Tropes: friends to lovers; romantic suspense; small-town romance; found family; band of brothers
Catherine Cowles is a supreme wizard when it comes to romantic suspense, although I want to make sure she’s “okay” half the time when her poor heroines encounter so much trauma in her romances. Echoes of You is dramatic and heart-rending and joyful and steamy and sweet and page-turning. From its beginning, Cowles captures her reader’s attention with her heroine’s painful background. While its beginning isn’t as dramatic as the first book of Cowles’s Lost & Found series, it’s serious and emotional as we encounter the painful reality of Maddie’s life. Over and over again, Cowles pummels her reader with the trauma from Maddie’s childhood and her broken relationship with her ex-fiance. Maddie’s journey is redeemed when Nash finally allows himself to love her as he has always wanted.
One minute, Cowles takes us from pain and despair to the summit of love as Maddie and Nash accept their long percolating feelings. But Cowles wouldn’t be her usual genius self unless she puts her MMC and FMC through trials. And poor Nash and Maddie must endure an onslaught of villainy to find their happy ending. Through it all, as a beloved reader, you know that the promise of a happy ending is on the horizon, and Cowles treats us to an especially sweet one with these two. To be fair, they deserve all the happiness in the world given the drama of their journeys.
What should you expect ultimately from Echoes of You? Lots of action that put Maddie and Nash in peril along with sentimental moments filled with Nash’s family protecting and loving Maddie beyond measure. Add to that a tension-filled journey of two friends who fight their feelings before they finally realize that their love is fated and incomparable. You cannot put down Catherine Cowles’s Echoes of You. And you will hope that the next book in the series comes soon.
Fall for Nash and Maddie in their friends-to-lovers, only one bed, small town romance from USA Today Bestselling Author, Catherine Cowles!
Nash Hartley has always been my everything: Protector. Partner in crime. Best friend.
The person who was there for me in my darkest hour.
But my heart wanted so much more. So, when I knew for certain Nash didn’t feel the same about me, I tried to move on. What a mistake that turned out to be.
Now, I’m back in our small town, desperate to escape my living nightmare, and the only person I want to see is him.
As secrets are revealed, and Nash finds out what happened to me, he’ll do anything to keep me safe.
But there are those who will do anything to stop him, and this time neither of us may make out alive…
Writer of words. Drinker of Diet Cokes. Lover of all things cute and furry, especially her dog. Catherine has had her nose in a book since the time she could read and finally decided to write down some of her own stories. When she’s not writing she can be found exploring her home state of Oregon, listening to true crime podcasts, or searching
Tropes: grump/sunshine; single dad; small-town romance; age-gap; family feuds; romantic suspense; insta-attraction
Tia Louise’s A Little Taste has some of the magic highlighted in its pages. I’ll be honest. I liked Louise’s last series, Hamiltown Heat, but I didn’t love it. It was missing the levity you find in A Little Taste. There is something charming about Aiden, her MMC in this newest book, and Britt, the erstwhile FMC who steals his heart. I find the grump/sunshine or grumpy single dad tropes to be fairly charming, as a character such as Britt easily wins Aiden’s stubborn heart. And, honestly, it happens quickly in this book, a marker of Louise’s romances.
In fact, it’s one of the aspects of Tia Louise’s books of which I’m not a fan. I prefer stories that require a bit more physical restraint initially, but Louise loves raising her steam level quickly. And boy, does she do it with Aiden and Britt. From apartment hallways to trucks to bedrooms to any available surface, Tia Louise’s requisite spice level doesn’t disappoint.
Steam-level aside, A Little Taste charms its readers through a small-town feud between the town’s mystics and the town’s legal arm. It engages with a story couched in romantic suspense, as Britt finds herself embroiled in the secrets of her father’s death. Overarching all of this is the chemistry between Aiden and Britt, and the sweet ways Britt loves Aiden’s son giving him reasons to fall hard for her.
I found myself entertained and titillated in equal measure with Tia Louise’s newest offering, A Little Taste. I’m very excited about the next book in the series because I loved Britt and Aiden’s story.
an MMC who looks like Henry Cavill and has the character qualities of Clark Kent
an FMC who is a boss bitch with a FABULOUS wardrobe and home
a twisty, turny story of romantic suspense
a quirky small town that acts as the backdrop of the story
If so, RUN! Grab A Girl in the Woods TODAY! I finished it this morning because I couldn’t put it down.
This body would be the last for Zachariah Lazarus…
The Crystal Killer’s latest casualty was discovered in a sleepy town in the Pacific Northwest, Misted Pines.
His years in the FBI, and tracking the Crystal Killer, have taken their toll on Rus. He lost his marriage to the job. And the burdens he carries for the victims were crushing him.
Misted Pines has recently survived a killer’s rampage and a town scandal that made global news. The media was primed to devour a new story. So Rus already has his work cut out for him.
But it’s more.
Something is just not right with this latest victim.
As Rus works with the local sheriff to unravel the mystery, the victim’s employer, Lucinda Bonner, decides she’s going to do everything she can to help.
To help Rus find the killer. To help Rus survive the hunt. To help Rus navigate the intricate, and sometimes sordid, history of the town of Misted Pines.
Tropes: small-town romance; second chance romance; romantic suspense; forced proximity; found family; band of brothers
Have you ever seen that episode of Grey’s Anatomy where the active shooter invades the hospital? The one that incites terror in you as you watch it. I will never forget that episode of television. Catherine Cowles’s Whispers of You has shades of that episode with its compelling, terror-inducing hook, incremental slow-burn second chance journey, and the story twist that you don’t quite see coming. For me, Whispers of You is my favorite Catherine Cowles story of her recent stories. In simple terms, this book is the rib-eye of books to her former porterhouse stories. Whispers of You held me in its thrall and engaged me to the very last page of her bonus epilogue.
Here’s the why:
The hook of this book is terrifying and heartbreaking. Don’t let that dissuade you from reading it. Like I said earlier, it felt inspired by that emotional and anxiety-inducing episode of Grey’s Anatomy. I originally read this book’s beginning in one of last year’s books, and I couldn’t WAIT to read Whispers of You because of it.
I adore a resilient character. Wren is the embodiment of it. Instead of becoming a victim who lives in the shadow of her trauma, she becomes an advocate, instead. Holt is lucky to earn her heart because, honestly, she is too good for him given his choices. Cowles grants Colt grace for these choices due to his age. But had this been real life, he might not have won over his love.
The balance, however, of this story is Holt’s capacity to love and cherish Wren. Once he recognizes his former short-sightedness, he’s a delicious male character: all alpha-hero with a protective streak. Cowles deftly balances Wren’s strength and resilience with Holt’s adoration and compassion. So incredibly good!
I didn’t see the depth of Cowles’s revelation coming. Yep. I’m usually attuned to the story, but I gasped at the story’s twist. I love that Cowles doesn’t take it easy on her reader.
Catherine Cowles knows herself as a writer as well as the interests of her fans. Whispers of You was an unputdownable read. It was impossible to walk away from Wren and Holt because their story is just that compelling. Fans of small-town romantic suspense – this story is for you! Oh, and there’s an impressive husky to boot!
USA Today bestseller, Catherine Cowles, has a sneak peek of her upcoming second-chance, small-town romance, Whispers of You, coming January 31st!
HOLT
Wren opened the door to reveal a massive Husky with the most piercing blue eyes standing guard in front of her. The dog’s gaze went from Lawson to me and back again.
Wren’s head jerked in my direction. “What are you doing here?”
Lawson winced. “Sorry. He overheard the call. There was no stopping him.”
My eyes traced the trails that tears had left on Wren’s cheeks. Some ended on her chin, while others streaked down her neck. Marks that I had put there.
“I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”
Wren stared at me for the count of three. “I’m fine. Really.”
Lawson cleared his throat. “Can you show me where you found the shoe print?”
She nodded, motioning around the house. “I was in the hall with Shadow. I had just hung up with Grae and heard what I thought was a twig snap. Shadow growled, which she doesn’t usually do unless she’s warning me that she heard something.”
“Did you hear anything other than the twig snapping? Voices? Footsteps?” Lawson asked.
Wren shook her head. “Nothing…”
Her voice trailed off in a way that had me picking up my pace. “What is it?”
Writer of words. Drinker of Diet Cokes. Lover of all things cute and furry, especially her dog. Catherine has had her nose in a book since the time she could read and finally decided to write down some of her own stories. When she’s not writing she can be found exploring her home state of Oregon, listening to true crime podcasts, or searching for her next book boyfriend.
Tropes: romantic suspense; insta-attraction; professor/student; forbidden relationship; band of brothers; found family
Tia Louise’s Forbidden, the final book of her Hamilton Heat series, brings a complete and compelling end to the saga covering its four books. Wrapped in that favorite forbidden professor/student trope, Louise does what she does best: infuses an interesting, albeit predictable story into the steam of her characters, Dirk (Hutch from book 1’s little brother) and Reanna (his student with a secret). What readers love about Tia Louise’s storytelling is her capacity to draw up eroticism into her stories that provide titillating entertainment. Dirk and Reanna are instantly attracted to each other, and Dirk’s fight to stay away from Reanna is absolutely futile. Here’s the thing…if you love $ex with a side of story, this book and its predecessors are your reads. I have to admit, though. I found the predominance of Reanna and Dirk “hitting it” distracting. Don’t get me wrong. I love Tia Louise. Her Fight for Love series still echoes in my mind. But I’ve struggled with the Hamilton Heat series because it seems it is intended to infuse as much eroticism into its books, forgoing, at times, character development. This has been difficult for this reader because decisive and intentional character development is important. Louise can plot a story well, and she can draw on eroticism to increase the chemistry of her characters, but I needed more from Forbidden to believe that Dirk and Reanna wanted more than $ex. And believability is necessary for a forbidden, age-gap romance.
Tia Louise’s Forbidden provides a lovely ending to the threaded plotline of this series’s books. It entertains you while steaming your glasses…and other things. What it won’t do is tell you the “why” behind her characters’ choices. It will, however, underscore one of my favorite tropes: the found family. These qualities conspire to create a story that will entice but might not sustain your attention if you are looking for a bit more emotional development between its characters.
J. Kenner’s Charmed By You returns us easily to Damien Stark’s Security series world. With cameos from Damien and Ryan, Charmed By Love marries the world of Hollywood with the world of the Stark Security series. As it follows Simon Barré protecting the starlet, Francesca Muratti, from a stalker, the sparks fly from their initial meeting. This chemistry makes the story intriguing: “will they/won’t they consummate their attraction.” Once the suspense portion of the story hits, it’s a quick downhill from there, devolving into a happy ending for Frannie and Simon.
Charmed By You has all the components of the other Stark Security series novellas: intrigue, insta-attraction, and the chemistry of opposites. I will say that I was hoping for a bit more story development, but alas, this is a novella. If you’re looking for a quick read in the world of Damien Stark, then you won’t want to miss Charmed By You.
“A heart-pounding mystery that will have you turning the pages all night.” – Vivian Wood, USA Today bestselling author
Bury Me With Lies, the highly-anticipated conclusion to the mind-bending Twin Lies Duet by S.M. Soto is available now!
Some secrets are better left buried…
Stuck between life and death, Mackenzie is hell-bent on proving her innocence, and getting revenge on the men who murdered her sister. With one series of unfortunate events after another, Mackenzie must outrun her own fate—death.
When secrets unravel and lies become twisted betrayals, Mackenzie finds herself in more danger than she could’ve realized. Her only saving grace is Baz, the elusive playboy she’s given her heart to. But will placing her trust in a man like Baz be her downfall?
S.M. Soto was born and raised in Northern, California where she currently resides with her son. Her love for reading began when she was a young girl, and has only continued to grow into adulthood. S.M. lives for reading books in the romance genre and writing novels with relatable characters. She refers to herself as a bit of a romance junkie. S.M. loves to connect with readers and eat copious of donuts that will surely lead to her demise.
Anyone who has, for any length of time, read romance knows that not all romances are created equal. What does that mean? You can read the same trope (enemies-to-lovers tends to be my favorite) by any number of writers, and their voices will be so distinct that you can fall in love with any of them (or the opposite). I am currently obsessed with April White. To be fair, I have just finished reading a second novel by her, Code of Honor, her second SmartyPants Romance book, and I can’t seem to get her writing (and this book) out of my mind. I found her with Code of Conduct, her first book in the SmartyPants Romance world. Her booklist looks fairly small, and honestly, I didn’t rush to read it after reading Code of Conduct. Mostly, that has more to do with my constant reading of ARCs. It isn’t that I didn’t want to read her booklist; I simply find myself indulged in other authors’ ARCs at the moment. Yet, after reading Code of Honor, I’m dying to get my hands on her other books. Like Code of Conduct, this book bowled me over. It would be easy to say that it has everything to do with the story and its connection to Penny Reid’s Cipher Security connection. Who doesn’t want to return to the Knitting in the City folks? Honestly, though, it isn’t that. It’s April White’s prowess at writing romance. Truly. I found myself most intrigued by her story development, prose, and heroine than the connection to the Penny Reid universe. Let me explain further…
It’s hard for me to try and elaborate on this next point without using words that cannot relay my meaning. I’m going to try, so bear with me. This book, according to Amazon, is 337 pages. That’s a good-sized book; I’m not sure how that equates out to total words. Why am I talking about this? Because April White’s story reads deep, “filled in,” so to speak. It reads as though there are so many words that swim on the page, and it’s glorious. Her details woo-ed me. I kept thinking wow…the level of research she did on this story is impressive. What’s more impressive is how seamless her research and details add to the gravity and depth of her story. I’ve recently read stories where the details overwhelmed, where there should have been revision, to bring back the levity of the story. With White’s Code of Honor, these details place you more firmly in Darius and Anna’s story. The story blooms under White’s control, and I was hooked from the first page. I remember feeling the exact same way with her first book in this series, Code of Conduct: so many details, so well-researched, and impressively developed that it pulls the reader into the depths of it. When you buy this book, you’re purchasing something weighted and refined. It is quite a remarkable read.
Add to this depth of soul in her book, April White’s prose. I will get to Anna, White’s heroine in this story, next. However, the words of this story, the way that White strings words into sentences and sentences into paragraphs is impressive. I left this note in my ARC: “April White’s prose is exciting. There are so many witticisms and oddities that it entertains beyond the story.” White’s ability to craft story and character while integrating little facts from history and art compels you through her romance. These words find themselves spoken in the voice of her heroine, Anna, which is probably my favorite part of Code of Honor.
The true beauty of April White’s writing is her ability to create heroines who are created from their own mold that seems broken afterward. I felt these same thoughts during Code of Conduct with her craftsmanship of Shane. White writes heroines who own their idiosyncrasies and originality. Anna isn’t like most people. In fact, if you’ve read Penny Reid’s Knitting in the City series, you know Janie, Quinn’s wife. Like Janie, Anna speaks her thoughts without a filter. She oftentimes begrudges herself of this habit, but it’s these actions that bring the humor and levity to the story which is underpinned by suspense. Additionally, Anna challenges Darius through this habit of unfiltered thinking. Anna doesn’t apologize for herself. It is this truth that is Anna’s power as the heroine. It also sets up the major conflict of the story and White’s play on the idea of honor. In this story, honor is defined in different ways between Anna and Darius, just as “conduct” finds re-definition in White’s first book in the series. Through Anna, we are challenged to consider the gray lines of honor. For Darius, honor is black and white; while for Anna, honor can be re-defined given the situation. As Anna “teaches” Darius this truth, these two struggle. Yet, it’s Anna’s sense of self that eventually bridges their conflict. I cared so much more for Anna as the heroine than Darius because White gives her dimensions in a way that Darius doesn’t quite have. And I loved this. I loved that the heroine was much more interesting than the hero; that, while she tends towards verbal diarrhea of the mouth, she speaks the most truth; that she seems more astute than our hero. I’m not one to pit the hero against the heroine, but Anna represents the feminism of this book, just as Shane did in Code of Conduct. It is Anna’s characterization that illustrates April White’s true genius: the ability to craft interesting, compelling heroines.
You do not need to have read Penny Reid’s universe of books to read a SmartyPants Romance book. You see its colors when you have, but these SmaryPants authors create their own spaces and find their own fans. I had not read April White prior to this series, and I am thankful to the powers that be behind SmartyPants Romance for including her. White is a writer who manufactures her own compelling world of romance that entraps you in her tales. Code of Honor is no different. Anna and Darius’s romantic journey is one full of intrigue, chemistry, hilarity, and happy endings. Through them, April White demonstrates that opposites can attract and find their compromise as they live lives filled with immense love and passion.
an MMC who looks like Henry Cavill and has the character qualities of Clark Kent
About S.M. Soto
Professor Romance 