The story continues. I liked the little drama and frustrations. The plot for solving crimes was also interesting. I wish it had a bit more of issues. But the end was very cute. Of course I expected to happen.
Great read.

I’ve been hooked on this series since I listened to the audiobooks narrated by Lori Prince. The audiobook version is coming out in November and I’m anxiously waiting for it.

Manhattan Sloane and her girlfriend Finn Harper left their respective jobs with the San Francisco Police and the DEA and are now working as private investigators. Their first big case is a contract with the City of San Francisco to clean up the police cold cases. Their case will lead them to the unsolved crime of the policeman who rescued Sloane from the car accident that killed her parents and changed her life forever. While trying to solve the case, the pair will face several problems with Finn’s ex, new secrets and corrupted politics.

This is book 3 in the Manhattan Sloane Thriller series that needs to be read in chronological order as there are many details to the story that otherwise you are gonna miss. The whole series is a page-turner so it’s worth catching it up from the beginning. In this installment, there’s relationship drama for Manhattan and Finn, unsolved issues with Manhattan’s former police partner, and the dangers of investigating a cold murder case.

This book picks up a few months where book 2 left and ties some loose ends for both Manhattan and Finn. It’s good to see how these two lovely characters slowly but surely find their way in life. The novel is told from multiple points of view, including one of the villains. This isn’t my favourite style and it took me a bit to get used to it. However, the focus is still mainly on the main couple and their new life together. The author managed to squeeze a few very sexy scenes between them that romance fans are gonna love. The rest is an action-packed and intrigue-filled page-turner. So there’s variety for everyone to enjoy.

Ms. Miller told me that she is planning to write at least another book in this series and I cannot wait to see what’s next for Manhattan, Finn and their family. I’m still hooked on this series. 4.5 stars.

ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Manhattan Sloane and Finn Harper are back together for the third instalment in this crime thriller series. This book is as gripping as the first two books. Sloane and Harper have quit their jobs on the frontline in the force and have gone into partnership and have scored a government job solving cold cases. They find themselves in a political game which could mean the end of their business or the end of all their friend's jobs in the force.
Finn's ex Kadin makes her presence felt in Sloane and Harper's relationship which provides an interesting side story.  I think you need to read the previous book in this series to understand the background of all the characters as this book references their history quite a bit. Overall another great book from this author.

It's not my habit to recap the premise of a novel in my reviews, but I do like to at least share both the strengths and wobbles of the book. Beyond The Smoke is the third in the Manhatten Sloane series, and as such, you'll want to read the other two before this one. Otherwise, you'll be left with questions.

This book focuses on relationships, mostly. Between Finn and Sloane, Reagan and Finn, Finn and Kadin, and the recovery of a fractured friendship. There are more relationships developed and strengthened, but you get the idea. The writing is good and there are quite a few threads tied up neatly, for which I was thankful. A few questions are answered, personal progress is made and some back history comes to the present day.

It may have been just me, but I wanted to smack Reagan and Sloane a few times. To be honest, Finn needed an attitude adjustment too. But the very reasons both Sloane and Finn needed to pull their collective heads out of their asses is the very thing that makes them so realistic. Yes, it would have been nice if they hadn't kept secrets from each other, but that's not realistic, is it? Human beings are imperfect and messy and do stupid things. So did Sloane and Finn. They're impulsive and afraid, just as any of us would be. And so they made some dumb decisions. Reagan is still a teenager, so I understood her attitude.
So while I did not LOVE this novel, I did enjoy the realistic portrayals of cracked and imperfect characters. I did enjoy the resolutions we, and Eric, were given, and I liked that it ended on a positive note.
Thanks, Stacy, I needed that. Good job!

My thanks to Bella Books, Stacy Lynn Miller and NetGalley for the chance to read a book very worthy of 4 stars.

An enthralling lesbian crime novel, it's the third in a series but my first, the first two books are referenced and I want to go and read those now. Sloane and Finn have quit their dangerous jobs and yet trouble is following them in huge amounts. There is a whole dynamic between Finn and her ex Kadin which is annoying and causes Sloane to almost do something stupid, which suggests that their relationship isn't quite as strong as we are being led to believe. I really liked the warmth in the relationship between Sloane's daughter Reagan and Finn's father which interplayed nicely with the wider family dynamics. The crime story is gripping and engaging, this is a real page turner of a book.

With thanks to the publisher and netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

4 stars
Very good end to a 3 book series.
I loved the characters and the mystery was good also.
And the ending/epilogue tied up all, the loose ends.
My only complaint is I didn't see the need for all the Kaydin/Finn situation. If you love and trust someone you stop and listen to the explanation. And I REALLY didn't like the Kaydin transformation to bi. That felt weird.
But the writing is good, the characters are interesting and the mystery solid.

I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I read the second book in this series, From the Ashes, earlier this year and really enjoyed it. Sloane and Finn have had a very tumultuous start to their relationship, to say the least, but it’s definitely been interesting to read!

This book picks up 6 months after Out of the Flames ends. The mystery/thriller side to this book wasn’t as gripping as From the Ashes was, but I still enjoyed it and I think knowing the characters helped with keeping me engaged.

The romance between Sloane and Finn is very sweet. They are completely loved up and would be one of those annoying couples in their early throes of their relationship if you met them IRL, but within the novel it was lovely to read.

All in all, a great third book in the series and I’m interested to see what’s next for Stacy Lynn Miller.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bella Books for a copy of this novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

“Beyond the Smoke” is the latest in the “Manhattan Sloane Thriller” series. It begins about 6 months after the last book “From the Ashes” ends. I would strongly suggest reading these in order as you’ll have a better grasp on these characters and what they’ve been through. Like the others, this is a romantic thriller and I loved this one as much as the others.

Sloane and Finn have quit their dangerous jobs to open an investigation firm. Their first big contract is to go through cold cases for the San Francisco Police Department. Sloane comes across information that sheds some light on someone from her past and she and Finn decide to dig a little deeper. As they get deeper into the case, questions about Sloane’s former partner, Eric, are brought up. Sloane hasn’t forgiven Eric yet and she has to learn to forgive if she wants to move on. They’ll need to work together to solve this case and all the problems it brings up.

I really enjoyed getting back to Sloane and Finn and their friends and family. Miller has connected “Beyond the Smoke” to the previous installments and I liked that we got some answers to things Miller left open in the other books. We also got more background on Sloane’s life and her history with the people she surrounds herself with.

This is a good combination of both the romance and the thriller aspects. Sloane and Finn are growing closer but that doesn’t mean they don’t have issues. I liked that they were open and honest with each other. They’ve learned from their past mistakes and aren’t willing to let each other go despite what or who may try to come between them. The thriller/mystery was fun to read. It’s a cold case this time but it brings problems to their present and puts everyone’s lives on the line once again. This is told from several different point of views so the reader has more information than the characters did and I liked how that worked here. It made it especially rewarding to see it all come together in the end.

I highly recommend this series and that it be read in order. It’s got romance and intrigue in equal measure. It’s well written and gets better with each new release. Miller has said there will be more of Sloane and Finn in the future and I can’t wait to see what lies ahead.

I received an ARC from Bella Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was an enjoyable an read. It was a solid story. Manhattan Sloan and Finn has opened their own private investigating company. They're assign to work cold cases by the major. This leads to Sloan stumbling across an unsolved cold case which involves a police officer with whom she had become close to after her parents accident.
I thought the story was well written. The main characters are are likeable, determined and strong. I must admit that Sloan is always jumping to conclusion. I recommend you grab a copy, you wont be disappointed. 4 stars

I received an ARC copy via NetGalley from the publisher Bella Books in exchange for my honest review.

What an enjoyable read with likable characters. Manhattan Sloane, is a woman on a mission to find answers. She has a tendency to jump to conclusions. Finn Harper, is a woman looking to settle into her new life and family. She has a need to be helpful and she is not always forthcoming. These intelligent women provide an intriguing dynamic as they learn to work together and trust each other. Day-to-day life within a relationship is not easy. There are feelings involved. And when feelings are involved anger and hurt can take place. The growth of Eric, Morgan, Kyler, and Reagan kept the read interesting and entertaining. The various agency politics was such a reminder of why it takes so long to make progress and get things done.

This is the third book in “The Manhattan Sloane Thriller” series by Stacy Lynn Miller. I would definitely say that you would need to have read the first two books in the series to have a firm understanding of the various characters and what has lead them to this point in their lives and the overall investigations.

In Beyond the Smoke, Manhattan Sloane and Finn Harper have started their own investigation firm and have landed a contract with the city of San Francisco to clean up past cold cases. They soon learn that the mayor has motives in wanting them to clean up cold cases so she can clean house at the SFPD, with many of their friends and former colleagues at risk. This book also reveals a test of Sloane's relationship with Eric and on a different level with Finn.

Stacy Lynn Miller's writing was once again quite solid and she continues to evolve in her storytelling abilities. I hope that we see a follow-up book in the near future with Sloane and Finn's friends, Morgan and Kyler. 4 stars.

I received an ARC from Bella Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Beyond the Smoke is the third novel in “The Manhattan Sloane Thriller” series by Stacy Lynn Miller. I’ve been eagerly looking forward to this story ever since I finished the second book in the series. I loved the first two novels, but I think this one might be the best yet.

The third book continues the story of Manhattan Sloane, Finn, Reagan, and Eric fairly soon after the second book ends. Sloane and Finn have started their own private investigation firm hoping to leave behind the danger their former law enforcement occupations put them in. Unfortunately, danger follows them like smoke from a fire. They can’t seem to get away from it.
This story is both a character and plot driven tale. The mystery and intrigue portion of this tale is extremely well-written and kept my interest throughout the novel. What really drew me to this book as well as the first two novels are the characters. I became invested in Sloane, Finn, and all the secondary characters in book one, and that investment has only increased with each novel since. I’ve enjoyed all the mystery, excitement, action, and intrigue in the plots of these books, but I’ve fallen in love with these characters, and want to know what’s happening in their lives. This is the mark of an exceptionally talented author.

All three novels tell a continuing story of these characters lives, so I don’t believe Beyond the Smoke would make a good standalone novel. Having read all three books myself, I can highly recommend you read all of them in order. I was a little afraid this was the last book in the series, but I heard from the author in a recent reading that she plans to write at least one and likely two more Manhattan Sloane novels. I confess, I did a little happy chair dance when I heard this. I’m glad none of you were here to see that. Go read these books so you’ll be ready and waiting for the next one with me.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bella Books for an honest review.

4.25 stars. I’m enjoying this series so much, and it’s good to see that Miller’s writing keeps improving with each book. There is also plenty of character development as the story moves along, especially Sloane is such a loveable character, flaws and all.

This is a series with a continuing storyline, so I strongly advice to read them in order. However, recaps of important happenings from the previous books are given, which is something I greatly appreciate as I tend to forget the details in time. Like in the previous books everything seems linked to Sloane’s past, which made the mystery more personal and it added and extra dimension. Furthermore, where the previous books left some things open at the end, this book tied everything up nicely, which gave a satisfying feeling.

In comparison with the previous books, this has less “on the edge of your seat” action and angsty moments, but there is more attention for Sloane and those around her. Personally, I liked this choice as, no matter how well done, the same thing done over and over becomes boring, this was a nice change. Also, the writing was tighter than the first two books (they were more chaotic and raw) and this perfectly reflects Sloane’s state of mind, as she also becomes more balanced. I have no idea whether this was intended, but these parallels between Sloane’s growth and the writing style really worked for me. There is not only a lot of attention for Sloane, but also for her ex-partner Eric and of course for Finn and Reagan. Also, some (relatively) new characters are introduced, Morgan and Kyler, and I look forward to reading more about them as well. The romance in this series has been complex from the start, and also in this book there are some rocky moments that keep things interesting.

There is one thing I would like to address though, and it is a comment that is not only about this book, because I’ve seen this in (far too many) other books as well and it annoys me greatly. Please authors, do not make your characters drink and drive! As I said it is not something particular for this book, but it stood out to me. Sloane drowns her sorrows and is clearly inebriated, but decides to drive home. This is inexcusable behavior, but perhaps even more for Sloane, she is an ex-cop and she lost her parents in a car crash, she should know better. Then, and this was literally six pages further in the book, Sloane almost explodes from anger when she thinks that the driver that killed her parents might have been drunk. At that point all I could think was “but weren’t you…..” It’s a minor point in the book, but I just had to mention it.

All in all, this series is great and it appears not to be over yet. I'm hoping for at least one more book but I can even see more to come. Both the mystery and the romance part were very well done and if you like mystery romances, I can easily recommend this!

Book three in the Manhattan Sloane series. I suppose you could read this a stand-alone, but I would really advise against it. The major events of book 1 and 2 are recapped and revisited when needed, but having read them fully you will understand this book better. This is a real series, with a continuing storyline and romance.

Sloane an Finn started their own agency and are hired by the new mayor of San Francisco to look into all the cold cases. Morgan, Sloane’s former luitenant, warns them about the mayor is motives. Walls up and spidey senses on the women set out to discover trends in cold cases. Sloane might even find some closure on things that have been bothering her. I won’t tell much about the story because I’ll spoil events of the previous instalments if you haven’t read those.

In typical Sloane fashion she is hasty to jump to conclusions at times, but thoughtful and caring in others. I like both Sloane and Finn and I appreciate that their romance is continuing and evolving. I also like the addition of Morgan and Kyler, maybe we can have a sidequel about them, or something. I can see more books coming in this series and I will happily read them. I love some mystery/crime with my romance. I also think Miller’s writing is improving, it was fine to begin with, but you can tell the author has gained some experience. Solid 4 star read.

Another good Sloane story. Sloane gets involved in a cold case that turns out to have ties to an old friend. This is an investigation into an old cold case with surprising information coming out. And an ex turns up and tries to upset Sloane and Finn's relationship. Good reading

This was the third book in the Manhattan Sloane series. It continued where the second book left off. Much to their family’s delight, Sloane and Finn
opened up their own investigation firm. However, their first big contract with the City of San Francisco proved to be more intense and political than they expected it to be. With the help of new and old friends, the women uncovered answers from the past and dangers in the present.

I was happy to see the author provide a bit of a backstory about Sloane’s life after the crash that altered her life and the reasoning why her father had issues with his mother, as well as the role Bernie played in her decision to ultimately not find Finn.

I liked how the author developed the relationship between some of the secondary characters, especially Morgan and Kyler. Their relationship was so sweet and loving. I wouldn’t mind seeing them play a more prominent role if there’s a next book, alongside Sloane and Finn. The relationship that took on a more emotional tone was the one between the former partners, Sloan and Eric. It was interesting how their relationship came full circle. It was nicely done.

I loved these characters. Separately, Sloane and Finn were two dynamic intelligent women. Yet, when they worked together they became a force of one in thoughts and actions.
Their personal lives, however, took on a bit more drama not only with each other, but also with Reagan and Finn’s relationship. The women handled these situations, especially Finn, exceedingly well. True to her nature, her actions were guided by intelligence and unconditional love.
Sloane also had to deal with many emotional problems on different levels and with different people: Finn, Reagan, and Eric. Some of these problems she handled with care, others she nearly crossed the line. It was interesting how some parts reflected back to her time with Avery and the lessons about unconditional love in which Sloane now shared with Reagan. These scenes were very tender and heartwarming.

Since this was the third book in this series, I recommend reading the previous books to get an overall understanding of the characters and their background. The author did provide some past events to resurface, but the emotional scenes from the first two books should be experienced firsthand.

An ARC was given for an honest review.

well-written. and I actually forgot that I've read about them before and that was good surprise. there's good balance of romance and action. so it's good read

Sloane and Finn just open up their own private investigations business with SFPD after retiring from their jobs. When the mayor wants to clean up the police force especially cold cases that haven’t been able to get solve calls in Sloane and Finn they get a case that’s deal with the death of a cop which turns out to be connected to Sloane and learns her last partner may have been involved.

I really enjoy this crime thriller I was engaged to the very end. I love Sloane and Finn how they balance each other out especially when Sloane feels overwhelmed with balancing work love and raising almost grown daughter.


I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

Wow, this book was great! I hadn’t realized I missed book 2 in this series so I read the 2nd and this book back to back. This book was exhilarating, well-written, and kept me entertained the whole time I was reading. I don’t think I skimmed at any point, I was invested for sure. I thought the action/crime solving was well balanced with the romance. I would definitely recommend this book and the whole series to anyone.

Beyond the Smoke is the third book in the Manhattan Sloane Thriller series. I would greatly urge you to read this series in order as Manhattan Sloane does not lead a quiet life. Her past definitely effects her present and her future.
Sloane and her life partner Finn Harper have both retired from their jobs in police work. They have opened a PI investigation business and are starting on their major contract with the City of San Francisco. The new mayor wants to clean up the police department and reduce the number of cold cases.
Stacy Lynn Miller is definitely tying up all the loose ends left from books one and two. This is wonderful because book two left Sloane’s life ripped open and I know I feel better now that all the puzzle pieces have fit together.
This is not the best novel from the series but it is the most important and possibly satisfying one. Miller’s writing is consistent with the first two books but this story lacked the thrill ride which the first two definitely had. It is more focused on the emotional and cerebral side of Sloane. She has grown so much from book one page one to now and we as readers need to allow her to do so.
It feels like this series is tied up tightly however Miller has left the door open slightly for more stories. I hope she does continue on with Sloane, Finn and Eric.

This novel was given to me as an ARC for a honest review by NetGalley.