TBR Challenge: Karen Rose - Death Is Not Enough

In his work as a defense attorney in Baltimore, Thorne has always been noble to a fault—specializing in helping young people in trouble in an attempt to atone for those he couldn't save when he himself was younger. He plays the part of the bachelor well, but secretly holds a flame for his best friend and business partner, Gwyn Weaver, a woman struggling to overcome her own demons. After four years, he thinks he might finally be ready to confess his feelings, come what may.
But his plans are derailed when he wakes up in bed with a dead woman, with no recollection of how he got there. Whoever is trying to frame Thorne is about to lead him down the rabbit hole of his past, something he thought he outran long ago—which means Thorne must figure out who's been keeping track of him, how much they know, and how far they'll go to bring him down... 

Comment: It's October already (why does it seem time is moving faster as we get older?) and this month, Wendy has nominated the Paranormal or Romantic Suspense theme. 

This is vague enough that anyone can have plenty of books to choose from but for me it can be quite complicated. 

I have lots of paranormal but most of them romance, not suspense. And I have some suspense novels but not that romantic. 

After debating on some titles which could be good or not so good, I just gave up and picked the latest book by Karen Rose, one of the masters of romantic suspense, that had arrived very recently in the mail.

In this recent novel, we finally have the tale of Thomas Thorne, a secondary character, slightly mysterious, who we have known since a few books ago and who sometimes offers some type of help.

Thorne has been set up and was caught in bed with a woman who has recently been murdered but, thankfully, his friend Gwyn is the one to find him and she has the presence of mind to take pictures before calling the police and 911, so that the battalion of friends who will be involved in helping Thorne prove his innocence have reason to do so.

Things still look bad, though, and the case is linked to Thorne's past and others he knew back then. Ad the attempts on Thorne's business and friend's lives escalate, can Thorne both find the strength to rely on all his friends and finally admit to Gwyn how he really feels about her?

I've read some reviews on this book and for lifelong fans, this is another good installment in the series with connected characters. For others, things take too long to happen and it's too confusing to keep track of the cast.

I must say the books by Karen Rose are read as stand alone but they cannot be fully appreciated if not read in order. There are too many details, related situations, things we should be aware of previously, that better give the reader a grasp on why certain situations happen in each new book.

This said, I do agree with the fact the story is quite lengthy. But for me, the problem is definitely not on the immense secondary cast because I really love this aspect of mrs Rose's novels. To see almost all the characters in the core work together, help one another, to have glimpses of their domestic lives, of things they think about... for me this is amazing.

The villain's POV, however, I keep saying this in relation to all books by this author, is so unnecessary! Some of the things we know from the bad guy's POV can easily be discovered another way or by him, that's not the issue. But why spend to many pages in his head, realizing he can have good or bad reasons for his actions or, even worse, seeing how disturbed he is. I'd cut off the villain's parts or reduce them to a bare minimum.

The mystery and the investigation to prove Thorne's innocence is very interesting, the author does hit on several points I think everyone would consider if they were in the same situation but I must say almost all friends in this core of characters work in or for or in relation to police situations/scenarios. Of course some procedures would feel a little easier for these characters to solve or think about. Still, when the reasons behind all the trouble are discovered, some things didn't seem to be as important but maybe that's just my impression.

As for the romantic part in this romantic suspense novel... that was certainly a let down.

Gwyn and Thorne are a classic friends to lovers trope happening but I can't just accept they have had romantic thoughts about one another and never let it be known... if in previous books where they would show up this had been very obvious... the way things happened, if felt sudden and unrealistic. Besides, both of them have baggage, Gwyn especially... in such a stressful situation, for them to also deal with those emotional scars, it felt too convenient. 

I am glad they are happy and more so because their group of friends and family is solid, but the couple alone...not really buying it.

All in all, this was a good installment. Apart from the bad guys, it feels like spending time with friends and I do love this aspect. I could read Karen Rose's books for this aspect alone.

The next book is set in a different town but the main female character is linked to all these so... I anticipate only good things!

