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LIFE

Michelle recs 'Last Chance Reunion,' 'The Love Sessions,' 'The Wild Life'

Michelle Monkou
USA TODAY

Join me every week as I share a few shout-outs on romance author goings-on, related events and recommended reads.

Book review

Last Chance Reunion by Linda Conrad

Linda Conrad's final two stories of the Chance family have been collected under one cover — Last Chance Reunion. The two stories include Texas Cold Case, which features Colt Chance, who involuntarily returns to Texas to rehabilitate, while Texas Lost and Found focuses on the reunion of the youngest, missing Chance child with the family.

Here are the blurbs, courtesy of publisher Harlequin Romantic Suspense:

Texas Cold Case: Determined to solve the cold case of his mother's murder Colt Chance returns home to Texas. Turns out the new deputy sheriff is the woman who broke his heart. But when someone targets Lacie, Colt'll have to decide between the vengeance he seeks and protecting the one he still loves…

Texas Lost and Found: After witnessing a murder, firefighter Nina Martinez finds an ally in medic Josh White. On the run, they discover that Nina is the long-missing Chance sister, Cami. Will Cami embrace the love from Josh and her real family before it's too late?

Conrad is a master at her craft of blending, at just the right dosage, suspense with romance. She manages to make the characters jump off the page with bold, yet touching, heart-wrenching angst. I loved Colt — hunky and determined with a beautiful heart.

The baby of the family, Cami, needed a longer a story. With a backstory of a child kidnapping and a tumultuous upbringing, these emotional issues deserved additional pages. Given Conrad's ability to write powerful, emotional scenes, I'm confident that she delivered. Cami was put through the wringer, and she certainly deserved a turn to the bright side of life.

Book review

The Love Sessions by Tia Kelly

An intriguing novel with romantic elements, The Love Sessions examines the impact and consequences of the all-important vows made between couples — four! The good thing about this large cast is that the couples are easily distinguishable, and their journeys are all unique.

Here's the blurb, courtesy of the author:

After a whirlwind courtship, Eric West and Shelby Bryan elope. When their love loses its shine, the toll it takes on their marriage leads them down a detrimental path. Secrets brought Terrence Baker and Alexis Norwood together and now secrets threaten to tear them apart. Donovan Sinclair adores his wife, Mya, and lives to make her happy. Until one day, the one marital vow they never imagined experiencing ends it all – death. Keri Waters arrives to the Poconos ready to pick a wedding date with her fiancé, but when she meets Nathan Garrett, she learns how it really feels to have a man love, honor and cherish her.

Eight people discover the hard way that wedding vows are meant to be more than just words while attending a premarital retreat in the Pennsylvania Poconos with therapist Dr. Savannah Harper.

Author Tia Kelly wrapped up the characters' stories that were introduced in the prequels: Love's Rebound, Give Me You and Save Me From You. I have my favorite couple, but I'll let you select your fave. Selecting my fave wasn't difficult because Kelly has a knack for writing narrative that takes you by the wrist and leads you into powerful, emotional scenes.

The couples' journeys start from rock bottom with seemingly no way out. Agonizing step after agonizing step, they climb the mountain of life and mature into their love. Yet there is hope as each character faces obstacles to triumph. With the hypnotic quality in Kelly's storytelling, the various relationships provide models of success and that the labors of love are worthy and can strengthen the bond. Author Tia Kelly makes her mark.

Book review

The Wild Life by Stacy-Deanne

Stacy-Deanne does it again with another installment of that feisty Brianna Morris in The Wild Life. The story starts at 60 mph and hits the expressway in a steady pace with juicy twists and turns with heady, sexual tension and kick-butt suspense. Jump on the bandwagon for a thrilling ride.

Here's the blurb, courtesy of Peace in the Storm Publishing:

When Albany Detective Brianna "Bree" Morris learns that Cuban crime lord Milan Varela wants her estranged father dead, she heads off to Miami to find out why. With Homicide Detective Jayce Matthews and her ex-lover Detective Steven Kemp she devises a plot to get close to the Varela organization.

Brianna finds herself attracted to the older Milan and falls deep into his web of seduction while fighting to keep her mind on her mission. Milan is equally drawn to Brianna and vows to win her trust and her heart.

Is Milan really the villain when it comes to Brianna's father? Or is he the victim?

Is Brianna's father really in danger or is there more to the story than anyone could ever imagine?

Brianna risks her life to save her father's but will she end up losing her own?

Events in the books community

Here are the nominees for the ninth annual African American Literary Awards Show. The awards show will take place on Sept. 26 in New York. Voting starts Friday. Go to literaryawardshow.com to start the voting process.

Romance nominees include:

Celeste Norfleet, Mine at Last

Brenda Jackson, Bachelor Unclaimed

Francis Ray, All I Ever Wanted

Rochelle Alers, Haven Creek

Donna Hill, What Mother Never Told Me

Good luck, ladies!

Michelle Monkou celebrates her recent Kimani release, Passionate Game, available at major retailers and online. Her website is MichelleMonkou.blogspot.com.

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