The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory

Title: The Proposal

Author: Jasmine Guillory

Publisher: Berkley Books

Release Date: October 30, 2018

The author of The Wedding Date serves up a novel about what happens when a public proposal doesn't turn into a happy ending, thanks to a woman who knows exactly how to make one on her own...

When someone asks you to spend your life with him, it shouldn't come as a surprise--or happen in front of 45,000 people.

When freelance writer Nikole Paterson goes to a Dodgers game with her actor boyfriend, his man bun, and his bros, the last thing she expects is a scoreboard proposal. Saying no isn't the hard part--they've only been dating for five months, and he can't even spell her name correctly. The hard part is having to face a stadium full of disappointed fans...

At the game with his sister, Carlos Ibarra comes to Nik's rescue and rushes her away from a camera crew. He's even there for her when the video goes viral and Nik's social media blows up--in a bad way. Nik knows that in the wilds of LA, a handsome doctor like Carlos can't be looking for anything serious, so she embarks on an epic rebound with him, filled with food, fun, and fantastic sex. But when their glorified hookups start breaking the rules, one of them has to be smart enough to put on the brakes...

Amazon | B&N

Let me start by saying, I didn't read The Wedding Date (but I wanted too). The Proposal should be counted as a novel written within the same world. I will call it book #2. The couple from the first story is mentioned or appeared quite a few times through it.

The Proposal begins with an embarrassing situation.  Nikole Paterson is at the Dodgers game when her boyfriend, a guy whom she has only dated five months, proposes to her using the scoreboard. To her dismay, everyone is watching her as she tells him no in the most subtle way. He storms out, leaving her behind. 

Carlos Ibarra and her sister are a few rows behind watching the events unfold. They decide to help Nikole by taking her away from the stadium and dropping her to meet her friends. When asked to join them, they agree. Carlos and Nikole share a spark and they will start communicating through texts and phone calls in the days to come. 

Nikole thinks that Carlos will be a nice rebound hookup since she doesn't want anything serious. Carlos feels the same way. Yet, the more time they are around each other, the more difficult this arrangement becomes. 

The Proposal is a fast and easy story. I liked that the author was inclusive of different races and body types but I had a hard time relating to Nikole. She said she was hurt before and that's why she didn't want to be in a relationship but we never get to experience her past. It's only mentioned. I would've liked to see more of what the other boyfriend did to make her skittish of relationships.

Carlos was very likable and so was his family. He was devoted to them. He was a good friend too. The only time I didn't approve of him was when he felt rejected. He was quite mean then. Otherwise, he was a good guy. 

Cliffhanger: No

3/5 Fangs

Thank you Berkley Romance and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary copy of The Proposal in exchange for an honest review. 

Judgment Road by Christine Feehan

Title: Judgment Road 
Series: Torpedo Ink #1
Author: Christine Feehan
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: January 23, 2018

An outlaw motorcycle club sets up shop next door to Sea Haven in the dangerously sexy new series from #1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan.

As the enforcer of the Torpedo Ink motorcycle club, Reaper lives for riding and fighting. He's a stone-cold killer who turns his wrath on those who deserve it. Feelings are a weakness he can't afford--until a gorgeous bartender gets under his skin...

Near Sea Haven, the small town of Caspar has given Anya Rafferty a new lease on life. And she's desperate to hold on to her job at the biker bar, even if the scariest member of the club seems to have it out for her. But Reaper's imposing presence and smoldering looks just ratchet up the heat. 

Anya's touch is everything Reaper doesn't want--and it brands him to the bone. But when her secrets catch up to her, Reaper will have to choose between Anya and his club--his heart and his soul. 

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I'm a huge MC book reader. When I saw Christine Feehan was writing a new series, I didn't hesitate to request it. I'm glad I did. 

Judgment Road revolves around the Torpedo Ink Motorcycle Club. This club has males and females. Both females are full-fledged participants. All of them are Russian. They met while being captive in a place where despicable things were done to them. Now, they have made Sea Haven their home. They are a lethal club but they try to remain away from any trouble unless trouble comes looking for them. 

Reaper is the MC's enforcer. He's great at his job. He can kill without remorse and he's ready to die protecting his club.  They are his only family. He does care for the President's wife, Blythe. She and her adopted kids are all under the club's protection. 

Reaper has a hard time relating to anyone who's not part of the club. This is why he can't understand at first why he's at the club's bar night watching from the new bartender from afar, Anya. She's sexy, he'll give her that but no woman has stired any emotions from him because he has not let himself lose control. 

Anya is happy bartending at the club's bar. She's living in her car and is trying to make enough money to get a new place for herself. She had to run away from her last job after she overheard something she shouldn't. She admits to being intrigued by Reaper but he also scares her. However, when she learns he's threatening her job, she loses her temper and lets him have it. This begins an explosive relationship between these two. 

I'm going to comment on the things that bothered me first. I thought Reaper was a tad too possessive. He wanted to make all the decisions in their relationship and that could get boring. I understood why things needed to be his way but still after a while, it would've been nice to see that Anya was able to put her foot down on things. I also didn't like what the club agreed to do to her and hated that Reaper didn't protect her from it. I understood why he didn't go against his club but still, I didn't have to like it. 

Now to the things I liked. I love how close this group of Russians were. They pretty much could read each other's thoughts. They worked so well together. Seeing them in action was impressive. I also liked that two females were part of the MC and they were both lethal just like the guys. Last, I like that they had a purpose as a club and I was on board with it. 

I can't wait to read the next one. Bring it on!

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Berkley via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Thing About Love by Julie James

Title: The Thing About Love 

Author: Julie James 

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: April 18, 2017 

Two undercover FBI agents can hide who they are from everyone but each other in the latest novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Suddenly One Summer. 

FBI agents Jessica Harlow and John Shepherd have a past. The former lawyer and cocky Army ranger clashed during their training at Quantico, gladly going their separate ways after graduating from the Academy. Six years later, the last thing either of them expects is to run into each other again–assigned to work as partners in a high-profile undercover sting.

For both of them, being paired with a former rival couldn’t come at a worse time. Recently divorced from a Hollywood producer and looking for a fresh start, Jessica is eager to prove herself at her new field office. And John is just one case away from his dream assignment to the FBI’s elite Hostage Rescue Team. In order to nail a corrupt Florida politician, they’ll have to find a way to work as a team–a task that becomes even trickier when they’re forced to hole up at a romantic, beachfront resort as part of the investigation. Suddenly, the heat behind their nonstop sparring threatens to make the job a whole lot more complicated. . .

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

"You don't have to choose."

It's always a pleasure to read a new book by Julie James. I love her romance FBI/US Attorney series. Her books are a must for me.

The story centers around two FBI special agents. Both Jessica Harlow and John Shepherd attended Quantico together. Thanks to a misunderstanding, they became very competitive and started disliking each other. Years later, after John discovers his girlfriend has been cheating on him with one of his friends while he was undercover in Detroit and Jessica is coming back to Chicago after a recent divorce, they are selected for a white collar undercover investigation. They both will have to play nice in front of their bosses. 

Thankfully, when John and Jessica start spending time together they realized each has a different view of what really happened during their time together in Quantico. She realizes he's more than a brute big ex-Ranger and he realizes Jessica is much nicer when she's not wondering if someone believes her to be weak. Their attraction soon carries them close to crossing the line. 

I had fun reading about these characters. Their banter was great and the romance was HOT! Perfect combo for this romance lover. I love how Julie gives depth to her main characters and in this case to John's brother, his best friend, and his FBI team. 

I can't wait for Julie's next book.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest 
review.

Steeling himself, John turned around and smiled as Jessica approached. “Yes, Agent Harlow. How can I be of service?” 

In response to his dry tone, she threw him a glare so cold it could’ve frozen all nine circles of Dante’s Hell. Fittingly, just nine of the many places he would rather be than stuck working with her on this investigation.

“Look, I’m not thrilled about this, either.” Keeping her voice low, she came to a stop next to him at the elevator bank. “I thought you were supposed to be on the Hostage Rescue Team already.”

“And I thought you were supposed to be in L.A.”

There was a quick flash in her eyes before she shrugged off his question. “Change of plans.” 

The elevator arrived at their floor, and they both stepped inside. She hit the button for the seventh floor, where the public corruption squad was located. Standing on the opposite side, he pressed the button for floor five. 

