The Lady Under the Lake by EJ Russell (Spotlight, excerpt, and review)

 

 

 

 

 

The Lady Under the Lake

Quest Investigations, Book 3

by

E.J. Russell

Blurb:

 

This client is all wet...

After receiving a hot tip on the whereabouts of my almost-boyfriend’s nearly-ex-husband (hey, I told you—it’s complicated!), I thought my love life was finally coming up for air. But when we stake out the remote lake, it’s not the ex who surfaces.

It’s the Faerie King’s long-missing mother (and I mean really long, as in double-digit centuries), and she wants to hire Quest Investigations. Since one of my bosses is the king’s brother, he has a tsunami of…feelings about her as a potential client, and refuses to take the case. Instead, he passes it to me.

Yes! However…

Should I be thrilled at the vote of confidence or suspicious that he’s tossing me in the deep end without a life preserver, the better to punish the woman who abandoned her kid all those years ago?

You know what? It doesn’t matter. I may be Quest’s token human, but I’ve proven I can get the job done, so I dive right in. Then the lady explains what she wants me to do: find her missing child.

Seriously? I expected more of a challenge. All I have to do is introduce her to the king and bingo, case closed. But when she says, "Not that one," this little family drama threatens to send ripples throughout the supernatural community—especially with my boss in over his head as the prime suspect in a fae kidnapping.

As if things weren’t complicated enough… Remember that nearly-ex? When he shows up and muddies the waters, I’m faced with a choice: I can solve this case or I can finally hook my almost-boyfriend.

Dammit.

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Excerpt:

 

I gazed out the window, not that the fields in Lane County were particularly interesting this time of year. As I did, I caught sight of the truck bed in the side-view mirror. The empty truck bed. “Where’s the canoe?”

Lachlan chuckled. “The beaver clan doesn’t want us on the water. It seems that their kits’ first ever lodges aren’t as sturdy as they might be, and they don’t want to risk any damage.”

“Then how—”

“Rusty Johnson and Casimir Moreau are letting us use their dock. The rest of the clan can’t fuss about it because Rusty built the house on the opposite side of the lake from where most of them live—after Casimir bought all the other lots on that end of the lake.” Lachlan chuckled. “Seems the two of them like their privacy.” He winked. “Fond of naked midnight swims as they are.”

I swallowed, my throat gone thick. “G-good to know.” To distract myself from the image of Lachlan and me on a naked midnight swim, I looked everywhere but at him. That’s when I noticed something else missing. “Where’s your pack?”

Lachlan flicked on his turn signal and headed for the highway exit. “Back on my boat.”

I turned in my seat, the better to frown at him. “But Wyn’s at the bottom of that lake. How are you going to find him without your skin?” Before you ask, that’s not as creepy a question as it sounds. Selkies are seal shifters, and they control their shifts by putting on or removing their seal skin, which resembles a very closely furred wetsuit more than a creepy eyeless seal that’s been boned by a Ginsu knife.

“I couldn’t swim in the lake anyway, lad, not in my skin.” His smile glinted as the sun slanted in through his window. “Not my seal skin, anyway. Selkies are salt water folk. The lake’s fresh water.”

“So what would happen?” My eyes got round. “You can swim, can’t you? I mean, without shifting? You wouldn’t drown?”

“I can swim, and I wouldn’t drown, but I couldn’t shift either. It takes the touch of the sea to keep me in seal form.”

I folded my arms. “Why does none of the selkie lore mention that?”

“Think back on all the selkie tales you’ve read or pestered me for. Have any of them taken place anywhere but by the sea?”

“Well. No.”

He turned onto a road marked Private. “There you go then. Maybe we like to keep a few secrets to ourselves.” He winked at me. “We’re not like you humans, who want to share every little thing about our lives with the world, whether the world cares about it or not.”

You humans. Yep, there’s still a divide, but with Lachlan, it’s always seemed like my humanity was more of a turn on than a drawback. Eleri had once told me, “Selkies and humans. It’s a thing.” Yeah, I was counting on that traditional thing. A lot.

“So if you can’t dive into the lake and invite him topside for a little chat, how will we get his attention?”

Lachlan patted his anorak pocket. “Your friend Dr. MacLeod gave me a wee calling card.”

I blinked. “Bryce?” My other boss, Mal Kendrick, was married to a druid. I narrowed my eyes. “It’s not a potion, is it? Mal always says druid potions are nasty.” Since Bryce was an environmental science professor as well as a druid, I knew better than to think whatever magical doodad he passed along would hurt the lake or its denizens. But that didn’t mean it wouldn’t hurt Lachlan, or at least cause him significant discomfort.