Grade: 7/10

Karen Rose - Edge of Darkness

Homicide detective Adam Kimble is no stranger to battling demons. But Meredith Fallon is a different kind of weakness: one that could actually be good for him, if only he would let himself depend on her. Meredith has loved Adam for a year, and seeing how hard he's worked to deal with his PTSD makes her feelings only stronger, but she respects his needs. Her work keeps her busy anyway: she counsels sexually abused women like Mallory Martin to help them reintegrate into the world.
But someone doesn't want Meredith helping women like Mallory, and Meredith finds herself in the crosshairs of a very determined killer. Adam would risk anything for her, but they'll soon find out she isn't the only target...

Comment:This is the 20th story in the romantic suspense world by Karen Rose. Some of these 20 books have some closer connection between them but all fall the same usual line and there's always some little link between everything like this book has put in evidence. I liked it.

In this story fans can finally have the focus on Meredith and Adam, two characters who we have known had a relationship of sorts from a few books ago. This time they finally manage to get together but only after going over several situations, some from their own decision and others related to the main plot.

However, apart from their personal lives both Meredith and Adam belong to a circle of professionals who try their best to solve crimes and protect those in need, whether by being pat of the police force or by working in fields that are somehow related to crimes scenarios. This time, a killer seems to try his best to kill Meredith but will the team of the good guys discover the truth behind it?

I'm surprised by how I appreciated this book, especially when comparing to some of her more recent ones (like #17 and #18) mostly because this book doesn't deal with such harsh subjects as the others, namely the child exploitation and sexual abuse.

This book also presented secondary characters that we've come to care about and that certainly makes it more pleasant to turn the pages.

Adam is the hero of this book and I liked him here a lot more than in the books where he had appeared previously. In this story he shares a lot about himself and it's quite understandable why he seemed to be a moody character in the past. I don't think he is my favorite hero written by this author (Steven from book #2 and Clay from book #15 still hold the prize) but I was very happy about the way he talked to Meredith about his past and troubles. The reason why it took him so long to share why with Meredith felt a bit unlikely because of how long it was but at the same time I've been never been in his shoes and I can't say how believable it can be.

Meredith is one of several strong heroines. She isn't such a complicated or tortured heroine as some in the past but she deals with pain and issues by being a therapist. I liked her personality but I confess I preferred when the situations would involve more people than herself. As for the romance between her and Adam, because we've come to see it through several books a scene here and there, this wasn't too developed, more like validated at last.

I should mention this is an aspect of the authors' books... she spends so long in the plots and "wastes" so many pages with the villain's POV in my opinion that the romance side of things is rather lost. I still remember this duality between plot and romance being the main reason why I liked her first books and why I kept reading. Nowadays she still manages to create engaging characters and suspense plots but the balance isn't there anymore. But since I read this like episodes in the lives of favorite people, I still like them overall.

As for the plot, as usual is very detailed, filled with stuff I wouldn't ever imagine and a villain that defies reality by being such an actor. How this author can create villains that can hide their true self so well always makes me wonder and it's really sad to think there are sociopaths like them out there in real life, even if not as obviously. However, I also think we get to see too much of the villain's motivations. I'd be happy to just have one dimensional bad guys who could be a notion in the story instead of so much detail about their deeds and evilness.

All in all, this was another interesting installment, I liked the previous book, #19 a lot better but this author hasn't disappointed me so far even when the books are more difficult to go through. I have hopes for anything she keeps on publishing.

Grade: 8/10

Karen Rose - Monster in the Closet

A mother is dead, and now her killer hunts the child that witnessed the brutal crime...
Private Investigator Clay Maynard locates missing children for clients, but has nearly given up hope of finding his own daughter, cruelly stolen from him by his ex-wife twenty-three years ago.
Equine therapist Taylor Dawson has chosen to intern at Daphne Montgomery-Carter's stables so that she can observe the program's security director - her father, Clay Maynard. Trying to reconcile the wonderful man she's getting to know with the monster her mother always described, Taylor never expects to become the target of a real monster, the man who murdered the mother of the little girls she works with at the stable. Neither does she expect to fall for Ford Elkhart, Daphne's handsome son, who is dealing with his own demons. As family and friends gather for a wedding, Taylor starts to imagine a permanent life in Baltimore.
But not if the real monster gets to her first...

