Up until this point I had never read a book by Melinda Leigh, but I must say that I really enjoyed the first book in her new Bree Taggert series. 

This book involved a captivating plot line, it was well paced with plenty of suspense. I really like the main character Bree Taggart and the other lead character Mike who I’m sure we’ll hear a lot of in future books, and so I’m already looking forward to book 2 of this instalment. 

I’d to thank NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this book in return for an open and honest review.

Review for 'Cross Her Heart' by Melinda Leigh 

Read and reviewed via NetGalley 

This book is the first book in the Bree Taggert series and I will definitely be looking forward to reading the next books. 

This book is very fast paced, filled with suspense, mystery, crime and red herrings. It was an explosive start to a new series and a true page turner. 

THE writing was excellent, as is the writing in all Melinda Leigh's books that I have read so far and the descriptions made me feel as if I was in the story with the characters. 

THE characters were all very strong, realistic and I loved them and can't wait to follow their story in her next books. 

THE storyline  itself was very compelling  and included examples of domestic violence, murder and romance. There were flashbacks which tied in perfectly with the plot. I didn't figure out the perp which is always a bonus when it comes to crime novels. 

I would highly recommend this book to anyone especially thise interested in crime, murder, mystery and fans of Melinda Leigh and of books with strong female roles. 

Rated 5/5 on Goodreads and Amazon (I loved it) 

Free on kindle unlimited or £3.98 to purchase. I think this is a very good price for this book. 327 pages long. 

Feel free to add me Goodreads for more reviews

#CrossHerHeart #MelindaLeigh #NetGalley #BookReview

Fast paced, easy to follow murder mystery. Bree, a homicide detective living in Philadelphia, moves back to her home town to solve the mystery of her sisters murder. However, Bree has her own hurdles to overcome, including the horrific death of her parents. Can Bree, with the help of the mysterious Matt, solve the mystery before it’s too late. With realistic, likeable characters you will not want to put the book down.

Bree Taggert is a homicide detective in Philadelphia. One afternoon she receives a panicked voicemail from her younger sister Erin indicating that she is in trouble.   When Erin doesn't answer her phone, Bree rushes back to her hometown. There she finds her dead sister's body in the home of her ex-husband.

This murder brings back memories of Bree’s parents who died in a murder-suicide when she was young. This led to an unhappy childhood and the need to escape from her roots. She wasn't close to her sister and barely knew her niece and nephew.  In spite of their sad history,  Bree decides to help with the investigation. While examining differing leads she puts herself in danger and is never certain who she can trust. 

Cross Her Heart is the first book in a new series by Melinda Leigh. This novel is an engaging mystery with interesting characters and unexpected twists.  I am looking forward to the next book.

5 Stars
Melinda Leigh stars a new series and I am all on board. 
Strong Plot-Check
Strong Storytelling- Check
Plenty of interest in all of the characters- Check

Interest in the next book- Check.

What's not to Love.

For me, reading a Melinda Leigh novel is like sitting down on the sofa and spending time with old friends.  Her latest book, Cross Her Heart, with Detective Bree Taggert, is the same kind of comfortable, enjoyable read.  After a childhood filled with abuse, Bree pursues a career in law enforcement.  When her sister is murdered, she is forced to return to her hometown to care for her sister’s children. With the help of former police officer, Matt Flynn, and his trained dog, Brody, Bree is determined to find her sister’s killer.  Melinda Leigh brings yet another strong female character to life in her newest book and has laid the foundation for another fast-paced, completely entertaining series. I already can’t wait to see what happens in book two!

Love this author so thanks for giving me an ARC.  
As predicted, it was as good as the Morgan Dane series. 
I’ll be looking forward to the next book of this new series.

Bree Taggert is a homicide detective, also troubled by her own violent family past. Her parents died in a murder-suicide and now, more than twenty five years later, her sister Erin is killed. Bree returns to her hometown to investigate her murder and look after her sister's two children. 

Bree teams up with a local ex-police officer, Matt, but they are puzzled by her brother in law, Justin and his disappearance during the investigation. To make matters more complicated, Matt happens to be friends with Justin and he doesn't suspect him as being involved. 

I absolutely love a police procedural and crime fiction, so this was of course really enjoyable for me.  I am so pleased that this is the start of a series and can't wait for more.

I thought this was an excellent book.  I liked the characters, the plot and the ending.  What more might a reader ask.  It has everything that might be wanted in a detective story with a great back story.   As the first of a potential series Bree Taggart is an excellent main character and I look forward to reading  more.

Everything by this author that I have read has been so so good. To the point where I cannot put it down. And this book did not disappoint. The character development and relationships were so intertwined. I couldn’t figure out who the killer was and was so shocked. Just an amazingly well written book.  I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is the first book in a new series by Melinda Leigh and I am excited about Bree Taggert! It seems like Bree is always getting herself into something, so the suspense in this book was great. I fell in love with the characters and loved the road they took us on!

Bree Taggert is a homicide detective that has had her fair share of tough times. Her dark childhood growing up has never left her mind. She still remembers taking her sister and brother to hide under the porch when her dad was mad at her mom and ended up killing both of them in a murder-suicide one night. No child should ever have to go through that, much less have to take care of their siblings as well. 

When Bree gets a call from her sister, Erin, one day and the call ends up getting cut off, she races over to her house. When Bree gets there, she knows somethings is not right. Erin had been shot and killed in much the same way her parents had except that her husband is no where to be found. Bree is determined to find her sister's killer. Bree is determined to find Justin, her sister's husband too. 

When Bree starts out on her road to finding her sisters killer, Justin's old friend, Matt comes to meet Bree to help her. Matt is an ex-detective that has injuries that have sidelined him to being a K-9 handler now. Matt and Bree are determined to work together and find Erin's killer though. When things start happening to Bree though, it seems that someone is determined for her not to be able to do her detective work to her full ability. Bree is going to beat the odds against her though. 

There is a budding romance in this story too but I am not going to tell you between who. You will love the suspense, romance and gripping read in this book. Melinda Leigh has outdone herself with this new series and I can't wait to see what happens next with Bree! Great read!

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book and all opinions are my own. Thanks to Netgally, the author and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.  It kept me gripped from start to finish and I look forward to the next instalment of the series.

The twists and turns were great because I was longing to find out who the killer was and each time there was a hint the story led you in another direction you were not expecting.

Bree is the central to the story.  A solitary figure who kept people at arm’s length due to her complicate life.  However, appearing a cold person there was a sensitivity showing at times and particularly where her siblings and niece and nephew were concerned.

A story which could easily have been true.  I will lookout for the rest of the series with anticipation.

The course of Bree Taggert's life was set the night her father murdered her mother while Bree tried desperately to protect her younger siblings. A Philly homicide detective, she spends her life hunting down men like her father and finding justice for their victims.

Now Bree's sister has been murdered, and she has to go back to the small town where she grew up to take care of her niece and nephew… and find justice for her sister. Her brother in law is missing, accused of the murder, but Bree can't shake the sense that there's more to the crime… particularly since Matt, former K9 handler and best friend of the missing man, is also looking into the case. 

Bree and Matt make a fantastic team, and this is an absolutely stellar start to a new series. Bree has her flaws, but she's an incredibly strong character who it's easy to empathize with, and I was delighted to see she got her just rewards at the end of the book in the form of a job offer that suited her talents. A romance with Matt wasn't more than hinted at, but she was in no emotional condition for one and the ending leaves things open for them as a couple. 

I honestly can't think of the last time I was so excited to read the second book in a series. This is genuinely excellent and I can't wait to see what's next for Bree, Matt and the found family they're gathering around them. Five stars for a fantastic read!

Cross Her Heart was a fantastic start to the Bree Taggert series. Melinda Leigh has created yet another must read series. Bree Taggert is smart, tough as nails, and sensitive. Engaging cast of characters with a thrilling, edge of your seat mystery with a twist! Looking forward to what will happen next! 

*ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review.

Another great book by Melinda Leigh! I always enjoy her books..   Thanks to  NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

Thoroughly enjoyed and couldn’t wait to find out who the killer was! Brilliantly written and highly recommend!

Melinda Leigh is a MUST read author for me. Cross Her Heart is the first book in her new series featuring Bree Taggert. 

It grabs you at the first. Bree is a Homicide Detective in Philadelphia. At the age of 8, her father murdered her mother and then himself leaving, Bree, Erin, her younger sister and Adam, her baby brother, orphans. Erin leaves Bree a voice message. Unable to reach her, Bree heads home. Once there she finds her sister has been murdered. 

The characters are believable. Leigh gave the characters issues and problems that anyone can relate too. Even when the story slowed down, not that it did this much, I was still glued to the book. Leigh kept my attention throughout the whole book. I can't wait to read more about Bree Taggert and the others of Grey's Hollow.

Thanks to Netgalley and Montlake for the copy.

Great introduction for a new series. I connected with the characters and I'm looking forward to other books in this series.

With quarantine in full effect and no sign or indication of when this ordeal will pass, I’ve been getting more than my fair share of reading in lately. I just finished Cross Her Heart by Melinda Leigh. Thank you to @Netgalley and @amazonpublishing for the arc in exchange for my voluntary review.⁣
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This novel centers around Bree Taggert, a homicide detective whose childhood was scarred by the murder-suicide of her parents. Now it’s present day and we learn her younger sister, Erin, was just murdered. The police suspect the culprit was her sister’s husband, Justin, who has now vanished. Is history repeating itself, or was someone else responsible for Bree’s sister’s murder?⁣
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I enjoyed the cozy, wintry feel of this book. The author did a fantastic job with the setting of the story. However, the plot left a lot to be desired. I felt everything in the book ended too neatly tied with a bow. The conclusion seemed to be pulled out of thin air with no real build-up or believable backstory. If or when you read this novel, you may see what I mean. ⁣
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The characters were endearing and I enjoyed the way Bree’s personality was written. I am confused why this book is categorized as a romantic suspense novel when there is barely any romance involved at all. I was actually looking forward to a love story unfolding! Check this book out if you’re looking for a traditional crime novel. It’s a solid first in its series, and I’m looking forward to seeing what the author comes out with next for Bree Taggert’s storyline.⁣

4.5 Stars
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review. I have to say I loved this book the plot twists and well written characters got me hooked from the beginning. I haven’t read anything by this author previously but will certainly read this series.  The book follows the life of Bree Taggert and her siblings Erin and Adam after their father kills their mother and kills himself.    This book is highly recommended and I cannot wait to read more!!