Till Death by Jennifer L. Armentrout: ARC Review

Blurb:

In New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout’s gripping new novel, a young woman comes home to reclaim her life—even as a murderer plots to end it. . .

It’s been ten years since Sasha Keaton left her West Virginia hometown . . . since she escaped the twisted serial killer known as the Groom. Returning to help run her family inn means being whole again, except for one missing piece. The piece that falls into place when Sasha’s threatened—and FBI agent Cole Landis vows to protect her the way he couldn’t a decade ago.

First one woman disappears; then another, and all the while, disturbing calling cards are left for the sole survivor of the Groom’s reign of terror. Cole’s never forgiven himself for not being there when Sasha was taken, but he intends to make up for it now . . . because under the quirky sexiness Cole first fell for is a steely strength that only makes him love Sasha more.

But someone is watching. Waiting. And Sasha’s first mistake could be her last.

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About Jennifer Armentrout:

# 1 New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Jennifer L. Armentrout Lives in West Virginia.

All the rumors you heard about her state aren’t true.

Well,  mostly. When she's not hard at work writing, she spends her time,  reading, working out, watching zombie movies, and pretending to write.

She  is the author of the Covenant Series (Spencer Hill Press), the Lux  Series (Entangled Teen), Don't Look Back (Disney/Hyperion) and a yet  untitled novel (Disney/Hyperion), and new YA paranormal series with  Harlequin Teen.

Jennifer also writes New Adult and Adult romance  under the pen name J. Lynn. The Gamble Brothers Series (Tempting the  Best Man/Tempting the Player) and Wait for You. Under her pen name, she  is published with Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

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Review by Yvette:

Thrillers aren't my typical cup of tea. I don’t watch a lot of crime procedural shows on television and romantic suspense isn’t my go-to genre when it comes to picking out my next read. I am, however, obsessed with anything and everything Jennifer L. Armentrout writes so I was excited to get my hands on her latest release, Till Death. After finishing this book, all I have to say is, once again, this author did not disappoint. Between the romance and the serial killer storyline, my heart was racing nonstop! From start to finish, I could NOT put this book down. A story that can thoroughly creep me out one chapter then make me swoon the next? That's definitely a first for me but, if anyone could make such a story captivating, it would be Jennifer L. Armentrout.

Combining a second chance romance with a goosebump-inducing plot about a serial killer ominously known as The Groom, Till Death follows the story of Sasha Keaton, the sole survivor of The Groom’s murderous reign. Sasha returns home after a ten-year absence in an attempt to put the past behind her but her return sets off a chain of events that suggests history may be repeating itself. Sasha has a new tormentor who taunts and terrorizes her, drawing out the process with one sinister act at a time. The situation is enough to give anyone that jumping-out-of-your-skin feeling where everyone and everything seems suspicious, raising the tiny hairs on the back of your neck. The author does a superb job at not only creating a backstory but expanding upon that narrative as well as gradually building and maintaining a heightened level of suspense that’ll send shivers down your spine and have you riveted to every word.

The narrative seamlessly blends this nail-biting suspense with a romance so sweet and hopeful that you can’t help but root for a happy ending. The reignited romance between Sasha and her old flame, FBI agent, Cole Landis, provides a welcome lightheartedness during a tense, fearful time. Understandably spooked and uncertain, Sasha admirably fights to regain control of her life, though Cole’s comforting and reassuring presence undoubtedly helps with that endeavor. I have to take a minute to acknowledge Cole without whom I (and Sasha too…but mostly me) would’ve been a shaking-hot mess. Cole is the knight-in-shining-armor type, swooping in to rescue the damsel in distress (even if said damsel insists she's not distressed). He's insistent and persistent and takes charge of the situation to ensure Sasha's safety. He's also kind-hearted, fun, and flirtatious. Basically, he's the textbook definition of swoon-worthy. Whenever I wasn’t freaking out over whatever new development was occurring with The Groom 2.0, I was daydreaming about a certain FBI agent so overall, it was a perfect balance between light and dark.

Till Death is one of those stories where I was almost afraid to keep going (because: creepy) but at the same time, I couldn't stop reading because I had to know what happened. I do want to go on record saying that I called the killer almost from the start. It was a hunch but it panned out – a fact I'm rather proud of because I rarely guess right when it comes to things like this. That being said, the big reveal and the journey leading up to it captured my complete and undivided attention. Overall, Till Death is a must-read romantic thriller that’s sure to leave a lasting impression.

*complimentary copy provided by publisher for an honest review

Rating: 5 Stars

Mister Wrong by Nicole Williams: Blog Tour Excerpt & Review

Blurb:

Cora Matthews grew up with the Adams boys, twin brothers and best friends who wouldn’t let anything come between them except for one thing—her. One of them became her best friend, the other, her fiancé.

She always knew she’d wind up marrying one of them, and Jacob Adams is the very epitome of Mister Right. At least he is up until he fails to show up for their wedding day. Not that Cora realizes it. At first.

As Jacob’s best man, and identical twin, Matt makes a split second decision, but one that will affect the three of their lives forever—he steps in to take his brother’s place. In front of the altar, exchanging vows with the woman he’s secretly been in love with for years.

Cora eventually finds out about the groom swap. The morning after the wedding. As if realizing she just slept with her fiance’s brother wasn’t disturbing enough, she’s forced to confront her feelings for Matt Adams she thought she’d buried years ago.

Matt’s wrong for her. In every way. But through the course of her real honeymoon with her fake husband, she starts to uncover truths both Adams brothers were hoping to keep hidden, for opposite reasons. One to protect himself, the other to protect her.

She married the wrong brother, but what if he’s been the right one all along?

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Excerpt:

“So?” I crossed my arms and leaned into the banister behind me. “Did you? Like my brother?”

She sighed, turning toward the open door. “Jacob . . .”

“What? It’s a fair question.” I shoved off the banister, feeling hope and heat tangling in my veins from the look on her face, from the sound of her voice. She’d felt something for me, whether it be the most passing of crushes or something much deeper. Realizing that had me feeling drunk from something other than alcohol. “Besides, you’re stuck with me now. Won’t matter what you ’fess up to.”

Cora started through the doorway. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

Grabbing the suitcases, I followed her. I wasn’t letting this go. Never. Not if she threatened death or castration or anything else. “Why not?”

She broke to a sudden stop a few feet inside the room. “Because I don’t want to focus on the past. I want to concentrate on the future. That’s not going to work if you keep asking me questions about Matt.”

There was a sharpness in her voice—one she didn’t use too often. She didn’t want to keep talking about me, which only made me want to continue talking about me. I’d struck a nerve, but I wasn’t sure how deep that nerve went.

I needed to know how deep it went. I had to know. My whole life, I’d been under the impression that Cora saw me as nothing more than a good friend and substitute brother. She cared for me, but not in the same way I cared for her.

Or did she?

“This thing with Matt . . .”

Her back stiffened.

“Was it a thing? Like ancient history? Or is it still a thing?” I closed the door and wondered why I could feel my heartbeat in my eardrums.

She kept her back to me, standing in the middle of the dark room like a lone ship on a vast ocean. “I married you.”

Yeah, she did marry me.

“But if he’d made a play for you, way back before all of this”—I waved my finger between the two of us, not that she could see it—“would you have given him a chance?”

“He never made a play for me.” Her voice sounded faraway, like she was out of reach when she was less than an arm’s length away.

“That doesn’t answer my question.” I stepped closer. “If he had? Would you have?”

Her back was moving faster from her quickened breathing. This conversation was making her uncomfortable. Why was that?

“Stop, Jacob. Enough.” She spun on me, swaying in place just enough that I reached out to steady her. She shook my hand away like it was white-hot. “I’m not going to get into another fight with you over Matt. I’m done. I picked you. I married you. What else do I have to prove?”

“That you don’t—”

“I don’t love Matt!” Her arms flung out at her sides as her voice spilled across the room. ‘There. I said it. Are you happy now? Are you happy we’ve managed to get into another argument over this infatuation you’re convinced I have for your brother? On our wedding night of all times?” She glared at me with bleary eyes. I couldn’t tell if that was from tears or from alcohol. Maybe both.

“Cora, I’m sorry.” I ran my hands through my hair, wondering what in the hell I was doing—for the millionth time that day. Deceiving her, betraying her, and now accusing and angering her. Maybe I didn’t know the first fucking thing about love. Maybe Jacob knew more about it than I did, because I wasn’t sure love was supposed to hurt as badly as this did.

“Just . . . enough already.” As she shouldered past me, I reached for her, but she shook me off. “I need to be alone.”

