FREE/BARGAIN — Romance & Discussion

[apesmom]

Freebie! Another well-rated Susan Stoker. Book 1 in this series was free back in May so you may have it.

Finding Lexie (SEAL Team Hawaii #2)

Spoiler:

A chance encounter reunites two old friends. They never imagined finding each other again, or the attraction and danger that would result.

Lexie Greene hasn’t thought about Pierce Cagle in years. So when the popular boy she knew in high school shows up in the middle of the Somali desert, part of the SEAL team rescuing her and a coworker from kidnappers, she’s more than a little shocked. But her surprise turns to awe, then awe to respect…and attraction…when he saves her not once, but twice before they make it safely back to a US Naval ship. Before she can blink, he’s gone from her life again, but not before an emotional goodbye and a promise to keep in touch.

Pierce “Midas” Cagle hasn’t thought about Lexie in years. Though he’s not surprised in the least to learn that the shy, kind girl he knew is now an international aid worker, serving the poor both at home and abroad. His attraction to the woman she’s become, however…that’s definitely unexpected. He hates leaving her behind after his mission, but Midas is more thrilled than he can say when she chooses the Hawaiian branch of Food For All for her next assignment.

Their chemistry is just as strong as it was in Somalia, and neither Lexie nor Midas has ever been so happy. Nor could they possibly suspect someone is outraged that Lexie made it out of the desert alive.

Kindle | Kobo | Google

[apesmom]

Freebie! Another author I haven't gotten around trying yet. Book 1 in this series is frequently free so you may have it.

Oak & Thorns (Wild Hunt #2) by Yasmine Galenorn

Spoiler:

Caught between the worlds of Light and Dark Fae, Ember Kearney was born with the mark of the Silver Stag. Rejected by both her bloodlines, she’s turned her back on her people to become a freelance investigator. Ember and her best friend Angel are led into a glittering world of conspiracy and danger when they are recruited to join the Wild Hunt, run by Herne, son of the god Cernunnos and the Faerie goddess, Morgana. Now, Ember must not only face her heritage, but she’s bound to preserve the balance between the Fae Courts, for if order isn’t maintained, war and chaos will spill out into the mortal realm.

Oak & Thorns:
When Herne and Ember are approached by the matriarch of a group of water-horse shifters to help find her cousin's murderer, the Wild Hunt is drawn into a dark and shadowed world of the Ante-Fae. But as the team delves into the details of the grisly death, they uncover evidence of a string of murders that leads them directly into the court of Blackthorn. Caught in a mire of political intrigue and shadow magic, will Ember and Herne be able to bring the serial killer to light, or will the King of Thorns manage to silence them forever?

[apesmom]

This week . . .

Guild Codex Universe by Annette Marie

#19 - The Unbreakable Bladesong Druid (GCU: Unveiled #4) - 4.5
KU, read this one. End of the Saber/Zack arc. Supposed to be more coming from the Warped arc and I'd really like a full Darius story but haven't seen any mention of that happening. I have a feeling the next Warped book will tell us what's going on with Kit and Darius during the events of this book. 19 books in and I still think this is one of the best things on KU.

Romantic Suspense by Karen Rose

#22 - Say You're Sorry (Sacremento #1) - 4.5
#23 - Into the Dark (Cincinnati #5) - 4.5
Listened, male narrator for a change but makes sense since POV is more hero than heroine in this one. Don't care for the narrator's character voicing, female horrible but male also bad, story is good enough that it faded into the background. Another long book I couldn't step away from. In #23 my favorite narrator is back but I think this is her last one in the existing Karen Rose titles (Hillary Huber). A couple devastating scenes in this one but so good. Last of the Cincinnati stories.

Hard Play by Nalini Singh

#1 - Cherish Hard - 3.5
Listened, narration is good.

Hidden Legacy by Ilona Andrews

#6 - Ruby Fever - 4.5
Listened, narration is very good. Wrapped up the loose ends but opened the way for the Arabella's story.

Fallen Angels by J.R. Ward

#5 - Possession - 3.5
#6 - Immortal - 4
Listened, narration is good. Narrator is better than who they use for BDB. Took a while to re-orientate in the series but after a bit it started to come back to me and I didn't feel the need to relisten to the earlier books. Filled in a couple holes that appeared in BDB #23. Series finished but guessing I'll be seeing some of the characters appear in later BDB books, especially Lassiter (in 2023).

