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Monday, April 22, 2024

Review: The Carrow Haunt by Darcy Coates

Author: Darcy Coates
Publisher: Black Owl Books
Publication Date:  March 2018

 Remy is a tour guide for Carrow House, a notoriously haunted building. When she's asked to host seven guests for a week-long stay to research Carrow's phenomena, she hopes to finally experience some of the sightings that made the house famous.

At first, it's everything they hoped for. Then a storm moves in, cutting off their contact with the outside world, and things quickly become twisted. Doors open on their own. Seances go disastrously wrong. Red liquid seeps from behind the wallpaper. Their spirit medium wanders through the house during the night, seemingly in a trance.

Then one of the guests dies under strange circumstances, and Remy is forced to consider the possibility that the ghost of the house's original owner, a twisted serial killer, still walks the halls.

But by then it's too late to escape.

I found The Carrow Haunt a fairly enjoyable ghost story.  Remy gives regular tour guides for Carrow House.  She is approached by a researcher to host 7 people at the house for a week.  She is excited to hopefully see some ghosts.  She gets more than she bargained for.

As I said, I did ultimately enjoy this one.  It had a creepy atmosphere.  I enjoyed all of the characters, especially Remy.  There were some tense moments.  My only issue with it was the reveal of what was really going on.  It kind of felt like it was a cop-out.  That's really all I can say about without giving it away.  Despite that, I would recommend it.  It's a fun ghost story that will keep you entertained.

Friday, April 19, 2024

Blog Tour: Review of Dirty Books by Carissa Knight

Dirty Books
Carissa Knight
(The One Night Stand Club, #2)
Publication date: April 12th 2024
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

SOMETIMES, LIFE CAN BE STRANGER (AND HOTTER) THAN FICTION.

Carlie Taylor, a shy and (often clumsy) erotic romance author, decides to walk on the wild side at Club Nocté’s latest event – a masquerade party. What’s the harm in a little anonymous fun? Well, when that fun leaves you with flashbacks of a stranger’s kiss and the world’s most baffling case of déjà vu, things get interesting.

Enter Adam, a personal trainer with abs that deserve their own Instagram account (oh wait, they have one). When he starts training Carlie, the sparks fly—but not just from the workout burn. There’s something strangely familiar about those biceps, but where could she have seen them before…?

Cue the drama: Adam’s Insta-famous life is like a soap opera, complete with a villainous ex who could give Cruella a run for her money. As Carlie and Adam’s flirty banter turns into something more, the world watches, likes, and comments. But can their fledgling romance survive the glare of the spotlight and the ghost of masquerades past?

The plot thickens like a good protein shake when Carlie has her ‘aha!’ moment. That mysterious, dreamy guy from the club? Yup, it’s Mr. Six-Pack himself. Now, the question isn’t just about enduring a tough gym session, but whether they can flex their hearts into accepting that their one-night stand might just be the real deal.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo


My thoughts:

Dirty Books is the second book in the One Night Stand Club series.  It works well as a stand alone book.  This one is Emma and Adam's story.  Adam is a personal trainer who takes Emma on as a client.  She isn't the most graceful in the gym, but her enthusiasm more than makes up for it.  Both of them feel a strong pull to the other. I thought this was an adorable romance.  I really loved spending time watching Adam and Emma fall for each other.   I loved that they spent time on page having conversations and getting to know each other. The 3 "first times" was really cute.  Adam has definitely made it onto my book boyfriend list.   I highly recommend this one!


Author Bio:

Carissa Knight is all about bringing the heat in every romance she writes, but making the journey as angsty and awkward as possible. (Because come on! What could be more fun than making the characters squirm?)

While she’s a new kid around the romcom block, Carissa’s actually been kicking out books for over a decade as award-winning & international bestselling author, Carissa Andrews. If you like paranormal or urban fantasy, check her out.

In the meantime, get ready for her brand new steamy romcom series, “The One Night Stand Club!”

Be sure to sign up for Carissa’s email list to stay on top (wink, wink) of her releases!

Website / Instagram / Goodreads


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Thursday, April 18, 2024

Review: No One Can Know by Kate Alice Marshall

Author: Kate Alice Marshall
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Publication Date: January 2024

Emma hasn't told her husband much about her past. He knows her parents are dead and she hasn't spoken to her sisters in years. Then they lose their apartment, her husband gets laid off, and Emma discovers she's pregnant―right as the bank account slips into the red.

