ireadloudnmynook's reviews
185 reviews

Shore Lodge: A high-stakes psychological thriller by Susan Specht Oram

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book was a super easy read and EVERY page was riveting!  I found myself getting spooked by the imagery from the author!  I felt like I was right there at Shore Lodge with her fighting for my own freedom!  This story was one that while reading I felt like the author was able to make the story quite realistic.  I was surprised at the ending!  This was a GREAT GREAT book to read.  I look forward to reading more thrillers from this author and others like her!

Bees in Loretta's Bonnet by Lois Wickstrom

hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

5.0

I thought this book was really cute!  I think my favorite part is the way that Loretta was so inclined to find out more about the bees. The author did great at showing us a new character and also making sure we learned something as well. I also love the tutorial at the end of the book. 

The Hawke Family Comple Collection by Gwyn McNamee

challenging emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

4.0

This entire collection is a really great series to read!  You start with learning a bit about the main characters in this family, the lust that drives them, and SO many crazy secrets!  If there is one thing each member of each story is known for it is the secrets they fail to keep!  The author does her job of making the reader invest in the lives of each character in the series, but within each book drawing a focus on the leads.  It makes for interesting reading time, and the ending of the collection will have you shocked and ready for more!  

Steele Resolve: A Hawke Family Novel by Gwyn McNamee

fast-paced

5.0

The author has given yet ANOTHER layer of complexity to this Hawke family, and I was in shock by the end of book 6!  This was one of the best of the series in this collection, and it is only a novella!  We learn about the boss, Steele, and how he has an amazing night with this guy, Byron.  Of course, the secrets of his involvement in the mafia, and Byron's connection to the Hawke family get Steele pressed into a corner.  It always seems that these incredibly steamy romances cause the main character of the story to have a dangerous decision to make!  You will be thoroughly surprised at the craftiness of the author once you hit the ending!  Do not forget to read all of the other books in the collection!  I hit my aha moment a few times once i concluded the series!

Tainted Saint by Gwyn McNamee

4.0

In true Hawke Family Collection fashion, we have more weaved romances in book 5!  This is the first novella in the collection, and in it we learn about Saint, the bouncer from the club, who has a crush on Caroline!  Little does she know, her identity is not quite concealed at the masquerade ball and she is also full of lust for Saint!  Get ready for the thrill ride as these two run into each other and create a tornado of their immeasurable lust!  Another great one in the series!  Don't forget to read the others FIRST!

Building Storm: (a Hawke Family Novel) by Gwyn McNamee

challenging emotional sad tense medium-paced

4.0

Book 4 brings the first three books together, in a tough tragic time for Storm, but we must not forget that the weave of romance is deep in the Hawke Family.  Storm must deal with the death in the family that has struck her so tough, in the midst of getting her life back together.  Her life is indeed in shambles, however she runs into yet another beautiful man in this series of books.  Landon is escaping his own personal hell and comes across the beautiful Storm.  Their lives become intertwined and their own love story ensues.  A chance meeting at a party brings this unlikely pair together, and their bond brings much more drama to the family than ever before!  This was a really emotional book! 

Stone Sober: (A Hawke Family Novel) by Gwyn McNamee

challenging emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

In book 3 of The Hawke Family Series, the author keeps with the pace of family, love, romance, and more secrets!  Nora is a stripper, we learn about her sister and brother in law in book 1, and is off limits to Stone!  She is the younger sister of his sister in law, and that won't stop him from loving her.  In the midst of her claimed profession, she is still so innocent and has a purity about her, that normally he would take advantage of!  With Nora, however, he wants so much more.  Unfortunately his past haunts him.  Take time and delve into the story of these two as we continue to unfold the Hawke Family Story.

Tortured Skye: A Hawke Family Novel by Gwyn McNamee

challenging emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

In book 2 of the Hawke family collection, we learn a bit more about the characters in the story.  Just like real life, the tangled webs we weave seem to be endless! Gabe is Savage's right hand man at the strip club-but ALSO his best friend!  Well, after the lies and secrets in Savage's story, we are led to Gabe and his own book of lies.  How could he fall in love with his best friend's sister?  How could he even think of starting a relationship with her knowing the trauma she has faced in her life?  Continue this second story and dig deeper into the struggles of love and more steamy romance!

Savage Collision by Gwyn McNamee

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This couple meets unexpectedly when Danika walks into her brilliant sister's strip club owner's office to protest him tainting her life!  Little did she know, he would devastate her with his good looks-and blow her natural mind!  Savage holds a secret that will blow Danika's mind just as much as yours, as the reader, but of course it doesn't end there. The layers in the first book in this series are enough to fill you up for the full series!  Get ready to read a steamy but FULL story about these two!

Night Hawke by Gwyn McNamee

adventurous emotional hopeful tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I was not ready when I started this book!  So far this is the second title I’ve read from this author-the first was book 1 in the Hawke Collection and I’m hooked-and it was one I didn’t want to put down!  This is a steamy story about the heir to the Hawke throne-and his sexually explicit adventures prior to stepping into his new role. He meets an incredible woman why he just wants to physically enjoy…but isn’t it like attraction to every once in awhile give us the time of our lives with an unexpected love connection?  This author takes to put on a ride from his point of view and it is wild!  I won’t give it away but you’ve got to read to see what happens to this  inseparable pair!