Review: You Can Die (Laurel Snow #3) by Rebecca Zanetti

 About the Book

The Blacklist meets The Profiler in this edgy, gripping thriller that’s perfect for of Laura Griffin and Jayne Ann Krentz!

Men are dying in the Pacific Northwest, their bodies found near churches, charities, and counseling centers—each with valentine candy hearts shoved down their throats. They’re good men with families and community ties—or so they seem until Laurel Snow and her team begin to investigate. Then the case takes a shockingly personal turn when the father she’s never met, a former pastor, turns up among the dead.

Now, besides solving her father’s murder, Laurel is on the hunt to discover the truth of his past. Complicating things is Laurel’s troubled half-sister, Abigail, a brilliant sociopath determined to prove that they’ve both inherited their father’s malignant narcissism.

Assisting Laurel is Washington Fish and Wildlife Captain Huck Rivers, a dangerous loner whose reliance on gut instinct puts him at odds with Laurel’s coolly analytic approach. But the choice may be moot when the killer hones in on Huck’s own dark secrets—putting him and Laurel squarely in the crosshairs.

My Thoughts

OMG! If you thought the last two books were exciting… you ain’t seen nothing yet!

You Can Die is a powerhouse of a story where a string of murders in the area are puzzling Laurel and the team. But as secrets are uncovered, everyone becomes a suspect…  including Laurel. 

Holy cow there’s so much going on here! Lots of excitement! Lots of danger! Lots of family drama!

Laurel’s half-sister Abigail is the epitome of a Twisted Sister, literally! In her attempts to develop a relationship with Laurel, she’s weaving webs of deceit and manipulation all the while cunning in her duplicity. 

Thankfully Laurel is onto her BS but Abigail has most of the people believing she’s a slighted sister and emotionally fragile. Boy are they in for a rude awakening. But the thing is, those who become entangled in Abigail’s web, succumb to the poison of her venom, and often fodder for her machinations. 

OMG! Another crazy good story from Rebecca Zanetti! So many things happen! Secrets uncovered! Threats and challenges and surprises and a whole bunch of stuff happens! I can’t say much more without spoiling it. Read it! You’ll be glad you did!

The entire series is amazing! Highly recommend it!

FTC Disclaimer: I voluntarily read a copy of the book generously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Blog Tour: Holiday Heat by Donna Grant!

 Happy Release Day Donna Grant!

It's Christmas in July!

Holiday Heat is a book of holiday novellas from the Dark Universe.

Get your copy today!

About the Book

Features four novellas from the Reaper, Dark King, and Dark Sword/Dark Warrior series by New York Times bestselling author Donna Grant.

DARK ALPHA'S SILENT NIGHT

The holiday season is for revelry, and the Reapers take full advantage to celebrate as a family.

MY FIERY VALENTINE

It's Valentine's Day at Dreagan, and V has special plans for his mate.

SHARDS OF HOPE

Ulrik, King of Silvers, comes face to face with his past and discovers a link to his mate that had been there all along.

A WARRIOR FOR CHRISTMAS

Just days away from the winter solstice, Christmas, and Boxing Day, the Warriors and Druids of MacLeod castle come together once more to give thanks for the family they’ve made and the hardships they’ve overcome.

Excerpt

        River glanced over her shoulder and winked at Kyran as she left their house. She still couldn’t believe she had fallen in love with a Reaper. Being a Halfling—half-human, half-Fae—had made for a difficult life growing up. She didn’t belong in the Fae world because her blood was tainted. The human world only saw the beauty of a Fae and tried to exploit it. That’s why she had attempted to hide who she was. Not to mention, she had gotten the family’s gift. The ability to read ancient Fae languages. Something that only happened once a generation.
        She learned not just of her family’s legacy but also how to defend herself. She’d had no choice but to become a warrior. River both hated and liked that she had Fae blood. Since Kyran, she had come to terms with who she was and how she could use it to help Death and the Reapers.
        Her steps were light as she walked. Death’s realm was picturesque in every sense of the word. Every single place on the realm was jaw-droppingly gorgeous. She and Kyran had settled on a section of rolling hills near a loch. The minute he saw it, he just stopped and stared. He hadn’t had to say a word. It was clear he was taken by it. She had known immediately that this was where he wanted to have a home.
        After he became a Reaper, he and the others had moved about constantly, setting up temporary quarters on Earth. He hadn’t had a real home in many centuries. Seeing how enamored he was with the location made it the perfect place for their home. The other Reapers found similar places.
        Some were farther from the white tower that Erith and Cael used as their home, but she and Kyran were one of the closest to it. She didn’t have the ability to teleport as the Reapers did, so she had to walk. River enjoyed having the time to herself—and the exercise. She shivered slightly in the cool, damp air, deciding that before she did anything, she should speak to Erith. This was Death’s realm, after all.
        Forty minutes later, River reached the white tower. She lifted her hand to knock, but the door opened before she got the chance. She found herself staring into Cael’s purple eyes. The once-Light Fae had previously been the leader of Kyran’s group of Reapers. After an altercation with one of his enemies where he nearly died—only to be saved by Erith’s magic—he’d been transformed into a god.
        “River,” Cael greeted her with a smile. “What brings you to our door?”
        “I was hoping I could talk with you and Erith.”
        He stepped aside so she could enter. “Of course.”
        River glanced up at the curving staircase that ran along one of the tower’s walls, all the way to the very top. She spotted Erith midway up, making her way down the steps. Her long, blue-black hair was in a loose plait over one shoulder. The petite goddess effortlessly glided down the steps in an all-black outfit that was a cross between Xena: Warrior Princess and Hela from Thor. Somehow, Erith pulled it off in only a manner that Death could.
        “What can we do for you?” Erith asked when she reached the bottom.
        River took a deep breath and said, “I’m missing some of the things we did on Earth. I was hoping to throw a holiday dinner like what Con and Rhi did at Dreagan. Just for us here,” she hastily added.
        Erith’s lavender gaze briefly moved to Cael before she said, “I think that would be delightful. With everything we’ve been dealing with, I’m sorry to say I haven’t thought about what those of you who came here left behind.”
        “You have our gratitude for opening your home to us. We might miss a few things from Earth, but that can be remedied.”
        Cael walked to stand beside Erith. “I think a dinner party is just what we need.”
        “Yes,” Erith said with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.
        River understood. Their enemies had gotten powerful. Then there was the fact they chasing Xaneth—a royal Fae who had helped them. On top of that, Aisling had gone in search of him. Erith wasn’t just looking for one person now but two. All of that weighed heavily on her slim shoulders.
        That’s when River realized that it wasn’t just her that needed a night to remember what they had. Erith did, too.
        All of them did.

