TOTALLY ADDICTED TO READING

 

From New York Times bestselling author Meghan March comes the story of the ruthless, calculating billionaire Jericho Forge. India Baptiste, his latest prey, is now caught in the high stakes game that has become her life since colliding with Forge, and she’ll need the luck of the devil to survive. India Forge’s life is now part of Jericho Forge’s calculated game. “You can put that man in a suit, but he'll never be tame." One look at Jericho Forge and I knew the rumors were true. He was a predator, and he had set his sights on me. I knew better than to bet more than I could afford to lose that night. I knew better than to bet myself. But desperation leads to bad decisions, and I thought there was no way I could lose. I was wrong. Now I have no choice but to make a deal with the devil. Deal with the Devil is the first book of the Forge Trilogy, which will continue in Luck of the Devil and conclude in Heart of the Devil.

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“Sit.” Mercy sat on a stool that was too high for the makeshift table. She didn’t care. They could sit on the ground and she’d be happy with Truman. Currently the home had plywood subfloors and open framing, but part of Mercy loved the empty, bare look; it promised that something fabulous was coming.  Fabulous and practical.  Truman leaned over and poured red wine in the plastic cup by her paper plate. She sighed and buried her nose in her cup. The fragrance was deep and bold, with hints of plum and smoke.  “Italy,” she mumbled into the wine.  “What?” asked Truman.  “I want to visit Italy. How does a honeymoon in Italy sound?”  A grin filled his face, and the sensation of butterflies fluttered up her spine.  Or maybe it’s the wine.  She took a sip of her wine as she studied his face. So familiar and dear to her. A smile to stop traffic. Eyes that crinkled in happiness. Several scars that testified to his love of law enforcement. Her attraction to him was more than skin deep. She was in love with the person he was. He was a natural leader and easily commanded respect. His people turned to him, followed him, admired him. His natural sense of honor was a magnet for her.  No. It’s not the wine.  He gets me.  He understood how her mind worked, and they fit together like a couple of complicated puzzle pieces. She’d been painfully aware of her missing puzzle piece when he’d been taken away, chained by men planning to kill him, and then rescued thanks to Ollie. The two weeks when no one knew his fate had been the worst of her life. When he’d been returned to her, she’d known she couldn’t waste any more time.  He’d been of the same mind-set and had proposed.  “I’ll try Italy.” He dished spaghetti carbonara onto their plates.  “And what’s on your agenda for tomorrow?” he asked over the rim of his plastic cup. She perked up. “The bank confirmed the money bags are from the Gamble-Helmet Heist. And I have the go-ahead to visit Shane Gamble at the Two Rivers prison tomorrow.” “What are your thoughts on the remains?” Truman asked. “Did the medical examiner get to them yet?”  “Yes. They spent the afternoon removing the remains, and Dr. Lockhart was going to start an examination tonight. The woman never takes time off.”  “Same could be said for you.”  “Only when I’m deep in a case.”  “I guess this means your weekends are booked for a while?”  Mercy sighed. “I know. The two of us are supposed to be working on the interior of this place … We’ll get it done at some point. It’ll have to wait awhile.”  A grin filled his face.  “What?” she asked.  “You’re not the same person I met last fall. Back then, if the cabin had been in the half-completed state it is now, you’d be climbing the walls with anxiety because your safety net wasn’t perfect.”  “You’re right,” she agreed. “I had a similar thought earlier, but nearly all my supplies are still intact, so it’d be rough living but doable. I can temporarily live with that for now. Especially with this case to distract me.”  His lips twisted.  “Jealous?” she asked with a grin. “It’s an amazing case, isn’t it?”  “It is. Considering there have been no leads for decades, and the robbery is practically modern folklore. It’s like a buried treasure hunt, and Ollie found the first clue.”  “Is Ollie okay after his morning?” she asked with a small wince. She’d nearly forgotten the teen had made the grisly discovery.  “He’s okay. I spent some time with him and he was very quiet, but I could tell he was processing it. He’s dealt with death before.”  “He’s been through a lot,” sympathized Mercy.  They silently ate for a few moments until he glanced up and caught her staring at him. Longing shone in his eyes, an appetite and craving that had nothing to do with food, and she struggled to find her breath.  How does he do that to me?  “You know,” he said, his voice low and tempting, “this place hasn’t been christened yet.”   Mercy blinked. “People do that to homes?”   Patience filled his features. “That’s not what I meant.” His brown gaze held hers.  “Ohhh,” she breathed as heat flashed through her. “Dessert.” His smile was sinful, and energy pulsed between them.  She melted. “Yes. Dessert.”