She slammed the front door behind her a moment later, leaving me alone with my idiocy.

“Cora,” I called to an empty room. I wasn’t thinking when I rushed toward the door after her. “Cora!”

The moment I pulled the door open, something crashed into me. It made a sharp breath rush out of my mouth as I staggered back a few steps.

My arms barely had time to wrap around her before Cora’s mouth was on mine, moving in such a way that made staying upright next to impossible. Before I had a chance to catch up to the fact that I was kissing Cora in an entirely different way than we’d kissed at the wedding and reception, her fingers were working at my belt. Quickly.

I didn’t know she’d already gotten it undone before she’d moved on to my zipper. The sounds she was making as she kissed me, the way her body felt aligned against mine, the way her mouth knew the intricate balance of submission and domination . . . one moment at a time, Cora was crushing the last remnants of my resolve. Destroying the final pieces of my views of right and wrong.

About the Author:

I'm the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the CRASH series (HarperTeen, S&S UK), LOST & FOUND series, UP IN FLAMES (S&S UK), The EDEN TRILOGY, and a handful of others. I write stories about everyday kinds of people who find themselves in extraordinary kinds of situations. I tell love stories with happy endings because I believe in making the world a better place, and that's one tiny way I can make it so. I'm one of those people who still believe in true love and soul mates, and would rather keep my head in the clouds any day over having my feet firmly on the ground.

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Review by Michelle:

There is something about a love triangle that gets me every time. But a love triangle between brothers? And twin brothers at that? All with the name Nicole Williams on the cover? I couldn't my hands on Mister Wrong fast enough! If you are an angst lover, this book has it in spades. From yearning to passion, from frustration to sympathy, from confusion to elation, Mister Wrong delivers on all the feels.

As we all know, even the happiest of couples have their fair share of ups and downs and when the groom misses his own wedding, it doesn't seem that he and Cora could have been all that happy to begin with. Is the wedding the real issue or just the breaking point? Maybe there is more than meets the eye going on with this tumultuous couple.

Nicole Williams doesn't waste any time immediately immersing us in a wedding under false pretenses and a cavalcade of unrequited love and longing. From there we are inundated with an unwinnable situation from any angle rife with deception, betrayal, indecision, and inevitable pain.

Although I am a huge fan of all the angst that comes with choosing between two identical twin brothers, I wasn't in love with the actions of any of the characters in this story really. I did not love that the substitute groom did what he did after the wedding, no matter what his reasoning behind it. It would have been a completely different situation if Cora had known, really known, before those actions took place. I, of course, did not love the intended groom and pretty much all of his actions and decisions throughout the book with exception of the last. That being said, although I understood, sort of, the motivation behind their relationship, I wasn't really loving how Cora stuck around for so long through all the ups and downs over the years. I know that she saw glimpses of the man she believed he was or could be, but to me, the bad far outweighed the good and it left me feeling like Cora was a bit weak and a bit of a doormat when she could have at least tried for what she really wanted all along. I also would have loved an epilogue as the resolution just didn't quite feel as complete and fulfilling as I had hoped.

Not at all what I was expecting from this story yet just as heart pounding, pulse racing, keep you hooked and furiously flipping pages as we've become accustomed to in a Nicole Williams romance. Fun, exciting, angsty, and addicting, if you are looking for a quick, unique read, Mister Wrong may just be exactly what you are looking for.

*complimentary copy provided by author for an honest review

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Throne of Truth (Truth and Lies Duet #2) by Pepper Winters: Release Blitz

Blurb:

The thrilling conclusion to Crown of Lies from New York Times Bestseller, Pepper Winters

“My body blinded me while his lies destroyed me. Penn Everett swept me from my world and into his, and when his lies fell apart, I finally opened my eyes to the truth. The awful, terrible truth.”

Noelle Charlston had it all: her company, a love affair, power and protection.
However, she didn’t pay attention, and in one night, everything she believed in, everyone she trusted turned out to be worse than fake.
Now, she has no one to help her. No one to free her.
She’s on her own and has to make the choice.
Who to believe?
Who to fight?

Click to Buy the Truth and Lies Duet on Amazon:

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About the Author:

Pepper Winters wears many roles. Some of them include writer, reader, sometimes wife. She loves dark, taboo stories that twist with your head. The more tortured the hero, the better, and she constantly thinks up ways to break and fix her characters. Oh, and sex… her books have sex.