Comment: I was quite surprised when I realized this book would be released when it was. I guess I got so used to the release dates the author often has that I was not expecting this book to be released at this moment and not only later. This means I was positively surprised and very glad this would be in my hands soon.

In this book we have a story once again set mostly in the Baltimore area, which means we would reconnect again with characters from the books set there. The main character is Taylor Dawson, a young woman who is working as a therapist at Daphne Montgomery-Carter's farm. Taylor has applied to the farm to work but she also has a secret agenda, she wants to know more about Clay Maynard, the security director. Taylor also wants to get to know Clay because she is the daughter he never acknowledged, a lie her mother told her all life and only while dying did she say the truth. Now Taylor wants to see if she can have any sort of relationship with Clay but she turns out to be an important piece in a murder investigation too. Can she be safe enough to make it possible for her to finally understand what happened in the past?

Faithful fans of Karen Rose's books certainly remember how much Clay looked for and needed to find his missing daughter Sienna after a bad experience trying to meet her when she was a child. He lost contact and now desperately looks for her still, even after getting his own story and HEA with Stevie Mazetti.

I was so happy when I saw this would be a book featuring the reunion between father and daughter. I expected some emotional scenes and was not disappointed.

The book is structured pretty much as any other book by the author is. There's a crime, there's the investigation and the details about everyone and everything piling up until the end. But this book is different because the romance, in this book centered around Taylor and Ford (Daphne's son) is just the beginning of the relationship and not its complete stages. Let's say the end is more a HFN which is acceptable since they are young and haven't known each other for long like most couples in previous books did.

I also think this suits the timeline too. Some readers say the story is not fast paced but I liked we had time to see important discussions. I also like how believable the relationship is after only 2 days; the author didn't make them swear eternal love after such a short amount of time although, for us, romantic readers, the clues, the timing and the fit are all there.

This book is also a bit outside the norm because we know who the villain is from the beginning. I can understand how most readers love the suspense but I actually don't mind, the mystery might not be there but the other characters obviously don't know it, so we can actually feel we are ahead, I like this actually. It was also nice to have a villain that was not a complete psychopath, all the actions and decisions were based on simple things like addiction and greed and a lack of care, not a complex plot while on the outside presenting the perfect persona. But I suppose this is just a matter of personal preference and other readers thought it was too easy.

Of course the emotional element was key in this book. I liked all the conversations, all the scenes involving the characters, their lives and connections. It was like meeting old friends again, knowing something new about their lives now...and I can say I smiled and "awwed" a lot through he story. The scene when Clay sees Taylor for the first time was strong and it was very emotional. Until the end there were other situations (family and professional ones) to consider and I feel very glad they worked out well and in a way we can accept and that will still make sense in future books, if they exist.

All in all, this was a great story for me, I loved spending time with the characters and I confess I wouldn't mind more books like this one but I suppose the author will go back to her usual in the next one.

Grade: 9/10

Karen Rose - Every Dark Corner

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 realise 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.

Comment: Another Karen Rose book. Since I read the first book by her, years ago, I have tried to keep up with her releases because I know her books are always gripping.

However, the latest books have also started to focus more on what I dislike the most in her books, so... feeling a bit confused about what to feel.

This book starts right after the end of the previous one and the main couple is Kate and Decker, characters we got to see right at the end of that book.

Kate has come to Cincinnati mainly because her former partner Deacon is here now and she wants to be around friends after what happened with her brother-in-law, who committed suicide.

Decker is an FBI agent who has been undercover and when the last book ended, his cover was unmasked and he was hurt and has been in a coma.

This book, as all the others before, is centered in a villain and how the police and FBI agents team up to discover who the villain is and how to get him before more people die or he hides away.

And my last sentence says it all when it comes to why I feel this author is no longer as amazing as I have thought after reading the first 11 or 12 books... the focus has turned too much to the villains and their horrible acts and not as much to the main couple or the positive side of an investigation.

I can understand why, after all, it's the gory details that often make people follow crime news and suspense stories but for me, the author has under looked the good things a bit too much. 

There's so much detail in every step, so much attention to every little thing in the plot that I feel I lose too much time keeping in check every character's attention on something instead of simply enjoying the book.

