Magic Triumphs (Kate Daniels #10). By Ilona Andrews.

Magic Triumphs (Kate Daniels #10). By Ilona Andrews. 2019. Ace Books. ISBN-13: 9780425270721 (paperback).

Diane take note, the Kate Daniels series is a damn fine cup of coffee.

439 pages

The Collagen Diet: A 28-Day Plan for Sustained Weight Loss, Glowing Skin, Great Gut Health, and a Younger You. By Josh Axe.

The Collagen Diet: A 28-Day Plan for Sustained Weight Loss, Glowing Skin, Great Gut Health, and a Younger You. By Josh Axe. 2019. Little Brown Spark (ARC eBook).

Supported by research, Dr. Axe lays out the importance collagen plays in creating and maintaining healthy joints, hair, gastrointestinal tract and more. And as the title suggests, there is a diet plan included which aims to guide readers in which foods to include or eliminate while incorporating collagen-rich foods or supplements into their daily consumption. Overall, The Collagen Diet will act as a good reference book for collagen research and recipes. 

266 pages

Wildcrafted Fermentation: Exploring, Transforming, and Preserving the Wild Flavors of Your Local Terroir. By Pascal Baudar.

Wildcrafted Fermentation: Exploring, Transforming, and Preserving the Wild Flavors of Your Local Terroir. By Pascal Baudar. 2020. Chelsea Green Publishing (ARC eBook).

A colorful and informative foray into fermentation. I was looking forward to learning recipes beyond kombucha and traditional sauerkraut and boy does this book deliver.

304 pages

Z is for Zoom: A Scientific Alphabet of How Things Go, from Alternator to Zerk Fitting (Baby University). By Ashley Malec, Illustrator: Teresa Bellon.

 

Z is for Zoom: A Scientific Alphabet of How Things Go, from Alternator to Zerk Fitting (Baby University). By Ashley Malec, Illustrator: Teresa Bellon. 2020. Sourcebooks eXplore. (ARC eBook).

What a great way to structure a book so that it can be revisited over time, introducing new elements as the child grows. And the illustrations of rabbits, foxes and alligators cruising down the road are adorable and also clearly demonstrate the parts, mechanisms and actions of each A-Z word. 

26 pages

A Madness of Sunshine. By Nalini Singh, Narrator: Saskia Maarleveld.

A Madness of Sunshine. By Nalini Singh, Narrator: Saskia Maarleveld. 2019. Penquin Random House Audio Publishing Group. ISBN-14: 9780593153512 (Unabridged audiobook, 10 hrs, 59 mins).

Singh is unquestioningly a talented writer. I enjoy reading her Psy-Changeling series and I find her hybrid urban fantasy/paranormal romance series, Guild Hunters, to be downright awesome; so I was naturally curious about her sojourn into the mystery genre. A Madness of Sunshine is a pretty strong showing. This atmospheric thriller in a rugged coastal New Zealand town is full of shadowed pasts and captivating characters. Topped off with excellent narration.

352 pages

The Friend Zone (End of the Line #1). By Sariah Wilson.

The Friend Zone (End of the Line #1). By Sariah Wilson. 2019. Montlake Romance. ASIN: B07L5M7DYY (Kindle).

An entertaining read it if you like the slow burn, college jock/tutor & forbidden relationship tropes.

299 pages

Rookie Move (Brooklyn Bruisers #1). By Sarina Bowen, Narrators: Nicol Zanzarella, Rock Engle.

Rookie Move (Brooklyn Bruisers #1). By Sarina Bowen, Narrators: Nicol Zanzarella, Rock Engle. 2016. Blackstone Audiobooks. ISBN-13: 9781504755887 (Unabridged audiobook, 9 hrs, 53 mins).

Hockey romance full of heart, humor and heat. Engle and Zanzarella deliver excellent narrations for rookie Leo Trevi and team publicist Georgia Worthington.

Entertaining, Page-turner, Happily Ever After, Romantic, Original, Great world building, Steamy, Wonderful characters, Excellent narration

326 pages

Power Play (Blades Hockey #1). By Maria Luis, Narrators: Elizabeth Hart, Joe Hempel.

Power Play (Blades Hockey #1). By Maria Luis, Narrators: Elizabeth Hart, Joe Hempel. 2017. Tantor Audio. ASIN: B0787KDC6S (Unabridged audiobook, 5 hrs, 14 mins).

The Blades golden boy and a struggling sports journalist pair up for this series’ opener of sexy hockey players heating up the ice.

Entertaining, Romantic, Wonderful characters, Great narration

194 pages

To Have and to Hoax. By Martha Waters.

To Have and to Hoax. By Martha Waters. 2020. Atria Books (ARC ebook).

One year into their happy marriage, Lady Violet Gray and Lord James Audley had a big fight and have since spent the last four years far from wedded bliss. When an accident occurs, miscommunication escalates to outrage, confusion, feigned illness, actors, mother-in-laws, faux mistresses and facepalming friends. As the obstacles in their relationship build, the renewed sparks flying between husband and wife threaten to burn them down. Violet and James may or may not prove equal in manipulation, but can they prove equal in love?

This was a Regency romance read that managed to merge several different tropes to appreciative affect. If you are looking for a new author, pick this entertaining and romantic book up.

367 pages

Fair Weather Enemies. By Sawyer North.

Fair Weather Enemies. By Sawyer North. 2020. Entangled: Scandalous (ARC eBook).

After several harsh winters in which crops and mills have suffered, Adam Ashford and Jane Hancock have found themselves in debt to a London creditor and a dismal future awaiting both of them. The Ashfords and Hancocks of Oxfordshire have long feuded between their families and Adam and Jane have vexed each other since they were children, but when secrets of their shared history are unearthed, the two adversaries enter into a contract that has them trekking across England in search of a long lost treasure. Along the way, their respect and attraction for each other grows and they begin to wonder whether it’s too late for new beginnings.
 
Fair Weather Enemies is a delightful debut in the historical romance genre for North. Adam and Jane are such likeable characters and if you like the enemies to lovers trope, road trips, riddles and colorful characters popping up along the way, you’ll want to pick this book up. This was a fun read from start to finish! 

289 pages

 

The Highland Rogue (Lords of the Highlands #7). By Amy Jareki.

The Highland Rogue (Lords of the Highlands #7). By Amy Jareki. 2020. Forever (ARC eBook).

Left by her clan on the desolate Scottish isle of Hyskier, Divana Campbell has survived the last two years on her own by digging up clams and pelting birds with rocks. Now there is an injured man on her beach and she has seen too much of death to not help him.

Sir Kennan Cameron’s ship and crew were set upon by the notorious pirate Jackson Vane and Kennan would not have survived the aftermath if not for the fiery and compassionate Divana. Kennan knows they must leave the isle. Divana deserves a real home within the safety of his clan, and he has every notion to set sail after Vane to get his revenge. As the heir to a powerful chieftan, Divana knows Sir Kennan can not marry someone of her lower station. But she can’t stand to part from him, so she find herself taking to the high seas with Kennan on an adventure full of dangerous pirates and powerful desire.

Looking for a well-crafted Scottish historical romance with a capable and endearingly flirtatious heroine and a rugged Highlander, then look no more. An entertaining read and another great installment in the Lords of the Highlands world! 

352 pages

Scot Under the Covers (Wild Wicked Highlanders #2). By Suzanne Enoch.

Scot Under the Covers (Wild Wicked Highlanders #2). By Suzanne Enoch. 2020. St. Martin’s Paperbacks (ARC ebook).
 

Miranda Harris is known for her charm and good-standing in London society. She is also, as Aden MacTaggert quickly learns, strongly opinionated on gamblers--quite frankly, they are a blight. But when she should be celebrating with her family over her brother’s engagement to Eloise MacTaggert, she is instead horrified to learn that her brother, Mathew, has incurred a devastating debt to Captain Robert Vale, and has promised her hand to the vile man in order to negate the debt. Up til now, Miranda has been able to solve any problem she has encountered, but she is going to need help in order to save her brother’s future happiness, her family’s reputation, and herself..

Miranda approaches the elusive and crafty Aden MacTaggert, her future brother-in-law, and proposes a partnership—she will teach him how to navigate the ton in exchange for him teaching her everything he knows about wagering and how the gambling mind works. With Miranda and Mathew’s secret, Aden has a way to prevent his sister from marrying and thereby escaping his mother’s manipulation, but the more time he spends with Miranda, the more determined he becomes to make her his Sassenach bride.

The first chapter will snare and reel you in with rowdy kilt-wearing, boot-throwing brothers, a scruffy mutt, and a stuffed deer in the foyer collecting ascots and ear bobbers. Scot Under the Covers delivers an engaging pairing with Aden, who is slow to let his heart trust, and Miranda, who always follows the rules. And the plot that plants three highlanders in the midst of London society produces a lively secondary cast and a nice mix of both Regency and Scottish romance elements. Sexiness, charm, and entertaining brogue abound in this fun read by Enoch.

352 pages

All Fired Up (Road to Love #3). By Lori Foster.

All Fired Up (Road to Love #3). By Lori Foster. 2019. HQN Books (ARC eBook).

Working as the office manager at Mustang Transport and considered a part of the Crews family, Charlotte Parrish has seen more than a fair share of trouble follow Brodie and Jack around. And as much as she loves them, she resolved long ago that the man she will give her heart to will be the exact opposite of the “bad boy.” But then Mitch Crews arrives in town.

Mitch is looking for a new start. He’s chosen Red Oak to begin a business and so that he can introduce himself to the two half-brothers he has never met. Mitch is a lot like Brodie and Jack, with a strong physique and protective nature, but he hasn’t had a lot of kindness shown to him in his life. So when Charlotte and the whole Crews bunch rally around him when his past comes after him, he’ll do anything to keep them out of harm’s way.

With this series, Foster delivers on tough, sexy and totally stand up guys. And I’ve loved the dynamic she’s set up between the love interests in each book. And whereas with the first two romances, where the Crews brothers coax their ladies into dropping their shields and accepting love, in All Fired Up it is Charlotte who convinces Mitch, who’s never felt like he belonged anywhere, that he’s found his home.

384 pages

 

Whiteout (Survival Instincts #1). By Adriana Anders.

Whiteout (Survival Instincts #1). By Adriana Anders. 2020. Sourcebooks Casablanca (ARC eBook).

 

As summer at the South Pole is coming to an end, Angel Smith heads out to the supply arch the morning of her planned departure with plans to leave the winter-over crew of Burke-Ruhe a well-stocked kitchen. But in the dark tunnels among preserved food and ice cores, she witnesses a violent scene and barely escapes the attackers.

Suspicious of a series of events that began after he collected some ice cores, glaciologist, Ford Cooper, returns back from the ice fields only to find the station has been abandoned and all communications and power sources sabotaged. When he finds Angel and learns that the attackers did not retrieve what they were looking for, the two have no choice but to set out for another station, as they will soon become the hunted. In the most inhospitable place on earth, Angel and Ford push their strength and resilience to the limits in order to save themselves and thwart the plans of the mysterious Chronos Corporation.

From the first chapter I didn’t want to put this story down. With twists and turns along the way, Anders masterfully layers the tension generated not only by ruthless acts of people, but the very elements that surround Angel and Ford. Snow, ice, wind, frostbite, hypothermia, deep crevasses and the disorienting whiteness the vast Antarctic landscape presents, all works to elevate the world-building and the deepening relationship between two people forced into survival mode. Definitely a must for those who want an edge of your seat suspense with chemistry that burns.

**Does not include bonus novella by Katie Ruggle

412 pages

The Bachelor (Duke Dynasty #2). By Sabrina Jeffries.

The Bachelor (Duke Dynasty #2). By Sabrina Jeffries. 2020. Zebra Books (ARC eBook).

Jefferies’ lively bunch of step-siblings are back and this time it is Lady Gwyn Drake’s turn at finding love. Days away from her long-delayed debut, Gwyn is approached at the Armitage estate by a former suitor who blackmails her over a past affair she has kept hidden. When the meeting turns threatening and Joshua Wolfe, the family’s gamekeeper, intervenes, Gwen’s twin brother, Thorn, asks Joshua to travel with Gwen to London and act as her bodyguard during her debut season. And from there Jefferies delivers a charming romance with a bit of scandal and sabotage.

In The Duchess Project, there was the beginnings of Joshua and Gwen’s interest in each other. And as elusive and temperamental as Joshua proved to be, Gwen was as equally stubborn and provoking, so I was looking forward to their book. And in The Bachelor, Jeffries is deft at transitioning sweet and playful moments into steamy ones between the two.

288 pages

Shades of Wicked (Night Rebel #1). By Jeaniene Frost, Narrator: Tavia Gilbert.

Shades of Wicked (Night Rebel #1). By Jeaniene Frost, Narrator: Tavia Gilbert. 2018. HarperAudio. ISBN-13: 9780062695628 (Unabridged audiobook, 8 hrs, 51 mins).

Wit and sexy times meet high stakes as Ian and Veritas hunt down a demon who has done them both wrong.

A fan of vampires? Definitely read this wildly entertaining installment in the Night Huntress world, but first; go read Vlad and Leila’s Night Prince series (Don’t worry, it’s an excellent series). Why? The Night Rebel is a spin off and the main plot point of Shades of Wicked began and was left hanging in Into the Fire (Night Prince #4).

Page-turner, Witty, Action-packed, Romantic, Unpredictable, Entertaining, Great world building, Steamy, Wonderful characters, Great narration

384 pages

Wicked Bite (Night Rebel #2). By Jeaniene Frost.

Wicked Bite (Night Rebel #2). By Jeaniene Frost. 2020. Avon. ISBN-13: 9780062695635 (Paperback).

Wicked Bite picks up where Shades of Wicked left off. Book #1 set a high bar and Frost delivers on the action, suspense, Ian’s one-liners, and of course, the sexy times. But Veritas’s internal monologues about her past and half-demigod nature did make it feel like those parts of the book could have been tightened up.

I had expected this book to wrap up the series, but a new plot line came to visit Veritas at the end and I’m looking forward to next adventure for these two crazy kids.

Page-turner, Witty, Action-packed, Romantic, Unpredictable, Entertaining, Great world building, Steamy, Wonderful characters

371 pages

Hero’s Haven (Dark Protectors #11). By Rebecca Zanetti.

Hero’s Haven (Dark Protectors #11). By Rebecca Zanetti. 2020. Lyrical Press (ARC eBook).

For centuries, vampire-demon hybrid, Quade Karys, has been in another dimension, far away from Earth and his family. As a member of The Seven, his purpose was to keep a dangerous enemy imprisoned within a pocket between worlds. But just as Quade feels his body and mind failing and succumbing to delusions of a beautiful woman that visits him, the dimension collapses. He is saved by his beautiful stranger by traveling back to Earth through a portal of her creation. Now, he and Haven Daly are being are being pursued by Ulric’s followers, who want to use Haven’s abilities to return Ulric to Earth.

Quade’s reintegration into a world he has long been parted from leads to some humorous scenes, especially his discovered fondness for eating mint toothpaste. And as the two search for the surviving members of Quade’s family, Haven discovers that she is a part of a world she never knew existed; one that has vampires, demons, shifters, fae and more. All the while, the two of them have to adjust to each other and Haven is as stubborn as Quade is overprotective.

The world Zanetti has created is full of action, romance and humor that will keep readers coming back to this series.

306 pages

Project Duchess (Duke Dynasty #1). By Sabrina Jeffries.

Project Duchess (Duke Dynasty #1). By Sabrina Jeffries. 2019. Zebra Books. AISN: B07HVXS62T (Kindle).

This charming duke, turned reluctant amateur detective, keeps losing focus of his investigation when he falls for Beatrice, his mother’s “project” and his suspected murder accomplice.

Jeffries weaves flirty banter, fun family drama, and a bit of mystery into this endearing romance.

Entertaining, Happily Ever After, Page-turner, Romantic, Steamy, Wonderful characters

352 pages

Driven to Distraction (Road to Love #1). By Lori Foster, Narrator: John Lane.

Driven to Distraction (Road to Love #1). By Lori Foster, Narrator: John Lane. 2018. Harlequin Audio. ISBN-13: 9781488205408 (Unabridged audiobook, 9 hrs, 20 mins).

With each transport assignment Brody and Mary embark on, he proves to her that the chemistry building between them is undeniable.

Action-packed, Entertaining, Happily Ever After, Page-turner, Romantic, Steamy, Wonderful characters, Great narration
 
384 pages