They faced off as the doors shut. She folded her arms across her chest and studied him with those crystalline blue eyes that could so cleverly mask her emotions. 

As he knew well.

“We’re going to have to figure this out,” she said. “We’re supposed to be business partners in this.”

Thank you, yes, being a professional, he was aware of that. He took a step closer. “It’s called “undercover” work, Harlow. If I can pretend to be a gun-buying, murder-for-hire thug, I think I can handle playing some rich investor-type who wants to skirt a few measly zoning laws.” Even a rich investor-type who was apparently masochistic enough to get in bed with the likes of her. 

Professionally-speaking.

“Measly zoning laws?” she repeated.

Ooh, now he’d gone and pissed her off. How nice it was, really, that they could pick up like this, right where they’d left off.

She drew in closer, tilting her head back to meet his gaze. He was over a foot taller than her, although he noticed that she was heightening a bit with those expensive-looking three-inch heels she wore.

“Our target in this investigation is the mayor of the thirteenth largest city in the United States. That’s a pretty big deal in my book.” She gestured to his facial scruff and hair. “And while I appreciate that this . . . Sons of Anarchy motif you’ve got going might ingratiate yourself with the gun-buying, murder-for-hire, organized-crime thugs of the world, that’s not quite going to fly with this sting operation.”

“’Thirteenth largest city in the United States?’” he scoffed. “Just how many hours did you spend reviewing the case files last night?” 

She smiled sweetly as the elevator arrived at her floor. “Enough to get the jump on you.” 

Then the doors sprang open, and she gave him a friendly wave, once again stepping into the role of Ms. Congeniality. “So glad we got to catch up like this, Agent Shepherd. We’ll talk again soon.”

He watched her stride confidently down the hallway as the elevator doors closed between them. 

Enough to get the jump on you.

Not for long, sweetheart.

Time for him to get cracking on that case file.

Every Dark Corner by Karen Rose

Title: Every Dark Corner 

Author: Karen Rose

Series: Romantic Suspense #18  Cincinnati #3

Publisher: February 7, 2017

Release Date: Berkley Books

Every Dark Corner is the nail-biting new thriller from Sunday Times bestseller Karen Rose, and Book 3 in the Cincinnati series, following on from Closer Than You Think and Alone in the Dark.

When FBI Special Agent Griffin "Decker" Davenport wakes from his coma, he is desperate to find the missing children he knows are in danger. At the end of his last investigation, when he thought it was all over and justice had been served, he discovered that not everyone had been rescued, but he was shot before he was able to tell anyone.

Special Agent Kate Coppola has recently moved to Cincinnati. She says she's chasing a promotion but she's actually running away from heartache. She's found the recordings from Decker's time undercover and has been at his side in the hospital while she tries to put together the pieces of the crime he was investigating—and what connection it has to his own mysterious past.

When someone tries to kill Decker in his hospital bed, he and Kate realize that the children are not the only ones whose lives are threatened and that they must stop at nothing to hunt down the perpetrators. And danger is waiting in every dark corner.

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Karen Rose knows how to write a suspense romance. Her plots are intricate and solid. 

I recently started the Cincinnati series. I was lucky, I had all these characters fresh in my mind. I like how Karen Rose gives you snippets of old and new relationships to form. So, despite having the main couple, you can see the threads of new books to come for others. 

In Every Dark Corner, FBI Special Agent Griffin "Decker" Davenport is waking up from a medically induced coma after being hit by bullets. He was undercover in a human trafficking case for three years.  Special Agent Kate Coppola is in charge of his debriefing and in a way his protection too. She feels a connection towards him and she doesn't seem to be able to leave his hospital room for too long. 

Decker knows he must tell the CPD and FBI about the kids who have been abused and used in a child pornography ring. He learned about it just before he was shot. An evil man known as the Professor is still out there and the task force must find him before he takes more children as his victims. 

Every Dark Corner is a well-written suspense. There is plenty of action and intrigue. The characters have all suffered loss either on their jobs or their personal life.  

I love that Kate deals with her anxiety by knitting or doing origami.  It wouldn't surprise me if, by the next book, the whole team is knitting. However, don't think she is weak. She is super smart, stubborn, a great shot and very compassionate. 

I hope the next character to get a book is either Stone or Diesel. 

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Berkley via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.