The plot of this book follows the disgusting actions of "the Professor", a man who sells drugs and people. This villain was one of the ones who wasn't caught in the previous book when a team of drug buyers and dealers was discovered and exposed, including a pedophile as well, someone who had a connection to this "Professor". The police and the good guys need to stay one step ahead to catch him but sadly, it feels like that never happens except at the very end and only because of an apparent random mistake.

It always surprises me how the author can hold on writing about such depraved and disgusting villains, who do and think such horrible things. And then I feel so annoyed because we have way too many scenes from the villain's POV. Knowing he or she do these things is already bad enough but to have to spend pages and pages reading through their POVs makes me so irritated! I understand this is the way for us to feel empathy towards the victims and more so, for us to know why certain things happen and why the good guys sometimes can't but... truly annoying and I wish more time would be spent on developing the romance or the good side of things... real life is already too awful.

Of course, eventually the end makes it all right but... so much despair and abuse in the past of the characters...it gets a bit too depressing even knowing it can all be true. I also think the romance wasn't the strongest, it happened too fast, both Kate and Decker had issues and it didn't feel like their romance had enough time to properly develop or at least for it to be realistic.

But these books have a way of making it difficult to let them go, so... I keep reading even when I get annoyed.

The next book sounds amazing. I always think this but the next one truly does. I really hope it goes back to the type of book I felt in love with while reading this author's work.

Grade: 7/10

Karen Rose - Alone in the Dark

Homicide Detective Scarlett Bishop has seen enough bad guys slip through the cracks and too many innocent victims go unavenged to know good doesn't always prevail. So far she’s been able to lock away her rage and her vigilante fantasies. That lock is about to break.
Former Army Ranger Marcus O'Bannion is a fierce champion of victims’ rights. His secret past gives him good reason. He believes he’s seen the depths of human depravity, but then his investigation into the murder of a young girl who once asked for his help lures him and Scarlett down a dark, dark road—and straight into the crosshairs of a dangerous, powerful underground ring that deals in human trade. To stop them, Scarlett and Marcus have to be just as cunning and just as ruthless. But first they have to make it out alive.

Comment: This is most recent book by author Karen Rose. She writes romantic suspense and this is a book that can fit into two series...there's a lengthy series only titled romantic suspense series, in which this book #17, but in a smaller scale it's book #2 on her Cincinnati set stories. 

All the books follow one another sequentially and often characters from previous books are mentioned or show up, so it's positive to have read them all, although the amount of time between readings can make us forget many details...

The books go from one city to another and this is the second one set in Cincinnati, but the action has been in Baltimore, Chicago and other places.

In this story we follow special agent Scarlett Bishop, one of the characters familiar to us, and Marcus O'Bannion, someone with an important role in the previous story. It's not necessary to have read that other book to understand this one but many references and names will make more sense if the readers have read the other first.

The villains in this novel have, as we all can guess, secrets to keep and they will do anything to avoid authorities to uncover them. But they didn't expect O'Bannion to be such a key character, especially after all the trouble he caused them in the past because of his work as a journalist.

But Marcus and Scarlett are concerned about the victims, in particular the young woman assassinated that also had an ankle tracer on her, suggesting a dire situation and that could be the tip of a bigger iceberg. But nothing is easy, clues aren't always obvious and people are in danger. Can the police and our heroes do something before it's too late? And what could be at the bottom of all this?

Well, this story is a lengthy development of a situation that happens in only a two day span. It's incredible the amount of detail the author presents and all the little things we see happen.

But my biggest issue with this novel (and with some of the more recent books by her as well) is how long it takes for something to happen and the ridiculous amount of pages spent showing us all the plans, all the actions, all the ideas the villains have.

I understand it gives us a very good idea about their mindset, their motives, the rotten side of their human lives, but it gets too distracting and repetitive: the amount of pages we read from the villain's POV is not being used as protagonists' development and often it's the same sort of information. Sure, we are always up to what they're doing and we can have an idea about how far ahead or not they are compared to the heroes, but I thing it's unnecessary to have so much air time focused on them.

Sure, knowing what they're up to is one thing, but every little detail, along with all details from the good guys as well... no wonder this has 700 pages.

I'm not complaining about the page count, but one third of it spent on bad guys, their bad actions and deeds...it's annoying to me, to be honest.

