Tag: Kristin Miller

The Sinful Live of Trophy Wives by Kristin Miller

On By JolieIn ARC, Ballantine Books, book review, NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine3 Comments
Book Cover
The Sinful Lives of Trophy Wives by Kristin Miller

Publisher: Random House Publishing Books – Ballantine, Ballantine Books

Date of publication: July 20th, 2021

Genre: Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Suspense

Purchase Links: Amazon | Audible | B&N | World Cat

Format Read: Unedited ARC

Got Book From: Publisher

Trigger Warnings: Domestic Violence, Cheating

Goodreads Synopsis:

Mystery writer Brooke Davies is the new wife on the block. Her tech-billionaire husband, Jack, twenty-two years her senior, whisked her to the Bay Area via private jet and purchased a modest mansion on the same day. He demands perfection, and before now, Brooke has had no problem playing the role of a doting housewife. But as she befriends other wives on the street and spends considerable time away from Jack, he worries if he doesn’t control Brooke’s every move, she will reveal the truth behind their “perfect” marriage.

Erin King, famed news anchor and chair of the community board, is no stranger to maintaining an image–though being married to a plastic surgeon helps. But the skyrocketing success of her career has worn her love life thin, and her professional ambitions have pushed Mason away. Quitting her job is a Hail Mary attempt at keeping him interested, to steer him away from finding a young trophy wife. But is it enough, and is Mason truly the man she thought he was?

Georgia St. Claire allegedly cashed in on the deaths of her first two husbands, earning her the nickname “Black Widow”–and the stares and whispers of her curious neighbors. Rumored to have murdered both men for their fortunes, she claims to have found true love in her third marriage, yet her mysterious, captivating allure keeps everyone guessing. Then a tragic accident forces the residents of Presidio Terrace to ask: Has Georgia struck again? And what is she really capable of doing to protect her secrets?

First Line:

Pain is the first thing I remember.

The Sinful Lives of Trophy Wives by Kristin Miller

Review:

I will be the first one to admit this: I judged The Sinful Lives of Trophy Wives by the title of the book. Since Kristin Miller is a new author to me, I assumed that this book would be something like Joan Collins writes. So I wasn’t surprised when I started reading TSLOTW and realized that this book was nothing like Joan Collin’s books. Instead, this was a psychological thriller.

The Sinful Lives of Trophy Lives follows three women: Brooke, Erin, and Georgia. Brooke moves into the gated community with her husband, Jack. Erin is married to Mason and has just quit her job to focus on her marriage. Georgia, also known as “Black Widow” because of the deaths of her previous husbands, is engaged to be married. There are dark secrets that the three women keep. These secrets could destroy lives if revealed. What are they, and will they be revealed?

The plot for The Sinful Lives of Trophy Wives is fast-paced. This book starts with a literal bang and doesn’t stop until the last page. The author was able to keep the pacing of the book up, even with the three separate POVs. I loved it!! I also loved that there was a slight lag too.

I loved Brooke, Erin, and Georgia, and I loved how the author kept me on edge with their characters. Just when I thought I knew those ladies, the author threw a tidbit or had them do something that made me go, “Really!!” It made for a good read because I didn’t know how these characters would end up.

The mystery/thriller angle of the book was well written. There were red herrings all over the place, and nothing was what it seemed. As soon as I thought I figured out what was going on, the author did a 180 and changed things. I loved it!!!

The secondary characters made the book too. Mason, Jack, and so many others. There were ones I loved and ones that I loathed.

There was a secondary storyline that involved Brooke and her past. I did predict what happened, but I didn’t expect what grew out of it. That took me by surprise!!

I wasn’t surprised at what was revealed about the deaths of Georgia’s husbands. I guessed that pretty early in the book. But I was surprised at who was involved and why that person got involved. So that made me look at that character differently.

I am going to warn that domestic violence is discussed at various points. For example, there are scenes where a woman gets beat by her husband in front of a child and another scene of a husband smacking his wife where the bruises couldn’t be seen and covered up with makeup.

The end of The Sinful Lives of Trophy Wives was insane. I almost couldn’t keep up with everything that the book revealed. There was a huge twist that shocked me. I did not see it coming, and it blindsided me. But, once it was announced, it made perfect sense.

I enjoyed reading The Sinful Lives of Trophy Wives. This book hooked me from page one, and I couldn’t put it down.

I would recommend The Sinful Lives of Trophy Wives to anyone over the age of 21. There are trigger warnings, which I discussed above. They are domestic violence and cheating. There are also scenes of pill-popping, sexual harassment (Erin’s male boss told her to get on her knees and beg for her job), and lots of drinking.

WWW Wednesday: May 26th 2021

On By JolieIn book review6 Comments
IMG_1384-0

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words.

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Personal:

As with my IMWAYR post, I am going to keep this short. My finger is still bandaged and it is still difficult for me to type. It sucks but that’s what I get for tangling with an electric hedge trimmer. I am lucky I didn’t lose my finger.

I also want everyone to know that I will be going on vacation starting Friday and I will not be back to posting until June 7th. This is a long-overdue vacation and I can’t wait!!

