Tag: romantic thriller

This Chick Read: Beneath Dark Waters by Karen Rose

When New Orleans public prosecutor Kaj Cardozo’s son is almost kidnapped he hires a private investigation team famous for their protection services. Val Sorensen, is the bodyguard hired to protect Elijah and as the investigation plays out she and Kaj become tied together by circumstance and emotion.

This is the first time I’ve read a novel by Karen Rose and I have to say that I was immediately drawn into the plot, really liking Val’s character, and loving little Elijah. Val’s back story of a former sexual assault while in the marines added to the tension of an already gripping story. As the plot unfolds and the intricacies are revealed I’m impressed with how the two storylines tie together. Kaj, the prosecutor whom the bad guys are targeting was an interesting character, his role as father, love interest, and prosecutor often conflicting making his reactions both real and unbelievable. Admittedly, his was the only character that I had mixed emotions about because of all of the push and pull with his emotions.

The plot had some rather gruesome moments, so if you’re a bit squeamish, as I am, then you may find yourself skimming those scenes, but this story was fraught with emotion and tension despite my closing my eyes and reading at the same time. The bad guys were truly horrible and I rooted for our heroine to wrap this plot up toot suite! Val was such a warrior that it was easy enough to believe that she would overcome all obstacles, get the bad guys, and win her man. Despite the gruesome bits, this plot flew by!

My favorite character by far was the teen hero, Jace. He was such a sweetie and the horrible life he’d led up to that point made me want to hug him and give him a better life. What a great character.

If you like romantic thrillers this novel was a pretty good one!

❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley and from the publisher, for an honest review and it was honest!

Click this link to purchase this book!* Beneath Dark Waters

Copyright 2023 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: Vanishing Hour by Laura Griffin

After the death of her father, Ava Burch moves to the small town of Cuervo from Houston to create a small law practice with a friend. She brings with her Huck, the search and rescue dog that her father had trained. She joined SAR, a volunteer search and rescue and gets sent out on her first search for a lost child. While out she finds an abandoned camp and takes some photos. Her find leads to an investigation into the disappearance of a woman a couple of years ago. As she digs deeper she finds herself the target of random acts of violence making her think she may now be a target.

I really enjoy Laura Griffin’s style of writing a mystery. Granted they are more romantic thrillers than hard driven mysteries but she has now become one of my go-to authors when I need to switch up genre’s. Ava Burch and Investigator Grant Wycoff were an interesting pairing. Ava dresses like she still lives in a big city and drives a smart red sports car and Grant is living in his home town and working for a small police force but they are both attractive, smart, and in fiction land bound to have found each other so I’ll forgive how quickly they become involved and important to each other. Danger does that to a couple, right? Ava, as with Laura Griffin’s other heroine’s, doesn’t stop at turning in her photos and leaving a message for the sheriff, she decides to do some investigating on her own. After all, she’s a lawyer from a big city and her dad used to be a cop. Her instincts tell her something is off, so she moves forward, driving Grant nuts with her ability to find things that were overlooked by his own police force. I can’t help but like that about her!

I won’t give away the mystery in this review but the story leading up to the final reveal was nicely done and fun to read. Not too heavy or bloody, just a woman in danger and her hero who will come to save the day. Just the way I like my romantic thrillers! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I was given a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review and it was honest!

Click this link to purchase!* Vanishing Hour

Copyright 2022 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: Flight (The Texas Murder Files #2) by Laura Griffin

Former forensic investigator Miranda Rhodes is taking a break from murder in the small town of Lost Beach taking wildlife photos when she finds a murdered couple in a canoe on a river. She instinctively snaps photos before heading back to shore to call it in to the local police. As the person who discovered the bodies she is interviewed by the police but ultimately its her skills and a forensic investigator that lands her in the middle of this murder investigation, as one of the team. When Miranda becomes the center of the murderers attention Detective Joel Breda, the lead investigator on the case finds himself becoming very protective of Miranda.

I read book 3 in the series first but liked it enough to go back and read the first two as well. I really enjoy Laura Griffin’s style. Her mysteries have a hint of romance and don’t have the gritty feel that some thrillers have, it’s easy reading and good characters. Two things I can always get behind. Miranda was an interesting character. She was burnt out from her previous job which contrasted nicely with her taking wildlife photos. I liked that aspect of balance in her character. Of course, when she becomes and integral piece of the murder investigation her character becomes even more interesting. As the lead detective on the case Joel Breda’s character was more straightforward alpha male. He was interested in Miranda right from the start but had these horrible murders happening in his hometown. He wanted to solve the crimes and protect the woman he was coming to care about. Very straightforward and no surprises. These two characters fit very well together and the romance and mystery kept me turning the pages.

