A Highland Werewolf Wedding by Terry Spear

April 18, 2013 By 1 Comment

WOLF
A Highland Werewolf Wedding by Terry Spear
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary, Paranormal, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (342 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Elaine Hawthorn is a gray American werewolf, currently out of work, and on a mission to share in a family treasure. When she arrives in Scotland, she nearly has a head-on collision with one hot, kilt-garbed Highlander, and runs him off the road.

Werewolf laird Cearnach MacNeill isn’t happy Elaine ruined his car, but he quickly becomes her protector after a misunderstanding lands her right in the middle of two feuding clans. Now he’s out to ensure that this sexy female wolf gets her fair share of her clan’s treasure. He knows he should leave well enough alone, but it’s too late to leave his heart out of it.

I knew I had just read an awesome book by the aftermath – nails bitten, teeth aching and hyperventilation, check – check – check. There is action, suspense and more twists and turns than the Pacific Coast Highway; and it can leave a reader just as breathless. A Highland Werewolf Wedding delivered surprises, shocks and heart pounding adventures that had my brain spinning. What a ride!

The author first introduced me to the lead characters way back in history. Because werewolves live a long time, fate had a nice, leisurely time span to work its magic. Ms. Spear’s writing is diabolical and clever. She wove an intricate little mystery about a time honored tradition – hunting for buried pirate treasure. There was murder and betrayal along the way, naturally, but there is something infinitely more intriguing buried with the stash – destiny.

Elaine is young and scared when the story opens. When next a reader meets her, she’s all grown up and a force to be reckoned with. Life has hardened her and made her more cunning, determined and a woman who knows her own mind. She stands up for herself, and because she’s been on her own for so long, knows what it’s like to have no one to guard her back. That makes her a woman of action. If there’s injustice, she stands against it. If there’s a wrong, she is going to correct it. And if someone is going to try to feed her a load of blarney, she’ll call them on it. Elaine Hawthorne is no one’s fool. Despite everything she’s lived through and survived, there is this little spark of romantic yearning inside that has lain dormant all these years. It will take one man to ignite it and his name is Cearnach MacNeill.

I originally met Cearnach in A Howl for a Highlander and he was portrayed as a man who is jovial in nature with a will of steel. In his own story, I got to see a greater depth from him that pleased me. That easygoing manner that his family is familiar with isn’t present in this book. He’s taking a stand against injustice; a right choice in the face of one hundred percent disapproval. And yet, the hero can do no less. It’s that sense of honor, integrity and the unwillingness to let a wrong go uncontested that made him an awesome choice for winning the heroine’s love. The fact that he is drool-worthy in a kilt, or nothing at all, is an added bonus.
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What kills me is that I can’t talk at length about the villains. The whole lot of them play a key role in getting Elaine and Cearnach together long enough that they fall in love, wholly and completely. So much happens to the two of them because of the actions and manipulations of the bad guys that it’s astounding.  The conflict is genius, the action sequences of fighting, running and fighting some more were tightly written and the final culmination of a century’s old mystery finally getting solved was satisfactorily wrapped up.

At first, their romance seems to be humming along without a hitch, mostly because they’re both wolves and they know the mating expectations. The hero and heroine are not shy by any means, which had the effect of providing me with some oh-so-sexy seduction scenes. Both characters know what they like and want and go after it. I was enjoying their getting together so much that when the villains made their dramatic strike it was a like being splashed with frigid Arctic water. SHOCK! I yelled at the book, put it down, stalked off, came right back and started reading again. I could not believe my eyes. What an amazing, truly amazing gift Ms. Spear has for storytelling!

I absolutely enjoyed the romance, the back story and the delivery but the novel isn’t totally perfect. There is only one thing that could have made the book one hundred percent ideal and that was less repetition of Elaine being an “alpha-she wolf”. I get it. Cearnach totally loved that about her, was enamored of her personality and appreciated that she was an alpha-she wolf. But I was beat over the head with it and after a while all I could do was roll my eyes. It almost came to the point that she was over-alphing the hero, which wouldn’t have been a good thing. The author managed to prevent the heroine from usurping the hero’s place as a hero, but barely. In the end, the most important fact is that they came out equal, Elaine and Cearnach are well matched and their union is truly blessed. A piece of the pirate treasure proved that.

Another component to enjoy was seeing Duncan again from A Highland Werewolf Wedding. In this story he acts like the other book said he usually did but because he was falling in love at the time, a reader didn’t get to see him in action. His devilish bloodthirsty nature came out loud and clear in this tale and it was a great benefit for Cearnach. Not only did I get to see Ian, the oldest brother again, but I had the distinct treat of seeing I was right about an observation that I’d made when reading the other book. Uncle Ethan is fitting right in. I’m tickled pink.

Even though I’m making references to a previous book, please don’t let that dissuade you from reading this one. It’s a great standalone read because the story is complete unto itself. Yes, there are little references from the previous books that a fan will be able to pick up and enjoy all the more. It’s like a double layer of fun – it’s great for both new and old fans of the series.

A Highland Werewolf Wedding is not only sultry, sexy and satisfying but it has a plot conflict that stuns, shocks and bowls a reader over from the surprise. This is a book that kept me on my toes, kept me glued to its pages and bouncing in my chair. I cannot even express the myriad of emotions this book wrung from me but it’s all due to the awesome talent that Ms. Spear possesses. It was amazing how she lulled me into thinking that this was going to be a sweet but hot romance with a mild bit of drama. Readers are in for a wild time. I feel like I’m straining against the bit because I want to reveal just what made this novel as cool and diabolical as it is and I can’t. It’s a major spoiler and I want readers to feel what I did, experience the whole sensation like I did and that can only come from the not knowing. I guess some readers might figure it out. In retrospect I think the author did drop clues. But I didn’t catch on so it made the revelation all the more powerful. So, rush out and get this book when you can and find out for yourself. A Highland Werewolf Wedding a sure winner.

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The Gambler’s Brother by Jillian Chantal

April 18, 2013 By 2 Comments

Brother
The Gambler’s Brother by Jillian Chantal
Publisher: Desert Breeze Publishing
Genre: Historical
Length: Short Story (121 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rated: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Snapdragon

Beaumont McSwain, a former RAF pilot wounded in combat is now the legal officer onboard the Queen Mary. He’s haunted by a tragic mission gone awry and wants to return to America and to a life of peace and quiet. Zoe Langlois, a former member of the French Resistance, wants to get to America and find what’s left of her family after the Nazi’s reign of terror. She boards the Queen Mary under a false identity as a war bride. Along the way, several of the brides are killed and Zoe’s odds of survival are decreasing by the day. She and Bo are attracted to each other, but his secret as well as hers threaten their potential for happiness.

Wrought with very human emotion, The Gambler’s Brother will not fail to move you.

We find ourselves aboard the Queen Mary, here at the end of the war (1946). Bo Mcswain is endearing from the get go, and we readers are just like all those war brides he mentions, lured in with the promise of this novel, if not actual chocolate bars and nylon hose.

view that drugshop order generic levitra Once the diagnosis is made, the search for the solution. Of the more than 700 people in the U.S. alone experience progressive hair thinning, which regularly leads to cialis generic usa Learn More Here baldness. The viagra canada deliver herbal massage oil Mast Mood oil is another efficient herbal supplement to cure the problem of male impotence. These tadalafil purchase conditions peel off the natural abilities of the person to deliver and gain pleasurable performances. Zoe is not exactly a ‘war bride’ on her way to America, but she sure is determined to get to America. And her arrogance impresses Bo in the wrong sort of way…but his mind still returns to her. He’s got his own problems though; regrets and secrets. Neither are entirely forthwright. Bo seems confident, and Zoe, for all her determination, anxious. She very quickly engages readers’ sympathies.

We are sharply reminded that, ‘these are still dangerous times.’ Zoe’s danger, the compiling mystery, and our main characters’ efforts to help one another will utterly embroil readers. It is impossible to predict what will happen next. Supporting characters — I adore ‘Mena’ but also Dirk, especially– really add flavor to the story.

The opening conversation is a bit forced and a shade too informative. It just doesn’t quite ring true, but that little issue disappears fast. Nice dinners, ladies playing bridge and the chat in the ship’s officers’ lounge all add to the backdrop of life aboard ship.

The Gambler’s Brother is set during a specific, and relatively little-known period of time, (and little known event) following the war. The storyline is very fresh.  Fans of WWII-era fiction will certainly enjoy.

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A SEAL’s Surrender by Tawny Weber

April 17, 2013 By Leave a Comment

SEAL
A SEAL’s Surrender by Tawny Weber
Publisher: Harlequin
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (219 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Subject: Lieutenant Commander Cade Sullivan

Status: On leave

Mission: He’s home to take care of some family business.

Obstacle: Eden Gillespie. The girl who always lands in trouble…has landed in his bed!

Lieutenant Commander Cade Sullivan is the job. His commitment to the Navy SEALs is absolute-almost. Worse still, he’s been summoned home, where his privileged family is the town royality and women vie to be one of Cade’s conquests. One of them in particular….

Ever since they were kids, Cade has been rescuing Eden Gillespie. Now she’s decided she owes him one heck of a thank-you-one that involves a bed, naked bodies and sweet satisfaction. But when their sexy trysts are discovered, Eden becomes a bit of a town sensation-and not in a good way. Can she convince her SEAL to risk one last rescue operation?
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Uniformly Hot! The Few. The Proud. The Sexy as Hell.

Healing through rescue is not a totally unique idea but when Ms. Weber throws together a very clumsy but adorable lady with a hero who, despite the mental anguish he suffers, can’t seem to stop himself from coming to her rescue, readers are in for an entertaining treat.

Cade Sullivan has a lot of issues to work through in this story. Some of the angst is about the healing from the loss of his teammate but the other is about his place in his family and the town’s community at large. He’s got a bloodthirsty father with a heart that seems to be made of ice and it causes a special kind of conflict, the personal kind. The hero has a lot of juggling to do and his stress is high, until he finds a saucy, funny, sexy lady in a tree.

Eden has been crushing on Cade for what seems like forever. The author creates a sense of history and helps a reader understand why the heroine’s feelings are so strong and why she hasn’t done anything about it in the past. The past is what haunts her because small towns have long memories, and some small-minded people seem unable to grow up for just as long. Again, Ms. Weber showcases why she is so good at personal conflicts – she fleshes out her characters so they seem real to a reader. When a character you come to care for is hurt or sad, your emotions are affected. The author accomplished that in this book. I wanted Eden to finally take that chance and discover if her dreams meshed reality.

A reader will discover that there are a lot more bumps and tribulations before the happy ever after can be realized. Both characters find out that the differences between their fantasies and reality comes with some major concessions, adjustments and compromises of the misconceptions they both harbor. Ms. Weber had Eden starting to act the way a hurt and spastic heroine would act, then put on the brakes and presented a much different outcome than expected. I liked that and it made me like Eden’s character even more.

The family conflicts were a bit clichéd (Cade’s dad and Eden’s mom) but effective nonetheless.

This wouldn’t be a Blaze romance without some very steamy sex and the author had no problems delivering on that score. The scenes were peppered with emotional connections making their placement effective and necessary to the story.

A SEAL’s Surrender is a wonderful continuation of a back story arc that started with A SEAL’s Seduction – two men who lost a respected and loved teammate through the violence of war – and then presented these two strong men, broken in spirit, finding love, happiness, hope and the promise of a better future ahead. This was a nice, smoothly written enjoyable story worth taking the time to read. I had a great time watching them fall in love.

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One Last Shot by Danielle La Paglia

April 17, 2013 By Leave a Comment

SHOT
One Last Shot by Danielle La Paglia
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short Story (54 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Quince

High school sweethearts, Justin and Shelby, were destined to be together forever. But when Justin decided to give up a college scholarship to stay close to Shelby, his family stepped in, convincing Shelby she was holding him back from his life-long dream of playing Major League Baseball. She took her guilt and ran, and he never knew why.

Ten years later, they find themselves back in the small Texas town they grew up in. Shelby’s come home to run the bar she inherited from her dad and Justin is looking for a safe haven after a career ending injury. With years of buried hurt and regrets, and the secret of his family’s betrayal hanging between them, is Cupid’s arrow enough to help them reignite the passion of first love?

Cupid may have missed in the first round, but he’s willing to give this true love one last shot.

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There are so many things that I loved about One Last Shot. It is a story that features a hero and heroine from different social backgrounds; he’s a rich boy and she is definitely not a rich girl. Then this is a second chance love story, which I like. And last but not least, this tale is written so well that I read it in one sitting. The storyline follows the past of Shelby Stephens and Justin Tanner’s relationship and incorporates it so well into the current story arc. I really liked the author’s decision to focus more on the present storyline, conflict and plot, on resolving past deceptions and lies than on the hero’s pursuit of the heroine.

The characters are also well developed and three dimensional. Shelby is one of the strongest heroines I have met lately. She is strong physically and she has a strong personality. Shelby is a woman who is forced to make really tough decisions and has had to sacrifice a lot in her life. I really felt for her towards the end. She lost almost everything, except her dignity and pride, and what was really important to her – her father’s bar. I also liked that Ms. La Paglia really toned down the ‘divine intervention’ and made it almost invisible, focusing mostly on humans and very little on gods.

I never knew that such a short story can be packed with so many things and not to have loose ends. All I can say is that One Last Shot is a masterfully crafted story that was a pure pleasure to read. Of course, the hot sex scenes also helped!

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Tumbleweed Letters by Vonnie Davis

April 15, 2013 By 1 Comment

LETTER
Tumbleweed Letters by Vonnie Davis
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Historical
Length: Short Story (95 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Fern

When rancher and single father Cam McBride finds a letter tucked in a strip of cloth tied to a tumbleweed, he is captivated by the mysterious author. Finding a second tumbleweed letter further pulls him under the lonely writer’s spell. He needs a mother for his little boy and a wife to warm his bed. Could this mysterious woman fill his needs?

Sophie Flannigan is alone, scared, and on the run from a rogue Pinkerton agent. She spends her days as a scrub lady at Madame Dora’s brothel and her nights writing notes to the four winds. Her life holds little hope until a small boy lays claim to her and his handsome father proposes an advantageous arrangement.

Can these three benefit from a marriage of convenience, or will a determined Pinkerton agent destroy their fragile, newly formed bond?

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Sophie Flannigan’s job is keeping the local whorehourse spotless – though many believe she works there, Sophie has her pride and merely cleans. Terrified of her past and willing to do her best to outrun it, only her secret letters help ease the helplessness she feels almost every minute. When Cam and Sophie meet they can clearly help with what the other is lacking, and Eli makes his toddler views on the matter plain in a whimsical and lovely manner. Both Sophie and Cam are prisoners to their own pasts. Needing each other far more than they first thought, all too soon they’ll need to make some hard decisions, or live with regret for the rest of their lives.

I really enjoyed when Cam and Eli first meet Sophie in the store. It made me laugh and was a fantastically set scene, showcasing perfectly how the author has managed to blend humour, passion, real-life absurdities and mingled them all into a historical setting. The instant chemistry between Cam and Sophie was lovely – and racy for a Western novel – but it still managed to click together perfectly for me. Despite the amazing attraction and the clarity of how a marriage of convenience would work for both Sophie and Cam I felt that part of the story was a little rushed. The explanation Cam gives Sophie as to why it’s so fast is logical, but as a reader I still would have preferred even just a few scenes with them getting to know each other before getting married. I’d have enjoyed a bit more time between them in this initial stage – maybe even something funny like their first meeting – and think it could have gotten rid of the rushed feel.

The author does an amazing job of filling the story with all the romance, loneliness and history of the Old West. There were a number of plots interwoven and the storyline felt full, gratifying and dense enough I became really engaged in the book as a whole. I read this slowly, relishing each page and thoroughly enjoying the characters and world the author has created. Many of the images painted were wonderful and took my breath away. I really felt that taste of dust on my tongue, and felt the hardships faced by the characters. With complex, three dimensional characters, a solid plot and vibrant setting this is a lovely book and one I’d strongly recommend.

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What She Wants by Sheila Roberts

April 12, 2013 By 5 Comments

WHAT
What She Wants by Sheila Roberts
Publisher: Harlequin Mira
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (391 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

What do women want? Jonathan Templar and his poker buddies can’t figure it out. Take Jonathan, for instance. He’s been in love with Lissa Castle since they were kids but, geek that he is, she’s never seen him as her Mr. Perfect. He has one last shot—their high school reunion. Kyle Long is equally discouraged. The pretty receptionist at his office keeps passing him over for other guys who may be taller but are definitely not superior. And Adam Edwards might be the most successful of Jonathan’s friends, but he isn’t having any success on the home front. His wife’s kicked him out.

When Jonathan stumbles on a romance novel at the Icicle Falls library sale, he knows he’s found the love expert he’s been seeking—Vanessa Valentine, top-selling romance author. At first his buddies laugh at him for reading romance novels, but soon they, too, realize that these stories are the world’s best textbooks on love. Poker night becomes book club night…and when all is read and done, they’re going to be the kind of men women want!

Men are clueless. Men are pathetic. Men are like puppies that need to be trained. But, once they are trained and trained well? Women, watch out because those men become irresistible!

Seriously, think about how long it takes to get any cute animal to do tricks, even if it’s only to sit or beg. Although, begging seems to come naturally to both species. Ms. Roberts takes the time to really show a reader exactly how far from perfect the three men in this story are. They listen but do not hear, they interpret what they don’t understand and jump to conclusions because men know everything – at least, they think they’re supposed to. What Jonathan, the computer geek, Adam, the guy with the hots for a co-worker, and Kyle, the husband whose wife kicked him out, learn during the telling of this story is beautiful. The journey itself encompasses humor, sadness, joys, disappointments, setbacks, hopes, dreams and even more humor. The most impressive element of the whole book is that while the men are learning about wooing women, they’re learning about themselves and what it truly means to be a man.
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I thought the beginning of the book was slow. The author took a very detailed journey to express to me the foibles of each man who would eventually become a heroine’s hero in the story. At first I was annoyed that it was taking so long but my advice is to bear with the author. Watch for the clues and continue on. I later realized that without that background, what comes later wouldn’t have had the power to affect my emotions as strong as it did. Those were the warm-up laps like they do in racing. Once that flag comes down the storytelling picks up at a fast clip because each man gets hit with his shortcomings. They’re in shock! They’re desperate! They’ll do anything to win the hearts of the girls they love. And I do mean ‘anything’. That’s where the humor comes in, and a reader gets to see why they’re eventually going to be wonderful heroes. If a man can humble himself to dance with another guy to understand how to dance, if he’s willing to go out on a limb and read something he would never touch with a ten mile pole, and if he’s willing to finally listen to the mushy sappy romantic that he’s buried way down deep inside himself, all for the serious pursuit of a woman, then he’s a keeper. There is hope and a happily ever after is a reachable goal.

Truly, What She Wants is a wonderful, heartwarming story told from the male point of view. When I said earlier that men were clueless, Ms. Roberts showed me just how much in hilarious detail. Their thought processes are different, their ways of dealing with unpleasant things are different and their approach to tackle problems are as opposite from women as night from day. That perspective is what initially interested me in the story but I never would have guessed as to the surprises the author had in store for me. They weren’t all funny. Some were sad and were an effective emotional hook. But there was one element that made this book top notch and that was the identity of a certain person. I never guessed, never suspected the turn this tale took. It was a stroke of genius and I laughed out loud when it was revealed. That twist was awesome. I’m giggling in remembrance.

One scene comes to mind that embodies the journey these three men take. It happens at the poker table. Watch how things progress. Momentous ideas and plans come to fruition during those games. For these men, the poker table is the place where all the significant conversations take place. The poker game was like a snapshot – appearing when the author wanted to illustrate the dramatic growth of each man as he progressed. It was an effective technique and I liked it.

Secondary characters abounded and they were effective in showing off the men’s weaknesses, their strengths and lending a hand when needed. They were personable, affable and made the book read like I was visiting family. Dot was a hoot. Then there were other characters that were not so nice. There were no spies or intrigue in this book. The external conflict comes from real people and the personal politics that can haunt a person long after they’ve graduated high school. For many people bullying can leave lasting emotional scars. The author touched on that too. Ms. Roberts was respectful and in a way helpful in letting people know that some bullies can change, wrongs can be righted or at least healed by reaching out and facing the past. That was another nice touch that made this book so special and emotional.

What She Wants reads like a snapshot of a small town community where the pursuit of love and happiness is just as powerful, poignant and special as one would expect in an exotic location. Anytime people are falling in love is exotic, because no two experiences are the same and there are always elements of the unknown. Reading about falling in love 100% from a man’s perspective was an amazing and interesting experience that I highly recommend. Get to know Adam, Kyle and Jonathan, and a reader will be rewarded with a wonderfully well-written and love-filled romance. Every happy ever after is unique and in this book a reader is blessed with three. I’m very glad I read this book.


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Zane’s Art by Sara Daniel

April 11, 2013 By Leave a Comment

ZANE
Zane’s Art by Sara Daniel
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short Story (31 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

A high school art teacher must choose between her students and the artist she never stopped loving.

High school art teacher Julianne Truman’s last chance to save her beloved art department from budget cuts is to sell the old sketches that her former boyfriend—and now famous artist—Zane DeMonde drew for her. But is she prepared to let go of his artwork and the last traces of him in her life?

Desperate to save his artistic reputation from the exposure of his early works, Zane returns to the home town he wanted to forget. He accuses Julianne of profiting from his success and demands she take his art off the market and cancel the auction.
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Their high school attraction flares back to life, forcing Julianne to choose between the students who count on her and the man she never stopped loving.

Julianne Truman hadn’t seen Zane DuMonde in over fifteen years – since he’d walked away from her and the future she’d thought they’d share. Zane insists she not sell some old artwork he’d given her, but determined to raise some much-needed funds for her high school art students, Julianne isn’t going to be talked out of it. A steamy kiss gets both their hearts racing – but who will win in the tug of war between Zane and Julianne, and what will happen to the sketches?

This is a spin on the old-style classic “bad boy returns home bigger and better”. I found parts of this story were somewhat clichéd – such as the whole school supported Julianne’s brother and turned their back on Zane for merely defending himself, or his leaving town without a backward glance determined to prove himself and become a great success. Despite this, I thought the chemistry between Julianne and Zane was believable and steamy and the conflict of auctioning off Zane’s art work kept the plot moving and stopped it from becoming too predictable. I got a few snickers from Julianne’s brother, too – and would definitely be interested to read more about that character.

With a smoking hot sex scene you might not want to share with your grandma, this is overall a good, short read. Aside from a few tiny things, I really enjoyed this story and would recommend it for a broad range of readers as this encompasses many tastes. Small towns, returning bad boys, steamy sex and conflict over ownership of some artwork – I expect this to appeal to many various readers, and personally I liked it too. Recommended.

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Let The Dead Sleep by Heather Graham

April 11, 2013 By Leave a Comment

SLEEP
Let The Dead Sleep by Heather Graham
Publisher: Harlequin Mira
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (331)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Jasmine

It was stolen from a New Orleans grave – the centuries-old bust of an evil man, a demonic man. It’s an object desired by collectors – and by those with wickedness in their hearts.

One day, its current owner shows up at Danni Cafferty’s antiques shop on Royal Street, the shop she inherited from her father. But before Danni can buy the statue, it disappears, the owner is found dead…and Danni discovers that she’s inherited much more than she realized. In the store is a book filled with secret writing: instructions for defeating evil entities. She’d dismissed it as a curiosity…until the arrival of this statue, with its long history of evil and even longer trail of death.

Michael Quinn, former cop and now private investigator, is a man with an unusual past. He believes that doing the right thing isn’t a job – it’s a way of life. And the right thing to do is find and destroy this object weighted with malevolent powers. He and Danni are drawn together in their search for the missing statue, following it through sultry New Orleans nights to hidden places in the French Quarter and secret ceremonies on abandoned plantations.

Cafferty and Quinn already know that trust in others can be misplaced, that love can be temporary. And yet their connection is primal. Mesmerizing. They also know that their story won’t end when this case is closed and the dead rest in peace once again.

New Orleans is in my top five on my list of cities to visit in America. After reading ‘Let the Dead Sleep’, I feel like I’ve already visited – and got to have a crazy adventure while I was there!
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Danielle “Danni” Cafferty is an artist that suddenly finds herself in possession of her father’s antique and curio shop after his death. Of course, this being New Orleans, nothing is ever as it seems and apparently her father collected things a bit more odd than normal old antiques and collectibles. And Danni inherited a bit more than just the store. Danni seems to be the type to approach things with thought, caution and logic. She likes to think things through and find explanations. Unfortunately, she is going to have to learn to accept that things aren’t always logical and some things defy explanation. Danni’s father was a player in the eternal struggle of good versus evil, and now Danni has to fill his role.

Michael Quinn is excellent in his role of tall, dark, handsome and mysterious. He is sexy, protective and all sorts of contradictions but we never entirely get to know him. Even once it seems like his true character is revealed, there is still an air of mystery around him. He is definitely on the side of good, though, and a firm ally of Danni’s. Quinn’s dog, Wolf, was charming and adorable, and I wanted him to leap out of the pages and take up a spot at my feet with my other dogs.

The tension between Quinn and Danni builds throughout the book, but Danni is just not sure who he is or what he’s about. We learn to trust Quinn as Danni does. We also learn, along with Danni, how hot he is. I think Danni finally comes to the conclusion that some packages are best when they are unwrapped slowly. With Quinn, I agree.

The other secondary characters are very well written. Even though they don’t get a lot of page time, we get distinctive characters with each one we meet. That’s not always easily or well done in such a short amount of time but Ms. Graham does a great job. For a book that moves at such a quick pace and introduces so many people, it’s important to do it well.

The prologue does well pulling double duty. Not only does it draw you in and make you want to know what the heck is really going on, but it gives you some insight into Danni, not only as a person but also her relationship with her father and some of her background. At the same time, for me, it was a bit misleading in some of the elements I kept expecting to pop up in this book.

With bad guys, cops, romps through graveyards, voodoo shops and mysterious evil objects, the action is fast paced, with several spooky moments. I was never bored with this book and had a great time with my visit to New Orleans through the pages. I’ve read that this may be the first book in a series. If that’s true, I look forward to reading more about Danni and Quinn’s future adventures. I will definitely be recommending this book to friends.

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Class Reunion by Kenzie Michaels

April 8, 2013 By 6 Comments

Class Reunion Cover
Class Reunion by Kenzie Michaels
Publisher: Freya’s Bower
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short (83 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rated: 3.5 Stars
Review by Rose

After being burned pretty badly by two different women in his past, Brian Vellinger has sworn off romance. Commitment-shy for the past fifteen years, he is stunned by his sudden attraction to a woman he’s not seen since the last day of their senior year.

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This short story from Freya’s Bower is the fantasy of every woman who had an unrequited love in high school. Natalie, coming home for the reunion after a break-up with her controlling boyfriend, finds out that Brian–who she’s harbored a crush on since high school–is now divorced and free. Unfortunately, Brian has been burned twice before and is not interested in a long-term relationship with anyone. Casual sex equals good; commitment equals bad.

Ms. Michaels does a good job in a short period of time letting the reader get to know Brian and Natalie. I liked them. It would be interesting to see this couple in a longer book where their back stories could be more fully explored and where their relationship could be tested. But, for a quick, sexy read about two people who finally find each other, Class Reunion might be a short story to pick up.

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Flying in Shadows by RT Wolfe

April 5, 2013 By 34 Comments

Cover_Flying In Shadows

Flying in Shadows by RT Wolfe
Publisher: Self
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense
Length: Full (313 pgs)
Heat: Spicy
Rated: 5 Stars
Review by Poppy

From the time she was a little girl, Rose Piper was sure of two things: she wanted to work with animals and she wanted to win the heart of her best friend, Andy Reed.

Now the most sought-after conservation biologist in the Northeast, she’s trying to convince herself that one out of two isn’t bad.

Andy spent most of his life following his dream of becoming a builder. Now a successful land developer, he has returned to Black Creek to win the girl he has loved since high-school and hurt too many times: Rose
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But efforts to keep their love together turn dangerous when a decades-old secret brings a murderer out of hiding, sending the pair running for their lives.

With stupendously good character building, RT Wolfe hooked me from the first line, completely invested me in Rose and Andy and made me love them so much, I couldn’t help but keep turning pages to find out what happened to them.

With a far heavier accent on romance than mystery, Flying in Shadows has turned out to be one of the best books I’ve read this year. The first half or so of the book is all about Rose and Andy growing up together. Sounds kind of dull, right? No at all. I hung on every word. Truthfully, I think the author could give classes on creating the kind of characters a reader will love so much, they’d be happy to read about them hanging wallpaper. When Rose is jealous, I felt jealous. When she and Andy kiss for the first time, I all but felt the caress. When hearts are broken, mine shattered right alongside them.

Though the book includes a murder right at the start, the mystery is layered in just a little here and there and doesn’t dominate until the last few chapters. And, though I chose to read this book because I’m a huge fan of romantic suspense, I didn’t feel at all cheated. In fact, I have every intention of going back to buy the first book by the author, Black Creek Burning, and am praying that the next book is about Duncan (it is, right, Ms. Wolfe? Please say yes… ). I’m such a fan, she’s an auto buy.

As mentioned, this is the second book in the series, and while I have a feeling I might have read about some characters from the first book, I didn’t feel as though I was missing anything. This book very easily stands alone.

So, if you like a book with strong, real, three dimensional characters, a completely enjoyable plot, a touch of mystery and a ton of heart, I highly recommend Flying in Shadows. I sincerely doubt you’ll be disappointed.

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