BDB by J.R. Ward

#24 - The Jackal (BDB: Prison Camp #1) - 4
Listened, same narrator as the rest of BDB, OK. Spin-off series slow to start but got interesting.

Inkeeper Chronicles by Ilona Andrews

#1 - Clean Sweep - 4.5
Listened on Scribd. This is the first time I've listened to an acted book with multiple character actors, sound effects and everything. It took a bit to get used to it then I really enjoyed it. The actor they have playing Sean has the kind of voice that would be great for the BDB series. The world and characters are interesting and the dynamic between the MCs is fun so far. I've already started #2.

Purchased: none

[library addict]

Weekly Report:

Read:

• Fatal Deceptions (Behind Closed Doors: Family Secrets #5) by Cindy Gerard (C+/3 stars)
• Angelborn (Eternal Flame #1) by L Penelope (B/4 stars)
• Angelfall (Eternal Flame #2) by L Penelope (B-/3 stars)

Purchased:
None. Just freebies.

[tempest@de]

Originally Posted by apesmom

Romantic Suspense by Karen Rose

#22 - Say You're Sorry (Sacremento #1) - 4.5
#23 - Into the Dark (Cincinnati #5) - 4.5
Listened, male narrator for a change but makes sense since POV is more hero than heroine in this one. Don't care for the narrator's character voicing, female horrible but male also bad, story is good enough that it faded into the background. Another long book I couldn't step away from. In #23 my favorite narrator is back but I think this is her last one in the existing Karen Rose titles (Hillary Huber). A couple devastating scenes in this one but so good. Last of the Cincinnati stories.

Purchased: none

I love her books and they are great as audiobooks, but I couldn’t listen to this series because of the narrator, I’m happy than in the next series she didn’t use the same narrator.

[sufue]

I've read a few of Kelly Jamieson's hockey romances, back when I went through a sports romance phase. And I have memories of enjoying most of them, although not many specific memories of any one book. But my general good memories are enough to post this one - Game Changer, which is the fifth in her Wynn hockey series, is free right now at the usual culprits...

Kindle US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B085CBLMD2
Kobo US: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/game-changer-62
Kindle UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B085CBLMD2

Spoiler:

Sometimes not getting what you want is a good thing...

Jackson
I don’t want anything to do with my crazy family’s drama, which I’ve been watching unfold from a distance over the last year, but now my grandfather has Alzheimer’s and I feel I need to at least make a quick visit to see him. My hockey season’s over, all I have to do is get through my teammate Steve’s wedding, and then I’m on a plane to Los Angeles to do my family duty. After that, I’ll head home to Manitoba for some summer R&R at the family lake cottage.

Molly
Nobody’s expecting what happens at my wedding, which becomes pandemonium. I need to get out of there. Fast. Who do I turn to? Jackson Wynn, one my fiancé’s teammates. He’s been a friend to me since I met Steve. For one night, we hide out in his condo, but he’s leaving in the morning for California. I want to go with him.

Jackson
I can’t take Steve’s fiancée with me to California. He’s going to flip shit over this. But the lying cheating bastard kind of deserves it, and I’ve always had a soft spot for Molly. Or maybe not so soft…because she’s not only sweet and kind, she’s hot as hell. This is a bad idea for so many reasons, and I sure as hell don’t need more drama in my life, but I can’t say no to her.

On this nutso trip, neither of us expect Molly to bond with my bonkers family…especially my poor, confused grandpa. And neither of us expect to bond with each other…

[worktolive]

Here's another freebie that sounds cute - the price might only be good today (all retailers):

It Was All the Cat's Fault by Elizabeth Safleur.

Spoiler:

Eve can juggle work, school and a fixer-upper house just fine with a little help from YouTube. Well, she could, if her beloved cat, Thor, would stop getting into trouble—like getting stuck behind the walls. Thankfully, plumbers make house calls at ridiculous-o'clock in the morning.
Enter Brent who not only has all the power tools she needs, he looks like the God Thor. A mountain of muscle with movie-star hair, shining green eyes, and a perfectly scruffed, chiseled jaw. Just great. She doesn't have time for all the lusty neediness rising where it should not be rising.

Eve reminds herself and her weakening knees that she's a strong, independent woman determined to make it without anyone's help. But as more renovation and cat-astrophes pile on, she finds her fingers doing the walking to call Brent to her rescue.

