This book is one of the few so far in this series that has really given me the shivers.  I do like crime procedural TV shows so it takes something to creep me out like Origin in Death did.  Things start off normal with Eve interviewing a starlet who was beaten by her lover right before she killed him with a knife, but then the story is thrown for a loop when a doctor is killed in his office at the very hospital Eve is visiting.  This begins a complex and eventually shiver-inducing mystery into the reason behind the good doctor's death.

Eve really has to dig into the deeper realms of human motivation and how far someone will go to reach their ultimate goals.  I was impressed with her careful handling of the sensitive situation especially when her own past trauma kept rearing its head.  I also liked the fact that she was determined to do right by the people who had been hurt (physically and emotionally) by the Doctors Icove.  The In Death series takes place in 2059, but it doesn't always give me a sci-fi feel despite the advanced technology and off-planet discussions.  Origin in Death is definitely one that emphasizes the futuristic setting with the advances of medical technology as well as the ethics behind such knowledge.

While Eve is handling this complicated case, she is also dealing with the fact that Thanksgiving is approaching and many of Roarke's newly discovered family members are coming over from Ireland.  It is rare to see the suave Roarke in a state of discomfort and I liked getting to see more proof that he is actually human.  There are also, of course, plenty of interesting interactions with side characters.   I especially enjoyed seeing Eve and Dr. Mira have an argument regarding medical ethics and the Doctors Icove's real motives.  And I have to mention the hilarious scene where Eve, Peabody, Mavis, Nadine, and Louise all have a spa treatment day with terrifying Trina, one of the few people Eve is genuinely afraid of.

All in all, another successful (if a bit freaky) installment in the series.  Susan Ericksen brings her impeccable narration to the table for a story that grabs you by the collar and doesn't let go until the last page.

Talk Sweetly To Me is a novella that concludes the fascinating Brothers Sinister series by Courtney Milan. This is a series that really stands out to me in terms of its character development, attention to historical detail, and, of course, sweet romance. Things finish up in this world with the story of Rose Sweetly and Stephen Shaughnessy which is not my favorite of Milan's romances, but still stands out in this oft-saturated genre.

Stephen is introduced to readers in The Suffragette Scandal as the son of Irish Catholics who works as a freelance writer for Frederica Marshall's newspaper. He specializes in satire on political issues and rights debates of the day. Stephen is also known to be a womanizer who doesn't seem capable of settling down. Like all of the heroines in this series, Rose is a woman who feels out of place. She is an English woman of African descent which automatically makes her a social outcast. She also happens to be a mathematical genius who would rather spend her time computing complicated equations than shopping.

Rose and Stephen meet each other before this novella even begins due to the fact that they are next door neighbors. I absolutely loved their interactions and how they challenged one another. I did think that the romance moved pretty quick due to the shorter page length. I really wish that this had been a full-length story so that the development would have seemed a bit smoother. But, it was still a sweet love story that forced both characters to take a chance on a life they never thought they would have. Plus I got to learn a bit about tracking comets and the lost art of people as computers rather than machines.

All in all, Talk Sweetly To Me is another unorthodox historical romance from an author who is definitely not afraid to take risks. The writing is concise and the message is subtle yet powerful. I look forward to seeing what Courtney Milan does next.

I received a free e-ARC of this book from Courtney Milan via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Lincoln O'Neill, an IT worker at a newspaper whose main job duty is to reader workers' emails that have been flagged as inappropriate, is the protagonist.  He is years removed from college and still isn't sure what he wants from his life.  So, while he claims to be figuring it out, he works the graveyard shift at the newspaper and lives with his mother. While there is a small amount of romance, Lincoln's development from unassuming tech worker to confident man is the main focus of the book.  I loved his character and found him very relatable with his devotion to his family, his discomfort with normal social situations, and his joy in playing Dungeons and Dragons with his long-time friends.

Until the end, readers do not meet Beth and Jennifer outside of their email exchanges.  I thought this was a genius way to help us understand how Lincoln could fall for someone without ever seeing them or having a conversation with them.  I found myself fully invested in Jennifer's indecision regarding children, Beth's issues with her commitment-phobic boyfriend, and their genuine friendship.

