Wedding Shenanigans, Alpha Males & Sin City || Mini Reviews

TWO WEDDING CRASHERS by MEGHAN QUINN

★★★★

“Happily ever after. That's what my world revolves around and yet, I struggle to find one myself.”

Two Wedding Crashers is the second book in the Dating by Numbers series and by far Meghan Quinn's most hilarious book to date. Fair warning, don't read this book while consuming any foods or liquids because you might choke from laughing too much. I should also like to note that while this book can be read as a standalone, I still suggest picking up the first book in this series because you're not gonna wanna miss out on the shenanigans in that book.

Two Wedding Crashers is a romance about two people who've been guarded from love for so long that once it's standing in front of them, they're not quite sure what to do next. I was a little hesitant going into this book because truth be told, I wasn't a big fan of Beck Wilder's character in Three Blind Dates. He was kind of a playboy with a secret past and I thought he would continue to play games in this sequel, but he surprised me so much! I ended up falling so hard for Beck and I think once I got a better understanding for why he was so guarded, I let his previous behavior slide. He is a genuine softie and I loved how he was willing to do whatever to takes to win Rylee's heart. While I loved Beck, it took me a really long time to feel the same way about Rylee Ryan. She's a hilarious character and I loved that she was a romance writer, but I just couldn't connect with until the end. I was also expecting her secret to be a little more...dramatic, considering the way she was acting and all. 

I wanna give some love to the secondary characters in this book. Beck and Rylee's friends are a riot and there were times I couldn't breathe because I was laughing too hard from their dialogue. I am dying, and I mean DYING to read the next book in this series. I need to know how the fuck Hayden became someone's baby daddy and I'm also hoping to catch up with the boys from the Binghampton series.

ALPHAS LIKE US by KRISTA & BECCA RITCHIE

★★★½

“I know and he knows that what we share is greater and stronger than whatever the world has to throw at us. We won't end here.”

The Like Us series and I got off on a rocky start but along the way the series has somewhat grown on me. I'm not completely sold on the series yet, but I'm still sticking around to see what happens to the mini Hales, Cobalts and Meadows. Also, I'm a sucker for drama and I swear this series is just like Keeping Up with the Kardashians but in book form.  

Alphas Like Us picks up right where Lovers Like Us left off as Moffy and Farrow's relationship is now out in the public eye and everyone and they mama wants to throw in their two cents about it. I'm just gonna get this out of the way and say that the main reason why I'm still not loving this series is because of Moffy. I've come to accept that our personalities are polar opposites and we will never connect. However, I am starting to like Farrow more. I think he's good for Moffy's ego. He grounds him and it's why they make a good match. 

Besides the nosy ass public getting in between Moffy and Farrow's relationship, we see Farrow making tough decisions about his future and what career path he wants to take. I wish we could've focused more on that aspect of the story instead of all the fame drama. I loved the fact that we got see more of the younger kids in this book! They are so freakin' sassy, it was adorable! So Moffy and Farrow's love story has come to an end (for now) and I'm so ready to move on the Jane's book. I've been waiting over a year for Jane's book so it better live up to all my expectations! 

SIN WITH ME by J.A. HUSS & JONATHAN MCCLAIN

★★★

“He is everything I need tonight. Like...salvation. He's my fucking salvation.”

I am a huge fan of J.A. Huss' dark romances but I wasn't quite sure what to expect with her newest release. Collaborations are always a hit or miss with me and while I'm willing to give new-to-me authors the benefit of the doubt, sometimes I just can't connect with their way of storytelling.

Sin With Me is an erotica romance about two broken souls trying to find their way in the city of sin. Tyler is haunted by demons from the past and he just wishes he could fix all his past mistakes. Maddie is a stripper who can't seem to get her life together. The pair end up meeting one night and their lives are forever changed. 

The main reason why I didn't enjoy this book as much as I would've liked is because I wasn't a fan of McClain's writing. It was a bit over the top and all the capitalization in the dialogue was just unnecessary. The plot was all over the place and it's because of all the secrets that both Tyler and Maddie are hiding but I felt like things could've gone smoother. The romance isn't really a romance just yet, it's just all lust right now but considering there are three more books to go, I'm sure things will start to develop more between these two in the next book. I'm still going to pick up the sequel because that cliffhanger has me hooked and I need to know what is going to happen next!

