Review: Tied (All Torn Up #2) by Carian Cole

 

Tyler Grace was many things.
A killer. A myth. An outcast. A hero.
My prince.


My childhood and innocence were stolen when I was kidnapped at five years old. For eleven years I clung to my childhood fairytale books, waiting for the prince I hoped would someday save me and carry me off to a happily ever after.

I had no idea my savior would come in the form of a scarred recluse, covered in tattoo's, who can't--or won't--speak a word.

But the moment our eyes met I knew he was the one. My prince.

Tyler Grace is haunted by his tragic past and he's sentenced himself to a lifetime of solitude in the woods. He's as lost in society as I am; scarred just as much on the inside as the outside. Just like me.

He saved my life that day he found me and killed my captor with his bare hands. I was warned to stay away from him. But I can't stop thinking about him. I ache to hear his voice and see him smile. And I want nothing more than to be the one to break through his walls.

I think he's the only one who can break through mine, too.

Together we can have love, happiness, and a closeness that once felt impossible to have. But can we overcome the horrible twisted past that ties us together?

 

My Review:

An amazing story of love and survival.

You never know just how your prince will show up.  Will he be riding a white horse like in a fairy tale?  In Holly’s case, her prince rescued her from the man who kidnapped and held her captive for eleven years.  Tyler was scarred, physically and emotionally.  He had a love for animals and nature; people, not so much.  He had a heart of gold, but it would take someone very special to help him shine.  Holly was just what he needed.  It just took some time for him to figure it out.  Two years after her rescue, Holly still dealt with low self esteem and anxiety from what she went though during her captive years.  The only person who truly understood how she felt was Tyler.  Holly and Tyler help each other heal and learn to trust and love again, but it was a process with many setbacks.  

When I came to the end of this book, I was like “nooooo”, it can’t be over already.  I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to these characters.  They felt so real and I became attached to them.  Their story totally blew me away.  It was heart-wrenching and beautiful at the same time.     

Review: Island Charm by Audrey Wick

 

An imposter in paradise

When Anna Worthington's twin sister gets jilted by her fiancé, Anna steps in with a plan for a girls' Key West getaway instead of a honeymoon trip. Yet when her twin has her own crisis of commitment and doesn't board the plane, Anna finds herself on a romantic getaway that she's forced to navigate alone.

A vacation romance with an expiration date

Gunnar Lockhart, whose specialty is island tourism, is the perfect match for helping Anna complete her vacation bucket list, but time together forges a connection more personal than either anticipate. As they make island memories, Anna has to untangle her mixed emotions. Are her feelings toward Gunnar real? Or like her sister's wedding day, has this connection been doomed from the start?

 

My Review:

From vacation romance to happily ever after

On a trip to Key West, that was supposed to be her sister Brie's honeymoon, Anna Worthington makes the best of the trip alone.  Brie had a bucket list of things she wanted to do so Anna is doing them for her.  Meeting a guy was not part of the plan.  But Anna find herself spending a lot of time with Gunnar Lockhart.

Gunnar moved to Key West after falling in love with the island.  He spends his days working an information booth and helping his friend Jack, who has dementia.  Gunnar never thought he would fall for a tourist, but he did and he will do anything for Anna.  But when an unexpected incident happens and Anna is left alone waiting for Gunnar, she feels stood up. Will it be the end of their new relationship? 

I really enjoyed this book. I liked the chemistry between Anna and Gunnar. I also liked how caring and patient Gunnar was with Jack, even when he would get himself in trouble. The way the story was written, it felt so real.  The descriptions of the island seemed to come to life through the author's words.

Review: A Long Shadow by H L Marsay

 

 

 

Old sins cast long shadows…

When the bodies of a young, homeless girl and a girl who disappeared thirty years ago are found on the same day, residents in the historic city of York are aghast. It seems unlikely the two cases are related, and yet some of the same players knew both victims. As Detective Chief Inspector John Shadow and his eager new partner, Sergeant Jimmy Chang, dive into their investigation, they uncover a complicated web of pop stars, pub owners, shopkeepers and old school friends who each have something to hide.

John Shadow is a man of contradictions. A solitary figure who shuns company, but is a keen observer of all he meets. A lover of good food, but whose fridge is almost always empty. He prefers to work alone and is perpetually trying to dodge his partner, who’s full of energy, modern ideas and theories.

But as the two men gradually learn to work together to solve the case, it’s clear that the past is never as far away as you think.

 

My Review:

An intriguing mystery that kept me guessing.

Set in the city of York, Detective Chief Inspector John Shadow and his new partner, Sergeant Jimmy Chang, work together to solve the murders of two women.  There were lots of twists and turns in this story and just when I thought I might know who the killer was, I was quickly proven wrong.  This is the first book by this author and I look forward to reading more.