Tag: Suspense

Chicago Syndicate – 06 – Black Hat Hacker

*** ARC kindly provided by the author, in exchange for an honest review. ***
Same as with the previous 5 books in this series I loved it!!  However this book can be read as a stand alone but believe me you’ll love the other books too if you haven’t read them yet…
This was a steamy, hot read with a sexy alpha hacker and a sassy heroine.  You just have to love both main characters.
I was glad I could finally read Henry’s story and I can’t wait for the next book in this series…

 

 

Title: Black Hat Hacker
Series: Chicago Syndicate #6
Author: Soraya Naomi
Genre: New Adult Mafia Romance
Release Date: March 28, 2017
Blurb

You don’t know me.

But that’s only because I don’t want you to.I have the most lucrative job in the country as a hacker in the notorious underworld. I’ve built entire systems and destroyed evidence for career advancement while stealing and exploiting data for personal gain.

I’m the black hat hacker for the Chicago Syndicate and hold all the dirty secrets of the most powerful men in the U.S. in the palm of my hands, just a keystroke away from mass ruination.However, no one knows my dirty secret, a decision from my past that’s just aching to blow up in my face and shatter my future. Especially when a certain wavy haired brunette begins to demand my attention with her odd ways and her carefree attitude.

She’s a woman who makes me go against everything I’ve ever believed.

A woman whom I’m forbidden from having my usual one-night stand with, even if she was available.
A woman whom I have to keep from getting herself killed, whether she likes it or not.You don’t know me, but neither does she…yet.

A standalone novel from the Chicago Syndicate world.

From Soraya Naomi, International Bestselling Author of For Fallon and For Luca. Novel Grounds Semi Annual Literary Awards 2014 winner of Best Breakout Novel For Fallon (Chicago Syndicate, #1).
Author Bio

 

I read many genres but favor intense, seductive, and provocative novels where the male character loves fiercely, without remorse or boundaries. I also adore forbidden love tales and have an odd fascination with kidnapping romances. No, I don’t secretly want to be kidnapped, though!

I have a passionate obsession with the written word and indulge in chocolate pastries much too often.

My debut novel For Fallon (Chicago Syndicate, #1) was released on July 26, 2014. I’m honored that For Fallon won “Best Breakout Novel 2014” in the Novel Grounds Semi Annual Literary Awards.

Sign up to Soraya’s newsletter to keep up to date with release dates: http://eepurl.com/b0MS85

Author Links

Blackwood by Celia Aaron – Chapter Reveal

 

 

 

 

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I dig. It’s what I do. I’ll literally use a shovel to answer a question. Some answers, though, have been buried too deep for too long. But I’ll find those, too. And I know where to dig—the Blackwood Estate on the edge of the Mississippi Delta. Garrett Blackwood is the only thing standing between me and the truth. A broken man—one with desires that dance in the darkest part of my soul—he’s either my savior or my enemy. I’ll dig until I find all his secrets. Then I’ll run so he never finds mine. The only problem? He likes it when I run.

Author’s Note: This is a mystery/suspense romance with violence and explicit sex. Trigger warning.

 

 

CHAPTER ONE
The grand house rose from the ground as if it grew in that one spot, nurtured for years by the sun and rain. Trees encroached from all sides, their branches leaning toward it, as if seeking to gain some of the same sun and air. Despite time and neglect, the building remained strong, the corners sharp and the roofs perfectly angled. Whoever had built the Victorian masterpiece in the woods had done so with painstaking precision. It was meant to last.

The Blackwood Estate was the last stop on my survey, and I intended to get permission to search the extensive grounds and do a few digs. Acres and acres of woods, unused farmland, and various creeks and river branches would provide months—if not years—of interest. But my main focus at that moment was the immense home hidden in the dark forest.

I’d pushed the main gate open, the hinges screeching in disrepair. The driveway was mostly clear, the cracks in the concrete streaking like dark lightning. I’d rolled steadily forward, eyeing the gentle hills and wondering what archaeological treasures lay buried beneath the fertile Mississippi Delta dirt.

