Review - - Blood Heir

Blood Heir

by Ilona Andrews

Kate Daniels World - Book 1

Publisher: NYLA

Release Date: January 12, 2021

Reviewed by PJ

Atlanta was always a dangerous city. Now, as waves of magic and technology compete for supremacy, it’s a place caught in a slow apocalypse, where monsters spawn among the crumbling skyscrapers and supernatural factions struggle for power and survival.

Eight years ago, Julie Lennart left Atlanta to find out who she was. Now she’s back with a new face, a new magic, and a new name—Aurelia Ryder—drawn by the urgent need to protect the family she left behind. An ancient power is stalking her adopted mother, Kate Daniels, an enemy unlike any other, and a string of horrifying murders is its opening gambit.

If Aurelia’s true identity is discovered, those closest to her will die. So her plan is simple: get in, solve the murders, prevent the prophecy from being fulfilled, and get out without being recognized. She expected danger, but she never anticipated that the only man she'd ever loved could threaten everything.

One small misstep could lead to disaster. But for Aurelia, facing disaster is easy; it’s relationships that are hard.

PJ's Thoughts:

Before beginning this review I should confess that I haven't read any of the ten books in the Kate Daniels series. I was introduced to Ilona Andrews' writing through the Hidden Legacy series (which I highly recommend) but found the ten books in the KD series a bit daunting when my reading time is at a premium. Did not reading those books have a negative impact on my ability to enjoy Blood Heir, the first book in a new spin-off series, featuring a key character from the KD series? Absolutely not! Did reading Blood Heir make me want to download the entire KD series and begin reading those books immediately? Well, let's just say that Magic Bites (the first KD book) is now waiting on my Kindle and leave it at that. 

One of the things I most enjoy about an Ilona Andrews book is the world building; how this husband and wife writing team expertly brings a well-known, present-day city to life in an entirely new, unexpected, and realistic way. I've been to Atlanta many times, driven her streets, visited her neighborhoods. Andrews' post-shift Atlanta is like nothing I've ever seen and yet it's brought to life so vividly that I had no trouble imagining it. The attention to detail (street intersections, college campuses, local eateries) give it a striking authenticity and sucked me into the belief that this Atlanta could actually exist. 

And then there are the characters. The care that is taken in creating each of the characters makes the reading experience all the more powerful. No single-dimension, cardboard cut-outs here. Each one is given layers and complexities that convince the reader that these are not really characters in a book but actual people who are walking the streets of post-apocalyptic Atlanta. When they engage their magical abilities, it seems natural. When they shift into another form, it's exhilarating rather than surprising. 

Many of the characters in this book were introduced, or had story arcs, in the Kate Daniels series but I never felt lost or confused when meeting them in Blood Heir. Andrews skillfully inserts bits and pieces throughout the book that paint a complete picture of each cross-over character, and their back story, without the onerous info-dump that is so often inserted into a book that connects to a prior series. I had no difficulty connecting with them and understanding their motivations. 

I love how this author uses a wide range of breath-stealing danger, heart-wrenching emotion, unexpected humor (yes, I did snort-laugh in a few places), and everyday activities (a heroine who de-stresses from fighting monsters by baking cookies) to illustrate the many sides of these characters and create a bond between them and the reader. I am now fully invested in Aurelia/Julie, Derek, little Marten, Douglas, and more. It doesn't matter if it takes four books or ten to complete their stories. I plan to be here for each and every one of them. 

Review & Giveaway - - Someday My Duke Will Come

Someday My Duke Will Come

by Christina Britton

Isle of Synne - Book 2

Publisher: Forever

Release Date: January 12, 2021

Reviewed by PJ

Lady Clara Ashford had no intention of ever getting married. A rogue took advantage of her innocence when she was young, and she's spent her whole life trying to make sure no one finds out. But now that her sister is engaged, Clara's well-meaning aunt has set her sights on Clara. Desperate to avoid the matchmaking schemes, Clara's not sure what to do -- until her neighbor, the new Duke of Reigate, shows up on her doorstep in need of her help.

Quincy Nesbitt reluctantly accepted the dukedom after his brother's death, but he'll be damned if he accepts his brother's fiancée as well. The only polite way to decline is to become engaged to someone else -- quickly. Lady Clara has the right connections and happens to need him as much as he needs her. But he soon discovers she's also witty and selfless, and if he's not careful, he just might lose his heart.

PJ's Thoughts:

Since meeting Quincy and Clara in book one of this series, I have been eagerly anticipating their story and I'm happy to say Someday My Duke Will Come did not disappoint. 

I loved these two and their friends-to-lovers/fake engagement romance. Clara has given so much of herself to ensuring the happiness of those she loves, without any thought for her own. At thirty-one, she's firmly on the shelf, even if she does occasionally long for a family of her own. She's also calm, selfless, and nurturing but with an intriguing bit of fire she keeps well hidden. It was such a pleasure to watch those simmering coals ignite, first in her defense of Quincy then later when their friendship takes a deeper turn. There are also emotional depths to her that she has suppressed over the years. Watching her come to terms with the events of her past was both heart-wrenching and empowering. 

And then there's Quincy. ::Sigh:: He's the hero many of our hearts seek. Charming, fun-loving, steadfast, loyal, a gentleman to his core, incredibly sexy, and endearingly vulnerable. I adored him. His life experiences (as a young boy in England and as a man in America) have given him emotional depths that he also keeps well hidden. My heart ached for him as his story unfolded but rejoiced as certain truths were brought to light. He's the kind of hero who makes you want to laugh with him, play with him, hug him, and drag him off to have your way with him. Did I mention how much I adored him? 

I love the path Britton took with Quincy and Clara, bringing them together first as partners to defeat the villainous duchess, then evolving into friends with lively banter and subtle flirting, building their chemistry until it ignites, then finally guiding them to a deep, abiding love. I like that they each have an individual journey and growth arc within the journey they take as a couple and that those individual lessons help bring them closer to one another. I turned the final page of their story with a heartfelt smile and a happy sigh. It doesn't get much better than that.

While Someday My Duke Will Come can be read as a standalone, it does feature several characters from book one, A Good Duke is Hard to Find. You can absolutely start with book two and enjoy it but I believe you'll enjoy it more if you read the books in order. The third book in the series, A Duke Worth Fighting For (Margery's story), is scheduled for release in August 2021. I already have it on pre-order and am counting down the days until my next visit to Christina Britton's Isle of Synne. 

Have you read Christina Britton yet?

Tell me about a fictional hero you've fallen in love with recently.

Do you enjoy historical romances that take the characters out of London?

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, January 15 will receive a print copy of Someday My Duke Will Come. 

*Must be 18

*U.S. addresses only

Review - - Special Ops Seduction

Special Ops Seduction

by Megan Crane

Alaska Force - Book 5

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: January 12, 2021

Reviewed by PJ

She's the last woman he ever wanted to see again...

After an official operation turned deadly, Jonas Crow began a new life in Grizzly Harbor with Alaska Force. But when fellow soldier Bethan Wilcox joins the group, she forces him to remember things he actively prefers to forget. That’s unforgivable enough. But now the two of them are forced together on a mission to uncover deadly secrets tied to their complicated past, and with the heat between them at a boil, forgiveness is the least of his worries...

And the only woman he needs.

Bethan Wilcox, one of the first women to make it through Army Ranger school, didn't join Alaska Force to deal with Jonas's foul temper. Or her own errant attraction to him. Thrown together in a race against the clock, they have to pretend to be a couple and play nice to throw the enemy off their scent. She knows better than to let their pretend love feel real...especially while time is running out.

Jonas has always been good at saving the world. But it’s Bethan he needs to save this time around—if she doesn’t save him first.

PJ's Thoughts:

Once again, Megan Crane has crafted a romantic suspense novel that kept me on the edge of my seat while also giving me the heart-tugging emotion my romantic heart desires. For you adrenaline junkies, don't worry, there's plenty of heart-clenching action, suspense, and danger in this one. But it's expertly balanced with an emotionally-satisfying relationship that is by no means a given. These two have a lot of issues to work through.

I loved the dynamic between Bethan and Jonas. Two kick-ass members of Alaska Force, they are, literally, lethal weapons. They are also complex people with a history that colors their current relationship, such as it is. Even though they're teammates, they are neither friends nor lovers. In fact, they (especially Jonas) avoid one another as much as possible. So what does Crane do to them? Why, she throws them into an undercover operation at Bethan's family wedding, posing as a couple, with national security at risk, of course. I mean, really, what could go wrong?

Special Ops Seduction is another page-turner that I did not want to put down. The suspense gets more intense with each chapter, eliciting gasps, hand wringing, and, at one point, actual begging to please allow the characters to find a way out of their predicament. As a counterpoint to that, we have the gradually changing romantic relationship between Jonas and Bethan as well as an individual growth arc for each of them. There is much healing that needs to occur before they can claim happiness together. I enjoyed the dichotomy between the highly trained soldier, ready to kill to protect their country and the soft, squishy, center they ultimately discover they each hold for the other. I also appreciated the fact that the author gave them the necessary time to reconcile these two halves of themselves. The secondary cast provide humor, tension, complex family relationships, and a truly evil villain with a diabolical plan...and an unexpected connection to our hero and heroine. Crane did an exceptional job of weaving the many, seemingly disparate, threads of this story into a compelling journey with breath-stealing and life-threatening surprises around every corner and I was there for every single bit of it. 

I don't know what Megan Crane has planned next but, after reading the Alaska Force series, you can bet it will be on my must-buy list. 

Winner - - Second Chance on Cypress Lane

 

The randomly chosen winner of a

print copy of

Second Chance on Cypress Lane by Reese Ryan is:

SusanLovesBooks

Congratulations!

Please send your full name and mailing address to:

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Winner - - Coming Attractions

 

The randomly chosen winners of a 

package of books are:

Pamela Devereux

and

robinb

Congratulations!

Please send your full name and mailing address to:

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Excerpt - - The Ultimate Betrayal

 

The Ultimate Betrayal

by Kat Martin

Publisher: HQN

Paperback Release Date: December 29, 2020

Reviewed by PJ: August 10, 2020 - Click to read

To prove her father’s innocence, she’ll have to turn a killer’s sights on herself

When journalist Jessie Kegan’s father is accused of espionage and treason, Jessie has no doubt the man she looked up to her entire life is innocent. Worse yet, before Colonel Kegan can stand trial, he’s found dead of a heart attack…but Jessie knows it was murder. Forcing down her grief, she’s determined to use her investigative skills and resources to clear her father’s name. But going after the truth means Jessie soon finds herself in the crosshairs of a killer who wants that truth to stay buried with her father.

Protecting Jessie Kegan is a job bodyguard Brandon Garrett can’t refuse. Jessie isn’t just a client at Maximum Security—she’s the sister of his best friend, Danny, killed in Afghanistan. With dangerous forces gunning for Jessie from every angle, keeping her safe will mean keeping her close and Bran finds their mutual attraction growing, though being Danny’s sister puts Jessie out of bounds.

With their backs against the wall, Jessie and Bran will have to risk everything to expose her father’s killer—before his legacy dies with his daughter.

The Ultimate Betrayal

Excerpt #2

Thin rays of sunlight washed over the flat Texas landscape the following morning.  Bran sat at the controls of the sleek white twin-engine Beechcraft Baron G58 parked in front of its hanger at the Dallas Executive Airport, south and a little west of downtown. 

He had learned to fly after he’d left the military.  Barely recovered from the bullet wounds that had forced him to leave the Army, one in his thigh, one in his abdomen, and another that had taken out part of his spleen, he’d been bored and unhappy to have lost the job he was trained for.

He’d been trying to figure out what to do with his life when Chase suggested he take flying lessons.  Once he’d started, he’d liked it so much he’d considered getting a plane of his own, maybe something like the single engine Cessna that Hawk Maddox flew. 

Chase had come up with the idea that Bran and Reese should share the one he owned, since it didn’t get used that often.  It was a beautiful plane so Bran had eagerly agreed.  Once he discovered private security work was the answer to his dilemma, the plane had come in handy.  As it did today.

“You belted in?” he asked Jessie.

She nodded.  “All set.”  She settled back in the fawn-colored leather co-pilot’s seat and glanced around the interior.  “This is really nice.”  Besides the two people in the cockpit, the plane carried four passengers in comfortable club seating.

“It hasn’t gotten a lot of use lately.  We’ve all been pretty busy.”  He started the pre-flight, checking the electrical system, looking for any warning lights, checking the GPS navigation, checking the oil and fuel levels.

He’d already done the walk-around, inspecting the body for damage, looking for fluid leaks: oil, fuel, hydraulics. 

“We’re all set.”  He put on his headphones and waited for Jessie to put on hers.  Settling back, he got on the radio and spoke to the tower, then began taxiing into position on the runway. 

Once cleared for takeoff, the plane began to roll down the tarmac, the propellers humming as the engine picked up speed.  Jessie studied the landscape outside the window as the plane lifted into the air and climbed to flying altitude.  She didn’t say much until the city of Dallas disappeared in the distance behind them.

“As a rule, I’m not crazy about flying,” she said.  “But I have to admit this is great.”

He smiled.  “Glad you’re enjoying it.  For me flying’s mostly a convenient way to get around.  Helluva lot better that going through all the hassle at the airport.”

“That’s for sure.”

It was an easy flight, just a few thunderheads beginning to develop, which he was able to skirt by slight course alterations.  The patchwork quilt of farmland held Jessie’s attention, giving him a chance to study her.

She was really pretty, he thought, and she was smart.  There were plenty of beautiful women in Texas, but when you added brains and a dynamite figure, it was a combination Bran found hard to resist. 

Unfortunately, anything other than a completely platonic relationship was out of the question.  He owed a debt to Danny Kegan that he could never repay.  A one-night hookup with his sister or anything remotely similar was out of the question.  His sigh went unnoticed beneath the hum of the engines.   

Near the half-way point, he landed at a small executive airport in Amarillo and had the planed topped off while they went into the terminal restaurant for a pit stop and something to eat.  Sandwiches and soft drinks and a couple of bags of chips and they were airborne again.  A short flight north and a little west and he landed at Cutter Aviation, a private airport a few miles west of Colorado Springs. 

The executive terminal, where he’d made arrangements for a hanger to store the plane, was a log building furnished with brown leather sofas, photos of the surrounding snow-capped mountains, and bronze sculptures of wildlife, a place perfectly suited to its location in the Rockies.

Bran had a rental car waiting, a big dark gray metallic Ford Expedition.  He grabbed the handle of his carryon, tossed the black canvas duffle that held his gear over one shoulder, and urged Jessie, towing her own carryon, toward the parking lot.

“I booked two rooms for us at the Holiday Inn,” she said as he loaded their luggage into the back of the vehicle.  “I hope that works for you.”

He paused to take the Glock out of his canvas duffle, clipped the holster to his belt and pulled his Henley out to cover it, then loaded the bag into the back. 

“Call and cancel,” he said.  “I’ve got a suite for us at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort.  It’s up in the hills not far from Fort Carson.”  Apparently she hadn’t figured out that separate hotel rooms weren’t an option.  People had been shooting at her.  He wasn’t letting her get that far away.

“It’s an hour drive from there to the Depot,” he said, opening the passenger door.  “But we’ll also be spending time at the base, which is fairly close, so we might as well stay somewhere nice.” 

“You’re spending a lot of money.  I didn’t expect that.  I’ll find a way to repay you.”

He stopped walking and turned back.  “I told you before--I owe your brother my life.  You don’t owe me anything and especially not money.  I’ve got plenty of it, far more than we’ll need.”  He stared down at her.  “All right?”

She shrugged.  “I guess so.”  She was a foot shorter than he was, petite, with a trim figure, but she wasn’t frail.  He usually went for tall, buxom women.  They just seemed less fragile, a better fit for a guy his size.  But there was something about Jessie that drew him.

“No more talk about money,” he said to make the point.  “Okay?” 

Her chin went up.  “Fine.”

He bit back a smile.  She was really cute.  Too bad she didn’t look more like her silver-haired father and less like her brother, whose good-looks appealed to women around the world. 

They belted themselves into their seats and he started the engine.

“You don’t want to talk about the money you’re spending,” she said.  “So what do you want to talk about?  The case, I hope.”

He grinned.  “Why don’t we talk about why you don’t have a serious boyfriend.  That should be interesting.”

Instead of the snarky remark he expected, Jessie’s face went pale.  She glanced out the window.  “It’s not a good story.”

Bran silently cursed.  Dammit, he hadn’t intended to make her uncomfortable and it was really none of his business.  “Hey, I’m sorry.  I was just kidding around.  You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

 

Review - - Second Chance on Cypress Lane

Second Chance on Cypress Lane

by Reese Ryan

Holly Grove Island - Book 1

Publisher: Forever

Release Date: December 1, 2020

Reviewed by PJ

Rising-star reporter Dakota Jones is usually the one breaking the news---until an inadvertent scandal wrecks her career. The only place she can go to regroup is Holly Grove Island. But her small South Carolina hometown comes with a major catch: Dexter Roberts, the first man to break Dakota's heart, is her new boss. Working alongside Dexter, who is more attractive than he has a right to be, shows Dakota what might have been . . . but she isn't giving him another chance to break her heart.

Dexter has always regretted the way things ended between him and Dakota. Her return could be his opportunity to finally make amends. But the more time he spends with Dakota, the more he realizes his feelings for her never went away. Now he has just a few months to convince her to give their love a second chance. But for Dakota to agree to stay, Dexter will have to reveal the devastating truth about why he let Dakota go all those years ago.

PJ's Thoughts:

Second Chance on Cypress Lane launches what I hope will be a long-running series as I have fallen hard for all of these characters and their small town in North Carolina's Outer Banks. Ryan brings them all to life with her vibrant descriptions of both people and place.

I love a second-chance romance and this one is filled with all the goodness I hope to find in this trope. Dexter has had a long time to regret breaking up with his high school sweetheart. Yes, his motives were pure but that sure hasn't lessened the heartache they caused. I was in his corner cheering him on to win her back. He's such a good guy, was in a no-win situation back then, and his heart still knows what it wants. He was really not much more than a boy the last time they saw one another but now, boy howdy, now he is a man. Successful, sexy, thoughtful, loyal, and he plays alto sax in a local band, staring soulfully into Dakota's eyes from the stage? If she didn't want him I was more than willing to drive over to the coast and claim him for myself! 

For Dakota, raised to believe her small town had nothing to offer and she would only find success in the big city, coming home is not what she expected. There are revelations around every corner, both professional and personal. I enjoyed her assimilation back into the town; reconnecting with her childhood best friend (everyone should be lucky enough to have a friend like Sinclair), learning to be more accepting, discovering a professional path that's both fulfilling and brings her joy, and rekindling the sizzling chemistry she'd always shared with her first love. The new, adult relationships she forges with her father and with Dexter show how much she's grown as does her emotional navigation of the secret both men have been carrying. By the end of the book, I was fully confident that Dakota was where she was meant to be and would continue to flourish with Dexter by her side.

Now, on to the next couple and the next chapter of life in the charming, seaside town of Holly Grove Island. I don't know when book two will be released but I am all in!

~~~~~~~~~~

Have you read any of Reese Ryan's books?

Do you enjoy small-town romance?

I love the sand, surf, and seaside breezes of Holly Grove Island. What's your favorite small-town setting? 

One person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, January 8 will receive a print copy of Second Chance on Cypress Lane. 

*Must be 18

*U.S. addresses only

Review - - The Ballad of Hattie Taylor

The Ballad of Hattie Taylor

by Susan Andersen

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: January 5, 2021

Reviewed by PJ

In the small, bustling town of Mattawa, Oregon, the turn of the century offers a new kind of frontier for women: a vast and exciting range of possibilities--to a point. It's a time for change, and no one is more eager to embrace new paths than free-spirited outsider Hattie Taylor. If only she could embrace Jake Murdock too.
 
Jake can't remember a time he was so confused. Hattie is off-limits. The provoking spitfire is under his mother's protection--his protection--and he has always belonged to another. But now, with the passing of his wife, Jake feels something shift between them. Frustratingly aware of Hattie as a woman, he struggles with new feelings, new questions, new desires.
 
But when a desperate decision born of good intentions turns out to have ugly repercussions, Hattie confronts a cruel reality she can no longer ignore: the truth of where women really stand and the actions men take to keep them there. To navigate her new world of tainted justice and privileged order Hattie will draw on the strength of the women around her--and Jake will learn what it truly means to support the woman he loves.

PJ says:

The Ballad of Hattie Taylor is a saga that follows the life of orphaned Hattie from the age of eleven to her early twenties. Set in Oregon at the turn of the 20th century, it not only tells the story of Hattie but reflects upon the lives of all women of that era. It was a time where exciting possibilities were opening up but also when a woman's reputation was precarious and inequalities existed, not only between women and men but between women of different classes. Societal issues are highlighted through the actions of the characters as well as the (sometimes brutal) injustices they suffer.

The book is a well-written, thought-provoking, page-turner with complex, fully-formed characters and complicated relationships. Readers are taken on a life journey that evokes a full range of emotions. Make no mistake, this is Hattie's story and it is a compelling one. She is a character who endeared herself to me early on and I was firmly in her corner from start to finish. But there is also a rich supporting cast of characters who are vividly portrayed and critical to Hattie's story. Like many sagas, while they have pivotal parts to play in Hattie's life there are also individual stories to be told. Stories that will also evoke strong emotions. One that made a significant impact on me is that of a young maid, a minor character, but with an important role, whose courage I greatly admired and whose circumstances clearly delineated the line between classes. 

It would be hard to discuss Jake in too much depth without giving away spoilers so I'll just say that my feelings about him, as well as his relationship with Hattie, and his relationship with his first wife, are mixed and leave it to you to make your own decisions about him.

There are parts of this book that will not be easy to read and many issues women still face today that I was left pondering long after finishing the book. Readers should know that Hattie ultimately claims a happy ending but it certainly isn't won without a lot of pain, forgiveness, healing, and internal strength.  

Content Warning:

One thing the author does not do in this book is hold back from harsh realities of life. There are some major triggers that I was unaware of before beginning the book and the impact they had on me was deep. Not only was I filled with heartache and rage for the entire second half of the book, I'm still haunted by what happens to these characters. Readers who are sensitive to these topics should be aware that they will be dealing with the following issues on the page: 

Rape

Beating 

Adult death

Death in utero

Coming Attractions

 

We did it! We made it through 2020. I have to admit, I don't think I've ever been so happy to bid a year farewell, turn the page, and welcome new possibilities. Here's hoping there are good ones on the horizon. What I know for sure is on the horizon is a plethora of new books to make us laugh, cry, sigh with delight, and lose ourselves in journeys to happily-ever-after. Here's what's happening at The Romance Dish in January. 

Kicking things off on Wednesday, January 6 is a review of The Ballad of Hattie Taylor, a historical western romance by Susan Andersen.

Next up on Friday, January 8 is an excerpt from The Ultimate Betrayal by Kat Martin, a romantic suspense thriller recently released in Mass Market Paperback.

Monday, January 11 brings a review of Someday My Duke Will Come by Christina Britton. This historical romance is book two in Britton's Isle of Synne series. *Rescheduled to Wednesday, January 13.

Join me Tuesday, January 12 when I share my thoughts about Special Ops Seduction, the fifth book in Megan Crane's Alaska Force romantic suspense series.

If you're an Ilona Andrews fan you won't want to miss my review of Blood Heir on Thursday, January 14. This novel launches a new series set within Andrews' Kate Daniels world. 

Friday, January 15 is a twofer! Stop by for the cover reveal of The Guardian by Kimberly Kincaid, book two in her Intelligence Unit series. 

Then come back for my tour review of The Forever Girl, the sixth (standalone) book in Jill Shalvis's Wildstone series. 

On Thursday, January 21, I'll be heading north to Alaska with my review of Sarah Morgenthaler's Enjoy the View, the third book in her Moose Springs, Alaska series.

We head back to Medieval times on Monday, January 25 with a review of Highland Defender by Kathryn LeVeque, the second book in her Scots and Swords series.

Want a peek at The Heiress Gets a Duke by Harper St. George? I'll be sharing an excerpt from this Gilded Age romance that launches St. George's Gilded Age Heiresses series on Tuesday, January 26.

Reunited on Dragonfly Lane finds us back in Sweetwater Springs for another heart-tugging contemporary romance by Annie Rains. Check out my review on Wednesday, January 27.

Wrapping up the month on Saturday, January 30 will be an excerpt from The Vineyard at Painted Moon, a new women's fiction tale from Susan Mallery. 

That's the schedule (so far) for January. Be sure to check back throughout the month for updates. 

What are you looking forward to this first month of 2021? Any books on your must-read list? 

What are you reading now? I'm reading an advance copy of Redemption by Inara Scott, the third book in her Bad Angels contemporary romance series. I'm really enjoying it.

I've spent the first few days of 2021 cleaning out my office/home library and you know what that means. Books looking for new homes! 

Two randomly chosen people who post a comment before 11:00 PM (EST), January 5 will each receive a package of books from my stash.

*Must be 18

*U.S. addresses only

Winner - - Christina Dodd

 

The randomly chosen winner of an

audiobook CD of

Secrets of Bella Terra is:

Patricia B

Congratulations!

Please send your full name and mailing address to:

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Review & Interview - - Wrong Alibi by Christina Dodd

 

Wrong Alibi

by Christina Dodd

Publisher: HQN

Release Date: December 29, 2020

Reviewed by PJ

WRONG JOB
Eighteen-year-old Evelyn Jones lands a job in small-town Alaska, working for a man in his isolated mountain home. But her bright hopes for the future are shattered when Donald White disappears, leaving her to face charges of theft, embezzlement—and a brutal double murder. Her protestations of innocence count for nothing. Convicted, she faces life in prison…until fate sends her on the run.

WRONG NAME
Evie's escape leaves her scarred and in hiding, isolated from her family, working under an alias at a wilderness camp. Bent on justice, intent on recovering her life, she searches for the killer who slaughters without remorse.

WRONG ALIBI
At last, the day comes. Donald White has returned. Evie emerges from hiding; the fugitive becomes the hunter. But in her mind, she hears the whisper of other forces at work. Now Evelyn must untangle the threads of evidence before she’s once again found with blood on her hands: the blood of her own family…

PJ's Thoughts:

I know I've said this before but it bears repeating. Do not begin reading a Christina Dodd suspense novel in the evening unless you plan to forfeit a night's sleep. Wrong Alibi is another excellent example of why this advice holds true. Intense, compelling, more than a little scary, and completely addictive, it's a wild ride that kept me flipping pages from start to finish. A full-immersion experience. I could not put it down. Even when I finally turned the last page, these characters refused to leave my head. 

In this newest novel from Dodd, she takes readers into the untamed wilderness of Alaska with an edge-of-your-seat thriller that had my heart in my throat for much of the journey. The characters are so well developed it's often difficult to remember that what you're reading is fiction; their situations so realistic I frequently found my heart racing with fear, anxiety, or shock. The journey Evie travels - from a gullible teen ripe for framing to a strong, savvy woman determined to bring a killer to justice and restore her reputation - is fraught with danger, unimaginable challenges, and more twists and turns than a mountain road. Each time I thought I knew where the story was heading, Dodd tossed in an impeccably-timed twist that left me gasping, right up until the final reveal...which I did not see coming! 

If you enjoy suspense thrillers with a tightly-woven plot, fully-formed characters, unexpected twists, evil villains who will have you checking your windows and locking your doors, unexpected flashes of dry wit, and a hopelessly naive protagonist who, through maturity, determination, and dedication, molds herself into a heroine who not only wreaks vengeance on a killer but saves herself in the process, Wrong Alibi is a book you'll want to read. It has my highest recommendation. 

~~~~~~~~~

Q&A with Christina Dodd

Welcome, Christina!

Thank you, PJ. We've known each other a long time, and it's always great to visit The Romance Dish.

It's always great to have you visit. Congratulations on the release of Wrong Alibi. I loved it, even if it did scare the spit out of me. What should readers expect from this novel?

To be close to her family, a young woman just out of juvenile detention takes a job that seems too good to be true…and finds herself charged with a gruesome double murder. Her escape leaves her scarred and in hiding, working under an alias at an Alaskan wilderness camp. Bent on justice, intent on recovering her life, she searches for the killer who slaughters without remorse. Can she find him before she's caught again…with the blood of her own family on her hands?

I enjoyed the Alaska setting in this book. You really brought it to life for me. Have you visited? If not, what kind of research did you do?

When I was a kid in California, our neighbors and dear family friends moved to Alaska. Nothing, not even the great Anchorage earthquake could shake their love for the state. (I know, a pun. :groan: ) They sent Alaskan gifts; I inherited my mother's cups by Robert Mayokok, an Intuit artist who proudly depicted his culture,

and my whole writing life, I've had an Inuit doll on my desk watching me work. I haven't visited Alaska, but I was destined to write WRONG ALIBI.

Alaska is so big, so diverse, so harsh in its climate and its long dark winters, it is the perfect place for murder. The challenges have created funny, strong, helpful Alaskans. For the manuscript, I needed a few Alaska jokes and asked online for help. Which gave me:

Do you know what a bear thinks when it comes across a camper in a sleeping bag?
Mmm, a taco.

What does a bear think when it comes across a camper with pepper spray in a sleeping bag?
Mmm, a spicy taco. 

This book has more twists and turns than an Alaska mountain road (which I love). Do you plan them ahead of time or are you sometimes surprised by unexpected plot twists that pop up during the writing process?

Discovering the story as you write it seems so bold! So artistic! So adventurous!

Yeah, I don't do that. I write a synopsis and stick pretty closely to it. If I didn't, I'd be frozen, panicked I was writing myself into a corner and in the end would have to throw the whole project away. The surprises come from the characters, how they react, who they are and how they develop as they face the challenges they encounter. Some of the characters I love — the heroine of WRONG ALIBI, Evie, is one of the most interesting characters I've ever written. Some of the characters I loathe — the killer of WRONG ALIBI is a psychopath, interested only in himself, indifferent to another's pain, and incapable of guilt. I created him, and he scared me. He's all too real.

What’s next? 

I'm writing a suspense set in a village on Big Sur California, where a local legend says on foggy nights the town is said to disappear and when it returns, it brings lost souls back from the dead.

Okay, that will be one I'll definitely be reading in the daylight!

Let’s play a quick round of complete this sentence.

My favorite Christmas tradition is…

Dragging the Christmas tree up the hill.

The book I’m most eager to read is…

Jayne Ann Krentz's upcoming romantic suspense ALL THE COLORS OF NIGHT.

The holiday movie I watch every year is…

How the Grinch Stole Christmas, the original TV show because …

The song!

"You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch. You really are a heel. You're as cuddly as a cactus, you're as charming as an eel... ...Mr. Gri-inch! You're a bad banana w a...greasy black peel."

::Sniffle:: They just don't write lyrics that touch the heart like that anymore.

And the message!

"Welcome, Christmas, bring your cheer. Cheer to all Whos far and near. Christmas Day is in our grasp, so long as we have hands to clasp. Christmas Day will always be just as long as we have we. Welcome Christmas while we stand, heart to heart, and hand in hand."

 

Thanks for visiting with us today, Christina. Would you like to add anything else or ask our readers a question?

2020 has been, almost universally, a difficult year. (“A difficult year, Christina?” you shriek. “You have a talent for understatement!”) The New Year is close and as we stand "heart to heart and hand to hand" never have we been so hopeful that 2021 is shiny with joy, love and happiness. If you'd like to receive book updates, a free short story, and a lot of humor in your inbox, please join my mailing list. I'd be delighted to have you as a newsletter friend!

Today I'm giving away the audiobook CD of SECRETS OF BELLA TERRA to one lucky winner. Due to mailing restrictions, the contest is restricted to U.S. residents.

Readers, have you read any of Christina Dodd's books? Do you have a favorite?

What was your favorite holiday movie that you watched this year? 

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, December 31 will receive an audiobook CD of Secrets of Bella Terra, the first book in Dodd's Scarlet Deception trilogy (one of my favorite Dodd romantic suspense series). 

*Must be 18

*U.S. addresses only