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Memphis || Book Review

Title: Memphis

Author: Ginger Scott

Publication Date: February 23, 2018

Publisher: Self-published
Links: Goodreads || Amazon

Rating: ★★★★

Synopsis via Goodreads: My mom always said it was just something about the way he moved. 

The same swagger Archie Valentine wore in the ring when he took his opponents down followed him like a halo everywhere he went. But make no mistake about it—he was no angel. He was like a drug. My mother was his addict.

I never understood it…how love could make you blind and convince you to drink the poison. Not until I met Memphis Delaney.

At first, it was the familiar form. He’s a fighter, built like a god from the past, the kind of man the universe doesn’t make anymore. His eyes hide a story, and every time I’m in his presence I want to keep reading him until I get to the end. And then…there’s the way he moves. His boxing is violent but beautiful, and his body is a seductive weapon. When he’s in the ring, he wears the stare of a man committed to the battle until his very last breath.

He could end me; turn me into her. Too much of him will leave me as a shadow, and I’ve lost so much of myself already.

But I have discipline. It came the hard way. Lessons learned, scars left behind, and trust stripped away from life.

I will breathe his air, but I won’t fall for a man like him. The only boxer who’s ever going to break my heart is the one who gave me my name.

Memphis is a fighter romance about getting back up no matter how many times life knocks you down. After her ex-husband is convicted in a Ponzi scheme, Olivia Valentine finds herself right back at the one place she tried so hard to run away from. The Valentine family is anything but welcoming and while her return home may be only temporary, Olivia can't stop herself from wanting to know more about Memphis Delaney, a fighter who trains at her family's gym. Sparks fly and although she may have been reluctant at first, Olivia slowly starts falling for Memphis. But when the past comes to light, what ends up being revealed may just break these two apart.

I had no idea what to expect when I picked up Ginger Scott's latest release but it's been a long ass time since I last read a fighter romance so I was excited to see what Scott was serving up. Memphis is a romance with layers. It starts off slow and the thing is, I went into this book expecting a very simple romance, but I was totally thrown for a loop. I don't want to give too much away because the plot-twist is just too good to be spoiled for but holy hell what a twist! I did not see this story taking that kind of turn and Ginger Scott did an amazing job at bringing this story full circle.  

Liv's family wins the award for being ONE OF THE WORST FICTIONAL FAMILY I've ever read about. I don't think there is even a word to describe how much hatred I feel for them but they truly are worst than scum. All their actions, their lies, their snakish ways made my blood boil because how can one be so cruel to their own flesh and blood? They are not redeemable in anyway and they deserved so much worse than what they got. 

Memphis Delaney stole my heart! He's been knocked down a few times but he always gets back in the ring. I think what surprised me most about Memphis was his laid-back personality. I thought he would have a lot of built up aggression considering his back story, but he is so kind and willing to help those in need. Memphis is by far my favorite hero by Ginger Scott has written to date! Although Olivia might not want to admit it, she definitely has some fighter instincts in her. She may be rough around the edges, but there is a softness to her and Memphis helps to bring that part out. The romance is a slow-burning one which is understandable since Liv is so hell-bent on not following in her mother's footsteps by falling in love with a fighter. It's ironic because all these two ever wanted was a place to call home and they managed to find that in each other.

The epilogue absolutely gutted me. It was told from a POV that wasn't Memphis or Liv's and I wasn't expecting that but it was beautiful! I CRIED ALL THE TEARS AND I COULDN'T HAVE ASKED FOR A BETTER WAY TO END THIS STORY!

I don't think I've said this before but Ginger Scott is truly an amazing writer and if you haven't read one of her books yet then what are you waiting for?! Her ability to turn what would seem like a simple romance into something so much more is a gift and I can't wait to see what type of romance Scott brings us next!  

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New-to-Me Authors Galore || Mini Reviews

SEX, NOT LOVE by VI KEELAND

★★★★

“I think you stole a piece of my heart the first night we met.”

Can we take a minute to admire this fine ass specimen with the dreamy bedroom eyes on the cover? That sultry stare is the main reason why I picked up this book. Actually who am I kidding—the cover was the ONLY reason why I picked up this book. I didn't even read the blurb before I dived into this one so I had no idea what to expect. Now that I've revealed my cover whorish ways, let's see if the rest of the book was just as sexy as its cover.

