d never make again. I let her stay. In my cabin. In my bed. Under my protection.
Snow closes in. Her stalker circles tighter. And every day, the line I drew around my heart gets burned away. She sees the man behind the scars, the soldier I thought was long gone.
Now she’s mine.
And anyone who tries to take her will burn.

•••••

REVIEW: ECHO: BURN is the first instalment in Delta James’ contemporary, adult MEN OF ECHO RIDGE erotic, military romance series. This is former Delta Force commander Kane, and trauma nurse turned veterinarian Dr. Willa Hart’s story line.

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

Told from dual first person perspectives (Kane and Willa) ECHO: BURN focuses on survival. Dr. Willa Hart has unknowingly triggered a group known as The Committee, when she rescued an injured dog named Odin, a dog trained to sniff out dangerous chemicals. The Committee wants both Willa and Odin dead but there is military team hidden deep within the mountains of Montana, a team who are determined to uncover the truth. Betrayed by one of their own, the team fled the Middle East, setting up their own military compound known as Echo Base, Montana. Determined to protect Dr. Willa Hart, Kane mounts a rescue but a rescue that places a target on his people and team.

The world building is detailed as the men of Echo Ridge are forced to mount both a defensive and offensive tactic in an effort to protect our story line heroine but Willa Hart has been trained in the art of military defense, and in this, Willa will become a valuable asset to Kane and his team.

The relationship between Kane and Willa begins as a rescue but quickly turns into something more. Kane is determined to protect the woman with whom he will fall in love but Willa is a force unto herself, and is just as capable protecting our story line hero. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

We are introduced to Kane’s expert and specialized team at Echo Base, Montana: Alex Mercer, Khalid, Sarah, Tommy, Rourke, and Stryker, and chemical sniffing dog,Belgian Malinois Odin; mercenary Dominic Cray, and Karine Miles. Alex Mercer’s story line is next.

ECHO: BURN is an action packed story of power and control, betrayal and vengeance, secrets and lies, military operations and espionage, friendships and love. The character driven premise is detailed and intriguing; the romance is seductive; the characters are determined and charismatic. ECHO: BURN ends on a cliff hanger-you have been warned.

______

ECHO: LINE
(Men of Echo Ridge 2)
by Delta James
Genre: adult, contemporary. military, romance, suspense

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 14, 2025

I was trained to profile killers.
Not fall for one.
When the Bureau assigned me to hunt Alex Mercer, a decorated soldier turned domestic terrorist—I expected a fanatic. Instead, I found a man bleeding out in a Wyoming safehouse… and saving my life when the hit team came for us both.
Now I’m on the run with the enemy.
Every file I trusted is a lie. Every badge I believed in has been weaponized. And the man I was ordered to arrest is the only one keeping me alive.
He’s dangerous. Controlled. Infuriatingly calm even with a gun in his hand and blood on his shirt.
But when his walls crack open, I see the scars no one else has touched, and the kind of loyalty that could burn the world down.
The Committee wants us silenced. The FBI wants me back in line.
But I’ve already crossed it… and the only person I trust on the other side is the man I was sent to destroy.

••••••

REVIEW: ECHO: LINE is the second instalment in Delta James’ contemporary, adult MEN OF ECHO RIDGE erotic, military suspense series. This is FBI profiler Delaney Ward, and former Delta Force soldier Alex Mercer’s story line. ECHO: LINE can be read as a stand alone but I recommend reading the series in order for back story and cohesion as there is an ongoing premise throughout. If you have not read book one, there may be spoilers in my review.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Alex and Delaney) ECHO:LINE picks up after the events of book one ECHO: BURN in which Alex Mercer had been captured following their last assignment. Alex Mercer was about to face FBI Profiler Delaney Ward but from the outset Delaney suspects not all was as it appeared to be, and within minutes of her arrival, Alex and Delaney are on the run, as the group known as The Committee takes aim at our story line couple.

The world building follows Alex and Delaney as they struggle to make contact with Alex’s team at Echo Base. Someone has set up our story lien couple, and Delaney is about to lose everything of which she has fought hard to achieve.

The relationship between Delaney and Alex begins as a rescue but a rescue predicated upon secrets and lies. Delaney is about to place her trust in a man she believes is guilty, while Alex struggle to survive the torture inflicted for days before. The $ex scenes are intimate and impassioned without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

Once, again, we are reintroduced to the determined men of Echo Ridge: Kane and Willa (Echo: Burn), Khalid, Sarah, Tommy, Dylan Rourke, and Stryker. The requisite evil has many faces. Dylan Rourke’s story line is next

ECHO: LINE is a story of betrayal and vengeance, power and control, espionage and corruption, friendships and love. The character driven premise is dramatic and edgy; the romance is passionate; the characters are desperate and dynamic.

