October 24, 2019

Jessica Peterson just keeps getting better and better. Her Charleston Heat series has become one of my favorites. Where else can you find sexy men with a sense of humor and women who can get as raunchy as they do? (Okay, maybe a few other series, but not many).

Southern Heartbreaker is by far my favorite in the series so far. From the characterizations to the plot to…well, everything, I loved every part of it.

I thought that Eva’s situation was relatable. Having success and then being stuck on how to follow it up with a strong second outing is something that just about everyone has experienced in one way or another. I loved how she figured out what needed to be done (with Ford’s help, of course) and would totally buy what she is selling!

And then there is Ford. Where to start with him? I think he is one of the more complex characters that Ms. Peterson has created. It’s not easy to balance being a doting daddy and a foul-mouthed (fairly raunchy) lover. I mean, those guys exist in real life, but writing them becomes tricky because they can easily turn into caricatures.

Not so with Ford. The scene on the boat has to be one of the most amazingly hot scenes I have read in a long time. And not just because of the chemistry between the characters, but also because of the depth of their connection that makes it feel so right to them.

I think that is where this relationship shines; they had a connection in college that never really went away in spite of where life took each of them. In a way, they were each other’s “the one who got away” and they were able to find each other again. Don’t we all have one of those? We may not want to find them, but it’s fun to live vicariously and imagine what could be if we did, right?

At any rate, this latest entry into the series is top-rate. If you haven’t read the series, start now. If you have, get this one to add to the collection.

Southern Heartbreaker (Charleston Heat, #4)

Southern Heartbreaker by Jessica Peterson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The latest entry in the Charleston Heat series does not disappoint. We get Ford and Eva’s story (which is amazingly hot and emotional), and we also get updates on the other couples in the series. I love how the author has created this universe of people I would love to hang out with daily. Ford is my absolute favorite so far; I love his goofiness with his daughter and his raunchiness with Eva. It was a fun read from beginning to end, and I hope there are more in the series. For a detailed review, please visit my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks Fiction Reviews. This review was written based on a complimentary, pre-release digital ARC of the book.

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Some psychological thrillers are rollercoaster rides. They start slow and then pick up the pace, gradually turning into an exciting, page-turner of a read. Others are more like ivy. They creep and crawl, drawing readers in slowly with tendrils of information until they are completely entangled in the story. In My Mother’s Name belongs in the latter category, and it is one of the most stunning books I have read in a long time.

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When cleaning out her grandmother’s house, Adele finds a diary that belonged to her long-dead mother. What follows is Adele’s journey to discover the truth about her mother’s life as well as Adele’s history. As Adele visits the village of Reedstown and meets people who knew her mother as a teenager, Adele soon realizes that there is a lot more to her mother’s story than meets the eye.

The author does a fantastic job of keeping multiple character arcs moving forward while intertwining them with other characters’ stories. The writing styles also change: at times, the descriptions are very poetic and idyllic, while at others (specifically in diary entries and flashbacks) there is a rawness that comes across strongly. I also liked how the author used several innocuous things (a bird nesting in an attic, a smoky chimney, etc.) to illustrate how even minor events can have a significant impact on one’s life.

In the midst of it all, the character development is what struck me as the key to drawing me into the story. Each of the main characters (and even several of the secondary characters) are fully fleshed out and grow with the events of the plot. As more village secrets are revealed, I realized how my perception of the characters changed – but also how there were apparent signs in earlier events that hinted at each character’s role in the activities of 24 years prior.

I know that sounds a little muddled, but it actually isn’t within the course of the story. As I said, the author pulls the reader in slowly with the bits of information and then throws in twists that take the action in a different direction. In My Mother’s Name is certainly a page-turner, but not a high-velocity one. Be prepared to settle in for the long haul and allow the plot to wash over you as you follow Adele’s, and ultimately Marianne’s story. You will not be disappointed.

In My Mother’s Name by Laura Elliot
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am not usually one to agree with taglines or blurbs because they often feel over-the-top, but this is one case where I can wholeheartedly say that it is 100% accurate. This book was an addictive, emotional, page-turner of a psychological thriller (that’s a mouthful). The characters are real and well-developed, and the author does a superb job of bringing the village of Reedstown with all of its blemishes, secrets, and tainted history to life. Adele is a protagonist who is easy to support as she journeys into the past to find the truth about her mother’s life and death. In My Mother’s Name is one book you do not want to skip over. For a full review, please visit my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks Fiction Reviews. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read a complimentary pre-release, digital ARC of this book.

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Author Bio

Laura Elliot is an Irish novelist who writes psychological thrillers and lives in Dublin, Ireland. Her novels are: The Wife Before Me, Guilty, Sleep Sister, The Betrayal, Fragile Lies, Stolen Child and The Prodigal Sister. She has worked as a journalist and magazine editor. In My Mother’s Name is her latest novel published by Bookouture.