What I Recently Finished Reading:

Book Cover
Set against the backdrop of China’s Cultural Revolution, a secret military project sends signals into space to establish contact with aliens. An alien civilization on the brink of destruction captures the signal and plans to invade Earth. Meanwhile, on Earth, different camps start forming, planning to either welcome the superior beings and help them take over a world seen as corrupt, or to fight against the invasion. The result is a science fiction masterpiece of enormous scope and vision.

What I am currently reading:

Book Cover
Mystery writer Brooke Davies is the new wife on the block. Her tech-billionaire husband, Jack, twenty-two years her senior, whisked her to the Bay Area via private jet and purchased a modest mansion on the same day. He demands perfection, and before now, Brooke has had no problem playing the role of a doting housewife. But as she befriends other wives on the street and spends considerable time away from Jack, he worries if he doesn’t control Brooke’s every move, she will reveal the truth behind their “perfect” marriage.

Erin King, famed news anchor and chair of the community board, is no stranger to maintaining an image–though being married to a plastic surgeon helps. But the skyrocketing success of her career has worn her love life thin, and her professional ambitions have pushed Mason away. Quitting her job is a Hail Mary attempt at keeping him interested, to steer him away from finding a young trophy wife. But is it enough, and is Mason truly the man she thought he was?

Georgia St. Claire allegedly cashed in on the deaths of her first two husbands, earning her the nickname “Black Widow”–and the stares and whispers of her curious neighbors. Rumored to have murdered both men for their fortunes, she claims to have found true love in her third marriage, yet her mysterious, captivating allure keeps everyone guessing. Then a tragic accident forces the residents of Presidio Terrace to ask: Has Georgia struck again? And what is she really capable of doing to protect her secrets?

What books I think I’ll read next:

Book Cover
When the secrets of the past threaten to destroy the future.

A tale of hope, resilience, and the indomitable spirit of a woman, this sweeping epic spans the Atlantic from New England to Morocco during the Age of Exploration.

2019: A young woman finds a relic engraved with a mysterious symbol off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard. Terrorists in Morocco steal a 17th-century book engraved with the same symbol. As the woman struggles to unravel the secrets behind the symbol, her life changes in ways she could never have imagined.

1657: Transported back in time, she meets the alchemist, John Winthrop, Jr. who is plotting to lure the greatest scientific minds to the New World. But the more she learns, the more she fears for the lives of the loved ones she left behind.

In a stunning twist of fate, a modern terrorist has traveled into the past, where he has become a Barbary Corsair. He has plans of his own. And he will stop at nothing to succeed.
Book Cover
Olivia Callahan’s quiet, orderly life is shattered when she regains consciousness in a hospital and discovers she is paralyzed and cannot remember a thing. The fragmented voices she hears around her help her piece together that an apparent assault landed her in the hospital, but nobody knows who attacked her, or why. After a chilling struggle to survive, she awakens from a coma unable to remember what happened to her or anything at all, except she has been told she is an entirely different person. Or is she?

Now, in spite of a brain injury that has rewired her personality, Olivia is on a mission to reclaim her life. As clarity surfaces and she starts to understand who she was, she is shocked. Had she really been that person? And if so, does she want her old life back?
Book Cover
When attorney Alexandra comes home early and overhears her husband Jerry hiring a hitman to kill her, she runs. Heads toward Seattle. After being a street kid there, she knows how to disappear.

But a man is following her. After she finds a tracking device, she wonders if tall, compelling Gideon is Jerry’s hired killer.

Alex and Gideon become stranded in a massive snowstorm. Snowed in at a tiny hotel, Alex isn’t sure which is more dangerous – her husband, who is likely coming after her? Or the dark stranger she’s trapped with? A man who’s clearly hiding secrets.
Book Cover
Tessa James has worked and planned tirelessly to open her own millinery shop. All she needs now is a loan from the lord who sired and abandoned her. The only problem is, she doesn’t even know his name. What’s a woman to do to find him but enter the aristocratic world by becoming a governess?

Guy Whitby, the new Duke of Carlin, has returned to London after years abroad to discover that his young daughter Sophy has become a wild-child known for scaring away every governess who’s crossed his doorstep. When Tessa James applies for the job, he hires her in desperation despite his misgivings that she’s too bold and beautiful–and that she might be fibbing about her qualifications.


Their blooming attraction leads them on a completely unexpected path to love that neither wants to deny. But when an old enemy threatens Guy’s family, their forbidden romance goes up in flames. Can they still learn to love and trust each other as forces try to tear them apart?
Book Cover
They call him the Beast—a hardened mercenary whose heart seems as cold as his icy blue gaze. They do not know his true name: Niall Braewick, son of the Laird of Kincaid. It has been years since he escaped into the forest the night his father was murdered. Now he has returned, ablaze with a vengeful hunger. He will gain the MacClaren chief’s trust, gather his clan, and take back his lands. And take the MacClaren’s daughter as well…

Though he pulled her from the river, saving her life, Elspeth has been warned to keep her distance from her father’s hired warrior. He is a barbarian—a shame, as he is far more compelling than the lechers and fools competing for her dowry. Little does she know that, like the castle itself, she is a prize Niall intends to claim…but will he extract blood for blood and possess what is his, or will his enemy’s beautiful, innocent daughter tempt him to forsake his dream of conquest?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

On By JolieIn book review3 Comments

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a place to meet up and share what you have been, and are about to be reading over the week. It’s a great post to organize yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment and er… add to your groaning TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started on J Kaye’s blog and then was hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at The Book Date.

