Red's Romance and Mystery Reviews

Roxanne Eberly moved to Shelbyville, Texas for a fresh start and equipped with a strong desire to shed her lackluster reputation and prove to everyone from her past that she can make something of herself. Upon moving to the little town she opens her very own lingerie shop with the help of her friend Allie. The residents in Shelbyville aren't to receptive to her store, but she's hoping in time they will start to accept her and what she has to offer them. In hopes of earning brownie points with them she attends a charity fundraiser that helps support local children with learning disabilities, which also happens to be something that is near and dear to her heart, because she too has struggled with a learning disability. While at the event she becomes a little more acquainted with Jamie, her friend Allie's brother-in-law and their silent business partner. She likes what she sees in Jamie, but feels that he is way out of her league, with him being a lawyer she figures he is mo...

Dean Ryker and Parker Anderson have both been vying for Sage Reese's attention, and she loves them both for very different reasons. She spends her days working with Parker and her nights tangled up in the sheets with Ryker. After being put in the friend zone by Parker, she decided that her chances with him were slim to none, so she finally decided to accept Ryker's invitation for something more. Ryker has made his interest in her very clear and is willing to invest the time necessary for a long term commitment. And while she appreciates having his undivided attention, there's always a part of her mind that drifts to Parker, and wonders if she has made the right decision. A part of her heart belongs to Parker, and she has a pretty good inclination that a relationship with him would go beyond anything she could imagine,..but he doesn't do relationships. She feels guilty for having feelings for him, while being in a relationship with Ryker, and knowing how much Ryker loves...

Connor McClain is working on fine tuning everything in his life since returning home from Afghanistan, and making a great attempt to readjust to civilian life again. He has started a landscaping business, and with the help of his friends his business becoming very successful in Evergreen Cove. For him, the idea of helping seeds grow into living plants is quite soothing and helps to bring him the peace and tranquility he so desperately needs. Connor has also taken an interest in his friend Faith Garrett, working along side of her for the past few months has been torture for him, mainly because she was taken, but now that she has sent her cheating ex-fiance packing, things are certainly starting to look up...now he just has to convince her that he's worth the risk. Faith Garrett has had it with men, after finding out her fiance was cheating on her she decides it's time to swear off relationships completely. She wants to be single and independent, and the only fun she plans on h...

Jacqueline Maguire is in dire need of a husband, she just found out that in order to collect her inheritance from her wealthy aunt she must be married. Only problem is she's thought she's found "the one" twice now, but nerves have gotten the best of her, and minutes before saying "I do" she's gotten spooked and left her grooms standing at the altar. Her sister chalks it up to choosing the from the wrong circle of men, she however, thinks she just hasn't found the right one yet, and continues to hold out hope he's out there somewhere. But since he hasn't come along yet, she has devised a plan to get herself a husband and her money, now all she needs is a willing participant... Patrick McPherson enjoys the simple life he leads, and living in his secluded cabin in the woods. He has no interest in tying himself down with a relationship or a wife, his aunt Weezie on the other hand believes it's time for this eternal bachelor to finally settl...

After losing her home Kylie Wayne and her children pack up their belongings and head for Texas to move in with her aunt Muriel. Kylie is hoping this move will be the fresh start her little family needs, after losing her husband almost a year ago. The little town of Branding Iron Texas hasn't really changed much in the time she has been gone, well, with the exception of Shane Taggart. Shane was always Kylie's secret crush growing up, but he was a little too wild and daring for her meek and mild tastes, and also from the wrong side of the tracks. But after coming face to face with the mature Shane Taggart she is starting to rethink her tastes back then... Shane Taggart has always wanted to leave his small town life behind, and explore the world, but his obligations on the ranch have always kept him from following his dream. Now that his father has passed, and his obligation's to maintaining the family ranch aren't an issue, he is ready to put the ranch up for sale and fin...

To some Alexandra Dempsey is working in a environment that she has no business being in, and to others she is a lone heroine conquering demon's in a man's world. But if you ask her she is right where she was always meant to be, fighting fires with her brothers, and following in the footsteps of her father. Being a part of this world has made her a little brash, tough as nails, taught her how to dish it out with the best of them and also left little room for her to tap into her femininity. She is ready to find her one true love, and settle down, the problem is, she keeps dating men who are intimated by her and the work she does, or their just out to score a night with the famed female firefighter.  Being a female firefighter has it perks of course, but it also has it downfalls too, like meeting people who think she isn't cut out for her line of work, and one of those people is Chicago's mayor Eli Cooper. Eli is a former marine, ex-lawyer, and total alpha male, and he b...

This was my first encounter with this authors work and I must admit that it left a great first impression. It was a refreshing to read something a little out of the norm for a change, the story line was very inventive, and did a excellent job at holding my interest the whole way through.  The characters were very relate-able and their situation was believable. I loved the playful banter between them, they had me laughing quite a few times! Overall this was a very enjoyable and engaging read, and fantastic NetGalley find! Highly recommend this book you will not be disappointed! ARC requested through NetGalley and kindly provided by Loveswept Publishing in exchange for a honest review. Goodreads Amazon B&N

Nick Brennan has moved away from everything he knows in hopes of trying to escape the loss of his career and best friend. The harsh memories from his past still haunt him from time to time but he has found a way to cope with them and try his best to go on with his life, That is until there is a fire at a local store and his instincts kick in and have him racing into the burning building to find a child trapped inside. After rescuing the child he is berated with reporters wanting to tell his story, and he of course would rather not speak of it at all. But when one particular reporter waltzes through the door he is hesitant about turning her away... Ava walked out of Nicks life seven years ago, and didn't leave him with so much as a kiss good bye. She wasn't quite ready for things to become as serious as they did, so soon between them, so she did what she thought was right for both of them at the time...flee! She is here to see if she can land a career launching story about the h...

This was my first encounter with this authors work and I can say with complete certainty that it won't be my last! I thoroughly enjoyed reading Clare and Rory's story, and can hardly wait to make a return visit to Woodlawn and learn more about the fierce fighting Kavanagh boys!  Clare moved to Woodlawn looking for a fresh start and as a part of her new life she wanted to learn how to defend herself from her haunting past and a controlling ex-boyfriend. So she enrolled in self defense classes at Legends gym, hoping to find her inner strength and gain some valuable defense tools, not realizing this gym really held all the keys to her future, one of those being MMA legend Rory Kavanagh. Rory himself also struggling from his own demons, is also in need of a fresh start in life, not realizing a little harmless flirting would lead to a new life path for him, and also the discovery of true love. The chemistry between Clare and Rory was like a slow burning fire, smoldering with inten...

Rowan made a choice years ago that is coming back to haunt her, it could possibly put an end to her marriage, and damage her reputation in the eyes of her fellow co-workers and community. She has kept this little secret hidden for fourteen years, but someone has decided it time to let the secret out, and they have set their sights on Rowan and plan to make her pay..no matter the cost!! Ms. Staub is one of my "go-to" authors for spine tingling suspense! Anytime I read one of her books I know I am in for a real literary treat, because she packs her stories with the kind of suspense, that awakens your nerve endings and has you on the edge of your seat the whole way through!! I cannot wait to see what she has in store for the next installment in the trilogy! Highly recommend you add this one to your reading list, you will NOT be disappointed!!  ARC requested through Edelweiss, and kindly provided by William Morrow Paperbacks in exchange for a honest review. Goodreads Amazon B...

Julia Blair has always come in second place to her beautiful twin sister Mari, especially when it comes to catching the attention of the opposite sex. For so long she has poured herself into to work as a lawyer, and put her lackluster love life on the back burner. So, after she receives an invite to a dude ranch, for a one week getaway from her long time crush, she decides to find out why after all these years has he suddenly taken an interest in her, only to find out mid-trip that the invite was meant for her sister... Chase Cooper and his friends decide to try and spice up their love life's by each inviting "the women who got away" to come and stay at their dude ranch that they own together for a one week getaway. Chase decides to invite his good friend Mari, in hopes of seeing if she is truly the one that got away or just someone who was only meant to be his friend. But he immediately regrets sending the invite because he knows in his heart that it was always her twi...

Paris O'Connell is use to being in the spotlight everywhere she goes, and having her every move documented in the tabloids, which is the price you pay when your a famous Hollywood starlit. However, it's not all it's cracked up to be, and now all she really wants is some peace and quiet and to enjoy a little downtime away from the camera lens, so she enlists her brothers help for her great escape. Her brother is all to eager to help her out, and lines up a secluded place for her to stay, along with a bodyguard to keep her safe. This bodyguard just so happens to be Paris's childhood crush and her brother's best friend, which means he's off limits...or is he? Cooper Grayson likes a good challenge, so when his best friend asks him to keep his little sister safe while she is on her little mountain getaway, he figures it's something he can more than handle. Only when he sees Paris he realizes this challenge just got a whole lot harder than he expected...Paris ha...

