The Common Touch by Yvonne Rediger

February 18, 2021 By 6 Comments


The Common Touch by Yvonne Rediger
Publisher: Black Opal Books
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary, Romance, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 5 Stars
Review by Dryas

Major Zara Dare, air force brat from CFB Moose Jaw, home of 15 Wing. Zara followed in her father’s footsteps by joining the air force. Unfortunately, she did not attain his pilot status. Her talents lie elsewhere. She always felt the need to make her dad proud, but knew she fell short. Now she has a tough new assignment. While His Royal Highness is attending the international Connaught Ranges annual shooting event in Ottawa, Zara is tasked to be part of his security detail. She must ensure the safety of the outspoken and unpredictable Royal. It would all be fine if she could keep their relationship on a professional footing, but minutes after they meet at the Governor General’s gala, the prince begins changing things to suit him.

This is a wonderful story that drew me in from the beginning with a wonderful plot, great characters, and a sweet romance. The plot features Major Zara Dare and Prince James of Oílean Ríochtor (or Island Kingdom in English) which is a chain of islands west of Scotland and east of Norway. They meet because of a shooting contest that several countries participated in and the highest scorers earned prizes. The Major is in charge of making sure the contest ran smoothly and also to make sure that the prince was kept safe.
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Zara is a strong character who comes from a military family and is devoted to her duty and country. She is well liked and respected and admired by her colleagues and those that she has competed with before. I enjoy watching her interact with each character; she seems to have an inborn knack of knowing just how to approach each person. She has her eye on becoming an intelligence agent, which is why she was assigned the duty of escorting the prince. What she doesn’t expect is her own reaction when she first meets James. It’s an example of instant attraction but not just to his looks. She appreciates his values and can relate to his sense of duty. She fights the attraction even as she falls further and further in love with him, knowing that her career and his position would not be a great mix. I really enjoyed watching her bounce back and forth as at one moment she thinks it’s a fling and the next thinking his feelings run deeper.

James, also known as” Sandhurst” as a code name for security reasons has been sent on this diplomatic mission to see if he could find help with figuring how to manage newly found resources. His sister, the Queen is pregnant with twins and is unable to make it, so against his will James takes up his duties as a prince although he would much rather stay in the army. Like Zara he takes his duty to his country seriously. His reaction when he first meets Zara is rather funny because like her he is smitten at first sight. This is not the first time he has heard of her. His two bodyguards knew her from previous contests, and she earned their respect and friendship. James is a determined and persistent man who goes after what he wants, and what he wants is Zara. He can be very sly when he wants to be.

I enjoyed the personal bodyguards who were two of his best friends and were under his command. They were also going to compete in the contest, but Corning ended up having an accident and breaking her ankle, leaving her prince with one less bodyguard. As I mentioned before, James is a sly one and so uses his influence to have Zara become his other bodyguard. This is when things become really interesting. He makes sure that he is alone with Zara as much as possible and I like that they both make sure each one knows how they stand with each other. Zara really enjoys his company and as the tours continue, she finds it harder and harder to resist him. Especially when he kisses her which shows the reader without words just how compatible they are. I really enjoyed that the author made sure that James met Zara’s parents and found out that her father was in the Air Force and the respect James shows him goes a long way to getting his respect. Zara’s mother is a hoot as she treats him like any other person, feeding him up with pie.

There was a nice twist to the plot right when they think everything is going well, which adds some great suspense. Just as them seems to be a happily ever ending, with the suspense wrapped up, there is an ominous final sentence that makes the reader want to know what is going to happen to them next.

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

Romancing a Tasmanian Cowboy by Pinkie Paranya

July 27, 2018 By Leave a Comment


Romancing a Tasmanian Cowboy by Pinkie Paranya
Publisher: Black Opal Books
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full length (223 pages)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

Flynn Steven’s cousin Suzy, once married to Marshall Beckett, reveals details of her awful marriage to a tyrant. She begs Flynn to see if the son she left behind is okay and locate her hidden diary, a “matter of life or death.” Flynn is at a crossroads in her life where she can renew her contract as a world-traveling concert violinist or search for what she really longs for—a home, with a special person to love. She arrives at Marshall’s horse ranch, Rainbow’s End, under the pretense of answering his ad for a nanny. But Suzy had failed to tell Flynn that in the same ad he advertised for a wife. This rugged, coppery-haired rancher is burned out on love and wants a woman to bear him children, without investing any emotional commitments. When they decide a marriage of convenience is the only way to save Rainbow’s End, sparks fly between them. But when he learns that she came under false pretenses, will he give her a chance to explain, or just send her packing?

The title caught my eye immediately and sparked my imagination and curiosity. How I envisioned the hero was based on the title and it was nowhere near close. I imagined a fun, wild, rough and tough, risk taker cowboy that needed taming. Marshall wasn’t any of those things. He was strong and handsome but way too stubborn with an impenetrable wall of protection around his already heartbroken heart. He hardly smiled and was serious almost all the time. He had a few vulnerable moments and those are what helped me connect to his character. Flynn, the heroine, was undaunted by Marshall’s stern mannerisms. Through Flynn’s eyes, the reader is able to connect to Marshall.
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When I read the synopsis I was further intrigued to read this book because Flynn was posing as a nanny. I actually work as a nanny so that really allured me into reading this book. I was expecting some humorous scenes between Flynn and Marshall’s child, Timmy, since she was posing as a nanny and surely wouldn’t know what to do. That was not the case. Timmy was shy and withdrawn much like his father was. Flynn was the opposite of Marshall but she was in his home under false pretenses therefore the lies and secrets made it nearly impossible to romance this Tasmanian cowboy.

While this story was written well and had a steady rhythm, the pace was slow. With that said I can’t say it was predictable. There were a few plot twists. The author did a good job alluding to something so that I thought I had it figured out then twisted the plot so that I was wrong. The author did this a few times and I believe that was what kept me hooked until the end.

The characters were well developed but we never got to meet Flynn’s mother. She’s mentioned throughout the book so I at least expected to meet her even if it was just in an epilogue – which there wasn’t one. Suzy was an important side character. She was Flynn’s cousin and Marshall’s first wife and the mother of Timmy. I felt like she was a loose thread at the end. She obviously needed medical help and I’m sad that plot thread wasn’t given the closure that was needed. I’m left wondering about the mentally tortured girl.

The romance between Marshall and Flynn managed to work. They were attracted to each other; it just took a long time for Flynn to crack the shield around Marshall’s heart. I stayed up until 1AM to finish the book. Sometimes you get so far that you just have to see how it ends. I hate to go to bed with dirty dishes in the sink. I don’t want to start my day cleaning yesterday’s mess. It feels good to go to bed knowing the house is tidy and neat. That’s how I felt last night. I just wanted to finish the book so I could wake up today and write the review.

Since this book did entertain me and I enjoyed most of it, I’d recommend Romancing a Tasmanian Cowboy to other readers. We all know that reviewing is subjective. There were some good parts in this book that made it worth reading.

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

Love’s Dangerous Challenge by Ellynore Seybold

April 3, 2018 By Leave a Comment


Love’s Dangerous Challenge by Ellynore Seybold
Publisher: Black Opal Books
Genre: Historical, Mystery/Suspense
Length: Full length (238 pages)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Lavender

During the Reign of Terror in France in the late 1700s, the common people amused themselves by watching the heads of the nobility roll, severed by the guillotine. When Eduard Saulnier falls in love with Countess Annise de Brisson in 1793, he fears that, as a commoner, he will never be allowed to court her. But Annise is staying with her aunt because her parents have been sized by the revolutionaries and condemned to die by the guillotine. Eduard approaches the old lady for permission to court Annise, knowing his chances are slim. However, he is totally unprepared for the old countess’s answer—yes, he may court and marry Annise, after he gets her parents out of prison…any way he can.

Every once in a while, love at first sight happens, but would a man risk his life to prove this? Eduard does. The setting is Revolutionary France, and the dangers are high and everywhere. Luckily, Eduard is a commoner, but he falls for a young aristocratic woman. Since her parents were carted off to prison and scheduled for a probable execution, Eduard has to go to Annise’s great aunt to ask for Annise’s hand in marriage. When the aunt says he can have her blessing if Eduard can get Annise’s parents out of prison, he’s afraid, but luckily for us readers, he takes up this challenge.
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What follows is an adventure driven by suspense. Eduard recruits some interesting friends with controversial jobs, such as the executioner. He is a nice young man and likeable from the start. Annise is also likeable as are her family members and Eduard’s friends and family. The author has done a good job at filling out the characters. They are kind-hearted, and their honorable actions are driven by their personal faith, giving them all integrity.

As a reader with a degree in French, I found the world building of this time and place to be exciting and accurate. The challenge given to Eduard was a perfect set-up for suspense. The test was also easy to believe because it required that Eduard have help, and he realized he needed it.

The tone to this story is sweet. The characters have gratitude for what they have, and the love is an innocent young love. There are many tender kisses.

Some questions came up for me as a reader though. Sometimes things happened too easily. For example, why did Annise’s relatives accept Eduard, a stranger, without a remark? Why did another aristocrat, Lukas, accept Eduard’s surprising secret and take it the way he did? Everybody seemed to just accept and be happy upon hearing revelations, and without doubts. Perhaps the tension could have been higher.

This is a pleasant read though, and I’m glad I read it. It was a breath of fresh air reading about people with integrity doing things for good reasons.

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

With Murderous Intent by Maggi Andersen

April 29, 2013 By 12 Comments

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With Murderous Intent by Maggi Andersen
Publisher: Black Opal Books
Genre: Contemporary, suspense
Length: Full (252 pgs)
Heat: Spicy
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Review by Poppy

To escape a deadly stalker, Caitlin Fitzgerald flees her home in Ireland and takes a governess job in the top end of Australia. In her chosen safe haven, she has poisonous snakes, spiders, and crocodiles to contend with. And the very handsome and moody station owner, Jake Monterey, to keep her awake at night. But not only is Caitlin at risk of losing her heart to Jake and his two adorable children, the danger she thought she’d left behind has found her again. Has she unwittingly placed the lives of those she loves in jeopardy?

While, perhaps not romantic suspense in the current sense of the word, With Murderous Intent is a softer, sweeter version of the genre.

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Caitlin isn’t stupid, thankfully. And while she’s attracted to her new boss, Jake, she also recognizes that he’s nearly engaged. I do wish the author had made Jake’s girlfriend a bit more viable as a potential rival. It reminded me of “The Sound of Music”: the sweet nanny who adores the children versus the wealthy, gorgeous woman who can’t wait to put them in boarding school.

Still, the story has teeth and the plot was engaging enough to keep me reading. I think fewer words could have been used to tell the story and make things move along a bit more quickly. The end was heart-stopping, though, and the love story sweet.

If you don’t need non-stop action in your romantic suspense, and enjoy a touching romance, then this book might be for you.

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