Jen Vincent, Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee of Unleashing Readers decided to give It’s Monday! a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels or anything in those genres – join them.

Happy Monday (well, as happy as a Monday can be…lol) everyone and I hope you all had a great weekend!!

I am going to keep my Monday update section short. Why, you ask? Well, I have a very good reason.

On Saturday, I decided to trim my bushes in front of my house. To do this, we use electric trimmers (keep this in mind). As I was trimming my second bush, it slipped and caught on the middle finger of my left hand. That pinched and caught my finger at the same time and resulted in a deep cut. BK rushed me to Urgent Care and I ended up with 3 stitches. I am having a very hard time typing, as well as doing other chores. I never knew how much I used my middle finger until this happened….lol.

So, I can’t type (well I can in 3 days…once the bandage comes off) and because I can’t type, this is going to be short.

What I am Reading Now:

Book Cover
Mystery writer Brooke Davies is the new wife on the block. Her tech-billionaire husband, Jack, twenty-two years her senior, whisked her to the Bay Area via private jet and purchased a modest mansion on the same day. He demands perfection, and before now, Brooke has had no problem playing the role of a doting housewife. But as she befriends other wives on the street and spends considerable time away from Jack, he worries if he doesn’t control Brooke’s every move, she will reveal the truth behind their “perfect” marriage.

Erin King, famed news anchor and chair of the community board, is no stranger to maintaining an image–though being married to a plastic surgeon helps. But the skyrocketing success of her career has worn her love life thin, and her professional ambitions have pushed Mason away. Quitting her job is a Hail Mary attempt at keeping him interested, to steer him away from finding a young trophy wife. But is it enough, and is Mason truly the man she thought he was?

Georgia St. Claire allegedly cashed in on the deaths of her first two husbands, earning her the nickname “Black Widow”–and the stares and whispers of her curious neighbors. Rumored to have murdered both men for their fortunes, she claims to have found true love in her third marriage, yet her mysterious, captivating allure keeps everyone guessing. Then a tragic accident forces the residents of Presidio Terrace to ask: Has Georgia struck again? And what is she really capable of doing to protect her secrets?

What I plan on reading this week:

Book Cover
When the secrets of the past threaten to destroy the future.

A tale of hope, resilience, and the indomitable spirit of a woman, this sweeping epic spans the Atlantic from New England to Morocco during the Age of Exploration.

2019: A young woman finds a relic engraved with a mysterious symbol off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard. Terrorists in Morocco steal a 17th-century book engraved with the same symbol. As the woman struggles to unravel the secrets behind the symbol, her life changes in ways she could never have imagined.

1657: Transported back in time, she meets the alchemist, John Winthrop, Jr. who is plotting to lure the greatest scientific minds to the New World. But the more she learns, the more she fears for the lives of the loved ones she left behind.

In a stunning twist of fate, a modern terrorist has traveled into the past, where he has become a Barbary Corsair. He has plans of his own. And he will stop at nothing to succeed.
Olivia Callahan’s quiet, orderly life is shattered when she regains consciousness in a hospital and discovers she is paralyzed and cannot remember a thing. The fragmented voices she hears around her help her piece together that an apparent assault landed her in the hospital, but nobody knows who attacked her, or why. After a chilling struggle to survive, she awakens from a coma unable to remember what happened to her or anything at all, except she has been told she is an entirely different person. Or is she?

Now, in spite of a brain injury that has rewired her personality, Olivia is on a mission to reclaim her life. As clarity surfaces and she starts to understand who she was, she is shocked. Had she really been that person? And if so, does she want her old life back?
Book Cover
They call him the Beast—a hardened mercenary whose heart seems as cold as his icy blue gaze. They do not know his true name: Niall Braewick, son of the Laird of Kincaid. It has been years since he escaped into the forest the night his father was murdered. Now he has returned, ablaze with a vengeful hunger. He will gain the MacClaren chief’s trust, gather his clan, and take back his lands. And take the MacClaren’s daughter as well…

Though he pulled her from the river, saving her life, Elspeth has been warned to keep her distance from her father’s hired warrior. He is a barbarian—a shame, as he is far more compelling than the lechers and fools competing for her dowry. Little does she know that, like the castle itself, she is a prize Niall intends to claim…but will he extract blood for blood and possess what is his, or will his enemy’s beautiful, innocent daughter tempt him to forsake his dream of conquest?
Book Cover
Tessa James has worked and planned tirelessly to open her own millinery shop. All she needs now is a loan from the lord who sired and abandoned her. The only problem is, she doesn’t even know his name. What’s a woman to do to find him but enter the aristocratic world by becoming a governess?
Guy Whitby, the new Duke of Carlin, has returned to London after years abroad to discover that his young daughter Sophy has become a wild-child known for scaring away every governess who’s crossed his doorstep. When Tessa James applies for the job, he hires her in desperation despite his misgivings that she’s too bold and beautiful–and that she might be fibbing about her qualifications.
Their blooming attraction leads them on a completely unexpected path to love that neither wants to deny. But when an old enemy threatens Guy’s family, their forbidden romance goes up in flames. Can they still learn to love and trust each other as forces try to tear them apart?

