Tag: Blackburn Lynn H.

Break My Fall + Giveaway

Dr. Meredith Quinn always planned to return to Gossamer Falls to practice dentistry. Now that she’s back home, she’s made it a point to offer clinics to children and adults in nearby underserved areas. Unfortunately, those same areas are known to harbor drug traffickers, and Police Chief Grayson Ward suspects that local law enforcement is looking the other way.

After too many losses, Grayson has closed off his heart. But when Meredith enters his life, his walls crumble, and he’s left exposed and vulnerable. To keep her alive, he must keep her close, but that makes it impossible for him to retreat and rebuild. Will she be the one who finally helps him emerge from isolation? Or will this force of nature leave him shattered?

My Review:

Put a Lynn H. Blackburn book in front of me and I’m in my happy place! Love the way she spins a story and the depth in her characters. This series is phenomenal on both counts – and full of thrilling surprises for diehard fans too. 🙂 This is me, still grinning.

First off, you need to know that this is the second book in her ‘Gossamer Falls’ series, though there’s also a novella in the multi-authored ‘Cornered’ collection that precedes this book as well. While you could read ‘Break My Fall’ as a standalone, I’d recommend reading the books in order for two reasons. First, this one has a major spoiler about the suspense from the novella, ‘Downfall’ and second, because there are a lot of characters and town history that is introduced really well in the first book.

It was so much fun being back in Gossamer Falls and getting reacquainted with the gang. Close friends/siblings/cousins and their meddlesome extended families bring so much heart and humour to the story. There’s banter and teasing and soul stirring heart to hearts. Relatable characters that are so easy to love including…

Meredith and Gray. This is their love story and it is equal parts infuriating and toe-curling. Honestly, I never thought they’d sort themselves out (Gray has issues) but, oh my, once he makes up his mind to pursue Meredith we venture into fainting couch territory! Consider yourself forewarned: abundant swoon alerts ahead!

I enjoyed the unusual approach the author took with the suspense. It was less investigative and more things happening around them until close to the end when action and danger spike in a breathtaking way. The threat to Meredith keeps Gray close and creates a kind of close proximity vibe to their romance throughout the book, giving lots of room for clashing wills and, eventually, lots of sparking!

A breathtaking suspense paired with an emotional blockbuster romance kept me engaged all the way through. And I do believe the author has teased us with a hint of what we can expect in the next Gossamer Falls book which we hopefully won’t have to wait long for.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time listening to the audio book narrated by Kate Forbes who does an incredible job with all these characters. Always love when she’s the narrator.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a print or ebook copy. Winner’s choice.

US – available in print or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada – available in print or ebook or audible (if available) — winner’s choice

International – ebook copy if you have a US Kindle account.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Break My Fall,  leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday May 3 2025.

Cornered + Giveaway

Prepare for three times the thrills with these nail-biting page-turners from your favorite romantic suspense authors!

In In the Dark by Lynette Eason, accountant Steph Cross is cleaning out a coworker’s desk after her untimely death when she finds cryptic notes that lead her to believe her friend’s car accident was no accident at all. Detective Tate Cooper is determined to help her crack the case before someone else gets hurt. But can he protect the woman who has so quickly laid claim to his heart?

In Downfall by Lynn H. Blackburn, chef Cassie Quinn gets an offer she can’t refuse: to fill in as chef at an exclusive mountain resort. But when the kitchen is destroyed and it becomes clear Cassie is in danger, she’s forced to accept the help of her ex-boyfriend, Detective Donovan Bledsoe, to find the culprit and keep her safe.

In Perilous Obsession by Natalie Walters, teacher Lahela Young becomes the target of someone with a twisted obsession of righting a wrong. The first person she turns to is her good friend Briggs Turner. Briggs may have left his career as a police officer, but he still has the instinct to protect–especially for Lahela.

My Review:

Happy sigh! What a sensational Romantic Suspense collection which comes as no surprise given the caliber of these authors. Each book reads with as much depth as their longer novels do. Satisfying to the very last word! Oh — and with this trio, ‘it ain’t over ’til it’s over’ is a good thing to keep in mind.

I listened to the audible edition expertly narrated by Leah Horowitz. She really knows how to deliver a suspense! A perfect pairing of authors and narrator. Highly recommend the audio book.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a print or ebook copy. Winner’s choice.

US – available in print or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada – available in print or ebook or audible (if available) — winner’s choice

International – ebook copy if you have a US Kindle account.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of the Cornered, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday November 30 2024.

Never Fall Again + Giveaway

Landry Hutton has spent three years rebuilding her life behind the secure gates of The Haven, an exclusive resort on the outskirts of Gossamer Falls, North Carolina. As the artist-in-residence, and with her pottery prized by The Haven’s guests, Landry is finally ready to settle in permanently. She wants to give her daughter, Eliza, a safe home to grow up in and hires former Marine Callum Shaw to handle the construction.

