Eden Baylee

Each book I've read set in the Lei Crime World series has been absolutely awesome. Eden Baylee's "A Snake in Paradise" is no exception. Set along a timeline concurrent with one of Toby Neal's books, this novella moves along at a great pace. We are introduced to Lainey Lee, a newly divorced woman who is just coming into her own. While Lei and the gang are investigating murders on their island, Lainey runs into a crime of her own on the Big Island. It was wonderful to see how, even through the difficult experiences that Lainey encounters, she comes out the other side a much stronger, more confident woman. This is a great addition to the Lei Crime series; however, I would hope that Ms. Baylee might consider writing more about such a great character as Lainey Lee. She certainly deserves her own book.

**I was given a free copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review**… (más)

Madelaine Lee is a forty-something recently divorced woman, who is finally spreading her wings after spending way too many years trapped in a loveless marriage. For her fresh start in life, Madelaine is determined to make some changes about herself that will make her feel like an entirely new person. She changes her name to Lainey, and does something that she is absolutely sure her old self would never even have contemplated: she gets an intriguing, artistic and intricately done tattoo on her back and books a dream vacation to Hawaii.

Yes, Lainey has always dreamed of going to Hawaii. As a matter of fact, she and her new husband Elliot were supposed to go there on their honeymoon trip, only it never happened. Now, in what Lainey sees as a poetic twist of fate, she is finally making the trip by herself - twenty-seven years later - as a gift to herself following a messy divorce.

Once she arrives on the Big Island, Lainey finds herself in absolute heaven - a true paradise of white sand beaches and brilliantly blue skies. She is having a truly amazing time, and even finds time for a little flirting and romance. After spending such a long time in a loveless marriage, Lainey is certainly eager to shed her fears and take a chance with Julian - a dashing and mysterious stranger ten years her junior. After all, it seems to Lainey that they shared an instant connection.

However, Lainey will soon find that romantic strolls along white sand beaches and leisurely swims in vibrant turquoise lagoons is not all Hawaii has to offer. Her budding relationship with Julian might prove to be a tempting distraction; a precious but fleeting chance at true love; or a date with the most charming snake in paradise. Will Lainey's Hawaiian vacation ultimately turn out to be a dream come true, or a waking nightmare?

I really enjoyed reading this book; it was fast-paced and subtly dramatic, I enjoyed Ms. Baylee's writing style and her development of such strong yet sympathetic characters. I give this book an A+! and I am eagerly waiting to read more from this author in the future.

This is actually the first book by Eden Baylee that I've read; although at 67 pages long, it really should be classified as more of a novella. In fact, this is the fourth of eight recently released Kindle World Novellas set within the Lei Crime Series that I've had the pleasure of reading. I still have Hidden Poppies by M. L. Doyle set on my TBR pile and ready to read.… (más)

Madelaine Lee - a divorced bank fraud management consultant - has spent the past year and several months dreaming about returning to Hawaii. Despite the terror she experienced during her last trip there, Lainey cannot deny that the beauty of the island paradise still calls to her. She imagines that the ancient jungles of Kauai could provide the perfect setting for self-discovery.

To celebrate her upcoming fiftieth birthday, Lainey decides to treat herself by booking another trip to Hawaii. This time she is returning in the capacity of mentor and guide for a silent meditation course on the Coconut Coast. Twenty-five women - including her best friend's troubled eighteen-year-old daughter, Kristin - will be under her care for the next ten days in a beautiful and remote location.

Lainey expects to find inner peace - for herself, as well as for the students under her tutelage. For the next few days, the ladies are introduced to the basics of meditation and set on the correct path toward enlightenment. However, four days into the course, one of the meditation students - Kristin - disappears without a trace...

As Lainey frantically tries to discover what happened to the girl, her mind is filled with numerous questions. Did Kristin leave of her own volition, or was she lured away somehow? Lainey is desperate for answers to these questions - especially when she learns of the existence of a secretive community calling itself 'TruthWay'. Ostensibly, 'TruthWay' seems to be hosting a course fairly similar to Lainey's - open to anyone who might be seeking spiritual enlightenment - yet, she can't help but be slightly suspicious of the community's cult-like behavior.

As her desperation grows, she finds help from an unexpected source - a retired Navy SEAL named Maximillian Scott. Now, Lainey has two mysteries to solve: what actually happened to the missing teenager and can she possibly overcome her fear of what happened to her in the past. Can Lainey ever trust a man again?

This is actually the second novella that I've read by Ms. Baylee and I must say that I absolutely loved it. I loved the plot of the story, and appreciated that even though the novella was written within the same world as Toby Neal's Lei Crime Series, it was an entirely new and different story. I enjoyed reading another mystery featuring such a strong character as Lainey Lee - I could really appreciate how much she had grown since I read A Snake in Paradise in May of 2015. I give this novella an A+!

In fact, this is the second of six recently released Kindle World Novellas set within the Lei Crime Series that I've had the pleasure of reading. I still have three more novellas from the July of 2015 batch of releases set on my TBR pile and ready to read. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.… (más)

Seal of a Monk by Eden Baylee

Lainey Lee returns to Hawaii for a mediation class to try to find inner peace. A few days later one of the mediators disappears. With the help of a retired Navy Seal, Max they try to find the missing woman.

Lainey is very likable, she is getting over a divorce and the horrors of her last Hawaiian visit. I liked Max too, could he possibly be the one to steal her heart?

The story moves at an even pace, with drama, suspense and a splash of romance. The characters are well developed,the plot is original, and the Hawaiian setting exotic. Overall I felt SEAL OF A MONK was very enjoyable and readers of any genre will enjoy it as well.… (más)