She loves to travel and has an amazing, fabulous hubby who puts up with her love affair with her book boyfriends.

Her debut book Tears of Tess is followed by Quintessentially Q and Twisted Together. You didn’t think Q could stop so soon, did you? Her other two titles, Last Shadow and Broken Chance will be coming soon.

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Perfect for You (Sunshine Creek Vineyard #2) by Candis Terry: Release Blast w/ Excerpt & Giveaway

Blurb:

Meet the Kincade brothers: they’ll do what it takes to protect their legacy--but what happens when love gets in the way?

Declan Kincade has spent so much time chasing success he’s almost forgotten how to just live. Lately though, his all-business routine has been thrown into disarray. Brooke Hastings is the best employee Dec’s ever had: polished, capable, and intelligent. After four years, he’s just realized that she’s also smoking hot. But their working relationship is too valuable to stake on a fling, no matter how mind-bendingly pleasurable it promises to be.

What’s worse than never meeting the right man? Finding him, and then working side-by-side every day while he remains absolutely blind to your existence. That is, until one temptation-packed road-trip changes everything. Teaching her gorgeous, driven boss how to cut loose and have fun is the toughest challenge Brooke’s ever faced. But it’s one that could give both of them exactly what they need, if Dec will take a chance on a perfect—and perfectly unexpected—love. 
 

Click to Buy the Sunshine Creek Vineyard Series on Amazon:

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About the Author:

Best-selling and award winning author Candis Terry entertains readers with contemporary romance the Library Journal Reviews calls uniquely satisfying. Both her Sugar Shack and Sweet, Texas series deliver witty and emotional stories about how love, family, and a small town community defines the characters’ lives. Born and raised near the sunny beaches of Southern California, Candis now makes her home on an Idaho farm. She’s experienced life in such diverse ways as working in a Hollywood recording studio to chasing down wayward steers and loves to escape to the breathtaking Idaho forests to energize her imagination.

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Excerpt:

The sunlight caught like spun gold in the wavy strands of her hair. He liked that her face was makeup free, but mostly he liked that she didn’t need a mask to feel confident. Not that he ever planned to date Brooke, but he’d dated a lot of women who’d refused to leave the house until their makeup had been perfectly applied and every hair was in place.

In his mind, all that preparation took away an opportunity for spontaneity. With his busy schedule, sometimes that’s all he could manage—a last minute invite. Brooke had so much sexy going on she didn’t need all that stuff. And today she’d pretty much proved that she was game for the whole spur-of-the-moment thing. Impressive.

“How many business lunches and dinners have I sat through with you, Mr. Kincade?”

He shrugged. “Too many to count.”

“Bingo.” She pointed. “And do you know what you order almost each and every time?”

“No.”

“Seared ahi.”

“And the problem with that is?”

“Boring.”

“I like ahi.”

“Good for you. But why not expand your horizons? Eating the same old same old every day is like having missionary sex every time the mood strikes.”

And why did she need to bring that up? Because his imagination definitely didn’t need a push in that direction.

“Shake things up.” She waved her hands upward like she was about to take flight. “Be daring. Live a little.”

Damn she was animated. How the hell did someone get like that?

“I’m happy with things the way they are.”

“Are you really?” As she leaned into the table, the unyielding fabric of that tight white tank top across her breasts dominated his attention.

He didn’t respond.

Couldn’t.

He was too . . . distracted.

“You know what they say; all work and no play . . .” she said with a shrug, leaving the remainder of that statement hanging like a noose.

“So you’re saying that eating fish tacos is suddenly going to shake things up in my life?”

“Breaking your same old song and dance routine will. After you’ve opened up the door, anything can happen. Aren’t you the least bit curious?”

The server interrupted them to deliver a large plate of steaming soft tacos, bowls of salsa and sour cream, and two giant froufrou drinks with slices of pineapple and maraschino cherries speared by pink umbrellas.

Oh hell no.

He was not going to drink something that would immediately revoke his man card. But when Brooke plucked the cherry from her glass, dangled it in the air, and captured it with her tongue, he had second thoughts. By the time she settled the bright pink straw between the soft cushion of her lips and sucked the orange frothy drink into her mouth, he figured he’d be game for just about any damn thing. As long as he could watch her do that all day long.

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