That's when Emma confesses that she has one more asset: her parents' house, which she owns jointly with her estranged sisters. They can't sell it, but they can live in it. But returning home means that Emma is forced to reveal her secrets to her husband: that the house is not a run-down farmhouse but a stately mansion, and that her parents died there.

Were murdered.

And that some people say Emma did it.

Emma and her sisters have never spoken about what really happened that night. Now, her return to the house may lure her sisters back, but it will also crack open family and small-town secrets lots of people don’t want revealed. As Emma struggles to reconnect with her old family and hold together her new one, she begins to realize that the things they have left unspoken all these years have put them in danger again. 

No One Can Know finds Emma returning to her childhood home with her husband.  She hasn't been back since high school when her parents were murdered.  The entire town think she is responsible but no one could prove it.  Now that she is back, she decided she wants to figure out what really happened that night and how her sisters are involved.  Finally, I have a thriller this year that Ii can say I really enjoyed.

The story was really good.  I was kept guessing and didn't call what really happened.  I kept changing my mind and, in the end, was completely wrong.  I thought the use of "then" and "now" was really effective in laying out what happened that night.  I also liked that we get a perspective from all three sisters.  Surprisingly, I wasn't annoyed by any of them.  The one person I didn't care for is murdered and I wasn't upset about it. I do recommend this one and suggest going into it with out knowing to much about it. 



Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Cover Reveal: Sunny in Vegas by Theodora Taylor

 
Releasing: May 4, 2024
 
The Ruthless Magnate Will See You Now
Someone I love did a truly terrible thing, and I’m working three jobs on top of my one as a showgirl at the Benton Las Vegas Grand to make up for it before anyone finds out—too late.

Cole Benton III, the ruthless CEO of the Benton Worldwide hotel empire, calls me into his glass office overlooking the Vegas skyline, demanding to know why I stole all the money from one of his grandmother’s charity funds.

I can’t tell him that.

“You are aware that I could have you fired, arrested, or worse,” he asks, his voice like black ice. Clearly dangerous.
Gulp. There’s a reason everyone calls him Triple Ice behind his back, and it goes way beyond the three Roman numerals behind his name. Rumor has it that he’s BFFs with the leader of a local cartel and that he’s not afraid to call him for favors.
But I can’t answer—not if it means throwing the real thief under his “or worse.”
I keep my mouth clamped closed.

And Triple Ice stares at me, his malevolent ice-chip eyes glittering with contempt.
Then he opens his desk drawer and pulls out…. a wedding ring???

Wait. What?!

 
This seriously spicy romantic comedy contains…
A suspicious Ice King of a CEO
A totally innocent showgirl Cinderella
Grandma blackmail (she’s ready for great-grandbabies)
A sexy contract with special terms and conditions,
Vegas level stakes, and…
A fake engagement that just might lead to real love.
 
Pre-order your copy today!
 
Amazon: https://amzn.to/4abijKE
Apple Books: https://apple.co/3VDKq0v
Nook: https://bit.ly/4ai5EFF
Kobo: https://bit.ly/49hoVWk
Google Play: https://bit.ly/43KzbW3
 
Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3vkNzru
 
Meet Theodora
 
After logging time as a music journalist, playwright, and radio writer, Theodora Taylor began writing hot books with heart in 2012. With thirty plus romances published to date, she has earned four KDP All-Star bonuses. Known for writing alternative heroes and smart, feisty heroines, Theodora's 50 Loving States series has become a one-click stop for an ever-growing number of rabid readers. When not thinking of ways to write and sell even more hot books with heart, she enjoys spending time with her amazing family, going on date nights with her wonderful husband, learning German, watching ALL the Shonda Rhimes shows ever, and attending parties thrown by others. She also loves hearing from voices that don't originate inside her head, so please…
 
Connect with Theodora 
Website: www.theodorataylor.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5368773.Theodora_Taylor
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Theodora-Taylor/e/B006JT9MYG
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theodorataylorauthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taylor.theodora/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theodorataylor100
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/theodora-taylor
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/theodorawrites
 

Monday, April 15, 2024

Review: Nowhere Like Home by Sara Shephard

Author: Sara Shephard
Publisher: Dutton
Publication Date: February 2024 

When Lenna gets a call from her old friend Rhiannon, she is startled; Rhiannon disappeared years ago without a trace. But Lenna is even more startled to learn that Rhiannon has a son and that she lives off the grid with a group of women in a community called Halcyon. Rhiannon invites Lenna, a new mother herself, to join them. Why suffer the sleepless nights by yourself? It takes a village, after all.

