The Emperor

March 15, 2022

Summary

A bargain. A demon. A club. The Bratva. A Goddess. And, the thread of Magick pulsing through everything they do.

Is being hopeful an exercise in naivety, or is it the thing that fuels them?

Dimitri

I shouldn’t have claimed her – but I did, and she claimed me right back. But having a Tarot Reader and Witch as my Queen complicates matters. Having her wasn’t supposed to raise the stakes, but it did, and I’ll be damned if I let her go.

Corinne

I watch the uneasiness flicker in his eyes. The threat hasn’t been quelled, the ground is shaky beneath us, and with every new member I meet, I look into the depths of their soul and wonder if they’ll be the one to betray us – because betrayal is coming – it’s written in the cards, I just need to figure out who.

Review

“I’m here.” He was here—it would be okay—I wasn’t alone anymore.

Every time I read something from Erin Mc Luckie, I just love her more. Just when I think I know what I like, I have a new favorite by the time I’m done reading.

Since I bonded with The Empress, I didn’t think The Emperor would top it. But, boy, was I wrong! Even though The Empress will always have a special place in my heart, there’s just something about The Emperor.

The Emperor picks up where The Empress left off. I’m glad I decided to read The Empress again before starting The Emperor. I believe that reading the duet back to back made my experience even better than it could be without doing so. The Empress laid out the foundation of what would be The Tarot Club series. The background. The Emperor, in comparison, is the story playing out.

Since it’s called The Emperor, is it weird to want more Dimitri than what was given? Or is that just me? I couldn’t get enough of him and wanted more. Every time we get a glimpse of Dimitri’s perspective, I didn’t think it was enough. I know that It’s Corrine’s journey, and I love her too, but I guess it’s just wishful thinking.

Dimitri smiled at me, and I was suddenly aware that I was experiencing a lot of firsts with this man. It was as if before him I had simply been going through the motions or living without actually experiencing life itself.

Relationships have their ups and downs. What Corrine and Dimitri went through would either make or break a couple. The beginning was rough with a certain event. Then not knowing where they stood with one another. All of the mixed signals. It could’ve been easily fixed with communication. But then again, I also understand. It’s sometimes difficult to communicate. Even through the confusion, one thing is certain, Corrine and Dimitri love each other, even if they aren’t sure about the other’s feelings when it’s clear as day. It’s the type of relationship that is “us versus the world.” They will be there for one another, no matter what. They understand and complement one another.

“I am a king amongst men.”
“My actions will always bother others.”
“Am I others?”
“You are my queen—my Empress.”

Corrine is finally free from her picture perfect life, able to be herself. There was a lot of growth in The Emperor. In Corrine, Dimitri and Corrine’s relationship, and more. We heard about the other Tarot Club members and had little glimpses in The Empress. But in The Emperor, we actually meet them and see their dynamic/relationship with Corrine present day. It makes me want to know more about them. With the first duet complete, I can’t wait for the rest of The Tarot Club series to continue with The High Priestess coming July 7, 2022.

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More Than a Hero

February 28, 2022

“You’re my touchstone, the only thing I need to pull back from the edge.”

Every book from Becoming an Evans series just gets better and better. I was immediately hooked from the beginning, thinking, “what’s even happening?”

How can a person have such bad luck? The Disney references! The nicknames!

More Than a Hero has love, family, friendship, action, and humor. There was a balance of light and heavy moments.

How is it that the universe is a massive place, yet in More Than a Hero, it seems like a small world? Louis is Morgan’s brother and Nick’s best friend. Even though Louis kept them apart, he was also the one who brought them together.

Nick is a broken hero. Morgan is a romance author who doesn’t want a hero but a boring, average, steady man. The heart wants what it wants. Even though you say you want something, it doesn’t mean that’s what you need.

Morgan and Nick complement one another. They understand each other. The one thing that I didn’t like was their communication. But at least they acknowledged it.

I can’t wait for more from Jenni Bara and Becoming an Evans series.

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Canadian Winter

February 25, 2022

Summary

A widowed single mom, a tattooed brewery owner, and a winter they will never forget.

After losing her husband, the last thing Mandy Adams wanted in her life was a man. Being welcomed into a tight-knit circle of friends, her plan was thrown to the wind in the form of a persistent and devastatingly handsome brewery owner. Caught between protecting her two children and giving into her desires, Mandy needs to decide if she can let her guard down and love again.

On the verge of expanding his brewery, Zach Richardson is living the dream. His days are filled with making beer and his nights with drinking it and hanging out with his friends. The last thing he’s looking for is love, especially in the form of an insta-family, but the addition of a certain redhead in his circle of friends will make him rethink everything he thought he wanted.

Torn between his workaholic lifestyle and a taste of family life he didn’t know he wanted, Zach needs to find a balance and prove to Mandy he can be the man her family needs.

Will he be able to convince her to be his forever Valentine, or will Mandy turn away at a second chance at true love?

Review

Canadian Winter hooked me from the first lines of the summary.

A widowed single mom, a tattooed brewery owner, and a winter they will never forget.

It sounds like a cheesy Christmas story. I mean that in the best possible way. While I was reading Canadian Winter, I confess that I imagined it as a holiday movie playing before my eyes.

Sometimes you just want a holiday movie for the warm and fuzzy feelings, no matter what time of year it is. And this is coming from a person who watches Christmas movies year-round.

Logan Creek series is about a group of friends in a small town called Logan Creek. I’m assuming there will be four books in the Logan Creek series. Each book would take place during the season of the book title. Kimberly Ann manages to hook me in with at least one trope I enjoy with each book. Each book is a standalone, featuring a different couple from the friend group. In small towns, everyone knows each other and knows everything that happens. You can’t hide anything.

Canadian Winter is about Zach and Mandy. Zach looks like the stereotypical “bad boy” but has a gold heart. Mandy is a single mom who puts her children before herself. One would think that Zach and Mandy would make no sense together, but in a way, they do. They are both selfless, putting everything before what they want, which is both a good and bad thing.

Not everything happens right the first time. Things happen. You can have second or more chances to get what you want. Canadian Winter has work-life balance, friendships, love, and family. Zach is a workaholic trying to balance his life with an insta-family and work. All he has ever known was work. When he meets Mandy, entering into a relationship, it’s not just her but her children on the line as well. Zach’s relationship with Daniel and Avery is so sweet. He treats them like they’re his own. Daniel looks up to him as a father figure. I loved every time I read about Zach with Daniel or Avery. I don’t understand the hoops Zach has to go through when he does something “wrong.” I know that he’s not just hurting one person, but three. Actions speak louder than words. But people make mistakes, are grand gestures required every time?

Can I say that Daniel is my favorite?

“Do you want to come dinosaur hunting with me? I need to find my dino-family!”

“Mom, you always have to be on the lookout for Yetis!”

Not going to lie; I read Canadian Winter and a few others when I was not in the best mind space. My focus was not the best, and it took longer to read than usual. Taking that into consideration, it would impact how I feel when reading. However, I still manage to enjoy reading Canadian Winter overall. I can’t wait for Canadian Spring.

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