Paul Chapman is not in the market for anything resembling a serious relationship, his family is constantly pressing the issue of marriage and babies, and he doesn't want to hear any of it! His brother is getting married soon and he is expected to attend the wedding, which has him dreading showing up at the event alone, and setting himself up for more lectures from his family. If only he could find a girl who wouldn't mind playing arm candy for the night, and expect nothing in return. He sets his sights on Libby Harris, he thinks she will make the perfect fake girlfriend. Now he just has to convince Libby it's a good idea, and surprisingly she agrees on one condition...he help her out with a little business venture. Once the deal is made all they have to do is stick to the plan, which seems easy enough to do... This was my first experience with Ms. London's work and I have to say I found it to be quite an enjoyable read. The story line was a very inventive take on the ...

This was my first encounter with this author's work, and I must say it left a VERY good first impression! Being that it is the third installment in the series, and not having read the previous titles, I was a little concerned I'd have a hard time following along, but that wasn't the case for me at all. I think this book could easily be read as a stand alone title, but my guess is that once you finish it you will be reaching for the other books in the series, I know I plan to! I truly enjoyed reading this story, I found the writing style was very engaging and easy to submerse myself into, so much so, I ended up devouring it in one sitting. The characters are very well written, and are very entertaining, I loved the heated banter between them! Some of my favorite reads are sports related romance stories and this one definitely hit the mark for me! This would make a perfect summer read, however, I suggest keeping a cool drink close by, because these very enticing baseball pl...

Sammy Hanesworth is a lead investigator with the Phantoms crew, and has just been offered the job of a lifetime, only problem is in order to get the job she has to work with the one person she completely despises, psychologist Cain McClutchen. When their next mission takes them to Sammy's hometown, things start to get a little intense, and these two sworn enemies soon find themselves turning to one another for comfort, and they begin to realize they had more in common then they once thought... This was my first experience with the Phantoms series, and I must admit that I am happy I stepped out of my little reading comfort zone to give it a try. It definitely kept me on my toes, and holding my breath a few times too, it was packed with action, passion, intensity, romance, and whole lot of spooky encounters!! Highly recommend you get in touch with your ghostly side and give this one a try, it is good!! ARC requested through Netgalley, and kindly provided by Entangled Publishing in ...

Sage Reese has found herself in quite the predicament, her boss Parker Anderson is dealing with some very dangerous people and has unintentionally taken her along for the ride. Her feelings for him are continually clouding her judgement and she longs to be something more to him other than just his executive assistant. He has given into their attraction to one another a couple times, but always ends on putting the brakes on it, and tells her he is no good for her, and that he can't be who she wants him to be. So, she has done her best to ignore her feelings for him and move on, only every time she finds someone, he ends up intervening one way or another and sends the new man in her life packing.  That is until she meets Detective Dean Ryker, Dean is investigating her boss, and warns her that her loyalty to Parker has put her life in danger. Dean makes his interest in her known the first day they meet, and she is unsure whether or not she can trust him, and wonders if he really lik...

Devon Donovan has been the starring attraction in Isabelle Cooper's dreams for years, only problem is that he is not interested in anything resembling a relationship. So, when the hunky lawyer purchases her family's flower shop, and he offers her a job, she jumps at the chance and is delighted to be working in close proximity with him. She figures now maybe she'll be able to catch his eye... Devon Donovan keeps himself busy enough with work to never have time for dating, he is self proclaimed workaholic, with major relationship fears. He has known all along that Isabelle has had a crush on him, and has always played it off as nothing but a harmless crush, so when he offers her a job he figures it'll be no big deal being her boss, and not crossing any lines. Only problem is the tomboy he once knew has grown into quite a beautiful and alluring woman, and she is not afraid of crossing any lines to get what she wants... This was a very entertaining first read for me, the ...

