Review: Still Beating - Jennifer Hartmann - December 2020 Earlier this year, I decided to dive into Jennifer Hartmann's catalog, and three books later, I'm completely captivated by her fearless approach to storytelling. Still Beating represents everything I've come to love about Hartmann's work—her unflinching exploration of dark themes wrapped in the kind of raw, emotional romance that defined the golden era of New Adult fiction circa 2012-2013. The premise is immediately gripping: Cora attends her sister Mandy's birthday celebration, where tension crackles between her and Dean Asher, Mandy's fiancé of fifteen years. Their love-hate dynamic has simmered for years, creating an undeniable chemistry that neither can acknowledge. When a seemingly innocent favor—Dean rescuing Cora after she loses her wallet—turns into their worst nightmare, the story takes a brutal turn that will test every boundary you thought you had as a reader. What follows is three weeks of...

Review: The Third Girl - S.C Shannon - June 2025 There's something irresistible about a thriller that weaves between past and present, unraveling secrets that have festered for decades. When I first glimpsed the cover of The Third Girl by SC Shannon, I immediately screenshotted it—something about the atmospheric design whispered that this would be exactly the kind of psychological thriller I devour. When Zooloos Book Tour announced their virtual tour for this novel, I didn't hesitate to sign up, and I'm thrilled to say the story delivered on every promise that haunting cover made. SC Shannon masterfully constructs a narrative that begins twenty-five years in the past with three inseparable friends whose lives are shattered by a terrifying kidnapping. Penelope and Christine are taken, but when Penelope stabs their captor and Christine escapes to summon help, the police return to find an empty house—no Penelope, no kidnapper, just questions that echo through the decades. T...

Title: Cold Fury Series: Cold Justice - Most Wanted #4 Author: Toni Anderson Genre: Romantic Suspense Tropes: Serial Killer/Tortured Heroine Band of Brothers/Woman in Peril Release Date: May 13, 2024 BL URB When a killer takes everything and still wants more. Seven years ago, Hope Harper was a star defense attorney with a great life and a beautiful family—until she got the wrong defendant released, and he turned around and viciously slaughtered her husband and child. Since then, the only thing Hope cares about is locking bad guys behind bars where they can’t hurt anyone else. When the killer escapes from a maximum security prison during a winter storm, Hope refuses to run and hide. The FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team is called in to protect the handful of public figures the notorious serial killer threatened. Operator Aaron Nash draws the short straw—he’ll be heading up Assistant District Attorney Hope Harper’s close protection detail. Much to Aaron’s frustration, the cool blonde ...

Review: Abducted - Book #3 Kate Pomeroy Mystery - Linda Watkins - March 2020 Doctor Kate Pomeroy is finally getting where she wants to be in her life and about to marry the love of her life Jeremy and the people who tried to kill her are behind bars for good. That is until she learns that they struck a deal for immunity and are being deported to Russia. However, they managed to escape and Kate finds herself kidnapped on her way home and locked in a ship. During this time, she will find herself tortured and sensory deprived, and drugged as she tries to fight for her life and stay as strong as she can. Back home, though people are searching for Kate, her fiancé Jeremy knows that he can do better as he has contacts from his military days and they can explore places that the police can't and go through back channels. As Kate continues to experience torture, can she hold on long enough for Jeremy to find her or will she succumb to her kidnapper's demands and fall into a state of ...