Copyright by Donna Grant

Purchase Links

✦SIGNED PRINT→ https://dgrant.co/43JpLJj

✦Amazon→ https://amzn.to/3mqmUo8

✦BN→ https://dgrant.co/3Xz4H6g

✦Kindle→ https://amzn.to/3mqmUo8

✦Nook→ https://dgrant.co/435cFq8

✦Apple→ https://dgrant.co/3nMCECH

✦Kobo→ https://dgrant.co/3ZLPizz

✦Google→ https://dgrant.co/3X7i3GH

Blog Tour & Review: Resonance Surge by Nalini Singh!

Happy Release Day Nalini Singh!

Resonance Surge is the 7th book in Ms. Singh's Psy-Changeling Trinity series which is the second arc of her Psy-Changeling world and it is so good! 

More bears and just... more! Absolutely grab a copy today! 

Keep reading for my review and an excerpt! Purchase links to follow! 

I wish you a Bear-y Happy Tuesday Everyone! 

About the Book

Where are the broken? That is the propulsive question that unleashes a world of secrets in New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh’s Resonance Surge . . .

StoneWater bears Pavel and Yakov Stepyrev have been a unit since birth, but now Pavel’s life is veering in a new direction, his heart held in the hands of Arwen Mercant, a Psy empath—and the only man who has ever brought Pavel to his knees.

This is it. A point of irrevocable change. For Pavel . . . for Arwen . . . for Yakov . . . and for another pair of twins whose bond has a far darker history.

A low-Gradient Psy, Theodora Marshall is considered worthless by everyone but her violently powerful twin, Pax. She is the sole person he trusts in their venomous family to investigate a hidden and terrible part of their family history—an unregistered rehabilitation Center established by their grandfather.

Places of unimaginable pain designed to psychically wipe minds, leaving the victims shells of their former selves, the Centers are an ugly vestige of the Psy race’s Silent past. But this Center was worse. Far, far worse. And now Theo must uncover the awful truth—in the company of a scowling bear named Yakov, who isn’t about to take a Marshall at face value . . . especially a Marshall who has turned his dreams into chilling nightmares.

Because Yakov is the great-grandson of a foreseer . . . and he has seen Theo die in an unstoppable surge of blood. Night after night after night . . .

Excerpt

Chapter 1

Theodora, I'm being told by your handler that you're refusing to follow orders. Do you or do you not realize that the act you're being asked to perform is the only way in which you can ever be useful to the family?

If you continue to refuse, you become nothing but a drain on our resources, a failure of genetic potential that will need to be addressed-and do not make the mistake of believing that the fact you're the twin of a Gradient 9 gives you a protective halo.

You are now seventeen years old, far beyond the point where the loss of one twin will in any way impact the other. Pax has long forgotten you and is thriving free from the burden that was his bond to you. You are on your own.

-Private message from Marshall Hyde to Theodora Marshall
(12 December 2072)

Blood, there was so much blood on her. It spurted through the hands she'd clasped desperately to her throat, dripped down the bone white of her fingers to stain them a rich scarlet. Her eyes were stark when they met his. And he knew.
She was dying.

Yakov Stepyrev jolted awake, his heart thunder and perspiration hot and damp on the mid-brown of his skin. He whipped his head around, searching for her . . . but of course his room was empty.

Heart yet a bass drum, he dropped his face into his pillow and mumbled, "Govno, Yakov, you're losing it."

It was an effort to flip over onto his back, but once there, he couldn't stay put. He was a bear-usually he liked to linger in the warmth of the bed while hitting the snooze button on his old-school alarm clock. Usually however, he didn't wake with his adrenaline pumping from a violent dream about a woman who didn't exist and had never existed.

He flexed his fingers on the sheets . . . and only then realized his bear's claws, thick and glossy and deadly, had pushed through his skin. Fur brushed against the inside of his body, the animal that was his other half as unsettled and agitated as the human half of Yakov.

Shoving off the sheet, he gritted his teeth and managed to retract his claws, then decided to work off his frenetic fight-ready energy by doing push-ups on the thickly carpeted floor. He did pull on a pair of boxer briefs first, though. He was no blushing violet-he just didn't want his cock kissing the carpet with every rep.

But even the strenuous physical activity did little to redirect his mind from the track on which it was fixated. Her. The woman he'd been dreaming about since he was sixteen.

Never like this, however.

Never with blood, with fear that was chill sweat on his skin.

It had been fun in the beginning, when he was a teen. He'd bragged to his fellow juveniles that he knew exactly what his mate looked like, that he was a step ahead of them when it came to the mating dance. His great-grandfather had been a foreseer, hadn't he?

After the odd experiences both he and his twin had had over the years-when they'd just known things even when those things hadn't yet come to pass-Yakov had been certain his dreams were a glimmer of foresight. It had made sense to him that the dreams were so powerful because they related to the woman who was to be the one for him.

His mate. His heart.

But he wasn't a teen any longer, and he was beginning to question his sanity. The dreams had stopped for years . . . only to return with a bloody and brutal vengeance this past week. Every freaking night. Always the same dream, too-of Yakov in his bear form, walking through the mist of early morning until he realized that he wasn't alone, was walking beside a woman with hair of softest gold and eyes of haunted blue.

She knelt beside him at some point, her hand fisted in his fur as she cried into his neck. Her tears were so hot they burned, and all he wanted to do was change form, take her into his arms. But he couldn't disturb her in her pain, so he just folded his legs to come down to the ground, and he let her cry until all her tears were done, and she could look him in the eyes again.

"I'm sorry," she always said, her voice husky. "It's too late, don't you see?"

Then, without warning came the blood, the terror . . . the dying.

Yakov's muscles quivered as he held a plank, but he couldn't hold back the memory of his rage in the dream, the echo of his bear's growl of repudiation ringing in his ears.

One thing he knew-the dreams hadn't been like this back when he'd been a kid. His mystery woman had been younger then and he'd been in his human form, and though they'd met in the same misty clearing, she'd smiled at him in delighted surprise before they'd run through the flowers like small cubs playing a game.

It had been a thing of sunshine and joy.

Not a horror of scarlet blood and a man made helpless to save his mate.

Giving up on the push-ups when they did nothing to halt his thoughts of her, he sat back on the carpet he'd installed himself despite the ribbing from his clanmates about getting soft. Hah! Hadn't the big, furry mudaks all been jealous afterward and sidled up to him one after the other asking about where to get the same plush carpet?

"Why are you haunting me?" he demanded of the girl become woman he'd never met, never seen. He was starting to wonder if she was someone his great-grandfather had known. Déwei Nguyen had been a powerful F-Psy, the real deal. Yakov and Pavel, in contrast, had only inherited a drop of his talent. With them, it was more a sense of intense intuition, rather than a manageable ability.

To Yakov, it felt like an itch under the skin when he knew he had to do something. He'd learned young not to fight the drive, because it never led him astray. That whisper of foresight had saved his and his twin's skin many a time-whether by warning them that their parents were approaching and they'd better hide all evidence of their illicit activities, or by making them halt in their tracks right before they walked onto a cliff destabilized by a storm.

But Pavel didn't dream about a woman with haunted eyes. Not like Yakov.

"That's because I like boys," Pavel had joked as an older teen, then waggled dark eyebrows identical to Yakov's; his eyes were a distinctive aqua green behind his spectacles, Pavel's vision the only physical difference between the two of them. "Maybe your future mate is Psy and is seducing you with telepathy."

Back then, with the Psy keeping a firm distance from changelings as well as humans, the idea had made Yakov roll his eyes. "It's probably just some kind of weird psychic memory inherited from Denu." The word he and Pavel used to refer to their great-grandfather didn't officially come from any of the languages spoken inside their family unit.

Not Pavel and Yakov's native Russian. Not their great-grandfather's first languages of Vietnamese and Mandarin Chinese that their beloved babushka Quyen had taught them pieces of, not the English spoken by their wickedly funny babushka Graciele, nor the Portuguese spoken by their paternal grandfather, Wacian.

According to their mother, as toddlers, they'd heard family members talking about their great-grandfather and tried to replicate his name, but in their baby mouths, Déwei Nguyen had come out sounding like "denu" and that was that. Their grandmother Quyen, one of Déwei's two children with his bear mate, had refused to allow anyone to correct them, and so he was forever Denu to Yakov and Pavel.

The two of them had been born after their denu passed, but their grandmother had told them stories about him that made him come alive. "He was so handsome and he had such a laugh, boys," their babushka would say. "His eyes would crinkle up at the corners, and it would just spill out of him." Her own lips curving, her eyes awash with happy memories.

Later, when they were older, she'd told them the other side of her father's life. "He was a man of heart and honor, my papa, but he had such sorrow inside him." Déwei, she'd told them, had already been mated when the Psy race embraced Silence, his home the StoneWater den.

"He never once considered leaving my mama-he adored her to his dying breath." A smile potent with memory. "But he did miss his own parents and siblings terribly. I was born after the Psy embraced Silence, so I never met them. As an adult, I asked him about them, and he said they were afraid they wouldn't be able to maintain an emotional distance if they continued to stay in touch."

She'd shown them a picture of her parents in the twilight of their life, Déwei Nguyen's hair a shock of silky white and his face creased with laugh lines as he stood with his arm around his laughing mate, her hair a tumble of silver that yet retained a hint of the vivid red from images of her youth.

"You two love as fiercely as he did." Their grandmother's eyes had shone wet, her throat moving as she swallowed. "Always hold on tight to you and yours-and don't allow politics to come in between. That's what my papa taught me. Love is a far greater gift."

"I could use your help today, Denu," Yakov said now. "Who is she? A girl you had a crush on as a youth? Good thing your Mimi never knew." According to their grandmother, that had been his affectionate pet name for his mate, Marian Marchenko.

"Hot-tempered, my mama was," Babulya Quyen had said with a laugh when they'd asked about their great-grandmother. "She apparently chased him down with a skillet once during their courtship, after she mistakenly thought he was making eyes at another bear. Shows you my father's charm that he not only got her to put down that skillet-but convinced her to make him pancakes on it!"