There were only a handful of people the reader was introduced to who could be committing these crimes so I won’t say the murder was that big of a mystery but it was well thought out and had some gripping moments. All in all, I enjoyed this book and would recommend this book and the series to anyone who likes a lighter feel to their mystery novel reading. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase!* Flight

Copyright 2022 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: Midnight Dunes (The Texas Murder Files #3) by Laura Griffin

Macey Burns has been hired by the Tourism Board of Lost Beach, Texas to film a series of commercials. When she moves into the beach house she’s rented she not only finds that it’s not as advertised but that a woman’s body has been found in the dunes not even a half mile away. As an ex-crime reporter she can’t help but be curious about the scene and the investigation. Especially after she meets Detective Owen Breda and discovers she’s living in the dead woman’s house. As she starts filming the area, she meets people, hears their stories and starts piecing together clues. Old habits are hard to break.

Midnight Dunes was a very quick moving, easy to read romantic thriller. Told from two points of view we very easily feel the connection our main characters feel, as well as all of the other emotions each scene unveils. Macey was a really easy character to like. Smart, independent, and beautiful, it’s no wonder Owen can’t stop thinking of her. He also is an intriguing character. Tall and handsome, he has an instinct for questioning people that helps him get answers he needs. Funny enough, I think he and Macey are pretty similar to each other although she’s outgoing and he doesn’t seem to be. I liked them for each other a lot, so it was easy to root for that side of the story.

The mystery was really good and not too easy to anticipate who did what. I like being surprised and this story had a few that kept me on my toes and reading until the end. I was a little worried about this being the third book in the series but it seems that the series, although connected, has stand alone stories so don’t be afraid of picking this one up, you can jump right in without missing any intricate underlining stories. It was a very fast, fun read. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest.

Click this book to purchase!* MIdnight Dunes

Copyright 2022 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Audio Review: The Paris Secret by Karen Swan

Flora Sykes, a fine arts dealer, is brought in to assess an amazing find. An unopened apartment in Paris filled with antiques and art that haven’t been touched in 70 years. Owned by the wealthy Vermeil family, Flora’s job is to research those antiques and establish provenance. Using this job as an escape from a personal tragedy, Flora immerses herself in the history of this find that includes a rare Renoir. As she gets closer to answers she keeps stumbling upon the brusque Xavier Vermeil the heir to the Vermeil dynasty who seems upset at her involvement, especially when her research turns up a shocking truth that threatens the reputation of his family.

The Paris Secret takes you all over Europe, to London, Paris, New York, and Vienna and the narrator Lucy Price-Lewis does an amazing job moving smoothly from one accent to another. I truly felt like there were multiple people narrating this novel. She did an amazingly seamless job. I’ll definitely be putting her on my must listen list. However, it is the author who deftly wrote a story that I’ve now come across a few times, and made it stand out from the other novels. The Paris Secret did not provide flashbacks as a tool, staying in the 20th Century. An effective tool to show the disparity in wealth that the Vermeil family had and the power that wealth has given them over time. A power that in part came from their love of art.

As Flora was distracting herself with this amazingly interesting find in Paris, her family was going through something powerfully emotional. The author chose to keep the reader in the dark through a great portion of the book only revealing her family secret when it made sense in moving the plot emotionally forward. Her investigation and her own secret rode parallel to each other in the story creating an explosive conflict in the story between she and Xavier. I’ll admit their attraction was confusing, tense, and mysterious. The narration was so, so good, I eagerly anticipated every word.

As there have been a few of these secret Paris apartment stories in the last 5-6 years, I’m sure you can guess the provenance of where the art came from, but as I said above, the way Karen Swan delivered this information, keeping the story contemporary and current, was a different take on the story that I really enjoyed. I also loved the tension-filled scenes between Flora and Xavier, as well as Flora’s investigation across the European continent. She was a strong, intelligent heroine, and I really liked her. I highly recommend this novel and if you have the time please try the audiobook. Lucy Price-Lewis did an amazing job and made me want to travel to France again sometime soon. Ooh-La-La!

