Very Angst Filled Action Suspense

“She’d thought she’d felt pain over the years. Grief. Regret. She didn’t think it could get any worse than what she’d already been dealt. She was wrong.”

FINAL DECISION: I found this story heartbreaking. There was so much angst and pain and sadness for this couple that I wish there could have been more time for the horrible past to be put behind them and for their happiness to be shown. I felt the resolution occurred too quickly for the darkness that encompasses much of the book.

THE STORY: Zach Covington works for Deveraux Security and is haunted by the disappearance of the girl he loved twelve years ago. He loved Gracie with a singular passion. When he sees a painting, he knows that Gracie is the artist. Anna-Grace Hill loved Zach until she believed herself betrayed by him in the worst way. When a chance encounter reunites them, Zach and Anna-Grace have to struggle through the lies and horrible tragedy that separated them twelve years ago to see if there is any future for them.

OPINION: Zach and Gracie have an epic romance but this story was so filled angst and pain and betrayal and sadness that I had a hard time getting through parts of it. I was pleased that things turned out well in the end, but I think that because of the depth of the darkness in the book, the resolution between Zach and Gracie needed to be more prolonged. After the disclosure of what happened twelve years ago, the two just picked up again. That didn’t work for me because it seemed like the two needed to work up to their happiness in order for it to feel real next to the blackness of the past.

I did love Zach’s dedication to Gracie and I thought the suspense story that continued from the second book in the series was well done and kept the story moving. I liked this book, but I thought that it bordered on being a very, very good book but that the transition to the happy ending didn’t work as well for me.

WORTH MENTIONING: I can’t wait for the story of the next couple. They have a stunning debut in this book (no spoilers as to who they are).

CONNECTED BOOKS: SAFE AT LAST is the third book in the Slow Burn series. This book can be read as a standalone although it does have a continuing storyline from book two in the series.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.

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Action Packed Paranormal Romance

“Love finds you when you least expect it.”

THE STORY: Arial “Ari” Rochester is a telekinetic who has spent most of her young life hiding her abilities. When he ends up using them to save her life, her secret is out. When her life is threatened, she ends up coming to Beau Devereaux for help. Beau’s job with Devereaux Security makes him the perfect person to protect Ari and to discover what is happening. At the same time, Beau and Ari end up falling in love. But the danger that surrounds Ari might end their romance before it has a real chance to begin.

OPINION: This is a high powered action packed paranormal romance. To me, however, the romance seemed to take a back seat to the serious action in the novel. I very much enjoyed how Ari becomes a real powerful character. Although Beau is definitely an alpha male, Ari is a woman that grows into a strong woman who can take care of her man as well. The romance is more simple than might be expected. There are no dramatics between Beau and Ari. They, in fact, almost too quickly take to one another in a serious manner. The conflicts in this story involve those who are trying to abduct Ari and thus that is the source of conflict in the story. Beau is also a character that I really like because he allows himself to be vulnerable about Ari to the extent that he is willing to show his grief and fear about her openly to others.

WORTH MENTIONING: Although this series has three books, I hope there is a chance that there might be more because there are some other interesting possibilities for stories.

FINAL DECISION: I liked this book although not as much as the first in the series. The book felt much more like suspense/paranormal because the romance was more muted. Beau and Ari were a nice couple, but their conflicts were all external ones.

CONNECTED BOOKS: IN HIS KEEPING is the second book in the Slow Burn series. Although the events of the prior book are mentioned, this book can be read independent of the first book in the series.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.

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Spooky and Sexy Paranormal Romance

KEEP ME SAFE is the first book in the Slow Burn Trilogy. The series tells the stories of the Devereaux siblings. Each story has a paranormal element and are also in the suspense genre.

THE STORY: Caleb Devereaux is desperate when his younger sister is kidnapped so he tracks down Ramie St. Claire who he knows has helped locate missing people before. Ramie has disappeared and Caleb believes her selfish for not being willing to help others. When he finds her, Caleb forces Ramie to help him but what he discovers is that her paranormal talent that allows her to find missing people takes an extraordinary toll as Ramie experiences all the fears and emotions of the missing person. Caleb is remorseful and promises to make it up to her, but when he returns, Ramie has disappeared. A year later, Ramie contacts Caleb because she knows that a psychic serial killer is stalking her. Caleb, who hasn’t been able to forget Ramie, is immediately protective and determined to take care of Ramie.

OPINION: I have mixed feelings about this book. I really liked the characters. Caleb and Ramie are a good couple and have an immediate connection. Ramie is a woman who is at the end of her rope. She is desperate and fragile in many ways. Some readers may believe her too weak to be a heroine, but I see her as an incredibly strong woman who has been pushed to her breaking point. I liked how the Devereaux family interacts together and I look forward to the other books in the trilogy.

This book, however, depicts violent events and is not for those who don’t like violent images. The violence is not that graphic, but there are serious depictions of rape, abuse and extreme violence. There is a horrible event near the end of the book that was difficult to read (I don’t want to give away spoilers, but it breaks many of the romance rules about heroes). I ultimately was alright with the scene, but I felt that the resolution between the hero and heroine was too brief. It seemed to me that there would have to be more emotional work between the couple in order to overcome the event. The failure to seriously deal with the repercussions of the event downgraded this book for me. Hopefully, readers will get more in the future books in the trilogy that will allow some closure to this story.

WORTH MENTIONING: There are depictions of rape and its aftermath so readers should be forewarned.

FINAL DECISION: I was somewhat disappointed in the ending of this book even though I thought the suspense was great and the book’s plot went in directions I did not expect. I think there needed to be a more serious exploration of the reactions to the horrible events that occurred in the book. I did, however, really like the characters and I was totally interested in the story throughout.

CONNECTED BOOKS: KEEP ME SAFE is the first book in the Slow Burn series.

STAR RATING: I give this 4 stars because I thought the ending was too rushed for the extreme events that preceded it.

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