It was one of Yakov's favorite stories of his great-grandparents' enduring love affair. Smiling at the memory of the story, he rose off the floor, and seeing that the hand-knitted blanket on his bed was trailing over the side, he threw it back up. The blanket was terrible. Full of dropped stitches and wild lines. But their mother knit to "relax, damn it" and it always made Yakov grin when he woke and saw her efforts.

Mila Hien Kuznets was the least relaxed person Yakov knew, and he'd have her no other way.

But today, even the sight of his mother's knitting had no impact on the tension knotting his veins. He flexed his hands, unable to forget the blood. No matter what he might want to believe, this wasn't about a childhood crush of his great-grandfather's. It was too grim, held too much portentous weight to it.

Jaw clenched, he walked into the bathroom, stripped off his briefs, then stepped into the shower. A wet room carved out of the stone of the den, it featured a lush fern that thrived in the natural light system that ran throughout the den except where it had been overridden on purpose.

Yakov was happy to shower in the soft glow of cool dawn light that echoed the world outside. Who was she? The question would no doubt-

A scream pierced his eardrums, so harsh and pained that it took him a split second to realize it was coming from inside his own fucking mind. Hand slamming against the stone of the wall, he tried to gasp in a breath, but it was too late. The waking dream accelerated, and suddenly, he was standing in front of a weathered gate of wrought iron through which coiled thick green vines, a sense of urgency pumping inside him.

He twisted toward her, but she was already turning away to double over, her arm pressed against her stomach as if wounded. Yakov's bear threatened to take over, make him run to her, help her.

But he couldn't.

Yakov struggled against the invisible ropes that held him in place, but no matter how much strength he put into it, he couldn't move . . . because he had no right to touch her.

"Fuck!" He snapped out of the nightmare or whatever the hell it had been to find himself still standing under the water.

Claw marks scored the stone.

MOSKVA GAZETA

30 August 2083

BREAKING NEWS

Second Victim Fits Profile

Authorities in Enforcement continue to refuse to confirm speculation of a serial killer after yesterday's discovery in the Izmaylovo District of a second victim who fits the same victim profile as the first: Varisha Morozov, age 29.

The name of the second victim has not yet been released; however, Enforcement did verify that this victim, too, was a Psy woman in her twenties with blue eyes and blond hair.

When asked if young Psy women, especially those with blond hair and blue eyes, should be concerned, Enforcement Commissioner Yaroslav Skryabin stated that there is no reason to panic. "We are in the very early stages of the investigation. To throw around wild theories at this juncture would be both precipitous and inappropriate."

The commissioner also stated that at this point, there is no evidence of the killer being a fellow member of the Psy race. "Given the method of murder, they could as easily be human or changeling" was his only further comment on the subject.

That method of murder has not been released by the authorities. While the Gazeta does have sources close to the investigation, the Gazeta's internal ethics board has agreed to Enforcement's request not to publish that information so as not to prejudice any future judicial case.

To be updated as further information becomes available.

Chapter 2

The restricted rider to Coda 27 of the Silence Protocol applies here. Pax and Theo can be-and must be-separated the instant they hit seven years of age. I'd recommend doing it sooner but the risk of psychic collapse is high. To chance that with a Gradient 9 would be reckless in the extreme.

-Report by PsyMed specialist Dr. Kye Li to Councilor
Marshall Hyde (1 January 2061)

Theodora Marshall buttoned up the crisp white of her shirt, erasing the view of the strip of smooth and pale skin in between the two panels. That skin was so inoffensive, so normal. Look at that and you'd never know what crawled over her back-and twisted inside her mind.

Excerpted from Resonance Surge by Nalini Singh. Copyright © 2023 by Nalini Singh. Excerpted by permission of Berkley Publishing Group. All right reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

My Review

Bears…

Multigenerational Bears…

Theo’s intense backstory…

The secret twin relationship between Theo and her brother Pax…

Crazy connections and surprises…

Deadly mysteries and a few unbelievable moments…

Two love stories full of intense and crazy family dynamics…

Resonance Surge is all these things, but it's also a story of love. Love of family, love of siblings, love of pack and love for the sake of love. Under all the subterfuge, mystery and danger beats a tempered thread of love so fragile, so broken and so pure it’s beautiful in its imperfection. So many threads connecting so many characters as Ms. Singh weaves their lives together in this new world of Trinity.

I love when Nalini Singh releases a new Psy/Changeling book because we get to peel back another layer or two of this mysterious, exciting and dangerous world! Resonance Surge is all this and more! 

I highly recommend the book and every single one in the series!

FTC Disclaimer: I voluntarily read a complimentary copy of the book generously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Purchase Links

Penguin Random House

Nalini Singh Website

Signed Copies

via Nalini Singh's Newsletter:

Signed Copies of RESONANCE SURGE

U.S. Orders

If you're in the U.S., you can order locally from East City Bookshop - orders will come with a signed bookplate as long as stocks last.

New Zealand Orders

If you're based in New Zealand, you can purchase signed copies from:

▪ Chapter via this LINK

or

▪ Mighty Ape via this LINK

International Orders

If you're outside of New Zealand, Mighty Ape ships to a number of locations. See their website to confirm if they ship to your area, and the costs.

You can also purchase signed copies from Chapter - to begin the process, drop the owner Frances a note (info@chapter.co.nz). She ships internationally and can tell you what shipping costs will apply.

You can also place orders for other signed books from me via Chapter, just contact Frances with details of which titles you're after.