WWW Wednesday: May 19th 2021

On By JolieIn book review4 Comments
IMG_1384-0

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words.

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Personal:

I didn’t think this was going to be an eventful week since Monday’s IMWAYR post. I was wrong!!

Miss B had an awful day on Monday. She came home from school upset because her favorite teacher is being let go at the end of the school year. The reason the teacher didn’t sit right with me: She didn’t have a good relationship with the students. If it was a private school, then I wouldn’t think anything about it. But it’s a public school and the teachers are hired by the city. What I think is that there were budget cuts and they let go of the newer teachers. Anyway, Miss B wants to go protest (her entire class is going) at the school board meeting Friday night. We’re taking her and BK is going to supervise. We believe it is important for our kids to have their voices heard.

Now, the other awful thing that happened on Monday to Miss B was that she burnt plastic in the microwave. How did she do that? Well, she was making a White Castle burger, didn’t put it on a plate (grrrr at this), and then proceeded to microwave it for 4 mins on each side. That created a smoke-filled panic. Thankfully, that’s all it was (smoke). I did talk to her about using microwaveable safe plates and reading directions. Now, all I have to do is get the burnt plastic smell out of the house….sigh.

Mr. Z passed his end-of-grade math test. His math teacher was proctoring the end-of-grade testing today (he went in for ELA) and told him. He was thrilled. We told him that if he passed the test, we’ll get him a Steam game. And we did. It’s a game called Europa Universalis and he is loving it. I am going to peek in and see what he’s doing and what the game is like.

Miss R is doing well. They are taking it easy at school for the last couple of weeks. I did request for her to start speech and am waiting for the school to call me back. Ever since her teeth were pulled, I have noticed she isn’t pronouncing her “Th’s” and “S’s” correctly. I thought it would correct itself but it’s getting worse. So, the call to the school so she can get evaluated.

BK is in NYC until tomorrow. He is at this huge meeting with the entire company. I haven’t talked to him much (other than the flurry of texts about the microwave incident). I am hoping that he brings me home either bagels or cannolis!!

BK and I binged Jupiter’s Legacy (which I mentioned on Monday). It was a different show and I can’t wait to see if they make more episodes.

Tomorrow, I start deep cleaning for my vacation. We have a pet sitter coming to make sure the cats are alright and scoop the litter box. So, I don’t want my house a mess. Which it is (not going to lie).

I haven’t made any new meals this week. I was supposed to make a creamy chicken marsala in the crockpot. But Walmart forgot it in my delivery order last week and I didn’t notice until yesterday.

Blog

I worked a little on my blog. I updated some admin things and went through tags/categories.

Reading:

I have read 2 books since Monday. I was able to sit down (and ignore my messy house…lol) and dive right into reading. I am hoping to read at least 2 more by the end of the week.

What I Recently Finished Reading:

Book Cover
Can a broken Alpha save her from the Big Bad wolves?

Lucas has lost his mate, and he’ll never claim another—his kind of broken can’t be fixed. He’s still alpha enough to rescue a young woman from the predatory Red wolf pack, but when she shows up at his office—as his sexy new intern—she stirs up feelings that need to stay buried…

Mia’s just trying to earn her degree and dig her way out of poverty. Keeping her shifter nature secret is key, but her internship at the hottest dot-com development firm in Seattle also has the hottest boss… and he’s a wolf. Who just happened to save her life.

She’d break all the rules for this guy—except he wants nothing to do with her. And the wolves who do are the Big Bad Wolf kind. The kind she’s always heard about.

Mia’s in the middle of a pack war with nowhere to turn… but to the one guy who doesn’t want her at all.

Claiming Mia is a super-hot complete story with HEA, the first in the Dot Com Wolves series.

I enjoyed Claiming Mia. It was an interesting shifter romance. I didn’t like Lucas at first but once his backstory was explained, I started liking him. This book has a lot of sex in it. A. Lot. Mia and Lucas go at it like bunnies and don’t stop. I enjoyed it but it’s a warning to those people who don’t like a bit of erotica to go with their paranormal romance.

What I am currently reading:

Book Cover
Leaving the Navy after the death of his best friend in the line of duty, ex-SEAL Ben Harper has returned home in search of some form of normalcy. He’s good at hiding his thoughts and feelings and is positive he has everyone around him fooled. After all, no one ever brings his service career up to him, and he likes it that way.

Presley James is drawn to the new Director of Security at the hospital where she works, just like every other nurse and employee in the building. Tall, dark, dangerous and sexy as hell. With a wicked grin and happy hello for everyone—he is a total contradiction. After spending most of her life caring for people, something about Ben is pulling at her. Something about his smile just doesn’t equal up to the rest of him. No matter how hard he tries, she isn’t fooled.

Will she be able to help him find his way when her own baggage is more than even she can handle?

Mature content, not intended for under 18 years of age.

