Publication Day Review: Crash Site by Rachel Grant

(from Goodreads)

Fiona Carver has landed a dream assignment: conducting an archaeological inventory of Ruby Island, a privately owned, pristine gem in the Caribbean. Two months in paradise exploring and mapping a lush rain forest, vast caves, and a seventeenth-century star fort and following up on legends of hidden Spanish gold. Add a simmering reunion with wildlife photographer Dean Slater and it’s enough to take Fiona’s breath away. But the sparkle fades when Dean’s arrival is met with sudden, terrifying danger.

Reunited and determined to see the project through, Fiona and Dean find themselves in a swirl of intrigue as they delve into the complex history of the unspoiled refuge, now a tropical haven for billionaires and their secrets. But the work isn’t easy, as someone appears determined to kill the project—by any means necessary.

As betrayal casts tropical storm clouds over Ruby Island and treasured friendships dissolve into distrust, one thing becomes clear: Fiona and Dean are trapped in a dangerous paradise.

The second instalment in the Fiona Carver series doesn't disappoint and is stand-alone, although I highly recommend reading Dangerous Ground first.

Archaeologist, Fiona Carver grasps the opportunity of a lifetime and flies to Ruby Island where she's tasked to compile an inventory of artefacts amongst the caves and lush rain forests of an area rumoured to harbour hidden Spanish treasures. It's a dream come true to spend two months mapping areas of the privately owned island gem in the Caribbean. That's until, wildlife photographer, Dean Slater turns up too. It's an unexpected reunion for the pair and triggers memories of the last time they saw each other…which has left unanswered questions for them both until danger once again throws them together, only this time will they follow their hearts or turn their backs on each other once more?

The action takes place nine months after the protagonists parted ways after their time together in Alaska. The sparks of attraction are still ignited as the pair work together. Yet, there's trouble in paradise…

Action-packed and brimming with details, Ms Grant has written another winner, as she takes us on an exotic and dangerous journey as her words conjure up both beauty and the dark side to the Protagonists location. For them, it's a distraction from issues that need addressing, as sexual tension once again builds between them. Unanswered questions are left to hang as the danger surrounding them unfolds.

The ending is satisfying enough, however, there's room for thought and I wonder, is this merely a happy for now for Fiona and Dean, or is there's more to come?

4.5 stars

***arc generously received courtesy of Montlake Romance via NetGalley***

Amazon US - https://www.amazon.com/Crash-Site-Fiona-Carver-Book-ebook/dp/B095PFV9NW

Amazon UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Crash-Site-Fiona-Carver-Book-ebook/dp/B095PFV9NW

(from Goodreads)

USA Today bestselling author Rachel Grant worked for over a decade as a professional archaeologist and mines her experiences for storylines and settings, which are as diverse as excavating a cemetery underneath an historic art museum in San Francisco, survey and excavation of many prehistoric Native American sites in the Pacific Northwest, researching an historic concrete house in Virginia, and mapping a seventeenth century Spanish and Dutch fort on the island of Sint Maarten in the Netherlands Antilles.

She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and children and can be found on the web at www.Rachel-Grant.net.

Dangerous Ground by Rachel Grant

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When wildlife photographer, Dean Slater can't get in contact with his brother, Dylan, a volcanologist, he knows something isn't right. As close as brothers can be, it isn't normal for either to not inform the other of their plans. Therefore, he hatches a plan to look for his missing sibling in the last place he was known to be… The Aleutian Islands.

Intrigue and danger set against the dramatic, volcanic landscape of the Islands of the northern Pacific Ocean, Ms. Grant's descriptions of the backdrop brought this bleak wilderness to life. Additionally, the history of the indigenous Unangan, known by non-natives as the Aleut, and why their territory is of strategic importance is an unexpected inclusion leaving me feeling both enlightened for the informative details and entertained by the fast-paced, adventurous narrative.

The romance aspect is a slow burn, as Dean and Fiona fight their attraction to each other with each having a valid reason for not getting involved with the other. I enjoyed the build-up and also the ending which is to keep the reader guessing on what happens next. Yes, there is another novel to look forward to but this isn’t a cliffhanger. For the time being, a happy for now is fitting for the protagonists and allows the imagination of the reader to run wild as to what will come next.

Some time has passed since I’ve read a romantic suspense novel and Dangerous Ground has reawakened my thirst for the genre and I can't wait to read the next installment in the Fiona Carver series; Crash Site.

***arc generously received courtesy of Montlake Romance via NetGalley***

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Publication Day Spotlight & Review: Girls Before Earls by Anna Bennett

 WHAT A GIRL WANTS 

To survive her difficult childhood, Miss Hazel Lively relied on two things: a tough exterior and a love of books. Now, she’s realized her life-long dream of opening a school for girls. She’s hoping the wealthy families who summer at the shore will entrust their daughters to Bellehaven Academy—and help pay for less fortunate students. All Hazel must do is maintain a flawless reputation. It’s a foolproof plan…till a handsome earl strides into her office.

WHAT AN EARL NEEDS 

Gabriel Beckett, Earl of Bladenton, has had a monstrous headache since the day his teenaged niece became his ward. She’s already been expelled from two London schools, but Blade is determined to enroll her at Bellehaven Academy, where she’ll be out of his hair. If only he can convince the buttoned-up—and unexpectedly intriguing—headmistress to take a risk.

LEAD TO AN IRRESISTIBLE DEAL

Blade makes an offer that’s impossible for Hazel to refuse, but she has one condition: the earl must visit his niece every other week. Soon, Blade discovers there’s more to Hazel than meticulous lessons. Their sparring leads to flirtation…and something altogether deeper. But the passion that flares between them poses a threat to Hazel’s school and Blade’s battered heart. They say a good thing can’t last forever, but true love? Well, it just might…

After reading My Mistletoe Beau by this author, I jumped at the opportunity to read her next novel; the first instalment in her new Rogues to Lovers series.

Hazel Lively, is a woman who wants to help those less fortunate than herself, although her own background and upbringing were tough. Now, as a twenty-eight-year-old spinster, she's finally trying to fulfil her dream and opens Bellehaven Academy of Deportment in the coastal town of Bellehaven Bay. However, the success of the school hangs precariously as she juggles the roles of teacher and fundraiser, until Gabriel Beckett, Earl of Bladenton enrols his troublesome, teenage ward into her school.

The Earl of Bladenton, "Blade", is at his wits end after his niece, Kitty is expelled from yet another school in London. So, he decides to enrol her at Bellehaven Academy, a school far away from London simply because 'out of sight, out of mind' is the best solution for both of them… or is it? When he meets the woman who runs the establishment, it triggers an unexpected response; one which questions his plans for the future.

Although well written, this novel didn't manage to hit the spot for me. The actions of the heroine didn't seem either fitting or appropriate, at times. Additionally, I didn't feel I was reading a story set in Regency England. Yet, the narrative is surprisingly addictive and keeps you wanting to turn the pages to read more. The protagonists, Hazel and Blade are likeable enough, but it's Kitty who steals the show, as we see how the young woman embraces life at her new school and thrives.

Overall, I feel confident Ms. Bennett's legion fans will adore Girls Before Earls and look forward to future novels in the series. Despite my own personal reservations, this is a highly entertaining novel with an enticing plot and intriguing characters.

***arc generously received courtesy of St Martin's Paperbacks via NetGalley***

AMAZON UK               AMAZON US

Anna Bennett is the award-winning author of the Debutante Diaries and Wayward Wallflowers series. Her dream of writing romance began during a semester in London, where she fell in love with the city, its history, and its pubs. Now Anna's living happily-ever-after in Maryland with her family, who try valiantly not to roll their eyes whenever she quotes Jane Austen.