Blog Tour & Review: Barbarian's Mate by Ruby Dixon

Happy Release Day Ruby Dixon! 

Barbarian's Mate is Book #6 in her Ice Planet Barbarians series and is currently being rereleased in a Special Edition by Berkley Romance through Penguin Random House with pretty new covers! 

If you're not familiar with Ms. Dixon's Ice Planet Barbarians it's a series based on human women kidnapped from earth by aliens to be sold into intergalactic slavery. The alien ship had some mechanical problems and had to drop the pod carrying the human women on an ice planet to come back for later. Georgie, a brave human woman, ventures out to find help and encounters a tribe of big, muscular blue aliens with velvet skin, horns, sharp teeth, tails and a shortage of child-bearing females. Chaos and sexytimes ensues!
I highly recommend the series! 

About the Book

The next novel in the international publishing phenomenon the Ice Planet Barbarians series, now in a special print edition with a bonus novella!

Josie has always dreamed of finding The One, but the hunter chosen for her is nothing like what she expected (or wanted)—but he might be exactly what she needs.

 

“Resonance” is supposed to be a dream—that’s when your soulmate is chosen for you. And every woman on the ice planet has hooked up with a big, hunky soulmate of their own—except me. So do I want a mate? Heck yeah. More than anything, all I’ve ever wanted is to be loved by someone.

But the soulmate chosen for me? My least favorite person on the darn ice planet. Haeden’s the most cranky, disapproving, unpleasant, overbearing male alien . . . so why is it that my body sings when he gets close? Why is he working so hard to prove to me that he’s not as awful as I think he is?

I hate him . . . don’t I?

My Review

The ultimate enemies to lovers story!

Josie has been a thorn in Haeden’s side ever since the humans landed on Not-Hoth (Star Wars reference, what the humans call the ice planet). Yeah, she’s a little (a lot) talkative and wants to pull her own weight to help the tribe but she’s so small and so… human. Every chance Haeden gets, he reminds Josie of her shortcomings, and Josie, with her quick wit and sharp tongue, gives it right back to him! 

Josie’s a feisty one. She has had to be, especially as a child growing up in the foster care system. Josie’s had a tough life on earth and after her abduction, but she’s never let that dampen her spirit. She's inherently joyful and yes, a bit of a motor mouth. Josie’s just a social butterfly that’s all. And she’s desperate to resonate and finally have the family she’s always wanted. 

But when she finally does resonate, it’s to the one person who hates her and Josie is devastated. Will Haeden get his horns out of his backside and get with the program? Will Josie end up braining his stubborn hard head with a rock?  Or will the couple realize that this burning hatred they share is a hair's breadth away from turning into a fiery passion that’ll consume them both? You’re definitely going to want to read their story! 

I absolutely love Josie and Haeden’s book! It’s heart wrenching and beautiful and I just loved it! You’d never have thought they made sense at the beginning of the series but they totally do! The chemistry between the pair is off the charts! The storyline is exciting and dangerous and full of surprises! I repeat, you’re definitely gonna want to read this story! 

I highly recommend the series for anyone who loves a good Sci-fi/fantasy romance read!

FTC Disclaimer: I voluntarily read a complimentary copy of the book generously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Excerpt

Chapter One

Josie

I'm the last single woman on the entire ice planet. I watch Tiffany and her new mate, Salukh, head off to their cave as everyone celebrates, but I'm not really in a celebratory mood. I'm worrying. I'm not a big fan of stressing about things I can't change, but this is something that concerns me. Being the singlest single woman that ever singled? It's distressing. Am I going to have a cave by myself? Am I going to be stuck in someone else's cave like a reject? Am I going to have to listen to everyone else make out and know that I'm never going to have a mate because Harlow can't fix the stupid surgery machine?

I stare glumly at the fire, thinking about my stupid, stupid IUD that won't come out, even though it's been over a year and a half since we landed and my cootie's supposed to fix that sort of thing. Around me, everyone's happy and celebrating, but I don't feel like sharing in their enjoyment. It wasn't so bad when I wasn't the last human alone. I didn't feel like a total reject then.

Now? The cheese stands alone and I do feel like a total reject.

It's a feeling I'm kind of used to, after being dumped from a half-dozen foster homes growing up. I've never had family to call my own, and the people that wandered into my life wandered right back out again just as quickly. But I don't dwell on the past. Shit happens to everyone.

Here on the ice planet, though, I felt like I was part of a family, at least for a while. There were twelve human women, and the sa-khui only had four women to their thirty-something men. To them, we were special, a gift from the stars to be cosseted and taken care of. I was part of a group for once, a family. Then one by one, the girls started to pair off with mates. First Georgie, then Liz, then the others-Stacy, Nora, Ariana, Harlow, and all the others. One by one, they paired up with big, hunky, utterly devoted blue guys who think that their fated mates can do no wrong and dote on them at every turn. And now they're all popping out babies and having the bestest time ever on the ice planet.

It's kinda hard not to be jealous. And it wasn't so bad when it was me, Claire, and Tiffany left out of the humans after the initial rush of matings. That was all right, because it wasn't just me being rejected by my cootie-the symbiont that keeps me alive and plays matchmaker.

But then Claire got a mate.

And then Tiffany got a mate, too.

I'm the only one whose cootie has gone out to lunch. The cootie's supposed to be looking out for me. It's supposed to keep me healthy at all costs, fixes up my body so I can withstand the harsh environment on the new planet, and it's supposed to find me the perfect mate. Once it does, I'll resonate-my cootie will vibrate once it gets near the perfect male so I can know that it's chosen, and then we can have really intense, repeated sex until we make a cute, fuzzy blue baby. But I don't resonate, and I know it's because of the stupid IUD stuck up in my you-know-what.

