Storm of Attraction (Willowdale #1)

Alexa Wolving has just one rule: never give a guy a second chance. That works just fine in the safe life she’s built. In the charming town of Willowdale, her day job as a librarian balances perfectly with her evening job as a black belt instructor. But when she attracts the attention of a stalker, Alexa’s carefully built world begins to crumble.

Drew Cosimo knows he broke Alexa’s heart five years ago when he took his first Ranger assignment and disappeared from her life. Now that he’s out of the army, he’s moving back home to Willowdale. He’s not looking for a fight, but making peace would be easier if Alexa hadn’t told the entire town he was a money-grubbing jerk. Despite the tension between them, Drew is quick to offer his protection when a stalker forces Alexa from her home.

As the stalker’s attacks escalate, Alexa and Drew are forced to face their painful past and the simmering attraction between them. They must fight to save each other before everything they care about goes up in flames.

*May Contain Spoilers*

Lily Black introduces her Willowdale series with it's first installment, Storm of Attraction. In this small town, everyone knows everyone and gossip spreads quickly. But there's one person hiding in plain sight, stalking main character Alexa, with hopes of teaching her a dangerous lesson. 

Alexa is a librarian by day and a martial arts instructor by night. Her two career choices demonstrate her intelligence as well as her athletic ability. Readers will enjoy Alexa's dedication to her self, as they also notice she seems to hide in her careers. Her rule of never giving a guy a second chance, keeps her on the edge of the dating pool. And her past experience with Drew Cosimo allows readers to see how she's still suffering from a broken heart that is still healing after five years. While her past will give readers an initial emotional connection, the fact that she has a stalker will also bring readers to her side as the fear continuously rises. At first, Alexa wasn't frightened of the anonymous person leaving her gifts. She chalked it up to a nice student or a friendly neighbor. But when her tire is purposely slashed, it seems the stalker's game just rose to the next level. 

This action brings Drew back into Alexa's life. Drew has just finished his career as an Army Ranger and has decided to move back to Willowdale to open up his own mixed martial arts training center. When Drew learns of Alexa's stalker, his protective feelings for her kick into overdrive as he promises to protect her. His strength, courage, and caring nature are highlighted for readers to witness. Even though he broke Alexa's heart in the past, readers learn his side of the story and are able to forgive him with hopes that Alexa can forgive him too. 

The main plot of Storm of Attraction is the blossoming relationship between Alexa and Drew while they try to figure out who her stalker could be. The situations escalate quickly from gifts to attempted murder, pushing Alexa into a constant state of fear and Drew into a worried state of protectiveness. All the while, Alexa is learning about the more mature Drew, the Drew that has grown up through his tour as an Army Ranger and the Drew that regrets how he treated Alexa five years before. Also, importantly, through this frightening situation, Alexa also learns about herself and why she's shut herself off from second chances and believing in people. Her epiphany helps her evolve into a more self aware character who understands how outside influence and misplaced feelings can cloud her judgement. Though this book does involve a bit of action and a chilling stalker, I think Storm of Attraction is mainly a romance. This puts the focus on Alexa and Drew's relationship while the stalker adds a degree of intrigue and terror. Therefore I think readers who enjoy romances with a side of danger would like this book. 

Rating: 3/5 Cups

Corsican Justice

Hardy is visiting Corsica for the first time to explore the possibility of arranging a hiking tour for segments of Corsica's infamous hiking trail, the GR20. He also seeks some closure for the fact that his father was killed in a highway accident on the island several years earlier. When Hardy learns his father was actually murdered, his world is shaken; he seeks the truth amid arms smuggling, Russian mobsters, and judicial corruption. Corsican Justice encompasses justice on several levels, with an understanding of the Corsican vendetta as the core of the island's justice system that goes back centuries.

*May Contain Spoilers*

Mortal danger, mobsters, and machine guns can really put a damper on a vacation. Though, Hardy Durkin tries to keep a smile on his face in Corsican Justice by Bluette Matthey. Researching a hiking trail for his senior-focused trail blazing business, Hardy travels to Corsica in hopes of finding a new trail and closure with his dad's death, but his hopes may be too high. 

Hardy is an American who, if I understood it correctly, was born and raised in Germany because of his father's military career. He's a former military member himself and now runs his own business. As a character, Hardy is brave, spontaneous, loyal, and instinctual. Readers who enjoy the outdoors will be able to connect with Hardy on that point. Other readers will be able to understand his need for closure with his dad's death, which turns out to be a murder and not an accident like the police reported. Mystery lovers will enjoy that opening plot twist and let that lead their interest. 

The plot is intense, to say the least. Hardy gets way more than he bargained for when first stepping foot in Corsica. He's immediately the almost-victim of a murder, cursed, and mortally threatened within the first half of the book. After Hardy discovers that his father was in fact murdered, he follows the lead, which pulls him into a mob fight between Corsicans and Russians. There are lots of murders, lots of things blowing up, and lots of detail. Some is a bit extreme. Readers with queasy stomachs may want to skim those sections. 

The writing style is factual and a bit dry at times. In some chapters, I thought I was reading a travel book, while others thickly recounted Corsican history. And, not being a history buff, I feel like I zoned out during those parts. The plot line is interesting however, and I put up with the history and the travel info to finish Hardy's story. He's a relatable, likeable character who stumbles into a complete sh*t storm, for lack of a better term. I would most definitely recommend this novel for anyone who likes mystery, mob-musings, or adventure. 

Rating: 3/5 Cups

Pieces of Lies

Passionately driven artist, Norah Ross, has been banished from New York to Morewell for her final semester of graphic design at McLaren University. Her move allows her to reconnect with Josh, her best friend, who is more then thrilled at Norah's appearance back into his life.

At the same time that Norah steps back into Josh's heart, she learns that he is in the process of being accepted into McLaren's uber exclusive secret society, the 'Lappell'. Josh takes Norah to the Lappell's glamorous parties in the hope of taking their friendship to the next level, but when Norah meets the handsome and elusive Clint Weston, a leader in the Lappell, he sweeps her off her feet in more ways then one.

Norah quickly becomes caught up in an emotional tug-of-war between the two guys while also trying to deal with her own secrets that follow her every day. When Norah's past begins to intertwine with her present, what unfolds is a series of dramatic events filled with romance, mystery and dark motivations. She quickly realizes the path to real love can be paved in all kinds of lies.

*May Contain Spoilers*

Angela Richardson brushes the cobwebs away, offering up the unveiling of terrifying secrets in her novel, Pieces of Lies. Everyone has a secret as Norah, Josh, and Clint try to survive the Lappell, who have been known to stop at nothing to get what they want. 

Norah Ross, the main character, is an artist who uses her emotions and painful past as inspiration. She's passionate and full of life, brave yet terrified, open to love but closed off to her deeper self. Norah has a haunting past that she tries to escape when she leaves New York City. As it threatens to catch up to her, readers will begin to connect with this girl who's too afraid to even be herself. The heartbroken foundation that readers are introduced to will be the first step in a strong connection. Familial complications will draw readers into her life, asking questions that will lead them deeper into Norah's psyche. Her chance at happiness will have hope blooming in the hearts of readers while her troubled nature will keep their interest piqued. 

The plot is a combination of story lines that will entangle readers. The secret society plot brings mystery and danger to the novel while Norah's struggle with her romantic interests provides much more than mere entertainment. Pieces of Lies sets a good pace while still keeping certain secrets behind the curtain, pulling readers forward. Richardson does a good job at crafting a story centered around the shattering of secrets without giving them all away in the first act. 

Rating: 3/5 Cups

Pieces of Lies