Kat MartinRecensioni

This was bad. The author seems to have a poor understanding of period facts and details: for example the mansion of an Earl, originating from the 15th century with 50 bedrooms and 10 drawing rooms, located in Cornwall - seriously? Or an Earl having not the least interest or sense of duty to marry and produce an heir, claiming his younger half-brother should produce one - who isn't even wed nor seems to be on the lookout for a wife himself.
Generally, the integration of several plot points feels rather forced, whereas very obvious solutions to the problems or issues of the protas are just ignored for the sake of getting to the plot points the author wants. Both FMC and MMC have tendencies towards TSTL and cavemannish behaviour respectively. The plot makes several larger jumps which I personally felt jarring in the way they were done.
But the worst was the clichéd treatment of the MMC's injury or rather disability and the ableistic treatment of the issue, including the clichéd miraculous recovery. But lo and behold, even then the FMC and MMC don't get together because the MMC continues to be totally dense about things, and it needs another forced plot point to make him see reason, realise his feelings, and finally get the girl - or let the girl have him.
There's a lot more wrong with this book, the characterisations and treatment of the protas and their actions, but I'll keep it to what bothered me most:
Half through the story the MMC is injured aboard his ship and ends up paralysed - although with his bodily functions intact. He instantly turns into a picture book caveman who also completely lost any of his previous character traits, like for exampel he seems to have lost any sense of responsibility and caring he had in abundance before - and of course the injury/disability is shown as the end of his life.
The injury brings the FMC back to his side and she sacrifices herself and her happiness for his sake and to make him better, and even though both rekindle their love and desire for each other, no attempt is made to do more than kiss, and of course nothing more is possible, too. Then a young doctor with different ideas appears who is convinced the MMC would be able to walk again, and of course this happens. Once MMC is back on his legs his life resumes, he can have sex again, and everything is nearly as before, including his blatant disregard of the FMC.
It really bothers me when a character with a disability or similar is depicted in this way, as having no worth, no options, no means of leading a good and successful life, no chance of finding a loving partner or having sex, but instead showing so clearly that the only way to happiness, fulfilment and a relationship is through an able body. Even considering the time the book was written this was already an outdated notion and shows poor research, and it's rather surprising that the author has got the description of the MMC's recovery down in such plausible-sounding detail (I'm no pro so I can't say for sure), but gets the other part so wrong, which makes it feel like a deliberate choice.

4 stars for the mystery and the writing of the story. Less stars for the "romancey" stuff (it's just not my preferred genre).

Kade Logan owns a ranch in Colorado. His wife, Heather, was murdered years ago. He hires Ellie Bowman, a private investigator, to find out who killed his wife. Ellie moves into the ranch as an assistant in the kitchen in an attempt to get to know the other employees and conduct her investigation.

When strange things start happening at the ranch - two steer are shot, water holes poisoned, etc - Kade and Ellie start wondering if these attacks are tied to the recent discovery of Heather's car. During the investigation, Ellie discovers that there were a couple of other murders with similar circumstances and wondering the murders were all committed by the same person.

I really enjoyed the mystery aspect of this story but at times it also felt like I was reading a Hallmark movie or a Harlequin book.

Thriller

Romance

romance

In book 8 of the Raines of Wild Canyon series, Ben and Claire travel all over the country to find Ben’s missing son, Sam. Even though they’re attracted to each other, they keep saying they shouldn’t sleep together because they don’t want to fight or have the distraction of an affair, which could prohibit them in finding Sam. They do sleep together, however, and everything is fine between them, as I suspected. Aside from the missing child plot, there’s a drug subplot with Claire’s pushy ex-boyfriend. Claire doesn’t want him back but keeps giving him mixed signals.
Ben is pretty macho in the way he carries on with women and refuses to love. (The one woman he’d loved betrayed him years earlier, and he can’t move on and love again.) Don’t get me wrong, I like this kind of plot and it worked for the story, but I found it frustrating that he would give Claire a chance, then back-peddle and push her away, and she wouldn’t leave. That doesn’t sound like a strong female character to me even though Ben kept thinking she was. Their romance just didn’t seem real to me, and I didn’t understand why Claire moved from LA to Houston to be close to Ben without talking to him about what she wanted and needed from him since they were only having a fling.
Meeting the secondary characters (couples from the previous books in this series) were some of the better parts in this story.
This is the first novel I’ve read from Kat Martin, and I’ve heard a lot of good things about this series. While this was a good story with a good plot, I think it would’ve been better as a novella.
For a Harlequin book, I was surprised by the typos. Besides a few obvious misspellings, there were three instances when the wrong name was used in the sentence.
All in all, I liked the story, but it had potential to be better.
3 Stars

In the first The Raines of Wind Canyon book, Sarah Allen is heading home to Wyoming after the death of her criminal husband. While in route, a snowstorm stalls her car and the boy she spurned in high school helps her out.
Jackson Raines is now a rugged cowboy and wealthy ranch owner. He’s always wanted Sarah, but he doesn’t trust her. When trouble follows her to his ranch—where she’s renting a cottage—he has no choice but to help her.
I liked Sarah and Jackson for the most part. She confided in him for the first half of the book, but then she started keeping secrets and stepping back from the relationship in the latter half. Jackson often made decisions that involved Sarah and her daughter, Holly, but he didn’t consult Sarah over it. These issues prevented me from enjoying the H/h in full.
The mystery/suspense plot carried the narrative. Someone was harassing Sarah, which sent her and Jackson on an adventure to find and stop that someone. Hot sex and building emotions were thrown in.
Dev and Gabe, Jackson’s brothers, were interesting, and I’m looking forward to reading their stories. Jimmy and Nan’s off-page romance kept my attention, but I’m not happy with how that ended. Hopefully, their relationship will be sorted out in another book.
Other than some pacing issues and minor repetition—almost every chapter ended with a similar phrase—I liked the story and the characters. There weren’t any spelling mistakes—that’s always nice!—but there were a few stray POV jumps.
Ms. Martin has created an interesting world, and I’d like to read more.
3 Stars

In the fourth The Raines of Wind Canyon book, photographer Maggie O’Connell has a stalker, but the cops refuse to help her. So she hires a private investigator.
PI and owner of Atlas Security, Trace Rawlins has a penchant for redheads, and Maggie is as red as they come. He finds it hard to trust her, though, after she lies to him and omits certain truths that hinder the investigation.
I really liked Trace. After what he went through with his ex-wife, I totally understand his trust issues and the way he feels stuck when his ex keeps hounding him. He’s calm and protective, but Maggie brings out his temper in ways he can scarcely comprehend.
I liked Maggie at first. She’s tough and independent, and the sudden appearance of her half-sister gives her someone to care about. She’s not in touch with her emotions, and she always runs when things get too personal. After a while, her refusal to give Trace a real chance really started to bother me. They had great sex, but they refused to talk about what they wanted or their future together. They’re both at fault for that, but she didn’t care when she made him angry or when she hurt him. She would laugh and use sex to calm him down while Trace was dying on the inside.
The mystery around the stalker and the arsonist were very interesting. I had no idea who was doing it, and I loved all the clues and possible ideas the characters were coming up with.
The side characters were great—Annie, Ben, Jake, Rex, Alex, etc. I’ve only read a few books in this series and I read them out of order. I read book 8 first, Ben’s story, so it was fun to see him still in his playboy glory.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and the characters.
4 Stars

I've just finished my Goodrads giveaway The Ghost Illusion, and it was glorious. I'm not a lover of romance but, in this case it just fit in with the paranormal aspect of the story I didn't really notice it. If you are a lover of romantic thrillers, but sure to read this one when it is released.

The Ghost Illusion by Kat Martin

Have you ever heard something go bump in the night? Seen a ghost? Wondered if you were really alone though you knew the house was empty? I have…and so has Dr. Eve St. Clair. This book has thrills, chills, and links to history that made it a fascinating read.

What I liked:
* Eve St. Clair: divorced, moved to England to live in the house she inherited from her uncle, setting up a new psychology practice, very uncomfortable in the house she is living in
* Ransom King: widow, billionaire, owner of Paranormal Investigations located in Seattle, still grieving, would like to know more about what lies beyond
* The Paranormal Investigations team and the parts they played in unearthing the cause of disturbances in Eve’s home and a nearby building
* Wondering if this is the first in a new series as there were characters mentioned that did not have parts in this story and characters that I would like to know more about that were integral to the book
* The plot, pacing, setting, and writing that allowed tidbits to be exposed in a timely manner – they drew me in and made me want to know more
* The fact that the story was rooted in history and learning about a tragic event I had never heard of before
* Thinking about what might lie beyond and what happens after death…are there ghosts and entities and demons and such…or…not
* Thinking that there is a way that earthbound spirits, if they exist, might find their way to the light
* That there was closure at the end of the case that left me satisfied but wanting to know what will happen next in the lives of the Ransom, Eve, and the paranormal team

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Thinking about the side story that had nothing to do with the “haunting” but with evil living human predators

Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars½

4.5 Stars
A fast-paced thriller with some supernatural romance and historical mystery mixed in, this novel was a page-turner. This was the first book by this author I have read, and I plan to keep reading other works by her now as well. The supernatural ghost story with the historical tidbits make this a perfect choice for the upcoming Halloween season. Only downside was the steady romance that took a very quick turn at the end. Overall, a truly suspenseful read with a solid setup for a sequel.

Kensington BTC Giveaway½

rounded up from 3.75

Read this because I like Zanetti's Deep Ops series. Shaken is the story which is 2.5 in the series. Michelle & Evan are the main characters who were in foster care years ago with Raider & Wolfe. The men are all former or current military & work in private or government sector. This short story weaves the relationship between Michelle and Evan reconnecting after years when Michelle's drug addles mother steals her work tablet and starts blackmailing dangerous people. The other two stories were OK. I've never read Kat Martin or Alexandra Ivy's books. The stories were OK & I didn't know much of what was happening because I didn't read their series of books

This first in a romantic suspense trilogy set in Alaska stars Alaska native Dylan Brodie and an interior decorator from LA. Lane Bishop met Dylan while he was in LA. He hired her to decorate his new lodge in Alaska.

Dylan had neglected to mention that he had an eight-year-old daughter who was selectively mute. She hadn't spoken since her mother left her a few years earlier. His wife's abandonment has convinced Dylan that a city woman like Lane would never be able to fit into the lifestyle in Alaska. And, even though the are strongly attracted to each other, neither is eager for a short-term romance.

But the possibility of ghosts in the lodge, evidenced by a sobbing child, a rocking chair that rocks itself, and ghostly footsteps, do help bring the couple closer. They are brought even closer when Dylan's friend who is helping with the remodel is accused of murdering a former girlfriend. Dylan and Lane begin to investigate since they know their friend isn't guilty.

It begins to look like some of the problems that are happening at the lodge are because trouble followed Lane from LA. And it is quite a lot of trouble.

The story had a lot of interesting characters including Lane's Irish Wolfhound Finn. I liked the romance and thought the story was also quite suspenseful.

Peril anthology
A cop killer plans a bank robbery in Denver, escapes and travels through Redemption, WY where a number of robberies occur. On the run again, the fugitive goes back to Colorado trying to escape capture.

Redemption by Alexandra Ivy
Pike, Wisconsin 4.5. Or series spin-off. Romantic suspense. Police procedural. Closed door.
Tessa Ralston is working cold cases in Pike, WI when she gets word that a cop killer is on the way back to Denver. She jumps on a plane and heads home to catch this criminal once and for all. Ian Sullivan is very happy to have Tessa back in Denver. He will partner with Tessa on the case and hopefully convince her to also heat up their past relationship and give it another try.

Suspenseful and action packed. A couple twists are eye opening for Tessa and spin her world around.

Rescue: Hero Style by Rebecca Zanetti
Redemption,WY series. Romantic suspense.
Caden has PTSD and nightmares. When he has one with Elle in his bed, he’s afraid he will hurt her, so he leaves to get training on dealing with his issues. Unfortunately he didn’t tell Elle all the details. She felt abandoned and left him. Now that he’s back, they need to deal with the misunderstandings if there is any hope of reconciliation. Meanwhile, a few new people in town are stirring up trouble and Elle seems to be in the middle of every time.

Emotional conflict, sheriff car stolen, coffee shop and diner robbed, dynamite charges going off and the CattleMan Club that Caden is sure is more than just helpful new citizens.
Plus, Harvey is a wild wolf but shows up in strategic places. He may be following Elle?
Definite unanswered questions in this story but the romance wraps successfully.

One Last Kiss by Kat Martin
Blood Ties: The Logan’s, #3.5. Romantic suspense.
Libby is an heiress. But in order to get her money, she needs to spend 30 days at a ranch. Working! Her Louboutins will never survive.
Sam was brought up with good manners. He can’t believe he made Libby carry some of her own luggage up to her room. But the will rules are strict and he’s to treat her like any other employee. It’s going to be a struggle to ignore his own attraction to the beautiful woman.
But is not all horses and hay bales on the ranch. Someone doesn’t want Libby to succeed. They want her dead.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley

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Peril by Kat Martin
Blood Ties: The Logans #3.5

Three authors tackled the story of bad guys on the run that end up in three different towns creating trouble and putting three young women at risk before the criminals are finally dealt with.

REDEMPTION by Alexandra Ivy
Tessa Ralston has spent five years investigating cold cases while following the trail of the killer that took the life of her police partner in Denver. When a tip comes in that Deke will be in Denver, she soon flies out of Wisconsin to Denver hoping to bring Deke Mitchell to justice. Detective Ian Sullivan is eagerly waiting for Tessa’s arrival as he still has feelings for her and hopes they might get a second chance for a HEA. First, though, they have a killer to find and bring to justice…if they can.

RESCUE – HERO STYLE by Rebecca Zanetti
Ella Riverton is getting over Caden Scott at the Cattle Club when he reappears. Caden has determined that Ella and he are meant to be together and is ready to make it happen only to have Deke and his criminal cohort show up in town, make life more difficult and put Ella at risk. In this one I became curious about the men who run the Cattle Club and wondered if Ms Zanetti might have a series out about them in the future.

ONE LAST KISS by Kat Martin
This starts out as a lost/spoiled little rich girl being sent to learn what is important by working to inherit what her uncle has for her. It sounded familiar and I felt I had read it before, and I had. It was just as good this time as the last and saw Libby remembering parts of her past while learning what she really valued in life as she fell in love with Sam Bridger. In this novella the remaining bad guys are finally receive their comeuppance with the aid of some interesting characters that I would gladly read about in spinoff stories of their own.

The three stories segue together nicely with a satisfying conclusion and all three stories in the collection were a joy to read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington-Zebra for the book – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

This was my first encounter with Kat Martin and I wasn't disappointed. Filled with romance and intrigue, it's an enjoyable read about Kade Logan's quest to unearth his ex-wife's murderer. The chemistry between Kade and private eye, Ellie, is instant and, as they soon learn, completely unavoidable. But it's fun reading along as they discover that themselves. The mystery will definitely keep you flipping pages until you reach the conclusion. This looks like it's part of a series, but it can definitely be read as a standalone or in any order in my opinion.

I received a complimentary copy of this book, Thank you

I haven't read many of Kat Martin's books, and overall I enjoyed this. There was a great plot. The main character's half-sister has joined a cult like group, and her mother is worried. Skye, being a private investigator offers to help. She's joined by a member of her group. They discover that it is much bigger than just a cult. There are drugs and trafficking involved. There's a lot of suspense and action.
All this is great, but half the book is basically soft porn: "Edge,please...I need you," "His jaw clenched at the pleasure sweeping through him as he slid himself inside. He tried to give her time to adjust to his size, the depth of his invasion, but his control was rapidly slipping." Sigh, Really?! So much for a courageous, bada** heroine.

One Last Chance by Kat Martin
Blood Ties: The Logan’s #3. Romantic suspense. Can be read as a stand-alone.
Former Green Beret Edge and former military Skye team up to infiltrate a cult that has more than just vegetables growing in the fields.

Intense with a fast pace and explosive situations. Didn’t like the forced circumstances and the men that took advantage but they are quickly dealt with as Edge and Skye break down the doors and then follow until they save and catch and get their hea.

I think this was probably a pretty entertaining story - the chase for lost gold - but not really my thing. And then I read somewhere that the novel becomes fantastical - once I had that idea in my head, I lost the will to keep reading!

One Last Chance by Kat Martin
Blood Ties #3

Intense, intriguing, and interesting – really enjoyed reading this one!

What I liked:
* Edge Logan: ex Green Beret, works for Nighthawk security, dark & deadly, drawn to his coworker-Skye, a nice guy, liked the growth he showed by the end
* Skye Delaney: ex-military, wounded in battle, suffers from PTSD, strong, lethal, knows what she wants, cares about her family, drawn to Edge
* Callie: Skye’s half-sister, drawn in by a handsome man, needs help to get free of the cult, caring, good friend, grows a lot in the story
* The women in the cult, especially Lily and Molly…strong women and survivors
* The complexity of the story with mysteries, twists, and turns
* Being able to really REALLY dislike the bad guys
* The camaraderie of the people working at Nighthawk
* The Desert Eagles that showed up near the end of the book
* The potential for many more books related to the men working at Nighthawk Security
* All of it really except…

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Knowing that the evil that happened in this book, though fiction, happens in real life

Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Definitely

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

Practically listened to this audiobook in one long sitting. It was a whodunit romance. Not too bad!

Didn't know Kat Martin, but I see she is a mega seller, with over 65 books. This is the first book in her latest series, Blood Ties Trilogy, and is Kade Logan's story. Next are his two brothers, xxx, and then Edge.

The book is narrated by James McAdams - I don't think I've heard him before - but he does a fantastic job with this.

Kade hires a private detective, Eleanor Bowman, to find his wife's killer. The murder happened 8 years before.

This romantic suspense title is the third in the Logans series. We met youngest brother Edge in the previous book. Edge was forced to resign from the Army and is determined to clear his name, bring his crooked superior officer to justice, and resume his career as a Green Beret. While attempting to do this, he is working for Nighthawk Security in Denver.

Skye Delaney also works for Nighthawk Security. She's also former Army, but her career was ended when she encountered an IED which hurt her left leg and left her with disfiguring scars.

Edge and Skye are attracted to each other, but both have reasons not to pursue a relationship. Edge is on his way to somewhere else, and Skye is very sensitive about her scars which, she feels, already cost her a fiancé. But events are such that they are thrown together and can't fight their attraction.

When Skye's stepmother calls her and asks her to check on her younger stepsister Callie, she and Edge head to the Children of the Sun compound to look into things. This very cult-like compound concerns them both. When they are refused entry and can't communicate with Skye's sister, they send in a drone which shows some suspicious activity. With an uninterested sheriff, they decide to rescue Callie on their own.

They get Callie out but not her good friend Lila. A failed drug raid sends the villain's fleeing, taking Callie's friend Lila with them. A promise to Callie keeps Nighthawk Security and especially Edge and Skye searching for the cult leader and his followers.

The story was a fast-paced and exciting one. From a cult compound to the glitter of Las Vegas drug deals to intercepting an illegal arms shipment in Mexico, there is a lot of action. It also had a nice amount of spicy romance. The characters were well-developed and interesting people. I enjoyed it.

LT-ER. Skye Delaney learns that her sister, Callie, is being held in the Children of the Sun cult. She enlists her partner, Efge Logan, to help rescue her. The cult is just front, though. This brings them much closer. Well/ written, cozy,