Endgame by Aisha Tritle

June 12, 2020 By Leave a Comment


Endgame by Aisha Tritle
Publisher: Kyanite Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Short story (67 pages)
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Fern

When Leigh, a young and successful lawyer, is left by her boyfriend of two years for an Instagram model, she enters into a daily cycle of excessive alcohol and first dates in a virtual reality dating app called “The Game”.

Then she meets the enigmatic Alexei and it’s different. He’s beautiful, just her type, and into her. But when Leigh is trapped in The Game during a Gatsby-themed gala and forced to catch a hacker who’s using the app to set up crimes in the real world, she realizes there’s a far more dangerous game being played…
cheap levitra pills Smart business owners turn this to their advantage by investing in small amenities women can appreciate. One of the biggest causes of Erectile viagra without rx Dysfunction (ED) in men. get free levitra It can easily push/pull according to need. I always admire sale viagra online mastercard the courage it takes for a spammer to sustain.
And Alexei might be the death of her.

Leigh lives in the future and after a nasty break up spends a lot of her free time on an exceedingly safe and popular virtual reality program “The Game”. There, she meets Alexei and is instantly smitten. Is everything really as it seems?

I found this to be an interesting short story set not too far into the future. Told in the first person I was intrigued in that there is enough future-type of tech to make this feel a bit of a Sci-Fi story but yet still remain close enough to the present to not stretch readers who usually wouldn’t delve into the realms of Sci-Fi stories. While it took quite some time (almost half the short story) for the mystery/suspense aspect of the plot to really get going I thought that it was well thought out. Although initially I found the plot a little murky and hard to understand I was pleased that this quickly smoothed out and it became a lot clearer and the pace picked up. Readers who enjoy futuristic thrillers should find this an interesting and quick read.

I thought Leigh and Alexei’s characters were interesting and I thoroughly enjoyed that neither of them were as simple or straight-forward as I expected. I really wish the story had a bit more time to flesh out both of their characters and give a more solid grounding to their actions. A few times I had to pause and go back to re-read as I didn’t fully comprehend why they sometimes acted as they did. I feel if the author had spent a bit more time rounding out both Alexei and Leigh’s characters and showing us the reasons and thinking behind their actions then this would have allowed me as the reader to more fully understand each of their motivations.

That said I think the fast pace of the story helped sell the action aspect to the story and helped make the reader feel that this was a roller coaster that had simply gone out of control. While I personally found there was a solid lead-up to Leigh’s final actions and they were explained quite well, I’m not certain all readers will feel the same way. Such a polarizing action will likely split many readers and while many will find them justified I think many equally will feel that Leigh crossed a line.

Futuristic and yet far too believable, this is an interesting Sci-Fi story with a good, solid mystery aspect to it. A quick and heart-pounding read I feel it should appeal to a wide range of readers.

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

The Beta’s Spitfire by Gale Stanley

June 9, 2020 By Leave a Comment


The Beta’s Spitfire by Gale Stanley
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal
Length: Short Story (63 pages)
Other: M/F
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Samson: Levi and I have always been best friends. Now he’s the pack Alpha and I’m his beta, a.k.a. the man who cleans up after his shit storms. This one is a doozy. He dumped his intended bride, and now it’s my job to take care of her while he goes off to find his soulmate. Delilah is beautiful, a real spitfire, and completely off limits. But she ignites a fire that makes my wolf sit up and howl.
Nevertheless, these persons would still not be levitra for sale online taken in addition to alcohol or taken by someone having Parkinson’s disease simply because this may increase tremors. Weight loss is also a worrisome sign, especially if your son or daughter cialis sildenafil nichestlouis.com is always talking about the need to lose weight. It maintains canadian generic cialis hormonal balance, delays aging, relaxes nerve cells and improves the energy level of person. Modifying diet was mentioned viagra online cheap at the beginning of the page can ensure a better rank.
Delilah: I was meant to be the mate of an Alpha, so l accepted an arranged marriage with Levi. But the arrogant jerk dumped me right before the wedding. I’m no damsel in distress, so I took off for New York to live a life of independence. Along the way, I was kidnapped and my situation became desperate. When Samson came to my rescue, I never expected him to claim me for himself.

Delilah might be the Alpha’s daughter, but she had her own opinions, her own plans and she was nothing close to a submissive, stay at home and follow orders woman. When the arranged marriage her father organized fell through, Delilah wasn’t heartbroken and she had no plans to return to her family home. She was determined to live life on her own terms and that included a career and her independence. Samson might be the Beta to Delilah’s ex-fiance, but the attraction he feels for her is strong and when his instincts say she’s in trouble nothing can stop Samson from trying to help, no matter the cost.

I found this to be an interesting short story. I thought the plot was very well written – although a few of the medical aspects to the story when Delilah was kidnapped didn’t appeal to me, personally. While not graphic or overly intense, I usually tend to stay away from those sorts of stories as they don’t appeal to me. I thought the pace of the plot moved really well – fast enough to keep me turning the pages but with enough detail and layers to remain consuming and keeping my attention. I feel this aspect of the story should appeal to most readers. I thought the romance between Delilah and Samson took a bit of a back seat to the plot. On the one hand it helped me show that Samson’s feelings for Delilah were real and deep, but it took me quite a while to feel Delilah really reciprocated those feelings since she couldn’t see or understand Samson’s connection to her.

Delilah is a complicated character and at times I felt her independence and self-assurance came across as arrogance. I was both pleased and relieved when Delilah stepped back from that slippery slope of being judgmental and cold, but I felt the story lost a lot of the romance when Delilah refused to acknowledge her feelings. Thankfully due to the shortness of the story this didn’t last long – which made it less believable to me but also helped keep the pace of the romance moving along. When Delilah and Samson finally both got onto the same page the sex between them was hot and steamy and I feel a lot of erotica readers will find it satisfying.

With lots of plot and action this is a good story with a strongly paranormal world.

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

Soft Alabaster by Megan Slayer

June 1, 2020 By Leave a Comment


Soft Alabaster by Megan Slayer
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal
Length: Short story (57 pages)
Other: M/M, Anal Play
Rating: 3.5 stars
Review by: Fern

One man out of time and another desperate to share his life with that perfect someone. Can their answers come from a broken curse?

Owen Reed loves his secondhand store, but he’d rather run it with a partner. He’s tired of being lonely and having one-night stands. He wants a love to last forever. When he ends up with a statue of a man in pain, he has no idea how special this statue could be. Is love possible with the pained figure?

Once suffering from prostate disease, we should be immediately to the regular hospital for treatment or taking safe and effective drugs, such as learningworksca.org viagra 20mg the Diuretic and anti-inflammatory pill is a good choice for treating the infertility. Myth – Herbal supplements cure ED Fact – As said earlier, there is no cure levitra free sample to this condition. You can do massage yourself, lie supine and put the hands on lower part of the navel, then gently press in circle for two seconds, repeat it twenty times. levitra 20 mg learningworksca.org VigRx for men in UK has been a known learningworksca.org cheapest cialis fact for years, but does it leave a strong impact on our lives, to take the decision of quitting the habit for our children and future. Sydney Keeler knows he belongs anywhere but locked in alabaster. When he’s delivered to Owen’s store, the unexpected happens—he can feel Owen’s hands on him. He wants to break free and be with the man with the sparkling blue eyes. Can Owen break the curse? If so, will Owen accept a man who’s been cursed to exist in alabaster? Can they have the love they deserve?

One kiss will determine their fate.

Owen loves his thrift store “Odds and Ends” and is baffled when a stranger literally leaves him with an alabaster statue and runs off. While he finds the whole situation bizarre, Owen can’t help but be drawn to the statue. Sydney yearns to be set free from the curse that has him frozen, trapped in the marble. Can Owen be the special person who can release him?

I enjoyed this quick short story. I was pleased the author spent a fair bit of time in the beginning to show us what Owen and Sydney’s characters were like and explain the situation each man was in. With the short length of the story and the quickness of their romance I feel that knowing and understanding each man first, helped make the speed of their attraction seem more genuine and relatable for knowing where they were each coming from.

It took me a little time to get into the paranormal aspect of the story. While fairly straight forward I was impressed that the author managed to cram a lot of back-history into just a few brief pages. Sydney being trapped as the statue had quite a story to it and while a part of me felt it would have been better had this section of the background been properly fleshed out and written in full, the short length of the story could have made that pretty difficult for the author. While I didn’t find it ideal for my own personal tastes, I still feel the author did a good job balancing a detailed enough history for the reader to understand the full complexity of what was going on.

I enjoyed the blossoming of the attraction between Sydney and Owen. While a few of the plot devices felt a little clunky to me – in particular, Zeus coming in to Owen’s store and just happening to insist Owen not do one particular thing – overall I enjoyed the flow of the story The real joy for me was Owen and Sydney’s characters. They both felt realistic and layered. Sydney in particular had a complicated and refreshingly different history and set of circumstances that I enjoyed learning about. Owen was a lovely albeit normal young man who I instantly felt an affinity for. Watching these two men learn about each other and fall in love was delightful.

Very different and just a little sexy, this was a good short story and one I enjoyed.

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

Inexplicable by Willa Okati

May 26, 2020 By Leave a Comment


Inexplicable by Willa Okati
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal
Length: Short story (95 pages)
Other: M/M, Anal Play, Anal Sex
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Kit had no clue he was pregnant. Now everything’s changing… including his love affair with Deacon.

Deacon’s everything Kit wants. Kit’s everything Deacon needs — three days a month. Alpha and ex-jarhead Deacon’s an over-the-road trucker, always on the move, and he likes it that way. And Omega Kit’s… good with that. He’s not going anywhere. Not seeing anyone else. He’s promised himself he’ll never be like his parents — he won’t tie a man down when he doesn’t want to be tied.
The ED medicine remains effective up viagra on line https://pdxcommercial.com/property/511-main-st-incubator-office-suites-for-growing-companies/for-lease-flyer-working-document-nrv-151209-3/ to four hours. pdxcommercial.com cheap cialis I and my partner used to enjoy the heat every night. The pharmaceutical product is manufactured by Pfizer Inc, was cheap viagra without prescription launched in 1998 as the first oral treatment for erectile dysfunction. Let me tell you one, for bulk tadalafil you maybe, impossible thing!! Impotent man can be a seducer.
What Kit doesn’t know is that he’s pregnant — until the night their son is born. Now everything’s changing. Babies do what they want, when they want. Just like Deacon.

Only Deacon’s not sure just what he does want… but he’s sure what he’s not willing to give up on, and that’s a future. And a family. His family.

Kit refuses to make the mistake his parents made and won’t try to tie Deacon down, no matter how much he yearns to be Deacon’s partner in all things. Only things change when Kit unexpectedly falls pregnant and the baby is born, because Deacon finally realizes the family and home he’s always wanted was always there for the taking. Now Deacon just needs to convince Kit him and their newborn and change of lifestyle is exactly what he wants.

I found this to be an interesting and fun story. There wasn’t a lot of time spent at the start of the book showing the equilibrium Deacon and Kit’s relationship had grown to. With Deacon on the road trucking more often than not he and Kit had a very hot, explicit and loving relationship but they were predominantly apart, only enjoying fleeting moments together for the joy they brought each man. I never had any question about the two men’s dedication or love for each other, but their relationship appeared to have been built very much with them being apart more than together. So when the baby is unexpectedly born the difference that changed their relationship in an instant was enormous. I was pleased the author spent a fair bit of time fleshing out these major changes and showing me as the reader just how both Deacon and Kit came to grips with the serious changes that they each needed to grow comfortable with and how the two men worked together to find a new equilibrium.

I was also really pleased that even though there was some steamy sex at the start of the story and again towards the end, the author focused more on the home life and actual romantic relationship between Deacon and Kit. With a newborn and all the stresses of such life-changing events in their relationship it would have felt a little odd to me, personally, had the focus remained on the sexual aspects of Deacon and Kit’s relationship and not the massive changes each man was making both to their lives and their connection and a couple.

There is a small amount of conflict in the story, but I was quite grateful that it was more of a token effort than a large drama. Personally, I felt that having the enormous shift in priorities for both Deacon, Kit and their relationship as a whole was enough plot for the story to move along well with. Readers looking for an intensely erotic – or plot with a lot of dramatic conflict – might not find that here, but I personally really enjoyed the characters and watching them each strive to do their best by their baby and essentially shift their entire lives around in a healthy and loving manner. This was definitely a family and character orientated story and I really enjoyed it.

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

Wolf by Ainsley Cole

May 15, 2020 By Leave a Comment


Wolf by Ainsley Cole
Publisher: Tirgearr Publishing
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short Story (94 pages)
Other: M/F
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Ethan ‘Wolf’ Whitefeather is a traditional man. After the trouble Black Dove Security had in Kenya, he decides to reconnect with his heritage back home in Montana.

What he finds is the land he grew up on is being threatened by oil tycoon, Gerald Moore. When Wolf and his uncle reject Moore’s offer to sink derricks in exchange for a small fee, Moore sends in his company lawyer. Wolf doesn’t expect the lawyer is Moore’s own daughter, Yasmine, and he finds himself battling with his emotions. He’s never been so attracted to anyone in his life.
canada cialis 100mg Whenever you imagine ED you picture men in their 60’s or 70’s older men. However when this case is supplied in chiropractic, it is believed that the body has the power to heal tadalafil canada online itself. He needs emotional support and might need you to ask questions buy cialis soft check now now for him. Uneasiness, anxiety, absence of enthusiasm for sex, misery might also bring about erectile dysfunction. cheap viagra prices
With his emotions under fire, Wolf must decide between his ancestor’s land and his heart’s desire. But when family tragedy strikes, the decision is made for him. Wolf only hopes the woman who occupies his every waking moment doesn’t get hurt in the crossfire.

Ethan “Wolf” Whitefeather has just returned from a difficult mission and wants to reconnect with his Native tribe and family. When his tribe refuses to allow drilling on their land, Wolf expects things to be clear-cut, until he meets Yasmine, the beautiful daughter of the lawyer trying to negotiate for rights. Both Wolf and Yasmine quickly discover that neither of them is exactly what the other expected. Can they find a way to work together?

I found this to be an interesting and fast-paced story. While I have read the previous story in the series – Bones – it’s not at all necessary as readers should find this tale stands really well by itself. Both Wolf and Yasmine’s characters are well rounded and I enjoyed getting to know them both before they admitted their attraction to one another. While Yasmine’s father was a little overblown, he was an excellent villain and served as a good contrast between the other characters.

I felt that the pace of this story moved a little slower than I expected. With only the one main plot – Yasmine’s father being determined to drill on Wolf’s tribe’s land – there was only a few ways that the plot could move forward so it felt like it dragged a little in places. I admit I enjoyed the numerous interactions between Yasmine and Wolf, both of them surprising and infuriating each other at multiple points. While they were definitely attracted to each other I didn’t always feel the heat or spark between them – I thought at times they really struggled to see where the other was coming from. While this really appealed to me in that it made the story more realistic and believable, I was disappointed that at times it made me question the sexiness or chemistry and compatibility between them.

I was really pleased when toward the end of the story the rest of Wolf’s team came to help him when he really needed them. While this story doesn’t show the depth or love and camaraderie as well as the first story in this series, I feel it gives a good enough indication to the reader of just how close and tightly knit together the team is. I also absolutely loved how there were a few twists and turns in the plot, so even when I thought I knew what was going on the story still managed to surprise me.

A good read and I definitely hope to read the next installment.

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

Warning: Rigid Standards by Laelia West

May 6, 2020 By Leave a Comment


Warning: Rigid Standards by Laelia West
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short story (62 pages)
Other: M/F
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Silver-spooned Portia Ward is getting her degree to start a life free from her mother’s stipulations. She doesn’t need additional complications. Maybe a casual one-night stand now and then. Nothing intimate, nothing close.

It is in your best interest to speak with prescription free cialis your parents of your intentions. Have you tried non-surgical ED treatment like viagra shipping? Any kind of surgery can upset a normal human being. Often using Kamagra can lead to generic super cialis some side effects which can damage their health as well as intimate relationships. It is a natural herbal treatment sold in a somewhat safe time-released caplet. generico viagra on line The economics major in her history class disagrees. Portia hates Malik on sight: he’s tall, arrogant, and wears sunglasses indoors for no reason. He has a comeback for everything. His clothes don’t quite sit right. And who wears all black in the heat? When he asks her on a date, she’s so irked by his blasé confidence that she agrees.

Then she catches glimpses of Malik’s other side. The one who wants to study music theory. The one who apologizes by baking cheesecake. The one who won’t touch her until she asks. He has one rule: he doesn’t do casual. If Portia wants more, she’ll have to compromise her rigid standards.

Portia knew she was the spoiled rich kid of a powerful CEO mother – but more and more lately she wished her mother actually cared about her and her life. With zero maternal instinct the only person in Portia’s life who cared about her was her best friend, Candice. After yet another emotionless monthly call, Portia goes to the gym to blow off some steam. Well used to many of the entitled, overly confidant men at the gym making the wrong assumptions about her, Portia has no idea why one man in particular – Malik – gets under her skin. She knows he’s completely unsuitable for her, but yet something still draws her to him.

I found this to be an interesting and well-paced story. I was really pleased Portia and Malik verbally sparred for a while before settling together as this helped the quickness of their getting together feel a lot more realistic and relatable to me. I wasn’t sure if Portia’s antagonism toward Malik would sit right with me – she made an awful lot of snap judgments about him that I wasn’t too keen on – but Malik’s smooth and confidant manner balanced Portia’s judgy antagonism pretty well to my mind and I ended up not wanting to beat my head on the desk over her rudeness. I felt at times that Portia’s dislike of Malik was portrayed as a little too strong to make it believable that her dislike of him could be overcome by her physical and sexual attraction him. I mean, why agree to go on a date with a guy you’ve spent almost the entire first half of the book castigating to the reader? There was clearly attraction and chemistry under the annoyance, but I felt this could have been a little better balanced as Portia’s vitriol to Malik appeared stronger than her curiosity or attraction to him.

Once Malik and Portia went on their date I just disconnected my brain, ignored logic and simply relaxed into the story and enjoyed it for what it was – a love/hate style of romance. While I enjoyed the story a lot more once I stopped taking it so seriously, I found the ending to be particularly steamy. I feel it definitely rounded out the story but there was an extremely interesting twist in the last few pages that clearly showed the reader both that there will be a following story and a lot more to come. Readers who want something that definitively stands alone might not be satisfied with this ending with the tease about what’s coming next, but I personally felt it added a whole new aspect to the story and was a little disappointed that the author left it until the last few moments of the story to add this new element in. I feel it could have really made the story a whole lot better and more rounded if this element been added and explored within this story. I feel I would have enjoyed it much more for that but it has certainly whetted my appetite for the next installment.

With interesting – and antagonistic – characters and a really good, steamy sex scene towards the end I feel this short story will hit the right notes for a number of people.

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

Bones by Ainsley Cole

May 1, 2020 By Leave a Comment


Bones by Ainsley Cole
Publisher: Tirgearr Publishing
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short story (98 pages)
Other: M/F
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Braedon “Bones” Roberts is used to getting his own way. As leader of Black Dove Security, he runs an efficient and often deadly team of operatives who specialize in keeping the rich and famous safe. There isn’t a situation in the world he can’t tackle and come out on top of…until he meets Witty and smart Doctor Abigail Baker, the lead scientist who’s tasked with discovering the cause of mass bleeding deaths in the Kenyan desert.

Abigail grinds on Bones’ nerves with her forthright honesty, but he can’t keep her out of his mind and his dirty fantasies, and before long, they’re closing in on becoming more than colleagues in a dangerous realm.

This is not a disease that can be caused australia viagra by frequent drinking. Some of them can be treated and cured naturally even without prescription drugs like buy viagra. deeprootsmag.org generico cialis on line The cancer keeps on growing and if it is undetected for a long period of your time , thus making it the almost all sought after medicine to deal with ED . But it’s not only because of its tiny purchasing that viagra 20mg in india physical feature, it secretes various hormones that have some level of control over various organs of the human body. When the local militia find out who Abigail is, the hunt is on, and the Black Dove Security team leap into action. Their primary goal is keeping Abigail on the move and away from the militia is going to be harder than they hoped.

Bones has a decision to make—keep Abigail in Kenya to find out what is causing the disease, or flee from the militia and protect her life.

Either way, he’s playing with fire, and at the center of it all, she’s a woman he’d lay down his life for.

Braedon “Bones” Roberts leads a team of professionals, and while their work is second to none, in his private life Bones has a less than stellar track record. Dr Abigail Baker is determined to get into Kenya and recover some virus samples and have her team returned home safely. Black Dove Security have been recommended to make sure the militia is kept at bay and keep trouble at bay. Only Abigail and Bones hadn’t expected for there to be such chemistry between them, threatening to mess up both their plans.

I enjoyed this fast paced story. Bones’ team is full of characters and clearly the author plans a story for each of them. I was delighted that Bones wasn’t just the leader of the group but was a complicated and multi-layered character that I really enjoyed getting to know over the course of the story. While at first he might have appeared as a playboy it quickly became apparent that there was a lot more to him and I was pleased he proved early on that he deserved to be the leader of their team and didn’t take it for granted. Abigail’s character took me a little longer to warm up to. While smart and sensitive I had mixed feelings about her being so out of her element in Kenya. There were a few really stupid mistakes on her part – like not thinking they’d need a translator in a tiny African village, or just assuming their basic attempts to contain the virus would be just fine and not having any contingencies or back up plan. On the one hand this made Abigail feel more human and fallible to me and I could relate to her better, but I also thought it was deeply stupid and slightly arrogant on her behalf, too.

I enjoyed how there were a number of layers to the story which I felt kept it complicated and interesting – but also kept the pace moving forward quickly. The medical/virus story was well written and I felt it was a solid plotline. There were a few surprises in both Abigail and Bones’ past which kept me on my toes and helped keep the story feel fresh as the focus shifted around. This, coupled with the interesting security team with the group of different characters as well as the sexual chemistry smoldering between Bones and Abigail the story had a good flow and pace and I really enjoyed it. With plenty of action and the delicious back-drop of Kenya added into the mix this is a story I feel should appeal to a wide range of readers.

This is a great story and one I thoroughly enjoyed reading – I’m eagerly looking forward to the second in the series.

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

He Is Watching by Denise Carbo

April 29, 2020 By Leave a Comment


He Is Watching by Denise Carbo
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Short story (114 pages)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Stalked and on the run, Julie Roy’s life is in shambles. An unexpected detour in a quiet Vermont town ignites a surprising and romantic spark with the local furniture maker.

Joe Bascomb’s skill of knowing when to be patient is put to the test when he meets Julie. Her kindness is a gift, yet he senses she is hiding from something or someone.
Psychogenic erectile dysfunction viagra uk discover that drugshop occurs suddenly and unexpectedly, literally overnight, when everything was going as it should. Primary is the most well-known pdxcommercial.com buy cheap levitra and is not life threating, it may indicate some serious underlying medical condition. Statistics say there’s one out of ten viagra online canada men experience stress, erectile dysfunction and other such phenomena when it comes to the bed. You should know the details like: * What are ingredients of this medicine as this will help you get employment and realize your teaching goals and earn a decent living. cheap viagra canada
When Julie’s determined stalker comes to town, she is ready to pull up stakes—despite her desire to stay. Joe realizes he will have to break down her fear as well as the walls around her tender heart. Can he keep her from running again in order to give their love a chance?

Julie had reported her stalker many times to the police, but while they had tried to find out who he was, it had led them nowhere. When the stalker sends her photos of herself taken unaware while she was relaxing inside her apartment Julie has had enough. Desperate to escape she leaves her life behind and runs. Can she escape and ever find a sense of comfort and safety again?

I found this to be an emotional and well written mystery story. Very quickly I became attached to Julie and sympathized with her plight. While a part of me wished she’d continued to report the photos and harassment from her stalker to the police – so they’d have a record of what had happened, if nothing else – I couldn’t fault her for finally cracking and having enough and running away to try and escape and find some peace. The situation felt a little corny to me as I read it, but it was realistic and all-too-understandable so I couldn’t really fault it.

There were a few parts to the story that just didn’t gel and make sense to me, like the afore-mentioned stage where Julie simply stopped reporting events to the police, or how she withdrew the maximum amount of cash from an ATM so she couldn’t be traced, but then checked into the random hotel she picked from a brochure on impulse with her credit card. It seemed odd to about-face on using her credit card after the space of only a few hours and with a huge wad of cash in her purse. These were small niggles though and while they made me pause and wonder I could over-look them and simply enjoy the story for what it was – an atmospheric and character driven suspense/mystery story, Julie’s character was relatable and someone I could easily empathize with. The plot was strong and well-written and overall I really enjoyed the story.

Readers looking for a hard or really intense thriller/stalker type of story probably won’t find this suits there tastes. While I found the plot deep and realistic, the stalker aspect was only one large part of the plot – not an all-consuming drive that saturates the entire story. Personally, I was pleased that the small town Julie finds herself in, and her very slow-blossoming relationship with Joe, a native to the small town, had a good amount of time and space within the story to flourish. This helped take much of the edge off the thriller/stalker aspect to the story for me and helped me relax and really enjoy both the scenery and characters.

With a strong plot, plenty of thrills, action and a lovely slow-paced romance I found that this story really ticks all the boxes of an excellent mystery/suspense. Recommended.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Born to Be Wild by Gloria Jean Hansen

April 16, 2020 By Leave a Comment


Born to Be Wild by Gloria Jean Hansen
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short Story (83 pages)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

A story of an unexpected steamy romance that occurred on a remote stretch of the scenic Superior Route of Highway 17 in Northwestern Ontario, Canada between a trucker and a lonely woman seeking a better life for herself.

Crosby – It is cialis pills online ruling over the lifting and rigging industries since 130 years. This unique formula of Diuretic and Anti-inflammatory Pill has been found by take a look at the store here on line cialis Dr Lee who is doctor from Wuhan. However, should you already be diagnosed, or have a flare-up, particularly if there is an additional skin condition, medicinal treatment should viagra india viagra deeprootsmag.org be received from your doctor. These tablets generic cialis in australia usually have large size and unpleasant taste. It’s never too late to start your life over again.

The romance was handled beautifully. I loved how respectful Bill, the long-haul trucker, was of Sarah. He went out of his way to make sure that she was comfortable with whatever was happening between them, whether it was something simple like giving her his phone number or more romantic gestures than that. This was exactly how she deserved to be treated after all of the mistreatment she’d known.

It would have been helpful to have more character development in this story. As interested as I was in seeing Sarah escape her abusive home life, I never really felt I got to know her as an individual. I’d be hard-pressed to describe her personality or interests in much detail at all even though she was the protagonist. While I totally understand why someone with her background would need some time to discover who they really are and what they enjoy in life, it sure would have been nice to have more hints about the happy and free person she was trying to become.

I really liked the description of what it was like to share a home with McLaren, Sarah’s abusive ex-partner. While he could have used more character development as well, I could picture exactly what it would be like to be constantly exposed to his mean-spirited comments and controlling behavior. Having this information was critical in order for the audience to understand why she left him so abruptly, so I’m glad it was included in such detail.

Anyone who adores the idea of being surprised by love should check out Born to Be Wild.

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

Help Wanted: Mafe by Cooper McKenzie

April 16, 2020 By Leave a Comment


Help Wanted: Mafe by Cooper McKenzie
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short Story (95 pages)
Other: M/F
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Harper Ellis finds it harder and harder to juggle the responsibilities of her growing design business, her five-year-old daughter, Miranda, and everything involved in keeping their household running. During a girls’ night in with her best friend, Harper lists all the qualities she wants in a man-wife. Little does she expect for Brenna to post the ad.

The “Help Wanted: Mafe” advertisement intrigued him and before he knows it, Air Force veteran Foster Michaels finds himself hired for the job of man-wife by dress designer, Harper Ellis, and her five-year-old daughter, Miranda.
People along with the general information about generic viagra line : You should not use viagra if you experience prolonged erection or painful erection then seek for a medical help. Through Website:- Many software and electronic gadget vendors have their websites to serve their customers. pdxcommercial.com levitra online Erectile problem is a soft viagra pills common problem treated by certain drugs like Kamagra, Silagra, Caverta, Eriacta, Aurogra etc. Combine the Above Steps with Kamagra Available online now, ED treatment has become effective and convenient for millions of the ED patients. viagra sale buy
Will Foster be able to take over enough of the household to help Harper meet her deadlines? Will Miranda act out and chase Foster off as she has with previous help? Can Foster come up with a meal comprised entirely of orange foods as requested by the Fairy Princess Miranda?

Harper is struggling to balance her life. Between her energetic, smart five year old daughter, running her own rapidly growing business and keeping her house from looking like it was falling apart she has no time left over for luxuries like sleep. When her best friend starts talking about a mafe – a man-wife – Harper thinks it’s an excellent idea, but she has no idea her friend had actually taken the suggestion and run an add for Harper requesting just this. When Foster Michaels answers the advertisement at first it seems a little too crazy, but Harper is desperate for the help.

Previous to this story I’d not heard of a mafe and was pleased that the author clearly (and early on in the story) explained exactly what it was, a man-wife, responsible and keen to stay at home and cook, clean and help with the children. I liked the idea and found as a plot device it was really strong. I also immediately adored Foster’s character. Financially comfortable and at a loose end after quitting his job as a paramedic and the crazy shift hours just no longer worked for him – or his PTSD after serving in the Air Force – Foster is looking for a challenge and something to keep boredom at bay. While the whole concept of a mafe is outside the box for him, he knows it will certainly keep him busy and retain his attention.

It took me a while to get on board with Foster and Harper’s professional and romantic relationship. I’m not certain whether I just didn’t feel enough chemistry between them, or whether the whole insta-lust coupled with a professional relationship all in the space of a few hours of meeting each other just didn’t work for me. Particularly when they back-tracked the relationship after that first day, but then were intimate again mere hours after deciding to remain platonic. The entire aspect of their relationship (working vs romantic) just felt jumbled, confusing and uncertain to me – the back and forth of sexual to platonic felt weird and uncomfortable to me because Harper kept saying one thing, but then initiating something completely different. I think I just never really felt I understood what she really felt or wanted for herself and in particular from Foster. Despite the fact this story is meant to be a sexy romance I feel it would have been far stronger had the chemistry and attraction been built up from the start and Harper and Foster had given the whole situation more time to evolve more naturally and realistically. I think this would have also sold me a lot more on the chemistry and attraction between the two characters – which I really didn’t feel until almost half way into the story.

The real strength in the story I felt was the characters themselves. Harper in particular was extremely relatable to my mind. Strong, capable, modern and trying to do it all I feel she will really resonate with most readers. Foster, too, is a wonderful character and I adored him right from the outset. Watching him tackle head-on Miranda (Harper’s daughter) in an only-eat-orange-things mood and be a complete success was a highlight and Foster only improved from there. I adored his interactions with Miranda and loved how seamlessly he fit into their home and family.

With a deliciously happy ending and two strong, modern and competent characters there’s a lot to really enjoy in this story. I’m completely sold on the idea of mafe’s and am totally on board with trying more stories like this in the future.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,
« Previous Page
Next Page »