A high-stakes legal thriller with a forbidden romance.
Baking Ice Cubes is the first book in The Hank Hart Series.
Former college basketball star Hank Hart is no stranger to making a three-pointer with only seconds left in the game. Now an experienced lawyer in Chicago, Hank answers a desperate request by a small town lawyer to take over the trial of a medical malpractice case at the eleventh hour.
While preparing the case in charming Apple Grove, Hank discovers corporate sabotage, clandestine relationships, and suspicious motives lurking behind a seemingly straightforward medical procedure. She also finds herself trying to keep secret a flirtatious exchange with a powerful woman whose charisma is off the charts. Hank is usually the one blowing up secrets in court, not trying to hide her own.
Facing formidable and dangerous opponents, Hank needs to finesse an incriminating bombshell out of a cunning killer to pull off a miraculous upset. Can Hank deliver justice and secure a victory for her clients as she risks her life to expose the lies and people behind them? While doing so, can she win the heart of the devastatingly smart woman before anyone finds out?
Baking Ice Cubes is the first book in The Hank Hart Series, blending a legal thriller with character-driven romance. Book 2 is Grilling Martinis, an espionage thriller with a steamy romance.
★★★★★ “A genuine page-turner that balances the adrenaline of courtroom combat with the charged intimacy of an off-limits attraction. The story itself moves like a made-for-TV trial—fast, confrontational and with no guarantee of a clean emotional resolution. The result is a legal thriller with heart, heat, and a heroine you’ll root for long after the verdict is read.” Best Thrillers 2025
★★★★★ “A testament to the power of well-crafted storytelling. Venice delivers a fast-paced legal thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.” Women Using Words 2025
★★★★★ “A legal thriller that had me reading late into the night. I loved every moment…This book feels like a high end Hollywood movie. It’s got an interesting case with great tension and some amazing courtroom reveals. One of Sheena’s favourites.” The Lesbian Review 2025
"As a finalist in the Best Thriller Book Awards, Baking Ice Cubes is one of 2025's best thrillers." BestThrillers.com
Grilling Martinis is a spy thriller with character-driven romance.
Fresh off a courtroom win, Attorney Hank Hart should be enjoying a vacation on a lake in the Northwoods. Her tranquility is suddenly upended, however, when she’s plunged into an explosive assassination attempt. Turns out, she’s got survivor skills on the water that might be useful to a covert ops team.
Unsettled by the lethal encounter, Hank agrees to undergo some self-defense training at a top-secret training camp—the French Farm—which means putting her legal career and budding romance with a judge on hold. While learning the ropes about weapons and hand-to-hand combat, Hank is recruited for a deadly mission in the French Alps that hits too close to home.
As Hank gets her bearings in a duplicitous, undercover world, she discovers an inner strength and affinity for danger that she didn’t know she possessed. When a space shuttle is high-jacked, Hank’s can-do-anything attitude is tested beyond her wildest imagination. As the mission spirals out of control, Hank takes a chance on a team member for a solution that will have global consequences.
In a covert world where unique skills outweigh money and power, Hank must decide how far she’s willing to go to protect her country, her team members’ lives, and her new career.
Grilling Martinis is the second book in The Hank Hart Series, blending an espionage thriller with character-driven romance.
★★★★★ “This thriller burns as hot in the field as it does between the sheets. Highly recommended for readers who enjoy the intrigue and action of a thriller combined with high-octane sex scenes.” Best Thrillers 2025
★★★★★ “Alexi Venice’s Grilling Martinis is a spy thriller that offers more than just danger and intrigue. With each twist and turn, readers are pulled into a world where danger and desire blur together, making Grilling Martinis a captivating cocktail of espionage and erotica—shaken, stirred, and set ablaze.” Women Using Words 2025
★★★★★ “A spy thriller with all the fun and action of a fast paced, sexy 007 film. I liked that Hank remained the same driven, commitment shy character that we came to love in the first book but I also liked that this book gave her entirely new challenges and emotional range. ‘One of Sheena’s favourites.’” The Lesbian Review 2025
