BOOK REVIEW: Christmas Amnesia (Callahan Confidential #3) by Laura Scott

Christmas Amnesia (Callahan Confidential #3)

by Laura Scott

Paperback, 224 pages

Published October 3rd 2017 by Love Inspired Suspense

Goodreads synopsis:

Assaulted a week before a high-profile drug trafficking trial, assistant district attorney Madison Callahan narrowly escapes death…but suffers amnesia. Now, when she can't recall the identity of her attacker, everyone is suspect—except the handsome policeman who saved her. Officer Noah Sinclair will do anything to bring the mob-connected drug trafficker to justice, including providing personal protection to Madison—the sister of the partner he nearly got killed. But helping her regain her memory may end their unlikely alliance because once she remembers him, Noah might be the last man she'll want to rely on. As the trial looms and with the assailant dead set on ensuring that Madison doesn't survive to see Christmas, it'll take everything Noah's got to keep Madison alive.

***

4 stars

When Madison loses her memory on the eve of one of her biggest cases, her old friend, Noah takes charge of her recover. He is a police officer but not in great standing with the family due to past history. Even with that thwarting him mentally, he knows he has to keep Madison safe.

This story was good and it keeps your interest until the end. It is also a fast read if you are looking for something to read through in an afternoon. The Love Inspired Suspense has never disappointed me yet. Try it out for yourself.

I bought this book with my own money.

Dead to the Last Drop (Coffeehouse Mystery #15) by Cleo Coyle

Dead to the Last Drop (Coffeehouse Mystery #15)

by Cleo Coyle (Goodreads Author)

Paperback, 480 pages

Published September 6th 2016 by Berkley (first published December 1st 2015)

Goodreads synopsis:

When the White House asks coffeehouse manager and master roaster Clare Cosi to consult on a Rose Garden Wedding, she uncovers long-simmering secrets that threaten to boil over...

Clare’s Washington visit is off to a graceful start, when she lands a housesitting job in a Georgetown mansion and is invited to work on the Smithsonian’s salute to coffee in America. Unfortunately, her new Village Blend DC is struggling—until its second floor Jazz Space attracts a high-profile fan in the daughter of the President. But as Clare’s stock rises, she learns a stark lesson: Washington can be murder.

First a State Department employee suspiciously collapses in her coffeehouse. Then the President’s daughter goes missing. After another deadly twist, Clare is on the run with her NYPD detective boyfriend. Branded an enemy of the state, she must uncover the truth before her life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness come to a bitter end.

***

4 stars

Cleo Coyle and her Coffeehouse Mystery series is one that I think you all should definitely try out. I have enjoyed all I have read so far.

This story is about the President’s daughter singing the blues/jazz in the Washington Coffeehouse Clare is trying to help bring more business. She has a lot to deal with in this story besides jus solving the murder. If it isn’t one thing it is another. But the overwhelming amount of story shoved into this book doesn’t make the reading of it overwhelming. It is as smooth as one of Clare’s gourmet coffee drinks.

At some point in the book… Clare is on the run… the prez daughter disappears… the head cook sabotages the coffeehouse when he gets fired…. a man dies in the coffeehouse kitchen… I mean, really a LOT of good stuff in this title.

I don’t want to give anything away so just go out and buy it. You won’t be disappointed.

I bought this book with my own money.

BOOK REVIEW: Christmas Caramel Murder (Hannah Swensen #20) By Joanne Fluke

Christmas Caramel Murder (Hannah Swensen #20)

by Joanne Fluke (Goodreads Author)

ebook, 204 pages

Published September 27th 2016 by Kensington

Goodreads synopsis:

Christmas normally descends on Lake Eden, Minnesota, as gently as reindeer alighting on a rooftop—but this yuletide season the only thing coming down Hannah Swensen’s chimney is a case of murder . . .

The holidays have arrived, and Hannah and her good pal Lisa have agreed to provide all the goodies for the town’s annual production of A Christmas Carol. But before anyone can say “Bah, humbug!” a Santa-sized sackful of trouble ensues. Like the fact that Lisa’s husband will be playing Mr. Claus to his ex-girlfriend Phyllis Bates’ Mrs. Claus. Or that before the curtains even go up Phyllis is found dead in the snow—wearing a costume that the real Mrs. Claus would put on the naughty list. Soon after the suspects pile up faster than snowdrifts in a blizzard, while a merry murderer remains on the loose. With clues even harder to find, it might take a visit from ghosts of Christmas past to wrap up this mystery in time for the holidays . . . 

Includes Over a Dozen Holiday Recipes from The Cookie Jar!

***

4 stars

If you say the name Hannah Swensen, I would have to say that I am definitely a fan. I love the world Fluke has created. It just makes me happy to dive into each title. I think I own them all by now.

This title wasn’t very big but it had a great story for the Christmas holiday.

Santa has been murdered and it is up to Hannah to find out whodunit since her friend, Lisa’s husband is suspect number one! 

