New Release Book Review: Charlotte Pass by Lee Christine

I was excited when I opened my mail to find this book inside, I do enjoy a good romantic suspense, especially an Aussie set one. This book managed to hold my attention until I couldn’t keep my eyes open, putting it down on the second night with only 30 pages to go and only because I had no other choice as I haven’t yet learned to read with my eyes closed (maybe one day).

The story starts with the discovery of some old bones on the ski slope where a couple of people have gone missing over the years, it is determined they are from a woman who went missing decades before. Detective Sergeant Pierce Ryder is put in charge of the case, a case his good friend and old mentor Lewicki, was once in charge of, a case Lewicki has never managed to forget.

The bones were discovered by a ski patroller Vanessa Bell and that discovery may just put her life in danger as it seems the murderer is still around and does not plan on getting caught.

Being part of the investigation and coming into contact with Detective Ryder, also awakens emotions in both of them. Ryder’s past means he has a lot to deal with before being open to a change like the one Vanessa could bring.

There were plenty of twists and turns in this novel, a few red herrings too, when I was sure I had different things figured out or I was sure I knew what had happened, only to find that I didn’t.

I liked both of the main characters and enjoyed their interactions. But I really liked Ryder’s new partner Flowers who showed himself to be a very good police officer over the course of the investigation.

This is a tough case for everyone involved, the staff at the resort, the police officers, especially ex-cop Lewicki, and some of the guests at the hotel also play their part in the twists and turns. Plenty of secrets are uncovered during the investigation which helped in the red herrings along the way.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and will be looking for more by this author. Thank you to Allen & Unwin AU for providing me with a copy in return for an honest review.

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Buy links:

Allen & Unwin Amazon AU Amazon US

#AWW2020 6/50

RELEASE DAY Book Review & Giveaway : The Scream Behind Her Smile by Athena Daniels

What can I possibly say about this book to convey how much I loved it. I was lucky enough to read the first two drafts of this novel and they both blew me away, but this final copy, wow, Athena has written a psychological thriller that had my heart in my throat from the opening scene. At times the intensity was such that I had to put the book down and take a deep breath. At others I wanted to reach in and slap Derek, her husband so badly I was clenching my jaw and gasping in disbelief.

I became completely involved in the main character, Claire’s life from the get-go. Claire is a great character, well written and relatable, she starts off lost and unsure of herself and her life after suffering the loss of her child. As the story progresses and secrets are uncovered, Claire’s strength emerges as she fights to gain an understanding of what her husband has been hiding and develop her newfound confidence. Her life begins to unravel at the same time she wakes up from the half-life she has been living, but instead of collapsing, she uses her circumstances to grow, I was backing her completely, cheering her on every time she confronted her husband and hoping she would survive the fallout.

Claire’s husband Derek is unlikable from the first chapters and just becomes more despicable as the story unfolds. From beginning to end he unveils himself as a detestable character who I continued to hope would get exactly what he deserved. I remember messaging Athena and saying “Her husband is f**king nuts!” He wasn’t the only character who I felt this way about, the ‘she’ in the opening scene is as, if not more unlikable than Derek.

Zach is another great character, with many layers and a few surprising secrets. I loved the relationship that grew between Claire and Zach, I think I fell in love with him myself. One of my favourite secondary characters was Claire’s assistant Kira, I loved her loyalty and her no bullshit approach, what a great friend Claire had in her.

This novel kept me hooked from start to finish with heart-stopping moments, a few laugh-out-loud moments, plenty of twists and turns, betrayal and murder, in a romantic psychological thriller that will definitely be in my top 10 reads of the year. I didn’t see half of what happened coming and was still shaking my head in disbelief at the end.

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I have one paperback copy (Australia only due to postage) and two ebook copies (Australia & International) to giveaway to readers of my blog. Leave a comment and show Athena some love by adding her book on goodreads or liking her Facebook page and you’ll be in the draw for a copy of this fabulous book. Please indicate if you are a international reader.

For another chance to win read my Q&A with Athena and leave a comment on that post as there’s a copy to win there also.

About the book: An emotionally gripping romantic thriller, this is a novel of love, marriage, deception and murder.

It’s one thing to discover the man you married is not who you think he is. It’s another thing entirely to prove it. After all, who is going to take the word of an unstable woman who’s never fully recovered from the heartbreak of losing her child?

The only question now, is how far he will go to protect his secrets.

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As I lie here in my front hallway, in the place where it all began, I wonder what would have happened if I’d never opened the door that afternoon?

Would she have gone somewhere else? Would she have swept off in another direction, an alternative reality where our lives would never have crossed paths?
And now I’m lying here, blood pooling beneath my body, deep crimson smears on cold white tiles, remembering every sordid moment in vivid detail.

There’s a shadow standing over me.

“I want you to die here, slowly and alone.” Her voice is cold, emotionless. “And I want you to use the time to think about what you did. And when you take your last breath, I want you to realize it’s all your fault. All of it!”

I drift in and out of consciousness and wonder if I had my chance to do it over again, if I had the choice, would I choose not to open the door that day?

Even after everything, I know that I would.

I’d go through it all again, and then some, if it meant the chance to be with Zach just one more time…

New Release Book Review: Undaunted by Leah Ashton

I loved this book, it kept me up til 2am, because I just had to know what was going to happen next. I was lucky enough to preorder a copy of this book last November at the WCFF, I’ve now read it twice as I didn’t get my thoughts down after the first read, thinking I’d remember what I wanted to say.

Undaunted is the first in a new series, and a new direction for Leah Ashton, and I think she’s on to a winner, I’ve already preordered book 2.

The WASP Team Series is a hot romantic suspense that had me on the edge, not only with the drama going on, but with the chemistry between police officer Luella Brayshaw and WASP operator Nate Rivers.

WASP has brought together every elite police department: tactical response, dignity protection, covert surveillance, bomb technicians, negotiators, snipers – and more – to protect Western Australia from crime.

At the end of a WASP training exercise Lou (Luella) and Nate end up on a train from Perth to Fremantle where they inadvertently stumble into a situation that will put them in danger and bring to the surface plenty of unresolved personal issues and tension between the two of them, the chemistry was sparking straight away.

I loved reading a book set in my home state, there are plenty set in the Eastern States or in country WA, but few in suburban Perth. I was right there on that train, travelling a trip I’ve done myself once or twice, luckily without an armed crazy man travelling with me.

Nate and Lou are great characters who are completely relatable, as was the backstory of their relationship over a decade previously which comes out as they remember what it was like between them and the way Nate broke Lou’s heart.

A highly enjoyable read that grabbed me from the start.