The Last Exchange by Charles Martin @thomasnelson #bookreview

Posted on November 24, 2023 by fredreeca

Overview

Includes an audiobook-exclusive interview with author Charles Martin!

“Here’s the catch—even if I make it out of here alive, I need a reason to breathe again.”

When MacThomas Pockets finished his last tour as part of the Scottish Special Forces, he was hired to consult for a film director to finesse some scenes that weren’t working. In a twist he never saw coming, he ended up moving to L.A. to work as the bodyguard for movie star Maybe Joe Sue.

It didn’t take long for Pockets to realize there were two Joe Sues: The Joe Sue the public saw with her perfect life and her Hollywood husband. And the private Joe Sue: the one with the traumatic youth that no amount of pills could cover up, who desperately wanted a child of her own.

Even after their paths diverged, he continued to track Joe Sue’s life. Only a few would notice when the bottom fell out. But he did. And that’s when he stepped in.

One man seeks to answer the question: How far would you go—really— to save someone you love? And in the masterful hands of New York Times bestselling author Charles Martin, finding the answer will take readers on an intense and heart-wrenching journey to the very end.

Review

Joe Sue has hired MacThomas Pockets to be her body guard. He is definitely made for this job. But he soon realizes that everything about Joe Sue is not as it seems. She has an addiction problem and her husband is selfish and really does not care much about Joe Sue except when it will get him sympathy from his fans.

Talk about emotions all over the place. This book takes you on a ride you won’t forget. The characters, especially Pocket, are so real!

There are so many moving parts to this tale, especially where Joe Sue is concerned. She wants a baby so badly and her addiction is such a big problem. But however you look at it, Pockets falls head over heels for her and it becomes his downfall. And the ending of this book will pull at every heartstring you have.

Need a book which will have you gasping for air…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review

Purchase Here

Amazon

BookBub

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Inheritance by Nora Roberts #smpinfluencers @macmillanaudio @stmartinspress #audiobookreview #audiblebook

Posted on November 21, 2023 by fredreeca

Overview

This program features an author’s note read by Nora Roberts, sharing her inspiration for The Lost Bride Trilogy and the incredible personal history behind these stories.

Inheritance is the first in The Lost Bride Trilogy by #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts—a tale of tragedies, loves found and lost, and a family haunted for generations.

1806: Astrid Poole sits in her bridal clothes, overwhelmed with happiness. But before her marriage can be consummated, she is murdered, and the circle of gold torn from her finger. Her last words are a promise to Collin never to leave him…

Graphic designer Sonya MacTavish is stunned to learn that her late father had a twin he never knew about—and that her newly discovered uncle, Collin Poole, has left her almost everything he owned, including a majestic Victorian house on the Maine coast, which the will stipulates she must live in for at least three years. Her engagement recently broken, she sets off to find out why the boys were separated at birth—and why it was all kept secret until a genealogy website brought it to light.

Trey, the young lawyer who greets her at the sprawling clifftop manor, notes Sonya’s unease—and acknowledges that yes, the place is haunted…but just a little. Sure enough, Sonya finds objects moved and music playing out of nowhere. She sees a painting by her father inexplicably hanging in her deceased uncle’s office, and a portrait of a woman named Astrid, whom the lawyer refers to as “the first lost bride.” It’s becoming clear that Sonya has inherited far more than a house. She has inherited a centuries-old curse, and a puzzle to be solved if there is any hope of breaking it…

Review

Sonya has just caught her fiancé cheating on her with her cousin. Needless to say, this did not go over well. But, because her fiancé is not a very nice man, Sonya has quit her job as a graphic designer. She has decided to do freelance work. So, when a strange man comes to her door and informs her that her uncle, which she has no idea existed, has died and left her an old manor on the coast of Maine, Sonya decides fate has stepped in to give her a change of scenery. Little does Sonya know, this house has a few residents already living there.

Y’all know I love Nora Roberts! I have been so excited to read this book. Even if it wasn’t a 5 star read…I thoroughly enjoyed it! The only reason for the 4 star review is that the story is a bit long and could have been shortened by quite a few pages. Just my opinion. But, as usual, Roberts has an amazing array of characters! And y’all! I want to live in this house, even with all the ghosts. (Y’all know I love ghosts stories!)

The narrator, Brittany Pressley, is a true joy to listen to! I have listened to quite a few books that she has narrated and I have enjoyed almost every one!

