Welcome to the Best of 2020 Love Bytes Reviewers’ Choices. Here at Love Bytes, we reviewed everything from contemporary romance to fantasy, paranormal, historical, adventure, mystery, comedy and everything in between. Each day for the next few weeks, we will feature one of our reviewer’s top picks from books and audio books published in 2020. With thousands of fantastic new books each year, written by hundreds of creative and talented authors, it’s so difficult to narrow our lists down. We all have many favorite authors not featured here and wish we could acknowledge them all.

 

Cheryl K’s 2020 Favorites

 

Maddie: A Hamilton’s Heroes story (Hamilton’s Heroes series #3) by Annabella Michaels

This is beautifully written story about Maddie and Graham.  Maddie is looking for a new path for his life, after having had his fill with politics. Graham is hiding from the world with his job.  As Graham’s father is set to retire, he forces Graham to handle his retirement party.  Where he meets the event planner – Maddie.  Their story is just a sweet, low angst story about second chances in life.

 

The Devil Inside by Nicky James

There is so much I want to say about this book.  I do not even know where to begin.  This book is off the charts good.  I have found that Nicky James does not shy away from difficult subjects.  When she takes on a subject, you can be guaranteed an emotional, emotional ride. This book deals with gay conversion therapy, suicide, self-harm, and substance abuse, just to mention a few of the biggies.  Topics that are not comfortable to read or write and that made this book extra special to me.

 

Ride the Lightning (Sinister in Savannah #1) by Aimee Nicole Walker

Review

I love this series; it revolves around a group of friends that have a true crimes podcast.  Book one focuses on Jonah and Avery.  Jonah works for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and Avery is his intern.  I love how Aimee constructs hew worlds and the mysteries that inhabit those worlds.

 

In the Solace (Metahuman Files # 6) by Hailey Turner

As the final, full length novel, in this series, I could not wait to get my hands on this one.  I was not disappointed.  This book is the culmination and swan song for all the couples mentioned in the previous five books.  But in true Hailey Turner fashion, you do not just get the HEA.  She makes you work for it and this one is no exception. A wedding, a royal family, and intrigue, the perfect combination for me.

 

 

My Whole World (Joker’s Sin #1) by Davidson King

Davidson tackled a new series in 2020, this one focuses on another group of men in Haven Hart and I just love her gritty worlds.  Mystery, intrigue, and violence are central themes in this story, which is really the type of stories I love to read.

 

 

 

Deacon by Nicholas Bella

Well, I love Nicholas Bella stories.  He pulls no punches, and this world is violent, gritty and sexy all rolled into one.  Deacon is the Alpha Werewolf, and he rules with an iron fist.  This character comes from Nicholas’s New Haven Series and is a spectacular look into Deacon’s life and how he ended up the way he did.

 

 

Lords of Discord Series by Jocelyn Drake

Yep, I loved this entire series.  Who doesn’t love angsty vampires and their mates?  What made this series different for me is how the guys each have a musical instrument talent and unique special gifts.  This series also has a underlying story line that takes all the books in this series to resolve.

 

Forever (Always and Forever #2) by Kindle Alexander

If you have read the heart wrenching first book in this series, Always, you will love this story as much as I did.  This book picks up after the deaths of the MC’s in Always.  This book follows how the second generation moves on from tragedy and how they get their forever HEA’s.  Every once in awhile I need a real tearjerker and this one fits the bill.

 

 

Ghost Walk (Haunted Souls #9)

Dead of Winter (Cold Case Psychic #15) by Pandora Pine

I love these series so much, the cast of characters from both series are the same, but each series focuses on a specific set of MC couples.  Haunted Souls is all about Jude and Cope, whereas Cold Case Psychic is all Tennyson and Ronan.  These series quench my need for paranormal mysteries and sexy, hot men.