Fever Claim by Marie Johnston took me on a journey surrounded by shifters, vampires and a psychotic villain. This is my first time reading the author’s work and it was an interesting experience. This the first book in The Sigma Menace series left me eager to dive deeper into the world the author created.
Can he turn one night into forever? This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.
Title: Fever Claim
Author(s): Marie Johnston
Series: The Sigma Menace #1
Published by LE Publishing on December 11, 2014
Pages: 198
Genre(s): Paranormal Romance
Source: Purchase
Format: eBook 
Purchase: Amazon
Reading Challenges: 2023 Thrifty Thursday Reading Challenge, 2023- Coyer
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After being ditched only weeks before her wedding, Cassie Stockwell wasn’t out looking for a hookup. Then the devastatingly handsome bartender she’d been trying not to obsess over for months offered to give her a ride home. What could one night hurt?
When his future was almost taken away after one impulsive decision, wolf-shifter and ex-con Jace Miller waited patiently for months before making a move on the woman he knew to be his destined mate. But will one night of passion keep his little human by his side once she learns of his world and the danger it brings to her doorstep?
Enter a new world of loyal shifters and their bold mates and get your copy today!
*Re-edited second edition to decrease typo distractions and improve your reading experience.
Stories featuring paranormal beings fascinate me, hence my reason for picking up Fever Claim. I went into the story expecting an exciting and interesting read. It delivered one hundred percent on the interesting part but it could have come with a little more excitement. The story introduces readers to Jace, an ex-con, bartender and wolf shifter and Cassie a human. At the beginning of the story we see Cassie, a psychiatrist nursing a broken heart after her fiancée called off their wedding.
Now Cassie is a regular at the bar where Jace works and he knows she is his mate. So he was happy to know that she and her fiancée were no longer together. He knows she has drank too much so he offered to carry her home. She accepted the offer thinking what better way to get over ex than to hook up with the sexy bartender she secretly admired.
The next morning after a night of passion she received a frantic phone call from her best friend seeking help. With the assistance of Jace she went searching for her friend, only to make a life altering discovery. She found herself plunged into a world of shifters and vampires.
Cassie adapted well to discovering that Jace was wolf shifter. Her initial reaction was typical of what one would expect discovering that paranormal beings existed. But then has she gradually began to accept it, both she and Jace got caught up in dangerous situation involving a psychotic vampire. This aspect of the story will keep readers on the edge of their seats.
Jace and Cassie’s relationship developed at the pace one has come to expect from paranormal romances and it also came with its share of challenges and complications. The characters piqued my interest and they along with Jace and Cassie’s treacherous situation kept me reading. The story ended on a good note in terms of Jace an Cassie’s relationship. However, there are a lot of unanswered questions regarding the villain and her motives.
Fever Claim provided a good start to the series. It showcased an intriguing world which I am eager to visit again. That being said I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
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Danger is closing in. This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.
Title: Falling Hard
Author(s): Kaylea Cross
Series: Crimson Point Protectors #1
Published by Kaylea Cross Inc. on March 29, 2022
Pages: 276
Genre(s): Romantic Suspense
Source: Purchase
Format: eBook
Purchase: Amazon
Reading Challenges: 2023 Thrifty Thursday Reading Challenge, 2023- Coyer
Rating:
Series Rating:
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Kerrigan Whitaker has spent the past two years reinventing herself into the strong, independent woman she’s always wanted to be, and running her first ultra marathon is the chance to prove to herself and everyone else how far she’s come. Her failed marriage made her wary of relationships, so she’s not ready to get involved with anyone else. Not even the man she secretly fantasizes about—who also happens to be her brother’s best friend. But when people she works closely with are murdered, she goes to the only place she feels safe—Crimson Point, and the man who tempts her like no other.
And the killer is closer than they realize.
Air National Guard Pararescueman Travis Masterson loves his career and has dedicated his life to saving and protecting others. There’s only one thing missing. Kerrigan—but she’s determined to keep walls up between them. He understands why she’s gun shy, but he can’t let her go. Not when every instinct is screaming that she’s it for him. After a shocking attack leaves her in the crosshairs of a cold-blooded killer, Travis is the only one who can save her. With her life in his hands, he’ll risk it all to stop the killer and protect the woman he can’t live without.
Falling Hard by Kaylea Cross is the first book in her romantic suspense series, Crimson Point Protectors. In this installment Cross took plunged her readers in a world of vengeance, corruption and betrayal.
In this the first book of the Crimson Point Protectors readers are introduced to Kerrigan Whittaker and Travis Masterson. Travis works a physician’s assistant and also serves as a Air National Guard Pararescue officer.
The story hidden between the pages takes the reader on several paths. Paths which covered search and rescue, romance between Kerrigan and Travis and a workplace controversy resulting in the murder of two employees and an attempt made on Kerrigan’s life.
The story featured a slow burn romance. Travis is in love with Kerrigan. However, he doesn’t pursue her for two reasons. She is his best friend’s sister and she’s yet to overcome the issues of emotional abuse from her previous marriage. He, however is unaware that she feels the same way. Although she reciprocates Travis’s feelings, fear held her back from declaring same. I loved seeing these two coming together. I especially loved when Kerrigan finally refused to let her fears get in the way of her having a relationship with Travis.
The suspense which took sometime to build up add intensity to the last quarter of the story. Figuring out the source of danger dogging Kerrigan’s doorsteps and their plan of attack didn’t require an extensive use of brain power. Cross neatly laid out the clues from start to finish. Despite the predictability of the situation one will find themselves turning the pages to see the culmination of the events and learning the outcome for all parties involved.
Although not as suspenseful as other books I’ve read for the author, I enjoyed my journey with Kerrigan and Travis. One can easily guess which character the second book relates to and I am looking forward to picking it up next.
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Thrifty Thursday is hosted by Books Of My Heart and the purpose of Thrifty Thursday is to read a book which was free at some point. Both books are currently free
About Kaylea Cross
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kaylea Cross writes edge-of-your-seat military romantic suspense. Her work has won many awards, including the Daphne du Maurier Award of Excellence. A Registered Massage Therapist by trade, Kaylea is also an avid gardener, artist, Civil War buff, Special Ops aficionado, belly dance enthusiast and former nationally-carded softball pitcher. She lives in Vancouver, BC with her husband and family.
About Marie Johnston
Marie Johnston is a RITA® Finalist, and a best-selling and award-winning writer of paranormal and contemporary romance – and an avid reader of them both. Several years ago, when kids started outnumbering adults in the house, Marie Johnston left her job as a public health microbiologist to stay at home. Settling into working part-time and shuttling kids around gave Marie the opportunity to think about what she wanted to be when she grew up. A die-hard science geek, she explored her previously thought to be non-existent creative side after much time spent making snowman crafts and coloring princesses. Having entertained thoughts of writing a book one day then subsequently deciding it would be too hard, she finally put the figurative pen to paper and began to type – and fell in love with story telling. The Sigma Menace is the first series by Marie with Fever Claim being her first book EVER. She is humbled by the fact that people are willing to read to her books and looks forward to keeping readers entertained for many years. Marie lives with her husband and four kids in North Dakota where the summers are gorgeous, the winters are brutal, and spring and fall are luxuries.
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
I have not read anything by Johnston. I love Kaylea Cross and have read lots of her books. I have this one as a freebie but I just finally finished The original Crimson Point series, so I’ll get to this one sometime. Thanks so much for sharing and participating
Nice, thrifty fines Nadene. I enjoy both genres. Not sure how I feel about him sleeping with her if she had too much to drink.
Thanks Kim. I wasn’t a fan of it either but she was aware of of the incident. So I guess she wasn’t completely out of it.