Sex, Not Love is a standalone romance all about taking a chance on love. Natalia and Hunter are two people who have been hurt in the past and they're not willing to put their hearts on the line again...or so they think. This book started off on a funny note with Natalia and Hunter running into each other every few months and I enjoyed seeing them go back and forth and watching Hunter charm his way into Natalia's life. Hunter eventually wears Natalia down and the two agree on a friends-with-benefits relationship. Hunter not only manages to charm Natalia, but also Natalia's family and her stepdaughter. Family plays an important role in this story and it's one of the reason why I enjoyed it so much. I especially loved Natalia's relationship with her stepdaughter, Isabella, and seeing their relationship that started off rocky become more stable with time. Also, Natalia's mama is hilarious. She is the reason why you don't mess with Italian mamas!  

I honestly thought I wouldn't like Hunter when I first met him because he does come off as being cocky, but that's really all for show. He's actually a sweetheart and despite his words, he does care a lot for Natalia. Natalia on the other hand is so easy to love. I admire her strength and the fact that she put Isabella's well-being before anything. The romance does take some time to build which is understandable given Natalia's current situation with her ex-husband. Hunter also has issues of his own and the two must work through those issues before they can take the next step in their relationship. The wait for a happy ending does pay off and I'm glad that these two were able to put their fears aside and allow themselves the chance to let love in again. This may be my first book by Vi Keeland, but it most certainly won't be my last. I can't believe I waited so long to read one of Keeland's books but I sure as hell won't be putting off reading her other books any longer.

BURIED IN LIES  by T.L. SMITH

★★★

“...to fall for the madman you must first taste the devil.”

T.L. Smith is a new-to-me-author who I discovered when the cover for Buried in Lies was revealed. This cover literally gave me chills and I was crossing my fingers that this dark romance would end up being a winner since I haven't had much luck when it comes to dark romances this year.

Buried in Lies is a suspenseful tale about twisted siblings and the girl who came between them. Jaya usually keeps to herself, that is until she meets Toska and her brother Syler and her world is turned upside down. This book started off good and I was completely sucked in with trying to figure out what exactly these siblings were up to and then shit hit the fan and the plot was just all over the place. I think my main issue was that there was just too much craziness going on at once and I wish instead that Smith took the time to develop the plot more. There was also no shock value. Like where was my shookethness??   

I don't really know how I feel about any of these characters. I don't hate them, but I don't very well like them either. I guess they didn't really leave much of an impression on me. I was really rooting for the romance in this book and I liked the whole "mouse and wolf play" that Jaya and Syler had going on. But then everything just went downhill because of the sibling drama and Jaya's indecisiveness. The last 25% of the book is basically Jaya deciding whether or not she should leave town and it was just a waste because the conflict ends up being easily resolved and I was left feeling unsatisfied. Buried in Lies was an okay read that fell short in the end. I'm not sure if I'll pick up Smith's books in the future but if I do, I hope they're better than this book. 

FREE FALL by EMILY GOODWIN

★★★½

“Nora is light. I am dark. Am I a fool for thinking she can brighten my life without me darkening hers?.”

I've seen rave reviews about Emily Goodwin's books in the past so I decided to pick up her latest release and give her romances a try. Fun fact, the models on the cover are actually a couple in real life! How adorable is that??!!

Free Fall is an emotional romance about finding the light when you're surrounded by darkness. Nora Fisher and Jack Harrington both have rough pasts and it's what ends up bringing them together. I really enjoyed the writing in this book and even shed a few tears here and there. What kept me from enjoying this story more was that I felt like some parts were just too over the top for my liking, especially when it came to the romance. There were just unnecessary drama and excuses for why these two shouldn't be together. Like don't make things harder than they have to be, lol. I also felt that this story could've been cut down by a few chapters if it weren't for the drama.

I loved Nora from the start! This girl has been through hell and has lost so much, yet she still has this ability to be so selfless and positive. I was just rooting for her to find her forever home so she was no longer on her own. I didn't quite connect with Jack as much as I would've liked. I can't put my finger on it, but there was just something missing for me when it came to his character. I did like how Jack's PTSD was handled. It was accurately portrayed and I appreciated the fact that there wasn't a "quick fix" to his trauma. Instead, Jack and Nora work together to help him deal with his PTSD in a healthy manner and take things day by day. While there were some things about Free Fall that I didn't like, I'll definitely be reading more of Goodwin's books in the future. Hopefully those will end up being more of a hit.   