“Nay. Just a little message I’ll float along on the water, to let Wyn know he’s safe and we’d be grateful for a chat.”

On the one hand, good that the calling card wasn’t too invasive. On the other hand, I’d prefer to deliver a more forceful message to Wyn. Something along the lines of Get your ass up here and divorce Lachlan already.

Lachlan pulled the truck onto a gravel drive that snaked through the woods and ended at a beautiful, sprawling Craftsman-style house right on the lakeshore. While the shrubs along the flagstone walk leading to its wide front porch were neat and healthy—I suspected a dryad gardening service—they weren’t particularly well-established. “This is new?”

He nodded. “Finished last spring. A wedding present from Rusty to Cas.”

I frowned at him. “How do you know so much about them?” I’d met both men—Casimir was the youngest vampire in the country, and would remain so since one of the conditions for that mass vampire rescue/exodus was a moratorium on turning anybody else. Rusty was a beaver shifter, but Inactive—unable to shift—so he was effectively human, although it didn’t seem to bother either him or Cas.

“The water-based supe community isn’t that big. I’ve known Rusty for years. We’re both…at odds with our clans, although for Rusty, it’s them rejecting him. With me, it’s the reverse. We’ve tipped a few pints in our day.”

We got out of the truck and I looked around. The house’s windows were all covered with blackout shades—which made sense, given that a vampire lived there. “They’re not at home, are they?”

Lachlan shook his head. “Nay. They’re at Cas’s place in Portland this week. Some kind of benefit for the hospital.” He gestured to a gravel path on one side of the house that led toward the lakeshore. “The dock’s down that way.”

We crunched down the slight slope toward the dock that extended fifteen feet or more into the lake. There was a small structure next to the dock, but it was completely on land, clearly not like the boathouses that dotted the far shore. “If they don’t have any boats, what’s that building for?”

Lachlan grinned at me. “Best not to ask, lad. But when they’re done with their naked swims, maybe they’d prefer not walking all the way back to the house.”

My jaw dropped. “You’re kidding. It’s a wank shack?”

He studied the building, head tilted. “More than a shack, I’m thinking. I’d reckon more than wanking too, but also not our business.”

Lachlan took my hand and led me onto the dock, our footsteps echoing hollowly. When we got to the end, he sat down and patted the boards next to him. “Have a seat. We may need to wait for a bit before we get Wyn’s attention.” I complied, and when he pulled me tighter against his side, I didn’t resist.

 

 

Buy links:

Amazon US

Amazon Universal

 

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Bio:

 

Multi Rainbow Award winner E.J. Russell–grace, mother of three, recovering actor–writes romance in a rainbow of flavors. Count on high snark, low angst and happy endings.

 

Reality? Eh, not so much.

 

E.J. lives in rural Oregon, enjoys visits from her wonderful adult children, and indulges in good books, red wine, and the occasional hyperbole.

 

Social media:

 

Newsletter 

Facebook group (Reality Optional) 

Website

Instagram

 

 

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My review:

 

“The Lady Under the Lake” by E.J. Russell is part of the ‘Quest Investigations’ series and continues the adventures of Matt Steinitz, better known to the paranormal beings as Hugh Mann, as he tries to free his love interest, the selkie Lachlan Brodie, from his handfasting to Wyn, a water fae. Unfortunately, he gets sidetracked by a new client, also a water fae, who not only disrupts the smooth running of Quest, but may cause a rift that will affect even the rulers of the fragile Seelie/Unseelie Convergence.

 

 

This delightful gay paranormal story is an excellent addition to a fun and exciting series. I’m afraid that the show is always stolen any time Jordan, the young werewolf with a Frisbee obsession, is present, but adding the hellhound puppy Doop just seals the deal.

 

I love watching Hugh/Matt navigate the tricky and perilous path of being one of the few humans who is actually aware of the myriad of paranormal beings and who is truly interested in all of the permutations of the fae. He started out as a little too pushy, I thought, but his arc has shown that he truly cares…both for Lachlan, but also for those he’s come into contact with while working with Quest Investigations.

 

These stories are such a breath of fresh air, and I always am anxious to find out what is going to develop in these beings’ lives. I’ve always been enamored with various mythologies, and I find these new perspectives to be both fun and thought-provoking. I adore Jordan and Doop, and I can’t wait to find out how they destroy, I mean, help with more cases.

