Rescuing Moira: Guardian Hostage Rescue Specialists (Book 3) by Ellie Masters

Moira is a young woman that has gone through life the hard way, scraping for everything and every day she’s been given. She’s chronologically 22 but much wiser than her age reveals. She knows secrets and tells like a blackjack dealer knows a hot hand. It’s her superpower.

Four is a Guardian. He and his team rescue people from sex trafficking around the globe. She was a job, a rescue mission. That’s all she was ever supposed to be. He’s worked hard to maintain those professional boundaries while teaching her how to become a true survivor. She hasn’t made it easy for him but her strength and determination have always impressed him.

When she is taken, along with another girl from the Facility, the Guardians kick into high gear to find her and save her but in the meantime, she has to survive. She has to be wily, manipulative, and cold.

Can she do it? Will the team make it in time?


I liked Moira immensely. She’s hard, tough, and won’t die easy. She has a sarcastic streak a mile wide and a chip on her shoulder. She has survived on her strength and wits. She has no quit in her DNA. I love a strong heroine. She might trade on her looks but it’s all she’s been given in this life so she uses them to her advantage every time.

Four (Petty Alert) I didn’t love. Why? Because I didn’t like the look of the cover model for him. He isn’t the Four in my head and I had real trouble pushing the cover model out of my head long enough to like Four. I liked him, but it was hard. I loved his qualities. I loved his friends. I just couldn’t make the two pictures of him mesh in my head. I know!! That’s a stupid reason not to like an imaginary character! But I’m stupid that way!

Another very petty issue I had with this book was instalove. Oh, where have you been? Here, in this book, waiting for me! There is a year-long history with the two mains, but we didn’t get more than a few peeks and it ended up feeling rushed. Of course, this ISN’T book one and it’s possible they had appearances in the other books but I picked this one based on a recommendation. This is book three of a six book series so…maybe read them in order, if you’re curious. Each are however complete standalone books with various characters from the other books popping in.

Spoiler alert!!
The ending is so far out that the James Webb Telescope hasn’t seen it yet. Thinking that any reader could accept that this 22-year-old girl could make it into a well-oiled, fully functioning soldier in 2 weeks made me laugh out loud. Thank goodness it doesn’t come down to her somehow saving the day or this review would be completely different. Having said that, the author clearly states in her bio on the Amazon book page that she guarantees HEA’s in her books and really that’s the reason we read these things! We get our hearts broken nearly everyday by life, we don’t need it in our books too!

Okay, now for the juicy stuff.
The sexual tension is nicely handled but the actual sex? Meh. It’s unnecessarily acrobatic in at least one instance and it detracted from the story for me. The power balance was nice and that added enough spice and flair to keep me reading but I honestly worried about Four’s leg. I know! Call me crazy!

My rating? We started at 5 stars as always. I have to deduct a full star for the ending. I also have to deduct for the gymnastics that brought me out of the story; half a star. I have to add back half a star because I loved Moira. It’s hard to write a female heroine that isn’t weak-willed and falling all the time. I mean, it must be! Look at all the movies!

Final tally? ⭐⭐⭐⭐

No One Crosses the Wolf by Lisa Nikolidakis

This is a memoir about a troubled childhood full of abuse and neglect. It’s not an easy read and I wasn’t looking for one. It follows her growing up years with her brother and parents and all the trauma you can imagine.

Her father is a piece of crap, to put it lightly. He is an alcoholic that spends most of his at-home hours terrorizing his family. When he isn’t home, they dread his coming home so they are never truly free of him. After reading her recollections of him, I can understand that fear.

And her mother isn’t much better in comparison. She doesn’t abuse the kids but she doesn’t stop the abuse either. She puts her head in the clouds and pretends that everything is just fine. Domestic violence doesn’t go away because you want it to, you have to stop it! Her mother failed them all.

When her father finally snaps, I expected more somehow. More untangling the emotional threads of her life. More in-depth onion peeling. I wanted to see her do the hard work to undo all the lessons that her upbringing taught at such high prices. But she did none of it. She drank, slept around, and went to Greece. I’m healed!!! The end. What?? Yeah, I’m confused too.

My first inclination was to give this a 2-star review. I mulled it over though, for several days I might add. Three is as high as I can go. She writes well. She knows how to create an atmosphere and add texture and shade to a story but in the end, there’s no story. There’s no healing final chapter. There’s no Oprah “Aha!” moment. And that is a true letdown.

⭐⭐⭐ /⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Maverick (Grim Sinners MC Originals) Book 2 by LeAnn Ashers

Maverick is a member of the Grim Sinners, an MC that isn’t afraid to handle the dirty business but that also tends to look out for those that society doesn’t. He lives hard, fights dirty and has a heart of gold. He protects his family at any cost and Bell has never known that life. He won’t let her forget that when trouble comes knocking, he answers the door.

Bell was married to a brutal man at fourteen because her parents decided that it was to be done. She had no say. That was life in the religious cult they were a part of and she knew that arguing or defying them would get her nowhere. Life with them was no bed of roses but sometimes it’s better the devil you know. Her circumstances only grew worse and worse. When Fate steps in and gives her a way out, she steps into freedom and finds Maverick.

I really liked Maverick. He was very likeable from the first word. He was supportive, funny, and protective. What’s not to love?

Bell? Meh. She was simpering, a little bit wishy washy and I just never liked her. I have been sexually assaulted and you don’t go to therapy for a few weeks and voila; you’re healed and sleeping with a guy you just moved in with. Imagine a lifetime of trauma, (over 35 years!!) and a few weeks of talking to a therapist and you suddenly have no hang ups and are ready to strip down to your skivvies with a man in the back of beyond all alone. And it’s the second time you’ve spent time together? So many of those things just didn’t help me like her. It was an affront to victims everywhere.

Plus, I found issues with the writing. Nothing major most of the time but still aggravating. Missed punctuation, no capital letters at the start of sentences, but some in the middle of sentences. I said most of the time. I found a couple of instances that made me say wtf!? I’ll detail a few below.

First instance: her daughters have found her and they all meet for the first time and they stop to ask her name. Huh? How did they find her if they didn’t know her name? I’m pretty sure that’s a vital piece of information to have when searching for a birth parent.

Second issue: She and Maverick are making out like crazy and she falls asleep under him? This goes back to the land of unbelievability for me. I’ve been extremely tired and extremely aroused. Those are opposite ends of the spectrum so I can’t see this happening.

For me, this book was a lot shoved into a small book. A cult, a motorcycle gang, a ruthless husband, kidnapping, babies being sold, pregnancies, and so much more. It’s novella length but could’ve been so much better with a little less drama and more backstory. I’m not upset about it but I do wish I had gotten to know the characters better.

Overall, this book was a quick read. I don’t know if I will read the others in this series. I’m on the fence but I did love Maverick! I can only give three stars while being honest. I wish I could give more.

⭐⭐⭐

Stealing Iris by Sahara Roberts

Iris isn’t exactly living on Easy Street, but she’s making the best of her situation. She works in her father’s grocery store and has a good friend. Unfortunately she also has two people in her life that want to bring her down and are slowly winning that fight. Her past has made her strong and resilient and she will need that everyday.

Dante has his hands full running what appears to be a criminal enterprise. He has a team of people at his beck and call but no one special to share his life and bed. One look at Iris and his mind dreams up all kinds of filthy scenarios and he soon acts on them. When trouble comes knocking he will need his team and their special skill set.

Fate and literal pain brings them together when Iris needs him most. Things have gotten continually worse and now it looks like the end of the road. She has known that it would happen and is resigned to her fate. Will Dante be able to save her in time? Will he want to?

The romance isn’t a slow build up; it’s a surprise threesome in a hotel room. That pulled me out of the book and made me rethink reading it. I soldiered on, hoping for more meat on the bones. Instead, she had his meat in her mouth and another one in her ass. Speaking of the sausage, his is huge of course. It even causes the other participant to comment. She deep throats even though she’s apparently never done this. An innate sex goddess apparently.

From there, Iris gets a better backstory. Dante never does and the story lacks for it. It feels uneven in the end. One or two pages compared to her 100 feels heavy handed. Maybe we get more of his story in the next installment? The constant cryptic hints at the exact nature of his business did start to get wearing but I held on because the writing flowed well.

The sex scenes happen throughout the book but they aren’t breeding like bunnies. The actual scenes could be spicier and a bit more well described. Sometimes trying to picture it got jumbled with positions of hands and naughty bits. As is, they are vanilla in a bowl, lacking jalapeno but fine. Hot sauce isn’t for everyone and I feel like this author kept it tame to appeal to a broader audience.

The action is short lived but the drama isn’t. There is plenty to keep a reader flipping pages if only to see how it wraps up in the end. Just in time for Christmas, there is a dead mother, a missing father, a slutty girlfriend, and a sleazy wannabe. Add in a partridge in a pear tree and it could be the new Christmas story. Now that I think about it, she does kind of resemble the character Bob Cratchit in A Christmas Carol. Her best friend is named Carol…? Coincidence? You be the judge!

Overall, a decent time passer on a rainy day. I’m not usually a huge fan of novella length books but I would buy the next book. It’s his bodyguard’s story and I really liked him in this book. He was so human and protective! I actually adored him and want the next book immediately. Yummy!!

The author will be publishing a third in the series next year so stay tuned for another review. I received this one for an honest review and my opinion is my own.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Spirits in the Trees (The Spirit Series Book 1) by Morgan Hannah MacDonald

Maddy comes across a deed while looking through her Great Aunt’s papers and realizes that she needs to sell the home because her aunt now has dementia and will need the funds for her care. She arrives to find the house in an abandoned condition but more than that, it’s as if someone left in a hurry. Dishes are still in the cupboards and clothes in the closets. She ignores the eerie feelings surrounding the house and sets about restoring it for sale.

Her next door neighbor conveniently happens to be handy with tools and pitches in with the workload. She will need more from him than brute strength before it’s over but will he be there?

I bought this book because the blurb said serial killer. I know, I know. I’m hopeless. I love a good thriller or a mafia centered book. I was sadly disappointed. This book was less about a serial killer and more about paranormal phenomenon surrounding the house. And even that was very alà Amityville. Blah. I got past it and continued reading because I wanted to know about the serial killer. Finally it was revealed but it was a big who cares. The ending was very Scooby Doo and I felt so cheated.

To make things worse, around 75-80 percent it seemed like someone else took over the writing. It went from 70’s kitschy horror to erotica with cocks springing out of pants and sex being had at a moment’s notice. The is only one author listed so I’m confused and slightly concerned.

I checked Amazon’s page for this book to see how other people felt about it, fully expecting it to be panned. Apparently I am alone in my opinion. I’m sorry it sat on my Kindle taking up room for so long for absolutely no reason.

Can I recommend this book? Nope! I finished the book only because I needed to know if the ending was as bad as a good portion of the rest but I strongly suggest you skip it.

Remember #PleaseReview. Authors love feedback.

Ted Bundy by Ryan Becker

We’re all familiar with the story of the first nationally known and feared serial killer. He was magnetic, charming and didn’t look at all like someone that should be feared.

He still isn’t what we typically think of when we form a mental picture of a serial killer. He wasn’t a loner, he was intelligent, and he had a family that loved him. From the outside, he was just another guy. Inside, he was sadistic and raging. Sex and death were all encompassing and thrilling.

This book covers the story in a superficial way but it’s a great introduction to the horror of what he did. Victims and his hideous acts are mentioned without the in depth gruesome details. His family life leading up to adulthood is lacking also. The aftermath of his arrest, trials and subsequent execution are covered quickly.

If you’re just now discovering true crime, this is a good jumping off point. If you’re already an aficionado, you may want to skip it as there is little to no new information being presented.

The book ends at page 112 of 156. Tucked behind us another very short story of another killer. I will read it an review it separately.

Can I recommend this book? Because I’ve been a hardcore fan of true crime for we’ll over 20 years, I’m neutral about this book. I would have liked more. I wouldn’t have minded if it was the same information presented in new ways, just more was needed. This sadly left a lot of blank spaces in his story and it hurt the effort overall.

Knotted (Trails of Sin Book 1) by Pam Godwin

Conor has grown up on a ranch in Sandbar Oklahoma with her brother Lorne and her two best friends, Jake and Jarrett. They’ve grown up in the same household after the tragic death of both mothers on the same day. The foursome are tighter than blood. When Conor and Jake fall in love they do so with the full support and blessing of the brothers. The fathers? Not so much.

On the night that Jake and Conor are going to lose their virginity to each other, what happens instead is a brutal, very descriptive rape. This sets them on a path that separates them but always brings them back because they have revenge in mind. Bodies will soon start to stack up but their bloodlust hasn’t been spent. Not yet.

First things first. The names. Why on earth is the heroine named Conor? Isn’t that a masculine name? Does taking an N away make it feminine? Is this a thing? It confused me throughout the book. I actually found myself thinking of both mains as male until the author woud describe her body and it would throw me out of the story. Please authors, enough with the cutesy/edgy names.

The mothers. How were they killed? Did they die in the same accident? Was it an accident? There was so much left unsaid and it bothered me. I know that this is book one in a series but that seems like a big thing to withhold. It leaves the reader to wonder if perhaps something more sinister had happened but why isn’t that at least hinted to in this installment?

The rape. As I said, it was very brutal and is described in detail. That will undoubtedly trigger a large majority of readers but I hope that they don’t ding the book for it. It sets the stage for the whole book and perhaps the whole series. My issue with it is the PTSD that follows.

Jake, who is not a doctor or training to be one, has decided he is going to cure her of this conditon. Singlehandedly. How you ask? He watched some videos and did some research. He googled?!?! Excuse me? As someone that has PTSD, this was beyond infuriating. It goes further though. He only has two weeks to overcome her major triggers! In that timeframe, he works miracles and gets her comfortable enough to initiate ass play and bondage during sex. After being tied up and sodomized – as a virgin – and carrying this fear within herself for years. The man should be nominated for a medal. He’s magical!

The sex is spicy with heavy BDSM influence. It didn’t set my hair on fire but it’s well written without juvenile descriptions to anatomy or to the act. It felt very realistically handled and it was very appreciated for it.

Jake is dominant. That’s clear right from the start. It borders on arrogance when dealing with her PTSD though. Some might view it as borderline abusive since he never encourages her to seek medical help. It could go either way, even for me.

As for the technical aspects, I found a few typos that could be directly attributable to formatting or human error. Nothing major in regards to the flow, or grammar. It’s very linear and easy to read outside of the rape.

Can I recommend this book? Yes. Was it perfect? No. The death of the mothers and some other things that I won’t detail here because it would spoil it for other readers make this a four star book. It’s a standalone for Jake and Conor. The series continues for the brothers. I won’t be reading those. I’m not interested in them. You can find this one here. It’s currently free! It’s not part of the Kindle Unlimited program so anyone can download it for free.

#PleaseReview. Authors love feedback.

Frankie Unforgettable: Man Up Book 3 by Felice Stevens

🌈LGBTQIA BOOK!! 🌈

Frankie is a dancer in a gay nightclub and knows his own worth. He knows he can handle himself. That will come in handy when his ex is let out of jail and wants to reconcile. Frankie wants to also because he knows that Aaron is worth it. He can see the man beneath the veneer. He’s also willing to fight for what he knows is right.

Aaron stupidly let his anger get the best of him one night while drunk and went to jail for his actions. While gone, he realized that his way was broken and only doing a disservice to himself and to Frankie. He’s out and determined to change that. He’s making all the right moves, but it’s made harder by the fact that the world they live in isn’t exactly acceptable of his sexuality. That brings back his anger, but he’s doing his best.

Surrounded by friends, family, challenges and support they are either going to make it or fail spectacularly. It won’t be easy either way. But they’ll always have each other.

In the beginning, I was on the fence about the authors style. It felt overly wordy with too much backstory (I can’t believe I just said that!!) but in the end, it felt richly developed. My Kindle reading time was estimated at around 3 hours. It wasn’t far wrong.

Each chapter is written as a POV for a main character and that was confusing until I got used to it. It does serve to give us the perspectives of both men and it’s appreciated. I did have another slight issue though. It was the “accent”. It’s very strongly New York. There’s nothing wrong with that except that it pulled me out of the story a few times.

…”Whad’you do?” He narrowed his eyes. “You didn’t hit your girlfriend or your mom or nuthin’ like that?”…

See? Not terribly written, just done in a strong accent to drive home the setting of the book.

It flowed easily enough although sometimes I wanted more drama, tension, speed. Instead it builds slowly which is it’s own kind of torture. Delicious torture? Maybe.

Now, let’s talk about sex and intimacy. The couple shares intimacy without necessarily taking their clothes off. It’s all about rebuilding a stronger foundation for their second chance. They have penetrative sex on several occasions and engage in sex acts like blow jobs on many others. It’s presented in a mature voice without any unnecessary embellishments.

I didn’t find any of the typical spelling, grammar issues beyond what I referenced in the above excerpt.

This book did deal with several heavy topics that include sexual assault, a case of near domestic violence (you’ll have to read the book to understand) and the emotional scarring of a childhood that included abuse, neglect and foster care. It is fully redeemed by the end. Hang in there!

Overall, it was a pleasant read and I would read another from this author. You can find a copy here. It’s currently free in Kindle Unlimited.

Remember #PleaseReview. Authors love feedback.

#FrankieUnforgettable

#ManUpBook3

#FeliceStevens