 

At the end of the drive, I’d found the faded mansion, vines growing along the sides and a front porch swing rocking in the breeze. Despite its strong bones, time had worn away much of the home’s superficial beauty—the gray and white paint peeled, dark green shutters along the first floor hung askew, and the windows carried a film of dirt, making it hard to tell if someone lurked inside, watching.

A shiver ran through me at the prospect. Slowing, I took in the house’s worn façade and maneuvered around a fallen limb. I eyed the second floor windows, but nothing moved. It was as if the house was holding its breath, waiting for something. For me?

I drove to the side of the structure, the driveway continuing further into the dark property. Gathering my notepad, I climbed out of the car and took the full brunt of the winter wind. Fall had come and gone, leaves littering the ground and crunching beneath my feet. A surprisingly cold winter had followed in its wake, the low temperatures often the first subject of any conversation I’d had with the locals.

The sun flirted with the tops of the trees to my left, throwing dappled shadows against the turret that rose three stories along the side of the house. A weather vane sat atop it, though it seemed frozen, the direction signifying nothing.

Pulling my red pea coat closed, I climbed the front steps and knocked on the dark brown front door with as much authority as I could muster. The wood was too thick and seemed to absorb the sound from my knuckles so that only someone standing right next to it would even hear it.

 

“Hello?” I banged on the door with the side of my fist. A solid thunk of flesh on wood was my only reward.

I glanced around for a doorbell or a knocker. Nothing.

The wind picked up again, whistling along the eaves of the house like an unruly ghost.

I swore under my breath and knocked again. “Is anyone home? I’m Elise Vale from the university. I just have a few questions.”

No luck. The house remained silent, watching me. Turning, I walked along the front porch, past the rusted swing, and to a set of dusty windows. I bent over to peek inside.

The interior was so dark that what little sunlight filtered through the surrounding trees was still too much. The gold reflection blinded more than it illuminated. I dropped my note pad onto the swing and cupped my hands on the chilly glass to peer inside.

When I saw a face only inches away from mine, I shrieked and stumbled backwards, falling on my ass with a thump.

 

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Celia Aaron is the self-publishing pseudonym of a published romance and erotica author. She loves to write stories with hot heroes and heroines that are twisty and often dark. Thanks for reading.

 

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4,25 stars for “Careless Whispers – 03 – Surrender” by Lisa Renee Jones

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*** ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. ***

I loved reading this conclusion to another wonderful series by Lisa Renee Jones.  This series has everything… romance, suspense, a sassy and strong heroine, a hot and protective hero, chemistry and a great story-line.

In this book Ella gets more flashbacks until the puzzle is solved.  But who can be trusted and who can’t while gaining new information.  Will Kayden see how strong she really is?  Will their relationship be strong enough with all the secrets revealed?

What I did miss was an epilogue.  This couple has captivated me 3 books long and for me personally it ends to abrupt.  They finally get their HEA but I would have loved and epilogue to see in their future.  Let’s hope to read more about them in another book…  Speaking about another book.  I wouldn’t mind a book on Sasha and Adriel. Please, please, please … write their story for us!