 

 

 

 

A copy of this title was provided for review

Melting the Ice Witch by Mell Eight (Blitz, excerpt, review, and GIVEAWAY) IMD

Melting the Ice Witch

Dragon's Hoard, Book Four

by

 Mell Eight

 

 

Publisher: NineStar Press

Release Date: 01/18/2022

Heat Level: 2 - Fade to Black Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 27400

Genre: Paranormal, LGBTQIA+, mythical creatures, dragon shifters, witches, tundra

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Description

The Tribe of the White Dragon has lived in the frozen wastes of the north for thousands of years, but they are slowly dying without their dragon to protect them from the inhospitable cold.

In desperation, they kidnap Kam, hoping to use him to breed witch power back into the Tribe. But Kam is not a witch, and there is nothing he can do to save them—until he sees the white dragon encased in ice and all alone and a chain reaction is set off that may save them after all.

 

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Excerpt

Melting the Ice Witch
Mell Eight © 2022
All Rights Reserved

“In the before times, when the cold ice and biting wind were welcoming to our kind, dragons flew,” the old storyteller warbled. The man was bent and gray, and his crabbed hands shook on his gnarled staff, but his voice still held the power that had made him the storyteller of the Tribe in his youth.

“The golden dragon rained fire and melted the ice, and the white dragon taught the Tribe the spells to survive the difficult, yet beautiful, climate. Together, the gold and white kept these plains of ice tamed, and the Tribe survived in plenty.”

The old man’s voice reached Kam even from the other side of the fire. Warmth in the ice wastes was hard to come by, especially for one not of the Tribe, so Kam appreciated his place near the flickering flames. His brown hair was city short, which meant his ears and neck were exposed to the cold wind. The barbarians all had hair that reached well down their backs, tied in intricate braids with feathers and stones woven throughout. None had hair more elaborate than Lor, the man with the snow-white hair and ice blue eyes who had the seat of honor next to the storyteller.

“But—” The storyteller’s voice darkened, and Kam felt his chest clench at the ominous tone. “—such times were not meant to last. The golden one gathered his followers around him and declared that for the happiness of dragon-kind they must separate themselves from the wars of humans. No more deaths of dragons, was the golden one’s goal, but the white dragon disagreed with his methods.

“They fought with their words, their arguments echoing through the icy canyons, but neither would back down. The white dragon knew that to abandon the humans was to allow the Tribe, his hoard, to die in the ice wastes. But the golden one wished to keep his kin alive and to do so he needed to rule the humans, not be ruled by human whim.

“The best of friends, and possibly lovers, the golden dragon and the white dragon never spoke again. All but the white dragon flew south, where the plains are formed of grass rather than ice. There they settled in the mountains. They built a city for the humans in the foothills. And the white dragon withdrew to the ice caves, alone.”

The storyteller bowed his head in sadness, but Lor’s piercing eyes scanned the assembled members of the Tribe.

“So we survive.” Lor continued the story. His voice was strong, but as the leader of the Tribe, he had to be. Lor was the tallest and most muscular of all the barbarians, and he was the only witch the clan still had. “Bereft of the dragons who allowed us life in the barren waste of ice and snow, the Tribe learned new ways to survive. We adapted, so after tens of thousands of years, we still live.” Kam looked around at the assembled Tribe and frowned. There were barely sixty people of all ages and genders still remaining in the circle around the fire. He had learned that there was another clan to the northwest with equal numbers. But most alarmingly, there were only two witches left: Lor and the man named Bay who led the other clan. There were no female witches to pass the traits on, nor had any of Lor’s children, grandchildren, or great-grandchildren shown any aptitude during Lor’s hundreds of years of life.

The Tribe was dying.

That was why Kam had been brought north. The only way to invigorate the clans was to breed more witch blood into the lines. The hope was if Kam were to have a child with one of the descendants of Lor, maybe a child with powers could be born. But Kam wasn’t a witch, and he hadn’t exactly been asked before he was kidnapped and taken to the ice wastes.

“We live and we are strong,” Lor continued. “The Tribe of the White Dragon does not fade away!”

The barbarians cheered loudly around Kam, but Kam didn’t join them. As the assemblage broke up, Kam returned to his small tent. Once the barbarians had been sure he wouldn’t run away—as if there were some way to survive in the endless ice wastes for a city-bred boy—they had given Kam his own space. The tent was small, with barely enough room for bedding and a small wooden chest filled with the meager belongings he had accumulated in the last few weeks, but it was heavy with furs and thick woolen blankets that kept the cold and the wind out. Kam curled up in his bed, glad when his blankets began to warm with his body heat, and closed his eyes.