Of course this means the romance development lacks in some believability... sure we know they knew each other before, she visited him at the hospital (he was hurt in the previous book), they are very attracted to one another, but it takes them virtually 2 days to go from sexually attracted but just wondering to being in love. Stressful situations can give a more adrenaline-infused momentum to these things, but it's not that realistic, I think! Maybe if the action took longer than 2 days and more of the 700 pages had been focused on their relationship...

As for the plot, what can I say, it makes sense, it's explained, in fact ALL steps are detailed to us, some more obvious than others, but in the end everything makes sense and the only loose ends that can exist are there on purpose, probably to set up the next book (for instance, we already know who the next protagonist couple will be).

The author clearly does a lot of research, knows a lot about the police procedures and so on and inserts enough information about the themes presented, like human trafficking and immigration in this book. It's not a thesis on these things but enough to give a good structure to the book.

I've been a fan of the author since the first book I've read by her. I've noticed the books are getting longer, the themes more complex, romances less developed and villains are getting more and more air time. I feel rather sad over this, because I preferred how things were years ago. I understand, but it's hard not to think about it.

Still, this is a good enough novel, there's a HEA and justice is done. Well, sort of, because in my opinion too many people die instead of having a day in court and being sentenced...

Grade: 7/10

Karen Rose - Closer Than You Think

Psychologist Faith Corcoran is desperate to escape the stalker who’s made her life a nightmare for the past year—desperate enough to run to the one place that has been her nightmare far longer. Both boon and bane, her recent inheritance of her grandmother’s old house in Cincinnati offers sanctuary in which she can start her life anew, but requires that she face the dark memories that still resonate to this day.
But she has no idea how close to home her fears still are.
Two college girls have gone missing in the area, and FBI Special Agent Deacon Novak is called to work on the case. When his inquiry unexpectedly leads him to Faith, he finds a beautiful and brave woman he can’t help but fall for. Soon they’ll discover that this seemingly simple investigation is anything but. Reaching back decades into Faith’s own past, it will shatter everything she believes to be true and will give terrifying new meaning to flesh and blood.

Comment: This book is this the latest by author Karen Rose. The book was released by the end of last year but this edition is the paperback published already in 2015.

I've been a fan since I've read her first book several years ago. Interestingly, as time time goes by, so does the page count on her books...

This is the story of Faith Corcoran and how she escapes Miami because someone has been trying to kill her to go work in Cincinatti in a bank, but the road of troubles follows her and by inheriting her grandmother's house, she will be in the middle of countless problems and crimes.

Deacon Novak is an FBI agent trying to do the best for his siblings so he returns to a place he doesn't like that much. As soon as he sees Faith, something about her strikes something in him and by taking care of her while solving the crimes will make it very difficult to not mix business and wishful thinking...

As usual I liked this story. It has all the elements we normally see in any Karen Rose's novel. The lengthy plot development, always marked with time and places in the beginning of each change of scene to help situate the reader on every step of the way. The book is long and many things happen at the same time, the bold time line does help to keep up with what's happening.

The plot, once again, is quite imaginative and is full of details we se in pretty much any crime scene tv show or book. The crime details, motivations, workings and hows are very particular and objective. The author thinks about these things and I don't know how she can write the worst parts. If there's one thing we can say about the forensic details explained and present in the book is, they seem quite realistic and I'm sue the author does a great research work. But things do happen quite fast, I understand why, but the plot develops through a week, sort of, and I wonder if it's only the plot's purposes driving that need...

The bad guy. Oh the bad guy. Again, a crazy, out of hid mind smart killer. I do have to appreciate the author by creating these types of characters with such normal lives but always with weird thought processes that make them crazy killers. Once more, the motivations this killer had were selfish and twisted. His acts worse. But I do have to say it. I HATE IT that we SEE so many scenes from his POV. Hate it! Why, we can still know what he's doing without knowing his thoughts. I get it, it's a writing strategy but I find myself annoyed so many times, I usually skip the bad guys parts. I do get it that it's a way to play with reader's emotions, but I hate those parts!