You can't get pregnant if you're on birth control, and you can't resonate if you can't get pregnant.

It sucks to know the exact reason why you're warming the bench and not being able to change it.

I stare into the central firepit. So much for not being a gloomy Gus. It's hard when you see everyone getting everything you've ever wanted-a mate, family, babies-and you keep getting passed up.

A small movement catches my eye and I look up from the flickering fire to see a familiar face scowling in my direction. Haeden. Ugh. My least favorite person in both of the sa-khui caves. He looks pissier than usual, which is kind of a feat for him. If he wasn't such a dick, maybe he'd be handsome. Maybe. He's big, of course, and heavily muscled like all sa-khui men. He's got the big, arching, curling horns jutting from his forehead like a ram on crack. He's got pale blue skin and his forehead is covered with thick, platy ridges that should make him look like a mutant but only emphasize how strong the rest of his features are. And he's got the long, black hair of the sa-khui, but he wears his shaved on the sides and in one extra-long braid over the top of his head and down his back. He might be someone's type, but he's not mine. His tail flicks angrily at the sight of me, as if just looking in my direction pisses him off.

Our eyes lock and he crosses his arms over his chest, as if daring me to get up and confront him.

Whatever. I make a face at him. I don't know why he's got a hate-boner for me but I'm tired of it. I'm a little pleased-and weirdly disappointed-when he stalks away. I'd almost welcome a fight with him, except he doesn't really fight. He mostly spits out a few choice words, glares a lot, and then storms away when I irritate him enough.

I nudge Farli, who's settling in next to me with her paint pots. She's doodling a festive red line down her arm. "So what's with Haeden lately?"

"Hmm?" She dabs a brush in red and then paints a dot on my arm.

"He looks more angry than usual," I tell her, and obediently turn my arm toward her so she can paint an accompanying blue dot next to the red one.

"Oh. He was very . . . sour . . . when he found out you went to the main tribal cave alone. He yelled at Taushen for many hours."

My eyebrows go up. "Why? He hates me." He should have been glad that I'd taken the scary, dangerous journey so recently. He'd probably been hoping that I'd fall into a snowdrift and never come out again.

She shrugs and holds my arm, painting a tickling circle on it. "He is protective of females. He thinks it is foolish to risk them."

Oh barf. So he's a chauvinist. "I was perfectly fine." Sure, it was a little scary, but I handled it. I went because we didn't have a choice. Tiff, Taushen, Salukh, and I were visiting the elders' cave-a crashed sa-khui spaceship from several hundred years ago-when Tiff noticed a big storm coming in. We'd decided to send out runners to warn both the South Cave (my home) and the main cave. Tiff had hurt her ankle, so Salukh stayed behind with her. Taushen took the longer walk back to the South Cave, and I headed to the main cave to warn them, despite the oncoming blizzard and despite the fact that I'd never traveled by myself before.

I'd been pretty proud of the fact that I made it and saved the day, darn it. Sure, I could have died in a snowdrift, but I didn't. I found the cave all on my own and showed that I'm not useless. I'm glad I made the journey and I'd do it again.

Farli draws a bigger blue circle on my arm with her paintbrush. The sa-khui like to paint their bodies with bright swirls when they celebrate, and I love it. It makes me happy just to look at it, and Farli knows she has a willing canvas with me. She doodles on my arm a bit more, then holds on to my wrist to keep me still. "Yes, but humans are weak. He says that risking your life means risking more than just one life. It is potentially robbing another male of his mate and kits."

I gape at her, then realize she's parroting Haeden's words. "Good thing I'm only worth my vagina to him." Joke's on him, my girl parts have a permanent no-vacancy sign on them, alas.

"What is va-shy-nuh?" Farli asks. "I do not know this word."

"Never mind." I probably shouldn't be teaching Farli inappropriate human words. She can't be more than fourteen years old. "He's just a jerk. Always has been and always will be."

"What is yerk?" She draws another circle on my arm, this time a sickly green. "You're fun to paint on, Jo-see. You are pale like Chahm-pee's belly. The colors show up nicely."

Greeeaaaat. I'm being compared to her pet dvisti. "A jerk is a man who thinks with his male parts." It totally applies for scowly Haeden, I don't care what the others say.

She giggles at my words. At least someone finds me amusing.

Nope. I can't go down that path, mentally. I need to think about happier things. Things like the baby Tiffany and her mate are rather noisily making back in our cave. I do love babies, and Tiffany's my best friend here on the ice planet, so I'm totally going to volunteer to godparent the crap out of that poor kid. I stare at the fire, contemplating living circumstances. If Salukh and Tiffany are getting it on twenty-four seven, they'll need a cave of their own.

Farli finishes decorating my bared arms and picks up her paint pots, heading toward someone else. I remain where I am, the paint drying. No one comes over to talk to me. It's not like there's a lot of us left in the South Cave. Half of the cave has already moved back to the main caverns. The ones left are probably not feeling that celebratory, if Taushen's sad mood is any indicator. I don't blame him. He lost out on the girl, and the only one left is me.

Or Farli, but she's a kid still. So he's either got to put the moves on me, or wait for Farli to grow up. No wonder he's depressed. I'm kinda bummed myself. I don't want to go back to the cave, because I'm afraid I'm going to see a lot of Salukh and Tiffany . . . which would be awkward. Maybe I'll go borrow a blanket from Kira and hide in one of the now-empty caves.

I get to my feet. Something soft clinks against my leather boot.