Need a good ghost story with great characters and an amazing setting…. THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Purchase here

Audible

Amazon

Bookbub

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Betrayal by Phillip Margolin @macmillanaudio #audiobookreview #bookreview

Posted on November 17, 2023 by fredreeca

Overview

In Phillip Margolin’s Betrayal, attorney Robin Lockwood finds herself defending her old nemesis in a multiple-murder case with too many suspects, where success might cost her own life.

Robin Lockwood is now a prominent defense attorney in Portland, Oregon but a decade ago, she was a ranked and rising MMA fighter. Her career came to a quick end when she was knocked out and concussed in the first round by Mandy Kerrigan, a much more talented fighter.

Now the situation couldn’t be more different, with Kerrigan on her last legs, her career nearly over, arrested for the quadruple murder of the entire Finch family…and Kerrigan’s only possible friend is the attorney she beat so many years ago.

For Robin, it’s no simple case: Margaret Finch was a lawyer working for vicious Russian mobsters, and was in the cross-hairs of both the mobsters and the widower of a woman a client killed; her husband Nathan Finch was deeply in debt to a bookie who threatened his life; her son Ryan was the one who sold Kerrigan illegal performance enhancing drugs and was beaten severely by her when Kerrigan failed her drug test. To complicate matters further, the DA that Robin is facing is the man she’s just started dating, the first person she’s begun seeing seriously after her husband was killed.

In a case where the stakes are high and the truth is elusive, where each new fact twists the case in a new direction, there is seemingly no way to win or direction to turn that will leave Robin Lockwood unscathed.

Review

I really enjoy this main character, Robin Lockwood. I have read several in this series. She is smart and she has a big heart. I think that is her most attractive trait.

In this tale Robin is trying to save someone from her past from a murder conviction. Robin used to fight professionally as a cage fighter. (Which I found very fascinating!) This is how she paid for law school. Now, one of her competitors has been arrested for murder, not just any murder, but a prominent lawyer and her family. The further she investigates, the more she realizes, not all is as it seems.

There are places in this story that I had a bit of trouble. And it could have been me zoning out because, well, life! Especially in the beginning, this story is a bit disjointed. I will be honest, I got a bit lost. Lots of characters and different parts of the story coming out with different voices, BUT, I had faith in this author. And did he ever tie this novel together with a bang. Once I got vested, this story did not stop and I enjoyed every minute.

The narrator, Thérèse Plummer, is one of my favorites. And she nailed this novel.

Need a very good law investigation, with a bit of cage fighting….this is it! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Purchase Here

Audible

Amazon

Bookbub

Chirp

Posted in Audible books, Reviews | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Kinfolk by Sean Dietrich #audiobook #audiblebookreview @harpermusebooks

Posted on November 17, 2023 by fredreeca

Overview

Read by the author.

Sometimes it’s the most unlikely meetings that give us life’s greatest gifts.

1970s, Southern Alabama. Sixty-two-year-old Jeremiah Lewis Taylor, or “Nub,” has spent his whole life listening to those he loves tell him he’s no good—first his ex-wife, now his always-disapproving daughter. Sure, his escapades have made him, along with his cousin and perennial sidekick, Benny, just a smidge too familiar with small-town law enforcement, but he’s never harmed anyone—except perhaps himself.

Nub never meant to change his ways, but when he and fifteen-year-old Waffle House waitress Minnie form an unlikely friendship, he realizes for the first time that there may be some good in him after all. Six-foot-five Minnie has been dealt a full deck of bad luck—her father is a convicted murderer serving a life sentence, her mother is dead and buried, and she has a Grand Ole Opry–worthy singing voice with no place to perform. Oh, and there’s the small fact that she’s unexpectedly pregnant, courtesy of a no-good high-school boy.

Gradually, Nub realizes the gift he’s been given: a second chance to make a difference.

Beloved Southern writer Sean Dietrich, also known as Sean of the South, once again brings people and places to life in this lyrical song-turned-story about found family, second chances, country music, and the poignant power of love and forgiveness.

  • Heartwarming Southern fiction from Sean of the South
  • Stand-alone novel
  • Also by Sean Dietrich: The Incredible Winston Browne, Stars of Alabama, and You Are My Sunshine

Review

Let me start with…I absolutely love when an author narrates their own book. It just makes it so real! And this book could not have been better! Kudos to Sean Dietrich!

Now on to the good stuff! This story is wonderful! The characters are fantastic. Nub is an old drunk but he has decided to mend his ways and take in Minnie, a young, 16 year old who has lost her family. Needless to say, it is not smooth sailing for the two of them. Minnie is pregnant and Nub realizes he has been given a second chance.

This is a story full of love, heartbreak and forgiveness and you do not want to miss it!