Another usual element in ms Rose's books is the romance. There's a couple falling in love in the stories all the time. Again, back to the plot's timing, which occurs for a week. Is it a week enough time to fall in love and establish feelings powerful enough to last a lifetime? Plus, to be believable it will be something lasting? The author does it all the time, some times it works better than others. In this case, I think we didn't see them dealing with that part of the book that well. I wish the author would do better epilogues, maybe romantic ones to balance the horror of the plots and to allow the reader to dream about happy rewards a bit more...

So, the bad guy is a real case, the romance wasn't as hot as some of the previous ones, but I do have to admit I was eager to keep reading and wished the good guys didn't suffer. I felt the adrenaline in some scenes so that has to count. But the things I hate aren't easily forgettable, so...

Grade: 7/10

Karen Rose - Watch Your Back

Baltimore Homicide Detective Stevie Mazzetti has suffered losses no woman should have to endure. And, despite it all, she’s still a fighter. When she learns that her ex-partner might have miscarried justice, she’s determined to put the past to rights, even when she becomes a target.
It’s former Marine Clay Maynard’s job to see the risk in every situation, but he doesn’t have to look hard to find the danger surrounding Stevie. Since the minute he first saw her, Clay has wanted to protect the wounded officer, and he started loving her not long after that. So when Stevie attracts the attention of a vicious psychopath, Clay will do whatever it takes to keep her alive. That is, if he can stay ahead of a killer with everything to lose—and something terrifying to hide...

Comment: This is the most recent book by this author. I've been a fan since book #1 years ago...I loved and still do love her writing style and combination of thriller and romance. I thin she manages to keep a good balance of both in every story.

This new book is Clay and Stevie's story. We've known them from several books ago and have slowly seen the development of the relationship between them. It has been a journey full of chemistry and caution but after a amazing end in the previous book, we finally have the chance to see them get their HEA in a story that puts Stevie in the front seat of a race against something from her professional past. But Stevie has friends and Clay, and it's their turn to find happiness...

Once more, I really loved a story by this author. Ms Rose got her readers used to wonderful stories and characters whose lives we still follow and wish the best for. One of the best things in her books is how special the romance feels after so many obstacles in the main character's paths.

This book loosely follows the action from the previous stories, and it tides up many subjects. It's easily read by any unsuspecting new reader, but for those loyal ones we see many subjects getting solved. In fact, it's clear the author is ready to tidy things, considering she already said whose story is next and how after that, she will change location again. Let's see what is on the move...

As for this story in particular, I have no beautiful words, just my sincere appreciation for a good romance. I loved Clay and Stevie's relationship. I thought at some moments she was a bit annoying but if I did the exercise of putting myself in her shoes, who knows what I'd do to protect my child, to keep my sometimes wrong pride and my fear to take a chance on love, just like she did? I don't think she acted wisely but she didn't do anything out of there either.
I think her and Clay's romance was slow to reach happiness but I liked how it happened. I was surprised at Clay, he is such a wonderful character...I don't remember details but I do recall when he first showed up and I thought he would be one of those alpha nonsense men, and after all he has a warm, loving side so amazing...it was really special to see him through that perspective.
It was wonderful to watch them together too and I loved seeing them finally compromise on an HEA after some misunderstandings and stubbornness actions.

The crime part was as mysterious as ever despite us knowing who the bad guy is. I keep saying my least favorite parts in her novels are when the bad guys do and think things. I get it's a good way to see things happen instead of knowing about them, but personally, I could do without the drama and the annoyance of bearing those mind processes, so unfair to good people!
Anyway, the mystery parts had their interest and some things did surprise me, but I confess it's not what makes me most eager to read.

I liked seeing beloved characters and others that have grown up during the series...like a family and I do like series with this.
There are clues about a secondary romance in this book which I also loved...it was a good way to solve two people's fates without much air time but in an important way, so..good work.

In the end, a great book and romance and once again, this author doesn't disappoint me. I keep being eager to read more and her biggest fault is the whole year it takes to get a new book out...with all those pages it's understandable but still not easy to bear in mind...a faster process would help!
Grade: 9/10

Karen Rose - Did You Miss Me?

