Come Back to Me by Sharon Sala ~ Review and Giveaway

Title: Come Back to Me (Blessings, Georgia #6)
Author: Sharon Sala
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance
Length: 320 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Release Date: August 28, 2018
Source: NetGalley
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

After a crime pitted their families against each other, high school sweethearts Phoebe Ritter and Aidan Payne were forced to say a tearful goodbye. Phoebe stayed behind in Blessings, Georgia, while Aidan and his father left town for good.

Twenty years later, after the death of his grandfather, Aidan comes home to Blessings--only to discover he has a nineteen-year-old son. Aidan is hurt, but thrilled to meet Lee. And as Aidan and Phoebe spend more time together, they realize their old feelings are as strong as ever. But with a complicated past riddled with drama and betrayal, can they truly forgive and forget?

**********

I have really enjoyed books by Sharon Sala in the past, but this one just didn't work as well for me.  The beginning starts off with a high-adrenaline fire at the store Aiden's father runs. And so begins a very sad and upsetting story as the fire spreads to kill he girlfriend's father in the shop next door. While this was a horrible tragedy, the fallout of the town's emotions set the stage and conflict between our couple in such a detailed way that made me feel so much for these two.

But then we get back to "now" and things didn't go as well as I had hoped. While I'm not a huge fan of the secret-baby, there are times that it is both appropriate and believable that will not lead me to dislike the heroine. Unfortunately, this book did not do well in that area. Not only did Phoebe not tell Aiden about her son (for 19 years), but the whole town knew, including his grandfather, and no one seemed to think it might be a good thing to let him know. I instantly disliked all of them. That is not a cool thing to do to someone.

Aiden's reaction to finding out about his son, Lee, was a very underplayed. I wanted him to go through the stages of grief and anger. He lost an entire childhood with his son, and he seemed to just be a little annoyed about it. Lee also didn't quite act like I expected a nineteen-year-old to. I kept thinking that he was much younger because of the phrases he used and some of his behaviors.

There were some really good spots woven amongst this, and if you enjoy the secret-baby stories, then this will be a great read for you. The mystery of who set the fire threads through the story, and I enjoyed how it came to its conclusion and the way the town reacted once the truth finally came out.

*I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of this book*

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

**********

Excerpt:

Aidan was carrying a suitcase to their car when he heard the sound of running footsteps. He looked up to see Phoebe coming toward him. Her face was red like she'd been crying and her long brown hair was in wild disarray. The sight of her appearance now, after all he and his family had endured alone, both hurt and angered him. He shoved the suitcase into the trunk and headed back inside.

                "Wait, Aidan, wait."

                He stopped, then slowly turned to face her.

                "What are you doing here?"

                Sunlight momentarily blinded her as she looked up. She blinked rapidly to clear her vision, then looked up again, searching his face for a sign that he was glad to see her, and saw nothing but hate and disgust.

                Her heart sank.

                "Please don't go."

                Aidan's body language was one of defiance. The tone of his voice held nothing but disdain.

                "The only thing that matters to me here, is that I'm leaving my mother behind. Her death broke what was left of my father's heart, and your family destroyed his reputation. We can't get out of Blessings soon enough for me. Go home."

                Phoebe started to shake. This was really happening. She was losing Aidan forever.

                "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," she said. "Please don't be mad at me! I know your father is innocent."

                He turned his back and walked into the house.

                Despite the sweat running down her back, she suddenly shivered. She'd never seen him like this - cold and shut down, but she couldn't leave. She stood on the sidewalk waiting, half-blind with tears as he and his father come out of Preston Williams' house together.

                Preston gave each of them a last hug, and then stood on the porch as they headed to the car.

                Preston saw her, but didn't acknowledge her.

                George glanced at her, started to speak, and then shook his head and slid into the driver's seat.

                Aidan put the last of their things into the trunk and slammed it shut.

                "I'm sorry, Aidan," Phoebe said.

                He didn't look at her as he got into the car.

                George started the engine.        

"Please! You have to forgive me," Phoebe cried.

                George put the car in gear and backed out of the drive.

Phoebe started running down the driveway after them. "Come back! Come back! Please, Aidan, come back to me!"

                Aidan glanced in the side mirror outside his window, startled to see her running behind the car. But they were going faster, and her image was growing smaller and smaller. The last sight he had of her before they turned the corner, she was on her knees in the street, her hands covering her face. The pain in his chest was so great he thought he would die.

                He took a slow, shaky breath and looked away.

**********

a Rafflecopter giveaway

When They Come for You by James W. Hall ~ Review

Title: When They Come for You (Harper McDaniel #1)
Author: James W. Hall
Genre: Adult, Thriller
Length: 290 pages
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Release Date: September 1, 2017
Source: Purchased
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

After her journalist husband and infant son are brutally executed in a fire in their Florida home, photographer Harper McDaniel has nothing left to live for—except settling the score. When the local police fail to take the arson seriously, Harper takes the reins and discovers her husband was investigating some mysterious deaths at a cacao plantation on the Ivory Coast. Now she’s convinced he was targeted in a corporate conspiracy to silence him.

Aided by her former mafioso grandfather and well-connected financier brother, Harper embarks on a global manhunt, flying first to Africa, then Zurich to expose a high-level cover-up inside a powerful chocolate conglomerate.

But Harper has a few secrets of her own—starting with her lethal martial arts skills—and she’s not afraid to take on any hired guns or guerrillas standing in her way. In trying to cover their tracks, the conspirators made one fatal miscalculation: they didn’t count on Harper McDaniel coming for them.

**********

I was so confused. So much of this story just didn't really line up for me. Harper Collins loses everything to an assassin and she's determined to find out why. OK. I'm on board so far. But when things get a little odd when she mysteriously has all these connections, including an ex-mobster father.

Putting aside the crazy characters, the mystery is a bit odd. Tracking down the people behind a chocolate corporate conspiracy takes Harper all over the world. Meanwhile, the assassin is on her tail, but only because he's become obsessed with her. Odd. A lot of this is explained - eventually - but it all just played out funny to me.

The ending seemed overly contrived as well. Their solution was so simple and yet overly complicated at the same time. Again, too many cases of "well, I just happen to know so-and-so from my past life."

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Private by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro ~ Audiobook Review

Title: Private (Private #1)
Author: James Patterson, Maxine Paetro
Genre: Adult, Suspense
Length: 7 hours 3 minutes
Publisher: Little Brown and Company
Release Date: June 28, 2010
Source: Purchased
Reviewed by:  Jasmyn

The police can't help you....

Former Marine helicopter pilot Jack Morgan runs Private, a renowned investigation company with branches around the globe. It is where you go when you need maximum force and maximum discretion. The secrets of the most influential men and women on the planet come to Jack daily - and his staff of investigators uses the world's most advanced forensic tools to make and break their cases.

The press will destroy you....

Jack is already deep into the investigation of a multi-million dollar NFL gambling scandal and the unsolved slayings of 18 schoolgirls when he learns of a horrific murder close to home: his best friend's wife, Jack's former lover, has been killed. It nearly pushes him over the edge. Instead, Jack pushes back and devotes all of Private's resources to tracking down her killer.

Only one place to turn: Private....

But Jack doesn't have to play by the rules. As he closes in on the killer and chooses between revenge and justice, Morgan has to navigate a workplace love affair that threatens to blow the roof off his plans. With a plot that moves at death-defying speeds, Private is James Patterson's sleekest, most exciting thriller ever.

**********

Private was an interesting audio experience. I can now say that I have tried - and don't like - audiobooks with music. It's one thing to have a few seconds between chapters when no one is talking, but music with the talking is just too hard to listen to. 

The story of Private is an exciting and very busy one though. Private investigator Jack Morgan takes on three different very high profile cases throughout the book, which I think was a little much (unless they all intersected, which they don't). I feel like the case of the dead teenagers and the murder of his friend's wife should have been separate stories as they were both very complicated and I hated bouncing away from either one of them. It made the book a little confusing with all the information and clues being found and discussed.

I also really didn't like Jack. He has some legitimate issues of PTSD that he's not actually dealing with. But he also treats the women in his life like crap with a fear of commitment and need for "freedom" that I just wasn't buying into. The worst part was that these women were very intelligent and still fell for it. Unfortunately, I don't see myself continuing this series with a lead character that I just don't like.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

Lover Reborn by J.R. Ward ~ Audiobook Review

Title: Lover Reborn ( Black Dagger Brotherhood #10)
Author: J.R. Ward
Genre: Adult, Paranormal Romance
Length: 572 pages
Publisher: NAL
Release Date: March 27, 2012
Source: Purchased
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Ever since the death of his shellan, Tohrment has been unrecognizable from the vampire leader he once was. Physically emaciated and heartbroken beyond despair, he has been brought back to the Brotherhood by a self-serving fallen angel. Now, fighting once again with ruthless vengeance, he is unprepared to face a new kind of tragedy. 

When Tohr begins to see his beloved in his dreams—trapped in a cold, isolated netherworld far from the peace and tranquillity of the Fade—he turns to the angel in hopes of saving the one he has lost. But because Lassiter tells him he must learn to love another to free his former mate, Tohr knows they are all doomed.... 

Except then a female with a shadowed history begins to get through to him. Against the backdrop of the raging war with the lessers, and with a new clan of vampires vying for the Blind King’s throne, Tohr struggles between the buried past and a very hot, passion-filled future…but can his heart let go and set all of them free?

**********

Lover Reborn is the story of two second-chances. Tohrment may have returned to the Brotherhood physically, but mentally and emotionally he is lost, consumed with the pain of losing his shellan and child. His obsession with remembering them is actually a very bad thing. While he should never forget them, the angel Lassiter reveals that Tor's actions have actually doomed his lost family.

I wasn't a really big fan of this story. When Tor is told he needs to move on and love again, he does everything but. And it's pretty obvious, but no one seems to call him out on it. He treats No'one like garbage, and because of her past, she feels like she deserves it. Sound familiar? It's a very toxic start to a relationship.

Ward manages to salvage their relationship, so don't think this isn't going to have a somewhat happy ending, but the whole thing left a sour taste in my mouth. The saving grace? Tor's dead family and the real turning moment of the book. I'm glad to see Tor on the road to becoming a whole person again, and before the loss of his shellan, he was one of my favorite brothers. Hopefully, I'll get to see more of that person now that we have all this out of the way.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

Darkness Surrendered by Stephanie Rowe - Review

Title: Darkness Surrendered

Author: Stephanie Rowe

Genre: Adult, Paranormal Romance

Length: 367 pages

Publisher: Independent

Release Date: May 9, 2012

Source: Purchased

Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Six hundred years ago, Elijah Ross was tortured into insanity and thrust into a mental hell that no living creature has ever survived…except him. Now, that same evil is back, and Elijah is all that stands between it and the destruction of all of humanity, but each step he takes drags him further back into the nightmare that once consumed him. Elijah's only chance is Ana Matthews, whose sensual kisses and passionate fire thrust hope and light into his blackened heart and fragmented mind, but her deadly past could be the final trigger for his descent into irretrievable madness and the destruction of his soul…and humanity.

**********

I think this will be the last book in this series for me. It's just a bit too over the top for my tastes. The whole losing your mind because you find your insta-love mate (and I'm not anti-insta-love in paranormal romance) just too much. It fits the lore perfectly, it's just not my kind of lore.

The overall story arc is what has brought me back so far. The Calydons and their fight against evil, which includes those that have found their mate, have a fascinating culture and their search for Elijah was very intense. But there's no common sense. As Calydon after Calydon find their mate, it's the same thing over and over. We must kill the woman! Even though they now know that it isn't necessary. The illusions are quite confusing. I think maybe they were supposed to be, but there were several times I wasn't sure if things had really happened when I was supposed to.

Just not my cuppa.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks

Review: Lost by Pandora Richardson

Title: Lost (Amelia Jones Private Detective #1)
Author: Pandora Richardson
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Female werewolf detective Amelia Jones, bites off more than she can chew when she goes undercover to catch her client's sexy husband cheating. A 25 year-old virgin lacking control over her emotions and animal instincts, she finds herself on a collision course with temptations that put her life, sanity, and family at risk.

I really wanted this one to be a fun read, it certainly sounded like one, but for some reason the character, Amelia Jones, just fell a little flat for me.  She didn't seem to have a lot of development along the way.  The storyline was interesting, with quite a few twists, as well as a neat little surprise at the ending to help you into book two.