Review – Strict Confidence by Skye Warren

Strict Confidence; Rochester Trilogy #2
(#2 within a trilogy)

Publication Date: June 15, 2021

Genre/Tropes: Trilogy/Forbidden/Boss-Employee/Age-Gap/Suspense Romance

Author: Skye Warren

Review Rating: 5 Gold Stars

Review/Synopsis:

Review:

Emotions are high, feelings are tense, and suspicions are abound in the second book of this suspenseful trilogy.

We pick right up after the fire that destroyed Coach House and untangling the mystery of what happened the night Beau, Jane, and Paige almost died. Who or what possibly started the fire? Could someone be after Beau for nefarious reasons or could it be Jane that brought danger to the Rochester doorstep?There seem to be more questions than answers as the days pass, but on top of solving the case keeping Paige emotionally stable is both of their top priorities. She’s already lost both of her parents and now her home and everything she ever knew is destroyed on top of what she already lost. How much else can a little girl suffer? These are the moments that will break you in two.

Added to this already tumultuous storyline, Jane and Beau also dance around their feelings once again. Beau is torn between giving in, when he feels his feelings might have caused the danger to begin with and Jane struggles to come to terms with feeling like the help and being Beau’s lover now that Beau wants to put the breaks on. Uncertainty is written all over what they share which doesn’t help in facing a future together. How do you put the lid on pandora’s box when everything is already pouring out of it? Their feelings are raw and hurtful, but make the story that much better.

What I love best is the mystery surrounding this story, the unknown of exactly who the bad guy could be. I also love the tenacity of Paige and how resilient she is given everything she has gone through, but I’m always a sucker for children.

With a killer still on the loose, I’m excited to see how everything plays out and how it all comes together. What’s going to happen? Will everyone survive?

Synopsis:

Forbidden. Commanding. Mysterious. Beau Rochester has an entire house full of secrets. And those secrets are putting Jane Mendoza in danger.

She fell in love with the one man she can’t have. She should leave Maine to protect her heart, but the thread refuses to be severed. The brooding Mr. Rochester and his grieving niece are more than her job. They’re her new family.

She races against time to find answers and protect the people she loves. The cliffside grows dark with the misdeeds of the past. Her heart and her sanity fight a battle, but they are both at risk.

Will Mr. Rochester learn to trust Jane? And will that trust destroy her?

Find more of my reviews on Amazon under Kayreader
on Goodreads under Kay Daniels Romance
At Bookbub under Kayreader
or you can follow me on Facebook at Kay Daniels Romance

Review – Devil May Care by Amelia Wilde

Devil May Care; The Devil #3 
(#3 within a trilogy)

Publication Date: June 15, 2021

Genre/Tropes: Trilogy/Age Gap/Dark Romance/Twisted Tale/Suspense

Author: Amelia Wilde

Review Rating: 5 Gold Stars

Review/Synopsis:

Review:

A pirate without a ship, a captive without a ransom. What are the next steps for Poseidon and Ashley? Everything comes together in this final book.

Ashley has really grown over this trilogy. She was originally a woman who came aboard Poseidon’s ship scared and entitled and is now at a point where she’s fighting to stay by her pirate’s side. Now that Poseidon’s ship is gone Ashley really steps up her game to hold her man together. She is not only fighting for their future, but also his sanity. In this trilogy she’s gone from a spoiled, rich girl to a formidable woman, ready to stand by her man. It’s a good thing because the scary pirate she first met is lost along with his ship.

Being landlocked is killing Poseidon, he is not the same man without his ship. He continues to push Ashley away, figuring she deserves better than what he can offer, but the more he tries the more she resists. I was a tad disappointed in his behaviour, and yes, only a tad. I completely understood he needed to grieve. He lost his entire life now rests at the bottom of the ocean and he needed time to deal with the ramifications of what he did. Men are moody creatures, especially when they lose their toys, but his moodiness went on for longer than I was hoping for.

Some of my favorite parts of this last book were when Poseidon and his brothers were together. Poseidon, Zeus, and Hades share a bond unlike many brothers, but I love their unique, shall we say – talents – and how they support each other in a time of crisis. Great ending for the brothers and Poseidon’s thoughts regarding them constantly brought a smile to my face.