_________

ECHO: DARK
(Men of Echo Ridge 3)
by Delta James
Genre: adult, contemporary. military, romance, suspense

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date December 12, 2025

The monster they sent to silence me… might be the only man who can save me.

I thought I was chasing the biggest story of my career; proof of a covert black-ops program called the Committee. Instead, I walked straight into their trap. One encrypted file, one analysis that got too close, and suddenly the Committee thinks I know where their enemies are hiding.
Echo Ridge.

Now every shadow operative I’ve been investigating is hunting me, because they believe I have coordinates to a compound that isn’t supposed to exist.

Including the man who finds me first… Dylan Rourke.

He was the Committee’s interrogator, the weapon they whispered about, the monster they built out of grief and violence. He should still be one of them. Instead, he was burned, chose to save one innocent life over following orders, and now he’s the only thing standing between me and the people who trained him.

Working with Dylan is the last thing I want. Trusting him is the last thing I should do.
But he’s also the only person who can keep me alive long enough to finish what I started.

And the more I learn about him, the harder it becomes to see him as the monster everyone fears. Because beneath the darkness and the scars is a protector who would burn the world to defend what’s his.

The Committee is coming. Echo Ridge is preparing for war.
And the only way to survive is to trust the man I should run from…

••••••

REVIEW: ECHO: DARK is the third instalment in Delta James’ contemporary adult MEN OF ECHO RIDGE erotic, military, romantic suspense series. This is former Delta Force soldier Dylan Rourke, and journalist Reagan Mitchell’s story line. ECHO: DARK can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty but I recommend reading the series in order for back story and cohesion as there is an ongoing premise throughout.

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

Told from dual first person perspectives (Dylan and Reagan) with a final chapter by Kane, ECHO: DARK focuses on six months of information gathering that has placed journalist Reagan Mitchell in the direct line of fire. Reagan is determined to uncover the whereabouts of a Black Ops groups located near Echo Ridge Montana but Reagan’s investigation has uncovered a secret organization known as The Committee, and in doing so, has threatened not only her life but everyone involved with Echo Ridge. Assigned to bring in Reagan Mitchell, Dylan Rourke finds himself falling for a woman who could unwittingly destroy their lives. As Reagan continues to gather information, now with the help of the team at Echo Ridge, The Committee begins to amass, targeting everyone involved.

The world building focuses on the gathering of information as The Committee prepares for war. The team is once again, in the direct line of fire, but in an effort to deflect, Reagan and the team release a barrage of information in the hope of destroying the people trying to destroy their lives.

The relationship between Reagan and Dylan begins when Dylan is assigned to stop Reagan’s investigation, an in investigation that is about to reveal the team’s membership, location and military history. Reagan is determined to finish the story she began but will slowly discover not everything is as it appears to be. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

Once again, all of the original team members return : Kane and Willa, Alex and Delaney, Stryker, Sarah, Tommy, and Khalid. Stryker’s story line is next.

ECHO: DARK is a story of power and control, betrayal and vengeance, military and hostility, friendships and acceptance. The premise is detailed, complex and captivating; the romance is seductive and energetic; the characters are desperate, determined and dynamic.

Copies supplied for review

Reviews by Sandy

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Monk Last Rite (Axel Monk 4) by Chase Austin-review

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Monk Last Rite (Axel Monk 4) by Chase Austin-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 December 25, 2025

Axel’s this mission isn’t sanctioned — it’s personal.
Axel Monk wanted to disappear. To vanish into the deserts of Afghanistan and leave behind the ghosts, the bodies, and The Conglomerate that made him a monster.

But the past does not forgive.
And when they take Sanam Bajwa, the person he ever swore to protect, the world’s deadliest assassin is angry.

Now Monk is deep inside the badlands of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a lawless frontier ruled by warlords, smugglers, and traitors. Every side wants him: the Pakistan Army, the tribal militias, and the very assassins he once trained beside. But Monk does not care.

Because this time, it is not about duty.
It is about redemption.

As the Conglomerate hunts its rogue asset, Monk cuts his way through the underworld one bullet, one betrayal, one blood-soaked promise at a time. From the ruins of Peshawar to the mountain fortresses of the border, the message spreads like wildfire:

Axel Monk is coming.

