Maureen

Posted on December 3, 2019December 3, 2019 by Maureen

Jackdaw by KJ Charles

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Jackdaw takes place in Charles’ Charm of Magpies universe series of Victorian-era queer paranormal romance novels. It isn’t a strict perquisite to read the first three books in the series, but readers will benefit from a better understanding of the larger story arc.

Jonah Pastern played a supporting role in Flight of Magpies, the third Charm of Magpies book. I don’t want to reveal too much, but I will say that Jonah appeared as one of the villains of the piece, so right away, it’s interesting to see him as the protagonist in a romance.

Once upon a time, Jonah met Ben, and they were very happy together.

Until they weren’t. Read more

Posted on December 2, 2019December 2, 2019 by Maureen

Shadows & Dreams by Alexis Hall

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This is the second book in Hall’s Kate Kane: Paranormal Investigator series. The Kate series first appeared a few years ago, but has been republished by Carina Press.

Readers should start with the first book—Iron & Velvet—which introduces Kate and her world, but I’ll offer a brief spoiler-free TLDR for readers who want to read this review. Kate lives in contemporary London, all the fictional supernatural entities are real, and just like ordinary people, they require the services of a private investigator.

Shadows picks up three months after Iron, and concerns the fallout from the end of Iron, as well as a new threat. What starts as a search for an almost-hookup’s missing brother escalates into something bigger, and once again Kate is forced to deal with vampires, werewolves, faeries, and more— when all she really wants to do is relax at home and spend time with Julian, her girlfriend.

I should mention that Julian used to be a nun… and that she’s an 800-year-old vampire… Read more

Posted on November 29, 2019November 29, 2019 by Maureen

Betrothed by Christmas by Jess Michaels and Elizabeth Essex

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The holiday season seems to start a little earlier every year, and I don’t mind one bit. I love the music and the decorations and the snow, and most importantly the time spent with my family and friends. Needless to say, I was very excited about the opportunity to read this new historical romance anthology.

The two novellas share the same which I thought was a fun worldbuilding element. They also take place during the Christmas season, but the plots are not overwhelmed by the holiday, which works well because the emphasis falls on the characterization rather than relying on the holiday to carry the plots. Read more

Posted on November 11, 2019November 11, 2019 by Maureen · 2 Comments

The Widow of Rose House by Diana Biller

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The Widow of Rose House was written by Diana Biller. I’m a big fan of historical romance; I don’t read very much of American historical romance, but the premise piqued my interest.

Alva Webster has returned to New York after living abroad, accompanied by her scandalous reputation. She intends to renovate a Hyde Park mansion, detailing the process in an interior design book full of photographs, an innovative and creative venture that hasn’t been done before.

But the workers have abandoned the project because they say the house is haunted.

And then this pesky scientist keeps popping up because he wants to study the ghosts.

Alva doesn’t want to rely on anybody but herself, but Samuel Moore is sweet and kind and very earnest. Read more

Posted on October 28, 2019October 27, 2019 by Maureen

The Business of Blood by Kerrigan Byrne

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The Business of Blood is the first book in Kerrigan Byrne’s new Victorian-era historical mystery series. I have enjoyed her previous books: historical romance novels with angst-ridden heroes, and so I was very excited to read something completely different than Byrne’s usual fare.

This is, indeed, a departure: even though Byrne’s historical romance novels are darker than most of the books in the genre, potential readers should know that The Business of Blood is not a cozy historical mystery. There are fairly graphic descriptions of crime scenes, and while I don’t think it’s any worse than the depravity some of Byrne’s other characters have demonstrated, it’s still worth mentioning.

Fiona Mahoney, an Irish immigrant living in London, works as a crime scene cleaner. There is no shortage of work, and she is not easily shocked- until she arrives at the home of a murdered man posed in a gruesome fashion. All signs point to Jack the Ripper, who has been dormant for years. Fiona has been haunted by this elusive killer, and wonders if this is her opportunity to track down the man who killed her childhood best friend. Read more

Posted on October 24, 2019October 24, 2019 by Maureen

The Business of Blood by Kerrigan Byrne: Release Day Blitz

The Business of Blood, an all-new intriguing historical mystery from USA Today bestselling author Kerrigan Byrne, is available now!

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London, 1890. Blood and death are Fiona Mahoney’s trade, and business, as they say, is booming.