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I received this book as part of my October Blind Date with a book.  When I read the blurb, I thought a love triangle would be at the centre of the story. Thankfully, this was not the case.

What the story is about.

Holding the Other tells the story of King of Country Music Lee Maverick and Kyle Kelly aka KK. Lee Maverick was on the top of the world as his career had taken off and he was fan favourite of country music lovers.  When his wife and fellow country music singer Miranda Wallen asked for a divorce after ten years together, he saw all he achieved shattering before his eyes. It did not matter it was something they both wanted as theirs was purely a marriage of convenience.  His biggest fear was his career tanking now that Miranda was no longer a part of his life.


KK dreams of becoming the next Reba McIntyre. However aster several disappointments, which included a broken heart she gave up on her dreams. However, thanks to her meddling best friend she finds herself on tour with the King of Country music. Sparks ignited and after days of fighting their feelings, they decided to explore the attraction between them, but then Miranda returned.

I have followed the Heartbreaker Bay series from the beginning.  From that moment I became invested in the lives of the characters featured and was eager for each of them to get their happily ever after. When I discovered this would be Spence’s story I was eager to dive into this one. Having been fascinated by Spence from the previous books and given my experience with the previous books I had high expectations for Chasing Christmas Eve.

What the story is about.

Imagine taking an unplanned trip to a city, you never intended to visit, but because of the weather, it proved to be the safest choice. All this was done to escape the stress of your personal and professional life. In the process the one thing you never expected occurred, you found your soul mate and discovered long-lasting and meaningful friendships. 

Well Colbie Albright could tell you all about such an experience. She ended up in San Francisco, because she was fatigued, overwhelmed with family issues and dealing with writer’s block.   Meeting geeky and sexy Spencer Baldwin and falling in love was not on her agenda, but fate had different plans.

The last thing on Spencer Baldwin’s mind is being involved in a relationship not that he has had any luck in that department. Besides his latest project consumed all his waking moments.  Therefore, when he came face to face with the beautiful and mysterious Colbie Albright he was taken aback by his reaction to her.  Getting involved with her would not be a wise move as she is only in the city for two weeks, but the heart want what the heart wants. 

Will he be able to let her go at the end of the two weeks or will he be able to convince her that what they share is not worth two weeks but a lifetime?

I remember the first time I read a book written by Jill Shalvis. Her writing sucked me in and warmed my heart. She creates relatable characters served up with a side of fun and Chasing Christmas Eve was no different.

This was a fun read, and it had everything I expected. Wonderful characters, humour, heat and friendships. The pacing was perfect and the drama low-keyed.  Never once did I experience a dull moment.  There was surprising and interesting development.  It had to do with Eddie, the homeless guy who Spence is always looking to assist.  It was a shocking but pleasant surprise.

I fell in love with Spence when I met him in the previous instalments.  However, I was disappointed with his portrayal in this installment.  Yes, he is brilliant, sexy, caring, and humble but I did not like how he allowed his friends to dictate his personal life. I understood the need to want to protect a friend, but he is a big man who can make his own decisions.  Elle was the one I had the issue with in this area.  She need to chill.  I enjoyed seeing taking a break from work and having fun.

Colbie cares for her family even though they are the source of her current situation. They are everything to her.   She is delightful and I enjoyed peeling away the layers of her character.  I loved how she blended in with Spencer’s friends.

I loved them as a couple. Their chemistry, which was evident from their initial meeting, was off the charts.  Their initialmeeting took place under unfortunate but funny circumstances. They had so much in common, which made them a perfect pair. They both feared commitment when it came to relationships. She was afraid of opening up her heart, while Spence feared he would break it, as he believed he was no good at relationships. However, where Spence was willing to take a chance, Colbie was more interested in running.  Watching, as they overcome these issues and taking a chance on love was delightful and heart-warming. I enjoyed their interaction with each other, which was fun and filled with heat.  

Conclusion/Recommendation

Chasing Christmas Eve is an entertaining, witty and heart-warming story that had me smiling from ear to ear.  This is a great addition to the series and I am eager to see what next Jill Shalvis has in store for the gang of Heartbreaker Bay.

It takes one simple occurrence to uncover a deeply buried secret from the past.

I enjoyed the author’s Bodyguards of LA County series. When I discovered she would be releasing a new book with a different series, I was excited to get my hands on a copy.

What the story is about.

Secrets Hidden in the Glass is the story of Callie Davis and Nate Carter.  Callie is a renowned Stained-Glass artist who is facing a slump in her artistic talents. To combat the pressures and the stress, which contributed to her slump she escaped to Carter Island where she hopes to get peace, rest and her creative juices flowing again.  However, her plans never included meeting the hot and sexy sheriff of Carter Island, a meeting that would change her life in ways she never expected.