And this time, he is not taking prisoners.

••••••

REVIEW:MONK LAST RITE is the fourth instalment in Chase Austin’s contemporary, adult AXEL MONK THRILLER suspense series focusing on assassin / police officer/ freelancer/ ghost Axel Monk aka Ali Ansari. MONK LAST RITE can be read as a stand alone but I recommend reading the series in order for backstory and cohesion, as there is an ongoing premise throughout.

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 Axel Monk, MONK LAST RITE follows several pathways including the search for a missing woman. Axel Monk is struggling in the wake of a botched assignment in Pakistan, and our hero has gone rogue. A group known as the Conglomerate is offering twenty million dollars to take down Axel Monk but Axel finds himself the lone witness to an abduction, a human trafficking ring, and he is determined to save the women unable to save themselves.

Meanwhile, two other assassins have accepted the contract in an effort to earn the twenty million dollars but as the assassins begin their journey towards becoming millionaires, they find themselves always one step behind, or following a dead end.

MONK LAST RITE is a detailed and dark story of power and control, religious rites and beliefs in the wake of questionable family dynamics, torture and abuse, acceptance and aggression. Axel Monk’s role is only a part of the current story line as the numerous pathways take the reader on several different journeys. The premise is complex and dramatic-the search for Monk ,the bounty and The Conglomerate is akin to the John Wick™ and the High Table. The characters are desperate and determined. MONK LAST RITE ends on a cliff hanger-you have been warned.

I would like to note that the title appears to flounder grammatically -perhaps MONK’S LAST RITE would have been more appropriate. Even my ‘spell check’ and ‘grammar check’ highlighted a problem.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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When He Guards (Protector & Defender 5) by Cynthia Eden-review

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When He Guards (Protector & Defender 5) by Cynthia Eden-review

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date December 30, 2025

He made a fatal mistake.

He lusted after the wrong woman. Let his need take over. Cassius “Cass” Striker knew that he should have never touched the sexy FBI agent, but he gave in to temptation and had the best one-night stand of his life with Agnes Quinn. It should have meant nothing. He should have been able to walk away…

He can’t walk away. If he does, she’s dead.

His enemies know about Agnes, and they plan to use her against him. He’s the leader of one of the most notorious motorcycle clubs in the US. His name stirs fear into the hearts of nearly everyone…and he has a giant target on his back. Those who want to bring him down have been looking for a weakness to use against him—they think they found that weakness in the form of Agnes. Now he either saves her or he watches her die.

She doesn’t need saving, but it’s super sweet of him to try.

••••

REVIEW:WHEN HE GUARDS is the fifth instalment in Cynthia Eden’s contemporary, adult PROTECTOR AND DEFENDER romantic suspense series. This is president of the Night Strikers MC Cassius ‘Cass’ Striker, and FBI agent Agnes Quinn’s story line. WHEN HE GUARDS can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information form the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

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 Agnes and Cass WHEN HE GUARDS follows FBI agent Agnes Quinn as she goes rogue searching for the man who destroyed her life. Believing she will find her target amongst the Night Strikers MC, Agnes goes in undercover only to discover not everything is as it appears to be. Working alongside Cass, Agnes becomes a target for who she is and what she knows, a target whose contacts are dangerous and dark. Meanwhile, Cass Striker has declared himself guardian and protector of our story line heroine, claiming Agnes as his own, a claim that doesn’t not go over very well with the Night Strikers MC.

The world building is detailed and complex as the MC find themselves at odds with one another; betrayal has been building for a very long time, and vengeance is about to place our couple in the direct line of fire.

The relationship between Cass and Agnes begins as a seduction but Cass knows immediately that Agnes is not whom she claims to be. Agnes wants to find a killer, a killer with a specific tattoo, a tattoo that continues to give Agnes nightmares and tears. Cass considers himself a monster but a monster who has fallen for our story line heroine. The $ex scenes are passionate and intense, without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of questionable, secretive and dangerous secondary and supporting characters including the return of Agnes Quinn’s boss Grayson Stone (When He Defends), FBI Agent Malik;  Agnes’s brothers Ryan and Nash; several members of the Night Strikers MC, and a host of game players, taking aim at everyone involved.

WHEN HE GUARDS is a story of betrayal and vengeance, secrets and lies, power and control, madness and mayhem, obsession and murder, family and love. The character driven premise is action packed, detailed and dramatic; the romance is seductive; the characters are desperate and determined.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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