Need an emotional tale you will think about for days to come…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Purchase Here

Audible

Amazon

Chirp

BookBub

Posted in Audible books, Reviews | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Perfect Shot by Steve Urszenyi @minotaurbooks #minotaurinfluencers #bookreview #thriller

Posted on November 16, 2023 by fredreeca

Overview

A former Army sniper must fall back on her Special Ops skills when a friend’s death uncovers a global nuclear threat, in Steve Urszenyi’s Perfect Shot, the first in an electrifying new series featuring Special Agent Alexandra Martel.

Special Agent Alexandra Martel has put her days on the battlefield behind her. Charming and disarming, relentless and lethal, she earned a reputation as one of the most renowned and decorated Army snipers in the service before stepping away. But when Alex, now an FBI special agent on loan to Interpol, learns that an old friend, an MI5 officer, has been killed under mysterious circumstances, she’s pulled back into the dangerous world she left behind: a world where some people fear her, some want to recruit her, and everyone seems to want her dead.

Following a trail of clues left behind by the dead woman, Alex pieces together a terrifying conspiracy that only escalates when a nuclear warhead goes missing. Dodging death at every turn, she reluctantly joins forces with a CIA officer, but he has plans of his own for her—and will stop at nothing to achieve them.

Chasing the truth through the streets of London and bustling Turkish markets to the underbelly of Paris, Alex is unrelenting in her pursuit of justice. But as the clock ticks down and the world edges closer to doom, she must fall back on her Special Ops skills to stop the unthinkable. She thought her life as a sniper was over—but with stakes this high, she must use whatever means necessary to render the world safe.

Review

Special Agent Alexandra Martel has just discovered her friend has died. Then she discovers her friend was possibly murdered. This sends Alex on a mission to find out why. This leads her around the world in pursuit of a killer and she has to fall back on her Special Ops training to survive.

This story starts out strong with Alex showing her strength right off the bat and I loved Special Agent Alexandra Martel. She is a bad A$$. I love her intelligence, her wit and her courage. Then the tale slows down just a bit or rather it may just be a bit wordy in places. The author uses every agency in the world in this thriller, CIA, FBI, Interpol, MI5 and lots of others I had never heard of. It sort of gets bogged down with all the acronyms and who is who.

Now, I am in a minority on my rating and it could be for several reasons. I was in a partial reading slump and I had put down a few books. So, if I had been in full reading mode, this might have been a 5 star for me. So, like I always say, read the book for yourself! It might just hit YOU at the right time.

Need a thriller with a fabulous character…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Purchase Here

Amazon

Bookbub

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

***COVER REVEAL*** In Every Life by Rea Frey @suzyapbooktours #coverreveal

Posted on November 15, 2023 by fredreeca

Release Date: Aug. 6, 2024:

Publisher: Harper Muse

What happens when a husband’s dying wish is for his wife to find a new love…before he’s even gone?

Ben and Harper have had a rough start to their marriage. After a surprise late-stage cancer diagnosis, Ben comes up with one final wish for his wife: he wants Harper to find someone else before he dies.

Harper is resistant to this wacky plan. If she can’t have Ben, then she doesn’t want anyone. Finally, he lets it drop, but not before the New York Times sends a journalist to do a feature story about Ben’s life…and his idea. When Harper opens the door, she is stunned to find the one man who got away. Or, the man she spent one perfect week with a decade ago and never saw again: Liam Hale.

Suddenly, Harper is faced with her ultimate what-if: 

What if Harper had ended up with Liam instead of Ben?

What if Ben no longer had cancer?  

What if she’d pursued life as an artist instead of teaching? 

What if it had all turned out differently? 

After making a wish, Harper wakes up to find herself in a parallel universe…where her what-ifs become a reality.

Is the grass really greener, or is she standing right where she should be, even as she inevitably faces the pain of losing the one she loves?

About the Author

Rea Frey is the award-winning, multi-published, bestselling author of several nonfiction books and four domestic suspense novels, Not Her Daughter, Because You’re Mine, Until I Find You, and Secrets of Our House. She has been featured in Us Weekly, Entertainment Weekly, Glamour, Marie Claire, Hello Sunshine, and more. She is also the CEO and Founder of Writeway, where aspiring writers become published authors. Her weekly podcast, The Real Story, demystifies the publishing industry for writers everywhere. To learn more, visit www.reafrey.com

or www.writewayco.com.

Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/reafrey

Instagram: https://instagram.com/reafreyauthor

Posted in Book Spotlight, Cover reveal | Tagged , | Leave a comment

The Professor by Lauren Nossett @macmillanaudio #audiobook #audiblebookreview

Posted on November 14, 2023 by fredreeca

Overview

The Professor is a thoroughly gripping mystery about power, ambition, and the lengths we will go to in order to succeed. Pacey and full of tension, this one will stick with you long after THE END.”–New York Times and #1 International Bestselling author, Karin Slaughter

For fans of Tana French, The Professor investigates the darkest corners of academic life: ambition, lies, and obsession.

On a spring afternoon in Athens, Georgia, Ethan Haddock is discovered in his apartment, dead, apparently by his own hand. His fatality immediately garners media attention: not because his death reflects the troubling increase of depression and mental health issues among college students, but because the media has caught the whiff of a scandal. His professor, Dr. Verena Sobek, has been taken in for questioning, and there are rumors his death is the result of a bad romance. A Title IX investigation is opened, the professor is suspended, and social media crusaders and trolls alike are out for blood.

Marlitt Kaplan never investigated love affairs. A former detective turned research assistant, she misses the excitement of her old job, but most of all the friendship of her partner, Teddy. When her mother, a professor at the university and colleague of the accused professor, asks for her help, she finds herself in the impossible position of proving something didn’t happen. Without the credentials to interview suspects or access phone records, she will have to get closer to a victim’s life than ever before. And she quickly finds herself in his apartment, having dinner with his roommates, even sleeping in his bed. But is she too close to see the truth?

In her relentless pursuit to uncover the mystery behind Ethan’s death, Marlitt will be forced to confront the power structures ingrained in the classroom against the backdrop of a historic campus and an institution that sometimes fails its most vulnerable members.

A Macmillan Audio production from Flatiron Books.

Review

Marlitt Kaplan is no longer a detective. She is now a research assistant. But her mother has reached out to her for help. Her mother has a colleague, Professor Verena Sobek, which is now being investigated for Title IX infractions with a student. She wants Marlitt to investigate the death of Verona’s student and get to the bottom of the rumors.

This moves a bit slow, by design. This story has such a fabulous build up to the finish. I love how this author reels the reader in and then hits you with a twist. Then there is the main character, Marlitt Kaplan. She has a lot of issues from her past and sometimes she cannot help but get involved in something she shouldn’t. She is so dang real and broken in places. She just gets under the skin of the reader and she makes such a unique impression.

I have read and reviewed The Resemblance, another wonderful book by this author. Y’all need to add that one to your list as well! It is not necessary that you read it to enjoy this one. But it does have more background on Marlitt.

The narrator, Saskia Maarleveld, is wonderful. I love her smooth voice!

Need a slow burn of a thriller which will have you guessing…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

I recently met this author at the Southern Festival of books! Such a sweet lady!

Purchase Here

Amazon

BookBub

Posted in Audible books | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Kennedy 35 by Charles Cumming @mysteriouspress #thriller #bookreview

Posted on November 13, 2023 by fredreeca

Overview

Veteran agent Lachlan Kite—“a spy for the 21st century” (Daily Mail)—reckons with the fallout from a mission in Senegal carried out early in his career.
1995: In the wake of the Rwandan genocide, 24-year-old spy Lachlan Kite and his girlfriend, Martha Raine, are sent to Senegal on the trail of a hunted war criminal. The mission threatens to spiral out of control, forcing Kite to make choices which will have devastating consequences not only for his career at top-secret intelligence agency BOX 88, but also for his relationship with Martha.

2023: Eric Appiah, an old friend from Kite’s days at school and an off-the-record BOX 88 asset, makes contact with explosive information about what happened all those years ago in West Africa. When tragedy strikes, Kite must use all the resources at his disposal to protect Martha from a criminal network with links to international terror.

Charles Cumming once again straddles two timelines to create a high-tension thriller in this latest Lachlan Kite novel.

Review

Eric Appiah, a Box 88 asset, has reached out to his old friend, Kite. There is trouble brewing and Eric knows Kite is the only one to handle a criminal network with links to an international error group.

Boy! I loved Kite! He is tough and has a sentimental side! I have never read a book in this series. But, I probably would have liked this book more if I had. It is a good read, I just wanted to know more of Kite’s backstory.

This is told in two different time periods, 1995 and present day. This can cause some issues with a novel, but the author did a great job with the time line switches. I also loved the vivid setting of Senegal. I love traveling to a place I have never been and this author took me on a fabulous ride!

Need a fast-paced, spy thriller…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Purchase Here

Amazon

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The Last Close Call by Laura Griffin #audiobookreview @dreamscapeaudio #audiobook

Posted on November 10, 2023 by fredreeca

Overview

Forensic genealogist Rowan Healy has made a name for herself by helping investigators trace the family trees of violent criminals who have eluded justice for years. But the pressure of police cases left her burned out, and she’s shifted her focus to helping adoptees find their biological parents.

Austin detective Jack Bruner has spent his career successfully tracking down vicious criminals—with the notable exception of the West Campus Rapist, a meticulous offender in Texas who has never been identified. When the latest two victims come to light, Jack sees his target is escalating his violent behavior—and only with Rowan’s help does he stand a chance of cracking this case.

Moved by Jack’s dedication and the brutal details of the attacks he lays out, Rowan agrees to help. When her ground-breaking DNA research sheds new light on the criminal’s background and helps them zero in on a search radius, Rowan and Jack must race against the clock to find a ruthless killer who’s growing bolder the longer he evades the law.

Review

Rowan has been asked to assist in the West Campus Rapist case. She is a forensic genealogist and she remembers how scared she was when this rapist attacked someone close to her. Austin Detective, Jack Bruner has been on this guys track for quite a while and he is determined to catch him.

Rowan is a smart lady and I really enjoyed her. I love her job being a forensic genealogist, very unique. This is one of the many items in this novel which had be intrigued. Then there is Jack. Jack has some smarts himself and he is also determined. These two make a great team. I love how they work together…in more ways than one!

This is a quick, fast paced thriller and the narrator, Stephanie Németh-Parker, is ok. She is a bit overly dramatic in places. But it could have been the story.

Need a good, suspenseful tale…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Purchase Here

Audible

Amazon

Chirp

Bookbub

Posted in Audible books, Reviews | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

An American Beauty by Shana Abe @tantoraudio #audiobookreview #historicalfiction

Posted on November 9, 2023 by fredreeca

Overview

The New York Times bestselling author of The Second Mrs. Astor returns with a spellbinding new book perfect for fans of HBO’s The Gilded Age and fans of Marie Benedict, Karen Harper, and Fiona Davis. This sweeping novel of historical fiction is inspired by the true rags-to-riches story of Arabella Huntington—a woman whose great beauty was surpassed only by her exceptional business acumen, grit, and artistic eye, and who defied the constraints of her era to become the wealthiest self-made woman in America.

1867, Richmond, Virginia: Though she wears the same low-cut purple gown that is the uniform of all the girls who work at Worsham’s gambling parlor, Arabella stands apart. It’s not merely her statuesque beauty and practiced charm. Even at seventeen, Arabella possesses an unyielding grit, and a resolve to escape her background of struggle and poverty.

Collis Huntington, railroad baron and self-made multimillionaire, is drawn to Arabella from their first meeting. Collis is married and thirty years her senior, yet they are well-matched in temperament, and flirtation rapidly escalates into an affair. With Collis’s help, Arabella eventually moves to New York, posing as a genteel, well-to-do Southern widow. Using Collis’s seed money and her own shrewd investing instincts, she begins to amass a fortune.

Their relationship is an open secret, and no one is surprised when Collis marries Arabella after his wife’s death. But “The Four Hundred”—the elite circle that includes the Astors and Vanderbilts—have their rules. Arabella must earn her place in Society—not just through her vast wealth, but with taste, style, and impeccable behavior. There are some who suspect the scandalous truth, and will blackmail her for it. And then there is another threat—an unexpected, impossible romance that will test her ambition, her loyalties, and her heart . . .

An American Beauty brings to vivid life the glitter and drama of a captivating chapter in history—and a remarkable woman who lived by her own rules.

Review

Collis Huntington is a multimillionaire, railroad baron. When he encounters young Arabella, he is immediately smitten. Collis is married but that does not stop him from moving Arabella and her whole family to New York. Arabella is a shrewd young lady. She begins to buy property and eventually amasses her own fortune.

Well, I put this book WAY on the back burner. I was given a preview copy and, yes, I started it. But I swear…I could not get into it. And it just sat there and sat there. I finally started it back up after months of it staring at me on my must read list. And y’all, it is a pretty dad blame good read. I am so glad I picked it back up! (I almost didn’t!). I would have missed a true gem!

I really enjoyed Arabella. She is smart, unique and tough. She does what she has to do to insure her family will be safe and never be hungry again. She was raised very poor. So when she saw a chance to escape, she took it. And this did not come without trials and tribulations, especially in this time period.

The narrator, Gail Shalan, is a wonderful asset. I am not sure if I have ever listened to a book narrated by her. I will be on the lookout for more.

Need a very good historical fiction about a woman who does not stop…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Purchase Here

Audible

Amazon

BookBub

Chirp

Barnes and Noble

Posted in Audible books | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment