NetGalley Reviewer nix21230

After the cliffhanger ending of Ledge, the first book in the series, Chasm was a must read and thank you to Netgalley for giving me access to an ARC.  Whereas Ledge was all things new and exciting, this was more of the same. The story does develop and we find out more about Dawsyn and Ryon as well as many of the other characters from the first book, but there is not that many surprises or unexpected twists and turns as we were treated to on Ledge.  To me, Chasm comes across as a 'holding book', before, what I am hoping is an unexpected and explosive finale in the final book in the Glacian Trilogy. Book 1 - Ledge:   ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Book 2 - Chasm:  ⭐️⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Chasm will be available 12 September 2023. #Chasm #NetGalley

Five years ago Clover, who works as a photographer, sold a photo of The Devils which sent them straight to jail. Now she's contracted to be the official photographer on their first tour since their release - she's not sure WHY they requested her, but she soon finds out! Three hot rock gods with revenge on their minds, one woman.  Add in Clover's abusive ex and there are some thriller elements to the story too.  I was surprised at how quickly The Devils band members forgave her for five years in prison and instead treated her like a princess; I was expecting more anger.  This 'why choose' / reverse harem story does heat up, and the plot is not very demanding to follow. Still an enjoyable and spicy story well worth a read.  #RockedByHerDevils #NetGalley

Blue Blood is marketed as an arranged marriage mafia romance. This is the first book in The Family series.  Gio and Ana are betrothed to get married.  Ana comes across as a very independent women, with her own interest including a money making seamstress business which she has funded completely on her own without support.   The lead of the mafia families, and his wife are assassinated and Gio steps in as the new Don. Very quickly it becomes clear that there are a lot of old messes to tidy up and opposing fractions to get rid of.  Following the wedding, we learn more about the mafia business, the betrayals, and the fighting for power. The wedding night is one to remember, not due to the spice, but rather due to one of Ana's innocent questions! There is more intrigue and business than romance, but still plenty to enjoy.  This book will be available on 15 September 2023. #BlueBlood #Netgalley

Laugh out loud funny in places and somewhat cringeworthy in others, but still a fab book!  Frankie is fifty and is starting her life again after divorcing her husband of twenty years. As part of her new life, she has opened up her own quilt shop.  Trying to find her new happiness she hits the dating apps and with a bit of help from her best friend Bel she quickly picks up the lingo, and the one night stands.  Frankie seems more than a bit lost at times, but all good comes to those who wait - and who are open with what they are thinking and wanting! Highly recommended! This book will be published on 28 September 2023, but can be pre-ordered now. PS. Brilliant title, although I understand this book is separate to the podcasts with the same name by Caroline Stanbury. #DivorcedNotDead #netgalley

This is a fascinating alternate history of the US - Dakota War of 1862. Historic events are cleverly used to tell the stories of Samuel (the white man) and Waabi (the native Ojibwe) who are growing up and finding out how the world works and how they fit in. Waabi is striving to protect his homeland and maintaining his traditions, and Samuel is trying to create a life of freedom, prosperity, and abundance with his family by relocating from Vermont to Minnesota to settle on land previously used by the Ojibwe and rivalling groups. Informative, eye-opening and thought-provoking, especially for someone like me who's never heard about this part of American history as it just wasn't part of my European school curriculum. Reclaiming Mni Sota, an Alternate History of the U.S. - Dakota War of 1862, by Colin Mustful will be published on 10 October 2023, but can be pre-ordered now.

Yeah!!! A book which is part of a series but has a proper ending!!! Racing Wilde is part of the "Playing For Love" series of standalone books which can be read in any order and with each book being a complete story with an HEA.  Switching his career as an adult movie star to racing, Landon Wilde is loving life again, even if his old life still haunts him in more than one way. Georgiana is struggling to deal with her viscous mother who's the leader of some dubious religious sect. Trying to find a way out and escaping an arranged marriage, Georgie suddenly gets her chance when her monthlong silent retreat is cancelled with short notice. The two lonely souls meet and take a liking to each other. This book provides a bit of slow romance, some intrigue and some rather unlikely events - all woven together into an amusing and enjoyable story! More by the same author: Other books in the series - all standalone but with some common characters are Touchback and Heart punched . All...

This is a sweet reverse harem story, with three brothers, all scorching hot and keen on making Georgia theirs.  The oldest, Knox, is the fiercely possessive and dominant brother who's holding the family together. Charming Finn is the middle brother who approaches every day as if it's an adventure waiting to be explored to the max. The youngest one, Lachlan’s the introvert loner who rarely lets anyone close.  They all have something to offer Georgia and together they make all her dreams come true. As reverse harem stories come, this is rather soft, no heavy BDSM or M/M action, all rather 'mainstream' in a reverse harem context.  Making Her Theirs by Lily Manning will be published on 23 August 2023 and is the first book in the Unbreakable Bonds series. Warning from the publishers: This novel contains material that might prove to be sexually explicit, or religiously controversial to certain readers.