I am on the fence with All or Nothing. I like the romance and the writing. I do not like that Ben basically stalked Presley (he drove by her house 3-4 times after the bar scene) before he found out she worked at the hospital with him. I also don’t like that there is zero backstory on her. There are hints about a past but nothing is explained. I should mention that I am 40% into the book and there should be more depth to her by now. I plan on finishing the book today/tonight.

What books I think I’ll read next:

I am hoping to read at least 2 of these books over the weekend. I have a feeling that The Three-Body Problem is going to be a long book, so I have allotted myself a couple of days to read it. I might have one or two library books coming off hold this week. If that’s the case, they will be read after the ARCs. My reading order for the rest of the week is Library book, ARC, ARC, ARC, TBR, ARC.

Book Cover
Set against the backdrop of China’s Cultural Revolution, a secret military project sends signals into space to establish contact with aliens. An alien civilization on the brink of destruction captures the signal and plans to invade Earth. Meanwhile, on Earth, different camps start forming, planning to either welcome the superior beings and help them take over a world seen as corrupt, or to fight against the invasion. The result is a science fiction masterpiece of enormous scope and vision.
Book Cover
Mystery writer Brooke Davies is the new wife on the block. Her tech-billionaire husband, Jack, twenty-two years her senior, whisked her to the Bay Area via private jet and purchased a modest mansion on the same day. He demands perfection, and before now, Brooke has had no problem playing the role of a doting housewife. But as she befriends other wives on the street and spends considerable time away from Jack, he worries if he doesn’t control Brooke’s every move, she will reveal the truth behind their “perfect” marriage.

Erin King, famed news anchor and chair of the community board, is no stranger to maintaining an image–though being married to a plastic surgeon helps. But the skyrocketing success of her career has worn her love life thin, and her professional ambitions have pushed Mason away. Quitting her job is a Hail Mary attempt at keeping him interested, to steer him away from finding a young trophy wife. But is it enough, and is Mason truly the man she thought he was?

Georgia St. Claire allegedly cashed in on the deaths of her first two husbands, earning her the nickname “Black Widow”–and the stares and whispers of her curious neighbors. Rumored to have murdered both men for their fortunes, she claims to have found true love in her third marriage, yet her mysterious, captivating allure keeps everyone guessing. Then a tragic accident forces the residents of Presidio Terrace to ask: Has Georgia struck again? And what is she really capable of doing to protect her secrets?
Book Cover
When the secrets of the past threaten to destroy the future.

A tale of hope, resilience, and the indomitable spirit of a woman, this sweeping epic spans the Atlantic from New England to Morocco during the Age of Exploration.

2019: A young woman finds a relic engraved with a mysterious symbol off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard. Terrorists in Morocco steal a 17th-century book engraved with the same symbol. As the woman struggles to unravel the secrets behind the symbol, her life changes in ways she could never have imagined.

1657: Transported back in time, she meets the alchemist, John Winthrop, Jr. who is plotting to lure the greatest scientific minds to the New World. But the more she learns, the more she fears for the lives of the loved ones she left behind.

In a stunning twist of fate, a modern terrorist has traveled into the past, where he has become a Barbary Corsair. He has plans of his own. And he will stop at nothing to succeed.
Book Cover
Olivia Callahan’s quiet, orderly life is shattered when she regains consciousness in a hospital and discovers she is paralyzed and cannot remember a thing. The fragmented voices she hears around her help her piece together that an apparent assault landed her in the hospital, but nobody knows who attacked her, or why. After a chilling struggle to survive, she awakens from a coma unable to remember what happened to her or anything at all, except she has been told she is an entirely different person. Or is she?

Now, in spite of a brain injury that has rewired her personality, Olivia is on a mission to reclaim her life. As clarity surfaces and she starts to understand who she was, she is shocked. Had she really been that person? And if so, does she want her old life back?
Book Cover
A Highland warrior battles to reclaim his birthright in the first of a new series filled with seduction, revenge, and soul-stirring passion…

They call him the Beast—a hardened mercenary whose heart seems as cold as his icy blue gaze. They do not know his true name: Niall Braewick, son of the Laird of Kincaid. It has been years since he escaped into the forest the night his father was murdered. Now he has returned, ablaze with a vengeful hunger. He will gain the MacClaren chief’s trust, gather his clan, and take back his lands. And take the MacClaren’s daughter as well…

Though he pulled her from the river, saving her life, Elspeth has been warned to keep her distance from her father’s hired warrior. He is a barbarian—a shame, as he is far more compelling than the lechers and fools competing for her dowry. Little does she know that, like the castle itself, she is a prize Niall intends to claim…but will he extract blood for blood and possess what is his, or will his enemy’s beautiful, innocent daughter tempt him to forsake his dream of conquest?
Book Cover
Tessa James has worked and planned tirelessly to open her own millinery shop. All she needs now is a loan from the lord who sired and abandoned her. The only problem is, she doesn’t even know his name. What’s a woman to do to find him but enter the aristocratic world by becoming a governess?