Dying is the only thing people do with any regularity, and Fiona makes her indecorous living cleaning up after the corpses are carted away. Her childhood best friend, Mary, was the last known victim of Jack the Ripper. It’s been two years since Fiona scrubbed Mary’s blood from the floorboards, and London is no longer buzzing about the Ripper, but Fiona hasn’t forgotten. She hasn’t stopped searching for Jack.

When she’s called to a murder in the middle of the night, Fiona finds a victim mutilated in an eerily similar fashion to those of the Ripper, and only a few doors down from Mary’s old home. The relentless and irritatingly handsome Inspector Grayson Croft warns her away from the case. She might have listened, if she hadn’t found a clue in the blood. A clue that will lead her down a path from which there is no return.

As a killer cuts a devastating swath through London, a letter written in blood arrives at her door, and it is only then that Fiona realizes just how perilous her endeavor is. For she has drawn the attention of an obsessive evil, and is no longer the hunter, but the prey.

Fiona Mahoney is in the business of blood. But she’s not the only one.

With intriguing twists, blood-chilling discoveries, and dazzling prose, USA Today Bestselling author Kerrigan Byrne shows that a woman’s work is never done, even when is sleuthing out a serial killer.

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Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2W79Brj

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/BusinessofBlood

Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/31q7Q9T

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2qfPPhw

About Kerrigan

Kerrigan has done many things to pay the bills, from law enforcement to belly dance instructor. Now she’s finally able to have the career she’d decided upon at thirteen when she announced to her very skeptical family that she was going to “grow up to be a romance novelist.” Whether she’s writing about Celtic Druids, Victorian bad boys, or brash Irish FBI Agents, Kerrigan uses her borderline-obsessive passion for history, her extensive Celtic ancestry, and her love of Shakespeare in almost every story.

She lives in a little Victorian coast town on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State with her wonderful husband. When she’s not writing you can find her sailing, beach combing, kayaking, visiting wineries, breweries, and restaurants with friends, and hiking…okay…wandering aimlessly clenching bear spray in the mountains.

Connect with Kerrigan

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2LsaJTm

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2ZnBVWw

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2IPJTCG

Twitter: http://bit.ly/30xkPqv

Instagram: http://bit.ly/2ZbXbmQ

Stay up to date with Kerrigan by joining her mailing list: http://bit.ly/33VpuF0

Website: https://www.kerriganbyrne.com/

Posted on October 23, 2019 by Maureen

Gilded Cage by KJ Charles

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Gilded Cage is the second book in KJ Charles’ Lilywhite Boys series of queer Victorian-era mystery/romance novels. If you haven’t read Any Old Diamonds, the first book in the series, I suggest you stop reading because I’m going to be unable to discuss Gilded Cage without revealing spoilers for Any Old Diamonds.

It’s really good- you’ll love it. Read more

Posted on October 22, 2019July 16, 2019 by Maureen

Twice in a Blue Moon by Christina Lauren

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Twice in a Blue Moon is a contemporary romance novel written by Christina Lauren. I was excited about the opportunity to read this book because I absolutely loved Autoboyography, which is one of their other books.

The story begins fourteen years ago with a trip of a lifetime to London for Tate and her Nana Jude. While in London, they meet fellow Americans Sam and Luther. They end up spending a lot of time together sightseeing. Tate and Sam hit it off right away, and she trusts him with her biggest secret- that she’s the estranged daughter of one of Hollywood’s most famous leading men. Trusting Sam turns out to be a huge mistake, and Tate’s world is changed forever. Read more

Posted on October 21, 2019 by Maureen

Lucky Break by A.M. Arthur

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Lucky Break is the fourth book in A.M. Arthur’s Clean Slate Ranch series of mlm contemporary romance novels. I was very excited about the opportunity to read this book because I loved all of the previous books in the series, and I wanted to know what was going to happen next on the ranch.

I usually avoid revealing plot points, but in the interest of content warnings, readers should know that Shawn was sexually molested and then outed as a teen.

Shawn Matthews appeared in a supporting role in Saddle Up, the third book in the series. He has been working as the pastry chef at the ghost town’s restaurant. Shawn has not had an easy life; the restaurant job has been a huge help, but he’s been living in his car to save on expenses. Read more

Posted on October 18, 2019October 17, 2019 by Maureen