And she has to decide if keeping him at arm's length fits her life plan, or if it's the biggest miscalculation she's ever made.

It doesn't help Thor seems to be in cahoots with Brent when it comes to foisting romance on her.

An opposites attract, mayhem and madness, romantic comedy. Oh, and one very naughty Maine Coon cat.

[worktolive]

Repeat freebie:

The Billionaire's Wake-Up-Call Girl by Annika Martin

Spoiler:

When my manager assigns me the task of finding a new wake up call service for our CEO, I think, how hard can this be?

Answer: practically impossible. It turns out that no wake-up call company in the world will take him on as a client. They’ve all had enough of his surly personality.

So in an effort not to lose my job, I secretly start making the calls myself, every day at 4:30 am sharp. OMG yes you read that right—four freaking thirty in the morning.

Confession: I’m not the nicest wake-up-call girl at that hour. Hello! Who wakes up before the roosters are even crowing? Luckily he doesn’t seem to mind my get-your-ass-out-of-bed attitude.

Day by day we’re becoming closer, and the calls start turning hot, like pay-by-the-minute hot and oh-so-wild. Snuggled under the covers with the moonlight streaming in the windows, we divulge our secrets to each other, but the one thing that he can never find out is that the sexy vixen who wakes him up every morning is just the lowly assistant who wears frumpy dresses. I can only imagine his disappointment.

Now he wants to take me out on a date and he’s scouring Manhattan to find me.

He’s an overachieving billionaire bent on a mission. How much longer can I keep up this charade?

[cfrizz]

Those that like Shelly Laurenston, book 7 Bear Meets Girl of the Pride series is on sale for .99!

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/bea...TZpvmLIOmW34hg

[apesmom]

Freebie! From my KU authors to try list. 4.5 out of 2821 ratings.

The Soul Summoner by Elicia Hyder

Spoiler:

Blessed or cursed with a connection to the souls of others, Sloan Jordan can see the best in people.

And the worst.

With nothing more than a glance at a photograph, Sloan can judge the living from the dead and the good souls from the evil ones. For twenty-seven years, she's kept her ability a secret. Now eleven young women are dead, and she's the only hope to stop their killer.

When she agrees to help Detective Nathan McNamara with the case, a stranger—both alluring and terrifying—shows up at her door with a dark past and another dangerous mystery: he has no soul at all.

[apesmom]

Freebies!

First time free for book 2, you may already have #1 as it's been free before.

Maudlin's Mayhem (Bewitching Bedlam #2) by Yasmine Galenorn

Spoiler:

Sometimes, even the friendliest of feuds can turn deadly...

When chaos descends on the Bewitching Bedlam B&B, Maudlin finds herself at the mercy of Murphy's Law. Everything is going wrong. At first, some of the chaos is just annoying, but then it turns deadly and Maddy finds herself on the wrong side with Essie Vanderbilt, the Queen of the Northwest Vampire Court. Now she must find a way to dispel the hex she's under, before the deadly curse kills again.

Haven't tried this author yet but the book has a 4.7 out 2176 and the series has consistent ratings without being in KU.

Dangerous Love (Takeback #1) by Riley Edwards

Spoiler:

One night. No names. Two hearts forever changed.

There wasn’t a lot that surprised me. My years in the Navy taught me a lot, my years hunting human traffickers taught me the rest. Meeting a beautiful woman in a bar and spending the night with her should’ve been a blip on my radar. Instead, I spent years trying to forget her. In the middle of a rescue operation, fate dropped her back into my life, but there was a twist—she wasn’t alone.

I lived and breathed romance. I was a true believer in love-at-first-sight-happily-ever-afters. Then I found myself staring at a sexy stranger across a crowded bar, fell in love, and spent six hours living out my wildest fantasies. But I ran when I learned love at first sight stole your breath and left you afraid of a broken heart.

Brooklyn Saunders has a secret to tell. One that will change everything for Rhode. One that will bind them together or separate them forever.

Rhode Daley has one shot at building the family he always wanted. That is, until his life implodes and his worst nightmare comes true. Can he repair what time has broken and save their futures?

Takeback is an off-the-books, special operations task force composed of military contractors and US Marshals. Their mission is simple—to save those who have been taken.

[apesmom]

This week . . .

