Cover Image: Swift Vengeance

Swift Vengeance

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In this collaborative book, we meet characters from previous books by the authors. Namely, Erin Zak’s Breaking Down Her Walls, Jackie D’s Lands End, and Jean Copeland’s The Second Wave, I haven't read any of these, and it didn't bother me too much. I think you'd get a bit more background into their stories, especially the characters from The Second Wave, Alice and Leslie, as they are the main characters in that book. looking back I might have enjoyed reading the other three books before I started on this one. Although this is certainly a standalone story, I just felt like I was missing something at times. This might also be because the book didn't really click for me, who is to say.

Leslie is married to Alice and they have a bar on Swift Island, Leslie's niece Toni has suffered a breakup and is coming to stay with them to heal. Brittany is recovering from a motorcycle accident when she starts getting visions. Not one to believe them so easily she does follow them when urged by her aunt Penny. Her visions take her to Swift Island where she meets Toni and her aunts. Toni's aunts start playing matchmaker immediately. Brittany can't shake her visions and can't make sense of all the violence, rage and hatred she feels through them. She has to find out what will happen and to who, while she is also falling in love with Toni. The mystery of the books works to a pretty good ending, even though you figure out pretty early on who the villain is, you still want to keep reading.

The book is written from several POVs and there is one I could have certainly done without first-person villain chapters. They felt repetitive and for me didn't really add anything to the story, aside from so very descriptive murders, lots of fun for a visual thinker like myself... All the characters are pretty likable, but it does make me wonder if it is all a bit too good to be true. I know it's fiction, don't get me wrong, but there are some things that seem like they were just glossed over. For instance, Brittany has nightmares about her accident when we start in the book, but when she starts chasing her visions they disappear, all of her baggage seems to disappear and her only issues seem to be the visions? No... And Toni, she is just so stuck in her own mind and has a shit ton of baggage as well but doesn't deal with it, in my opinion, she overreacts and everything is easily forgiven because of her past? I'm sorry, but also no for me here... And while Brittany is chasing her vision, and you already know who the villain is and she doesn't, nothing really happens, the story just hobbles along. These things on top of some continuity issues I found made me enjoy the book a little less. I think some of it comes from having three authors work on a book, if you think about it what these three turned out is actually pretty good, but it could have been so much more.

A good effort, enjoyable enough read, but it just doesn't work 100% for me 3.25 stars

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3.5 stars. I’m always amazed when a book is written by two or in this case three authors, this is no easy feat. This book features several secondary and lead characters from previous books of all three authors. We have Toni from Erin Zak’s “Breaking Down Her Walls”, then there is Brittany from Jackie D’s “Lands End” and there is the couple Leslie and Alice from Jean Copeland’s “The second Wave”. It’s a fun idea to start a book collaboration with some of your favorite characters, but I have to admit that I haven’t read these books, so there might be more to gain there if you have. I had no problem reading this as a standalone though. I was really excited when I read the premise as it has all the ingredients I love (mystery, suspense, paranormal and romance), but I’m sorry to say that it didn’t fully live up to my expectations.

Toni just came out of a bad break-up and decides to spend some time at Swift Island helping out in the pub of her aunts Leslie and Alice. Brittany has recovered from serious head trauma due to a motorcycle accident and while she is physically ok, she experiences visions that show bad things happening at Swift Island. Brittany is not sure whether she’s losing her mind, but she decides to follow her instincts and go to Swift Island to investigate.

Brittany has to figure out what the visions mean and who it is she experiences in her visions. The mystery works towards a great ending, which had me glued to the book. Unfortunately, the build-up was a bit slow and there was actually not that much happening. I also figured out who the villain was pretty fast, but I don’t think this was intended to be a big secret.

I liked all the characters, Toni and Brittany clearly have some baggage to overcome, but it is easy to see that they are meant to be together and Leslie and Alice are their shining examples of what a perfect couple looks like. One drawback in the romance for me though was that one of the MC’s acts like a complete ass during the dark moment and, yes, she has some reasons but were they justified? To be honest, I don’t think I could have so easily forgiven her for that.

The book is written from 4 POVs, those of Toni, Brittany and Leslie in the third person, and that of the villain in the first person in diary style. I was not a fan of the villain POV, all info and emotions that are given through this POV were also covered in the storyline and through the visions, so I could have lived without this POV. In fact, during the entire book I thought there was quite a lot of repetition and the story dragged from time to time, so I think the book could have benefited from another round of editing to shorten it. Besides this, the book was easy to read and I enjoyed the small variations in writing style which added to the charm of the book.

I think this book had the potential for more, but I would still classify it as an above average read, it starts a bit slow, but I liked how the mystery came to an end.

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I wish I had better things to say about this novel. It honestly had the makings of a great book. Suspense are one of my favorite reads, but this one came up short. There was a lot of dwelling in problems, cyclical thinking and repetition.

The two MCs meet on an island off the coast of New England. They are there to heal from various wounds of the body and soul. Their interaction is sweet and sincere, and progresses nicely. One of the MCs, Brittney, has developed something of a sixth sense which forebodes danger for both the other MC, Toni and her two aunts. The story progresses as Brittney try’s to solve the plight of a psychopathic killer prior to any danger taking place.

At one point Brittney informs Toni that she has visions and it didn’t sit so well with Toni. She throws a bit of an irrational hissy fit and kicks Brittney out on her butt with no where to go during a hurricane. Of course there were reasons, but all of them seemed a little far fetched. The breakdown in their relationship seemed melodramatic to me and just a little too forced. On the other had, the plot was great. It had a lot of potential and I could see how others might really like it.

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Entertaining and suspenseful, romantic thriller. I was blown away by this novel which manages to balance a stalking serial killer with a budding light romance. Newspaper writer Brittany is in a horrible motorcycle accident. After recovering for almost a year she is experiencing visions of being in someone else's mind. Her aunt tells her she has the family gift of sight and she must figure out what to do with the visions. She goes cross country to Swift Island and a small resort town where she meets Toni and her two aunts. The killer is also there.

The romance between Brittany and Toni is sweet and slow going. Brittany has been through a bad break up and is visiting her aunts to recover and work in their brewpub, The Second Wave. There are bike rides, dinner dates and walks along the beach. They take their time getting to know each other before feelings heat up. The aunts, Alice and Leslie are delightful with their loving support, matchmaking and own deep backstory. The tension ratchets up as the killer realizes someone else is in their mind.

Brittany is trying to balance her fact driven mind and accept the visions are real. Toni is recently burned so is slow to trust in her new feelings. Both characters were great and felt real in their actions. I appreciate the authors being able to keep me in suspense for so long as to the identity of the killer. This is for anyone who enjoys suspenseful novels with a good love story. Thank you NetGalley and Bold Stokes Books, Inc. for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.

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This is a collaborative effort by three authors, two with whom I'm familiar. These three authors work so well and seamlessly together that unless you know their work, it's hard to tell where one starts and another leaves off. And frankly, I'm a little surprised my Kindle didn't short circuit or implode from the weight of all the talent contained in these three women.

It's hard to realize that there is not a good enough way to review this book, but I'll try.

There is a dark, evil force that presents itself to Brittany, a force she's not sure she understands, but it draws her across the country to tiny Swift Island on the extreme east coast of the United States. The Second Wave is a pub run by Leslie and Alice. Toni is their niece, visiting after a brutal breakup with Penn. (Fans of Erin Zak will recognize Toni and Penn from one of Zak's earlier works. "Breaking Down Her Walls".) By the strength of the dark visions she has, Brittany is drawn to these three women.

Brittany and Toni meet, fall sort of in love, but the path of love is not always its own reward. Trust and faith are in short supply in both Brittany and Toni, and this is where the true danger begins. Someone is after Aunt Leslie and they will go through Toni to get to revenge, if they have to. Toni needs to trust Brittany and Britt needs to be able to tell all these dear women the truth about why she's there, but she's afraid they won't believe her.

I ignored most of my adulting to read this book and the last one third of it was a definite "do not disturb me" 90 minutes.

In my mind, this opens a door for Brittany to use her "gift" in other books, but even if this is a one-off, it was truly well done, so intriguing and so captivating! Rarely do I have the chance to read a book that is so well-written, so seamless and so consummately perfect.

Brava, ladies! This is the best book I've read in a very long time. I wish this review could do it justice but people just have to get this book and find out how good it is!

I was given an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Brittany nearly died in a motorcycle accident and because of this she experiencing visions of someone feel with hate and rage. When her Aunt tells her to follow her visions it leads to island.

Toni is coming to the island to spend times with her Aunts Leslie and Alice while she tries to get over her broken heart by her ex Penn. I love the aunts and how their love story begin and how they found each other.

Brittany meets Toni and friendship begins while Brittany tries to figure out what her visions means she knows someone is in danger but she can’t figure out The Who and afraid she won’t be able to stop it.

This was a good read. We do get glimpses of the killer mind.

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

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Liked the mystery aspect to the book. Did guess who the killer/stalker was but a couple of red herrings were thrown in to make you doubt yourself. One woman is recovering from a bad break up and the other is having visions.. How they get together and resolve their situation while dealing with what's happening is good reading.

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