Cal grew up in Gossamer Falls and always knew he would someday join his family’s business. He longs for a family of his own but has almost given up on that ever happening. Landry is funny, gifted, and everything Cal could ever want in a partner, but he vows to keep his distance. Landry has a daughter and a past. Cal has been down that road before and barely survived when the woman he loved left, taking her two sons with her. He can’t bear to lose like that again.

Before construction on the house can begin, Landry’s pottery is destroyed in a suspicious fire. It soon becomes clear that Landry and Eliza are in grave danger–but because of whom? But, after losing one relationship, he is hesitant to try again.

My Review:

A compelling introduction to Lynn H. Blackburn’s ‘Gossamer Falls’ series and she’s left me wanting more!

We’re introduced to a lot of key players right from the start and I’ll admit it took a few chapters for me to keep everyone straight but that might have been because I was listening to the audio book and not seeing everything written out. Basically the series is centred around a friend group from prominent families in the town…and there’s a feud between two of the families and…well, it’s complicated! But these characters (our hero and future heroes and heroines) decided in grade school that they wouldn’t let family tensions get in the way of their friendship and they’ve been loyal to each other ever since.

Cal Shaw is one of those friends and the hero of this story, and, be still my heart, meets all my swoonworthy criteria. Faith-centred. Check. Servant’s heart. Check. Protective but respectful. Check. Creative and talented. Check. There’s just one problem — he’s gun-shy about becoming involved with a single mom.

Enter Landry and her young daughter. They have an intriguing backstory that is slowly revealed bit by bit through the course of the novel. I was on tenterhooks all the way through trying to figure out just what they were running from and if that danger had finally caught up with them!

Love that Landry speaks her mind and tackles issues head on. She can be blunt, but never unkind, and she’s not afraid to call Cal on conflicted signals. Love that this romance features a hero and heroine who actually talk things through! Yes, there are some misunderstandings, but they aren’t the malingering kind and are aired fairly quickly. Not easily solved, mind you, but at least they both know where they stand.

Cal becomes invested in keeping Landry safe when she appears to be the target of a stalker which adds tense undercurrents to their burgeoning romance. I really like the way the suspense starts out ‘gently’ and slowly builds. The author gives lots of time to establish a relationship between Cal and Landry and provides enough page time to get to know a number of key secondary characters who will get their turn to star in future books. As always, those relationships shine with banter and heart-to-heart conversations and we’re given a tantalizing glimpse into future romantic plots. I love when the first book in a series gets me giddy with anticipation for the next one!

I enjoyed the audible edition narrated by Kate Forbes, a familiar voice in my romantic suspense listening. She did a great job of bringing this story to life and I’d definitely recommend the audio book to any fellow bibliophiles who appreciate a good listening experience.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a print or ebook copy. Winner’s choice.

US – available in print or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada – available in print or ebook or audible (if available) — winner’s choice

International – ebook copy if you have a US Kindle account.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of one of the Never Fall Again, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday June 22 2024.

Targeted + Giveaway

Random Retro Re-read

Three women. Three men. Three unsuspecting targets.

Get ready for triple the thrills with three heart-stopping stories from your favourite romantic suspense authors!

In On the Run, IT Specialist Daria Nevsky is a highly skilled FBI agent with the ability to hack any computer. She must go on the run to find out who wants her dead — and Dr. Ryker Donahue refuses to let her do it alone.

In Deadly Objective, physical therapist Emily Dixon and Secret Service Agent Liam Harper are committed to keeping their relationship professional. But when the vice president’s son enters the crosshairs of a killer, some lines will have to be crossed in order to keep him safe.

In Caught in the Crosshairs, there is no love lost between former Army PSYOPS officer Ari Blackman and CIA officer Claudia Gallegos after Claudia is implicated in the murder of a Saudi prince. But to prevent a coup that would put America at risk, they’ll have to learn to trust each other — before it’s too late. 

My Review:

published in 2022

Three headliner romantic suspense authors join forces to deliver a trifecta of edge-of-your-seat suspense reads with intrepid heroes and heroines who keep things interesting. Because heightened emotions lead to romance and the toe-curl/danger combo kept me turning pages. And rooting for three happily-ever-afters…once justice is served, of course.

Of note: each novella relates to a series but can easily be read as standalones, so no worries if you’re not up to date. ‘Targeted’ provides the perfect opportunity to sample these authors’ storytelling styles and get a feel for their series.

Each story involves plenty of action and danger and just the right amount of romance to keep things interesting. These authors excel at pacing and plotting and manage to deliver fully fleshed out characters and well developed plots despite the shorter word count (each novella is about 120 pages.) I can’t pick a favourite because each of these heroines and their heroes are completely captivating! 

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback copy and open to any reader, anywhere in the world — so, yay, another International Giveaway!

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of Targeted, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easier for me to spot. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday October 28 2023. Offer open to International Readers.