Innkeeper Chronicles by Ilona Andrews

#2 - Sweep in Peace - 4.5
#3 - One Fell Sweep - 4.5
#4 - Sweep of the Blade - 4.5
#4.5 - Sweep with Me - 4
Listened on Scribd, narration different but good. George, Gaston and Jack are all grown up and they've completely lost their Edge accents. Fun series and completely different than anything I've read so far, binged these one after the another. Looking forward to #5 which releases on 12/13. Now I just have Kate Daniels world to finish off IA, I've had #1 on hold for months, should have it in a few weeks then shorter holds for the rest (hopefully).

Romantic Suspense by Karen Rose

#24 - Say No More (Sacremento #2) - 4.5
#25 - Say Goodbye (Sacremento #3) - 4.5
Listened, still don't care for the narrator (Joel Froomkin), many of his female voices sound distractingly like drag queens. Only one Karen Rose left to get caught up but I have to wait for it a few more weeks. I guess I can start trying to get caught up on Laura Griffin and Julie Garwood now.

Scarred Earth by G.A. Aiken

#2 - The Princess Knight - 4.5
Books 1 & 2 are in KU but I listened, narration is very good (Mia Barron). Love the dry voice she uses for the centaurs, this is a case where character voicing really adds to the story. Enjoying this series more than Dragonkin (and I liked that one). After the epilogue I'm looking forward to book #3 which is out 12/27.

The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson - 3

Listened, narration is good. Story does not work for me, doesn't live up the idea of the multi-verse.

BDB by J.R. Ward

#25 - A Warm Heart in Winter - 3.5
Listened, meh. Another Christmas novel where nothing significant happens.

Purchased: none

[library addict]

On sale Hunt the Stars by Jessie Mihalik (Starlight's Shadow #1) is $1.99

Spoiler:

The critically acclaimed author of Polaris Rising takes readers on an exciting journey with the start of her brand-new series about a female bounty hunter and the man who is her sworn enemy.

Octavia Zarola would do anything to keep her tiny, close-knit bounty hunting crew together—even if it means accepting a job from Torran Fletcher, a ruthless former general and her sworn enemy. When Torran offers her enough credits to not only keep her crew afloat but also hire someone to fix her ship, Tavi knows that she can’t refuse—no matter how much she’d like to.

With so much money on the line, Torran and his crew insist on joining the hunt. Tavi reluctantly agrees because while the handsome, stoic leader pushes all of her buttons—for both anger and desire—she’s endured worse, and the massive bonus payment he’s promised for a completed job is reason enough to shut up and deal.

But when they uncover a deeper plot that threatens the delicate peace between humans and Valoffs, Tavi suspects that Torran has been using her as the impetus for a new war. With the fate of her crew balanced on a knife’s edge, Tavi must decide where her loyalties lie—with the quiet Valoff who’s been lying to her, or with the human leaders who left her squad to die on the battlefield. And this time, she’s put her heart on the line.

Kobo

Google Play

Apple Books

Kindle

[library addict]

Weekly Report:

Read:

• Within Striking Distance by Ingrid Weaver (D+/2 stars)
• Beary Christmas, Baby by Sasha Devlin (B-/3 stars)

Purchased:
none

[apesmom]

Another T.S. Joyce freebie!

Gentry (Wolves of Winter's Edge #1) by T.S. Joyce

Spoiler:

Gentry Striker is right back where he swore he would never be again—his hometown. All he has to do is tie up some loose ends and escape the darkness that has enveloped this place, but he can feel his destiny pulling him deeper into the shadows of this old town. The local pack has been taken over by one seriously unstable alpha, and Gentry is a rogue on a mission to escape. That is, until a striking beauty grabs his attention and demands to stay at the home he is renting out. The problem? She’s human, and isn’t safe in a town full of monsters. Perhaps Gentry is the biggest monster of all, but she’s got him wanting to dig back into his old life and become a better man. She doesn’t know it yet, but she has his wolf hunting her. And he’s not the only one.

Blaire Hayward is on a last-minute vacation to escape the monotony of her life for a little while. The plan is to spend some time in a cabin in snow country relaxing, but when she coasts into Rangeley, nothing is what it seems. The people in this town are acting strange, and there is something dark going on under the surface that she can’t quite figure out. And at the center of it all is Gentry Striker. Tall, snarly, sexy, and mysterious, he’s calling to her heart in ways she never thought possible. But the longer she stays, the more uncertain her life becomes, because Rangeley is no normal town. It’s a town of beasts, and Blaire is falling for the most dangerous of them all.