The barbarians were nice enough despite the fact that he couldn’t give them what they wanted. And it was better than being back in the city. Kam went to sleep with that thought firmly in mind. As much as he had disliked being kidnapped and taken to the barren north, it was still better than what he endured in the city. His thoughts focused on those times as he drifted to sleep.

«

“Kam, Kam, the witchery man,” the kids sang as Kam walked past them. He ducked his head, but otherwise kept himself from acknowledging their taunts. His mother hadn’t exactly been discreet with her passions, and lying with the resident witch had supposedly produced Kam. Since the man in question was a charlatan and his mother had never actually said he was Kam’s father before they both died…well, all that didn’t matter to everyone else. To them, Kam had witch blood, and in his part of the city, he was someone to be ridiculed.

Kam pushed his way into the small shop where he worked. The bell jingled overhead.

“Kameron, you’re late!” the harpy who was his boss screeched from behind the front counter. As usual, the place was dirty and the goods covered the shelves with haphazard organization. The sour smell that had appeared early last week had only grown worse overnight.

“Sorry, ma’am,” Kam murmured, ducking his head further as he wended his way through the mishmash stacks of random goods and into the back room. The pawnshop bought and sold everything. Sailors on leave after making the journey down the Great River came to the shop to sell what they could so they would have the funds to drink and carouse in the bars and whorehouses that also populated that part of the docks.

It was Kam’s job to clean and fix those often grimy and broken items so the owner could in turn sell them for profit to a higher quality pawnshop in the northern part of the city. It paid well for the woman, but Kam only saw a few coins a week for his work. As the witchery man he was lucky to have a job, so as much as Kam wished, there was no way he could find better prospects.

Kam worked hard for his pay, and at the end of the day his hands ached, but his quota was met. He left the shop at dusk and hurried home. He couldn’t tarry, because the docks became very dangerous after dark, and since his rent was due, he couldn’t afford to stop for dinner anyway.

He walked up the three flights of rickety stairs to his tiny apartment. It was one room, barely large enough to hold his threadbare bedding and one change of clothes, but it was a place to sleep. He had left one window cracked while he was away so the three cats that had crept in during the previous night could leave if they wished. The family of mice that lived under his floorboards were running about, so Kam was careful where he placed his feet as he walked over to collapse on his blanket.

One of the mice climbed up onto his pillow and gently nuzzled him on the nose. The mouse was hungry, too, and was probably looking for crumbs, but Kam appreciated the meager comfort his small friend could provide. Kam smiled, despite his rumbling stomach, as he slowly fell asleep.

 

Purchase

NineStar Press | Books2Read

 Amazon

 

 

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Meet the Author

When Mell Eight was in high school, she discovered dragons. Beautiful, wondrous creatures that took her on epic adventures both to faraway lands and on journeys of the heart. Mell wanted to create dragons of her own, so she put pen to paper. Mell Eight is now known for her own soaring dragons, as well as for other wonderful characters dancing across the pages of her books. While she mostly writes paranormal or fantasy stories, she has been seen exploring the real world once or twice.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

 

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Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

 

 

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 My review:

 

4.25 stars

 

 

Melting the Ice Witch by Mell Eight is Book Four in the ‘Dragon Hoard’ series, and centers around the adventures of Kam as he assimilates into the harsh society of those who live in the frozen wastes. His ability to discern what the animals around him feel makes the kidnapped man able to make a contribution to the Tribe, and encourages Lor, the leader, to value him and see him in a new light.

 

The fantasy gay romance stories in this series continue to delight and entertain. I love the way history has unfolded over the arc of these tales, and I’m always delighted when characters from previous stories pop up in the current one. The unusual dragon youth, Tori practically steals the show, with his charming combination of naivete, curiosity, and determination, and the vivid descriptions of the dangers of life in such a cold climate added to the tension and allure of the story.

 

Although it is possible to read this story as a stand-alone tale, it will be much better appreciated if the other stories in the series are read first, to get an introduction to various characters and societies. The world-building is fun and fascinating, and enhances the tales.

 

I look forward to each of these stories because they are refreshingly different takes on dragons, witches, and werewolves, and this one did a great job of weaving together many of the elements that were introduced in previous episodes. I can’t wait to find out what new adventures await.

 

A copy of this title was provided for review.

