CD Reiss

Holy hell...

My first thought after finishing this book was, "holy " followed by me rubbing my face contemplating what I had just read. This book grabbed me from the beginning and it did not lessen the grip it had me in as I frantically read this book until the cliffhanger. This is one of those authors that I take the risk of cliffhangers because her words are just THAT good. She is a master wordsmith and 99% of the time pens a story that is intense with characters that I know I will show more love.

There is no sugarcoating in this story. Let me just say that upfront. Dario is a very vengeful man with little to no remorse in his actions. He knows how to manipulate to get his way. There were several times during this book, that I questioned if he was going to be redeemable. His redeeming qualities took quite a bit to get to them. I am glad that they started to happen because up until that point had me positing whether or not this author was going to let me down in creating a hero that I swoon over, especially, since she has given me several (hello, Jonathan, I still think about you). Sarah was interesting. I felt for her and what Dario put her through. As the story progressed, I felt like Sarah was starting to come into her own which is good because Dario needed that.

This isn't a new sub-genre, by any means, but the author made it feel as if it was. It was refreshing. I loved seeing that it wasn't an instant love or infatuation where the initial reason for the characters being together is discarded or not emphasized and the characters get all googly eyes. Especially, since this truly started out as a means of revenge.

This book was everything that I have come to expect from this author and I cannot wait until the next book. This is one of those times, that I really, really, REALLY, wish that I had a way of cloning an author so that they could write faster. Knowing that this is only book one of a trilogy stings a little bit. show less

Find this and other reviews at Carlene Inspired.

Told from alternating perspectives, Bombshell follows Cara DuMont as she bravely takes on a new client, Brad Sinclair. He's new to the role of being a father, having just discovered he has a daughter and that he is to take her with full custody. He doesn't grasp the changes he must make and that's where Cara comes in, the nanny that makes little Nicole's world normal. Only, Cara promised herself she'd never work for a famous person again, show more especially for a handsome single dad she can't stop fantasizing about. The nanny role comes with a timeline, with Cara and her best friend stepping in only short term while a new nanny is found, but she grows attached to Nicole and ultimately to her father, who finds himself wanting a life that he had never imagined before.

"I was young and cute, and you don't bring a time bomb into your home"

I have had Bodyguard by C.D. Reiss on my Kindle for ages and when I started reading it I realized it was number two in a standalone series, HOW COULD I HAVE MISSED THAT? So, off I went to Amazon where I proceeded to buy Bombshell and dive right in. Seriously, by dive I mean I started immediately and read non-stop until I finished it. I loved Cara DuMont and Brad Sinclair and I especially loved little miss "bombshell" herself, Nicole. C.D. Reiss takes a cliche connection, that of a nanny and a daddy, and turns it into a brilliant, smart story.

"This job was the worst I ever had. I really should quit. But I couldn't".

Cara is a sassy, educated woman with a really great head on her shoulders. Being a nanny is not all rainbows and butterflies, you're a stand-in for a parent and have to be able to do it all, which C.D. Reiss really shows in this novel. Cara doesn't do drama, at least she doesn't gravitate towards the spotlight, she's relatable, and despite knowing what's to come with her and Brad we don't predict the type of chemistry they would share. Brad is a Southern boy, though his manners seem to be buried under money, women, and booze. He's the lead in several huge movies, booked through the year, and not equipped to be a father at all. Of course, he somehow manages to still win us all over, whether it is with sharing his secrets or discovering that he is natural at being a father. The two have a push and pull type of relationship, but continue to be drawn together due to Brad's sweet little girl. Nicole really is the best secondary character I've ever read, even for being a child. The interactions they all have are so excellent and C.D. Reiss shows off her dialogue writing skills, for sure.

"This guy could ruin me. He had all the tools to do it. He was gorgeous and laid-back. He listened when I spoke and had a daughter who was just about perfect."

Unlike other nanny/daddy type novels, the drama is fairly low. There is a consistent issue throughout the entire novel that is worked through slowly rather than issue after issue popping up. We learn a lot about the characters individually and as they come together it is the perfect amount of sweet and scandalous. Bombshell had so many unique moments, some really great character growth, and I think shines as a contemporary romance, highlighting a lot of the strides we've made in how we treat children and women today. The focus on Hollywood A-listers and the difference between many of them as parents was also really great to read, because we all know the gossip rags want to sell you a different story than reality.

"You protect your heart as if your life depended on it. And you fail, but you try."

Bombshell was a fantastic read for me and I absolutely recommend it. I think it's a unique release from C.D. Riess and a great addition to the genre. When placed among novels with similar storylines, this one will absolutely shine the brightest. show less

[b:Girl on the Edge|42413598|Girl on the Edge|C.D. Reiss|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1544495982s/42413598.jpg|66110849]
Taking you on the edge of insanity.
I have read a number of books by C.D Reiss when I saw this on Netgalley I was excited to read a thriller by this author and dived right in. I want to thank all parties involved in my arc of this book. Wow, was this one intense! Caden and Greyson are newlyweds, both veterans suffering from PTSD as well as childhood trauma. When Caden show more suddenly feels he is being "watched" and inhabited by a stranger, his desire to hurt Greyson during sex is overwhelming. Fortunately, Greyson enjoys it and so it continues as Caden leaves bruises and is only able to stop short of really damaging his wife. If I could give you any advice, I would say pay attention and make sure you have the time to invest in this read because the change of characters, personas, and setting/times can confuse you faster than any dissociative disorder ever could. Girl On The Edge is largely about mental health and trauma, the ways we respond to it or don’t, process or repress, and how this ultimately affects our life and relationships. We know early on Caden experienced trauma, much of which he’s never told Greysen about, and his repression begins creeping to the surface.

This was interesting in and of itself but Reiss doesn’t leave the story there. Greysen knew almost intuitively what Caden needed, perhaps because she’s a psychiatrist (although she is not treating him, thankfully), and she kept fighting for him, where many would walk away. I can’t say whether she should have walked away, only that her actions fit their relationship. I don’t want to go into detail but I will say the trauma explored is not limited to Caden. This is five books in one beautiful package. I think the only reason that I can’t give it a 5-star read is because it was a tad too long for me. I know all the details were needed but for me over 800 pages is a bit much. Well done I will be reading more by this author for sure. show less

The Queen is BACK. One of my favorites of 2019.

I first discovered this author years ago by way of a character named Jonathan Drazen. I was hooked. I devoured everything during a time that I was drowning in 22 credits, trying to keep my honor roll status, and sleep was an anomaly. Yet, I couldn't stop myself from devouring anything that this author wrote because this woman is on a level that many authors only strive to achieve. I have read almost every book that she has ever written but show more somehow they didn't quite measure up to my man Jonathan. Well, that definitely changed in this book because SWEET HOLY TITFIRE, dear old Jonathan has competition. Byron Crowne was everything decadent, delicious, devious, & downright dreamy. (My former literature professors would be so proud of me for that alliteration. Very glad my degree paid off). I digress..

This book had all the elements that I have come to expect from this author. The story was well crafted, had fierce characters that didn't give two pinches of squirrel crap if they seemed callous, cut-throat, or calculating, and culminated with sexual tension that teetered on obscene. The push and pull between the characters was everything. The subtle influences and references to the romantic era: from names, authors, quotes, and even Lord Byron himself had my literature degree loving self giddy with joy. Yet, there was something else here too, the author dug deep in regards to two topics that are often painful for people to have to deal with. Because of this I became even further vested in the story.

Byron had some baggage. I won't spoil the story but I could understand him. As the story progressed and I saw parts of his darker self in regards to what he liked mixed with some vulnerability I was a goner. Oliva also had her own issues but they were different than Byron. As a woman, I could understand and respect her decision to do what she needed to do in order to achieve her dream. The steam in this one including but not limited to Lord Byron's mouth... let me just say that it was hotter than an August sidewalk in Las Vegas. HOT. it didn't overpower the story but sweet holiest of titfires did it ever enhance it.

I cannot wait to see the next in this series. Nor can I express how happy my heart is that the QUEEN is back. this is definitely going in my all-time vault and in the best of 2019. show less