On Tour: Crisis of Serenity by Denise Moncrief - Review + Giveaway

Denise Moncrief is now on tour with CLP Blog Tours with her book, Crisis of Serenity. Please visit her page for more blog stops and a chance to win $25 Amazon Gift Card.

Crisis of Serenity (Crisis #2)
by Denise Moncrief

Genre: Romance, Suspense

Publication: July 2014

Format: ebook

Source: ARC, CLP Blog Tours

Connect: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon

Tess Copeland lives a quiet life in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Thanks to the government’s witness protection program, she enjoys the freedom of never having to glance over her shoulder to see if someone is following her. Life has become safe, serene...and boring. Her heart longs for something more than just existing...until a ghost from her past shatters her serenity.

Once upon a time, Tess was caught between the FBI and the men the feds were trying to take down. Jake Coleman is the U.S. Marshal who extracted her from the jam she was in with the FBI, a man she could have fallen for...hard...if she had let herself. It’s been a year since she last saw Jake, and in all the months that have passed, he’s never tried to find her. The longer he keeps his distance, the more she wonders why his absence hurts so much.

When a stranger comes to town searching for her, all of Tess’ old fears are resurrected. Asking Jake for help with her current crisis might lure him into a dangerous trap involving murder, kidnapping, and revenge. When Jake and Tess come face-to-face with the past, they will have to use all their wits to survive.

I received a copy of  Crisis of Serenity by Denise Moncrief from the author/CLP Blog Tours as part of the book tour.

I didn’t expect that I would like this book so much, but I did. Tess Copeland was in the witness protection program and she was living in a quiet life in Gaitlinburg. One day, Tess found out that someone was searching for her. When Tess found out that her niece was kidnapped from her daycare, Tess had to ask for help from Jake, the U.S. Marshal who extracted her from the jam she was in with the FBI.

I haven’t read the first book of the series yet, but that doesn’t stop me from enjoying this book. The writing was really easy to get into and the story line was very exciting. I couldn’t stop reading the book and find out what will happen to Tess. Tess was a likeable heroine. She’s smart, brave and sassy. I love how she handled herself and the situation around her. The other characters made the book more exciting.  I enjoyed the romance between Tess and Jake. It was interesting to see how their relationship grew.

This book was worth reading. It had an interesting plot, packed with suspense,  a bit of humor, drama and a few twists. I look forward to read the other work from Denise Moncrief. 

Author Bio:

Want to know a little bit more about Denise? She's a Southern girl who has lived in Louisiana all her life, and yes, she has a drawl. She has a wonderful husband and two incredible children, who not only endure her writing moods, but also encourage her to indulge her writing passion. Besides writing romantic suspense, she enjoys traveling, reading, and scrapbooking.

Accounting is a skill she has learned to earn a little money to support her writing habit. She wrote her first story when she was a teen, seventeen handwritten pages on school-ruled paper and an obvious rip-off of the last romance novel she had read. She's been writing off and on ever since, and with more than a few full-length manuscripts already completed, she has no desire to slow down.

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Book Review: Warrior

Warrior (The Blades of the Rose #1)

by Zoe Archer

Genre: adventure, historical-romance, paranormal, romance

Publication: September 2010

Format: ebook, 384 pages

Warrior is definitely one of the romance books I enjoyed. Probably the best historical romance I’ve read so far. I love the combination of adventure, romance, action, magic and a bit of humor in it. It has a little bit of something that makes it perfect.

I don’t usually enjoy historical romance. When Zoe Archer combined the romance with adventure and action, I’m hooked! I definitely enjoyed the storyline. Thalia has finally had an opportunity to get the status as the blades of rose. Along the way, Gabriel joins in her journey to protect her from the heirs. Their journey was full of adventure and magic, which made the book enjoyable. And let’s not forget that steamy scene between Gabriel and Thalia at the oasis.

I love the character, Thalia Burgess and Captain Gabriel Huntley. I love how their relationship evolved from the beginning. Together, they are perfect. Thalia is a damsel in a distress, but she’s also tough. I love how Thalia and Gabriel both protect each other. That they are fighting side by side. They complimented each other. Like Gabriel said,

"She and I are like flint and gunpowder. Each are strong, but together, they're explosive." "We're bow and the string. Useless alone, but strong together."

I’m looking forward to the next book of the series. Especially as there’s the mention of the of Bennet from the second book,  and Catullus from the fourth book.

Book Cover’s Description

To most people, the realm of magic is the stuff of nursery rhymes and dusty libraries. But for Capt. Gabriel Huntley, it's become quite real and quite dangerous. . .In Hot Pursuit. . .

The vicious attack Capt. Gabriel Huntley witnesses in a dark alley sparks a chain of events that will take him to the ends of the Earth and beyond--where what is real and what is imagined become terribly confused. And frankly, Huntley couldn't be more pleased. Intrigue, danger, and a beautiful woman in distress--just what he needs.

In Hotter Water. . .

Raised thousands of miles from England, Thalia Burgess is no typical Victorian lady. A good thing, because a proper lady would have no hope of recovering the priceless magical artifact Thalia is after. Huntley's assistance might come in handy, though she has to keep him in the dark. But this distractingly handsome soldier isn't easy to deceive. . .

Book Review: The Holmes Affair

Title: The Holmes Affair

Author: Graham Moore

Genre: Crime & Thriller, Mystery, action, adventure

Publication: 2011

Rating: 3/5

A Brutal Killer

Sherlock Holmes' famous creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, has a new obsession: a brutal killer who is preying on young and vulnerable woman. Conan Doyle is roaming the dark streets of Victorian London hunting a man who is determined to evade capture.

A Missing Diary

As his search continues, Conan Doyle records the clues the killer leaves behind in a private diary — a diary that, 100 years later, has never been found.

A Deadly Secret

Enter Sherlock Holmes' fanatic, Harold White, who must find the missing diary — and in so doing discover a secret that Conan Doyle risked everything to hide...

I have always been a fan of mystery/detective novel ever since I was very little. I couldn't resist myself to buy this The Holmes Affair when I saw the book on the display.

This book is written in two plots —  one in 1900 and one in 2010, with each story switching after each chapters. The first plot run with Arthur Conan Doyle investigating a murder back in 1900, and the second story with Harold White, a Holmes' fan in searching for Conan Doyle missing diary.

I found that the alternating chapters quite interesting. I find myself much more interested with Harold's mission in finding Conan Doyle's diary. It was fun, adventurous and suspense as compared to Conan Doyle investigation in 1900. I wasn't really satisfied with how the author conclude Conan Doyle investigation. I thought that it was too easy. But, I understand how hard it is to write a mystery fiction (since I have attempt to write one myself). 

Overall, this was an enjoyable read. I would recommend this book to mystery-adventure fans.

According to some source, The Holmes Affair and The Sherlockian are the same novel with different title.