I look down, and there's an object gleaming in the firelight on the tip of my shoe. I pick it up, frowning. It fell out of my leggings. What on earth? It looks like a plastic little Y of sorts, which is weird. There shouldn't be any plastic here in the sa-khui caves. Did it get stuck in my boot from when we were at the elders' spaceship? But if so, how . . .

I gasp as I realize what I'm looking at. It's not from the elders' ship.

It's my IUD.

Somehow, my body has forced it out. My khui must have been silently working on pushing it out of my system. I clutch it in my hand, my heart hammering with excitement.

This changes everything!

Now, I can get pregnant. Now, I can resonate. I can have a mate!

I can have a family, a happy ever after. I can have everything I always dreamed of. I don't have to wait for Harlow to fix the surgery machine back at the elders' ship, because my cootie decided to be awesome after all. Thank you, khui! Thank you! You're the best! I take back all the awful things I said about you.

I look around eagerly at the people in the main cave. Who's going to be my mate? There are several males in the tribe that are attractive and all of them are nice . . . except Haeden.

I'm not picky. I'll let my cootie choose someone for me. It knows best, after all. It's going to pick the perfect male for me so we can make sweet little babies together and I can live a life of joy and happiness. My mood has totally changed and I'm so happy I could shout with pure joy.

Nearby, Vaza catches my eye and gives me a speculative look. To my relief, my khui remains silent. Good. It's not desperate. Vaza's older and he's tried hitting on everything with tits. He's seated next to Bek, and I'm glad that my khui isn't making a sound for him, either. Cootie, you are one smart cookie.

Hassen is probably my number one draft pick at the moment, because he's sexy and all alpha, and I'd be down with that. At the moment, he's nowhere to be found. Taushen, either. Both of them are probably still moping after losing Tiffany. Well, hello, I'm perfectly willing to be a consolation prize. Time to find my guy and make his day.

There are two elders talking off to one side but I'm pretty sure one had a mate back in the day and the other could be my grandpa. Just to make sure, though, I stroll past them. Nothing happens. Whew. No problem, cootie. We still have lots of man-meat in this cavern before we run out. "Anyone seen Hassen?" I ask.

"He's in his cave, packing," Vaza says.

"Super." I jump to my feet and head in that direction before Vaza can decide if he wants to hit on me or not. Come on, Hassen. Be my mate! Of course, even if I don't resonate to Hassen, there's always the guys back in the other cave. I immediately think of Rokan. He's hot, and he's nice. I'd be down with that.

I head for the cave that many of the single hunters live in, and the privacy screen isn't up. "Yoo-hoo," I call out, my voice sweet. I'm excited, and I push away thoughts of Rokan. The other cave seems so far away right now. It's going to happen tonight, I can feel it. Rokan's going to lose out, because he's not here. I feel like my mate is here. My chance.

I'm going to get my happy ever after. Tonight, my life starts. Tonight, I get my family. Tonight, I'm no longer a reject.

Hassen pops out of his cave, a confused look on his face. His gaze settles on me. "Yes? What is it?"

I smile at him, but . . . nothing happens. Rats. Hassen was hottie number one on my list. "Just . . . thought I'd say hi? Have you seen Taushen?"

He narrows his eyes at me, as if trying to figure me out. "He is here."

"Can I say hi to him, too?" Might as well kill two birds with one stone.

"Is this a human custom?"

I keep smiling, because even his puzzled look is not going to get me down. Not tonight. "Yes, yes it is."

Excerpted from Barbarian's Mate by Ruby Dixon. Copyright © 2023 by Ruby Dixon. Excerpted by permission of Berkley Publishing Group. All right reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

Purchase Links

Penguin Random House

Ruby Dixon's Website
(There may be signed copies left!)

Marie's Review: Play for Me by Libby Hubscher

 

 

About the Book

When her new job takes her to a New England boarding school, she’s surprised to find her roommates are all men – including a very handsome one who plays by his own rules.

Sophie Doyle has her dream job as the head athletic trainer for her favorite baseball team (go Red Sox!), a handsome boyfriend, and easy access to the finest cannoli in Boston. When she loses all three and the World Series to boot, she’s forced to apply for the open trainer position at an arts-focused boarding school in New Hampshire. The only available room is a glorified closet in an apartment with three guys: Jonas Voss, the aloof and attractive orchestra teacher, and his two rambunctious roommates.

Sophie knows that training a bunch of privileged high school kids whose idea of a play is A Chorus Line instead of a walk-off homer is going to be a big change from the pro athletes she’s used to. She wasn’t expecting that these students would have big-time talent and even bigger-time problems. Sophie has troubles of her own—Jonas is a full-fledged grump who clearly doesn’t want her near him or the precious piano he never plays.

With sunny optimism, Sophie sets out to win over Jonas and help the kids she’s growing attached to. But when her relationship with Jonas moves to the major leagues and plans change at the end of the season, they have to choose whether they are playing for keeps.

Marie's Thoughts

Let me start by saying that I very much enjoyed this book. It had just enough hokey-ness and cheese to make it fun and light-hearted, not taking itself too seriously. Which, I loved. The premise of the story is a familiar one – girl meets boy, he treats her badly because he has feelings for her and those feelings confuse him, girl reads it as he hates her and tries everything she can to win him over only to find herself falling in love with him. Then he professes his love with some grandiose gesture that we all can only dream of being real life. We’ve all read those books before. But this one is… different somehow.