Guy Whitby, the new Duke of Carlin, has returned to London after years abroad to discover that his young daughter Sophy has become a wild-child known for scaring away every governess who’s crossed his doorstep. When Tessa James applies for the job, he hires her in desperation despite his misgivings that she’s too bold and beautiful–and that she might be fibbing about her qualifications.


Their blooming attraction leads them on a completely unexpected path to love that neither wants to deny. But when an old enemy threatens Guy’s family, their forbidden romance goes up in flames. Can they still learn to love and trust each other as forces try to tear them apart?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

On By JolieIn book review4 Comments

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a place to meet up and share what you have been, and are about to be reading over the week. It’s a great post to organize yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment and er… add to your groaning TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started on J Kaye’s blog and then was hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at The Book Date.

Jen Vincent, Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee of Unleashing Readers decided to give It’s Monday! a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels or anything in those genres – join them.

Happy Monday (well, as happy as a Monday can be…lol) everyone and I hope you all had a great weekend!!

I have several great things that happened over the weekend (well since last week’s WWW).

Miss B and Mr. Z got their first Covid shot. I was able to book their appointments that Wednesday night. Miss B got hers on Thursday. She was actually the first teenager that got their vaccine at that Walgreens. Mr. Z got his on Saturday and let me tell you, all of the people waiting for their vaccines were teenagers and their parents. There were 4 kids ahead of Mr. Z and I counted 4 more going in (Miss R was with me and I took her to wait in the van). They get their 2nd dose the first week of June (June 3rd and June 5th) and after that 2-week wait, they will be vaccinated!! All I am waiting on right now is for Miss R’s age group to get approved and our whole family will be vaccinated. Yay!!

The mask mandate was lifted in NC on Friday…if you were vaccinated. I was so happy (I have a mask phobia and wearing them was awful). I walked into the grocery store (Publix) for the first time in over a year without a mask. We also went out to eat as a family on Saturday. It felt weird to walk in without a mask (and the kids were wearing them). I also cringed because the table next to us was coughing up a fit (to the point where the server asked the guy to step outside on the patio….the guy declined).

School ends next week and they are in high gear testing mode. Mr. Z has to go on Wednesday for his ELA end-of-grade test and I believe on the 26th for his science (not sure on that, they weren’t clear). Miss B has her end-of-course testing this week and her end-of-grade test for Math 1 on Monday.

Meanwhile, in 1st grade, Miss R is having a week of fun last couple of weeks of school. I sent her in with 3 cans of shaving cream and 2 packs of spoons for an activity. Not quite sure what they’re doing. She also brought in a board game (it’s game day). Last week, they had Bring Your Favorite Book to School (Thursday and it was Dolly Parton’s A Coat of Many Colors) and Bubbles and Chalk Day (Friday). Her teacher announced that Wednesday will be their last virtual day (Thank the Lord!!).

BK and I did a lot of yard work over the weekend. I started to pressure wash our deck/pressure wash our outdoor furniture while he mowed and weed-whacked. Plus, we cleaned out under the deck (got rid of any/all toys that weren’t put away for the winter). We also made the discovery that we have a huge fire ant nest. For the time being, I told the kids to stay away from that area and we are going to pick up poison to kill them on the weekend. I also set up my birdbath, refilled the seeds/suet, and the dried corn for the squirrels.

I did do some reading over the weekend but only finished 1 book. BK and I discovered this new show on Netflix: Jupiter’s Legacy and we binged it this weekend. It is a very dark superhero series. We originally thought that it would be a good show for Mr. Z but decided that he probably shouldn’t watch it. I liked it. There is a huge twist during the last episode that made me go “WTF!!“

Also, because of my bingeathon, I didn’t work on any posts. I was too involved with the show to even think about it….lol.

How was your weekend? Anything interesting happen? Read any good books? Watch any good shows?

Let me know!!

What I am Reading Now:

Book Cover
As the captain of the Chicago Aces, Marc Dupuis is all business. The apartment he shares with his teammate and best friend, Duncan, is a refuge from the pressures of fame. But when the sexiest woman he’s ever seen interrupts his early morning coffee wearing only a skimpy cami and matching panties, Marc can’t exactly say he minds. Their chemistry is off the charts. Unfortunately, this girl’s no random puck bunny. She’s Duncan’s little sister—and she’s moving in.

Lovey Armstrong could stare at Marc’s chiseled abs and listen to his French-Canadian accent all day. She just has no idea what’s going on inside his head: When he’s not charming her pants off, Marc makes a Zamboni machine seem warm and cuddly. Lovey knows the team’s bro code says no messing with sisters, but all these mixed messages are hard on a girl’s self-esteem—especially since she’s finally getting her new life together in Chicago. She decides he’s worth another shot . . . because if anyone can melt the ice around Marc’s heart, it’s Lovey.

This was a series I started mid-series in. I started at book 5 and finished the series out. So, I put books 1-4 on my TBR list and figured that I would get around to reading them. Well, here I am. I started reading this last night and I am about a chapter in and I am loving it. I had always wondered about Lovey and Marc’s relationship and how it got started. Now I know!!

What I plan on reading this week:

My reading order for this week is pretty set. My library book should be coming off hold at some point this week (I am #3 in the queue and they have 3 books that they are lending out). So, for this week, the reading order is TBR, TBR, Library, ARC.

