Random Review: Sinner and the Liar by Alice Winters #Review #Giveaway

Title: Sinner and the Liar
Series: Seeking Asylum Book 1
Author: Alice Winters
Self Published
Publication Date: April 7, 2019
Length: 319 pages

Reviewed by Sammy

Synopsis

Sin
The first night I saw the innocent-looking young man in that bar, there was something about him that drew me in. In this crumbling city filled with crime and darkness, the light in his eyes stood out to me. Honestly, nothing has drawn my attention since I stopped working for the police and began doing mercenary work. But the true Eastyn isn’t the timid young man from the bar—he’s smart and he brings brightness into my life for the first time in years. Even him mocking my gruff attitude makes me smile. And I’ve realized that I will fight for him. I would tear this city apart to keep him safe, but maybe the only way to save him is by saving the city from the crime that has consumed it.

Eastyn
I feel trapped. Caught between a man who can save me and one who threatens to destroy me. In Sin, I see freedom for the first time in my life and I feel like I can be myself. I don’t have to hide who I really am because he treats me like a real person, and I will do anything to keep him with me. But Sawyer is threatening to ruin the city, and I fear he’s going to destroy me along with it. Worst of all, I’m afraid of what he’ll do to Sin if he realizes how much he means to me. But Sin promises me a way out and I know that with him, my life could change. If I can be strong enough to stand by his side, maybe someday I’ll understand that even I deserve to be loved.

The Sinner and the Liar is a 107k word gritty romance with lighthearted moments set in a city recovering from war. It has two heroes who refuse to give up, snarky dialogue, and a love that is strong enough to overcome even the most impossible of odds.

Please use the “look inside” feature to see trigger warnings.

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Review

I’m about to try to summarize a three hundred plus page novel that evoked in me a spectrum of emotions from anger to frustration to joy to despair, so I may as well begin this review with the fact that I think author Alice Winters is a brilliant storyteller, a master character developer and a very funny person. Even in the midst of the chaos, murder, abuse and the bleak outlook of this story, the author manages to share moments of humor that saved it from ever falling into a book that I wanted to put aside for any length of time. Yet, with all the action going on the story is rather simple when it comes down to it and that is part of the beauty of this novel.

Sin has lost the one man who made any kind of difference in his life. He is left alone, by choice, bitter, angry and determined to keep his city from falling to the gang lord, Sawyer and his men called the Chromes. They own most of the city and on good days the police can keep some of the crime, prostitution, drug and sex trafficking and random killing in check—a little. Most days are not good ones. It makes one wonder why Sin quit the police force and is basically their gun for hire. He did so because the one man he loved and who he gave his heart to died while undercover—his partner on the force and in life, Lucas. Now he spends his days trying to find ways to keep Sawyer and his army of thugs in check—it is a losing battle. So most nights finds him at the bar drinking away his emptiness and it’s there that he will meet the young man who is about to change his life.

Eastyn has never really known what it means to be safe. His mother didn’t want him, she sold him to the man she tried to convince was his father and since then he has been the plaything and punching bag of none other than Sawyer. The man is a psychopath and uses Eastyn to vent his frustrations. As long as Eastyn obeys and does everything with a smile and subservient attitude then he gets some food, clothes and books. But the cost is his soul and Eastyn wants out—he needs to feel like he has some sort of control over his life so he stages a rape scenario at the bar hoping Sin intervenes and the man does. From there on out all of Eastyn’s focus is on getting Sin to kill Sawyer so he can be free. Little does either man ever expect to have feelings develop that will make it harder to take out Sawyer and free Eastyn.

The Sinner and the Liar is an action-packed crime novel with an age-gap romance and marvelous moments of humor that keep it from being too dark. I adore Eastyn. His life is a mess, he lives through abuse that no one should ever endure, and he still finds the strength to use humor to worm his way into Sin’s dark and twisted heart. There are moments of physical abuse that could possibly trigger some—but they are necessary to the story and very limited. They are also counterbalanced by moments of tenderness and play between Sin and Eastyn that are heart-melting.

There is a great deal of violence in this book—some rather graphic and yet again it is integral to the overall plot in order to understand just what the police and Sin are up against and how deeply depraved Sawyer really is. There is a scene with a young girl that had my heart in my throat until it’s conclusion and it solidified why Eastyn admired and loved Sin so very much. This is no fast moving romance—it is almost a glacial slow burn but done so very well that you enjoy every moment that produces another tiny crack in the armor Sin has around his heart. There are so many amazing scenes in this story and I wish I could tell you all of them but that would give away too much of the plot and ruin the novel for you. Suffice it to say that there is a cemetery scene that made me cry and want to hug both main characters and that is just one of many moments in this book that made it so outstanding

This was so very good that I cannot wait to read the next in this series. For me, Alice Winters is an auto-buy writer and The Sinner and the Liar is just another stellar example of why.

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New Release Review: Just My Luck by Alice Winters #Review #Giveaway

Title: Just My Luck
Author: Alice Winters
Self Published
Publication Date: June 16, 2020
Length: 342 pages 

Reviewed by Sammy 

Synopsis

When I’m tossed into the trunk of a car, I realize that what little luck I have has finally run out—especially when I find that Tony, the man who’d abducted me, is planning on using me to get back at my father. My chances for escape look pretty bleak when I’m handcuffed to Tony’s bodyguard, an intimidating man named Shepherd who apparently loves tight shirts and seems to be amused by making my life miserable. Soon, though, I learn that Shepherd has a heart and a brain. And sometimes, those two things can be a bigger weapon than anything in a time like this. I just have to learn how to wield them.

After Shepherd gets me away from Tony’s men, I discover that he’s a survivor, a fighter, and the only person who seems willing to help me when it feels like the whole world is against me. At first, I’m not sure if I can trust the man, but the more we get to know each other, the more I realize that he’s funny and kind of sweet. He’s determined to protect me, but he doesn’t know all of my secrets. He doesn’t know that Tony isn’t the only one looking for me. But together, as we face betrayal and taking down the worst monster of all, we’re determined that we will be the lucky ones after all.

Just My Luck is a 101k book that includes a dog that wants to eat Killian’s face off (or maybe just play with his shoe), handcuffs used in a disappointing way, way too much running, a hero that can’t hit the broad side of a barn with a gun (which might have something to do with the fact that he picks up a book instead of practicing every chance he gets), a game of strip checkers that doesn’t go as planned, and two broken souls who find peace in each other.

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Review

Killian tries to keep convincing himself he has some sort of luck—after he gets abducted, tied up, thrown in the trunk of a car, and then beaten up he is still talking and talking and talking and sure that he will get lucky—or die trying. It might have been nice if his father—the police chief, even cared, but that sadistic killer never really liked his son except for the computer skills he exhibited early on. And his drug addicted mother never wakes up long enough to say much of anything, besides she never really cared much for Killian either. Maybe he can get this Shepherd guy to sympathize with him—after all since his second or third (who’s counting really?) attempt to escape the crime boss keeping him captive has him handcuffed to the mountain of muscle. Now Killian must use all his psychological finesse to convince Shepherd to help him get out of there before he is killed—in other words—talk his ear off. Yeah, he is definitely going to die.

Alice Winters has released a humorous little gem of an action adventure story called Just My Luck. Killian is twenty years old and trapped in a nightmare living situation with a father whose tentacles reach far into police business and the crime world as well and has abused him physically and mentally all his life. The man has also kept his wife drugged and ineffectual for just as many years. Killian has tried leaving but is always brought back to the prison that is his home. With enough guilt over his own complicity in helping cover up murder, gun running and so much more, Killian is just trying to survive—and then he’s kidnapped. The crime boss, Tony, wants Killian’s father to find his missing daughter and hopes that by beating Killian senseless and threatening to kill him Killian’s father will relent and open an investigation. That thought makes Killian laugh—his dad relenting—no way. So escape is the only way out—but being handcuffed to one of Tony’s goons is not making it easy.

Shepherd owes Tony his life—literally. After being thrown onto the streets at the age of fourteen, he did things he’s not proud of just to survive. Then Tony took him in and made him an expert marksman and, yeah, a cold-blooded killer. Shepherd has murdered far too many to remember but there’s something about this guy who is currently talking his ear off and handcuffed to him that makes him feel…different. Feeling anything at all is unusual for Shepherd—he learned long ago to wall off his emotions but this kid—no man, young admittedly but still a man, is getting under his defenses. When it becomes clear that his bastard of a father isn’t going to rescue him, Shepherd is faced with a decision—one that will change his life and possibly end it sooner than later.

I can really connect with Alice Winter’s sense of humor—it is brilliant, in my opinion, as is her story telling capability. This is an author who turns out one delightful novel after another. I think the real plus here is that the characters seem so accessible—down to earth and somehow, despite the crazy scenarios, realistic. That comes from an outstanding ability to craft people with depth, interesting backstories that are fully developed, and romantic entanglements that are sensual and somehow incredibly funny and just downright cute. Killian and Shepherd are a fine case in point. Deeply flawed, hard-ridden by guilt and shame at past mistakes, these two come together slowly—learning to love and care for each other in the best of ways—while running for their lives. It is an insane premise that works so very well.

The bad guys are not stereotypical and really horrific—especially Killian’s dad. He made me shudder every time he spoke. Just My Luck is such a satisfying story. It has all the finest elements to make it entertaining, enough action to keep your heart in your throat and so much humor that you may never want the novel to end. I love Alice Winter’s work and this latest just confirms her auto-buy status with me.

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New Release Review: How To Vex A Vampire by Alice Winters #Review #Giveaway

Title: How To Vex A Vampire
Author: Alice Winters
Self Published
Publication Date: February 18, 2020
Length: 360 pages 

Reviewed by Truus


Synopsis

Finn
Getting into the vampire-only detective unit was the easy part; what’s going to be more difficult is dealing with my new partner, an ancient vampire who keeps threatening to eat me. The unit has never had a human in it, and Marcus—or as I like to call him, Fangy McFangface—would really prefer to keep it that way. He’s grumpy, short-tempered, and broody, but I have a way with words and I know he’s starting to like me, even if he swears he’s not. But what he doesn’t know is that I didn’t join the unit because I was tired of being a homicide detective, I joined because there is someone after me. They’ve already taken enough from me and I’m afraid they’re going to take all of me if I don’t find someone to help. That’s all Marcus was supposed to be, but now, he’s so much more and I can’t imagine my life without him.

Marcus
The moment the pesky human walked through that door, I knew I had to get rid of him. He’s charming and almost everyone else instantly loves him, but he doesn’t understand how risky it is being part of this unit as a human. But as I get to know the stubborn man, I learn that perhaps he’s not as naive as I once thought. And maybe he’s what I needed to realize there is more to life than just work and my dog. A group arises who is threatening to disrupt the alliance between the humans and the vampires, but Finn is the one who shows me how strong that alliance can be and reminds me why it’s worth protecting. When threats hit closer to home, I realize I would do anything for Finn because he’s brought so much joy to my life—and because he’s mine.

This 105k word book contains: A creative use for undergarments, unintentional splits, a wolfhound who just wants to be a part of things, a vertically challenged human who still manages to wrap every vampire he meets around his little finger, the best date ever, possessiveness, really awkward dancing, some workplace revenge, and just a bite or two. Or three.

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Review

Fabulously written story with a great mix of humor, tension, and suspense, with a big strong vampire who struggles hiding his feelings and falling hard for this very small annoying hilarious, but very lovable human. One who has a lot of secrets, one very threatening enemy and a bunch of vampires who want to protect him. Emphasis on humor, feelings and suspense goshhhh it was the best of the best!

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Finnigan Hayes is a homicide detective and Marcus Church is part of the VRC—Vampire Related Crimes.

For certain specific reasons Finn wants to join VRC, he succeeds, and is partnered with Marcus. Finn loves to tease the big, grumpy vampire Marcus, who wants to get rid of him asap.

Marcus doesn’t want this infuriating little human; he shows what an arrogant bastard he is, Finn can handle him and loves being a lovely pain in the ass, or more his lovely pain in the ass.

“Is it because I don’t gnaw on people? I mean, I can give a mean hickey”

The humor is one of a kind, so delightful. The title says a lot ;)

“I tried my hardest to be late, but I also hate being late, so somehow I ended up being perfectly on time.”

These lines, they cracked me, in the context it fits perfectly, it was so delightfully funny.

Marcus does everything in his power to scare and run Finn off. In his eyes, Finn is too vulnerable as a human. Finn is immune to all his attempts and it seems he has no fear, except for his biggest fear, his enemy.

They are on a big case, it seems some humans want to destroy the vampires by destroying the good relationship between vampires and humans.

It’s getting dangerous. There are several thrilling incidents.

Marcus is over his head and swooned by this annoying but oh so lovable human being, and he will protect him, period.

This story is a fast-paced must-read. I loved the suspense, I sat right up in my bed, reading, it was so thrilling! I couldn’t put it down and was amazed by this author’s writing and even more by all the delicious humor, all the various expressions of snarky, witty comments. Both Marcus and Finn were the most endearing characters. Their moments with sexiness and tenderness were so delectable and heartwarming, the whole draft was stunning.

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Contest ends March 31st 

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