Lenna decides to go and hopefully repair her relationship with Rhiannon, but as she drives into the desert and her cell service gets weaker, she becomes suspicious. Who are these women and why did Rhiannon invite her here? And that is before she learns about the community's rules (no outside phone calls, no questions about people’s pasts) and the padlock on the gate that leads out to the main road. But Lenna has other concerns, secrets from her past she is terrified will come out. When a newcomer arrives in the community, Lenna’s worst fears are confirmed—she was brought here for a reason.

Nowhere Like Home tackles themes of complicated friendships and trauma but all with Sara Shepard’s expert twists that you don’t see coming.

Nowhere Like Home is another recent thriller that ended up being largely underwhelming to me.  Lenna is a new mom who is struggling with probably post partum.  She gets a call from an old friend. Rhianna who invites her to join a community of women in the desert.   When she gets there, she quickly realizes, something is not right about the place.

As I said, I was fairly underwhelmed by this one.  First, I think maybe I am in the minority here, but I am getting tired of reading about female characters who only whine and don't ask for help.  I couldn't get behind Lenna and her choice to just leave her husband.  It wasn't fair to him.  If she needed time she should have told him before leaving.  Maybe I got the wrong impression, but he didn't seem like a bad guy.  The entire first half of the book was really slow and I probably should have DNF'd it.  The ending  was satisfying and I did like the twists, so I'll give it that.  But they weren't enough to save it for me.


Thursday, April 11, 2024

Review: Heartbeat by Sharon Sala

Author: Sharon Sala
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Publication Date: February 2024

 Sean Pope already lost Amalie Lincoln once. This time, he will risk everything to never have to say goodbye to her again.

Amalie Lincoln moved to Jubilee, Kentucky, to start fresh, build her business, and heal the scars of her past. Little did she know she'd run into Sean Pope, a beloved childhood friend she hasn't seen in decades. But on the day she moves to town, a helicopter explodes under suspicious circumstances, wreaking havoc on the families of Pope Mountain.

As the Jubilee PD dives into their investigation of the incident, Sean and Amalie find comfort and a budding romance with each other. Life in Jubilee becomes exactly what Amalie hoped for. But as the investigators uncover the truth and the crooks behind the attack set Amalie in their sights, Sean must face the danger or risk losing Amalie forever.

Heartbeat is the third book in the Jubilee, Kentucky series.  This one is Sean and Amalie's story.  It's a second chance friends to lovers story. with a little bit of mystery thrown in.  Sean and Amalie were friends when they were little.  A chance move to Jubilee, puts them in each others path.

I liked this a lot more than the second book.  While there were a lot of perspectives, it didn't annoy me as much as in the second book.  At the heart of the story is a renewal of a friendship of two fated people that turns into a sweet love story.  Sean and Amalie were very sweet together.   There is a little bit of a paranormal twist here that makes their love story that much sweeter.  The msytery was good too and also came with an even sweet twist in the end.  I do recommend this one.

Wednesday, April 10, 2024

Review: Murder Road by Simone St. James

 Author: Simone St. James
Publisher:  Berkley
Publication Date: March 2024

July 1995. April and Eddie have taken a wrong turn. They’re looking for the small resort town where they plan to spend their honeymoon. When they spot what appears to be a lone hitchhiker along the deserted road, they stop to help. But not long after the hitchhiker gets into their car, they see the blood seeping from her jacket and a truck barreling down Atticus Line after them.

When the hitchhiker dies at the local hospital, April and Eddie find themselves in the crosshairs of the Coldlake Falls police. Unexplained murders have been happening along Atticus Line for years and the cops finally have two witnesses who easily become their only suspects. As April and Eddie start to dig into the history of the town and that horrible stretch of road to clear their names, they soon learn that there is something supernatural at work, something that could not only tear the town and its dark secrets apart, but take April and Eddie down with it all.

Murder Road is the latest paranormal mystery by Ms. St, James.  For the most part, I have enjoyed her books, so I was eager to read this one.  April and Eddie are headed to their honeymoon site when they get lost and come upon a figure wandering down the highway.  The woman has been stabbed.  After taking her to the ER, they become the prime suspects in her murder.  

I did ultimately enjoy this one.  The best part of the book was the main couple.  April and Eddie were just great characters.  Their relationship was fun and strong.  There wasn't really any angst between them as they went though their ordeal.  I really liked that aspect.  There is a ghost story here, but I found it confusing.  I didn't understand the motive behind the ghost. So that was disappointing.  The story is well paced and and had me hooked. There were also some surprises. I do recommend it.



Tuesday, April 9, 2024

Spotlight: Excerpt from The Book of 5 Mews by M.G. Rorai

 



Title: The Book of 5 Meows

Author: M.G. Rorai

Publication Date: February 8, 2024

Pages: 134

Genre: Cats/Pets 

Shhhh – don’t tell the humans. This is a cat’s guide to world domination; learn how to win hearts and get cheese with your kitty charm.

Meet Marble, a cat on a mission to rule the world with cuteness and get cheese. Marble is not your ordinary cat. She is a philosopher, a strategist, and a master of Catness. She knows the secrets to manipulate humans and get what she wants. Thus, Catness wisdom and insights are littered throughout this hilarious and insightful book, written mostly from a feline point of view (as the way it should be).

But Marble’s plan is not without challenges. She must win over a dog-loving human and keep up an endless supply of Colby-Jack cheese.

The Book of 5 Mews is a book for cat lovers, dog lovers, and anyone who enjoys a good laugh mixed in with a heartwarming story. It is a book that celebrates the bond between humans and animals, and the power of love and healing. It is a book that will make you rethink your relationship with your cat, and maybe even inspire you to join a quest for world domination. Not that you’d be welcome, unless you’re a feline.

Buy Links:

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | BooksAMillion | Apple | Smashwords | Everand

 Book Excerpt:


Introduction

I have spent many lives training in the Way of Catness; Humans might liken the Way to strategy. It is a gifted set of guidelines most felines stumble across during at least one of their nine lives—and, subsequently, become obsessed with mastering. Catness is water to the soul, yoga for the mind, and grooming for the world. 

Yet there will always be trials mixed with reward. Peaks and valleys merge to create the landscape—Catness is the pathway for past friends becoming feral; love becoming loss; treat bowls becoming empty. The Way of Catness is like a Cat’s mew: it can be the loveliest sound or the sharpest shriek, when needed.

There are different thoughts on Catness, but I live to no particular paw path; my prints are my own, defined by my experiences. True, I have taken some from other paths, as have most cats, though at the core each cat’s walk, their Catness, is defined by self, circumstances, and survival. But it can be shredded down to Five Mews: Paw, Slink, Roar, Tail, and Clarity. 

I will explain Catness in writing for the first time. 

Harper’s Commentary: Day 0

It’s hard starting over. New job, new town, new perspectives. So hard. Isolating. My plants are only so much company, and at the urging of text messages from family I decided to seek out volunteer work. 

My new career in technology blessed me with all the people drain I needed, so I went with the animal persuasion. I’m a dog person at heart. Grew up with mostly dogs and some cats but had more connection with the canines. Plus, the last feline I had contact with was my cousin’s girlfriend’s cat who pissed in the same corner all the time, despite having three litter boxes. 

So yeah, dogs were better. Cats okay. 

Wispy Paws seemed like a good fit…


About the Author

M.G. Rorai enjoys hanging with her cats and annoying her husband.

Author Links  Website | Facebook | Instagram

 

Sponsored By:

Sunday, April 7, 2024

Review: Everyone is Watching by Heather Gudenkauf

Author: Heather Gudenkauf
Publisher: Park Row
Publication Date: March 2024

The Best Friend. The Confidant. The Senator. The Boyfriend. The Executive.

Five contestants have been chosen to compete for ten million dollars on the game show One Lucky Winner. The catch? None of them knows what (or who) to expect, and it will be live streamed all over the world. Completely secluded in an estate in Northern California, with strict instructions not to leave the property and zero contact with the outside world, the competitors start to feel a little too isolated.

