Dagger's Edge

Book Review Dagger's Edge (Brute Force Series)

Title:Dagger's Edge

Series: Brute Force Series

Author: Lora Leigh

Date Published:August 28th 2018 

Date Read: August 30, 2018

The Blurb:

Ivan Resnova wants nothing more than to escape his hard, brutal past. Starting over is not so easy once you've been a powerful crime boss but now, instead of being punished for his alleged crimes, Ivan fears that the one woman he can't forget is in danger of paying the price.

Crimsyn "Syn" Delaney thought the danger she'd faced was over, and that she could resume her life. She never imagined it would return with a vengeance and throw her back into Ivan's world. But when an attempt is made on her life, she needs Ivan more than ever to keep her safe--even if she is in danger of falling deeply and dangerously in love. . . 

My Review

                   1 I just can't do it Stars

Sorry but I'm tappin' out at 20%. I don't think I have ever DNFed a Netgalley book, but I honestly can't take anymore of this. I wanted to quit as soon as I got 3 pages into the prologue because I had no clue what was going on. I held out and read 3 more chapters. When I got to chapter 4 and I was still bored, and uninterested I knew it was time to give it up.

The fact of the matter is this book confused and bored me to death. The whole prologue I was thinking what the hell is going on. Who are these people, and why should I care? The start was like being thrown into a wreck. Chaos everywhere. Then chapter one started and I was still trying to figure out what was going on. It was so frustrating. I had no back story for the main characters. No connection to them. It was a hot mess. 

Then when I finally did get my bearings of who these people were, I didn't care because there was no depth to them. No back story, nothing to connect me to them. I seen some names from another series by Lora Leigh that I read a few years back. The Elite ops series, but that just confused me again. How the hell do they tie into this series. The plot had no depth either. Ivan and Syn jump into bed in chapter 1. I felt no chemistry between them at all. Therefore the sex felt like flat words. Still I forced myself to keep going. I never got into it. I was bored and didn't care what happened to the main couple. On top of that I don't feel this book can be a stand alone read. It was evident that I was missing things that were either touched on in book one or maybe even The Elite Ops series. Either way it felt like I was punishing myself by reading this book. So I quit. Sorry there are Lora Leigh books that I own and love but this one isn't gonna work for me. Maybe if I didn't spend so much time confused, I would have connected but either way I'm out. DNF @20% chapter 4!

The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo

Book Review The Duke With The Dragon Tattoo (Victorian Rebels Series)

Title:The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo

Series: Victorian Rebels Series

Author: Kerrigan Byrne

Date Published:August 28th 2018 

Date Read: August 27, 2018

The Blurb:

He is known only as The Rook. A man with no name, no past, no memories. He awakens in a mass grave, a magnificent dragon tattoo on his muscled forearm the sole clue to his mysterious origins. His only hope for survival—and salvation—lies in the deep, fiery eyes of the beautiful stranger who finds him. Who nurses him back to health. And who calms the restless demons in his soul…

A LEGENDARY LOVE

Lorelei will never forget the night she rescued the broken dark angel in the woods, a devilishly handsome man who haunts her dreams to this day. Crippled as a child, she devoted herself to healing the poor tortured man. And when he left, he took a piece of her heart with him. Now, after all these years, The Rook has returned. Like a phantom, he sweeps back into her life and avenges those who wronged her. But can she trust a man who’s been branded a rebel, a thief, and a killer? And can she trust herself to resist him when he takes her in his arms?

My Review

4.5 Now and Never Stars

"A lot can happen between now and never."-Lorelai

The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo was such a good read. When I got this book from netgalley I had no clue who the hero was going to be. I only requested this book because Kerrigan Byrne is one of my favorite historical romance authors. But OMG when I figured out who the hero was I was flippin' out! Ash our hero (named given to him by Lorelai) was a man with no name or memory of his past. Found beating and burnt nearly to death the only thing that gave him the will to live was Lorelai's sweet voice begging him to stay. 

"Don't go, she'd murmured. Stay here with me." And so, he had. He'd lived only because she bade him to. Lorelai and Ash

She was his prayer in the night. His song in the dark. His past and present. His future. And he hadn't even laid eyes on her yet.-Ash

Ash had such a hard life and it turned him into a cold man. Kill or be Killed was all he knew. He was definitely an anti-hero. He had no problem getting his hands dirty, stealing, and killing without mercy. He had all the humanity beat and abused out of him. His only soft spot, his only weakness was Lorelai, the woman that nursed him back from the grave. Lorelai also had a hard life. Crippled by her evil brother and abused by him her whole life, Lorelai has known pain. However she didn't let it turn her bitter. She remained a sweet and caring person. Always nursing injured animals back to health, she couldn't help but put her whole heart into nursing the young man she found near death back to health too. Ash and Lorelai's love started out sweet and innocent but after 20 years of separation and abuse it had warped into something raw, and obsessive. 