Don't want to give anything away on this one. Just check it out. It is quick read.

All around great stuff. You definitely won’t be disappointed.

I bought this book with my own money.

BOOK REVIEW: The Agent's Covert Affair (To Protect and Serve #7) By Karen Anders

The Agent's Covert Affair (To Protect and Serve #7)

by Karen Anders (Goodreads Author)

Paperback, 288 pages

Published October 3rd 2017 by Harlequin Romantic Suspense

Goodreads synopsis:

HE'S GUARDING HER EVERY MOVE...Private detective Emma St. John doesn't care about military jurisdiction. Her JAG lawyer sister is critically injured--and Emma's baby nephew, Matthew, has been abducted by a vicious drug lord. She is determined to navigate through lethal cartel country to rescue the baby, no matter what. But she's stuck with a mysterious NCIS special agent riding shotgun...and Derrick Gunn is proving to be the kind of determined, cool-headed help she can't shake.Staying strictly mission-oriented keeps Derrick alive--and alone. But all bets are off as he and beautiful, independent Emma fight to stay steps ahead of their enemies. Her resourcefulness and courage ignite desire he's willing to go through hell to keep. But love and survival are never guaranteed..

***

3 stars

I had a hard time getting into the story of Emma and Derrick. I know a lot of intro paragraphs are supposed to throw you off guard or put you straight into the action. But I think not knowing what was going on made this book hard to figure out. The back and forth banter about Emma’s sister that missing had me confused. I couldn’t figure out who the heroine was in the beginning.

The characters were interesting and I thought the action aspect of the book was very good. But I didn’t find myself invested in “wanting” to read it and get it finished. I drug my feet with this one and was happy when it was finally over so I could move on to my next book in my TBR pile.

If you like suspense, Harlequin Romantic Suspense is a great place to start and they have a lot of titles you can add to your mystery/suspense library.

I bought this book with my own money.

Book Review: Banana Cream Pie Murder (Hannah Swensen #21) by Joanne Fluke

Banana Cream Pie Murder (Hannah Swensen #21)

by Joanne Fluke (Goodreads Author)

Kindle Edition

Published February 28th 2017 by Kensington

Goodreads synopsis:

A romantic seven-day cruise is the perfect start to bakery owner Hannah Swensen’s marriage. However, with a murder mystery heating up in Lake Eden, Minnesota, it seems the newlywed’s homecoming won’t be as sweet as she anticipated . . . 

After an extravagant honeymoon, Hannah’s eager to settle down in Lake Eden and turn domestic daydreams into reality. But when her mother’s neighbor is discovered murdered in the condo downstairs, reality becomes a nightmarish investigation. Victoria Bascomb, once a renowned stage actress, was active in the theater community during her brief appearance in town . . . and made throngs of enemies along the way. Did a random intruder murder the woman as police claim, or was a deadlier scheme at play? As Hannah peels through countless suspects and some new troubles of her own, solving this crime—and living to tell about it—might prove trickier than mixing up the ultimate banana cream pie . . .

***

4 stars

Before Hannah Swensen can return from her honeymoon with new hubby, Ross, Hannah’s mother stumbles over a dead body in the apartment downstairs from her.  Delores thinks she can be just like Hannah and do some sleuthing. But what she finds is more than she can really deal with. Thank goodness Detective Mike is on it and comes to Delores’s rescue.

Hannah returns to a great housewarming party in her new condo with Ross. Everyone had gotten together and renovated her new digs. I am not sure I would be so happy to now people broke into my house  just to put their on stamp on my new place. 

When her sister, Michelle, needs a new place to stay after taking over as the director of the musical the dead woman had been running (dead woman is Mayor Bascomb’s sister Tory), Hannah starts to realize she will need to confer with Ross about a lot of things she never considered … like asking Michelle to stay with them. When she was single, she never had to let anyone know what she was up to.

I enjoyed this book on many levels. I always love seeing one of my favorite series put out another book, but it seems like a lot of the regulars are demoted to “friend who brings the pizza” or “friend who picks locks”. Ross is pretty much the invisible husband who has no personality and barely makes an appearance. I miss getting to se Mike and Norman in more out front roles. Fluke has pulled in Hannah’s sister and her partner, Lisa, to give someone for Hannah to bounce ideas off of. The dynamics have really changed in these books.

There is quite a twist at the end which I think will make a lot of the die hard Hannah Swensen fans really happy. So I am hoping for business as usual in many future books.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

Review of Chance Collision by C.A. Szarek

Chance Collision (Crossing Forces #2)

by C.A. Szarek (Goodreads Author)

ebook

Published January 8th 2018 by C.A. Szarek (first published January 3rd 2014)

   Goodreads synopsis: Vowing to protect her has nothing to do with feelings.

   Detective Pete Crane catches a new shooting case and considers it business-as-usual. But when the lead witness is the Chief of Police’s fiery assistant, he never anticipated she’d challenge him—personally and professionally.