Logan Rivers is a star pro hockey player who's currently in a bad streak - no goals in the last three games and the whole team is struggling. Logan's daughter is taking ice skating lessons with former Olympic figure skater Coco who is trying to juggle teaching gigs to finance her own training sessions. She's asked by the hockey coach to be Logan's "lucky charm", by attending training sessions and matches, and his play is improving. It's a rather sweet story.  The Cutting Edge by Lisa Daily is available now. #TheCuttingEdge #NetGalley

Well enough developed storyline to keep you wanting to read it to the end, only to find out that the story is not finished. Old childhood friends meet up again and what used to be innocent, no longer is. It's about control and power, and hidden agendas, and chemistry which is off the charts.  Protege King is the first book in the all Street Empire series and it's available now. The second book Scorned Queen is due to be published in May 2024. #ProtegeKing #NetGalley

I have loved the previous books that I have read in the D'Angelos series by Catherine Bybee and this definitely lived up to expectations!  Salena is strong-willed and fiercely independent, and has caused quite a stir with her Catholic parents by moving away from home before she's married. She now lives in one of the apartments above the D’Angelos' restaurant where she works as a manager. Despite not paying much in rent, she is struggling to make ends meet and she's looking for alternative income streams.  Attending the wedding of her friend Emma and Gio D'Angelo (who were the main characters in the third book, Beginning of Forever) sparks fly between her and Emma's younger brother Ryan. Ryan has no interest in taking over the family vineyard business, neither is he keen on marriage.  Salena and Ryan agree to a friendship with benefits, but it soon evolves into something much more. Feel-good, heartwarming and cosy read, with just a little bit of suspense. Hopeful...

Another fabulous book by Catherine Ryan Hyde! Nineteen-year-old Jill goes missing after eye witnesses have seen her in an altercation with her boyfriend at a camping place near the Utah-Arizona border. Norma is one of the search and rescue volunteers taking part in the search for Jill and she fairly quickly finds Jill, but due to the circumstances of Jill's disappearance, Norma decides to get Jill out of the situation without revealing to the rest of the search and rescue team that she has found Jill. I love how Catherine Ryan Hyde has created a totally believable and gripping story where right might not actually be right and wrong may be the right!  A Different Kind of Gone by Catherine Ryan Hyde will be released on 5 December 2023, but you can pre-order it now.  #ADifferentKindofGone #NetGalley

Looking for a fresh start, Nicole, a stressed-out, twice-divorced romance writer and single mother, is clicking around on the internet and falls in love with a little cottage in a fishing village in New England. She buys it on a whim.  Hoping that the cottage will provide her with a community to belong to and the right environment to tackle her current writers block, she heads off for the summer. Declan, a local fish peddler is minding his own business and not at all interested in anything more than friendship and perhaps an adventure buddy to do fun things with. Taking a more relaxed approach to writing by going on various adventures, Nicole realises that her writers block is long gone and she's found her community - and more! Hot Mess Summer by Melissa Foster will be published on 17 October 2023. However, I'm not sure why this wasn't released in spring or early summer? #HotMessSummer #NetGalley

As poverty sweeps through the United States during the Great Depression, Del is living in comparable luxury as the wife of a celebrated preacher. She's always been told that the church is always right and so are the men. Struggling to come to terms with her husband's repeated infidelity, she sees no other option than to leave the comforts of their home. When one of the many coal trains is running through the valley, she jumps on it. This is the start of a great adventure, but not without struggles, especially for a woman living a hobo life. She finds a mentor in Louisa, a single mother who has also taken to the rails. Together they find short term work along the rails and live from day to day in utter freedom. Their lives have becomes a fulfilling, sometimes dangerous, and exhilarating adventure. But no matter the risks, it’s a life that Del alone controls, until she doesn't. October in the Earth by Olivia Hawker is due out on 10 October 2023.  #OctoberintheEarth #NetGalle...

Loretta is on her way to a super important business meeting in the United States, and while at the airport waiting for her departure gate to be announced, a stranger asks Loretta to keep an eye on her sleeping six-year-old, Phoebe whilst she goes to the ladies (WC for those who prefer that term). The stranger never comes back. The hastily appointed official social worker arrives and Loretta is free to go. Despite being prompted many times Loretta refuses to leave until Phoebe's relative to arrive.  "Big social gatherings are like running – I know they’re good for me but, God, they’re painful." There are socially awkward situations throughout this book - including Loretta making lists on how to interact with her colleagues to appear more engaged and interested in their lives.  Throughout the story, Loretta is developing as a person, changing her priorities and realising that the life she is living and has set out to live may not be what she ACTUALLY wants to do. Great book...

Fran is fifty and has just retired from the police force after an unexpected heart attack when dancing the night away with her work colleagues.  When the opportunity comes to house sit in Llanbryn, an idyllic seaside village in Wales she decides that's better than feeling sorry for herself and watching Homes Under the Hammer all day. Being rudely awaken early in the morning she questions if the relocation was such a good idea... Soon she's becoming more and more involved in village life and she is taken under the wing of the Sea Sisters, a group of inspirational women of all ages and sizes who swim in the ocean. They challenge her to move on from the past and face her life-long fear of the sea. As Fran has never learnt to swim, her feisty elderly neighbour Elin sets her up with the good looking trouble maker Wyn as the swimming teacher. As they work together on a daily basis in a private (and heated!) pool, to get Fran ready for  a swim in the sea, they both have to face their...

Lynsey Carne likes structure and control, something she has turned into her profession as a personal organiser and declutterer based in Cornwall in the United Kingdom. Her mother begs Lynsey to travel to Paradise Valley, Tennessee (in the US) to help her sister Becca with her new baby whilst her music star husband is going on tour. Reluctantly Lynsey agrees to go, at least for a few weeks.  She's met at the airport by Becca's neighbour Griffin and to Lynsey's confusion there is immediate attraction despite their very different personalities and lifestyles. Becca is reluctant to accept any help but Lynsey slowly chips away at her facade whilst trying to stay away from Griffin. This is a sweet and endearing story about sisters finding themselves, each other and allowing love into life again.  This is the fourth book in the Escapist Romantic Reads series written by Angela Britnell. It'll be available on 22 August 2023. It can easily be read separately.  #ASUMMERINPARADISE...

Private detective Marc Novak is the man you want on your side if you're in trouble. He’s ruthless, single-minded and after results.  After Collinson's first book about Marc Novak, An Accident in Paris , we are now treated to the second instalment in the series - The Romanov Code . Building on the historic events of the last of the Romanov family being butchered by the Bolsheviks in 1918, Collinson has created a well-woven tale of secrets, brutality, blackmail and hope. Marc Novak has been given the task to track down the lost treasures of the Romanovs which haven't been seen for over a century. Failure would mean that all he holds dear would be killed. The hunt is on! Unfortunately he isn't the only one after the treasures and a fierce chase takes place where it's not absolutely clear who he can trust and what tales are true.  Amazing! Highly recommended! This title is published on 17 August 2023, but you can pre-order it now.  Link to Amazon UK - https://amzn.to/3q...

Second chance romance in the regency area - where sometimes appearances and meeting society's expectations are more important than the truth.  James Ludlow, Earl of Rotherham (known as Roth to his friends), is on the look-out for a new mother to his daughters.  To enjoy some level of freedom as an independent woman Charlotte is pretending to be a widow despite her husband dying before they managed to marry. Seh runs her own household and is dedicated to training your girls to become maids for the upper classes. Charlotte and Roth meet at a house party organised by a joint friend. The purpose of the party is to allow people to make new acquaintances, perhaps for something long-term or at least for a weekend of fun - all very modern sounding in my view, but let's go with it as it gives us a good starting point to build on for this enjoyable and captivating story. The Make-Believe Widow by Darcy Burke is available now. #TheMakeBelieveWidow #NetGalley

A fantastic, heart-warming story of three sisters who are gathering again for the first time since their mother passed away two years ago. This time it's for more joyous a reason - middle sister Emma is getting married! Emma and youngest sister Amy, who normally lives in Canada, are returning to their old family home Meadowbank Cottage which their oldest sister Kirsty is running as a B&B with her husband.  Emma is super laid back about the wedding arrangements but has some important news to share with her husband to be before the big day. Kirsty also has some news to share. Expect lots of smiles, and some tears, but still a fabulous book. Perfect summer read! PS. I've already looked up the Isle of Arran as a holiday destination. It looks absolutely stunning! #ASUMMERWEDDINGONARRAN #NetGalley

Mr. Cocky is the third book in the Billionaire Bossholes series written by the pseudonym Leslie North. Billionaire Theo is struggling because his mother thinks he needs a proper girlfriend, but he doesn't really know what one of those is - he's more into the one night stand and arm candy variety.  Max is working as a photographer and manages to fall asleep on the bed on the yacht she is currently photographing. Upstairs on the yacht, Theo is trying to seal a deal with a skilled yacht builder and his wife. Unfortunately the wife is doing everything to stop the deal unless Theo does her bidding in the bedroom. Theo and Max agree to enter a fake relationship and some hilarity ensures. Quick, easy read to while away an hour or two. Nothing too surprising, although I am not keen on the short cut to HEA. #MrCocky #NetGalley