"Lorelai. There are only two indisputable facts in this world: The sun will set in the west, and I'll come for you. Always."-Ash

"It's not that I merely missed you.....You are not a hole in my heart, you are the whole of my heart. -Ash

I loved the plot. When Ash's backstory was fully out in the open I was shocked and awed at all the twist. The way his past tied the series together made my heart so happy. OMG how I hated Lorelai's brother Mortimer. I wanted that pos to suffer so badly. Some favorites from other books in this series made cameos. Any time I can get me some more Dorian Blackwell I'm a happy woman. The Duke with The Dragon Tattoo was a great addition to Victorian Rebels series. There were a few minor things that made me take off a 1/2 star from my rating but still this read was a solid 4.5 stars!

Cowboy, Cross My Heart

Book Review Cowboy Cross My Heart (Heart Of Texas Series)

Title:Cowboy, Cross My Heart

Series: Heart Of Texas Series

Author: Donna Grant

Date Published:August 28th 2018 

Date Read: August 23, 2018

The Blurb:

Naomi Pierce isn’t the type to let a cowboy sweep her off feet. It’s not her first rodeo, after all. But when she returns to her Texas hometown, she can’t help but be swept up again in the rough-and-tumble world of hard-riding, bronco-busting good-ol’-boys she loved as a girl. She might be here to photograph her Rodeo Queen best friend. But it’s one fine-looking cowboy who really captures her eye…

Brice Harper is all man, all muscle, and all heart. From the moment he rides into the stadium, he can’t help but notice the beautiful stranger with a camera watching him fromthe stands. It doesn’t take a zoom lens to see the sparks of instant attraction. But things really heat up when he meets Naomi up-close—and he discovers that someone is stalking her friend. Brice wouldn’t be any kind ofcowboy if he didn’t offer to help the ladies out. But can the rough rider keep this spirited shutterbug out of danger—without risking his heart?

My Review

Cowboy, Cross my Heart was a cute insta-love, sexy cowboy read. The second book in the Heart of Texas series, Cowboy, Cross my Heart can be read as a stand alone. When it comes to insta-love stories they are normally a hit or miss for me. This one was a hit but it felt a bit rushed. What I mean is that it worked for me because I felt a strong connection between Brice and Naomi, but I felt their relationship went from meeting to moving in together in like a few day span. Which made it feel a little to fast. Still They were cute together. Brice was a sexy texan cowboy. He had sweet southern manners and was so protective of Naomi. I loved not only Brice but I adored his brother Caleb too. Naomi was smart, and sweet, and honest. I love that she was so supportive and protective of her best friend. The plot was really really good. I loved that there was a ton of action in this read. Overall a very enjoyable read. 

Sleepless in Scotland

Book Review Sleepless In Scotland (The Pennington Family Series)

Title:Sleepless In Scotland

Series: The Pennington Family Series

Author: May McGoldrick

Date Published:August 7th 2018

Date Read: August 6, 2018

The Blurb:

Captain Ian Bell is a tortured man fighting through grief and guilt over the loss of his sister. When she went missing, he searched for months until he found her remains. Now, three years later as the Deputy Lieutenant of Fife, Ian still hunts for her murderer in the dangerous criminal underworld of Edinburgh. He is the ‘Night Watch’ bent on revenge even as he saves others from the same violent fate that claimed his sister. Then one night, a young woman narrowly escapes death and lands at his feet...his late sister’s best friend, Phoebe Pennington.

Lady Phoebe Pennington—dreamer and storyteller to her family—is a committed reformer writing articles anonymously for an Edinburgh newspaper. One night, in an effort to acquire documents embarrassing to the city’s political leaders, Phoebe descends into the corrupt and seething netherworld known as the Vaults. When she tries to save a street urchin from an assailant,she becomes the target of a violent attack, only to be saved by the one man she has desired for years.

Ian’s attraction to Phoebe is as undeniable as it is unexpected,and she awakens in him passions he thought long dead. Fearful that she doesn’t understand the dangers of this criminal world, he is determined to save her from the risks she takes. Phoebe’s blood burns for Ian, but when she learns that he may be implicated in the scandal she is set on exposing, she finds herself torn between love and truth. But even as they strive to find the meaning of trust,fate is taking a hand. For Phoebe is the only one who has seen the face of the killer, and the sinister shadows of evil are closer than they imagine.

My Review

2.5 Slow going Stars

Sleepless In Scotland was my first book by May McGoldrick. It was just okay for me. Over 75% of the book was too slow for me. I felt like it dragged on and on. It took me two days to read this book and I can read through a book in 8/10 hours on a good day. I just kept finding reasons to put it down. I would get bored and go wash dishes or start laundry. That's never a good thing when reading a book. The fact of the matter is I felt there was a lot of filler that bogged the read down. I liked Ian a lot and I liked Phoebe as well. I would have like it better if it would have focused more on their relationship then on the killer's thoughts and Ian's mom's non acceptance of the death of her daughter. Overall It was an okay read but I don't think I will read any more in this series, but I would be willing to try the author again.