 

 

Oh! What a Pickle! by Martin L Cohen (Spotlight, review, and GIVEAWAY) GFT

 

Oh! What a Pickle!

by 

Martin L Cohen

 

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GENRE:   Children's

 

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BLURB:

 

Do you have a brother or a sister? Do you like to play games together but sometimes take things too far? Well, these two silly sisters Talia and Gabi do, and they find out the hard way what can happen when they don't control themselves and try to have too much fun!

Consumed with gluttony for a rather odd but favourite treat, their hunger for this food winds them up into a little bit of a pickle!

Can these two survive the perils of their hunger? What goes wrong? Does it get resolved?

The answers might just be found within the pages of this book!

 

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EXCERPT

 

There were two silly sisters

 

Who liked to have fun. They loved to play games, Come rain or come sun.

 

The eldest was Talia. She was aged three, She loved to wear pink As I'm sure you can see!

 

The youngest was Gabi. She was just one.

So, she still wore nappies, That covered her bum.

Together they’d run, They’d jump, and they’d sing.

They’d find laughter and nonsense In any old thing.

 

But the thing that they loved Beyond all the rest,

Was something quite odd So, you never will guess!

 

It wasn’t a doll And not a toy car.

It was something you’d get From the fridge, in a jar.

 

Once every week,

With their mum and their dad, They’d all go for dinner

At their grandparent’s pad.

 

At Poppa and Nana’s There’d be lots to eat,

And their mouths would all water For the tasty roast meat.

 

And as you’d expect, There was dessert too. But surprisingly though,

This was not the prized food!

 

So, what was this treat? What cherished food to digest?

The thing from the fridge, In the jar was the best!

 

 

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon

Bookshop

Barnes & Noble

Book Depository

 

 

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

 

Martin Cohen was born in Sydney, Australia, and is the proud and loving uncle of three adorable children and the father to his fur baby, the very handsome but cheeky Pomeranian pooch, Tinsel

Having spent many years in dull and boring office jobs, Martin decided to follow his

dreams and become more creative, and now spends his time painting, acting,

playing music, writing and, of course, taking Tinsel for lots of walks.

 

Martin attended the Conservatorium of Music High School and upon completion of

his HSC he spent a year at Sydney University before returning to the Sydney

Conservatorium to complete his Bachelor of Music degree.

 

After spending a year studying and living in the UK, Martin returned to accept full

time and freelance positions in arts administration for ensembles such as the

Australian Chamber Orchestra and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

 

While working in arts administration, Martin continued to perform as both a flutist and pianist, and recorded a number of radio recitals and programs including the complete Haydn Piano Sonatas and also the complete Flute Sonatas of J.S. Bach.

 

Martin transitioned his career into media, working at FOXTEL and later as the

National Airtime Manager for Southern Cross Austereo and then National Trading

Manager with the Australian Radio Network.

 

In 2019 Martin retired from corporate life to shift his focus towards his lifelong

passion for creative outlets. He now focuses his time on abstract painting, children’s

book writing, and acting having studied at Screenwise Australia, NIDA, Improv Theatre Sydney, and AMAW and has started working in front of the camera on innumerable productions including several TV series, short films, feature films and theatre.

 

Martin is the Principal Flutist and longest serving President of the Woollahra

Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2019 he was acknowledged with a citizen award for his

contribution to arts and culture by the Woollahra Council.

 

CONNECT WITH: Martin L Cohen Author

 

Website

 

Facebook

 

Instagram

 

YouTube

 

 

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GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The tour dates can be found here

 

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My review:

 

 

4.25 stars

 

“Oh! What a Pickle!,” written by Martin L. Cohen and illustrated by Danny Cohen, is a lyrical description of the adventures of two very young girls who are quite fond of…pickles!

 

This children’s book is whimsical and great to read aloud, with vivid rhyming word portraits. I think the story will appeal to a wide range of ages, as I could almost hear the shrieks of laughter as Talia and Gabi have so much fun indulging in their favorite item to eat.

 

The tension mounts as the fantastical change happens, and the sweet solution evokes the love that solves everything. I love the gentle lesson couched in such a fun tale, and I think adults could have great fun sharing this vibrant tale with their favorite little one.

 

A copy of this title was provided for review

 

 

 

Side Effects by LJ Greene (Spotlight, excerpt, review, and GIVEAWAY) GFT

 

 

 

 

Side Effects

 

by 

 LJ Greene

 

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GENRE:   Contemporary Romance

 

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BLURB:

 

Who can you trust?