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Spiders in the Grove || Book Review

Title: Spiders in the Grove

Author: J.A. Redmerski
Series: In the Company of Killers

Publication Date: February 13, 2018

Publisher: Self-published
Links: Goodreads || Amazon

Rating: ★★★★

Synopsis via Goodreads: Izabel and Naeva find themselves right where they wanted to be in Mexico: captured and held in the slave compounds owned by the Ruiz family. But the two are soon separated and forced into very different—but equally dangerous—situations. Izabel spends the next three weeks playing a role she never expected she would get the opportunity to play, but her luck runs out when Naeva’s life hangs in the balance, and only Izabel can save her. But at a terrible cost. If Izabel chooses to help Naeva, it will expose a lie she has been carrying on her shoulders since she met Victor Faust. A lie that will not only potentially make everyone in Victor’s Order distrust her going forward, but one that will also blow her carefully constructed cover In Mexico, and that could get her killed.

Fredrik, still looking for his serial killer, does not have to look long—the killer finds him. And Niklas’s past catches up to him when an old enemy comes back for revenge. But it will be Victor’s actions that shake up those left in his Order, and ultimately, be its downfall.

The next installment to my ALL-TIME FAVORITE SERIES is finally here!

It's been months since Behind the Hands That Kill left me in a state of shookethness because of all the tea that was spilt. With all the events that went down in the sixth book, I was very curious to see where things would go next...ESPECIALLY WITH VICTOR AND IZZY BECAUSE I WAS NOT FUCKING WILLING TO LET THIS SHIP SINK! I had my theories written down for every possible plot twist I could think of. I legit re-read all the books just so I could make sure I didn't miss anything. I thought my ass was ready for the fuckery that was about to go down. That was my first mistake...I thought.

Spiders in the Grove picks up right where the Behind the Hands That Kill left off. Izabel and Naeva are off to Mexico to get their revenge on the Ruiz Empire. They plan to tear town the empire from the inside by getting themselves captured, although things don't go end up going exactly the way they planned. Meanwhile, the rest of Victor's Order are all on their own personal missions and what happens next may end up tearing them apart. 

Spiders in the Grove started off a bit slow for me. I felt like a good chunk of this book was more so a filler because nothing too exciting really goes down. Although, that it not necessarily a bad thing because the story builds up to one hell of an explosive ending so I can't be too bothered by this slow pacing. One other thing that did bother me for sure were the length of the chapters. They were rather short and I felt that hardly left any room for the side stories to fully develop. I know this book was more so focused on Izzy's revenge, but I have so many unanswered questions about these side missions and I need answers NOW!  

I really loved the fact that everyone's POVs were included in this book. If I'm not mistaken, I believe that this is the first book where all of the main character's POVs are included and they're on the same timeline. There's not that one POV that's being told in the past or that one character who only gets one chapter at the very end. Also, the writing was a little different in this book, more specifically, the tone for some of these POVs were more on the lighter side. Fredrik who will forever be my dark knight and Niklas who is will forever be my moody bastard actually made me laugh quite a few times. Their internal dialogues were just too funny and I'm honestly surprised because who the fuck knew that these two had this other side to them??  

THE FUCKERY WAS REAL DURING THE LAST 30% OF THIS BOOK! LIKE WTF EVEN ARE THESE PLOT TWISTS AND HOW DID I NOT SEE THEM COMING?! I'm still shook by Izzy's confession because even though Redmerski warned us that there would be a betrayal, I didn't expect it to be something like this. I feel personally attacked. I feel betrayed. I can't trust any of these characters anymore. Everything I thought I knew is now a lie and I don't know what to do with myself.   

I don't even have the ability to form a coherent thought about my feelings on Izzy and Victor's relationship status. I know Niklas and Izzy shippers may be rejoicing but honestly y'all need to calm yo tits because it's never gonna happen. IZZY AND VICTOR ARE MEANT TO BE AND I WILL FIGHT ANYONE WHO SAYS OTHERWISE.

