Member Reviews

Pivot is an anthology with authors Kat Martin, Rebecca Zanetti and Alexandra Ivy. I know these three writers although it has been a long time since my last read of one of Kat’s books.

The three novellas are linked to each other and I have to say, the work is well done. Kat Martin is the one who gets the ball rolling with the reissue of Against the heart which was first published in 2014. The novella is the starting point of the common thread of the entire anthology. Indeed the two other writers wrote their own story with Kat’s characters.
Each story is also a part of other series from the authors. Therefore, they set themselves this double challenge but they succeeded at them hands down. Indeed, their onw series are perfectly included in this anthology.

Against the heart by Kat Martin tells the story of Merriweather « Meri » Jones and Ian Brodie. Meri is a young single mother who flees the father of her daughter. She arrives in a small town where she finds a refuge and a work thanks to Ian who needs help with the renovation of his father’s house. But Ian also came home to reawaken his father’s taste of life. Indeed, the latter let himself go since the death of his wife.
The heroes are attracted to each other from the beginning but the relation between the heroine and Ian’s father is very tense because of the latter’s behavior. Thanks to Meri’s daughter, little by little, the tension calms down.
The romantic suspense side is linked to Meri’s past. I liked this story a lot as well as the relationship between the characters. I found the resolution of the suspense a bit too fast though but overall it was an excellent read.
The story is a part of The Brodies of Alaska series which has 3 other long stories.

In Shaken by Rebecca Zanetti, we have the reunion between Michelle Peach, a comic drawer, and Evan Boldon, ex-marine who is now sheriff in a small town. They were madly in love when they were young but the hero’s dangerous missions and the heroine’s need of stability were incompatible with their relationship and they split a few years ago. Evan is Ian’s ex buddy and Michelle is Meri’s best friend. The story takes place when Michelle is assaulted by Meri’s daughter’s father. The rest of the story takes place at the same time as Against the heart.
The suspense is focused on two facts : the villain from the previous story and some new characters whom I won’t give the names. The story was very orginal. Rebecca chose to set her story in the litterary world. The heroes are looking for Michelle’s computer where there is a comic from a famous drawer that is not published yet. The culprit who has the computer needs money and threatens to spread the story on Internet before the release date. We all know the problems for the artist and the publisher. Plus, Rebecca talks about the Comic-Con, a famous anual event in the comic books field.
The suspense side and the romance side were well lead but I was frustrated by the pursuit of one of the characters who often easily slipped out of their hands. On the other hand, there are a lot of twists in the story but we have all our answers when we close the book.
The story is a part of Dee pops series which has 2 long stories and a novella. I reviewed all of them. There is also a bonus in Shaken : two of my favorite characters of Dark protectors series.

Echoes of the past by Alexandra Ivy closes the anthology and the series with one of Kat’s characters. The story takes place shortly afterwards the end of the two previous stories. Alexandra used the reunion theme but in this one, the hero is the only one responsible for their break-up two years ago. The book tells the story of Melanie Cassidy who is the head of a community center, and Gray Hawkins who is a detective. Their reunion takes place when the heroine is threatened by two gangster and the hero must protect the son of one of the villains from Against the heart. I found again that the romantic suspense side was well treated and there is a good balance between the romance and the suspense. I loved the relationship between the heroes although in my opinion, Gray doesn’t grovel enough. LOL The suspense is focused on the research of some dirty cops. The readers know who they are but not the heroes. The story perfectly fits with the two previous novellas.
The story is a part of The Agency series which has 4 long novels which I reviewed.

To conlude, Pivot is a very good anthology where everything is linked and the interaction between all the characters from the three novellas is impressive. The biggest work was done by Alexandra and Rebecca who had to create a new story and include all Kat’s characters in their novellas. None of the characters, heroes and villains, are set aside and the heroes help each other. Kat is not outdone because her story allowed two more volumes by different writers. Yet it was not easy especially when the novella has been published 6 years ago. If these three writers publish other anthologies in the future, I won’t miss them.

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Three of the biggest names in romantic suspense have a really cool book out this month called PIVOT. Rebecca Zanetti, Kat Martin and Alexandra Ivy have woven three stories about childhood friends, Meri, Michelle and Melanie, who are all on the run and on edge because of dangerous men, threats and corruption. These women are smart, empowered and strong, and reliant on no man to save the day. The men who capture their hearts are worthy, and heroic and likable. I enjoyed the way Martin, Zanetti and Ivy connected the storylines and lives of the characters … this is a format I’d like to see again.

*Originally published at Frolic: https://frolic.media/march-must-read-romantic-suspense/

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Three women in three different stories filled with action and romance that only authors Kat Martin, Alexandra Ivy and Rebecca Zanetti can bring their readers.

PIVOT according to the dictionary is a turning point that causes something important to happen. To Meri, Michelle and Melanie that is exactly what happens to them. There comes a point in life when a choice or decision will change things drastically.

These are really fantastic reads that will have your heart jumping in your throat at times and other times you will sigh with the joy and romance that comes to these deserving women.

Annetta Sweetko, reviewer for Fresh Fiction

Complete review may be found at: http://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=70352

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Pivot features 3 novellas, one each from Kat Martin, Rebecca Zanetti and Alexandra Ivy. What I liked about the novellas was that each story was slightly connected to the next one and the novellas also connected back to other series by the authors.

Against the Heart - Kat Martin
Meri Jones is on the run from her ex with her four year old daughter when she runs out of money and gas in a small town in Oregon. There she meets Ian Brodie who hires her to clean his father’s house. As Meri and Ian become closer the danger from Meri’s past has discovered where she is.
Against the Heart is actually the prequel to the Brodies of Alaska series (and has been previously published. I thought the story was good, if a bit too sweet, which can happen in novella size stories. 3 stars.

Shaken - Rebecca Zanetti
Michelle Peach (friend of Meri Jones) was minding her own business in her apartment when two men break in and threaten her. Coming to her rescue is her ex Evan Boldon. They grew up together in foster care and were each other’s first love, until Evan left her for the military years ago. Now he’s back to keep her safe.
I think this novella was my favourite of the three, mainly for the fact that Clarence Wolfe from the Deep Ops series makes a guest appearance to help Evan keep Michelle safe. I can’t wait to read more of his story in his own book coming out in the next few months. 4 stars.

Echoes from the Past - Alexandra Ivy
When Melanie Cassidy sees two men trying to kidnap one of her young students she does what any sane person would: rams the kidnappers car, rescue the boy and run away. Aiding her in her getaway is her former love, Seattle Detective Gray Hawkins (friend of Ian Brodie), who broke her heart years before.
Gray is investigating potential dirty cops within the Seattle PD when he comes across Melanie. Gray is determined to not only help Melanie by keeping her safe but by also winning back her heart.
This was a quick romantic suspense read that I really enjoyed. So much so, that I’m going to continue reading the other books in The Agency series by Alexandra Ivy. 3.5 stars.
Overall this was a great collection of romantic suspense novellas by a great collection of authors. Average rating overall: 4 stars.

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PIVOT is a fabulous collaboration between three exceptional authors to bring readers an edge of your seat, action-packed, adrenaline inducing thrill ride. Each story can easily standalone but reading them collectively is an awe-inspiring adventure. I loved every word written and was captivated by the ease with which the authors transition from one story to the next. While I’m not sure if the Ivy and Martin stories are part of their series, I was enraptured with Zanetti’s edition to her heart-pounding Deep Ops series, and I’m now anxious for the release of Broken. I highly recommend this exciting collection to lovers of romantic suspense, and I hope you are equally entertained by these amazing stories.

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I am not normally a fan of a book written by several authors. This one is an exception! I love the way the stories flow together and interconnect. There’s crime, drama, intrigue and love. What’s not to love?!

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An interesting trio of interconnected novellas by three good storytellers featuring three women on the run. Meri, Melanie, and Michelle (I sort of wish they didn't all have M names) grew up together. Each of them is now facing a problem- and each has a law enforcement love interest (well, ex- love interest initially). They are good examples of romantic suspense and the pared down format is fine. Each story can stand alone but there are characters which appear throughout (you should read them in order). it's a good way to dip into the writing of these three authors. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

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This was provided as an ARC from Netgalley for an honest review. The opinions are my own.
Absolutely amazing. This anthology is well read. The best was Zanetti’s new sets addition to hr Deep Ops series. Michelle Peach is need of help and it comes in the form of her first love. They navigate the world of crime and old wounds with perfectly. I really enjoyed the look into Wolfe as a character and wait for his book.
In Martin’s Against the Heart Meri is both strong and vulnerable. I enjoyed how she found her courage to protect her daughter and the chemistry between her and Ian was authentic. As they grew closer, Ian’s protective tendencies towards both Meri and Lily were heartwarming.
In the last novella, Melanie’s story was good. My only complaint is that the plot was similar to others if the genre and I enjoy more suspense. However, that does not take away from the great job the author did of developing the plot line or showing great chemistry between Mel andGray. I highly recommend this book.

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Very interesting read! I requested this book because Kat Martin is one of my favorite authors. I really liked how the book was put together. It's three different novellas by different authors but the stories intermingle, making it seem like one book. It was different but I enjoyed it. All the authors did a nice job in keeping the reader entertained and the story feeling consistent.

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In Pivot we have the works of 3 wonderful authors Kat Martin, Alexandra Ivy and Rebecca Zanetti in one book. Each story by said authors intermingles with each other, thus eventhough the stories are short it still feels like a full length book.

We have 3 heroines Meri, Michelle and Melanie, stories about them meeting their men and how it changed their lives. I enjoyed each of the stories, it is difficult for me to choose my ultimate favourite although I do have to point out that out of the 3 authors, Rebecca Zanetti is my favourite. The stories were all written, they are funny with a dash of mystery and sexy at the same time. I was never bored and feel like skipping pages when reading them.

I received a copy via Netgalley, as always my views above are all my own.

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KatMartin is one of my favorite authors. I found her when I read her Brody,s of Alaska books. Her stories are very entertaining and Pivot was no exception. I really enjoyed it. It has everything you could want. Romance, suspense and even some humor. My favorite in the book was the first story but they were all good. Pivot is a ride full of thrills that you’ll find hard to put down, if you like Romantic Suspense, Kay Martin will not disappoint!

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Pivot takes three authors, each with their own built worlds and intermingles them in three novellas. Overall good reads that are fast paced and cohesive. None of them stand out but they were enjoyable. I give this a solid three stars because I liked it. I had a minor pet peeve where the guys knew each other and the girls knew each other but some how they met their respective partners not through each other but by random chance across multiple states. That was just a little to neat for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an ARC. This is an honest review.

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What a great read! Leaves you wanting more. 3 short stories by 3 great authors. Against the Heart by Kat Martin, Shaken by Rebecca Zanetti, and Echoes of the Past by Alexandra Ivy. All 3 are tied together with one thread and all three can be read as a standalone. Suspense, Romance, and strong women! YES, I absolutely loved the cameos in Shaken. Those of you who read Rebecca Zanetti know what I am talking about. This is my unsolicited freely shared opinion, Buy it, enjoy! When you want to get away from things and don't have a lot of time, this is a great, quick read. The drawback is you will want to search out these authors for more :) # Netgalley #Pivot #Zebrabooks

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Three short, but great suspense stories.
Each story can be read alone, but the characters are interwoven.
The characters and plots are well developed and flow easily from one to another. This was a great, quick read. Lots of excitement and suspense, with some romance sprinkled in.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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I enjoyed this anthology. The common denominator based on a bad one night stand. Each story was excellent with a happy ending.

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Three intertwined short stories that pack a lot of romance and action in a short amount of time! The three authors did a great job of merging stories and characters. All three write great romantic suspense and this book gives you a great taste that will leave you searching out other works by these authors.

Thanks to the publisher for a review copy via NetGalley.

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Three of my favorite author write 3 separate stories with interconnected characters and storylines. Usually a recipe for disaster but not this time.

I enjoyed reading every single story and wish these three would collaborate again. Excellent!

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This is a book comprised of 3 novellas by 3 different authors. They have a few reoccurring characters in them, that ties the stories together.
The first story, Against the Heart, is by Kat Martin. A very sweet, complete story , just done in a mini version.
The story Shaken, by Rebecca Zanetti, takes place at the same time as Kat Martin's, with some crossover characters. I've never read Ms Zanetti before and really enjoyed her writing style. I loved her 2 main characters, Muchelle and Evan. Wasn't crazy about the storyline with the mom. But all in all a very good novella.
The last story, Echoes of the Past, by Alexandra Ivy, was ok. It felt a little short and rushed. I haven't read any of her books before, so I'm not familiar with the series it's from. I don't know if that would have made a difference or not. I did like her hero and heroine. I did like the story. It just seemed to suddenly end
I want to thank Netgalley for the chance to review this book.

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I volunteered to read and review an advanced readers copy of PIVOT through Netgalley .
I really enjoyed reading this wonderful collection of intertwining stories . Meriwether Jones with her daughter runs to escape her crazy ex-boyfriend .She runs into excop Ian Brodie who hires her to clean his father's home . As feelings grow between them he'll do whatever it takes to keep Meri and her daughter safe .
Melanie Cassidy attempts to save a young boy as two thugs are trying to kidnap him . Melanie's ex Detective Gray Hawkins appears and rescues Melanie and the boy . They soon work together to catch those after Melanie and the boy .
Michelle Peach has a mentally unstable and addict mother who's always causing problems . After two strangers break in and threaten Michelle . Her mother goes on a blackmail binge and Melanie must stop her . Sheriff Evan Boldon also Melanie's ex is gonna help her stop her mother and problems whether she wants his help and protection or not .
These stories are fast paced and fantastic . I highly recommend taking the time to read and enjoy .

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This is a set of three novellas from three different authors with reoccurring characters in each story. My favorite store was Rebecca Zanetti because I loved the return of Wolf and his pets. I love how the dog always manage to get into alcoholic beverages. I am not really fond of novellas because the story line is so rushed with the limited word count, I like the longer books for more character development. The authors did a great job of connecting the different story lines and characters

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