Cold Hearted (Cursed Fae #1) by Leia Stone & Julie Hall

To save my kingdom, someone must die.

Every hundred years, a curse descends on Faerie, ravaging its lands and killing its people. For the last two millennia, the Summer Court princess has always been the one to stop it.

Now it’s my turn.

My entire life I’ve prepared to become one thing: the perfect assassin. My mission is simple. Travel to the mirror realm, find an Ethereum Lord, return to Faerie with his magical heart. But when I step through the portal, I’m immediately taken captive and find myself at the mercy of Zander, a handsome royal guard.

Now I’m forced to play by his rules, because if I fail at my task everyone and everything I’ve ever known and loved perishes. But Zander has secrets, and when I find out what they are they make me question if everything I’ve ever been taught was a lie…

Cold Hearted is a full-length fantasy romance stand-alone with an HEA! This book is perfect for fans of enemies-to-lovers, fated mates, and forced proximity.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cold-hearted-leia-stone/1144841598

https://www.bookbub.com/books/cold-hearted-by-leia-stone-and-julie-hall

https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/cold-hearted-cursed-fae-book-1

https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Leia_Stone_Cold_Hearted_Cursed_Fae_Book_1?id=_13zEAAAQBAJ&gl=GB

What could go wrong when a Fae Princess, a trained assassin, is sent on a quest to steal the heart of an evil magical Fae lord? Well she could stumble across a magical rebellion, realise that her mission is not quite as described and all for a grumpy, sarcastic Commander of the Army of the North!

Dawn’s been told that her realm has been cursed and that she needs to protect her people. Once through a magical mirror portal Dawn soon finds herself in the clutches of an army commander, one who tantalises her and makes her almost wish that she wasn’t there to commit magical murder!

Zander is a superb mix of sarcastic and witty. He knows how to half-lie, half-reveal his identity. I loved learning about the 4 Ethereum lords and their roots. The rebellion is an intriguing twist too.

Although a fantasy romance the world was easy to understand and there wasn’t the need to learn a whole new language either! I did think it rushed a wee bit at the end but nothing that would put me off reading further books in the series!

Catalyst by Cameron Phoenix

Just as Jayden Amare Fox’s quiet life on an East London estate looks to be steadily improving, things take a sudden dark and violent turn. Consumed by pain and obsessed with vengeance, his path crosses with that of an infamous hacker, wanted internationally for the crimes he is accused of.

What begins as a manhunt uncovers conspiracies of corruption and greed, and the consequences of playing god.

When a formidable common enemy emerges, secrets of a mysterious past that Jay has unknowingly been carrying his whole life are both a gift and a curse. The body count rises as the pair are forced to make sacrifices in a desperate attempt to save the little of what remains.

https://www.bookbub.com/books/catalyst-by-cameron-phoenix

my review:

Gang wars, revenge, super-human abilities. This book reads like a darker, grittier, comic book.

There is the tragic introduction to the character, the revenge arc, the unfolding of super-human talents. Jay is very much a kind of anti-hero or morally grey hero to me. The hacker is also of great use of our vengeful Londoner.

Jay is very much aware that he’s doing bad things for a good reason. He’s forgoing getting the police involved for a little personal retribution. He finds a new goal in life, a purpose, through his trauma and when he finally lets his emotions loose, he is as human as the rest of us.

A great read from a new to me author!

A Rogue Cowboy’s Heart (The Hart Ranch Billionaires #4) by Stephanie Rowe

The rules are simple for reclusive cowboy Lucas Hart. Make sure Maddie Vale is safe, and then disappear before she even realizes he’s there.

But some rules need to be broken.

Rancher Lucas Hart trusts no one outside his immediate circle, and he has no interest in getting serious with a woman. But when he tracks down Maddie Vale as a favor to his brother, he soon finds himself captivated by the sassy, courageous woman he’s supposed to protect…from a distance.

Maddie has a business she loves, loyal besties who keep life fun, and a therapy dog that terrifies everyone, but she can’t escape the shadows that haunt her, rooted in the past she can’t remember.

When Lucas shows up at Maddie’s door with dangerous information about her past, Maddie boots the sexy cowboy out of her life as fast as she can. But when her shadows turn to real danger, she has no choice but to saddle herself with the billionaire bodyguard who is far more handsome and charming than she has time for.

When danger pushes Maddie and Lucas together, a spark ignites…a spark that lights up Lucas in a way he never expected. Is it too late for the two battered hearts, or can Lucas find his way to the woman he never knew he was looking for?

https://www.bookbub.com/books/a-rogue-cowboy-s-heart-the-hart-ranch-billionaires-book-4-by-stephanie-rowe

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-rogue-cowboys-heart-stephanie-rowe/1144037383

https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/a-rogue-cowboy-s-heart

https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Stephanie_Rowe_A_Rogue_Cowboy_s_Heart_Hart_Ranch_B?id=8n8CEQAAQBAJ&gl=GB

Maddie’s florist shop is flourishing. She lives with severe anxiety and to a greater extent has managed to blank out her traumatic childhood before she was rescued by her dad. She may not know her biological family but he’s her dad and she has a tribe of best friends who would do anything of her.

Lucas is a protector at heart. His family comes before anything else so when his brother Jacob asks him to look out for Maddie, who he shared a short but intense period of his childhood with, he doesn’t swither. But his arrival in Maddie’s life upsets her equilibrium and her solid life. But he won’t feel sorry for that because it brought Maddie to him and to his immense joy realises she may just be the one for him.

I loved seeing all the strength that Maddie has – even when she thinks she’s broken, unlovable and better off alone. Lucas could be a rich layabout but it’s just not in his DNA, he’s a protector, a fellow childhood trauma survivor and all around nice guy!

The chemistry is intense between these two and things may move fast but the sweetness is everything with these two. Lucas lets Maddie take control of her life, he’s overprotective but sees the validity in Maddie making her choices and life her own. The connection between Maddie and Jacob is heart wrenchingly sad but tinged with hopefulness and I’m pretty sure I may have let a teat or two out at there reunion.

Messy, flawed and determined characters, high octane adventure and some heartfelt scenes. Something for everyone to enjoy.

PS Violet is a scene stealer – I loved her doggie highness – she is the epitome of “good doggie”.

Deep Cover by Aiden Bailey

Mark Pierce has been in hell since our last meeting. Hidden away and tortured for months on end by the sleazy CIA honcho Walsh. He finally stores up enough strength and makes his break for freedom but now he has a potential civilian to try and get to safety as well.

Mark sets off into another globe trotting adventure from Africa to Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and South Africa amongst other places. He has some former allies to help out along the way and even some unwilling help. It was great to see Summerfield back, even in a limited way. Mark even manages to flip another CIA operative into helping him pull the wool over the CIA’s eyes.

The storylines within Africa were especially heart-breaking with a visceral depiction of the child soldiers and horrific work practices by unscrupulous diamond conglomerates. The story definitely takes you by the scruff of the next and doesn’t let go.