Saturday, January 20, 2018

Review: Keep Her Safe by K.A. Tucker



Noah Marshall has known a privileged and comfortable life thanks to his mother, the highly decorated chief of the Austin Police Department. But all that changes the night she reveals a skeleton that's been rattling in her closet for years, and succumbs to the guilt of destroying an innocent family's life. Reeling with grief, Noah is forced to carry the burden of this shocking secret.

Gracie Richards wasn't born in a trailer park, but after fourteen years of learning how to survive in The Hollow, it's all she knows anymore. At least here people don't care that her dad was a corrupt Austin cop, murdered in a drug deal gone wrong. Here, she and her mother are just another family struggling to survive...until a man who clearly doesn't belong shows up on her doorstep.

Despite their differences, Noah and Gracie are searching for answers to the same questions, and together, they set out to uncover the truth about the Austin Police Department's dark and messy past. But the scandal that emerges is bigger than they bargained for, and goes far higher up than they ever imagined.

Review:  4.75 of 5 Stars

One thing I love is a good book full of mystery and suspense.  It is rare to find a good one that keeps me guessing until the end. But, Keep Her Safe was just that for me.  While I may have figured parts of the story out before the end, I did not get all the missing pieces.  I love when I can't figure it all out and it makes me know it was extremely well written.

Keep Her Safe begins with Noah Marshall dealing with an enormous amount of grief and way more questions than answers after his mother, Jackie Marshall and Chief of the Austin Police Department's sudden death.  And after all that Noah has been through when he gets a cryptic message from his mom he knows he has to follow her wishes.

Gracie Richards (Wilkes) was born in Austin, TX but after the death of her father and the fallout from his involvement with drugs and being a dirty copy her mom fled to Tucson with Gracie and never looked back. Even though she can barely remember her dad, her mom is obsessed with Texas and keeping up with the drama in Austin, to the point that all she cares about is that and getting strung out.

When Noah shows up on her trailer door step with lots of unanswered questions, the two are thrown together to see if they can figure out the mystery that drove both their parents to death.  I love Noah and his southern gentleman charm and I love how you can feel his internal struggle with so many things throughout the book.  Gracie is jaded and tough on the outside but still vulnerable too.  They are the perfect combination for each other.  

The book is told in multiple points of view and in the past and present.  Not many authors can pull of alternating two POV but to pull of four is pretty amazing.  I really felt like I connected with all of the main characters, Noah and Gracie in the present and Abe and Jackie in the past.  The book was a puzzle that I was working to figure out in my mind along with the characters.  I enjoyed every second of it.  Definitely one click this one, you won't be disappointed. 



Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Review: Infraction by Rachel Van Dyken


Pro footballer Miller Quinton would do anything for his best friend and teammate—including “fake dating” his friend’s sister. What no one knows is that seven months ago in Vegas, Miller and Kinsey did a whole lot more than just kiss. Miller knows that this cheerleader is off-limits to him and any guy on the team. Still, he can’t stop himself.
Kinsey’s whole world is on the verge of crumbling. Her dad has cancer. Her overprotective brother is falling apart. Dating Miller may be a fake-out, but he’s the one guy who can make her forget about everything—including all the reasons she stayed away from football players. With each heated moment, Miller feels more like a safe place…even though he’s not safe at all.
Now temptation is testing every rule in the game of love. But how long can they go on playing when winning is a harder goal than either of them imagined?

Review:  4.75 of 5 Stars
I never really thought I would enjoy a sports themed romance novel.  I don't really care about football at all, but I adore Rachel Van Dyken and I liked book one, Fraternize.  This review will contain spoilers to book one, so read the rest at your own risk.  I was ready to give Infraction a chance.  I wanted to see what happen to Miller and Kinsey since I like their characters in book one.  
Miller Quinton was introduced during Fraternize when he was part of a love triangle, vying for the affection and love for Emerson, his high school sweetheart.  He was the loser of that triangle and honestly, I was glad because I felt like Emerson and Grant were meant to be.  Miller is a great guy, but he was trying to force something in book one because he thought it was right, but life has a way of making sure you get what you really want.
Kinsey and Miller hooked up at the end of Fraternize, but let's be honest; no one wants Jax, her overprotective, perfect QB, brother to lose it so they don't date or even look at Kinsey.  But when Jax asks Miller to "fake date" his sister to protect her from an ex boyfriend, things are about to get interesting.  I absolutely love Kinsey and her spirit.  She is kind but fiery and I love what she brings to the story.  
I was not prepared for this book.  At all.  I loved it from page one and my love just kept growing.  I knew it would be a great story about Miller and Kinsey but I was unprepared for the story that unfolds with Jax and his personal life, as well as their relationship as siblings. There were times I laughed out loud while reading, and others where I was sobbing.  It was truly a fantastic read.  I highly recommend that everyone read this series!


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