How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire by Kerrelyn Sparks

I had heard about this book on an episode of Fated Mates. It sounded like a fun and fluffy read so I thought I'd try it out. It was, indeed, fun and fluffy but it wasn't a book for me, just too much going on.

Shanna Whelan witnessed a murder so she's now in the Witness Protection Program. So now she's a night dentist. Except that she's afraid of blood so she's REALLY hoping that no one comes in. Too bad. Roman Draganesti is in and he wants a weird wolf's tooth implanted in his mouth.

Except that Roman is actually a millionaire. His seethe invented synthetic blood and now they're trying to create better ways to get it to vampires, especially the ones that would rather stick with the old ways. It's just his bad luck to test drive the mannequin (sex doll?) and accidentally stick his tooth where it shouldn't have gone.

Now they're off on a madcap, whirlwind adventure that just might end in a vampire war.

Three stars

This book came out July 26, 2005

Followed by Vamps and the City

Borrowed as ebook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

Lucky Brat by Christophe Cazenove

Another delightful book with Maureen and Wendy showing the highs and lows of sisterhood. Whether it's Maureen trying to read Wendy's diary or driving Wendy nuts as she searches for the perfect four leaf clover. We again get to see glimpses of the two of them all grown up as well as time with their parents. A fast read and an enjoyable one.

Four stars

This book came out January 19, 2021

Follows Hurricane Maureen

Borrowed as ebook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

Scientific Keys: The Key Muscles of Hatha Yoga Scientific Keys: The Key Muscles of Hatha Yoga by Ray Long

This is definitely a book to have as a hard copy. There is a LOT of great information about muscles, their placement in the body, antagonists and agonists, etc. It is a little overwhelming, and thus me saying that it would be good to have on hand to re-read often. For yoga teachers, this book is incredibly handy. 

I loved the introduction and opening chapters. They set the book up well. The illustrations are also a major plus. But again, so much to learn.

Four stars

This book came out November 1, 2009

Borrowed as ebook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

A Most Unusual Duke by Susanna Allen

Beatrice, Marchioness of Castleton, was married to a very old man at a young age. What made the marriage even worse? The dude was a shifter and scared the ever loving stockings right off of her. But he's dead now and she's free to do whatever she wants. Well, sort of. She's just been informed by the Prince Regent that she must marry again and to another shifter. 

Arthur Humphries, Duke of Osborn, isn't any happier about the marriage than Beatrice is. In fact, he's down right grumpy about it. Beatrice just doesn't smell like anything. How is he supposed to accept her as his true mate?

His staff, on the other hand, is happy to help. Even though he hasn't been there in years, after the death of his father, they are happy to see him, even if they are all a lot older. 

Still as zany as the first book and I flew through it as well. The zany worked a little less well in this second book but I'm still enjoying the series.

Three and a half stars

This book came out December 28, 2021

Follows A Wolf in Duke's Clothing

Followed by A Duke at the Door

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own

The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill

This was a really interesting book within a book. 

The "outer book" is that of an author writing to an American, getting help on making sure that her book reads like it was written by a native of the United States. While initial letters are helpful, later letters prove to be less than.

The book our author is writing is that of four strangers meeting in the Boston Public Library. Initially, they all sit at the same table. When a scream rings through the library, everyone is asked to remain where they are and the four begin talking to each other. That one experience brings them together again and again. Well, it's the scream coupled with the fact that a woman is found underneath a table in another room of the library. 

The characters are well-developed and we even get to see some of the development through the letters exchanged. The mystery is also well-developed though it got a little over-involved for my taste.

Overall a well-designed book that keeps readers engaged and enjoying the story.

Four stars

This book came out June 7, 2022

Ebook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

Crooked Herring, by L.C. Tyler

Ethelred is approached by another writer asking him to figure out whether he killed someone. Henry Holiday woke up after a bender with the thought that he had committed murder. But he's not sure who. And it seems that the person that he thought he killed is still around. At least, Ethelred is still getting text message from Crispin Vyall so they think is still alive.

Ethelred pulls Elsie in to help (or she barges in, who can tell) but she doesn't exactly make the case go more smoothly. In fact, her interference could mean that our intrepid (okay, maybe not exactly but...) hero ends up in jail.

This was an okay addition to the series but not as good as some of the others.

Three stars

This book came out September 18th, 2014

Follows Herring on the Nile 

Followed by Cat among the Herrings

Borrowed as ebook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

Loverboy by Sarina Bowen

Posy and Gunnar knew each other once upon a time. They were both bartenders vying for the manager's position at Paxton's, a bar owned by Posy's father. Now, years later, the roles are reversed. Gunnar is a wealthy man while Posy is struggling to hold on to the last building her grandmother left her. She's opened a pie shop and needs a barista.

Gunnar needs access to Posy's shop because there are some posts coming from the dark web that are being posted from her pie shop. These posts contain information relating to a series of murders of various hackers. Also, there are a number of bad guys in town and Gunnar's company is dedicated to taking them down.

A little too much crazy in this book and it's all grouped at the end but it's not going to make me give up reading Bowen.

Three stars

This book came out December 1st, 2020

Follows Moonlighter

Borrowed as ebook from Hoopla
Opinions are my own

Moonlighter by Sarina Bowen

The last time Alex and Eric met each other, she didn't even recognize him as her childhood playmate. To be fair, he's filled out a little bit and a professional hockey player doesn't often look like an eleven-year-old boy. 

Now, he's been asked by his brother to provide some extra protection for her in the off-season, posing as her fake boyfriend. See, Alex is the head of this huge tech firm and she HAS to attend a conference to schmooze and find a provider for an important part but her ex is also going to be there. The ex that she is currently pregnant by.

Eric reluctantly agrees but finds himself attracted to Alex and reluctant to let her go. Even when matters get more complicated (i.e. a certain foreign power trying to make sure they are the ones providing her parts). 

This was an interesting story but parts were just too much over the top for me.

Three stars

This book came out October 22, 2019

Follows Superfan

Followed by Sure Shot, Loverboy

Borrowed as ebook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

Herring on the Nile by L.C. Tyler

The ending was a little convoluted but I overall enjoyed the story.

After the last story, Ethelred has decided that he needs a trip to Egypt. Maybe it will help him with his next story (though the only work we see in this book is him answering questions for newspaper articles, most of which have confused him with another more popular writer.) 

The noxious Annabelle is no longer with him. Perhaps that is because Ethelred is selling the ancestral home that she wants so badly. But, though wildly romantic, Ethelred is also wildly pragmatic. He believes that Annabelle will stay with him even without the property. He seems to have been wrong because he is now on the cruise with his editor.

And the cruise quickly becomes a sort of locked room mystery with a character from a previous book claiming to be protecting an unknown client. Well, he knows the client's name but not who the client is. When a man is murdered, was it the right person or was it supposed to be Ethelred. 

Then the book sort of veers wildly from the classic mystery to a seventies kidnapping mystery and then ends, as I mentioned at the beginning, sort of confusingly. But I did enjoy the ride.

Three and a half stars

This book came out in 2011

Follows The Herring in the Library

Followed by Crooked Herring

Borrowed as ebook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

Sure Shot by Sarina Bowen

Oh. I was so disappointed in the ending of this book. The rest of it was fine and a nice addition to the Brooklyn series but the ending was so out of place with the rest of the book and could have been skipped.

Years ago, Bess Beringer fell into some pretty good insta-lust with Mark "Tank" Tankiewicz. She ended it when another sports agent told her that it wasn't good optics for female agents to sleep with male clients. Tank wasn't her client but she still decided to break it off. Now, he's been traded to the Brooklyn Bruisers and he's met Bess again. She is the only bright spot in his trade since he just came from the arch-rival Houston team and his style of play is very different from the man he is replacing. But they're just going to keep things light. Right?

Three stars

This book came out May 12, 2020

Follows Moonlighter

Followed by Bombshells

Borrowed as ebook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

Superfan by Sarina Bowen

TW: spiked drinks

I don't love books that shift from the past to the present but this is the closest I've gotten to enjoying that conceit. Because we do get to see a glimpse not only into how this love story has been building for years but also how it derailed the first time. 

In earlier books, Silas has always been teased for his love of Delilah Sparks, the pop star. So when she shows up at a hockey game (not one of his), he tweets her and she responds. When he sends her a gift (with the help of Georgia) a 'ship is born. The two try to go on a date but are stymied by circumstance. However, they are able to spend some time with each other courtesy of Becca and Nate's uber-private wedding. 

There are some sexy times but not a ton of relationship building which made the flashbacks sort of imperative so that we can see that their time together isn't a flash in the pan. It was really more interesting to see Delilah's growth because Silas kind of starts and ends as the same person.

Three and a half stars

This book came out June 25, 2019

Follows Overnight Sensation

Followed by Moonlighter

Ebook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

Silver Shark by Ilona Andrews

Part of an elite group that works (and sometimes kills) by hopping onto a biological computer network and then romping around Hackers style, Claire Shannon knows that she is a powerful psycher. It surprises her that her side loses the war but doesn't surprise her that the man next in line above her kills her team and tries to kill her as well. Now she is part of the refugee group sent to a new planet that is vividly colorful and filled with kind people, she is understandably shaken to be sent to the company owned by Venturo Escana, the one place where her skill might be uncovered.

For his part, Venturo is delighted to have someone climb the ranks so quickly that she becomes an indispensable right-hand. Too bad she works for him. And that he is so intrigued by the woman that he's met online.

Like the first book in this series, there are great leaps in time and gaps in the story but it is still worth reading. We see a woman who knows her own worth but is just trying to survive but who grows to care about other people as well. 

Three stars

This book came out September 14, 2011

Follows Silent Blade

Followed by Fated Blades

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own

The Herring in the Library by L.C. Tyler

Elthelred has old college friends. Who knew? Well, at least one of them, Shagger Muntham, shows up in this book. Shagger seems to have a lot going on what with a new wife and a new estate. But he spends some of his days hanging out with Elthelred. And invites him to dinner. Of course, Elsie is going to come along with him. 

Friend? Literary agent? Muse? Who knows what Elsie really is. But we get a fun mystery surrounding the fact that Shagger exits, stage left, and ends up dead. But is is really suicide? Shagger's wife (with shades of personality that resemble Elthered's ex) is determined that it be determined murder.

Three and a half stars

This book came out in 2010

Follows Ten Little Herrings

Followed by Herring on the Nile

Borrowed as ebook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

Ten Little Herrings by L.C. Tyler

At the ending of the last book, Elthelred Tressider had faked his own death. His stalwart publisher Elsie didn't believe a minute of it so she's not surprised to pick up his phone one day (she's still checking on his house) to hear a very badly accented voice that is that of her writer's. She quickly figures out where he is (in France) and chases him down. It's just too bad that a man is killed at their hotel and everyone is forced to stay on site. Well, that doesn't actually happen until after the second murder but it's still inconvenient. And it's not like the company is scintillating. After all, the hotel is mostly booked by stamp collectors there for a conference.

Elsie decides to get involved and stumbles over the French police at every angle. But she may not be able to solve the mystery because Elthelred is keeping something from her.

The ending was a little too much for me but the rest of the book was pretty good, developing both Elsie and Elthelred's characters. 

Three and a half stars

This book came out November 15th, 2015

Follows The Herring-Seller's Apprentice

Followed by The Herring in the Library

Borrowed as ebook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

In the Study with the Wrench by Diana Peterfreund

All of the characters in the first book are back... well, in the sense that they haven't left Blackbrook Academy. They each have their reasons for not wanting to leave, most of them we learned about or at least were heavily hinted at in the first book. Of course, after the murders in that book, many of the students have been pulled from the school. Unfortunately, two members of the so-called "Murder Crew" find another body which sets off a series of events leading to one of their own not being there by the end of the book. 

There is a lot more exposition and less action in this book which was okay until there was a sudden flurry of things happening at the end. I hope that the third book will tie up loose ends.

Three and a half stars

This book came out October 13th, 2020

Follows In the Hall with the Knife

Borrowed as ebook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

The Queen of Ieflaria by Effie Calvin

Princess Esofi of Rhodia has been engaged to the heir of Ieflaria since she was three years now. But when they were both of marriageable age the Crown Prince Albion died, about three months ago when the story opens. But Ieflaria needs help and Esofi can't go home so she offers to marry the new heir. Who turns out to be the Crown Princess Adale. Generally, royalty is not allowed same sex marriage (the dynasty, you know) but this situation seems to be different. And Adale seems to be... different as well. Albion was gentle and being reared to be king, taking interest in politics and the happenings around the country. Adale is more concerned with riding horses and drinking than she is of the affairs of rulers and gods. But she's going to need to care because the dragons which had been beaten back for centuries are growing more bold. And she needs to move quickly because her cousins have traveled far to try and convince Esofi that either of them would be a better mate than Adale.

An interesting world in a first story. I had heard about it from several different podcasts and was intrigued. I wish there had been a little more romance and a lot fewer names but it's a nice start to a new series.

Four stars

This book came out February 19th, 2018

Followed by Daughter of the Sun

Borrowed as ebook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

Lucky Score by Deborah Coonts

Lucky O'Toole isn't sure what's going on in her hotel and she doesn't like it. A man staggers into her lobby and dies and a Senator is implicated. It probably has to do with the football team coming to town which should be good for business but the players are causing more problems than they're worth. One of them is running a party out of her Secret Suite and Lucky knows nothing about it. Romeo, her cop friend and mentee, is keeping secrets. And then there's the fact that she's wondering whether her incomparable fiance is really the man for her.

Three stars
Follows Lucky Ride
Followed by Lucky Ce Soir
This book came out June 29th, 2018
Borrowed as an ebook from Hoopla
Opinions are my own

A Big Surprise for Valentine's Day (, #4) by Jackie Lau

Can you find love in the family planning section of the grocery store? Amber Wong and Sebastian Lam are about to find out. The two grew up in the same neighborhood but haven't seen each other in some time. Now each is just out of a bad relationship and figuring that some hooking up would be perfect for each. 

This is a short book (novella?) with a lot of on page sex so there's not a lot of room for character growth nor for relationships. It's fun and fluffy and great for a right-before-bed-read.

Three and a half stars

Follows A Fake Girlfriend for Chinese New Year

This novella came out February 4th, 2020

Borrowed as an ebook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

Bring the Heat by G.A. Aiken

Aidan the Devine and Branwen the Awful have fought together before. This time is definitely to help save a nation. But this time they are not on the front lines. Instead, Branwen, Aiden, and a group of others will have to work behind the scenes to make sure that the eyeless zealots don't kill off everyone. 

This book ends the arc that has been flowing through most of the series so there is a lot of wrapping up to do but we still do get to see Branwen and Aidan go from war buddies, to sex buddies, to something more. The world building of this series was so fun, I hope that the series is not entirely over but am satisfied with the ending if it is.

Dragon Kin #9

Three stars

This book came out August 27th, 2017

Follows Feel the Burn

Characters next found in The Princess Knight

Ebook borrowed from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

Reread as Audible plus audiobook January 2024

The Way the Story Goes by Samantha Chase

Mia Kingsley, thriller writer, is in Magnolia Sound battling a bad case of writer's block. She escaped from Boston because her house is being renovated and the noise was too much. Beach in the off season? Why yes, that might help her write. And being around her best friend/assistant might help as well. Not helping? The construction sounds coming from next door. They start early, end late, and are often accompanied by 80s songs and a man's off-key singing.

Austin Coleman needed some time away from Baltimore. His hot temper made it easy to jump at the chance to do a renovation for his friend's brother. While Austin is an architect by trade, he can apparently jump in and do some... carpentry? general construction? (not really explained in the book) to keep the house moving along. He didn't realize that there was someone living next door. Nor does he look before he heaves a sink over the deck, narrowly missing Mia.

And thus begins their romance. Chase's books are usually a smidge under 200 pages and I think they could often be longer. In this book, we don't really get to see Austin grow past the issues he had that got him out of Baltimore. Nor do we ever see Mia really standing up to her parents. It's a short book and I really did believe that they might have an HEA because they did, for the most part, talk to each other. 

Three stars

Follows Last Beautiful Girl

Followed by The Way the Story Goes

This book came out January 12th, 2021

Ebook borrowed from Hoopla

Opinions are my own