Christy Reece

Angela Delvecchio, LCR's computer genius and researcher, is ready to step out from behind the desk and pursue her dream of becoming an LCR field operative. She has the training, all she needs now is the chance to prove herself. She's paired with Jake whom she's lusted for since his first day at LCR. Unfortunately that attraction seems one-sided. What will working in close confines do to the both of them?

London is rocked by a horrific case of serial killings. The perpetrator, a modern day show more Jack the Ripper, has a type, and Angela fits the profile. It's the perfect opportunity for her to go undercover as a stripper and play the role of the bait.

Jake Mallory is stunned to learn that he'll be partnered with Angela to catch the Red Rose Killer. He can't let his lust for her cloud his judgement in the field. Any distraction could mean the difference between life and death. Can Jake keep Angela safe from the killer and from himself, or will history repeat itself and make him lose the one thing he didn't think he deserved? Love.

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The last time I read an LCR book was at the end of 2011. Picking up Chances Are was like a reunion with old friends - it didn't take long to feel the familiarity with the beloved operatives. Though it helps to have read the previous books, this story can stand alone. Ms Reece did a great job of bringing back familiar faces and giving a little background history without a huge info dump.

I have read books 1-7 and loved each one. Ms Reece blends suspense and romance while burying the main characters in gritty plots that will test their skills and their emotions at every turn. Taking on themes involving kidnapping, murder and human trafficking, each book is a thrilling ride to the dark side and back.
Add to that a slew of sexy alpha males who are tough on the outside but display hidden vulnerabilities that make them swoon-worthy and heroines who can kick butt and you have a recipe for great chemistry.

I adored this pairing of Angela and Jake from the first page. Angela displayed determination, loyalty, stubbornness, but underneath it all she was a romantic girl at heart who dreamed of long walks, candlelight dinners and screaming orgasms. With no surviving family left, LCR was all she had left, so disappointing them was not an option. As a former military man and ex-cop, Jake has seen and experienced evil and betrayal, but nothing haunted him more than the death of his wife. Angela's innocence and vulnerability hold him back from making her his, but that doesn't stop him from finding everything else about her appealing.

The story was paced well and flowed smoothly. There are multiple POVs in this book: Angela, Jake, the killer and Noah, but I didn't find the switches distracting. Being able to get a glimpse into different character's heads enhances the reading experience, at least for me. The love scenes were passionate, romantic and HOT! Of course this story has it's fair share of emotional drama between Jake and Angela, with the mixed signals flying back and forth, but Angela makes huge strides in learning about the consequences of being over-confident, and Luke learns acceptance and forgiveness.

I highly recommend this series to anyone who loves romantic suspense. If you enjoyed the KGI series by Maya Banks or Cindy Gerrard's Black Ops Inc. or Pamela Clare's I-Team series, then this series is definitely for you.

Disclaimer: I received a review copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. show less

MIDNIGHT TALES – TAKE TWO
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I was offered a chance to read & review “Midnight Lies” – which is the middle book of a trilogy. Repeat after me… MUST. READ. IN. ORDER. I figured I’d pick up a copy of “Midnight Secrets”, the first book – and BOY OH BOY (should I add a 3rd BOY there since I have three boys??) am I glad I did! Now I just can’t wait for the final book – which is going to kill me, because while Midnight Secrets has been out since April, Midnight Lies show more doesn’t publish until September 24th… which means I probably have quite a wait to finish this series. Dammit.

First off – Ella Grace is a pen name for writer Christy Reece, who is an awesome romantic suspense writer. While the Midnight Tales / Wildefire Series is ALSO romantic suspense, Christy/Ella decided to separate the Wildefire series from her others since they were “different”. Basically I have found that ANYTHING written by her, under ANY name, is a sure-fire winner!

Both books are around 450 pages, and since they are published by Random House, they are hyper-priced at $7.99. Midnight Lies is $7.19 in paperback, and you can purchase Midnight Secrets in an used format for even less. Unless you are irrevocably tied to your e-reader… this would be a good instance to go for the cheaper option. (At some point we e-reading folks can only hope that these publishers will start to understand that the concept of being paperless should be LESS EXPENSIVE. But again, what do I know? I’m not in the publishing industry. I’m just a Mom .)

“MIDNIGHT LIES” is second in the Wildefire series, which features triplet sisters whose lives have been shaped by their parents’ murder/suicide when they were ten years old. This book is available for pr-eorder and releases on September 24th. The good news is that this is a great book. The bad news? The third one isn’t coming out, too! Oh, and let’s just be honest – LOOK AT THE COVER. It’s worth the purchase price alone! Yum!

Samantha has fallen in love with an ER doctor, Quinn – who told her from the beginning that he did not want a permanent relationship. He’s accused of murdering his ex-wife and in a moment of hesitation, realizes that Samantha has some doubts as to his innocence. What follows is a heart-wrenching story of realigning expectations and going after what you want – even if it doesn’t want you. Like Midnight Secrets, there is a “mystery” involved regarding the murder of Quinn’s ex-wife (& some subsequent murders) and we get caught up with Savannah and Zach, along with Sabrina (the third sister)… along with the quirky characters that live in Midnight (garlic, anyone??).

While this is the second book in a series, it can be read as a standalone without too much confusion. However, I have to admit that I figured out “whodunnit” pretty early on. Skill? The Man would tell you NOT because he is often irritated by that habit of mine, but hey – he still loves me. Again, I would say that there is something weird about the fact that Random House has the digital issue priced HIGHER than the paperback. If you’d like a chance to sell back the book – buy it in print. (Then apologize to a tree.) But this is a DEFINITE THUMBS UP!! show less

Kathleen Callahan has lost so much. As a bodyguard, she not only failed to protect her charge, but lost much of the flexibility in her ankle after a car accident. Now her sister Alice is in jail charged with the murder of her fiance. Kathleen does everything in her power to get her sister exonerated, but her failure leads to her sister's death in jail after her conviction. Tired and broken, Kathleen takes a job with Grey Justice guarding the two young daughters of Eli Slater, a member of the show more Slater family made notorious by Eli's father and older brother. Little does she realize that Eli has manipulated Kathleen into this situation in order to not only help her with her search to clear her sister's name, but also to get to know this woman with whom he has become enamored.
Whatever It Takes is another good book in the Grey Justice series. Kathleen and Eli are both likable characters and have lost enough in their lives to give them common ground for a relatable relationship. Some of the story is a little slow due to a lack of action, but the suspense is built in other ways throughout the story, making it an enjoyable read. show less

Return to Me
4 Stars

Despite her unrequited attraction to Noah McCall, head of Last Chance Rescue, Samara Lyons agrees to aid him in capturing a predator by posing as a young girl online. When the sting operation goes awry and Samara finds herself in danger, Noah will have to confront the demons of his past in order to save the woman he loves and have a future with her.

The romance is significantly better than book #1 and the suspense plot is fast-paced, action packed and tension filled.

Noah is show more smolderingly sexy and pushes all my tortured hero buttons with the trauma of his backstory. Nevertheless, he is also annoyingly stubborn and his negative view of himself and feeling that he is not good enough for Samara is overdone. Samara, thankfully, refuses to fall apart at Noah’s repeated rejections and works hard to prove, both to him and herself, that she is sufficiently strong and resilient to take anyone on, including Noah.

The online predator / human trafficking case is very apropos considering the threats posed to teens on the Internet these days. The villains are vicious, despicable scum and get what coming to the although there are several distressing scenes along the way that almost cross the line into DNF territory.

All in all, Return to Me exceeds expectations and hopefully Run to Me will continue the trend. show less