Mend (Waters, #2) by Kivrin Wilson audiobook review

 

Mend

Kivrin Wilson

Blurb: 

PAIGE

Logan McKinley. My ex. I knew he was trouble from the first moment I laid eyes on him.

Fresh out of law school with a new job at one of San Diego’s biggest firms, I was supposed to focus on my career. No distractions, no men, and especially no office romances.

Then I met Logan. He was cocky, smooth-talking, and gorgeous—a hotshot associate on the fast track to a partnership and exactly the kind of guy I needed to avoid.

But he was relentless. He pursued me, intrigued me, and seduced me. And when I had no defenses left, my ambitions shifted, and I only wanted him.

For a while, that was enough. 

But no one’s perfect. The man who put a ring on my finger isn't who I thought he was, so I left. 

Now he’s back in my life, and he’s pushing me into a corner. It’s time to show him how hard I can push back.

LOGAN

“It’s over.”

When those words came out of her mouth, I wasn’t surprised. What I didn’t expect was how damn near impossible it’s been to move on.

The first time I saw Paige Waters, the new associate at my firm who was as intelligent and self-confident as she was stunning, I wanted her. I wasn’t used to women rejecting me, but she did—or tried to, anyway—which made me even more determined to have her.

I had no idea that when I finally got her, I wouldn’t want to let her go. 

But I screwed up. She doesn’t even know how badly I screwed up, and everything still went to hell.

Now, one year after our split and with so much still unresolved between us, we’re suddenly going head to head on the same case. Seeing her at the office again, where it all started, I realize that this is far from over.

She's still mine. 

And whether it's in the courtroom or the bedroom, I always win.

REVIEW: 5*

I really enjoyed Mend. It was recommended in a reading group an I took a chance. It’s a second chance, office based romance which plays out like a movie. I listen to this on audiobook and loved every minute.

Paige is a single mum since splitting up with Logan. She’s trying to be independent and move on with her life.

Logan wants nothing more than his family back together.

When these two become on opposite sides of a case they are forced back together. There familiar ground, differences and everything in between is put back in the spotlight.

I really enjoyed Logan’s growth in this book. The journey back to each other was worth the ride.

As an audiobook this works really well. Highly recommended.

Battle Beyond the Veil

 

 

Two worlds.

One forbidden relic.

A battle for survival or ruin.

Battle Beyond the Veil

by Cassie Sanchez

Genre: Urban Fantasy

The Celestial War shattered the Heavens; after millennia, the battle still rages.

On the most important day of Zahra’s career at the Gallery of Time Museum, everything unravels. A mysterious package arrives from her estranged father, and the Atar’zul, a relic that could secure her promotion goes missing. While betrayal festers within the museum, a long lost love returns, throwing Zahra’s world into chaos.

Kyden, a warrior angel and demon slayer, has guarded the spiritual realm for centuries. When a famous archaeologist and forbidden artifact vanish, Kyden is forced to protect a human, a job he vowed long ago to never do again.

Together, Zahra and Kyden must face rising demon threats and the cursed magic of the Atar’zul. As darkness closes in, they join forces to defend both realms and find that ending the battle beans trusting each other. Sacrifices must be made—the cost of which might be their very souls.

Welcome to the battle for humanity's future—a story of loyalty, temptation, and the fragile line between light and shadow.

 

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Cassie Sanchez is the award-winning author behind the Darkness trilogy—a whirlwind of fast-paced fantasy romance where danger dances with desire and magic always has a price. Based in the enchanting Southwest, she lives with her husband and two crazy labs named Bullet and Scout. When she’s not writing happily-ever-afters, she can be found wielding a Pickleball paddle or cuddling with her nogs for an afternoon nap.

 At the heart of Cassie’s stories are characters who stumble, fall, and rise again—wrestling with forgiveness and searching for redemption. Step into her world, where every story casts a spell and love conquers all, even the shadows.

 

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The Protection Agreement

 

 

He was hired to be her shield, but he never expected she’d be the one to pierce his heart.

The Protection Agreement

The Agreement Series Book 4

by A Akinosho

Genre: Age Gap Billionaire Bodyguard Romance

Duty or desire—he’s sworn to keep her alive.
But staying close blurs the line.

When a threat puts her life in danger, there’s only one man capable of protecting her—a ruthless bodyguard with a fearsome reputation and loyalty carved into his bones. The problem? His family and hers are sworn enemies. And he learned to hate her last name long before he ever knew her.

This is duty.
A contract.
Nothing more.

Shared space. Constant protection.
No attachment. No temptation.

Forced proximity turns restraint into tension. Hatred softens. Awareness sharpens. Desire becomes impossible to ignore.
She’s a damsel in distress who refuses to be fragile. He’s a possessive protector bound by duty, fighting feelings he has no right to claim. Every glance is forbidden. Every moment together is a betrayal written in silence.

As enemies close in and pressure mounts, distance becomes impossible.

Because the longer he stands between her and danger, the harder it is to remember where duty ends—and desire begins.

He was sworn to keep her alive.
He just wasn’t prepared for what it would cost him.

Touch her… and die?

 

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Bruce

Lexi returns from her room and takes the seat next to me.  I’ve concluded that we are fighting a losing battle. It’s just a matter of time before the attraction between us takes over and its fiery flame burns through us. We are quiet, our eyes are trained on the movie even as I’m provocatively attune to her presence, her allure is seeping into every nook and cranny of my being.   It doesn’t take long before she leans into me. I don’t move out of her reach. She’s soft and warm in my arms and my whole being is responding to her closeness. I need to get her in bed.  I move her head from my shoulder.

“Hmm,” she groans. “Kiss me, Bruce,” she whispers. I pause for a moment, convinced I didn’t hear her. 

“What did you say?” I ask, betting she doesn’t realize what she asked of me. 

“Kiss me, Bruce,” she says, her voice barely audible. “I want you to kiss me. I took my meds.“  A chuckle escapes her “Be aware that I may not remember in the morning, so make it good so I can dream of you.” She grins, though a bit out of it. 

I want her to remember, and I shouldn’t grant her request, but I’ve been dying to kiss her, so who am I to deny her request especially when she wants to dream of me. I shift positions so she’s on her back and I kiss her lips gently and she opens her mouth to let me in. I kiss her with the fervor of a starved man that I am. Her tongue swirls sweetly with mine. She wraps her arms around my neck and pulls me closer and deeper to her. My tongue is seeking every inch of her mouth, my body is intensely aroused. A soft moan escapes her, it sends a charge through my body.

I can probably make love to her now and she wouldn’t stop me, but I also want her sober and consenting plus I want her to always remember us, every touch, every kiss and every thrust of me inside her. I slowly pull away. Breaking the sweet feel of our kiss.

 Fuck, I just kissed Jonah’s girl and I fucking like it.

She smiles. “Goodnight, Bruce.”

She turns to her side and sleeps like she didn’t just break through every resistance shield of mine. I sigh because looking at her, I want more. I feel it in the blood thumping in my veins. My ragged breath that I fucking need to control. My hands running through my hair in exasperation of what I’ve just done. I know there’s no going back now.

 Leaning down, I lift her in my arms. She giggles like a little girl. I should leave her in her room, but I’ve a need for her closeness, I can’t explain or control.  I move slowly with her asleep in my arms and place her gently in my bed. She curls to her side and sleeps off. I sit on the bed for a moment watching her, “she can’t leave” the voice that slams in my head. Just as Declan’s words a while ago “when you kiss the one, you never want another” I feel the weight of what I’ve done. Kissed the one but she belongs to another man and not just any man. A man that hates my guts, paid me to keep her safe and sternly warned me not to touch her. I now know why, he made that request because he knows once I did.

He and I would be at war. Yet I find myself willing to go to war for her. Damn it

I move closer and kiss her temple, my palm gently touching her face. A giggle escapes her and I wonder if she’s dreaming of me.  I cover her and get off the bed. I go into the bathroom to shower and relieve the monster awakening between my legs. I get temporary relief. Wrapping my towel around my waist. I peep to check on her. She’s knocked out. I put sleeping pants on and get in bed with her, pulling her into my arms and she doesn’t resist. 

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A. Akinosho lives in her own little nest in Illinois. An avid reader and enjoy reading thrillers, suspense and romance novels (partial to romance genre). When, She’s not reading or keeping up with life. She enjoys writing and creating twist to stories. She loves writing about diverse characters, friendship and overcoming challenges through, what is perceived as a weakness.

 

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Choose Me

 

 

I’ve always run away from labels. 

Now there’s one I cannot run away from.

Father.

Choose Me

The Ballerina Series Book 4

by Ursula Sinclair

Genre: Contemporary New Adult Romantic Suspense

I refused to be placed in anyone's box.

Vin
I’ve always been the best friend, the one nightstand, the groomsmen never the groom. Then I go and become that ‘F’ word. Yeah, I become a Father before I am even part of a couple. I’ve never been one to live a normal life. Whatever that is. It’s never been for me. But then a woman and my child change everything. They become everything. I will become whatever they need. Because that will be who I am.

Samantha
My husband and I always wanted a child, but it was not meant to be. Until one day, one came into our lives, and she became my everything. But the man that should have protected us didn’t, he betrayed us. Exposed us to men who threatened the safety of my child and me. Then someone came into our lives amidst the chaos, but who was he there to save, me or his child?

 

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Future

Vin

 

“Vin!”

“What!” Something about the way she said my name had me blinking and trying to focus my sleep fogged mind. A shudder traveled through my body. What the hell time is it? The connections in my brain were still a bit fuzzy, but I recognized the pitch of that voice. I’d heard it enough times. Something was wrong.

“Christie?” I spoke into my phone.

“I’m at the hospital, Vin. The baby…” Terror laced her tone.

“What? Isn’t it too early?” I questioned. Christie wasn’t quite eight months pregnant, since that was the last time we’d hooked up. “Is something wrong?”

“You’ve got to come now!”  Fear rippled in her voice.

I’d never heard her sound like this before. My heart pressed against my chest. “Okay, okay on my way.”

I glanced at the time on my phone. Since my head hit the pillow, I’d gotten less than three hours of sleep. Rolling out of bed, I downed some aspirin I kept on the nightstand. Staggering to the bathroom, I washed my face with cold water. It helped a little. My eyesight was no longer quite so blurry. When I glanced at the mirror, I could at least make out my blood shot eyes from too little sleep. But my mind was clear.

Quickly, I tossed on some clean clothes then caught a taxi to the hospital, Christie had scheduled her delivery in. I hoped like hell she would be there. This woman prepared for everything.

Except for an unplanned pregnancy.

I pulled out my phone to shoot a group text to my best friends, Maze and Dante. To let them know Christie was in the hospital and to meet me there but stopped myself before pressing send. First, it was three fucking o’clock in the morning and secondly, I had no idea what the hell was going on, other than I could hear the panic in Christie’s voice. I’d wait until I knew more.

At this hour, it only took about fifteen minutes for me to get to the hospital in midtown. Still, by the time I got there—it was the right hospital—they’d already taken Christie into surgery. I wasn’t family, just the father of the child we’d both agreed to put up for a private adoption. Which meant no one would tell me anything, other than to have a seat and wait for the doctor. Or the lawyer, for the couple adopting the baby. But I wasn’t sure if the hospital or Christie had notified the lawyer, or the couple, and I wasn’t going to remind anyone. At this point, I also didn’t give a rat’s ass. Christie might have been a one or two night hook up, but I still cared about her and the baby we created.

“Mr. Tinsdale?” A pretty young woman in plain purple colored scrubs stood in front of me.

I stood up. “Yes, that’s me. How’s Christie and the baby?”

“Christie signed a form before they took her in, allowing us to talk to you as the biological father of the baby. The baby is in distress, the doctor is performing an emergency C-section, as soon as he knows more, he’ll come out to speak to you.”

“Thank you.” Even if her words did little to relieve my anxiety. I plopped my ass back down onto the seat. It wasn’t until the nurse disappeared through the double doors, I questioned what she’d said. Or rather the way she said it, know more about what? Shouldn’t it only be to tell me if it was a boy or a girl? Oh, God! Did distress mean the baby might die? Was Christie going to be, okay?

I ran my fingers through my shorthair as these thoughts played table tennis in my mind. I’d made a bit of an ass of myself earlier at the nurses’ station, demanding someone come out to tell me something. All I could do now was sit and wait for the doctor.

I sat there alone, my hands rested on my knees, head down, eyes staring at the floor, seeing nothing but my f’ing life rolling away from me. Tied to someone I didn’t even like—for life. One who would be the mother of my child. All because some shitty piece of latex malfunctioned. Fuck of a malfunction. Still, I prayed to a supreme being or beings somewhere out there that Christie and the baby would be okay. Even if I’d agreed to the adoption, the thought of my child dying sent fear zinging through me.

I took a deep breath. Single mother, single father, nothing single about it. Not when an innocent life was involved. A life who apparently wanted to make an early appearance. Way early. A preemie. My child would be a preemie. Labels—fucking labels. All my life I’d dealt with them. But I refused to be placed in anyone’s box.

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Ursula Sinclair is a USA Today Bestselling Author and the alter ego for LaVerne Thompson, a USA Today Bestselling, award winning, multi-published author. An avid reader and a writer of fantasy, paranormal, contemporary, and sci/fi sensual romances. She loves creating worlds within and without our world. She enjoys good action scenes. Most of her books under either name, also have a touch of violence and a few more than that. She writes romantic suspense and new adult romance under her alter ego.

She is a certified chocoholic and is currently working on several projects. Some might even involve chocolate. But writing helps maintain her sanity.

 

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Beautiful Betrayal: an enemies to lovers, forced marriage, secret pregnancy romance by Nikki Ash is live and available in Kindle Unlimited, paperback, and audio-narrated by Marie Hawkins and Duncan Prescott.

 

Beautiful Betrayal: an enemies to lovers, forced marriage, secret pregnancy romance by Nikki Ash is live and available in Kindle Unlimited, paperback, and audio-narrated by Marie Hawkins and Duncan Prescott.

US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F5QW4PHD

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0F5QW4PHD

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You can also grab a limited special edition, which has foiled font, sprayed edges, and colored character art, on Nikki's website: www.authornikkiash.com/shop/

Brielle

Kane Morgan was never supposed to be anything more than one reckless night.

Turns out, he’s the enemy, and he knew exactly who I was when he was making me forget my name—while screaming his.

Now, Kane wants more than just revenge on my family. He wants me as his wife. 

After a lifetime of heartache, all I want is to marry for love.

But Kane’s ripping that dream away, forcing me into a marriage of revenge.

He’s cold, ruthless, and calculating, and yet he’s everything I can’t seem to resist.

Because when we’re alone, he shows me a different side of him.

I hate that he comforts me when my past creeps into my nightmares. That he believes in my dreams. And most of all, that every stolen moment with him feels like it could put my broken pieces back together.

I shouldn’t be falling for my new husband. He gives me everything I’ve ever wanted … except the one thing I long for—his heart.

REVIEW:  5 *

Kane is a worthy love interest despite his family, intentions and lust for revenge. Yes this is a dark romance and yes Kane is going to learn a thing or two.

Brielle is part of the family of book 1 sweetest sin, and book 2 Deadliest desire. Beautiful betrayal can probably be read as a standalone, however the b story is continuous and the characters are in the book.

Brielle would do anything for her family including marrying the man who is their enemy.

Kane met Brielle before she knew who he was. They had one night together on equal ground. When Brielle finds out who he is her bubble pops. He’s a dangerous enemy who she wants to protect her family from.

Kane has his claws deep into Brielle’s family business. He wants what he thinks he’s owed. He plans to ruin her family and she is supposed to be just a part of his plan. He makes her an offer she can’t refuse and she accepts without hesitation.

Brielle is a strong woman and won’t be a pushover. She knows Kane isn’t trustworthy but that doesn’t mean she’s going to shy away from his challenge. Seeing these two become entangled is entertaining. Their connection is something neither of them can resist.

I’m really enjoying this series. I think there’s one more book to go but I’m not 100%. Each one has been great in its own way and Beautiful Betrayal was no different. Highly recommended.

Looking For Lucy

 

 

A missing cousin, 

A Mysterious Mansion, 

Family Secrets, 

and a "ghost" cat. 

Looking For Lucy

by Debbie De Louise

Genre: Gothic Mystery, Psychological Thriller

 She was never meant to be the brave one.

Despite their different personalities, cousins Mary and Lucy are closer than sisters. Mary, a teacher in a small town, fears change and suffers from claustrophobia. Lucy, a thrill-seeker, travels around the world in search of adventure.

When Lucy goes missing, Mary, her mother, and aunt visit a Long Island mansion called Hollingham Hall where Lucy had been employed as a tour guide before she disappeared. There, Mary meets three men, one of whom may have been romantically involved with Lucy – a charming historian, a volatile artist, and a friendly landscaper.

As Mary searches for her cousin, she is drawn deeper into Hollingham’s labyrinthine gardens and shadowed corridors where she discovers a chilling connection between Lucy and a woman who vanished seventy years ago on the eve of her wedding. She also learns of the “ghost cat” rumored to prowl the property.

When strange events take place at Hollingham, the police are called to investigate. But is Lucy alive and is her disappearance connected to the missing bride or one of the men on the estate?

A mystery of illicit affairs, hidden passageways, and family secrets, Looking for Lucy is the perfect read for fans of gothic novels, psychological thrillers, and atmospheric suspense.

 

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I held my cousin’s letters from earlier this summer that I’d read over a dozen times.

We lost touch after graduation when she took off to explore the world to volunteer in a variety of countries while I stayed home and found a job as a teacher at the elementary school that we’d both attended in our small town.

The last time I saw Lucy she was wearing her Bardsley T-shirt and jean shorts. My aunt’s battered suitcase stood at her side.

“I’ll send you lots of postcards,” she promised, but I’d never received any. That’s why I was surprised when I got her first letter as school was closing for the summer.

“Dear Mary, I hope you’re well. I’ve seen many things but have missed you. While I was making a quick stop in the Hamptons, I visited a beautiful place by the sea called Hollingham Hall. It was my luck that they were looking for tour leaders. I feel like, after years of wandering, I’ve finally found my place. The reason I haven’t called is that I lost my cell phone in the Amazon River (OMG!) and am not replacing it. I’ll call you with the phone number here soon.”

Lucy never called, but there were two more letters. The next arrived  ten days later.

“Dear Cousin, This is a dream job. I wish they had another opening for you. So, here’s the thing, Mary, we once talked about my being an independent woman the rest of my life without need of a man. Well, that’s changed. In the short time I’ve been at Hollingham, I believe I’ve fallen for someone. I don’t want to say too much in case I jinx it because the attraction is new, and I’m not sure how he feels about me yet. I promise I’ll reveal everything soon, and I can’t wait for you to meet my charming suitor.”

Lucy’s final and still eager letter arrived a week later.

“Me again, Dear Cousin. I had to write right away when I discovered the most interesting thing by accident.”

“I’d ventured into a part of the mansion that’s off limits to the public. I wasn’t snooping, but I couldn’t help myself. There was a portrait in one of the closed rooms of a young woman who looked so much like me that I thought someone had secretly painted me. I was so curious I had to ask about it and risk losing this incredible job. I wasn’t admonished  for going into the room. Instead, I was told me a history of the house that I hadn’t yet heard. The woman in the painting disappeared at about our ages. They never discovered what happened to her. I felt like I was caught in one of your favorite mystery novels.”

“It won’t be long now, dear cousin. I’m going to ask if you can stay here with me at the carriage house when you visit.

After rereading her letters and trying to figure out what was really going on behind her dramatic prose, I was shocked to get a live call from Lucy around midnight, less than a week after receiving her last letter. The phone woke me up. I answered in a groggy whisper, “Hello.”

At first, there was no reply, and I was about to hang up when I heard Lucy’s whispered voice. “Mary, help me. Come quick. Please hurry.”

I was fully awake now. “Lucy, is that you? What’s wrong?”

There was a click and then a dial tone. “Lucy,” I said louder into the phone, but she was gone. I didn’t realize at that point how gone she really was.

Debbie De Louise is an award-winning author and a retired reference librarian. She is a member of Sisters-in-Crime, International Thriller Writers, the Cat Writers’ Association, and the South Carolina Writers Association. She’s written over twenty books including three cozy mystery series: the Cobble Cove Mysteries, Buttercup Bend Mysteries, and her new series, Soup the Supernatural Kitten Mysteries. She’s also written a paranormal romance, standalone mysteries, a time-travel novel, and a collection of cat poems. Her stories and poetry appear in more than a dozen anthologies. Originally from Long Island, she moved to South Carolina where she now lives with her husband, daughter, and three cats. Learn more about Debbie and her books by visiting her website at https://debbiedelouise.com.

  

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