Ally Michels is fresh out of her MBA program at Cal and has landed her dream job at hot, up-and-coming video game developer, Jet Stream Studios, all thanks to her uncle, Jet’s largest venture capital investor. She’s feeling pretty good about her future until an inadvertent blurt in a company meeting brings down upon her the dangerous attention of Jet’s co-founder and chief developer, Marcus Abby.

Beautiful, brilliant, and vicious, Marcus is every bit the arrogant, deceitful founder her uncle warned her about. But in the power-fueled world of venture capital investing, things aren’t always what they seem. When Ally finds herself caught up in a play for corporate control, she must work with Marcus to save the company and an ideal she believes in, while navigating perilous family loyalties and fighting to hold onto her own integrity.

For Ally, there’s just one rule: never, ever trust Marcus Abby. Because the one man she needs to stop a high-stakes plot is the one man who has every reason to want her gone.

Side Effects is an adult contemporary, twisty, underhanded, certainly unscrupulous . . . romance.

 

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EXCERPT

 

 

For the first time I struck a blow. I could see it in his face for just a moment, before the reaction was quickly shuttered.

 

As usual he turned the tables with another question. “What are you going to do?”

 

“What am I going to do?”

 

His response was a hard stare.

 

And then it dawned on me—the murderous look in the board meeting when I started to speak up about the game wasn’t about me. I was partially right that he didn’t want me to defend him; he didn’t want them to know what I’d seen. He was worried about that. Was still worried about it. That’s why he’d sought me out.

 

I probably should have gone to Julian. After all, I loved this job, this company. I wanted to see it succeed and to contribute to that success over many years. These charades Marcus was playing—whatever they were—could threaten everything. There was good reason to think the things they were saying about him were true. And he certainly had no love for me.

 

So maybe it was just bizarre empathy for someone who probably struggled as I did to fit in in a world that told us we had to be an athlete or a supermodel or a jokester to be considered enough. Or maybe it was because we were the same age, both fighting to be taken seriously despite the obvious handicap of our youth. Or maybe I just respected him and what he’d accomplished, even if I didn’t like him.

 

It must have been that. Some Midwest sense of fairness that said a man should be judged on the full merits of his work.

 

I was certain of one thing, if nothing else. “It’s not my place to tell them, and I won’t.”

 

Marcus studied my face, hard, as though this answer was somehow suspect. But the long, searching look wasn’t quite laced with the usual hostility. It felt surprisingly . . . unguarded.

 

“Marcus, what are you doing?”

 

But that question was one bridge too far. I saw the moment he shut down, his expression closing to something significantly more restrained. His usual.

 

So fine, whatever was going on here, whatever repercussions may come to him, this was a situation he had brought upon himself, and he had no one else to blame for it.

 

“Never mind,” I said into the silence. “You don’t trust me.”

 

 

 

Amazon

 

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

LJ Greene is a self-professed obsessive multi-tasker who writes boring stuff by day and lets her inner romantic fly by night.  This California native is married to the most amazing man and has two beautiful children, now old enough to read her books but still not interested because of the ew, gross factor. She’s an avid reader of all genres with an embarrassingly large ebook collection, and a weird penchant for reading the acknowledgements at the end of a novel.  She’s also a music lover with no apparent musical talent, a travel enthusiast, and a cheese connoisseur.

 

Website

Twitter: @authorljgreene

Facebook

 

 

 

 

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

The tour dates can be found here

 

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 My review:

 

4.25 out of 5 stars

 

 

“Side Effects” by L.J. Greene is Book 4 in the ‘Ripple Effects’ series and centers on Ally Michaels, who’s in an impossible position when she’s caught between her attractive but arrogant boss, Marcus Abby, and the machinations of the uncle who’s gotten her the position in the company.

 

This contemporary romance is part of a series, but can be appreciated just fine as a stand-alone story. The main characters are deftly portrayed, and I was drawn into the story and and tension immediately. I love that Ally is such a strong and principled character and I was invested in her struggle to do the right thing. Marcus was like an onion, and as his layers were peeled away to show his motivations and character, he became more and more attractive beyond his surface allure, hostility, and prickliness. The glimpse of the challenges of developing a new video game and the conflict between idealism and financial considerations provided wonderful facets for the story.

 

I wished for a little more depth to some of the secondary characters, and I wanted a certain jerk to get his comeuppance, but I understand that some sacrifices had to be made to keep the action flowing. I was very entertained by this story and now want to look for the previous books in the series, and I will be on the lookout for more works by this author.

 

 

A copy of this book was provided for review