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link and purchase this book!* The Paris Secret: A Novel

Copyright 2022 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

It’s Monday, what are you reading? (3/7/22)

I think my re-watching of Bridgerton this weekend got a little bit in the way of my reading. I’m excited for the release later this month of Season 2! I watched it when it first came out and it’s funny what my brain remembered (not that much), and I forgot all the sex and naked chests. Wowie! I am now ready to see what season 2 brings. Despite that 8 or 9 hours of binge watching I did finish a contemporary romance by Meghan Quinn and started an oldie but goodie by Nora Roberts. Here’s the scoop.

*Thanks again to Book Date for starting this conversation!

JUST FINISHED

I’ll admit that this wasn’t my normal reading choice but I’ve read Meghan Quinn in the past and have found her stories have a sense of humor that I felt I needed this weekend. There were moments in this novel that were pretty funny and it was a quick read. Just what I was looking for.

JUST STARTED

I was going through Nora Roberts books on my library app and there are so many of her romantic thrillers that I somehow skipped. High Noon came out in 2007 and so far it’s off to a great start.

Are there any shows that are keeping you from picking up that book you’ve been eyeing? This month there are a LOT of Netflix releases that I’m looking forward to and I bet you all have a few as well. Let’s hear them!

Happy Monday and happy reading!

Deb

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads2 Comments

This Chick Read: The Girl in the Mist (Misted Pines #1) by Kristen Ashley

Actress and author Delphine LaRue needs a secret retreat from a crazy stalker and her security team recommends a house on a lake in the northwest town of Misted Pines. Delphine falls in love with the house and starts renovating when she sees a young girl in the mist. Then she finds out that there is a killer in Misted Pines, their sheriff is incompetent, and her hot neighbor is the man the town is relying on solving the mystery and keeping their town safe.

When I saw that Kristen Ashley was writing a romantic thriller I was so excited! She does a great job writing women in jeopardy novels, and The Girl in the Mist branches off from that trope into a mystery. Was it perfect? No. Was it fun and enjoyable? Yes. I loved that KA is trying something new and I hope she sticks with it, this book holds so much promise!

Delphine LaRue differs from other KA heroines in that she is slightly older. She’s 53, has been married twice, and has two grown daughters. Despite that slight age difference, Delphine is the same kind of heroine in other novels from this author. She is sweet, funny, totally likable, pretty, and quirky. The hero is pretty similar to other alpha heroes in her novels although he is older as well. Hot, stoic, strong, dependable, and did I say hot? Cade is an ex Navy Seal and FBI Profiler, which makes him somewhat secretive, but also totally smart. What we come to find out is that he’s also a legend in that area and the town totally depends on him for their safety.

I think the Girl in the MIst does a good job at setting an eery mood. There’s a stalker,a killer, and the mystery wasn’t one that I could figure out easily. I’ve read some reviews trashing this novel and I just don’t see how it could be seen as anything but entertaining! It’s a bit of a slow burn novel which is different for this author and that could possibly make some of her readers mad but not me! I am very happy with this energetic, fun, romp in a spooky little town.

If you are a Kristen Ashley fan expect a few changes, but in essence it’s the same style of book she typically writes. There is a bit of a mystery, our characters don’t immediately jump in the sack, and she spends time setting up the story. All things I can get behind and enjoy. I rate this one as a solid must read! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase!* The Girl in the Mist: A Misted Pines Novel

Copyright 2022 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: Engagement and Espionage (Solving for Pie: Cletus and Jenn mysteries book #1) by Penny Reid

Any book by Penny Reid is on my must read list, but “Engagement and Espionage” came out a year ago last summer. Why did I wait so long to read it? I loved Cletus and Jenn’s romance “Beard Science” and let’s face it, Cletus is one of the greatest side characters in a series, EVER. I think I didn’t really know what to expect. I mean we already read their love story so to now give them a mystery to solve? It just seemed kind of odd, but that shouldn’t have been a turn-off! It wasn’t until I read the synopsis for Beard in Hiding” and saw that it was a story about Jenn’s mom, that I realized I really needed to kick it in and read this book. You know what? I LOVED IT.

This novel takes place after “Beard Science” and before several other novels that I’ve already read. It’s a continuation of Cletus and Jenn’s romance because they are not yet married and Jenn is still buried under banana cake and pie. Her mother is still domineering and Cletus is starting to lose patience with his erstwhile fiancée. When someone starts messing with the farmers who provide Jennifer with her products to make her award-winning cakes and pies Cletus and Jenn investigate. Hijinks prevail but the under lining theme of love and honor between our hero and heroine stands strong.

If you have never listened to one of these novels via audiobook, please do! Chris Brinkley and Joy Nash do a great job of voicing these characters and bringing them to life. As the story moves forward and I’m listening to where each of these characters are in the life of the Winston series I realize how much I love this world that Penny Reid has created. The characters are kind of nutty but the world is filled with love and camaraderie. This is why I keep returning to these books and why I’m smacking myself that I didn’t read this one a little sooner. That’s ok, the second book in this series is already out so that means I don’t have to wait to pick it up! See, bright side! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase!* Engagement and Espionage: A Sexy, Small Town Cozy Mystery (Solving for Pie: Cletus and Jenn Mysteries Book 1)

Copyright 2022 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: At Peace (The Burg #2) by Kristen Ashley

Widow, Violet Winters and her two daughters, Kate and Keira, move in next door to Joe Callahan. From the instant they meet sparks fly and Violet gives in to her passion with Joe hoping that love might again be in her life. What she doesn’t realize is that Joe’s past is filled with pain and he’s buried those kinds of emotions deep. Knowing he needs to let her go, he cuts her loose breaking her and her girls hearts. What he doesn’t realize is that Violet has a stalker, one that killed her ex and is looking to make her his. Joe has to fight his own demons to help protect Violet and in doing so he realizes that she and her girls fill up that empty place in his heart to bursting.

It’s been a few years since I’ve read this book but I instantly remember the heat and tension that fill the pages. The book is named At Peace because Violet and her daughters finally bring that peace to Joe’s life, but as you’re reading it it’s anything but filling me with peace. This novel is action-filled and brings the sizzle into every scene that has Violet and Joe in it. Can two people really have chemistry that’s this intense? That’s a question a lot of readers probably ask themselves, but regardless of if they’ve ever felt it in this way they enjoy the feelings that are written into these pages.

As with the first novel in this series, At Peace is a woman in jeopardy romantic thriller. Violet is running away from the Chicago mafia, the man in charge having taken an instant like to her looks after killing her husband. It takes a lot of cajones to kill a womans husband and they try to make her yours. Well, luckily, a security specialist to the stars lives next door and Detective Alec Colton lives across the street! Vi moved into the right neighborhood because nothing will happen to her family while living under their protection. Unless Violet herself chooses to let it in.

This novel was just as much fun as the first in the series, and just as I promised, the Burg reunites to help protect Vi and so we see some of the characters we learned to love (and hate) in the first novel reappear. It’s nice to get a glimpse into how those lives have moved forward in the year or so since the end of the previous novel, but it’s Vi, Joe, Kate, and Keira who are front and center in At Peace and you do not want to miss their story if you haven’t read it yet. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️

Click this link to purchase this book!* At Peace (The ‘Burg Series Book 2)

Copyright 2021 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: For You (The Burg #1) by Kristen Ashley

Colt and February were a legendary couple. High school sweethearts and destined to always be together until one night it ended and only February knew why. Years later, after they both were married and then divorced, Feb is back in town to help run the family bar. When one of their customers is murdered behind the bar, it’s Colt that sent in to investigate and what he finds pushes them back together. He becomes her protector and their passion reignites.

This is the third time I’ve read For You. This story about the fated couple who somehow drift apart to be brought back together by a serial killer is seriously good. This woman in jeopardy romantic thriller is one of my favorites, and when the story and tension backs up the promise of great characters you know you will keep coming back. Every few years I find myself picking it back up again.

February is the woman that every man wants and every woman wants as their best friend. She’s gorgeous, loyal, and funny. She is a hard woman to resist and Alexander Colton doesn’t have a reason to resist any longer. The novel starts with them being distant with each other and as the danger amps up and people close to Feb are being killed the tension threatens to explode. It does, in very hot detail. This is one of those mysteries where you are on the edge of your seat but the romance has you relaxing back and dreaming of your own alpha hero. One of the best early Kristen Ashley novels, if you haven’t read it you need to give it a look.

This author writes great romance novels, but what I really love about her books are the friendships. She gives you background into the surrounding characters to the extent you either love or hate them and some of them turn up as the heroine/hero’s in a future novel. Also, you know that you aren’t seeing the last of them, that they will take part, even in a small way in a future story. So never fear, if you love Feb and Colt, you’ll see them again! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️

Click this link to purchase!* For You (The ‘Burg Series Book 1)

Copyright 2021 the Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads