The Sweetheart Mystery by Cheryl Ann Smith

Harper Jane Evans is so over pro cheerleading but she’s not quite ready for prison. Good thing she’s got a badass ex-boyfriend ready to go to bat for her...

Sure, Harper made a few unsavory threats against her team’s manager—she’d had a few drinks and she despised the skimpy uniform he expected her to wear. That didn’t mean she wanted him dead. But when the sleazy dude is found murdered in his tighty whiteys, Harper is the number one suspect—and former FBI agent Noah Slade is the one man who can help. Too bad she once told Noah she never wanted to see him again...

Noah may have done a number on Harper’s heart all those years ago, but he’s determined to do right by her now. Yet the fiery beauty isn’t the only demon from his past, which makes hunting down a murderer by her side... complicated—never mind the powerful attraction still pulsing between them. Good thing he’s willing to do just about anything to keep from losing Harper again. And an old love just might bring her a new career—assuming she can stay out of jail...

Book 4
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Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the fourth in the series and I really would recommend that you start at the beginning. These books are fun, have crazy plots, and satisfyingly lovely romances too. I was a little confused initially that the lead, Harper, was not a member of B&B, but Ms. Smith makes it all work out in the end, and it made perfect sense!

The descriptions of Harvey are hilarious, and Harriet... well just wait and find out. The strength of this book lies not only with Harper and Noah, although they are a great team, but with the rich array of crazy and mixed-up side characters who keep the plot moving apace, and ensure that there is a smile on the face of the reader.

If you are looking for something lighthearted, fun, and happily romantic, then this is perfect (it does start with a murder, but only as a key plot device).

Also Available in the Brash & Brazen Series

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo

For reviews & more info, check out our The Sweetheart Racket post.

Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo

For reviews & more info, check out our The Sweetheart Game post.

Book 3
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo

For reviews & more info, check out our The Sweetheart Kiss post.

A fan of romance fiction since the dark ages, Cheryl Ann Smith loves to throw her heroines into danger, just to see what they’ll do. She’s currently working on an exciting new contemporary romance series that mixes her crazy sense of humor with the adventures of a trio of female PIs who are the kick-ass heroines Cheryl has always wanted to be.

Cheryl lives in Michigan with her family, and when she isn’t writing, she dreams of living in a grass hut on her own tropical island. Since that’s unlikely to happen, she looks forward to any vacation that gets her near an ocean.

Connect with Cheryl

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of The Sweetheart Mystery (Brash & Brazen #4) by Cheryl Ann Smith to read and review.

The Sweetheart Kiss by Cheryl Ann Smith

Jess Lucas works hard at the all-female PI firm Brash & Brazen, and after a brush with death, she’s determined to play hard too—preferably with a certain detective on the Ann Arbor police force...

Jess was stuck at a frenemy’s wedding, playing bridesmaid in a mustard-yellow monstrosity, when chaos erupted. First the bride’s ex tried to stop the wedding. Then someone really put a damper on the big day by sending a bullet through a stained glass window and into one of the groomsmen. At least her ugly dress came in handy to stop the bleeding...

While the poor guy is rushed to the ER, Jess gets grilled by a gorgeous cop who’s not thrilled to learn she’s part PI and part pit bull. But he has to admit she’s highly observant... and he observes that she’s pretty hot, too.

The thing is, Jess was walking up the same aisle as the victim, and Sam suspects she was the real target. It’s more than professional duty that makes him want to protect her—if he doesn’t arrest her first for interfering in his investigation...

Book 3
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the third in the series, and is just as good as the previous two! I would definitely recommend that you read them all, and whilst this could be a standalone, it is much better when read in order. This Charlie's Angel-like group of women are just so much fun.

The setup for this story with Jess in a truly awful bridesmaid dress in a wedding where she doesn't even want to be, then the guy in front of her gets shot, is just the start of the crazy. Lucky for Jess (and for Sam), Sam works out that she is the one who needs protection and takes it upon himself to do just that – in fact, they can hardly peel themselves off each other. The mystery is worth a read, let alone the super-hot romance in the making.

For a really good fun and sexy read, pick up this book and enjoy. Thanks for another great installment, Ms. Smith.

Also Available in the Brash & Brazen Series

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo

For reviews & more info, check out our The Sweetheart Racket post.

Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo

For reviews & more info, check out our The Sweetheart Game post.

A fan of romance fiction since the dark ages, Cheryl Ann Smith loves to throw her heroines into danger, just to see what they’ll do. She’s currently working on an exciting new contemporary romance series that mixes her crazy sense of humor with the adventures of a trio of female PIs who are the kick-ass heroines Cheryl has always wanted to be.

Cheryl lives in Michigan with her family, and when she isn’t writing, she dreams of living in a grass hut on her own tropical island. Since that’s unlikely to happen, she looks forward to any vacation that gets her near an ocean.

Connect with Cheryl

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of The Sweetheart Kiss (Brash & Brazen #3) by Cheryl Ann Smith to read and review.

The Sweetheart Game by Cheryl Ann Smith

As a former cheerleader turned member of an all-female PI firm, Summer O'Keefe knows how to flirt with sexy bad boys and take down dangerous bad guys. But sometimes it can be tricky to tell the difference…

Summer's new neighbor, Jason Parker, has gorgeous eyes and a mighty cute butt. He'd be a good choice to put an end to her romantic dry spell…if she hadn't spotted him in the middle of the night, burying something—or someone?—in his backyard. Not to mention his distinct resemblance to the international arms dealer she's tracking online. Either way, he's definitely wanted…

Jason has a few secrets, and he's not sharing them with the slightly nutty Summer—at least not yet. Though he's finding it hard to say no to her, with her scrumptious curves and impressive computer skills. He's so far gone he's even taken in a pregnant cat, just to see the smile on Summer's face. But when a local woman disappears, it's time for them to team up and use their combined brains, brawn, and beauty to crack the case…

Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the second book in the series, and whilst it involves another of the team at Brash & Brazen, it does follow on, and would be better read as a follow on. Summer is the lead PI in this story. These stories are full of fun and craziness, and one can almost visualise them as a TV series, because they are so full of larger than life people – from Irving and Alvin to Summer's neighbours, Sandie the real estate agent, and many more.

I really liked the parallel plots which give Summer and her new neighbour, Jason, a chance to both understand and misunderstand each other. The fact that we know some underlying things about each of them, which neither of them know about each other, also helps to ramp up the crazy. As things come to a head, and these two people who are very cautious about love start to recognise how they feel about each other, it is almost impossible to put the book down. Thank goodness that Jess still has her story to be told, as I would like to know just how things go forward!

Also Available in the Brash & Brazen Series

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo

For reviews & more info, check out our The Sweetheart Racket post.

A fan of romance fiction since the dark ages, Cheryl Ann Smith loves to throw her heroines into danger, just to see what they’ll do. She’s currently working on an exciting new contemporary romance series that mixes her crazy sense of humor with the adventures of a trio of female PIs who are the kick-ass heroines Cheryl has always wanted to be.

Cheryl lives in Michigan with her family, and when she isn’t writing, she dreams of living in a grass hut on her own tropical island. Since that’s unlikely to happen, she looks forward to any vacation that gets her near an ocean.

Connect with Cheryl

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of The Sweetheart Game (Brash & Brazen #2) by Cheryl Ann Smith to read and review.

The Sweetheart Racket by Cheryl Ann Smith

They used to be on the sidelines. Now they’re out in the field…

Two years ago, Taryn Hall was a pro football cheerleader—until she left her lecherous boss with a bloody nose and a faceful of Mace. Now she’s part of a different kind of squad. An elderly billionaire named Irving has hired and trained Taryn and her two best friends to work as private investigators…

Taryn loves the job, though it sometimes involves boring stakeouts, dog bites—and listening to Irving talk about his golf shoes. Then tattooed, steely-eyed, straight-up gorgeous undercover DEA agent Rick Silva walks into the office and shakes thing up…

Rick needs help finding the con artist who’s taken his lonely mother for all she was worth. With multiple aliases and multiple victims, it will be a challenge to track down the coldhearted gigolo. And Rick insists on accompanying Taryn on the hunt, working closely, day and night.

This could be dangerous. And the case might be kind of risky, too…

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Sarah – ☆☆☆☆
This is a fun private investigator romp. With a wink and a nod to Charlie’s Angels, three female private investigators head up an agency run by a slightly mysterious older man. The first story focuses on Taryn. She’s a former professional cheerleader, a bitter divorcee, and a terrifying driver. She works with Rick, a gorgeous DEA agent, to find the con man who swindled his mother.

Fans of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum stories will recognise the slapstick, silly humour and will love this author’s sense of the ridiculous. A cast of zany characters surround Rick and Taryn and I really loved the author’s imagination. From peeping Tom frat boy neighbours to the hitman houseguest receiving anger management therapy, this story is full of delightful, unexpected moments and characters.

I’m sure serious mystery lovers will pick holes in the plot, but the charm of this story is the characters and relationships. Taryn is a little bit insane but always fun and her approach to crime solving is slightly unorthodox. There is some heat between Taryn and Rick, but also friendship and humour. There are a couple of slightly steamy scenes (including one in a dumpster), but all Rick and Taryn’s intimate moments tastefully fade to grey.

This is a fabulous, light-hearted antidote to the dark and gloomy Scandi noir trend in mystery writing. The author has set the scene for a great series and I’m already looking forward to the next book.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is a fun read, with a strong nod to a certain billionaire and his three beautiful angel detectives. I am looking forward to getting all the girls' stories!

The pace is fast, the chemistry is energetically heated, and the plot is fun. It made for a good read on many levels – as a mystery, as a gaining redress for women scorned, and a feisty romance. There are crazy student neighbours; the arrival of Aaron and his cooking abilities; let alone the mad woman and her sons...jammed packed with fabulously silly events. It would be difficult not to laugh and enjoy this mad romp of a book.

I like how the issue of location and future was dealt with, and though it was in essence sweet, it wasn't too syrupy. I am definitely looking out for the next installment.

A fan of romance fiction since the dark ages, Cheryl Ann Smith loves to throw her heroines into danger, just to see what they’ll do. She’s currently working on an exciting new contemporary romance series that mixes her crazy sense of humor with the adventures of a trio of female PIs who are the kick-ass heroines Cheryl has always wanted to be.

Cheryl lives in Michigan with her family, and when she isn’t writing, she dreams of living in a grass hut on her own tropical island. Since that’s unlikely to happen, she looks forward to any vacation that gets her near an ocean.

Connect with Cheryl

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of The Sweetheart Racket (Brash & Brazen #1) by Cheryl Ann Smith to read and review.