Zoe Davenport is in desperate need of a little escape from her busy day to day life, and and cheating ex-fiance so when a friend books her a stay at a ultra private resort, she jumps at the chance to just getaway. Not realizing that the man that owns the resort is a man from her past, and he is looking forward to a second chance with her, and igniting the sparks they had long ago... Ryder Nash owns his own little piece of paradise, and enjoys leading a fairly private life at his little resort. His world gets turned upside down though when the girl he let getaway long ago books a little vacation at his resort. He is dying to see her again and see if the spark they once shared is still there, she on the other hand has no interest in sparking anything and just wants a little piece and quiet... This was my first experience with Ms. Ballance's writing and I must admit that it took me by surprise, I found myself completely addicted to the story after only reading a few sentences. The s...

Kayla has unexpectedly found herself in hot water with her boss, and on suspension from work for a entire week, this of course doesn't settle to well with the workaholic Kayla. She is in dire need of some sound advice and have the opportunity to vent a little so she heads to Mount Pleasant to see her brother. Bad weather has set in, and the roads are not suitable for driving, and Kayla soon finds herself stuck in the ditch, and without cell phone service, so she sets out to find a house that may have a phone she can use to call her brother...not expecting to run into the handsome stranger she met in town at the cafe... Brent Masterson is a wounded soul who has no intention of attaching himself to any woman, anytime soon. After being hurt in the past he has chosen to steer clear of the opposite sex, and focus more on his business and helping his grandmother with her struggling B&B. But fate clearly has something else in mind for this handsome bachelor... This was my first experi...

Harper Connor is looking for a escape from reality after her emotions got the best of her and lead her to smack her cheating ex-husband on national television. When this little mishap goes viral, her world is upturned, and the media vultures are just lurking and waiting to pounce. So, when fate intervenes and she receives an offer to go off the grid for a while and work on a special little literary project, she jumps at the chance for some much needed peace and tranquility and promised freedom from prying eyes. Dodge Loving and his family own and run a exclusive luxury resort and pride themselves on being able to offer clients the most peaceful, and ultra private vacations. They are currently working on multi-billion dollar deal and can't afford any mishaps, so when Dodge catches a noisy photographer on his property he is all to eager to get rid of him. But not before the photographer tells him there is a high profile celebrity, who is using an alias and working for him at the re...

Wyatt Maitland comes from a life of wealth and privilege, and is continuously trying to protect himself from people who want to take advantage of him for that very reason, which leads him to be skeptical of every woman he meets. But when he meets Kara Enderley he thinks he may have finally met someone who isn't after him for his wealth, she intrigues him and makes him feel things he has never felt before. They agree to a no strings attached kind of relationship, and meet up whenever their schedules permit, and everything is going well for them until Kara finds out she is pregnant. She knows that Wyatt has no interest in being a father so she decides it is time to end things between them and slip away quietly. Wyatt is left confused, but does his best to move on, but he just can't let go of Kara... Kara Enderley has suffered more loss in her life than most, and has been wandering through life aimlessly hoping to find something to help her heal from the loss of her husband and ...

Whitney James has never been known to stay in one place for very long, which may stem from never really having a stable home life growing up. Or it could just be the fact that she likes having the freedom to roam from town to town and explore the world. During her travels she has never found a reason to put down roots and make a go at a normal life, that is until she arrives in Diamond. After taking a job at the local BBQ joint she begins to appreciate the charm of the town, make friends for the first time in her life and also meets the towns golden boy Ryder Diamond. After a few encounters with him, she begins to wonder if she has finally found a place to call home...or is it all just too good to be true? Ryder Diamond is the town's golden boy and the dream husband of every single girl in town. However, he is too busy working to have time for a relationship, let alone in the market for someone to settle down with. So, when he meets Whitney and she offers him a no strings attached ...

Alexis Yeung is looking for freedom from her overbearing grandparents, she did everything she could to live up to their high standards, and it just wasn't quite enough. So she decides it's time to take her life into her own hands and flees to Ireland. She is desperate for a second chance at life, and would like to live her life on her own terms, be free to make her own choices, and just get away for a while. And one of those choices is to have a no strings attached night with the handsome Luke Jackson.  Luke Jackson is a scarred soul in need of saving, he needs someone in his life that can make him feel whole again and put a renewed sense of hope back into his seriously damaged life. And after spending one night with Alexis, he thinks he may be on the right track, however, he's keeping a little secret from her, he's been hired to keep an eye on her while she is exploring the world on her terms. So he does his job and follows her across Europe with the intentions of on...