When long-kept secrets begin to rise to the surface, the contestants realize this is no longer just a reality show—someone is out for blood. And the game can’t end until the world knows who the contestants really are…

In Everyone is Watching, Five people are invited to an estate to take part in a reality game show.  The winner will walk away with 1 million dollars.  Very quickly, the contestants realize things are not what they seem.  All five of the have secrets.  The question is, who will make it out alive?

I really wanted to love this one.  It's right up my alley.  However, it ended up just being OK for me.  My main issue with the story was the characters.  They were all so unlikable.  When things start to go off the rails, I genuinely wasn't sure who I would root for.  I need to be able to connect with someone, but I just didn't.  There was one scene that did have me on the edge of my seat.  The lake scene gave me chills.  It's not a bad book.  There were a few surprises, but not enough to make me love this one.  I think it's fine, just not a favorite.  


Friday, April 5, 2024

Review & Excerpt from Scars on My Heart by S.L. Sterling

 

 
Title: Scars on my Heart
Series: Willow Valley
Author: S.L. Sterling
Tropes: Single Dad, Single Mom, Friends to Lovers, small town romance, second chance at love, only one bed scene
Cover Design: Thunderstruck Cover Design
Release Date: March 28, 2024
Goodreads: https://geni.us/ScarsonmyHeartGR
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/scars-on-my-heart-willow-valley-book-5-by-s-l-sterling
 
Blurb:
Willow Valley had become like home to me and my two boys, Dylan and Noah. Everyone knew everyone in this small town, and they helped us heal from our devastating loss.
 
Once I knew my kids would be okay, I started looking for work. Bluebird Books hired me almost right away. I was to run the new kids program that Trinity was starting. That was where I met Zach and his daughter, Grace.
 
Zach was the new owner of the Willow Valley Inn. He’d come in to return a book his daughter had borrowed from the program. We exchanged pleasantries and that was when the computer had gone down. Zach lost his patience, and that was when our pleasant conversation turned sour. I wasn’t worried about it because I figured I’d never see him again.
 
I was wrong. It turns out in a small town, everyone sees everyone almost daily, if not twice a day. At the grocery store, the gas station, the elementary school and as luck would have it, the bookstore. Soon, our conversations turn pleasant again, and without even trying, I find myself drawn to him. Then he asks me out on a date.
 
Despite my reservations, I decided to take a chance on love again. But just when things start to look up, Zach’s ex-wife suddenly reappears, causing chaos in his life once more. Which somehow causes chaos in mine when my children begin acting out.
 
Leaning on one another for support, we navigate obstacles that life throws at us. As time passes I begin to wonder if another chance at love will bring us closer together or make each one of us run the other way?
 
Buy Links:
Universal: https://geni.us/ScarsonmyHeartWV5
Amazon: https://amzn.to/49NeD1y
Apple Books: https://apple.co/49KaBHc
B&N: https://bit.ly/49EY9Ze
Kobo: https://bit.ly/3v6Minu
Smashwords: https://bit.ly/49Dk2YI
Google Play: https://bit.ly/49WxiY4


My Thoughts:
 
In Scars on My Heart, widow Iris has moved back to the town she grew up in with her two boys to start a new life.  Divorced single dad, Zach has moved to Willow Valley with his daughter and mother to open a bed and breakfast.  Both are deeply scarred form their experiences, but a chance meeting has them forming a friendship that turns into a romance.  This is the fifth book in a series, however, it worked very well as a stand alone.  I flew through this book.  I really enjoyed watching Iris and Zach fall for each other.  Both of them had suffered a big loss and I was rooting for them to heal and find joy with each other.  I thought the kids in the book were a great addition and not annoying.  Their struggles with the couple dating came across as very realistic.  I seem to be having really good luck with romance this year.  I am happy to add this book to that list!