Synopsis:

What is a pirate without his ship? Without the seat?

I sacrificed everything to save Ashley. Now we are hiding out while I build a new ship, a new life for myself. It’s paradise here on the island. Sparkling water and lush greenery. A beautiful woman by my side. But the threat of danger grows closer. The net tightens.. We are at risk every second we stay here, but there’s nowhere to run. Even the ocean won’t save us now.

Devil May Care is the third book in the Devil trilogy by USA Today bestselling author Amelia Wilde. The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea and A Deal with the Devil must be read first.

Find more of my reviews on Amazon under Kayreader
on Goodreads under Kay Daniels Romance
At Bookbub under Kayreader
or you can follow me on Facebook at Kay Daniels Romance

Review – The Bully by Sophie Lark

The Bully; Kingmakers #3 
(#3 within an interconnected series)

Publication Date: June 16, 2021

Genre/Tropes: New Adult/Mafia World/Bully Romance

Author: Sophie Lark

Review Rating: 5 Gold Stars

Review/Synopsis:

Review:

Everything I was hoping for and so much more!! I LOVED Dean’s redemption story and Cat is ferocious! Absolute perfection!

I was totally fascinated by Dean from the very beginning of this series. Every villain believes he is the hero of his own story and Dean was cemented in his belief that everything he did was correct and righteous. While Dean almost killed his cousin, Leo, back freshman year, in his mind he was justified in doing so because everything that was going wrong was due to Leo. However, this murder attempt is a small part of the reason why he’s so intrigued by Cat Romero. Cat actually did achieve murdering her sister’s fiance, which is something only Cat and Dean know about. A fact that Dean uses to make Cat basically his slave, but what starts out as a fascination for Dean quickly falls into something more, something he has a hard time putting a name to, but what I find fascinating about Dean is that he is nothing but dedicated and hard working while he makes Cat his entire focus.

Cat is also another fascinating character, which actually makes her a perfect match for Dean. She began her freshman year meek and very timid, but by the end of that year she was a murderer. Now she’s beginning her sophomore year with a lot more confidence, but with a huge secret and a Russian bully who won’t leave her alone. Cat never once backs down from Dean or anyone else on campus who steps up to bother her. She has come a long way from the timid kitten who arrived the prior year. She goes into everything Dean demands with her eyes wide open, which really shows her strength and inner beauty. While Dean sees something in Cat that she doesn’t necessarily see in herself, during their time together Cat finds her confidence and her inner strength shines through. She is also friends with Leo and his inner circle, which would normally infuriate Dean, but these two are actually a bridge to helping mend a lot of fences at the school.

Both Dean and Cat come out of this year as better versions of themselves and it’s not so much as falling in love that did it, but more of having that love in their life that allowed them to finally believe in themselves and look at the world in a whole new way. That they were deserving of everything and everyone in their life instead of pushing everyone away. Finally opening up to every possibility that came their way, that is what love teaches us. I really love the message of this book and Sophie did an amazing job with their story arc.

Not only is the redemption story beautiful, but these two characters really shine together and bring out the best in one other, oh…and I haven’t even mentioned the steamy parts.  Whew…blazing…fan yourself…ultra steamy times. Can I get a visit from Dean, please? Thank you!

Next up is The Spy and where the last two books had the “on deck” character’s storyline woven throughout, this time there was only a small sprinkle here and there and the actual name of who this person would be wasn’t given. There were teasers and hints as to whom it might be, but as the title suggests it could be shocking when it’s actually revealed. I’m excited to continue and see who it is as this series has blown me away and continues to just get better and better with each book.

Synopsis:

I Know Her Secret…

Cat is in so much trouble. She did something bad, and I saw.

I’ll keep her secret… for a price.

Poor, sweet, timid Cat should never have come to Kingmakers. It’s a place for monsters and killers. People like me.

She wandered into the lion’s den and now she’s mine.

Mine to play with. Mine to torment. Mine to break…

Find more of my reviews on Amazon under Kayreader
on Goodreads under Kay Daniels Romance
At Bookbub under Kayreader
or you can follow me on Facebook at Kay Daniels Romance