Another plot point of Attachments is the end of the twentieth century and the phenomenon known as Y2K.  As someone who clearly remembers this time period, I couldn't help but laugh at the paranoia going around the technology department.  It was just interesting to read a book that deliberately takes place in a specific year that isn't too far from the present.  I thought the setting helped set the tone of the whole story with the email policing and the unknown associated with the impending new year.

Overall, I found this book to be an absolute joy to read!  The characters were richly detailed and so easy to relate to.  The plot moved along at a slow pace, but it never felt like it was dragging.  The romance (while it wasn't the focus) was very sweet and fit with what I knew of Rainbow Rowell's writing style.  I highly recommend this for anyone who wants to try a Rainbow Rowell novel or is just into an unconventional look at romance at the beginning of the Digital Age.

Rock star romances definitely aren't my cup of tea, but I love Nalini Singh's paranormal romances so I had to give this one a chance.  Ms. Singh has never let me down with her Psy-Changeling books and I'm happy to say that this first book in the Rock Kiss series was much better than I expected.

Molly Webster is the daughter of a disgraced (and deceased) politician who is determined to avoid scandal at all costs.  She has developed a comfortable life as a librarian and is willing to continue with that lifestyle.  But, things begin to change when she meets rock star Zachary Fox (known as Fox) at a party and the chemistry between them erupts without warning.  Fox, for his part, is attracted to Molly from the moment he saw her and is willing to do anything to keep her in his life.  Readers are then sent on a fast-paced ride through the fragile beginnings of their relationship to their adjustments to living as a couple in the spotlight.

I absolutely loved Molly's character.  She is very hesitant with hooking up with Fox because of her bad experience with the tabloids after her father's scandal.  But, she quickly shows that she is a strong-willed woman who is intrigued by Fox and wants to see how things go.  Fox is an amazing hero.  I am always excited to read a romance where the hero falls first and is actively pursuing the more reluctant heroine.  The rock star element really worked for him though I'm not sure if I would classify him as a bad boy.  He's too much of a gentleman for that.

The first half of Rock Addiction deals with Molly and Fox's early days as a couple while the latter half deals with the drama associated with being in the media while falling in love.  The second part was easily my favorite because it showed that there is always more to the story after the cliched HEA.   I also liked the development of the rest of the band members and their relationship with each other.  They are obviously going to be the backbone of this series and I look forward to learning more about them in the future installments.

Though I was hesitant about this book at first, I'm glad I gave it a chance.  Nalini Singh showed me that she can do more than just impeccable paranormal romance.  The characters are well-written and the romance was super steamy.  I can't wait to read more of this series!

I received a free copy of this book from TKA Distribution via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Talk Sweetly To Me is a novella that concludes the fascinating Brothers Sinister series by Courtney Milan.  This is a series that really stands out to me in terms of its character development, attention to historical detail, and, of course, sweet romance.  Things finish up in this world with the story of Rose Sweetly and Stephen Shaughnessy which is not my favorite of Milan's romances, but still stands out in this oft-saturated genre.

Stephen is introduced to readers in The Suffragette Scandal as the son of Irish Catholics who works as a freelance writer for Frederica Marshall's newspaper.  He specializes in satire on political issues and rights debates of the day.  Stephen is also known to be a womanizer who doesn't seem capable of settling down.  Like all of the heroines in this series, Rose is a woman who feels out of place.  She is an English woman of African descent which automatically makes her a social outcast.  She also happens to be a mathematical genius who would rather spend her time computing complicated equations than shopping.

Rose and Stephen meet each other before this novella even begins due to the fact that they are next door neighbors.  I absolutely loved their interactions and how they challenged one another.  I did think that the romance moved pretty quick due to the shorter page length. I  really wish that this had been a full-length story so that the development would have seemed a bit smoother.  But, it was still a sweet love story that forced both characters to take a chance on a life they never thought they would have.  Plus I got to learn a bit about tracking comets and the lost art of people as computers rather than machines.

All in all, Talk Sweetly To Me is another unorthodox historical romance from an author who is definitely not afraid to take risks.  The writing is concise and the message is subtle yet powerful.  I look forward to seeing what Courtney Milan does next.

I received a free copy of this book from Courtney Milan via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.