Archives for January 2014

Bride of Death By Viola Grace

January 24, 2014 By Leave a Comment

DETH
Bride of Death By Viola Grace
Publisher: eXtasy Books
Genre: Paranormal, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Short Story (56 pages)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Orchid

Prepared to die for her people, she is ready for a fight, but what she gets is an imprisonment that evolves into something unexpected.

Saloa is in charge of the last group of guards for her people. They were unable to join the exodus that took their people away from their home, but they are prepared to die for their home.

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If only he had known that Saloa was a hand-to-hand combat specialist, he might just have thought twice before separating her from the other prisoners.

The Prothean’s have fled their world after a message arrives to warn them they are trespassing and the Death Bringers will be coming to Laksiira to cleanse the surface of their presence. In an attempt to stop the Death Bringers from following the colonists, Saloa Winger and fifteen colony guards are all that is left to fight the enemy. A hopeless task.

General Hinlior, leader of the Death Bringers, is surprised there are only sixteen defendants of the planet. He knocks the guards unconscious and imprisons them on his ship. Another surprise awaits him when he finds one of the guards is a female, what Hinlior’s people call a Life Bringer. Saloa is treated with respect and discovers only certain males are considered suitable for breeding purposes, due to the fact there are not enough females and Hinlior’s people are a dying breed.

Both main characters are feisty and Saloa has a mind of her own when told of the laws of the Anvin. She is inwardly amused as the Anvin are obviously not conversant with the breeding requirements of her own people.

This story made very enjoyable reading. Individual in style, the plot leads the reader to a well thought out conflict Saloa and Hinlior add a touch of amusement to the tale. A good meeting of two races at odds with each other, and the discovery they can help one another if they wish, but each race must make the other believe they are in earnest when offers of friendship are made.

Ms Grace has a way with short Sci-Fi Fairy Tales and I’d be happy to read more of her work.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Same Mistake Twice by Albert Tucher

January 24, 2014 By 2 Comments

TWICE
The Same Mistake Twice by Albert Tucher
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense
Length: Short Story (98 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Daisy

For ten years the dead man lurked in an unmarked grave with a bullet in his head and no one to miss him. Now he has resurfaced, and the only clue to his identity is Diana’s phone number freakishly preserved in his pocket. The police are demanding a list of her clients, and they threaten to stop looking the other way about her business. Diana must stall the cops and solve the case, and she’s running short of time. Her investigation will take her back to her earliest days as a prostitute. She will confront old mistakes and old enemies, and that’s the best-case scenario. The worst could be another secret grave—for her.

Diana is a ‘realist’, as the book describes, and her profession is a result of her wanting money and the knowledge that prostitution is an easy way of getting it. The intricate relationship between her and Detective Tillotson is what makes this book appealing. Usually prostitutes are glorified in pornographic detail or derided as dirty. Here they are seen as a natural part of life and Diana’s interactions with the Detective show a side to solving crimes which is rarely dramatized.
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These main characters feel lifelike, are blunt, and have their own life problems to deal with which often get in the way of the other’s needs, creating the main tension of the story. Diana likes her privacy and Tillotson needs to chip away at it to solve the murder.

The plot is surprisingly complicated for a shorter piece of fiction and I was left reeling with questions, often having to reread sections and stop to piece together the action in my mind. Some of this is great plotting but some of it needs to be tightened up. The issue is that with the amount of suspects and jump in and off characters, it is hard for a reader to keep every individual separate and therefore the book loses some of its impact as we struggle to pair names with people.

I was also surprised that a lot of the delving into Diana’s past is in her head, memories brought alive. This is not badly done, in fact it probably gets the point across much faster and more dramatically than meeting them again and thinking about past times, but it is a surprise and unusual for crime fiction in its passivity.

However, for those who love to see punch ups and meetings in dark corners with people you thought could be trusted, there’s plenty of that in here too so don’t be disappointed by occasional introversion.

In short, The Same Mistake Twice is a slice of reality. Diana is a realist who makes objective lists to please her customers – condoms, pleasant manner and knowing when to leave are essential bullet points. Good customer service is key for her. And there is a tone to this which some readers may not like – particularly as there are occasional visual references to sex where Diana is pleasuring her clients – but this seedy reality is not the main drive of the piece. The main message to be taken from Tucher’s work is that prostitutes are people, too, and often they have information in their large, compartmentalized brains, that can solve disappearances and murders. They should be tolerated and, sometimes, thanked. This is a new mine of crime inspiration to be explored and enjoyed.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,

Ice Red by Jael Wye

January 24, 2014 By 1 Comment

RED
Ice Red by Jael Wye
Publisher: Carina Press, Harlequin Enterprises Ltd
Genre: Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (166 pages)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: Best Book
Reviewed by Orchid

Mirror, mirror, full of stars,
Who will claim the throne of Mars?

The princess: Engineer Bianca Ross, heir to a megacorporation and the Mars elevator, needs to acquire a mine on the surface to secure her place in the company. All that stands in her way is the mine’s charming owner, Cesare Chan.

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The charming prince: Cesare shouldn’t get involved. Bianca’s visit could reveal the escaped slaves he’s hiding at his mine, but he can’t ignore a damsel in distress—especially one as beautiful as Bianca.

Alone, neither would stand a chance against Victoria. But together, they could rewrite a tale that’s meant to end with Bianca’s blood.

This book has all the ingredients needed for a space adventure and fairy story. A beautiful princess (in her father’s eyes), a wicked stepmother, a gorgeous antagonist who stirs the princess’ senses and it all takes place on Eris Space Elevator Station hanging above the planet Mars, or below on the planet’s surface.

I truly could not put this book down. It fascinated me. I needed to know not only what the outcome would be, but how this would be achieved.

Bianca’s father leaves the stepmother Victoria in control while he jaunts off to Earth for three years. Bianca is a extremely well qualified engineer and has a lot of shares of her own in the Star Line Elevator company, but Victoria has poured verbal poison into her husband’s ears, telling him Bianca needs to learn a lot more about the business. Bianca is sent down to Mars to oversee the acquisition of RedIce mines, but in reality Victoria wants her stepdaughter out of the way while she works her evil way with the Mars government.

Cesare Chan son of the owner of RedIce Mines is gorgeous but the air sparkles with tension between him and Bianca. I found their interaction very amusing as both points of view were given and their beliefs at times led to amusing conflicts between them. Bianca learns all is not sweetness and light with her father’s company and Victoria turns out to be much more of a threat than anticipated. Cesare tries to believe the space princess will help him keep his company, but history between RedIce and Starline make it difficult for him to believe this.

The author has done a wonderful job of explaining the workings of a mine on Mars. You don’t need to be a space fanatic or an engineer to see what the characters are doing. Minor characters are woven into the story so I could see them without any deep descriptions being given. This is a gift not many authors have. The story bowled me along keeping up with my eagerness to find out more about the characters and plot. Definitely a keeper in my books.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , ,

His Little Treasure by Sindra Van Yssel

January 24, 2014 By Leave a Comment

TREEASURE
His Little Treasure by Sindra Van Yssel
Publisher: Loose Id
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short Story (137 pages)
Other: BDSM, M/F, Toys, Spanking, Exhibitionism
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Lisianthus

Emma goes to Bondage Ranch hoping to find a sexy Dom who will show her what it means to submit. Diego’s happy to spend a weekend showing a newbie the ropes.

But when Diego discovers that shy Emma has a secret taste for exhibitionism that she’s not ready to face up to, it starts to move beyond bondage and discipline. Bondage Ranch is the perfect place for public sex, and to convince her to own her desire. She soon realizes that being seen makes her tingle in all the right places, but it scares her too. Good girls don’t like that sort of thing!
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Then the wrong form of attention is focused on Emma and Diego. Emma faces a new battle with her shyness, and Diego has to confront his past, if they are going to make love like no one – and everyone – is watching.

Take a visit to Bondage Ranch, and indulge in your fantasies.

Emma starts out just observing all the while being observed by the very sexy and very dominant Diego. I enjoyed the way they met and how easily Emma gave in to her desires. They move quickly in their relationship and jump right in to trying to make things work. There isn’t an instant I love only you feeling but there is a great start to a good foundation.

Emma is a total novice but that worked for this story and the time of Dom that Diego is. It’s easy to see how he’d enjoy teaching Emma what he likes and finding out what she needs and enjoys in the BDSM world. It’s not a hardcore read, she likes pretty tame thing, so it’s a good book for new fans to the BDSM romance genre.

This is a pretty quick read, and it has all the aspects of a good story. It has suspense, a lot of sexual tension and even some miscommunications to keep things interesting. I really enjoyed it. Ms. Yssel knows how to write a well-rounded and well researched BDSM novel and every time I visit Bondage Ranch, I fall more in love with her world and her style.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The Wonk Decelerator by John Joseph Doody

January 24, 2014 By Leave a Comment

WONK
The Wonk Decelerator by John Joseph Doody
Book One of The Guild Saga
Publisher: eTreasures Publishing
Genre: Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Short Story (133 pages)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Orchid

For Earthers dwelling in Guild space, it is a one-hundred year journey back to Earth. An unimaginable voyage, until now.

When Guild commander and crack pilot, Thad Cochran boards the shuttle destined for the casinos of Timmerus, finding a way back to Earth is not on his radar. He wants the five-percent finder’s fee the Guild is offering for a black box held by the lizard-like Yazz. Thad has a dream: With the loot he will get for stealing the Wonk Decelerator, he can buy a ranch on Beta Prime.

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Thad Cochran has a choice to make. He can fulfill his quest, escape with his life and be rich. Or he can fly with the Wonks … one more time.

Fascinating title for a science fiction novel. I puzzled over the meaning but by the end I knew exactly what a Wonk Decelerator does.

Set in the future when there is a wide variation of humanoid life forms, Commander Thad Cochrane is asked to steal the Decelerator while his captain Maggie Thorn tries to dissuade him and when this fails, she tries to get the higher ups to abort the mission. She is unsuccessful and Thad proceeds with his task on the planet Timmerus while Maggie waits in the spaceship above the planet. At first all goes well, but things take an unexpected turn when a killbot intervenes.

I enjoyed reading this book until I got to the end. I know it’s the first of a series but the end of the story finished too abruptly for my liking. Too many threads hanging loose, but not the sort to make me long for the next book.

Thad and Maggie made a nice couple. She worries about him while he is doing this job to finance their future together. Maggie doesn’t let her feelings get in the way of her job and still comes across as a tough, hardcase woman but her inner self is warm and caring. I liked the concept, the story was well written and flowed well until the end. I would read the second in the series to find out the answers to the questions left unanswered. A Wonk Decelerator is …. read the book to find out.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , ,

Control by Charlotte Stein

January 24, 2014 By Leave a Comment

CONTROL
Control by Charlotte Stein
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (235 pgs)
Other: M/F, M/F/M, Menage, BDSM
Rated: 3 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

When Madison Morris decides to hire an assistant to help run her naughty bookshop, she gets a lot more than she bargained for. Aggressive Andy doesn’t quite make the grade, but continues to push her buttons in other areas, while uptight and utterly repressed Gabriel can’t quite take Madison’s training techniques. One makes her grasp control, while the other makes her lose it. But the lines are blurring and she’s no longer sure who’s leading and who’s following. In the midst of kinky threesomes and power plays, can Madison work out what she really wants?

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I like a good book with kink. I want a book that’s going to stay with me long after I’m done reading. I picked up the latest by Charlotte Stein knowing I’d be in for one heck of a hot ride. I wasn’t disappointed. The characters have lots of wicked sexy times and are human–you can totally understand what the heroine is feeling and why.

I have to admit though, I’m not wild about books in the first person narrative style. I like knowing how everyone feels. Madison is a complex heroine. Part of her knows what she wants and part of her doesn’t. That’s rather nice because she shows that regular people aren’t always self-assured. She did seem to flip-flop a tad bit much for my taste, but that’s me.

The push-pull factor of this book is good. Again, I got to know Madison and why she couldn’t really decide on what she wanted. It was interesting and the sex scorched.

If you want a book that will melt your screen, then this might be the one for you.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Wulfe Untamed by Pamela Palmer

January 23, 2014 By Leave a Comment

WULFE
Wulfe Untamed by Pamela Palmer
Publisher: Avon Books
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary, Paranormal
Length: Full Length (247 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

They are called Feral Warriors—an elite band of immortals who can change shape at will. Sworn to rid the world of evil, consumed by sorcery and seduction, their wild natures are primed for release…

The most enigmatic and tortured of the Feral Warriors, Wulfe is haunted by the quiet beauty of a human woman who no longer remembers him. Once a captive of both the Mage and the Ferals, Natalie stole a piece of his heart before he took her memories and sent her safely back to her fiancé. But now the Mage are threatening her again, and Wulfe will risk anything to protect her.

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The final battle, the ultimate bad guy take down and the mess it makes and the people it saves all help in delivering an action packed story and satisfying happy ever after for this long awaited romance between Wulfe and Natalie.

I wouldn’t classify this as a standalone because the groundwork for the relationship between Natalie and Wulfe was built a couple of books ago. A reader needs to have read the previous adventure in which they met. It helps explain why their getting together is so poignant, special and powerful in Wulfe Untamed. They weren’t allowed to be together initially because of dire circumstances and a few tormented decisions that Wulfe had to make. It was sad when they had to part and it was even more heart wrenching watching him pine for a women he could never have. Talk about unrequited love and putting the needs of the many before his own. It was very emotional.

The action starts practically right away when the bad guys find Natalie. She doesn’t remember them, doesn’t believe Wulfe and has a hard time wrapping her brain around the chaos and horror that suddenly surrounds her. I liked Natalie because she was quick on the uptake and followed her gut feelings. She trusted Wulfe when she knew she shouldn’t but because of the previous story, it made perfect sense to me. She didn’t remember him, but some part of her did and that allowed for what happened next.

There are a lot of folks that populate this tale that made it a wonderful reading experience for me. I was excited to see so of my favorite heroes and heroines who had had their own stories in the past show up in this tale to help out Natalie and Wulfe. But the best thing about this particular book is the eventual well rounded happiness. It’s hard won with a lot of fighting, bloodshed, horror, pain, death, strategizing and brute strength, and even a few amazing jaw dropping surprises delighted me, before an allover happy ever after could be realized. When it does happen, it’s simply wonderful, uplifting and it gave me the sniffles. For the final book in the Feral Warriors series, Ms. Palmer saved the best for last.

Wulfe was heavily scarred and unlovable. At least, that is what he thinks. The reasons for the intense scarring were heroic and tragic. He was a true tormented hero so seeing him find his one true love had me melting into a pile of delighted shivers. And the epilogue embraced all of the men who never believed they could find love. The ending was pure pleasure and enjoyment and it made all the trials and tribulations that went on before worth it. I know I had a goofy smile on my face when I read the last few paragraphs.

Ms. Palmer has an excellent grasp for action words and descriptions. The battle came alive for me and I was highly entertained never mind that I couldn’t put the book down. The drama was that intense. The dialogue fit, flowed well and the editing was perfect. All in all Wulfe Untamed can be touted as another gem to add to the author’s string of hits. It’s well done, worth reading and I highly recommend it.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Romancing the Duke by Tessa Dare

January 23, 2014 By 1 Comment

DUKE
Romancing the Duke by Tessa Dare
Castles Ever After
Publisher: Avon Books
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (230 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Hollyhock

As the daughter of a famed author, Isolde Ophelia Goodnight grew up on tales of brave knights and fair maidens. She never doubted romance would be in her future, too. The storybooks offered endless possibilities.

And as she grew older, Izzy crossed them off. One by one by one.

Ugly duckling turned swan?
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Rescued from drudgery by charming prince?

No, no, and… Heh.

Now Izzy’s given up yearning for romance. She’ll settle for a roof over her head. What fairy tales are left over for an impoverished twenty-six year-old woman who’s never even been kissed?

This one.

Isolde Ophelia Goodnight has a problem. Her godfather left her a castle, but not only is it falling into ruin, it’s inhabited by an ogre. Well, maybe not an ogre. He’s actually a handsome duke, but he acts like an ogre, and he believes the castle is his. Thus begins Romancing the Duke, a delightful fairytale that follows the adventures of Izzy, England’s sweetheart due to her father’s wildly popular stories that feature her, and Ransom William Dacre Vane, the eleventh Duke of Rothbury, a scarred and isolated misanthrope who wants nothing to do with Izzy or the fans of her father’s writing who follow her around.

Ransom and Izzy are charming characters, and it’s easy to become caught up in their stories. Each of them has seen hardship and each has much to overcome before finding the happily ever after that should be waiting at the end of every fairytale. But even though the the troubles the hero and heroine face are often quite sad, the author manages to inject a great deal of humor in the story, making this a fun read. I especially enjoyed how Izzy is a constant surprise to the duke. He does his best to scare her away, both from the castle and from himself, but she never reacts the way he expects her to, and always challenges his perception of himself and the world. I also liked the secondary characters—Duncan, Ransom’s faithful valet and Abigail, the vicar’s daughter who befriends Izzy—and the richness their presence adds to the story.

My one knock on Romancing the Duke would be how modern it feels, both in situations and in language. I don’t mean there are glaring anachronisms in the book, rather that the tone of it is essentially modern. That is not my preference in historical novels, but the story is involving enough and the writing competent enough that it didn’t materially affect my enjoyment of the story. There were also a few too many sex scenes—both complete and interrupted—for my taste. At certain points in the story, it felt like the plot got lost in all the sexual activity, but the author eventually brings everything back into focus for a satisfying resolution.

Overall, I enjoyed my time with Ransom and Izzy and would recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys a romance novel with a little fairytale in it.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , ,

The Bride Says No by Cathy Maxwell

January 23, 2014 By Leave a Comment

NO
The Bride Says No by Cathy Maxwell
Publisher: Avon Books
Genre: Historical
Length: Full length (196 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Quince

What happens when a bride says no?

He is the bastard son of a duke, arrogant, handsome, a little bit dangerous, and, of course, one of the most sought-after bachelors in London. He is also about to be publically jilted by some chit of a girl! Blake Stephens’ pride isn’t about to let him be humiliated, so he charges after his bride to the wilds of Scotland, determined to bring her to the altar.

What happens when the heart says yes?

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It has been a while since I read an historical romance novel. But then I read the blurb for this book and decided to make a short trip back to the land of historicals. I am really glad I did with Cathy Maxwell’s The Bride Says No, because this story was different.

The Bride Says No was a great surprise for me, because it is completely different from all the historical novels that I’ve read in last ten years. The author stepped out from the established forms of historical romance novels and wrote something completely new.

Ms. Maxwell’s story did not focus on just one couple and their path to the HEA. She incorporated and told three interconnected romances in this relatively short story. The writing is good, the author kept control of the reins to the story the whole time, and I liked the way she decided to give voice to each character. The tale it is told from the different perspectives, providing the reader with the thoughts and feelings of each character when it is important.

The downside of interlacing three stories within the main love story between Lady Aileen and Blake was that it was a bit rushed. But on the other hand, it is quite obvious that Lady Aileen and Blake are not the main characters and that the overall story arc in this and in future books in the series, “Brides of Wishmore“, is and will be, Lady Tara.

Ah, Lady Tara, she is such an interesting anti-hero; the one I love to hate. In the end I cheered for her.

The author also tackled some very interesting issues in this story, such as a status of women in the Regency era, hypocrisy of the society and domestic violence. I found that these topics are gently introduced into it and they do not burden the story, and on the contrary they enrich and uplift it in a way that The Bride Says No became more than just story about affairs of the heart between male and female characters.

As I already mentioned, The Bride Says No is the first book in the series “Brides of Wishmore“, and I would really, really love to read the second one – a Lady Tara story, because I have a feeling that it will be something like Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew ( one of my favorites of his comedies). Finally, The Bride Says No is just a great story and well worth a reader’s time.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , ,

Spirited: A Tidewater Novel by Mary Behre

January 23, 2014 By Leave a Comment

SPIRITTED
Spirited: A Tidewater Novel by Mary Behre
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (294 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: Best Book
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

She’s running from who she is…

All Jules Scott wants is to live a normal, quiet life—preferably one that doesn’t include ghosts. Jules’s talent for communicating with the dead has brought her nothing but trouble. Despite her best efforts, needy spirits always find her and draw her into their otherworldly drama. When one implicates her in a series of deadly crimes, she may need to entrust her secrets to the person least likely to believe her…

He’ll do whatever it takes to catch her.

This sildenafil india wholesale is an oral medicine for men only. For those who have not gained so much courage to see sexologist or don’t have time in their life, but for many cialis in uk of them, it is an ongoing issue, causing issues in self-esteem and relationships. Sat down, with legs spread and rotate viagra australia online them ten times each one. Kamagra, regarding course, is actually at this point your all popular selection for you to brand name online levitra . Detective Seth English can’t get distracted from the big case he’s working on, not even by his alluring new neighbor. He doesn’t believe that Jules had anything to do with the string of robberies-turned-murders that he’s investigating, but when she keeps showing up in all the wrong places, his gut tells him she knows more than she’s letting on. To solve his case, he’ll need to expose what the sexy redhead is hiding—no matter how impossible the truth may be….

Ever read a book that was so suspenseful it left you shivery, so exciting that it left you hyperventilating? That can partly describe this amazing story called Spirited. One thing is for sure, I was blown away. Ms. Behre has an amazing capacity to draw in a reader with her characters and deliver an intensely entertaining and eye-popping read. I am in awe.

Spirited is the first book I’ve ever read by this author but I was so impressed by my reading experience, I will not only look forward to the next book in the series, Guarded but I’m going be looking for any previous books. If this is a sample of her usual style, I want more. Understand something. I don’t think I’ve had a book take over me like the way this has done in a LONG time. Yes, I’ve enjoyed books, some immensely so, but to have a physical effect on my breathing and dry eyes from trying not to blink so I won’t miss a second of the action, the jumpy feeling of wanting to know what happens next yet maybe afraid of finding out, but the burning obsession of having to know – to do all that to me? Now that is writing talent.

There are a lot of stories out there about so called ‘ghost whisperers’ and psychics and whatnot, but the author took a common paranormal theme and made it her own. I adored how she lead Jules, the heroine, from ignoring her gift to embracing it and using it to perform a miracle. That growth of personal acceptance was phenomenal. Ms. Behre imbued her characters with warmth, humor, honor, and distinct and interesting personalities. Every single person, dead or alive, played a key role in helping solve a mystery that seemed to get messier, more mysterious and intriguing as each chapter lead Jules to find her true love while solving the crime.

Finding true love while keeping a secret is hard. Keeping that secret when your true love might end up being a cop is almost a recipe for disaster. Seth is the hero and he really defines the word because he has some wonderful, romantic qualities. He’s not perfect and he makes mistakes but he does a lot of things right and one of those is falling in love with the heroine. The journey is bumpy and is never ever boring. I got the biggest laughs right in the beginning when they first met. When Jules got an eyeful of Seth’s sleeping attire I could not contain my mirth. That. Was. Hysterical! And little zingers kept popping up here and there throughout the story so it was a nice touch. Clever, actually.

Let’s talk sensuality. The pages steamed from it. I adore a story with a sexy build up. The teases, the glimpses of heat, the yearning, the ‘almost’ moments that bring that passion to a fever pitch only to have life or a cold wind blow to pop the moment – that is the kind of romantic tale that makes reading fun. The anticipation builds not just for the characters but for the reader as well. Jules and Seth weren’t the only ones happy when they finally did the deed. It was great!

Another thing that was powerful was the suspense of solving a mystery. The clues, the deaths, the race against the clock – it was gripping. Here’s another thing about Spirited that I appreciated – the writing style. Every chapter ended with a plot twist, a cliff hanger, a surprise reveal, just something that hooked me and kept me wanting to know what happens next, who was going to learn what and would Jules ever trust Seth enough to tell him her big secret? How was that going to look like? Sound like? How was he going to take it? And is the good guy really a good guy? Oh man, there was one scene when I almost came off of my chair because I thought Jules had just trusted the wrong guy. It’s writing like that which impresses me no end and Ms. Behre makes it look so easy.

Spirited is a must read book for fans of romantic suspense. I can’t come up with one complaint or wish that something could have been done different. I consider it one of the most perfect books I’ve read in a long time. Its characters, dialogue, plot, editing, method of delivery and mastery of descriptions were everything I could wish for in any book, not just a romance. For readers willing to give this book a try, leave yourself plenty of time to read it because if you’re like me, you might not want to put it down. This is the kind of book that if I could drive and read at the same time, or walk and read or work and read , this is the book that I’d do it with. I took a chance on a new author and I consider it one of the best decisions I’ve made in a long time. I’m a happy reader.

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