Tag Archives: traitor

Catching Rose (Calhan Brides) by Virginia Barlow (Book Review)

Rose Tanner dreamed of a fairytale wedding her whole life. But when her prince leaves her at the altar, she wants to know why. Traveling to Texas for answers she finds more than she bargained for. Captured by a human trafficking ring, she fights for freedom. Risking her life to help the other women with her, she discovers there’s more to happy ever after than she thought.

Texas Ranger Chase Calhan wants one thing, to capture El Diablo’s men so he can marry Rose. When they get to her first, he races against time to catch Rose before it’s too late.

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(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 

 

Chase and Rose’s story was everything I hoped it would be. It had suspense, action, life-and-death choices, passion, and deception. 

Chase and Rose first met at Shanna and Reese’s wedding, which took place in  A Fallacious Seduction. I don’t know if it was love at first sight, but if nothing else, it was lust at first sight. Almost two years later, the happy couple were supposed to be getting married. Unfortunately, Rose is left wondering why her fiancé missed their wedding to save “Grace.” Women readers will side with Rose’s need to hunt down her fiancé and get her much-deserved answers. 

Chase and Rose have multiple misunderstandings throughout this tale. Lucky for Chase, Rose has a forgiving heart. There was one moment that most women or men would not be so forgiving of. (No spoilers; you’ll know what I am referring to when you read it.) 

Overall, readers will be impressed with Rose’s strength and how she didn’t allow fear to stop her from fighting back against the enemies. She even put others’ safety ahead of her own. She grew as a character and became the shining star of this book! 

Okay, Chase wasn’t a slouch either. He showed viewers and his adversaries how skillful he was with knives. He never gave up searching for Rose and even spit in the eye of the Grim Reaper to get back to her. Chase and Rose deserved a happily ever after, and they got one!

I can’t wait to see who will capture Max’s (the confirmed bachelor for life) heart. I also can’t wait to see Madelaine find her second chance at love. 

Catching Rose does revolve around a (possible) sensitive topic: human trafficking. Women were abused, which could be another trigger. The abuse scenes were not graphic; the author noted whips used and cuts and bruises were present on the prisoners. 

Catching Rose possesses a steamy tub accompanied by a bed love scene. Warning: It might make you hot under the collar, so turn up the air conditioning and enjoy the couple’s first time together. 

 

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤1/2

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Meet the Author

I love being an author. It’s all about where your characters lead you. I start with a general idea. As the story unfolds I type as fast as I can in hopes I keep up with my characters.They have had me jotting on napkins, making notes while I’m waiting in a line, and waking me up in the middle of the night. The hard part is always the ending. My characters live with me and when I reach the end of the story, it is hard to say goodbye.Sometimes I let the story sit for a few days to make sure I’m okay with them leaving home to get published. Kind of like when you kids move out. LOL

I enjoy my grandchildren, and the time I share with them. They make me smile with their antics. I like to quilt, crochet, knit and sew. Cooking and baking are occasional itches I scratch. The rest of the time, they are necessary evils. LOL.

My greatest support comes from my husband. He has been my sounding board for all my stories. My daughters are also a great support to me. I couldn’t do it without my family.

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Second Strike (The Secret Life of Anna Goode Book 2) by Nicole Nadeau (Book Review)

A genius sixteen-year-old. A terrorist’s twisted revenge. Can she stop a catastrophic cyberattack from bringing America to its knees?

Anna Goode can’t wait to put her brilliant mind to work. Officially part of the CIA’s undercover unit of talented teenagers, the gifted inventor splits her time between tinkering and espionage instruction. And now she’s been tasked to protect a US congressional delegation from a cunning enemy’s destabilizing hack.

Slipping into London under the guise of innocent spring-breakers to expose the hacker, Anna’s laser-focused hunt gets derailed when she’s ambushed and tased. Suspecting a traitorous mole could destroy their mission, the whip-smart teen rallies her fellow young operatives for a counter-attack… only to discover another danger threatening to be far worse.

Can Anna and her team foil a devastating plot before they’re stopped in their tracks?

Second Strike is the pulse-pounding sequel in the Secret Life of Anna Goode YA spy thriller series. If you like heroines who think outside the box, non-stop action, and tight-knit friendship groups, then you’ll love Nicole Nadeau’s overseas adventure.

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(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique)

 

Many components of Second Strike (Book 2 in The Secret Life of Anna Goode series) are plausible. Cyberattacks are occurring, and the magnitude of their destructive powers will only increase. The Russian cyberattack plot in the story is our country’s worst financial nightmare. Let’s hope it stays in the world of fiction! 

While the CIA may not have high schoolers actively in the field, they still have their eye on potential agents. But for the sake of fiction, let’s say they do. Anna and Jake are again front and center to stop Alexei Komarov and his son Ivan from carrying out their dastardly plan. This time, they are not the only teen on the scene. Who joins them on their mission will only be unveiled as you read the story. However, I can disclose is their hacking skills are much needed to take down Russia’s hired hacker. 

Anna, her teen comrades, and the CIA face many heated battles. Lives are in jeopardy. Lives are lost. I wouldn’t say either side came off as the ultimate winner or loser. 

Gunfire, explosion, kidnapping, hand-to-hand combat, foot chases, and much more make this an action-packed read that will leave you thirsty for more. Good news, with the ending chapters, you can expect the Russians to return with a vengeance. Hopefully, we will find out who the mole is in the next book. I have my suspicions, as will every other reader. 

Another thing I’m looking forward to in book three is seeing what Anna cooks up next. Her mascara/tranq spy gadget was ingenious. 

Second Strike has no explicit language or scenes. It does have male-on-female fight scenes, where both sexes get in some shots. 

This book is a perfect read for teens and adults. 

 

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: 1/2

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Meet the Author 

Nicole Nadeau grew up in Springboro, Ohio, with her older sister, Paige and younger brother Mark. She also has a dog, Lola and a rescue cat named Penny. 

An avid reader since grade school, she read every action and adventure book she could get her hands on. Eventually, her love of reading developed into a love of writing. She started working on her own book while she was in high school. 

Nicole has a neuromuscular disease called Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) which creates challenges in her daily life. She refuses to let SMA stop her from doing what she loves. Like the lead character in her book, she is determined and overcomes any obstacles that stand in her way. 

She is already busy planning the next book in the Secret Life of Anna Goode series and has plans for many more books in the future.

 
 

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