Nancy Gideon

Good second chance story. Zach and his siblings grew up in an abusive home, looked down on by most of the people in town. Zach reacted by living down to their expectations. The only person who saw through his façade to the vulnerable boy underneath was Bess. She was his tutor for several classes and got to know him well, going from wary to in love with him. But Zach disappeared the same night his father was murdered, leaving people believing he was the murderer. His mother claimed to have done it and went to prison.

Bess grew up with a straight-laced and controlling mother. She was raised to be a "good girl" and constantly warned about protecting her reputation. That didn't stop her from loving Zach despite her mother's objections. When Bess discovered she was pregnant after Zach's disappearance, it was her mother who took control.

Seventeen years later, Bess's mother is dead, and Bess inherits the family bookstore. She runs the store, dresses conservatively, is on many committees, and does her best to evade the local matchmakers' attempts to find her a husband. The high points in her life are when her niece, Faith, comes to visit. The last thing she expected was for Zach to return to town.

Zach returned to town to be there when his mother returned from serving her sentence. He also wants to find out the truth about who killed his father. He's sure that his mother didn't do it. He also wants to see Bess again.

I ached for Zach and Bess. Zach's return sets the entire town on its ear. They still treat him as though he's guilty of murder. But Zach has a surprise for them all when he shows up for the first day of his new job. I laughed out loud at the shock and consternation of the residents and loved seeing him trample over their expectations. Bess is shocked at his return and stunned to discover she still has feelings for him. She also fears him discovering her secret. But her mother's influence is still strong, and she is torn between those feelings and her fear of others' opinions. It takes an eye-opening conversation with her niece for Bess to break free of the chains that have held her back. I loved her big moment at the end.

Zach stirs up a hornets' nest when he starts asking questions about his father's murder. As he and Bess dig into his father's past, they find themselves the target of someone who doesn't want them to succeed. Escalating attacks kept them on edge, while the twists of their investigation kept me guessing. The final confrontation was intense and not who I expected.… (more)

I wanted to like this book better. It had a lot going for it. The writing was well done. The werewolf part was interesting. The way he had been manipulated as he grew up to keep him emotionally dependent on the mob boss was interesting although it made him a bit too beta for my taste. The way he was so crazy about her was nice although it caused him to forgive her for all her doubts and betrayals. It seemed there was no real reason for him to love her beyond hot sex.

I didn't care for the heroine's character. Not only did she keep betraying and doubting him, she could not commit. Her being a cop covering for a mob boss (Max once he inherited the position) was just problematic for me and she didn't seem real strong, all her strength seemed to be mere posturing. We are also told she is really physically strong but not given any reason that she has iron fists.

The biggest thing I have against it though was it was one betrayal after another. Mostly Charlotte telling Max she loved him then betraying him. This must have happened 6 or so times in the book. I just got to skimming at the end because I was so sick of it.

When the book ends they have made up again but considering the way the book went, that reconcilliation will last at most 2 days. Where is the HEA in that. I don't believe this relationship will last. Surely as some point, he will get tired of her doubting crap.

At the back of the book there is an excerpt of the next book and the first thing she does is doubt him when a girl turns up missing. I won't be reading any more of this series. I don't really care for series where the main characters repeat and I certainly don't care to read about characters who waffle on trust and commitment over the course of several books.… (more)

Masked by Moonlight
4 Stars

Detective Charlotte “Cee Cee” Caissie is determined to bring down crime boss, Jimmy Legere, the man responsible for her father’s murder. Her best bet is to turn his enigmatic henchman, Max Savoie, against him. However, Max’s loyalty runs deep and has its roots in a dark secret that, if exposed, could implicate him in a series of disturbing murders.

Traumatic childhood experiences have molded both Cee Cee and Max into the people they are now. While Cee Cee’s past has made her strong, there is also an underlying sense of vulnerability that makes her very sympathetic. That said, her attitude toward Max leaves much to be desired and her behavior is often irritating. In fact, there are moments where she is actually unlikable.

Max is simply incredible. He is so sweet and loving toward Cee Cee (who isn’t always deserving), but it is impossible to forget exactly what he is and the danger that he poses. Thankfully, his secret is revealed early on so the story avoids the pitfalls of the exceedingly annoying "keeping secrets” trope. There is, however, an incongruity in his characterization as his relationship with Legere undermines his alpha status and makes him appear weak and submissive. Moreover, he doesn’t always exhibit the intelligence that he is credited with and has one or two TSTL moments.

The banter between Cee Cee and Max is wonderful and their romance is intense and steamy. The rest of the plot is quite straightforward although certain twists are predictable, such as the identity of the villain and the fact that Jimmy played a part in the death of Max’s mother.

All in all, Masked by Moonlight is a promising beginning to a series that has definite potential and it will be interesting to see where Gideon takes her troubled characters and their unlikely romance.… (more)

Chased by Moonlight
3.5 Stars

The romance between Detective Charlotte “Cee Cee” Caissie and newly minted crime boss, Max Lavoie, is progressing at a natural pace (that is to say all hot and heavy), when Max becomes the prime suspect in a series of murders targeting those closest to a local politician. In order to maintain her objectivity, Charlotte must distance herself from Max, but work behind the scenes to clear his name. Unfortunately, Max has dark secrets that are not helping the situation…

The story is enjoyable despite my problems with Charlotte running first hot then cold. She is obviously not as emotionally invested in the relationship as Max although she does seem to be getting there slowly. In terms of Max’s characterization, the dominant/submissive inconsistency persists and I hope that it is resolved soon as it undermines his alpha hero status.

A certain amount of suspension of disbelief is required with the plot as there is a clear conflict of interest in Charlotte’s ongoing connection with Max. That said, the investigation is good and the revelation of the villain (although unsurprising) is exciting. The overall story arc is developing in an interesting direction with more details on Max's past, which may have far reaching consequences on his future.

The secondary characters are starting to grow on me as well. I was naughty and took a peek at the blurbs for future books, and it looks like the series switches from focusing on Max and Charlotte to other couples from book #5 onwards. I probably continue at least until then, especially since I’m a sucker for a global conspiracy.… (more)