Search Results for: the perfect distance

The Road To Escape by Patricia Kiyono

August 21, 2017 By Leave a Comment


The Road To Escape by Patricia Kiyono
Publisher: esKape Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short Story (102 pages)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Orchid

Tom Cooper left his high-pressure law practice in Indianapolis for life on an alpaca farm in the tiny northwest Indiana town of Escape. Though he continued to practice law, the farm provided a good life for him, his wife, and their five children. But when his wife died, grief consumed him. His withdrawal into himself damaged his relationship with his children, and they’ve all left. He’s resigned to taking care of the farm alone, but a disturbing medical diagnosis could change things.

Laurie Matthews left her nursing job in shame. The town of Escape has welcomed her, and she now owns the local diner. She’s attracted to the handsome widower who comes in for coffee and a hot meal but keeps her distance. Everyone she’s ever loved has died — her grandparents, her parents, her husband, and one other — one she still can’t bear to think about.
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A romantic relationship isn’t on the agenda for either of them, but when the diner falls on hard times, Tom steps in to help, paving the way for them both to escape the loneliness in their lives.

Tom is a widower whose health is deteriorating; Laurie runs the local diner, but her past is catching up with her.

At first I didn’t realize this was a middle age romance, but it didn’t really matter as the love was obviously beginning to bloom. Unfortunately neither party wanted to admit their feelings for fear of being rebuffed. Their past personal life makes them move slowly toward each other, but there is also a hint of nastiness in the air.

This is definitely a sweet romance, no hot love scenes, no misunderstandings. The reasons for any delay in announcing their feelings are perfectly natural and show how a normal way of life can interfere with the way love is supposed to develop.

I loved the way both hero and heroine knew what the other was hiding, but didn’t reveal their thoughts so neither was aware the other had discovered their secret. Their passion was very much of a “tiptoe around each other“ style and at times I wanted to give them both a big push and tell them to get on with things.

At the end of the story I felt it had a satisfactory conclusion and could actually have left the door open for a follow up.

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

The Pastor’s Husband by Tiffany L. Warren

July 13, 2017 By Leave a Comment


The Pastor’s Husband by Tiffany L. Warren
Publisher: Dafina
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (337 pgs)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Ginger

Felicia Caldwell has a great job, a healthy bank account, and stunning good looks. But she longs for a husband and family to go along with it. So when charismatic superstar pastor Nya Hempstead declares that partnership is on its way, Felicia is elated—until her life becomes filled with more curses than blessings. Five years later, someone has to pay—and that someone is Nya. Soon, Felicia is moving to Dallas and joins the church led by Nya and her co-pastor husband, Gregory…

According to a recent survey in US most of divorce cases are filed by females who are unsatisfied with their relation as their partners fail to best buy viagra give pleasure in bed. Zinc Zinc the buy levitra is a trace element that your body requires for the production of healthy sperm. Treatments for hair loss in men ordinarily contain anti androgens or DHT inhibitors or blockers. viagra soft 50mg The chemical name of popular drugs like purchase generic viagra , Pfigra etc is Sildenafil Citrate and is used to treat erection problems in men. In the eyes of the public, Nya and Gregory have the perfect life. But their marriage is feeling the strain of Nya’s success. While she’s hitting the talk show circuit and the bestseller list, Gregory is fading into the background. It’s no surprise he enjoys the fawning attention of new church member, Felicia. Little does he know her intentions are far from pure. And as she infiltrates the pastors’ lives it will take a team of prayer warriors and heavenly intervention to save their relationship—and their ministry. Along the way, will they remember the mission they started with?

In the eyes of the public, Nya Hempstead and Gregory have the perfect life. Felicia Caldwell was unemployed and alone until pastor Nya spoke blessings into her life. Sometimes what we think are blessings may not be.

The storyline grabbed my attention from the start, and continued to develop and hold its steady pace. The author’s talent is shown with the twists and turns that kept the story going. The character development is near perfection. The look into a large scale ministry is realistic. The marriage between Nya and Greg is relayed as a relationship that could actually be real. Their bond is tested and their marriage feels the strain of Nya’s success by either distance or outside elements that could be deadly to their marriage. Greg could be perceived as being jealous of Nya’s fame. To me he stood true in voicing his concern for Nya as she was surrounded by association that wasn’t in line with their spiritual walk. I admired Greg and his being committed to his marriage. But there was one point when he did disappoint me in taking Felicia’s side. Nya seemed naive to the path she was heading towards in her association with Lady Sandy and also naive in leaving her husband alone so much while she traveled; leaving him to build the ministry that they planned and started together.

Felicia Caldwell is a story in herself. I knew this was going to be an interesting tale when she stated that she believed that God blessed her with a married man. From that point on Felicia’s life and hopes of her happily ever after went all wrong. As Felicia sees it, Nya is to blame for her misfortunes.

Something that I took from this book is that just because we think something is a blessing, doesn’t mean it is a blessing from God. Nya’s reasoning is that her fame was a blessing but when she mislead others in her prophecy to Felicia, and her not being able to tell Lady Sandy no along with neglecting her husband’s needs all shows that maybe it’s not a blessing but a distraction. Felicia perceived her losing weight and getting a job as a blessing and those very well could be, but when she saw her relationship with a married man as a blessing she took something divine and made it repugnant.

I enjoyed the book. The entertaining plot combined with the moving characters makes this one that I would highly recommend.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

I Want More by Sam Crescent

July 12, 2017 By Leave a Comment


I Want More by Sam Crescent
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short Story (61 pgs)
Other: M/F
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Spike is known for messing around, constantly taking whatever pussy he wants. He’s loyal to his club, and would never dream of changing who he is. One night after a party, he decides to take to the road, to clear his head. Something is wrong with him. He no longer wants the club pussy, nor does he get off on watching them be fucked.

That one late-night ride changes everything.
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Star is used to being bullied by people. Even though she has dropped several dress sizes, they still bully her. Now a very handsome man is protecting her, and it is … surreal. He’s a biker and he’s dangerous, but she can’t resist.

How can it be possible for two strangers to find happiness? Can Spike share his club with her?
Does he even want to? Or will they keep that distance between them forever?

Spike is tired of being with the women who have been around the club forever. He just doesn’t have interest anymore in someone who has already been with every other member. He’s getting seriously bored. Deciding on a whim to go out for a long ride and clear his head, Spike races into the night. Hours later, he pulls up to a random, small supermarket in the middle of nowhere. A group of guys are bullying the check-out lady, and Spike finds himself finally stirred into action. Is Star exactly the sort of woman he’s been unconsciously seeking?

I really enjoyed the pace and timing of this story. I loved how it moved along at a steady rate, with no superfluous words or scenes. The reader gets to see things from both Star and Spike’s perspective and this really helped me feel a strong connection with both characters. I found the pace of the story wonderful. Spike and Star were front and centre pretty much the whole way through. I also really appreciated how they didn’t simple stare into each other’s eyes and then just leap straight into bed. Star was quite reserved and Spike needed to show patience and faith in them together. They both worked hard and earned their relationship and I felt that was a truly wonderful thing to read – I thoroughly enjoyed it.

While there was some plot around the club, mostly the meat of the story was all centered on Spike and Star and the growth of their relationship. Readers who like a character-centric storyline should be really pleased with this. I loved how the pacing of the story was fast but at no stage did I feel like the romance or sexiness was skimped over. I found this to be a lovely story and one I will probably reread happily in the future.

With steamy sex, addictive characters and a lovely romantic storyline, this was an excellent book that made me really happy. Recommended.

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

Equus by Rhonda Parrish (editor)

July 11, 2017 By 1 Comment


Equus by Rhonda Parrish (editor)
Publisher: World Weaver Press
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Horror, Contemporary, Historical
Length: Full Length (331 pages)
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

There’s always something magical about horses, isn’t there? Whether winged or at home in the water, mechanical or mythological, the equines that gallop through these pages span the fantasy spectrum. In one story a woman knits her way up to the stars and in another Loki’s descendant grapples with bizarre transformations while fighting for their life. A woman races on a unique horse to save herself from servitude, while a man rides a chariot through the stars to reclaim his self-worth. From steampunk-inspired stories and tales that brush up against horror to straight-up fantasy, one theme connects them all: freedom.

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What it means to be a horse, unicorn, or other horse-like creature is about to be redefined.

In “A Complete Mare,” a girl named Vez discovered that she was part Norse deity after that part of her bloodline activated and her body began to change. What I liked the most about her transformation was her reaction to it. There was so much time spent developing Vez’s personality that her reaction to her previously unknown lineage made perfect sense. I wouldn’t have expected her to behave in any other way.

While I enjoyed all of the tales in this anthology, some of them could have used some more development. For example, the main character in “Different” travelled a long distance and spent a great deal of money to ask a unicorn to heal her disabled daughter. The unicorn’s response wasn’t anything like she had expected it to be. While I loved the premise, I couldn’t help but to wonder why the main character hadn’t spent more time researching how unicorn healings work. It’s one of the first things I would have done in that situation, so it struck me as odd that someone would go through all of that effort without figuring out in advance what to expect from such a journey.

One of my favorite stories was “Rue the Day.” Gaylene, the main character, was a unicorn trainer who regularly rode into battle with her unicorns. When something threatened to end her career forever, she had to decide how to respond to it. While I figured out what was going on in Gaylene’s life pretty quickly, but that only made me more curious to see how her dilemma would be resolved. This could have easily been expanded into a full-length novel. With that being said, I was satisfied with how it ended.

Equus should be read by anyone who loves everything equestrian.

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

Today’s Special by Jonathan Dimmig

May 30, 2017 By Leave a Comment


Today’s Special by Jonathan Dimmig
Publisher: Rogue Phoenix Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short Story (77 pages)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

What’s your version of an ordinary day?

For Thomas Danielson, it’s the constant strain of keeping the restaurant he owns from going under. His friends and family depend upon his success but the outlook is dismal. It demands his entire focus until tragedy strikes and his soul-mate is ripped from his arms.

Can Tom recover from the absolute worst event that could possibly happen?
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A twist of fate crushes Tom’s world and sends him on a journey of discovery for what’s truly important in life. With guidance from friends, loved ones, and an unassuming chalkboard there just may be some hope in his struggles.

Nothing in life is guaranteed and we are sometimes forced to face the impossible. Tom’s story shows how, even in the darkest times, there is a ray of light shining though the clouds.

Food nourishes the body, but sometimes it also feeds the soul.

Thomas was such a kindhearted man. His character development was so nicely done that I felt like I knew him by the time the first scene ended. It came as a surprise to me, then, to discover how many other layers there were to his personality as the plot moved forward. Yes, he had his fair share of faults as well, but they only made me like him more than I already did because of how naturally they fit into what I already knew about him. He was such a well-developed character that I wish I could meet him in real life.

There were pacing issues in the beginning. As much as I enjoyed getting to know the characters so well, all of those introductions did slow down the development of the plot. This pacing would have been perfect for a full length book, but at times it felt uneven for a short story.

One of my favorite parts of this tale were the friendships all of the characters had developed in it. They had their shares of conflicts like anyone else, but their core relationships were strong and loving. The romance was sweet, but the friendships were the heart and soul of the storyline. There are some relatives that people are born having, but one can also become family through choice. This was a beautiful example of how that can happen.

If you’re looking for something sentimental and a little bittersweet, Today’s Special is a good place to start.

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

Two Tutor Doves by Patricia Kiyono

April 26, 2017 By Leave a Comment


Two Tutor Doves by Patricia Kiyono
Publisher: EsKape Press
Genre: Historical
Length: Short Story (67 pgs)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Robert Townley prides himself as an efficient and indispensible valet to Phillip, Duke of Bartlett. But when Robert is coerced into teaching the poor children at the duchess’ chapel school, he’s out of his element. Thankfully, he has assistance from some of the other servants, including the prickly Miss Brown.

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When the duchess decides to hold the school’s Christmas party in her home, Robert and Jeanne must put aside their differences and work together to ensure that the holiday celebration goes off without a hitch. Will they be able to endure the partnership, or will their sparks ignite something more?

Robert Townley is the valet to Phillip Peartree – Duke of Bartlett. In his profession Robert has always risen to any challenge presented to him, but his current post might be the one to topple his perfect record. Instructing a classroom of ragtag ruffians how to read and write might be beyond even his vast capabilities. Worse was the fact Robert wasn’t in this endeavor alone, Jeanne, the duchess’ lady’s maid was also there and should Robert cut the lessons short he was certain Jeanne would inform the duchess. Can Jeanne and Robert find some common ground and work together?

The characters in this story were complicated and I found them interesting. Jeanne has a very different and complicated history. The duke and duchess were more cameo’s than main characters, and both clearly very excited and happy with their impending child. An assortment of other servants of the household all were shown to work together like well-oiled cogs in a wheel. I was particularly pleased with Robert’s character. While he preferred things neat and orderly he was open to hearing the genuine thoughts from those around him and I found his mind was usually open to opinions other than his own.

I found this to be quite a thoughtful and interesting historical story. Robert is a good man, but I thought he made an exceptional, if flawed, hero. I really enjoyed the realism of Robert’s character, particularly for this historical time period. Robert genuinely wants to do his best to teach the poor and rough children he’s been told to educate, but he has pretty much zero experience with children and almost no exposure at all to young, poor and not-well-mannered kids. The students aren’t rambunctious or wild – just young children. So having Jeanne point out his failings as a teacher – no matter how kindly – really flummoxes Robert.

While certainly not a perfect man I grew to really respect him and genuinely wanted him to end up happy. Indeed, my only real criticism of the book was even until almost half way through Jeanne thought negative and mean thoughts of Robert and only paid attention to his pompousness and different views of the classes. The main reason this irritated me so much is while Robert could appreciate other people’s perspectives and tried to look at things from more than his own point of view, I felt that Jeanne just watched Robert’s actions and made judgments on it. She didn’t try and learn anything about his past, or try and view the matter from Robert’s perspective – that society expects servants to respect and show manners to their betters. It doesn’t matter that this might not be morally correct – it was what society was back in those days. And teaching the children these things were important. The children needed job, work and education, and I felt that the reality was that teaching them these notions and manners would help them progress. Jeanne’s thinking poorly of Robert for doing this made me really annoyed. Initially at least I really disliked her character for it. I was pleased when Jeanne’s history was explained and it helped me understand her intense dislike of Robert’s need for keeping a proper distance and distinguishing between the upper class and the working class. While I could understand Jeanne’s thoughts, it still struck me as a little odd – particularly for the historical setting where Robert’s views were not just normal, but expected and frequently enforced.

At no stage were the character clashes between Jeanne and Robert mean or particularly angry. I think the author did a good job of balancing their conflict while still leaving room for there to be a common meeting ground and for a light romance to flourish. Readers looking for a deep romance though – with long looks and heartfelt feelings – might not find this as satisfying. I found the story was strongly focused on the education of the children, the historical setting and the characters. The romance was definitely a side-issue and not the main focus to my mind. I didn’t mind this and found the story quite rich in details and characterization, I’m just not certain I would classify it strictly as a romance. Personally I found it to be more of a historical story with a small element of romance towards the end. Either way, I found the story interesting and the characters engrossing and complicated. A satisfying read.

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

Dark Matter by Elsa Jade

April 26, 2017 By Leave a Comment


Dark Matter by Elsa Jade
Big Sky Alien Mail Order Brides #3 ~ Intergalactic Dating Agency
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Short Story (141 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Dating and mating are the irrational pursuits of mortal races while the rare vrykoly species watches dispassionately from afar. But after his captain and first officer find love with the extraordinary females of Earth, this vrykoly is forced to wonder if he was—dare he say it?—wrong. Piloting the deathly cold and vast distances of space is why he was meant to exist, all he’s ever known, and even his dreams have always been black and still. Can anyone ever love a soul-sucking space vampire?

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Most of Dark Matter takes place between Del and Ivan once they leave Earth for what is expected to be a quiet, scientific exploration of Sin’s (the hero of Alpha Star) new solar system that his grandmother gave him. It’s the perfect opportunity for Del to have the adventure of a lifetime by getting a chance to go into space and she thinks it’s going to be a piece of cake. Well, after she gets used to the blackness of space, being on a ship, a panic attack, eating a very strange food product and the realization that she’s got the hots for Ivan, the hero. Oops.

From the previous two books in the trilogy I got the impression that Ivan was a risky member of the team because he ‘ate’ people; based on something Honey alluded to in the first book. It was related to a reader that he was dangerous, cold and unfeeling. Well, along the way Del finds out that yes, Ivan is dangerous, he is cold but there’s a reason for that and he doesn’t stay unfeeling for long. And the reason he’s been dark and mesmerizing is because of the type of being he is. Honestly, I never saw that coming. I was impressed. Anyway, being in proximity to Del is stimulating something in Ivan’s psyche – perplexing elements of a past genetic history thought long gone. The poor hero was very confused but unwilling to stop exploring what Del is doing to him. He’s discovering that there’s something intriguing about male/female physical relations after all. It’s at that point a reader is assured that the relationship between Del and Ivan was making significant progress. This romance story sure has a different kind of courtship in store for readers.

The drawbacks for me in this novella were that the villain called Blackworm wasn’t a successfully developed plot conflict – sure he’s been a threat since the second book but I never got to meet the scoundrel; that even in this third book in the trilogy it was never resolved as to WHO the traitor was on Sin’s ship, Sinner’s Prayer that was left dangling in the first book, Alpha Star; and the biggest thing was, I was confused about Ivan himself. The descriptions of his species and his references to cold, the elements that consist of his very existence and his matrix and relationship to the universe, and the threat to his continued survival all left me perplexed and baffled. They were certainly unique and fascinating, but I couldn’t follow it enough to decide if it had the capacity to be super sexy, profound or I simply could not grasp the sci-fi aspect of it all. I did like his innocence with the subject of sex and how quickly he caught on, but once again the use of science fiction words for things threw me. How do I pronounce ‘exciton’ anyway?

One thing that the author excelled at was in describing the crash landing, the landscape of the alien environment, and my favorite, the eel. That was a strong and amazing bit of creativity. Even the idea and description of the space lily pads was cool. The one thing Ms. Jade has in spades is a great imagination and I did enjoy most of it.

On the whole, Dark Matter was a good read. Yes, it was a challenge at times but the dynamics and dialogue between Ivan and Del were what kept me flipping the pages. I did enjoy reading about the challenges they both faced as they tried to survive in a very unforgiving landscape. I totally enjoyed Ivan’s enthusiasm once he figured out that sex in action was a lot more fun than he thought, and I thought Del and Ivan were good together. So, as far as the romance goes in Dark Matter, it worked and I totally enjoyed the happy ever after at the end. For Ivan and Del, it was a perfect ending to a very unusual courtship.

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

Punished by H.C. Brown

March 10, 2017 By Leave a Comment


Punished by H.C. Brown
Publisher: Luminosity Publishing
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short Story (38 pgs)
Other: BDSM, M/M, Anal Play, Fetish, Toys
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Bad boys, bad boys

When Vice Detective Del Hood receives a call out to investigate a muscular, tattooed man in black hanging around the entrance to a sex shop, he believes the smart-mouthed Danny Rose is trouble with a capital T. Problem is the moment he pats him down and runs his hands over his hard body, a connection between them sizzles.
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Could Danny be the arrogant, wisecracking sub of his dreams?

Detective Del Hood is called to a BDSM club when the owner is nervous about a strange man loitering. Del watches the man and when he goes to question Danny all Del’s instincts scream that this boy is the perfect sub for him. But Danny is looking for his brother and despite the instant and hot chemistry between himself and Del, Danny won’t let himself get sidetracked from helping his brother. Del finds he can help Danny out, in more ways than one.

I found this to be a sexy, super short hot story. The attraction and chemistry between Del and Danny was smoking hot and almost instant. I was kept a little off balance, as the point of view of the story swaps around from Del’s first person, to Danny’s third person, but the story-line was simple enough I managed to keep up with everything. I initially enjoyed the plotline of Danny searching for his brother, Thorn, but found that a large scene reuniting the two of them just before the middle of the book really bogged down the story to my mind. It felt a little like Del and Danny’s relationship and chemistry sparkled until Danny and Thorn were reunited, then the entire focus of the story switched to the brothers. Then afterwards the focus again switched completely back to Del and Danny. I feel if the scenes had blended together a bit better, or if the brother’s scene wasn’t quite as history and info-dumping, then the flow of the story would have felt a lot easier and smoother to my mind.

There are a strong cast of secondary characters, most of whom I found not only interesting, but intriguing as well. I have a feeling that Thorn and a possibly one of Del’s Dom buddies are being set up for future books down the road. I admit I found this book good enough and the concept fresh enough that I’d be interested in looking into future stories when they come out.

I also enjoyed the pacing of the sexual relationship between Del and Danny. Although they had chemistry and sizzle between them from practically the first page, they didn’t actually jump into bed until much further into the story. I found this extra time helped me get to know them both as characters before the sex over-rode everything else in the story. Danny is seriously into his kink – pain, predominantly – and some readers might find the power plays and struggles between Danny and Del a little too much for them. I found the sex and scenes were written tastefully but have to admit it’s a bit edgier and harder than you can often find in erotic romances. They don’t do a light spanking scene and move on, this book seems directed at readers who like a bit more edge in their reading material.

A hot, sexy and strongly kinky BDSM M/M erotic romance, this should appeal to many readers who want a bit more bite with their erotica.

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

The California Gold Rush Romance Collection by Various Authors

February 21, 2017 By Leave a Comment


The California Gold Rush Romance Collection by Various Authors
Publisher: Barbour Books, an imprint of Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (448 pages)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Myrtle

Rush to California after the 1848 gold discovery alongside thousands of hopeful men and women. Meet news reporters, English gentry, miners, morticians, marriage brokers, bankers, fugitives, preachers, imposters, trail guides, map makers, cooks, missionaries, town builders, soiled doves, and more people who take advantage of the opportunities to make their fortunes in places where the population swelled overnight. But can faith and romance transform lives where gold is king?

This is a collection of stories from the California Gold Rush days, all featuring very different women. All stories strongly rooted in the Christian faith.

The Price of Love by Amanda Barratt—Lorena Quinn goes to San Francisco on a bet from her magazine editor who wants stories from the gold rush. As many men were in the 1800s, he is a chauvinist. The only way he can get her to go west is to promise her an Assistant Editor’s position—but only if she comes back an accomplished writer, single, and not in love! With a hundred men for every woman, the challenge is a big one. What her boss doesn’t tell her is that he has sent a letter to a former employee who currently lives in San Francisco. Not just any employee, but handsome Caleb who he is promising the same job to IF he can woo Miss Quinn and accompany her back to the East head-over-heels in love. Headstrong, determined Lorena does not plan to fail, but neither does Caleb. Although a good story, it felt rushed, and at times, a bit awkward, especially with the surprise addition of a baby, which seemed to take the story off track. Those who enjoy reading about life’s challenges will undoubtedly find a champion in Lorena Quinn.

The Best Man in Brookside by Angela Bell—This story begins with Donovan Gallagher striking it rich in the gold-rich waters of California then heading home to reclaim his young sister from the arms of a caretaker. But just as importantly, he wants to go home and start life over again, in spite of Sophia Heyer, the woman who wrongly accused him of thievery. Both Donovan and Sophia have their own interesting life stories, so much so, in fact, that I found it hard to decide who was the bad guy/girl and who was the good? Throughout the story, I wanted to cheer for someone, but never knew whom. The addition of the carousel had me excited, but the “vision” of it all never completely came together for me, and the Gold Rush portion of the story was virtually non-existent. Overall, this was a good story, but not my favorite.

It ahead canada viagra cheap provides a rock hard erection for a longer duration, relaxing the smooth muscles to cause erection. With this in mind, one wonders what soft generic viagra might do to the female physiology. The balloon was able to fly 45 viagra 100mg prices minutes long in which it passed distance worth of 4 kilometers. Nobody expected that this cheap brand levitra product would make such huge profits in the market. Civilizing Clementine by Dianne Christner—Ever watched the old Doris Day movie called Calamity Jane from the 1950s? As cute as this story is, it is eerily reminiscent of said movie, without all the singing and dancing. It’s about a very unladylike woman, rough and tumble, who is not about to wear a dress, yet gets transformed in a lady, clean and refined, before our eyes. And the man of her dreams? Ah, well, we’ll let you guess. This is a cute addition to the collection, but I would have enjoyed a more original idea.

The Marriage Broker and the Mortician by Anne Greene—Eve Molloy, a dance teacher at an orphanage who happens to be a former orphan herself, decides to help the “of-age” girls who are old enough and must leave the orphanage to begin their adult lives. But what is an eighteen-year-old girl supposed to do all alone in 1850? Eve sets out to find them respectable husbands, but when she herself is left near destitute after a robbery, she finds herself in quite a predicament. Rafe Riley, a mortician, comes to her rescue—sort of, anyway. This story had an interesting premise, but it never seemed to gel. Too many, “oh, yes, then this happened, and oh, that happened too,” side stories that could’ve/should’ve been part of the overall story, such as the uncle and the cousin who seemed written in as afterthoughts. This tale would have been better as a full-length novel where it might have had a chance to develop into a full-fledged story.

The Lye Water Bride by Linda Farmer Harris—Jo Bass is an important woman in Dry Diggins, California, 1849. Not because she’s beautiful or charming, though I’m not saying she isn’t, but because she works at the bank and determines the amount of money given for each gold nugget. Jo and her brother Thad run the bank, but everyone thinks Thad is her husband, which made for some interesting, and often confusing, dialog. I enjoyed reading about “cashing in the gold,” which so little is written about, but overall this story seemed disorganized and had plenty of situations that only seemed to slow down the pace. With that said, this storyline is very creative.

A Sketch of Gold by Cynthia Hickey—Rose McIlroy is a devoted nineteen-year-old daughter, whose father fears for her safety in a world of wild men clambering for gold, so he talks her into cutting her hair and dressing like a boy so that no one will know she is a girl. But when Jack Westin befriends the two, things change. Interestingly, Jack has come west to sketch the miners and their search for gold, with a plan on sending them to a newspaper back East. As soon as he can, Jack wants to start his own newspaper in gold country. Adding to this interesting character is in finding out he is a preacher, too. It doesn’t take him too long to realize Rose is a girl, whom he falls madly in love with, in spite of her protests. The characters were very real, and the unsavory men had me on edge worrying about Rose. This was a well-done story.

Love is a Puzzle by Pam Hillman—Shanyn Duvall, along with her aunt, goes west looking for her missing father, who is a cartographer with the Sierra Nevada Typographical Surveyors (shouldn’t that be Topographical, Ms. Hillman?) Shanyn has not seen her father in two years and she feels certain he has found a place for them to put down roots. Unfortunately, her father is nowhere to be found and she soon receives the dreadful news that her father is dead. This story takes on the task of a rarely told side story to this era: Obadiah Duvall, her father, was not only a mapper, but also a puzzle-maker and artist. This is a delightful story that kept me turning pages and thinking about it long after I’d finished reading. If one can turn a novella into a full-length novel with more detail given to the history, this story would be a real winner.

The Golden Cross by Jennifer Rogers Spinola—From the Canton Province of China comes this story, which truly sweeps you away into a different tale about the gold rush days. Ming and her Uncle Wang sail to America with hopes that San Francisco is full of gold, just waiting for them. Life for the Chinese was vastly different from that of others, but both cultures believed the golden nuggets meant a better way of life. Religion played a heavy role in this one, but it is an unforgettable story, which gives a glimpse of another existence during California’s Gold Rush. Perhaps the best-written story in the entire collection.

Gold Haven Heiress by Jamie Jo Wright—The least “romantic” story of this collection borders on being one of the best. Thalia Simmons lives in a ghost town, and Jack Taylor wants to know why? Gold Haven is the deserted town and it has little to offer anyone at this point, except maybe someone who just wants to be left alone. And to be free. The first page of this story hooked me. I adored poor Thalia right away. This tale could easily have been fleshed out into a full-length novel just by adding more town residents, which would have been a major hit with me. Perfect characters with a very creative storyline. Great final story to round out this collection!

The mid-1800s had a different life story for everyone, which is what makes this collection so wonderful. No two stories are alike, and each are worthy of their own telling.

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Author Cara Bristol’s favorite books of all time – Guest Blog and Giveaway

January 24, 2017 By 32 Comments


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Cara Bristol will be awarding a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Author Cara Bristol’s favorite books of all time

A lifelong reader, I’ve read thousands and thousands of books. Romance is my preferred genre, but I read a variety of other genres, too. It’s hard to pick my favorite books because there are so many, and different ones speak to me at different times depending on what’s going on in my life. However, my favorite books share three things in common: first, they are well-written and crafted; second, they have a good, engaging story; and third, they have “legs” or staying power. Many books are well-written and enjoyable, yet forgettable. Months later, when I see the title, I can’t remember what the book was about. I can remember my favorites decades later.

There are probably hundreds that could make my favorite’s list, but I’m limited here to five:

The Stand by Stephen King – Although I don’t read horror anymore, The Stand remains one of my all-time favorite books. After a plague wipes out most of the population, the survivors face a showdown between good and evil. King is a master at plotting. Things don’t just happen to his characters; the choices his characters make drive the plot.

Gold Coast by Nelson DeMille – A witty, but tragic book. A attorney begins as an upstanding member of high society until he gets sucked into criminal activity after a mafia don moves in next door. What struck me about Gold Coast was how incremental choices lead to disaster. The main character didn’t suddenly decide to commit a crime, but through series of small concessions, he got sucked in.

Devil’s Desire by Laurie McBain – I read this (over and over) as a teenager. A young woman is compromised and forced to marry a roguish marquis, who uses her as a pawn until he begins to fall in love with her. Great emotional conflict between the characters. This is one of my all-time favorite romances.

A Bed of Thorns and Roses by Sondra Allan Carr – I cried my way to the happy ending. This book is based on Beauty and the Beast. It’s a historical romance set just after the Civil War. The hero, a scientist, was badly disfigured in a fire and needs a secretary so he can continue his research. He expects a male secretary, but his doctor hires a beautiful young woman. The hero is horrified. He’s been physically scarred; the heroine has been emotionally scarred. Watching these two people overcome their fears and insecurities and come together was heart-wrenching. It has a wonderful HEA, although the author added an epilogue, which I hated. Loved the book, hated the epilogue.

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling – When I first heard that adults were reading this children’s book, I was stunned. But I decided to try it, and I was hooked. The series is such a wonderful, complex story with amazing characters. So creative and imaginative. It boils down to a classic theme: good v. evil.

These books entranced me, moved me, captivated me. That’s the experience I want to provide for my readers. I want to pull them into the characters’ lives so that they feel like they are a part of the story. I want to entertain my readers, show them a good time, and let them escape into another world for a while.

March Fellows assumed he had all the time in the galaxy to pursue a relationship with Jules, an alien exchange student from Xenia, until she vanished without a trace. After years of searching, he finds his lost love on the eve of her arranged marriage.

The daughter of the Xenian emperor, Julietta never meant to fall in love with a Terran man while visiting Earth. Leaving to fulfill her responsibilities on her home planet opened up a hole in her heart that could never be filled. When March, now a cyborg, unexpectedly shows up just before she is to be bonded, she struggles to find the courage to turn him away a second time and follow through with her duty. Before she can act, the lovers are thrust into a political conspiracy that threatens the Xenian empire and their lives.

Enjoy an Excerpt:

(In this scene, March finally finds Julietta and confronts her.)

“I never meant to hurt you. I’m sorry. I can’t speak to you.” She reached for the scanner to close the door.

He shouldered past her into her quarters.

She gaped. “What are you doing? You have no right to enter!”

He jerked his head at the controls. “Close the door.”

“Maybe I’ll call the guards instead.” She reached for the call button.

He grabbed her wrist and pressed her hand to the screen, locking them in together. He released her and planted himself between her and the call button. Julietta rubbed her wrist. Though his hand had been callused and rough, his touch hadn’t been hurtful. The March of her past had had the smooth skin of an academic who spent the majority of his time indoors. She didn’t know what work he did now, but she guessed he didn’t teach at the university.

Stolen glimpses at the banquet and in the arena hadn’t prepared her for the effect of his presence. He had grown taller and acquired heavy, thick muscles, though there wasn’t a gram of excess fat on him anywhere. Maturity bracketed his mouth and etched the skin around his temples, but his eyes still reflected the Terran sky. Full lips, no longer soft, slashed across his face with dislike.

His nostrils flared as he exhaled, and then he raked a hand through his hair. He tilted his head. This time, when he looked at her, his anger had evaporated, and his eyes appeared haunted.

She’d earned his anger; his pain was more than she could bear. “March…”

“I shouldn’t be here. I apologize.” He turned to leave.

“Wait!” The entreaty was torn from her. What am I doing? Let him go. ”You’re right. We should talk.” She motioned to a settee. “Would you like to sit?”

“No, but I will.” He positioned himself with his legs spread wide, his hands clasped between his knees, taking up the entire space. He didn’t need to stake out his territory to prevent her from sitting next him; she wouldn’t have dared to join him. Distance was the only protection she had.

She lowered herself onto an opposite chair. “How have you been?” It sounded so inane, she winced.

“I’m sorry about Naimo,” he said. “I hope he will recover.”

“Thank you.” She rubbed the sore spot left by the headdress. “I don’t—how—I don’t understand how you came to be in the arena as the challenger.”

The corner of his mouth quirked. “I don’t either.”

“What?”

“I work for a spaceship remanufacturer. I delivered a ship your father had ordered.”

Business, then. A foolish hope deflated, leaving her more heartbroken. March would not have come for her, and if he had, she would have had to reject him. It is for the best. Let the past remain buried where it can do no harm.

“I still don’t understand the connection to the Sha’A’la,” she said. He’d been magnificent in the arena. Her eyes had been on him the whole time. Her heart had fought with him, for him. The sexy but mild mannered teaching assistant had turned lethal.

He fixed his gaze on her face. “Why did you disappear?”

Julietta rose to her feet and paced the room. “Isn’t it obvious?”

About the Author: USA Today bestselling author Cara Bristol has been the no. 1 best seller in science fiction romance, bdsm erotica, and holiday fiction on Amazon. She’s the author of two science fiction romance series featuring tough alpha heroes: the Cy-Ops Sci-fi Romance cyborg series and the Breeder science fiction romance series, which emphasize character-driven stories written with a touch of humor and sizzling chemistry between the hero and heroine. Cara lives in Missouri with her own alpha hero, her husband.

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Buy the book at Amazon, iBooks, Kobo, or Barnes and Noble.

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