 

Spiders in the Grove was not at all what I was expecting and I honestly don't know what to expect next. I'm not even going to make any attempts at guessing what's to come because I done know Redmerski is gonna throw us for a loop. I just hope the wait for the next book won't be as long as this one was.

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Brooklynaire || ARC Review

Title: Brooklynaire

Author: Sarina Bowen
Series: Brooklyn Bruisers

Publication Date: February 12, 2018

Publisher: Rennie Road Books
Links: Goodreads || Amazon

Rating: ★★★★½

Synopsis via Goodreads: A sexy new standalone from USA Today bestseller Sarina Bowen.

You'd think a billion dollars, a professional hockey team and a six-bedroom mansion on the Promenade would satisfy a guy. You'd be wrong.

For seven years Rebecca has brightened my office with her wit and her smile. She manages both my hockey team and my sanity. I don't know when I started waking in the night, craving her. All I know is that one whiff of her perfume ruins my concentration. And her laugh makes me hard.

When Rebecca gets hurt, I step in to help. It's what friends do. But what friends don't do is rip off each others' clothes for a single, wild night together.

Now she's avoiding me. She says we're too different, and it can never happen again. So why can't we keep our hands off each other?

*I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review.* 

After two years of waiting...

... BROOKLYNAIRE IS FINALLY HERE!

If you know me, then you know have long I've been waiting for Nate and Becca's story. I've been shipping these two since Rookie Move and I may have let obsession get a little out of hand because I was down right ready to riot if this ship never set sail. Okay, enough of me and my empty threats, let's get to me fangirling about one of my favorite reads for 2018.

Brooklynaire is the fourth book in the Brooklyn Bruisers and while it can be read as a standalone, I recommend reading the previous three books to get the full experience. Nate and Becca's romance has slowly been developing across these three books so you definitely don't want to miss all that angst. Speaking of angst, there's a lot of that in Brooklynaire as Nate and Becca both consider blurring the lines of professionalism. But with seven years of friendship on the line, is the risk for love worth it?

One of my favorite things about this story is the way that it's structured. We start off in the present with Becca's accident and then we get to go back seven years to see how Nate and Becca met. I loved alternating between the past and the present and being able to see how these two met and became friends of over the years. We also get an insight to both Nate and Becca's past and I may or may not have wanted to fight a few characters from their past. ALSO, THIS BOOK HAS ONE OF MY FAVORITE TROPES! I'm a sucker for when one of the MCs become ill and the other MC has to take care of them until they are better. I literally died while Nate was taking care of Becca even though she tried her best to refuse his help. Accurate representation of me:

THIS ROMANCE IS EVERYTHING! Friends-to-lovers. Slow-burning. Nerdy. Just absolute perfection. This relationship has been seven years in the making and Sarina doesn't rush any of the development. It's so authentic. Sweet. Will literally have you swooning and feeling all the feels. Is it wrong to say I might even be jealous of these two because I low key am.

Becca and Nate definitely my top couple for this series and honestly, that's saying a lot because Georgia and Leo were pretty damn close to perfection. Becca is such a relatable heroine. She comes off as a very confident individual but in Brooklynaire we got to see that she does have her bad days and I loved that. She's so selfless and always willing to step in when someone needs help. She's the perfect match for Nate because she sees him for who he truly is. Nate is a babe. He is my ideal hero, both in books and in real life. He's such a nerd too and I loved his affinity for palindromes.  

Brooklynaire was everything I wanted AND MORE! All these months of waiting were definitely worth it and I couldn't have asked for a better happily-ever-after for one of my favorite OTPs! Shout out to Sarina Bowen for writing this story even if it was never one she intended to write. SHE DID THAT! My 2018 has been made because of it!

E X C E R P T

I grab a towel off a waiting stack of them and toss it onto the edge. “You can sit and put your feet in.” 

She’s wearing a short little knit dress that’s been making me crazy all evening, so it would be easy enough for her to strip off those stockings, sit on the towel, and drop both feet in.

And that’s what she does. She eases one stocking down over a smooth knee and tugs it off.

I don’t want to stand there staring like a middle-school boy. Okay, I do want to. But I don’t want to make her uncomfortable. So I go over to the sound system instead, and I set my phone on the speaker and cue up a really old playlist. One she’ll recognize. 