I also loved reading more about Chris and Sara from the “Inside Out” series which is also worth reading if you haven’t already .. If you haven’t read that series yet I would suggest to start there since this series is a spin-off of the Inside Out series.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:
New York Times bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones returns with the third book in the sexy, suspenseful Careless Whispers series.
Passion burns fiercely hot between Ella Ferguson and Kayden Wilkens, the man who held secrets and lies in his hands, and then allowed them to fall into hers. But even though he has become her anchor
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helping her recover from amnesia after finding her unconscious in an alley, and allowing her into his secret world
—
all is not what it seems. Kayden still has secrets, and pieces of Ella’s past are still shrouded
in the darkness of her mind, while the powerful man who hunts her will not stop until she is his. In this final, explosive novel in the Careless Whispers series, Ella discovers that while her life with Kayden didn’t begin in that dark alley…it could easily end there.
surrender1
BUY LINKS:
SERIES READING ORDER
Surrender is the third and final book in the Careless Whispers series. This series must
be read in order!
DENIAL (BOOK ONE)
Denial Lisa Renee JonesFrom New York Times bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones, the first book in the CARELESS WHISPERS series. This is a spin-off of the wildly popular INSIDE OUT series that follows Ella Ferguson, Sara McMillan’s best friend. You do not have to read Inside Out to read Careless Whispers!
Ella Ferguson awakes alone in Italy, unsure of who she is, and a gorgeous man has claimed her as his own. He’s tall, dark, and sexy, with money and power, the kind of man who makes a girl want to be possessed. And he does possess her, whispering wicked wonderful promises to her, stealing her trust and her heart. Soon though, the past finds her, yanking her from a cocoon of passion and safety. Everything is not how it seems. The truth will shatter her world, but it can set her free, if it doesn’t destroy her first.
BUY LINKS:
More buy links:
DEMAND (BOOK TWO)
demand-by-lrjThe sexy, breathtaking mystery continues in New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones’s stunning second novel in the suspenseful Careless Whispers series
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where shocking revelations will reveal themselves and nothing, and no one, will ever be the same.  Still struggling with amnesia, Ella questions everything she’s known about Kayden Wilkens
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the alluring stranger who claims to have found her unconscious in an alleyway. But was he truly a stranger
—
or did Kayden know her before his supposed rescue? Tormented by the potential betrayal he denies, with fleeting memories of a bombshell in her recent past, Ella must face a hard reality. Every action has consequences . . . and trusting Kayden, the one thing she most desires, might result in the direst consequences of all.
BUY LINKS:
More buy links:
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones is the author of the highly acclaimed INSIDE OUT series
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Suzanne Todd (producer of Alice in Wonderland) on the INSIDE OUT series:
Lisa has created a beautiful, complicated, and sensual world that is filled with intrigue and suspense. Sara’s character is strong, flawed, complex, and sexy – a modern girl we all can identify with.
In addition to the success of Lisa’s INSIDE OUT series, she has published many successful titles. The TALL, DARK AND DEADLY series and THE SECRET LIFE OF AMY BENSEN series, both spent several months on a combination of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling lists. Lisa is presently working on a dark, edgy new series, Dirty Money, for St. Martin’s Press.
Prior to publishing Lisa owned multi-state staffing agency that was recognized many times by The Austin Business Journal and also praised by the Dallas Women’s Magazine. In 1998 Lisa was listed as the #7 growing women owned business in Entrepreneur Magazine.
Lisa loves to hear from her readers. You can reach her at  www.lisareneejones.com
and she is active on Twitter and Facebook daily.
SOCIAL LINKS:
Text List and Newsletter: http://bit.ly/LRJTextList

4 stars for “Cartel – 03 – Empire” by Lili St Germain

*** ARC kindly provided by the publisher HarperCollins Publishers Australia, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ***

empireIn the first 2 books I didn’t really knew if I should hate or love Dornan but now … I really hate him and it hurts because more than once he showed that he can be good, he has a conscience, …

Love and hate … there is such a thin line between them!  Poor Marianna!  How much can a woman suffer…  She is such a strong woman and deserved happiness

What I did like about this book but what is often too much in other books is the multiple POV … For this book it worked because it really helped to find out what all main characters were thinking.

I loved this dark conclusion of the Cartel series and would love to read more from this author.  I loved her Gypsy Brothers series.  I still have to read the last book in that series and am really looking forward to it.  This author knows how to write dark, captivating books!

Be warned this book doesn’t have a real HEA and even though I knew what was going to happen I was crying so much…  Heartbreaking!!

 

4 stars for “Jericho Brotherhood – 03 – Deny” by Jade Chandler

*** ARC kindly provided by the publisher Carina Press, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ***

denyDeny is the third book in the Jericho Brotherhood series by Jade Chandler. I really love MC series and this a good one combining hot sexy bikers and a bit of kink.  Well in this book more than a bit 😉  Marr is a Domme who has had enough of men and Jericho is a Dom or at least, he used to be one until he made a mistake in the past.  Determined not to love anymore and keep his dominant side hidden he thinks he can have fun with Marr without getting attached but we all know how that goes huh?  You can deny as much as you want but what’s meant to be, will happen!  Anyway this was a great MC romance with lots of kink and some suspense.  I loved reading them and look forward to read more in this series or from this author.

5 stars for “Dollar – 01 – Pennies” by Pepper Winters

*** Copy kindly provided by TRSOR Promotions in exchange for an honest review. ***

penniesI received this first installment of five in the Dollars series by Pepper Winters, from TRSOR promotions together with an ARC for part 2. These weren’t the first books I read from this amazing author. I also loved her Monsters in the dark series and Destroyed. She’s one of my favorite authors in the dark genre.

This series seems to become another winner. In this first book we learn about Pim’s dark past where she is owned by a ruthless, sick monster who bought her at a slave auction. During those two years she suffers enormously. How much can you endure? When is it too much? But then Elder crosses her path. Is he just like her master? He feels dangerous but also safe. Which one is he really? Will he save her or is he just as cruel?

Oh my … I was so glad I had the second installment waiting because I needed to know what would happen with Pim.

Please be warned, this is not a fairy tale. It’s very dark and disturbing but oh so well written. I also loved how strong Pim was. Maybe playing mute made her life harder but also so much stronger.

4 stars for “Behind Closed Doors – 01 – Behind Closed Doors”

*** ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. ***

behind-closed-doorsA famous poker player being blackmailed and a woman who’s afraid of taking risks. What will she do when Trouble crosses her path? Or is it a man in trouble? A story of earning trust, betrayal and suspense. Another wonderful book from LRJ.

This one can be read as a stand-alone but it gives a little bit more insight in Ella so if you plan to read the ‘Carless Whispers’ series I would advise to read books 1 and 2 of that series first.

Both characters were wonderful and strong. You could feel the chemistry between them. And even though I didn’t really like Daniel at first, I would love to read his story.

I loved this story but would have really enjoyed if there were some small parts with Jason’s POV.

4 stars for “Careless Whispers – 02 – Demand”

*** ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. ***

demand-by-lrjI really love this author and have already read several of her books. As for Demand… it was great!! I read the first part in this series ‘Denial’ in October 2015 but it took me no time to get into the story again. I hope to read the next part sooner 😉

The story of Ella and Kayden continues. Ella’s memory is coming back piece by little piece. She still doesn’t know what happened but is an extremely, brave bad-ass!! Let’s just hope when Ella’s memory is back completely that she doesn’t turn out to be one of Kayden’s enemies … The last part ‘Surrender’ will be available in January 2017.

3.5 stars for Everything Stolen by Sophie Scarlet

*** ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review ***

Everything stolen.jpgLast year I got the opportunity to read the Absolution series by this wonderful new author. When I got the chance to read her new book “Everything Stolen
” I didn’t have to think about it…

What do you do when the love of your life disappears? Everybody important in your life has left you. You’re pregnant and feel alone… Another man treats you wonderful and you fall in love. Your husband is caring and always THERE. Your life feels perfect but then the love of your life reappears… I wouldn’t know what to do in such a situation!! Sylvie neither…

Right from the start I wanted Jeremy and Sylvie back together and I loved reading their story. It took some time for them to get reunited but a nice long epilogue made up for the waiting 😉 I’m giving this well written book 3,5 stars.

4,5 stars for “Sugar Bowl – 03 – Sugar Free” by Sawyer Bennett

*** ARC kindly provided by the publisher Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept , via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ***

I was so glad when I finally got to reading the last book in this series. This book was a little bit different from the previous 2 books… More suspense and I just loved how well written it was!

Two people loving each other so much they are willing to give everything up for the other. Such strong love!!

Often when there are 3 books in the series the third one can’t really keep me captivated but wow this one could! So far I loved all of SB’s books and it’s the same with this one.. I am so grateful for the large epilogue because I wasn’t ready to finish this series haha

I really do hope that Dennis will get a book too. Preferably with Caroline 😉