Excerpt:
“Oh my god!” I screamed, grabbing for a towel that hung on the towel rack and quickly covering myself. It was too late, though. I knew he’d seen me, just like I saw him, as he quickly grabbed for the shower curtain that I’d ripped away from covering him.
We both stood there, looking at one another, our faces red, each one of us mortified in the moment. It was then I turned around, ripping my eyes from him.
“I thought you were downstairs. God, Zach, I’m so embarrassed. I’m so…” I took off from the bathroom, feeling like I could die. Panicking, I raced around the room, grabbing clothes from my suitcase as my heart raced until I felt faint.
I dropped my clothes to the floor and sat down on the bed, breathing hard, trying to erase what I’d just seen. I heard the bathroom door open and then felt the end of the bed dip down and a warm hand on my bare shoulder.
“Zach, please, this is just all too much,” I said, my vision blurring as I looked out the window.
“Hey. It’s alright. Look, I’m going to take a step back here, and I’d like you to do the same. Look at me.”
I could barely turn my head, but I did, and when I met his eyes, I didn’t see someone who was embarrassed. Instead, he looked at me with the same look he’d given me ever since we met.
“We are two adults. We are sharing a room. I know you didn’t think I was in there. Hell, I didn’t think you were back up here or were coming up anytime soon. So how about we both just forget what happened and try to have a good evening.”
I swallowed hard. I still felt like I wanted to die, and here he was trying hard to ignore the fact that we’d seen one another in our birthday suits.
“Zach, I can’t.”
“You can. I know you can. Now I’m going to get dressed and leave you so you can get ready for dinner. I’ll meet you in the lobby.”
He didn’t say another word. Instead, he did as he said he was going to.
Once he was gone, I reached for my cell phone. I needed help, and the only one I could think of was my sister.
 
 
Author Bio:
S.L. Sterling was born and raised in southern Ontario. She now lives in Northern Ontario Canada and is married to her best friend and soul mate and their two dogs.
 
An avid reader all her life, S.L. Sterling dreamt of becoming an author. She decided to give writing a try after one of her favorite authors launched a course on how to write your novel. This course gave her the push she needed to put pen to paper and her debut novel "It Was Always You" was born.
 
When S.L. Sterling isn't writing or plotting her next novel she can be found curled up with a cup of coffee, blanket and the newest romance novel from one of her favorite authors on her e-reader. Her favorite authors include Kendall Ryan, Vi Keeland, Penelope Ward, Lauren Blakely, Alessandra Torre and Willow Winters.
 
In her spare time, she enjoys camping, hiking, sunny destinations, spending quality time with family and friends and of course reading. 
 
Social Media Links
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/SLSterlingGoodreads
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hearomance/
Instagram: http://bit.ly/SLSterlingInstagram
Bookbub: http://bit.ly/SLSterlingBB
Sterlings Silver Sapphires: http://bit.ly/SterlingsSapphires
Amazon: http://bit.ly/SLSterling
Newsletter: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/64d6991578891ef5c9a2f474

Thursday, April 4, 2024

Review: From the Flames by Tori Wilde

Author: Tori Wilde
Publication Date: April 2024

Is that the girl with the fire in her eyes and the scars to match? Damn, Thora Hansen just walked back into my life, and Fairhaven's small-town air suddenly feels electrifying.

Camp Resilience buzzes with Healing Hearts kids, a testament to Thora's legacy—a legacy born from flames we both escaped decades ago, a rift that tore us apart.

Never imagined she'd re-enter my orbit, yet here she is, igniting Fairhaven with a spark I thought was lost.

Memories of our youthful bond, that innocent claim she had on my heart, surge back with a vengeance, undeniable, magnetic.

Last night, entwined in passion, confirmed it's mutual.

But today?

She's retreating, walls up, leaving me grappling in the wake of her sudden cold front.

It's not her family's disdain—she's brushed that off before.

Something's shifted, and I'm racing against the camp's ticking clock to uncover it.

We're on borrowed time, and I'm not about to let history repeat its cruel separation.

From the Flames is a kind of second chance romance.  I say, "kind of" because Thora and Marco were friends in elementary school.  So while they were young, there was still a strong connection.  Despite a tragedy that tore them apart, Thora is now back in Marco's life.  This story takes place in the world of the first book, Lines Worth Crossing.  I really enjoyed this one.  I loved Thora and Marco together.  Their attraction was strong and really enhanced by their childhood relationship.  I loved Thora's twin brother.  I enjoyed revisiting Marco's family.   There isn't too much angst, it's more about really healing old wounds and looking forward to the future.  I definitely recommend this one.