Baltimore prosecutor Daphne Montgomery pulled herself out of a damaged past to build a solid life for herself and her son. But after she helps to convict a killer, her confidence is shattered once again by the news that her son has been kidnapped.
Daphne believes it’s connected to the recent high-profile trial, and at first FBI special agent Joseph Carter agrees. But together they find the reality to be even more troubling, and it runs deeper than Daphne fears. With her son’s life in jeopardy, she must unlock a dreadful secret about her past -- and confront a truth that will change everything for those closest to her. And, if she survives, threaten the lives of everyone she loves.

Comment: This book is out for a long time but I've decided to wait for the paperback edition because when I started reading the series I was getting them in the paperback edition and I rather like them similar in size in my shelf. So, I've waited but I knew it would be a good story based on what people who have read it, said. The moment the book arrived I knew I couldn't wait that long to get my hands on it, so it was my second read of the month.

This book is Daphne and Joseph's story. The met in the previous book and now nine months have passed. Each thinks the other has moved on to someone else but the feelings are still there.

In the meantime, Daphne's son was kidnapped. While everyone and everything is centered in finding him, secrets start to pop up and Daphne's life is suddenly in the open.

For me, this book had three main plots: the suspense part, the developing relationship between Daphne and Joseph and the new details about things are between Stevie and Clay. Of these three subjects, one of them was quite lacking, which was the romance between the two main characters. I don't think they were that in love with each other and I sure don't consider their romance as romantic. I think it was too practical, too easy and too tasteless to feel good. I also don't think their growing attraction was described in the best way and I was left feeling there wasn't enough sexual chemistry between them, so in that part, very lacking.

The suspense, on the other hand, once again, kept me going. I couldn't put down the book and really wanted to know what was going to happen and how the villain was connected to Daphne. I imagine the author drawing diagrams and charts with lots of colored arrows linking this and that in her desk, lol It sure shows a lot of work because everything looks easy to follow but I'm sure it took her a lot of time to make things fill each space in the plot line.Of course, there's always a thing or two that seems having been placed too easily there, too convenient, but still, nothing enough to ruin it for me.

The relationship between Clay and Stevie moved along some interesting steps. I guess people would say not, considering their last encounter, but I'm actually as eager as ever and dear God, if their book isn't next....because things are in such a point it just has to be solved, I bet their romance will be great! Lots of chemistry there, in fact!

Many elements made this book good. There's also a quote there I loved, it felt quit real and suited for our take on real life things:

"Sometimes the most worthwhile things are right in front of our eyes. We just make them hard because we think that gives them more value". pg 272

All in all, a good book. It could be better, in terms of romance, but hey, nothing is always perfect. I also loves seeing so many references to previous characters from other books and to know how they're doing, it was both fun and nostalgic to remember some characters and to think about their own stories...it's always so good to know about beloved characters after so long, it's almost like knowing good things about family, silly but loving books is a very particular experience, right?

Solid, strong book, could be better, but overall, still one of the best by the author.

Karen Rose - No One Left To Tell

It may be unlucky for some...Will anyone live to tell the tale?
If one more woman should accidentally fall, there'll be no more women and...Ramon Munoz has spent five years in prison, convicted of a murder his family is convinced he did not commit. Unable to get the courts to take them seriously, they turn to private investigator Paige Holden for help. Paige cannot resist the family's pleas. But when Ramon's wife, having just handed her the evidence that will help prove his innocence, is brutally executed in front of her eyes, Paige is thrown headlong into a case which will place her life into jeopardy. As Paige risks everything to prove Ramon was set up, she comes to realise that there is more at stake if Ramon is freed than she could have ever guessed. Can Paige stay alive long enough to unmask an unstoppable killer who will not rest until there's no one left to tell?

Comment: I really like this author. She writes great books and inserts a good romance in there too. The only thing I don't like in her books is the parts where the bad guys "talk". I really, really hate all those pages where we see the villains tell about their evil plans or committing their nasty business. I actually think it wouldn't be a loss if we didn't have that. I understand why it happens, it's the author's trademark too, but to me, personally, it's very annoying to have to go through it..I already know the bad guy is bad, why the need to put it in such an explicit form? Argh...