Book Cover
Can a broken Alpha save her from the Big Bad wolves?

Lucas has lost his mate, and he’ll never claim another—his kind of broken can’t be fixed. He’s still alpha enough to rescue a young woman from the predatory Red wolf pack, but when she shows up at his office—as his sexy new intern—she stirs up feelings that need to stay buried…

Mia’s just trying to earn her degree and dig her way out of poverty. Keeping her shifter nature secret is key, but her internship at the hottest dot-com development firm in Seattle also has the hottest boss… and he’s a wolf. Who just happened to save her life.

She’d break all the rules for this guy—except he wants nothing to do with her. And the wolves who do are the Big Bad Wolf kind. The kind she’s always heard about.

Mia’s in the middle of a pack war with nowhere to turn… but to the one guy who doesn’t want her at all.
Book Cover
All books can be read as a stand alone or in order of the series.

Leaving the Navy after the death of his best friend in the line of duty, ex-SEAL Ben Harper has returned home in search of some form of normalcy. He’s good at hiding his thoughts and feelings and is positive he has everyone around him fooled. After all, no one ever brings his service career up to him, and he likes it that way.

Presley James is drawn to the new Director of Security at the hospital where she works, just like every other nurse and employee in the building. Tall, dark, dangerous and sexy as hell. With a wicked grin and happy hello for everyone—he is a total contradiction. After spending most of her life caring for people, something about Ben is pulling at her. Something about his smile just doesn’t equal up to the rest of him. No matter how hard he tries, she isn’t fooled.

Will she be able to help him find his way when her own baggage is more than even she can handle?

Mature content, not intended for under 18 years of age.
Book Cover
The Three-Body Problem is the first chance for English-speaking readers to experience the Hugo Award-winning phenomenon from China’s most beloved science fiction author, Liu Cixin.

Set against the backdrop of China’s Cultural Revolution, a secret military project sends signals into space to establish contact with aliens. An alien civilization on the brink of destruction captures the signal and plans to invade Earth. Meanwhile, on Earth, different camps start forming, planning to either welcome the superior beings and help them take over a world seen as corrupt, or to fight against the invasion. The result is a science fiction masterpiece of enormous scope and vision.
Book Cover
Mystery writer Brooke Davies is the new wife on the block. Her tech-billionaire husband, Jack, twenty-two years her senior, whisked her to the Bay Area via private jet and purchased a modest mansion on the same day. He demands perfection, and before now, Brooke has had no problem playing the role of a doting housewife. But as she befriends other wives on the street and spends considerable time away from Jack, he worries if he doesn’t control Brooke’s every move, she will reveal the truth behind their “perfect” marriage.

Erin King, famed news anchor and chair of the community board, is no stranger to maintaining an image–though being married to a plastic surgeon helps. But the skyrocketing success of her career has worn her love life thin, and her professional ambitions have pushed Mason away. Quitting her job is a Hail Mary attempt at keeping him interested, to steer him away from finding a young trophy wife. But is it enough, and is Mason truly the man she thought he was?

Georgia St. Claire allegedly cashed in on the deaths of her first two husbands, earning her the nickname “Black Widow”–and the stares and whispers of her curious neighbors. Rumored to have murdered both men for their fortunes, she claims to have found true love in her third marriage, yet her mysterious, captivating allure keeps everyone guessing. Then a tragic accident forces the residents of Presidio Terrace to ask: Has Georgia struck again? And what is she really capable of doing to protect her secrets?

In Her Shadow by Kristin Miller

On By JolieIn ARC, Ballantine Books, book review, Random House Publishing Group - BallantineLeave a comment
In Her Shadow: A Novel by [Miller, Kristin]

3.5 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books

Date of publication: April 21st, 2020

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Women’s Fiction

Where you can find In Her Shadow: Barnes and Noble | Amazon | BookBub

Book Synopsis:

A pregnant young woman becomes obsessed with the disappearance of her lover’s wife–only to discover that she may be headed for the same fate–from New York Times bestselling author Kristin Miller.

Once his secretary, Colleen is now pregnant with Michael’s baby. When he brings her to his opulent estate, Ravenwood, she is abruptly thrust into a life of luxury she’s never known. But Colleen finds the immense house suffused with the memory of Michael’s beautiful wife, Joanna, who left months ago and who haunts her imagination. It quickly becomes apparent that there is little room for a new mistress of this house: The staff greets her with hostility, and there are entire wings and corridors from which she is prohibited to enter.

Then bones are unearthed in the grove across the street.

When Michael falls under the suspicion of the detectives investigating the case, the soon-to-be mother of his child finds herself hurled deeper into her boyfriend’s dark past–a past that threatens to upend all her dreams. But the terrifying secrets lurking in the shadows of Ravenwood pale in comparison to the drastic measures Colleen will take to stake a claim to her new life.

Inspired by Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca, In Her Shadow is the chilling story of one woman’s desperate desire to be loved and the ghosts that get in her way–but only if she lets them.

First Line:

“Help.”

In Her Shadow by Kristin Miller

My Review:

When I read the blurb for In Her Shadow, I was intrigued. Seeing the comparisons to Rebecca caught my interest right away. The blurb deepened my interest in the book. It sounded perfect for me. Then I read it. While I liked some parts of the book, there were other parts that I didn’t like. Those parts did factor in my rating of the review.

In Her Shadow had a fast plotline, which I liked. The book takes place within a week of Colleen moving into Michael’s house, Ravenwood. There were no dropped characters and, more importantly, no dropped storylines. The flow of the book was ok. Because the book had several different POV’s (always in 3rd person), the flow did get interrupted. I felt that if the author kept to Colleen, Michael, and maybe Joanna’s POV, the book would have had a better flow to it. I did not need to read about the detective, Michael’s friends, the cook, or the maid’s POV.

I liked, and felt terrible, for Colleen during the first half of In Her Shadow. She was thrust into a world that she did not know about. She had to deal with a staff that treated her like she was invisible. Adding to that, she was pregnant, and it was high risk. I didn’t blame her for feeling that she was overshadowed in the first days there. I also didn’t blame her for becoming obsessed with Joanna and her legacy. But, saying that, I wasn’t expecting what she found out.

I didn’t like Michael. From the beginning, he came across as skeevy. I had my doubts about him from the start. I mean, who moves on less than a month after his wife disappears? And then gets his new girlfriend pregnant? That was a huge WTF for several people in the book and me. But, as skeevy as he was, I didn’t quite believe that he killed Joanna. He was a coward and a bit of a wuss, but he didn’t spark that “I’m a killer” vibe to me.

The secondary characters most definitely made the book. From the police detective to Joanna’s best frenemy to Michael’s best friend, those characters breathed life into the book when it needed it.

The mystery angle of the book (Joanna’s disappearance) was well written, but it held no mystery for me. I was able to guess what happened to her before the author got there. I also guessed certain specific details that occurred before they happened (if that makes sense).

The thriller angle of the book was very well written. The author was able to keep me on my toes during those scenes.

The end of In Her Shadow was intense. Considering the prologue, I was expecting the book to end a certain way. I was not expecting what happened to happen. But, as I mentioned in the above paragraph, there was a huge plot twist that took me by surprise. I was not expecting what was revealed. I also was not expecting the final chapter or the countdown. Does that mean another book is in the works?

I would give In Her Shadow an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread In Her Shadow. I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Desiring Red ( A Dark and Dirty Tale: Book 1) by Kristin Miller

On By JolieIn ARC, book review, Entangled Publishing, LLCLeave a comment
Desiring Red (A Dark and Dirty Tale Book 1) by [Miller, Kristin]

Publisher: Entangled Publishing

Date of publication: May 30th, 2016

Genre: Adult Fiction, Romance, Paranormal Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal, Menage, Shapeshifters, Werewolves

Series: A Dark and Dirty

Desiring Red—Book 1

Dominating Red—Book 2

Dangerously Red—Book 3

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Indigo | Kobo

Goodreads Synopsis:

In part one of the new Dark and Dirty Tale serial by New York Times and USA best-selling author Kristin Miller, you’ll meet Red, a wolf shifter with too many choices.

I’m indecisive when it comes to my shoes. Choosing a werewolf mate who’ll be with me until I croak? Pardon me while I take some time to think on it. But a steamy encounter before the final ceremony changes everything.

Reaper, the Omega’s eldest grandson, is fiercely loyal, scorching hot, and built for pleasure. He brings down my defenses, and before I know what’s happening, I succumb to the heat in his touch and the skill of his mouth. I’ve only just met him, but I need him like no other.

As part of my pack duties, I must parade in front of the Alpha, who has first choice of the pre-shifters. Rumors of his dark desires run deep, and I’ve always been intrigued. But the forbidden passion blazing between Reaper and me is too primal to deny. By pack law, Reaper can’t have me until the Alpha makes his choice…but Reaper’s never been one to follow the rules.

Get ready for scorching hot Alphas, a spitfire heroine, and a breathless cliffhanger ending!

The Dark and Dirty Tale series is best enjoyed in this reading order.

Book #1 Desiring Red
Book #2 Dominating Red
Book#3 Dangerously Red – Coming July 17th.

3 Things I liked about Desiring Red:

  1. The storyline. From what was revealed, it was a pretty interesting one. The Alpha isn’t the true ruler of the pack; it’s the Omega who calls the shots and has the money. Which I found fascinating.
  2. Reaper. From what was revealed about him, he was a total badass, hot, and very mysterious. So, in not so many words, the perfect man.
  3. Ivy. I loved her character. She doesn’t give a fuck about the ceremony going on, and she goes after what she wants. But then again, is it really what she wants???

3 Things I disliked about Desiring Red:

  1. That it is a serial. I wanted to scream when I realized that. I’m not too fond of serial novels. The reason I loathe them is, well, because there is usually a huge gap between the novels.
  2. Lukas. I don’t know what happens in the next book; he seemed a little standoffish and full of himself in this one.
  3. The cliffhanger ending. Another thing I don’t like. Cliffhangers drive me nuts.

I would recommend Desiring Red to anyone over 21. There is violence, graphic sex, and language.

If you enjoyed reading Desiring Red, you will enjoy reading these books: