Review: The Frenchman (Crime Royalty Romance #1) by Lesley Young

Fleur Smithers rarely veers off the straight and (excruciatingly) narrow. So moving to the seaport town of Toulon to live with her newfound biological mother—an inspector with the French National Police—for one year is a pretty major detour. 

Son of France’s crime royalty family and international rugby star, Louis Messette, is devoted to his sport, famille and nothing else. But the carefree American he meets one night changes everything. She sparks a desire in him like no other. Possession takes root. She will do as he commands.

Bit by bit Fleur slips into the Frenchman’s realm of wanton pleasure agreeing to his one condition: that she keep their affair secret. She serves up her heart without reservation in the hub of the glittering Côte d’Azur, and the along the soulful Seine in Paris, unaware of the danger she is in. For her new lover’s family business will pit her against her mother, the police woman sworn to bring down the Messettes. And by then, far more than Fleur’s heart will be on the line.

*I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review*

The setup of this story is what caught my interest at first (besides the cover of course). A young woman travelling to France for one year, to live with her biological mother. While trying to get to know her mother better and connect with her, Fleur gets to experience the life in Toulon. She's definitely going for it, getting herself a job, starting extra language classes, some dinner experiences for her food blog, and maybe even meet a hot frenchman.

Though she never quite expected to meet someone like Louis. I have to say that my first impression of the guy wasn't the greatest, he was a jerk. When they bump into each other afterwards, that's when we get to really know the guy, even though there is this obvious fence around his heart. Fleur to me was a bit naive when it came to Louis. She's inexperienced, and well Louis is quite captivating. The attraction between them was pallable and just freaking hot. I could definitely understand why Fleur always went back for more.

It's mostly the part of his family and his animosity towards Fleur's mother, that made Fleur a bit naive in my eyes. She really has no clue what is going on, and at times I was even wondering if she simply didn't want it to see. Her mom is one of the best police officers in town and her mission in life is to rid Toulon of criminals, and one of those biggest gangs are the Messettes a.k.a. Louis' family. Except Fleur realizes this too late.

Besides a bit naive, I thought Fleur was a nice character. She has clear passions that keep her occupied, and I liked how she wanted to connect with her biological mother. Fleur obviously got more than she bargained for in Toulon, but still she knew how to handle herself. Louis might have been the clear leader in the beginning, though in the end it was Fleur who made the decisions.

Louis is not what I would call a nice guy. He's intimidating, passionate, aggressive in a way, and straight up alpha. It took some time for me to warm up to him and I believe he will never be a typical boyfriend. He's too intense for that. Due time it does become clear how he feels about Fleur, but he made some stupid choices and keeping secrets is never a good idea.

The Frenchman was an intense read. I do like the mystery part added to the story. While you might expect a pure romance novel, it was nicely balanced. Throughout you're kept guessing as to who the good and the bad guys are. I love those kind of spins. A great romantic suspense novel, and I'll definitely be reading more of this series.

3.5 stars

Crime Royalty Romance - Reading order and purchase links

*All books can be read as a standalone*

  

The Author

Lesley Young is an award-winning Canadian journalist by day, and obsessive novelist by night. Her debut novel, Sky’s End (Soulmate Publishing, 2013) hit #9 on Amazon’s sci-fi romance paid best-seller list in its first three months of release.

Not too long after that, she started dreaming up quirky heroines who lose their hearts to extremely powerful, flawed heroes, only to find out what love really is while on a dangerous adventure abroad. She called it the Crime Royalty Romance series, and landed herself a pretty big agent at Spencerhill Associates. Never one to take the obvious path, Lesley ultimately decided to self-publish. She’s never sure who or what will pop up in her imagination next. The Irishman? The Spaniard? The Hawaiian? Anything’s possible, and she loves suggestions (or recommendations of really hot, er, talented, actors to work as a muses).

Connect with Lesley Young:

Website - Facebook - Twitter - Goodreads

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Review: Stung (Struck #2) by Joss Stirling

Stung by Joss Stirling is a breathtaking romantic thriller from the bestselling author of Finding Sky.

Sixteen-year-old Kate has a talent for disappearing. Framed for murder, and hunted by a violent gang, she's running for her life . . .

Nathan is the young recruit tasked with finding Kate before her enemies track her down. He's determined to stay detached no matter what.

But when Nathan and Kate's paths collide, neither is prepared for the electricity that sparks between them.

As the net tightens, can they trust each other long enough to stay alive? Or will their next kiss be their last?

*I received a copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

I really do love a good mystery novel. Joss Stirling has a knack of spinning a tale that you have no idea what is coming next. She writes characters that you will love, though I have to admit things between Nate and Kate were a bit too instant love for me. Still, plenty of realistic action, figuring out the mystery along with the characters and fun dialogues to keep you entertained.

With Stung the dynamic between Kate and Nathan was very interesting. He's tasked with bringing her in, and it seems that he isn't completely over his little crush on her. Kate's first reaction on the other hand is to get as far away from him as she possibly can. The girl definitely doesn't take it easy on him. During this cat and mouse game, Nathan finds out that not all is as clear cut as he would have liked. The threat this time comes from two sides, and it becomes a race to get to Kate first.  

The banter in the beginning between the two main characters was one of my favourite parts. Though once they go all lovey-dovey on each other, that dims a lot unfortunately. It does give Nathan the opportunity to show his worth, and he is a great guy you can rely on. I could understand that trust wasn't easy for Kate, and I can not blame her. It was interesting to see how this changed during the story, for her to realise that she's not so alone as she thought she was.

Strung was a great second novel in the Struck series. I liked the fact that we got to know more about the work these young people do, what it exactly entails and the consequences of those missions. Nathan and Kate were good characters. I do favourite Nathan a bit more, because it was clear how much effort he was putting into it and I felt that Kate at times could have cut him more of a break.

I hope this isn't the last book in the series and I'm curious who's story we're going to read next.

3.5

Struck - Reading order and purchase links

*All books can be read as a standalone, though the do have characters in common*

  

Struck: Amazon - Book Depository

Stung: Amazon - Book Depository

The Author

Julia Golding is a British novelist.

She was born in March 1969 in London and grew up on the edge of Epping Forest. She read English at the University of Cambridge.

Golding lives in Oxford and works as a freelance writer. She is married with three children.

In 2007 she was selected by Waterstone's as one of the 25 Authors of the Future.

Golding also publishes under two pen names: Joss Stirling and Eve Edwards.

Connect with Joss Stirling:

Website - Facebook - Twitter - Goodreads

Author Interview – S.D. O’Donell

What is your favorite quote, by whom, and why?
“You are not entitled to your opinion. You are entitled to your informed opinion. No one is entitled to be ignorant.” Harlan Ellison

I value few things more than education (self education is fine, I’m not stuck on education having to be formal) combined with reasoning, all served up with an open mind. Our house is a gathering place for many types of people and they all come with strong opinions. Many hours have been spent on my deck or around my table discussing everything from politics to the best way to prune trees. Any belief or argument is welcome, as long it is informed.

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?
I grew up with books and music. Going to the book store was considered an exciting family outing. We still do it, even with the onset of electronic books. My husband and I own around 15,000 books (not counting what’s on my Kindle). At one time, late in my high school years, our television broke. We didn’t fix it. Why bother, we had books to read, gardens to tend, music to play. Being around books so much of my life, and having an always-active imagination that needed an outlet, writing seemed like a natural choice of profession.

What inspired you to write your first book?
My husband and son had gone camping for the week, so I was home alone. I spent a lot of time reading and watching movies. At some point, all of the stories began to filter into my dreams and I woke up once with the picture of a catatonic woman, found in a park. The feelings and ideas of that dream never left me and they eventually became the cornerstone of my first novel, Deadly Memories.

What do you consider the most challenging about writing a novel, or about writing in general?
Tightening the words. I bet I wrote at over five hundred pages that were cut out, sometimes by the page and sometimes by the word. Especially with a thriller, this process is essential to create the right pace. I love the end result, the recognition that if you cut this and then that, you make the same point but even better, even stronger. However, the actual work required to get there is hard, both on the ego and the mind.

Can you share a little of your current work with us?
I am currently busy on my second novel, Deadly Bayou. The characters in Deadly Memories, Saul and Jayne, have a lot to work out, both together and alone. A large part of that need for Jayne centers on a recurring dream she has about a road stretching across a bayou.

Can you tell us about your main character?
Deadly Memories has two main characters: Saul Becker and Jayne Doe. Saul is a loner ex-detective and Jayne is a catatonic, then amnesiac, woman that comes into his life. The story is told from both points-of-view. I know I’ve done something unusual in writing from a male point of view but believe I’m well-qualified. My house is the gathering grounds for my former-Special Forces husband and his contingent of buddies (mostly also former military). I provide them food and drink, all the while observing what I consider my private laboratory of male behavior.

Why did you choose to write this particular book?
I needed to get the story out and I wanted to write a book that showed how a person heals psychologically. Since I also wanted to keep a thriller pacing, I eventually realized it would take multiple books to follow the character arc I had in mind.

How important do you think villains are in a story?
Since I’m writing mystery/thrillers, I think they are as essential as the hero. One reviewer on Amazon called my villain gruesome. I took that as a great compliment.

What are your goals as a writer?

I want to complete the four books I have in mind about Saul and Jayne, write some short stories at the same time, and then do something different enough to challenge myself and my readers.

Are you reading any interesting books at the moment?
I’m reading Lisa Gardners’ new book Touch and Go. She’s one of my “old standby” authors.

Do you have any specific last thoughts that you want to say to your readers?
It is hard getting word out beyond your immediate circle of friends and family that there’s a good book waiting to entertain you. Please read Deadly Memories and let everyone you know what you think of it.

Connect with S.D. O’Donell:

Website - Facebook - Goodreads

Who is the beautiful Jayne Doe? And why does someone want to kill her? Ex-detective Saul Becker learned the hard way not to get involved in the troubles of beautiful women. But what else can he do when a barefoot, catatonic Jayne Doe turns up practically in his backyard? Who is she, and what is she so afraid of? Jayne Doe doesn't remember anything about her life before she crawled into a hollow tree at the lake next to Saul's home. All she knows is that she's afraid of something-or someone. Together, Saul and Jayne set out to uncover her past. But they are in more danger than they know, and it will take all of Saul's skill and training to track down the past that's stalking them.

 Buy Now @Amazon

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Excerpt & Giveaway: Deadly Deception by Andrea Johnson Beck

Andrea Johnson Beck has published her first mystery novel and looking at the cover it might get bloody. We have an exclusive excerpt from the first chapter. If you like it, you can always enter her giveaway to win an signed paperback copy (US) or an ebook copy of Deadly Deception!

Dr. Anne Jamison, brilliant neuropsychiatrist , living the concrete jungle life in Minneapolis with her fiancé, prominent attorney, Adam Whitney. The mysterious death of Carter Leeds, her former boyfriend, haunts her to this day. After three years of unanswered questions, a secretive note finds its way to Anne, revealing the possibility that Carter may in fact be alive, and that her very own fiancé may have had a hand in his attempted demise.

Who really is Adam Whitney? Can Anne trust the man she pledged forever with? As deadly secrets begin to unravel, so does her trust. A dark, twisted game of cat and mouse ensues, who will run out of lives and who will walk away, to only be deceived, once again.

Deadly Deception is FREE on Amazon for the next THREE DAYS!!!

Excerpt:

Anne stretched her neck muscles as they tightened at just the thought of Victoria. Her attempts to shake the green-eyed monster were ineffective, so she turned her attention to the mystery envelope waving its secretive arms, enticing her to open it. She picked it up and walked over to her mission-style desk to locate an envelope opener. Anne took the silver blade and ran it through the glued seal. The contents trickled out and onto her desk. Colored photographs fanned out in front of her and a white note with red hue writing stared at her. 

For My Anneliese

“No!” 

She gasped, feeling her hands begin to numb. Her veins were flooded with fresh fretful blood that burned her chest and pulsated into her ears as the thumping of her heart pounded deep within her. The one person in the entire universe who ever called her by her given birth name was Carter. The room was losing all focus and was quickly becoming dim. But then Carter’s face became clearer, like a luminous apparition pulling her subconscious in deeper.

About the author:
I think I came out of the womb writing. I published my first poem when I was in elementary school and my first short story was not too far after that. When I had my son, I wrote for various publications about his birth, what we went through as a family and when he was diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum I shared his story with others who were going through the same scary process as we had. 

Before my thirtieth birthday, I vowed to write and complete a full length book, which I did. I finished two weeks before my birthday. After a couple of frustrating contract negotiations, I decided to take a time out. Earlier this year, I made the decision to get my baby (Deadly Deception) published. With another frustrating contract deal down the drain, I decided that self-publication was my destiny. Between homeschool awesomeness, domestic goddess duties, city upheaval, extra-curricular craziness, it has been a challenge to tidy the book up and slap a red bow on it. With the help of some amazing editors it's ready with a red bow on top.

Connect with Andrea Johnson Beck:

Website - Facebook - Twitter - Goodreads

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Cover Reveal: Runes by Ednah Walters

Ednah Walters is coming out with a new book series, called Runes and here is the first look at the cover. It's definitely very intense, with those eyes. The cover is designed by Cora Graphics, you should certainly check out her other work. Especially her before and afters are spectacular, this one is my favorite so far.

This book is going on my to read list. All the mystery intrigues me and now I need to know what is going on with Torin.

Seventeen-year-old Raine Cooper has enough on her plate dealing with her father’s disappearance, her mother’s erratic behavior and the possibility of her boyfriend relocating. The last thing she needs is Torin St. James—a mysterious new neighbor with a wicked smile and uncanny way of reading her.

Raine is drawn to Torin’s dark sexiness against her better judgment, until he saves her life with weird marks and she realizes he is different. But by healing her, Torin changes something inside Raine. Now she can’t stop thinking about him. Half the time, she’s not sure whether to fall into his arms or run.

Scared, she sets out to find out what Torin is. But the closer she gets to the truth the more she uncovers something sinister about Torin. What Torin is goes back to an ancient mythology and Raine is somehow part of it. Not only is she and her friends in danger, she must choose a side, but the wrong choice will cost Raine her life.

Runes will be released on May 20th, 2013.

About the author:
EDNAH WALTERS grew up reading Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys and dreaming of one day writing her own stories. She is a stay-at-home mother of five humans and two American short-hair cats (one of which has ADHD) and a husband. When she is not writing, she’s at the gym doing Zumba or doing things with her family, reading, traveling or online chatting with fans.

Ednah is the author of The Guardian Legacy series, a YA fantasy series about children of the fallen angels, who fight demons and protect mankind. AWAKENED, the prequel was released by Pill Hill Press in September 2010 with rave reviews. BETRAYED, book one in the series was released by her new publisher Spencer Hill Press in June 2012 and HUNTED, the third installment, will be released April 2013. She’s working on the next book in the series, FORGOTTEN.

Ednah also writes New Adult paranormal romance. RUNES is the first book in her new series. She is presently working on book 2, IMMORTALS.

Under the pseudonym E. B. Walters, Ednah writes contemporary romance. SLOW BURN, the first contemporary romance with suspense, was released in April 2011. It is the first book in the Fitzgerald family series. Since then she has published four more books in this series. She's presently working on book six. 

Connect with Ednah Walters:

Website - Facebook - Twitter 

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Cover Reveal: Erased by Jennifer Rush

The cover obviously shows some lovely boy and I can't help but wonder what all the letters on his body mean. Very intriguing. Too bad we still have to wait 'till 2014(!!!) before we can read this novel. Erased is the second book in the Altered series of Jennifer Rush.
Definitely also check out Jennifer's Rush website, she's doing a giveaway of Altered(#1).

About the author:

Jennifer Rush lives in a little town on the shoreline of Lake Michigan with her husband and two children. She grew up wanting to be an Egyptologist, but realized she hated the desert and declared herself a writer instead. She won her first writing award in the fourth grade (a Mickey Mouse pencil was the prize) and has been crafting stories ever since. In her free time, she likes to read, Photoshop, and consume large amounts of caffeine.

Find her on:

Website - Twitter - Facebook - Goodreads

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