Perhaps it’s the two main characters. Sophie, a natural tomboy, if you will, who lives and breathes baseball only to find herself fired from her dream job and transplanted into an unfamiliar job and housing situation with some very interesting roommates. And Jonas. A hopeless musician with a cold shoulder and an air of dark mystery to him that makes him attractive from the get-go. Their personalities clash horribly and it’s almost cringey when they’re together. But then something that seems like magic happens between them and it captivates you. You start cheering for them. Get angry when they come close to admitting feelings and screw it up. Laugh when one of them does something stupid. And that moment when it all comes together… *chefs kiss* perfection. 

Like I said, it’s cheesy and hokey. Its opposites attract in a strange way. But it’s beautiful. And wholesome. Warm. It isn’t a perfect book, but it leaves you feeling satisfied. Fulfilled. Happy. And to me, THAT is what a good book should do. 

FTC Disclaimer: We received a complimentary copy of the book generously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Marie's Review: Lovelight Farms (Lovelight #1) by B.K. Borison

 

About the Book

Two best friends fake date to reach their holiday happily ever after in this first romantic comedy in the Lovelight series.

A pasture of dead trees. A hostile takeover of the Santa barn by a family of raccoons. And shipments that have mysteriously gone missing. Lovelight Farms is not the magical winter wonderland of Stella Bloom’s dreams.

In an effort to save the Christmas tree farm she’s loved since she was a kid, Stella enters a contest with Instagram-famous influencer Evelyn St. James. With the added publicity and the $100,000 cash prize, Stella might just be able to save the farm from its financial woes. There’s just one problem. To make the farm seem like a romantic destination for the holidays, she lied on her application and said she owns Lovelight Farms with her boyfriend. Only…there is no boyfriend.

Enter best friend Luka Peters. He just stopped by for some hot chocolate and somehow got a farm and a serious girlfriend in the process. But fake dating his best friend might be the best Christmas present he’s ever received.

Marie's Thoughts

There is nothing better in the middle of summer than a nice holiday romance. Especially when it has all the feels of a perfectly warm Hallmark movie. Lovelight Farms is that kind of romance. It has small town charm, great secondary characters, and a friends-to-lovers story that is sweet, a little steamy, and oh so satisfying.

I read this book in one sitting, finding myself laughing, sharing each character’s frustration, angst, lust, and love. Stella is a very likeable lead. She is an independent, determined young lady that constantly makes sacrifices for the people she loves. Very seldom does she do things for herself, let alone believe she deserves the good things that happen to her. Her friends are hysterical and play off of her personality beautifully, and then there’s Luka. Her best friend in the world. He’s cute, charming, and clearly in love with Stella. At first, I was worried he wasn’t going to be a character that I really cared for, but as the story went on, it was so easy to fall in love with him. He would do literally anything for Stella and that’s part of what makes this story so enchanting.

Clearly when a book is touted as a friends-to-lovers story, you know the characters will wind up together. But the fun part of Lovelight Farms was the journey for Stella and Luka to get there. I’m so glad I took the time to visit Lovelight Farms and all of the holiday fun it held.

FTC Disclaimer: We received a complimentary copy of the book generously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Review: He's My Cowboy Anthology by Diana Palmer, Rebecca Zanetti, & Delores Fossen

About the Book

Three celebrated New York Times bestselling authors combine their talents to celebrate Americana, the appeal of the iconic cowboy hero tinged with a hint of danger and romantic suspense. Filled with sizzling tension and well-drawn characters, this anthology is sure to resonate with readers looking to saddle up and find love!

Strong and steady, tough and tender—no wonder cowboys are so irresistible, especially in this trio of novellas from three bestselling authors . . .

THE HAWK’S SHADOW * Diana Palmer
Gil needs to prove himself in his new role as sheriff’s investigator. That means working alongside a hotshot expert from the state crime lab who’s come to Colorado to help untangle a long-ago mystery. But if they stop butting heads, they might discover a surprising connection . . .

RESCUE: RANCHER STYLE * Rebecca Zanetti
Leaving the Marines and returning to Redemption as heir to the family ranch—and guardian to three wayward teenagers—Greg is in way over his head. But he’s learned some deadly lessons since leaving his first love behind. And when she’s in danger, nothing will stop him from saving her.

A COWBOY KIND OF ROMANCE * Delores Fossen
After eight years in the Air Force, Brenna’s hanging up her uniform and returning home to Loveland, Texas. News of her parents’ separation has shaken her faith in love, even if the whole town is eager to matchmake between Brenna and her high-school flame. But never underestimate a cowboy’s powers of persuasion . . .

My Thoughts

I love anthologies! They are a good way to discover new authors or are a quick read when you’re pressed for time! And you just can’t go wrong with cowboys! Yes, please! 

THE HAWK’S SHADOW  

This is my first read from the author and I was kinda sad reading this story. I didn’t really notice a cowboy and I did not like the heroine at all. She was a little too rough around the edges, had a big chip on her shoulder and was a bit mean. Well, Gil was too and that dynamic made me lose interest in the story. Even though this one wasn’t for me, I’d definitely check out the author again.

RANCHER STYLE  

Now this one is more my style! I love a second chance romance story and really enjoyed this one! The characters are easily loveable, the storyline kept me engaged and I was disappointed when it ended because I wanted more! 

A COWBOY KIND OF ROMANCE  

This was my first read from this author as well and I enjoyed the story. This one is another second chance romance but had a couple secondary relationships in the mix too! The more the merrier I say. The story made me smile and I’d love to learn more about this world. I hope there are more stories.

Overall, He’s My Cowboy is a solid read. It started off a little wobbly but finished strong. I’d definitely recommend this anthology and I’m looking forward to learning more about the authors!

FTC Disclaimer: I voluntarily read a copy of the book generously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All conclusions reached are my own.