Sheriff Nate Carter was looking forward to the quiet and peaceful days, which usually accompany the autumn season.  Now that summer was over and the tourists have left the island, life could not get any better. However, the arrival of the mysterious and beautiful Callie Davis would put a kink in his plan. Shrouded by mystery, her presence unknown to them would wake up deadly and deeply buried secrets, which would place them in the cross-hairs of a killer.

What I Liked

The beginning of the story, which set the tone for the rest of the book, was intriguing. It peaked my curiosity, making me eager to discover the identity of the child abandonned twenty-two years ago and her connection to Callie Davis.  However, after sometime the story slowed down as the story focused on the life Callie is establishing with Nate.  For a moment I found my interest waning and I was tempted to give up on the story, but I am glad I stuck it out. The story heated up, when Callie made a discovery, which would set her on a path to discovering her true identity.  However, the fallout from this new development would turn her life upside down. Hounded by the media and the emergence of crackpots would prove more stressful than the very thing she came to the island to escape.

There were a few tense moments as Nate tries to uncover the secrets from Callie’s past. Some parts of the story was predictable, but there were areas where the author had me guessing the identity of the persons responsible for the tragedy in Callie’s past.

Nate proved to be a caring, funny, protective, determined and a loyal hero. The way he stood by Callie was endearing and inspiring. His determination to help her discover the buried secrets of her life was a testament to how much he cared about her.   

Kind, warm and brave are the words I would use to describe the heroine.  However, sometimes I was turned off by her indecisiveness as it relates to the investigation. I recognised her propensity to cry when events from her past and present appeared overwhelming has a sign of anxiety, which was a product of the events from her past.

Together they made the perfect couple. Their relationship, which I found inspiring was built on two important ingredients love and trust.  It was these ingredients, which helped them survive the chaos, which surfaced because of Callie’s discovery. Callie found her home in Nate's loving arms and Nate discovered what it meant to love and be loved unconditionally.

I enjoyed reading about the secondary characters, both the good and bad ones. I was especially intrigued by Brad and Molly. I would love to know their story.

What I did not like.

The problem I had with this book had more to do with its length and not the story.  It was quite a lengthy story at 599 pages. Now I rarely have problems with stories that long, but when there a lot of details that does not add value and takes away from the important aspects of the story then that is when I have an issue.  This was the main thing that contributed to the slow pace of Secrets Hidden in the Glass. I skipped pages just so I could get to the important details.

Conclusion/Recommendation

Overall, Secrets Hidden the Glass was an intriguing and interesting read and one I would recommend to readers who love romance and mystery and do not mind stories filled will many details.

What the Story is about.
What would you do if you got the chance to right a wrong from your past?


In this installment we are introduced to Lotti Hartford a blast from Sean’s past. Lotti is in charge of the Bed and Breakfast where Pru and Finn’s bachelor/bachelorette is being hosted.

 Sean, Finn’s brother, is in charge of the planning and to everyone’s amazement; he has done an excellent job. However, the one thing he had not planned for was his reunion with the girl whose heart he broke when he was sixteen years old.  

Will he able to convince her he has changed and can she trust him not to break her heart once again?


Holiday Wishes by Jill Shalvis is book #4.5 in the Heartbreaker Bay series. Like the other books in the series, it can be read as a stand-alone. However, if you want to get the full benefit of this fun and adorable series, I would recommend you start at the beginning.


Holiday Wishes features one of my favourite tropes, a second chance romance. Combined with my favourite holiday and a weekend wedding and I knew I would be in for a treat.

The Story
A short and sweet Christmas read that allowed me to hang out with the Heartbreaker gang while enjoying the development of the romance between the protagonists.  A well-written story with relateable characters and steady pacing made this a worthwhile read.

The Characters
Sean is a character with whom I am familiar. When I met him in the first book in the series, I found him to be immature and irresponsible. However, in this installment he demonstrated that he was not the irresponsible and immature young man persons perceived him to be. I loved this side of him.

I could not fault Lotti for her initial reaction to seeing Sean again after all these years. It could not have been easy for her to face the one person who had the power to break her heart into tiny pieces.  However, in spite of her fears the one thing she could not deny was the explosive attraction between them, which was as strong as ever.

It was a treat watching them navigate their un-resolved feelings and off the chart chemistry. I loved them together, and I silently hoped that they would get it right this time around.

Conclusion and Recommendation
Fans of the series will enjoy this Christmas themed novella. If you have not started the series, then I recommend that you do so as soon as you can as you are missing out on some fun and awesome stories.  As for me, I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book in the series.

Another hit from one of my favourite authors and a great addition to the Heartbreaker Bay series.1