When I turn around again, she’s seated on the towel, both legs hanging down into the churning water. “Ah. Wow.” She looks up at me, her eyes sparkling. “Nice place you got here.” 

“Isn’t it?” I toe off my shoes and kick them to the side. 

The first song comes on, and it’s a Macklemore tune that we used to play far too often in our first office. Rebecca laughs immediately. “You didn’t! I haven’t heard this playlist in forever. But I’ll bet I still know every transition. Lady Gaga is next.” 

“She sure is.” 

Rebecca kicks her feet, making a splash. “I have a little confession to make.” 

“What’s that?” I loosen my tie and slide the knot out. 

“Well…” She grins up at me. “I used to have a crush on you. Back in the early days.” 

My hands freeze on the tie silk. “Get out of town. You did not.” 

“No, I really did.” Her cheeks are pink. “That first year especially. But you were taken, and you were my boss. Those two things made it pretty easy to tamp down, when you’re a practical girl like me.” 

I walk over and drop down beside her, my back to the water, though, because I’m still wearing trousers and socks. “So how does that work, exactly?” 

“What?” She gives me a sidelong glance, but then looks away again and won’t meet my eyes. 

“How do you stop wanting someone? I’m a practical person, but I don’t see how that makes it any easier. Nothing seems to mute the raging attraction I have for you.” 

Her chin turns quickly toward me, and I seize the opportunity to kiss her. And it only takes one kiss—one slide of my lips over hers, and I’m on fire again. 

We’re facing opposite directions, so it’s awkward as hell. But I don’t even care. I take greedy sip after greedy sip of her mouth, until she pulls back to stare at me. Her color is high and her eyes are bright and happy. “This is like Twister.” 

“It’s better,” I correct. Lady Gaga comes on, just as Becca said she would. “Are we getting into this pool or what?” 

Becca kicks a foot in the water. “I’m tempted. But I don’t have a bathing suit.” 

“Oh, snap.” 

She smiles and shakes her head. “Are you really getting in?” 

“We don’t have to.” I’m never going to pressure her. 

Her fingers trail across the surface of the bubbling water. “But this is an adventure, right?” 

“Right.” I stand up and remove my socks. She’s watching me. And I can’t read her expression. “What?” 

“Just wondering what else you’re going to take off.” She smiles. 

“Come here.” The order rolls off my tongue. 

But Rebecca doesn’t blink. She gets up and turns toward me, curiosity in her eyes. 

“You tell me. What am I taking off?” 

She puts two hands tentatively on my chest, and I make myself be patient. Everything I ever wanted is on the other side of this moment. I just need us to break through this awkwardness—the “will we or won’t we” tension. 

Her fingers find the top button of my shirt. “I’m not getting in the water unless you are.” 

That’s a compromise I can live with. I find my lower shirt buttons and work upwards, until we meet in the middle. She pushes the two halves of my shirt apart and runs a hand down my bare chest. 

My inner caveman stands up and cheers. 

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Keep Her Safe || Book Review

Title: Keep Her Safe

Author: K.A. Tucker

Publication Date: January 23, 2018

Publisher: Atria Books
Links: Goodreads || Amazon

Rating: ★★★★

Synopsis via Goodreads: Making a Murderer meets Scandal in this story of police corruption, family secrets, and illicit affairs from bestselling author K.A. Tucker, celebrated for her “propulsive plot twists and searing seduction” (USA TODAY).

Noah Marshall has known a privileged and comfortable life thanks to his mother, the highly decorated chief of the Austin Police Department. But all that changes the night she reveals a skeleton that's been rattling in her closet for years, and succumbs to the guilt of destroying an innocent family's life. Reeling with grief, Noah is forced to carry the burden of this shocking secret.

Gracie Richards wasn't born in a trailer park, but after fourteen years of learning how to survive in The Hollow, it's all she knows anymore. At least here people don't care that her dad was a corrupt Austin cop, murdered in a drug deal gone wrong. Here, she and her mother are just another family struggling to survive...until a man who clearly doesn't belong shows up on her doorstep.

Despite their differences, Noah and Gracie are searching for answers to the same questions, and together, they set out to uncover the truth about the Austin Police Department's dark and messy past. But the scandal that emerges is bigger than they bargained for, and goes far higher up than they ever imagined.

Complex, gritty, sexy, and thrilling, Keep Her Safe solidifies K.A. Tucker's reputation as one of today's most talented new voices in romantic suspense.

K.A. Tucker is back at it again with yet another romantic suspense novel that will have you at the edge of your seats! I went into Keep Her Safe having no idea what this story was about but I've been a long time fan of Tucker's books and she hasn't let me down yet, so I had no doubts when it came to her latest release.

Keep her Safe is a story filled with lies, secrets, corruption and murder. Jackie Marshall has been haunted by secrets from the past and her overwhelming guilt leads her to taking her own life. But not before she confesses these secrets to her son, Noah, who now must piece together the clues his mother left behind to find out the truth. His search for the truth will lead him reconnect with someone from his past, the daughter of the man his mother betrayed. Together, they will have to separate fact from fiction and what they discover may end up changing both their lives forever.

Keep Her Safe starts off slow...very slow. The story is told from four POVs: Noah Marshall, Gracie Richards, Abe Wilkes and Jackie Marshall. Noah and Gracie's POVs are told from the present while Abe and Jackie's POVs are from the past. The first half of the story is basically just a set up for all the fuckery that will be revealed in the second half of the story. I wasn't completely invested in this story until the 40% mark because I honestly was lost for a good chunk of this book. 

BASICALLY ME

Tucker does a great job at keeping readers on their toes with numerous twists and turns and even though it was a slow start, I eventually was dying to know what really happened to Abe. Just when I thought I had the case figured out, Tucker would throw us for a loop and it was back to the drawing board. Literally, a plot twist was thrown in at the last 5% of the book and I was shook! Patience is a definite must for this one so grab your popcorn and your thinking caps because you will need them! 

DO NOT TRUST NO MOTHERFUCKER WHILE READING THIS BOOK! Except for Gracie of course since she is just like us and is putting together pieces of the truth as more secrets are revealed. But seriously, most of these characters aren't reliable at all. The whole Austin Police Department is corrupt. Hell, the whole town in corrupt with the way some of them kept their lips zipped about what they saw and heard. Even Abe and Jackie's POVs are a little off because you're only getting bits of the past and never the full story. It's so hard to trust anyone in book which is why I was so on edge for a good majority of the book.

Gracie is definitely my favorite character. She's had to fight for most of her life after the towns people turned their backs on her and her mother after her father was labeled as a corrupt cop. She lost so much at a young age and yet she still does her best to keep moving forward. I especially admired her patience and her love for her mother. She's still got a big heart despite all the hell she's been through. I have a love hate relationship with Noah. I thought he was so shady for the first half of the book and I really wasn't sure if he was okay with throwing his own mother under the bus if it meant clearing Abe's name. Like Gracie, I did eventually warm up to Noah and that's all I'm gonna say about that.

While this is categorized as romantic suspense, the romance doesn't really play a huge role in the story. It's kind of weaved in here and there and I actually liked that there was not a lot of sexy time. It's definitely  a slow-burning romance which is a good considering Noah and Gracie don't really remember much about each other from their childhood. Also, this is an interracial romance. Gracie is biracial and Noah is white. Tucker even touches upon privilege and racism in this book, two topics that play a significant role throughout this story.

While I've done a lot of raving so far about this book, it's not without it's faults. I'm gonna throw some shade for a minute because this was something that irritated the hell out of me and I can't let it go. As I mentioned, Gracie is biracial. She's got a head full of thick curls, brown skin and green eyes YET THERE'S A WHOLE ASS WHITE GIRL ON THE COVER??!!

Like come the fuck on Atria, how y'all gonna do it like that? I know Gracie got some white in her, but the way Tucker described her features in the book makes it sounds like her black traits are more predominant and it would've been nice to see a brown girl on the cover. I mean, I went into this book thinking that the heroine was white so color me shook af when I found out that this was not the case. No other reviews I read made it known that Gracie was biracial so that cover really ain't helping anyone. *shrugs*     

Despite my little snarky remarks, I did very much enjoy Tucker's latest release. Keep Her Safe may be my favorite suspense book by Tucker to date and I would definitely recommend everyone give it a read. I honestly don't know how she will top this book, but whatever Tucker has in stores for us next you bet your ass I'm ready for it!

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