Must-read romances: 'Broken Juliet,' 'Be Afraid,' 'Echoes'
Broken Juliet by Leisa Rayven
Broken Juliet is the sequel to Bad Romeo, in which Leisa Rayven introduced us to Cassie Taylor and Ethan Holt, two young actors who originally met in acting school at a prestigious arts academy. Both have exceptional, natural talent and their chemistry was evident onstage as well as off. That off-stage chemistry evolved into an intense, tempestuous love affair that was emotionally destructive for Cassie. Ethan is the love of Cassie's, life but as she continues to tell us her story and we learn what he did to her, we understand why seeing him again after three years is so painful. Ethan wants Cassie back, but he knows earning her forgiveness and trust will require patience along with significant groveling.
This man represents so many things to me. He was my first true friend. My first love. First lover. The master of more pleasure than I knew existed, and the architect of more heartache than I thought I could endure.
It seems almost impossible to translate all of those men into the one he wants to be. The one who just wants to be a single thing to me.
Mine.
When you thoroughly enjoy a well-written story and look forward to its sequel, sometimes there's trepidation about whether the next book will meet expectations. With Broken Juliet, Leisa Rayven meets and exceeds the high bar she set in Bad Romeo. The dual timeline established in the first book continues in the second as Cassie reflects on the next stage of her relationship with Ethan when their love affair intensified and became very rocky during their days at the academy. Her memories and the consequences of his actions during that time explain her reactions and conflicted feelings toward Ethan in present day.
Cassie tells her story in first person, but Leisa Rayven shows creativity and talent by allowing us a peek inside Ethan's extensive personal journals where he poured his heart out regarding his feelings for Cassie. The journals give us understanding as to why he felt unworthy of her love and treated her so badly.
Broken Juliet has a fair share of angst and heartbreak, but the dialogue is sprinkled with sharp, witty, absolutely hilarious banter, which assists in giving dimension to the story. Bad Romeo concluded with a cliffhanger, but happily, Broken Juliet ties off the story arcs in fine fashion, leaving this reader very satisfied. What Ethan does to win Cassie back is definitely sigh-worthy — he proves he's the good Romeo she deserves. ;)
If you enjoy a heartwarming unique New Adult romance, Broken Juliet is highly recommended. This book and Bad Romeo are keepers. As Broken Juliet is a continuation of the first story, it is important to read the books in order. Leisa Rayven's next book is Ethan's sister Elissa's story, and it's definitely one to look forward, too.
Be Afraid by Mary Burton
The skeletal remains of a young child are discovered in Nashville, and newly minted homicide Detective Rick Morgan and his partner, Jake Bishop, are assigned the case. Examination determines the child was a little girl, and it's evident her death was due to violence. However, with no idea what she looked like, identifying her and solving her murder seems unlikely.
After dealing with a traumatic call involving a child-abuse victim, Baltimore police officer and respected forensic artist Jenna Thompson's own elusive memories of a life-changing childhood traumatic event are triggered. Her fleeting memories raise questions she cannot ignore so she takes leave from work and returns to Nashville where she lived until she was 5.
Rick comes from a family of cops and his sister Georgia is a member of the forensics team handling the little girl's case. Georgia knows Jenna is in town, calls in a favor and enlists her help to re-create the little girl's image, which will give the investigators a better chance of solving her murder. As Jenna begins work, Rick and Jake are called to the scene of a house fire where the charred remains of a woman are discovered. The evidence confirms the house fire was not accidental and the woman was murdered. And it's only the beginning.
Jenna is a tough, experienced cop who calls it like it is and doesn't tolerate interference in her forensic work. She is pretty fierce and holds her own when matched against any of her male peers. She's also very private, and Rick can't figure her out. Why is she in Nashville? Is she hiding something?
Be Afraid is vintage Mary Burton. You will be drawn into a complex, riveting story with more than one plot line, surprises and white-knuckle suspense with a capital S. Her characters are wicked smart, but it becomes clear early on in the narrative that they are dealing with an insane, diabolical serial killer. Readers will be on tenterhooks waiting to see if Rick and Jake will be able figure out the killer's next move and protect his next unsuspecting victim.
Burton's storylines are finely tuned and no stone is unturned as she escalates the danger and conflict. These characters become consumed by the cases they are working, but they also deal with relatable personal and family issues, which gives them substance and depth.
And we can't forget Tracker, Rick's amazing canine who holds a pivotal and very special role in the story.
A romance evolves between Jenna and Rick, but this novel is best defined as a crime fiction/thriller with romantic elements.
Be Afraid is a nail-biter, and if you like a gritty, fast-paced suspense that will send chills down your spine, it's well worth a try.
I'm hoping Mary Burton writes a story for Jake Bishop: He's a standout secondary character … an alpha male with attitude. ;)
Echoes by Laura Curtis
Travel writer Callie Pearson journeys to St. Martins for a stay at the exclusive, five-star Paradis de la Mer resort. Her intent is to see if it measures up to the hype and write an article for a travel magazine. However, her purposes for visiting the island are twofold as Callie has stumbled across a secret that brings her family origins into question, and she believes Paradis de la Mer may hold the answers. Callie's welcome to the resort is less than warm, particularly from the intimidating head of security, Mac Brody.
The man was too close, too big. He stood with his back to the door, so that her first impression was of an impenetrable void rimmed in bright light. Closer examination proved no more comforting.
A gun rode in a holster threaded onto his belt, a silent, matte black threat. In a separate holster, the man wore a walkie-talkie, which probably meant the gate guard had called him. But why? What threat could she possibly pose?
When Mac lays eyes on Callie, he is immediately suspicious as she is a dead ringer for his missing wife, Nicole. Callie is intelligent, resourceful and strong, so while her initial meeting with Mac is confrontational, she doesn't allow him to intimidate her. Their interaction is intense, fiery and laced with palpable sexual tension.
Mac has a history with the military and then went into policing, so he pays mind to his finely honed instincts. He soon realizes that Callie is very different from his wife, but their similarity in appearance and the fact that she arrived on the heels of Nicole's disappearance have red flags rising. Then evidence is found indicating Nicole has likely been murdered, and Mac is the prime suspect as he and his wife were about to divorce.
Echoes rips! Laura Curtis has written a multipronged, riveting storyline that includes a very scary sociopathic serial killer whose victims suffer an extremely gruesome death. Readers will become even more intrigued by the introduction of a high-tech security company that is out to thwart a group of very evil international baddies with ties to the resort. Yep, get ready for murder and mayhem.
Due to the complexity of the plot, this read could have been convoluted and confusing. However, Curtis ties all the threads into a neat bow. The plot is fast-paced and packed full of stunning revelations, particularly with regard to Callie's parentage. And, as the danger escalates, things heat up between Callie and Mac, so you can look forward to romance along with the suspense. It's worth noting that Mac has some enticing alpha male former military buddies who you will long to see more of … particularly Travis. ;)
If you like an action-packed, thrilling romantic suspense, Laura Curtis' Echoes is one to add to your list.
Lea Franczak cannot remember a time when she didn't have a book in her hand. She's read and enjoyed multiple genres but is especially partial to contemporary and erotic romance, dark gritty romantic suspense, paranormal romance and has recently become a New Adult junkie. Lea has been blogging and reviewing since 2008 and is also HEA's Tweeter Extraordinaire. Follow HEA on Twitter (@HEAusatoday).