So, the story focus on Grayson Smith. He has a secret that few people know and he is a very decent and fair prosecutor. We know him from the previous novel. Paige is also a known character, she was mentioned before too. Paige is a PI whose most recent client asked for her help to prove her husband wasn't guilty of a crime and should get out of jail, but she is killed on her way to Paige's house and the only thing left is a disk with evidence of those involved in framing her husband.
Paige and Grayson team up to try to solve the crime and all the lies and motif's around Paige's client's death and at the same time a romance starts developing between them.

The romance is actually quite good. The first books by the author were more romantic than sizzling in this aspect but lately (the last 3 books or so) it feels like the romance got a level up, it's more intense and feels like it's more hot too. I, at least, thought so considering the way the two main characters are in their intimacy. They're falling in love and although I think it happened a bit too fast (three days) it's fiction and in the end I liked how well they suited and how they trusted each other's with secrets and the past and their fears and acknowledged a mutual acceptance for the other. It was sweet.
The plot....like always I have no idea how this author (or others in the genre, for that matter) can come up with such hideous ideas about the human behavior...how can people think and act that way...it's all imagination but reality has shown that fiction isn't that unlikely. In this case, the bad guy doesn't act alone and one of them does things I just can't understand, it's too awful. Still, I enjoyed the process of discovering the how and the why and to see the good guys catching up the bad ones.
I also liked the little details here and there about other characters...some will be protagonists in the future, others have been in the past and it's very good that the author presents us tidbits about their current lives, it's a great way to keep them in our memories and to show the main couple doesn't live in a bubble.
I can't wait for the next one...and this one was a great read, for sure.

2 In 1: Going Twice

He was a mighty Scottish warrior who lived in a world bound by ancient laws and timeless magic. But no immortal powers could prepare the laird of Castle Brodie for the lovely accursed lass who stood before him. A terrible trick of fate had sent her 700 years back in time and into his private chamber to tempt him with her beauty--and seduce him with a desire he could never fulfill. For this woman he burned to possess was also the woman he had foresworn to destroy.
When Lisa felt the earth move under her feet, the fiercely independent 21st-century woman never dreamed she was falling...into another century. But the powerful, naked warrior who stood glaring down at her was only too real...and too dangerously arousing. Irresistibly handsome he might be, but Lisa had no intention of remaining in this savage land torn by treachery and war. How could she know that her seductive captor had other plans for her...plans that would save her from a tragic fate? Or that this man who had long ago forsaken love would defy time itself to claim her for his own....

Comment: Years ago I read the book before this one and I liked it. However, I started buying the following ones as translations, and only now I have them all, so this month starts the reading of the rest of this series.
This book was very romantic and a classic time-travel with lots of love and doubts and making peace and slow recongnition of true feelings. A seductive and addicting read. Who enjoys these types of books this one is a winner. In all the impossibilities I found the things happening having some kind of order and that made the book a good one to me. Nothing was too stupid to happen, even if it's all make-believe.
Like I said the romance was good and I liked seeing the beginnings of the legends and basis to the author's UF series as well.

Years ago, a young girl was beaten and raped while onlookers did nothing. Now those witnesses are becoming victims themselves...
Baltimore city Homicide Detective JD Fitzpatrick has seen a lot of horrific violence, both as a cop and during his deployment in Afghanistan, but nothing like the trail of tortured bodies turning up throughout the city. He's up against a brutal killer with a very personal vendetta, and JD is beginning to suspect that his medical examiner may be shielding some crucial evidence linked to the case.
Forensic pathologist Dr. Lucy Trask is intrigued by JD's compassion, but she isn't about to mix work with pleasure. Not while there's a ruthless killer on the loose. And definitely not while she's keeping a dark secret that could connect her to these vicious killings -- and put her next on the killer's hit list...

Comment: Another good suspense book by this author. I'm a fan of her work and I have all her books. I'll certainly keep reading. In this one I think we see the second most easy to understand villain (after the one in You Can't Hide) because the reasons why he does what he does are quite valid, he just chose a very bad way to see them honored. Like the song, I felt it "was a murder but not a crime". The romance was bold, interesting, different. Usually it's all very proper with this author but Lucy's and JD's love affair was quite refreshing. To bad we didn't find out JD's real name, or should I say, what his initials stand for. But the rest was almost perfect. This isn't my favourite of hers but it is very good.