   Little do they know, the shooting she and her grandmother witnessed was anything but random.

   Thrown together, their attraction sizzles, even though she’s squarely in the hands-off zone. She makes him break every rule in his little black book.

   Nikki Harper has been attracted to Pete since they met two years ago. Witnessing a brutal shooting throws her into a stigma that’s always been her greatest fear: a victim. She has no choice but to accept his protective custody and let him help save her and her beloved grandmother.

   Can Pete protect his witness and solve the case, while fighting the intense heat with Nikki?

3.5 out of 5 stars

This is book two in the Crossing Forces series. This book features Pete Crane and Nikki Harper. 

While this book was more interesting in the area of the main characters interactions, I don’t think it lived up to the first book in the series 

My overall impression was that it was not really my cup of tea. I enjoyed the overall storyline but the amount of descriptive sex is just way too much for me. (I had the same problem with book one so I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised. But I wanted to know Pete’s story and how it played out.) I did a lot of skimming and I felt like I couldn’t connect with over a third of the book due to that fact. Some people may be all into this type of book but it was just not for me.

The main characters spent a ton of times thinking in their own heads while others did what seemed to me out of character things. I was underwhelmed with the bad guys. They sort of felt like generic bad guy one and generic bad guy two.

I think I have had my fill with this series and don’t plan on reading more. I am sure this is all me and my preferences in reading material. I am all into cozy mysteries where they focus on the storyline and the whodunit aspect of the plot. Making the sex the main thru-line just wasn’t for me. Other people may think this is great stuff and a guilty pleasure. Just not me at this time. I wish the author much success in the future.

If you like a lot of erotica in your romantic suspense, then this book will be for you. But if you are more about the mystery, you might want to take a pass on this.

I received this book (as an ARC - Advanced Reader cCopy) from the author in return for an honest review. I thank the author for allowing me to read this book and wish her many successes in the future.

Review of Collision Force by C.A.Szarek

Collision Force (Crossing Forces #1)

by C.A. Szarek (Goodreads Author)

ebook, 209 pages

Published January 1st 2018 (first published June 28th 2013)

Goodreads synopsis: Bad boy FBI agent and feisty widowed police detective collide pursuing a human trafficker in small town Texas on their way to true love.
   Badboy, married to his job FBI agent Cole Lucas always gets his man. So when the unthinkable happens and one gets away, Cole grits his teeth and hunts human trafficker Carlo Maldonado all the way to Antioch, Texas, where he collides with Detective Andi MacLaren.
   Cole doesn’t do small towns and doesn’t get involved with women he works with, but Andi tempts him in ways he doesn’t want to acknowledge.
   Two murders, her partner shot and leading the investigation on her own, the last thing Andi needs a cocky FBI agent that sees her as no more than a tag-along.
   Widow and single mother Andi is used to being on her own. When Cole gets stuck without a place to stay, crashing on her couch puts them in dangerous territory.
Attraction and passion bring Andi to a place she’d left behind when her husband died. Her three-year-old son quickly wiggles his way into Cole’s heart, and he starts contemplating things—family, love—that he’d never planned for himself.
   Can being forced to work together make them stronger or will their differences jeopardize their case and their hearts?

3.5 Stars

First off, did I enjoy this book? Yes. It was a good solid read. A 3.5 star read for me. But since Amazon and Goodreads have a 5 star scale, I gave it a four. This is mostly due to personal reasons. 

For one, I grew up with tame romantic suspense. More focus on the plot and a bare mention of the sex. In this, the sex is fully described. A bit uncomfortable for me, especially since my sister's name is Andi and I just don't want to go there in my mind. :) if you are a lover of a more erotic sex scene, this is definitely for you. 

I had planned to have this read by the beginning of the year, but the awkwardness I mentioned above and actually loathing the main character guy, Cole Lucas, made me not want to continue reading. But enough of my excuses. 

The plot is solid and easy to follow. The bad guy was the other brother in Dumber and Dumber and I couldn't fathom how he kept getting away from our heroes  The sex scenes are closer to erotica and if that is your cup of tea, great. If not, skim man, skim. You will still get enjoyment out of the read. 

I would have liked the plot to be more complex, the sex scenes left to the imagination and a bad guy worthy of the protagonists. But like I said, I have my own preferences. I am sure you do too.

I felt bad for Pete, Andi's partner. He obviously held a torch for her but she was too devastated by her husband's death to even notice. (it's okay though because book two in this series features Pete called Chance Collision. 

This is the first book in a series of romantic suspense titles so it had a second job of introducing us to a plethora of characters we might meet in future books. 

Would I recommend this book? Sure. It is good. Solid plot that is not complex. But be aware the sex scenes are pretty blatant. As I said it was a solid 3.5 star read for me. I will definitely pick up Pete's book and see how he fares the love game. 

Right now this book is 99 ¢ on Amazon. Check it out. 

I received this as an ARC from the author in return for an honest review.