Not Such An Innocent Angel by Beth D. Carter


Not Such An Innocent Angel by Beth D. Carter
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Paranormal
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Eden works as a nurse in Dove Hollow Hospital, taking care of the human companions for the supernatural creatures of the Shade. When a human male is brought in, wraith touched, his pleas for help tug at her heartstrings. In an effort to save his life, she calls in a favor from the powerful vampire, Gideon Marks.

At first Gideon is reluctant to turn the man Eden is fascinated with, but when he discovers it’s the businessman Jacob St. Cross, he quickly changes his mind. Now, Jacob has to navigate a world he knew nothing about, as a creature he thought only myth.

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When Jacob is brought to the hospital where Eden works she feels an immediate connection to the man. Wraith-touched and suffering from unspeakable pain, Eden knows Jacob will die in a matter of days and she desperately wants to give him as much peace as is possible. Gideon and Eden had been dancing delicately around each other for decades – but he’s the only one she feels she can turn to in order to save Jacob. The entire situation is complicated, but can the three of them work it out?

I thoroughly enjoyed this amazing paranormal short story. I thought the author did a really good job explaining the various paranormal elements (vampires, seraphs and wraiths – oh my!) and I thought the balance between world-building and progression of the plot was handled exceptionally well. Readers who enjoy a strong sense of paranormal but still retains plenty of regular plot and romance progression should find this story as satisfying as I did.

I also was seriously impressed with the three main characters. Eden, Gideon and Jacob were all individual characters and fairly well-rounded (albeit a little stereotypical) but it was the chemistry and connection between them that I really loved. The author kept the connections between these three deliciously balanced too and I really commend how inter-connected they were. Eden and Gideon had a decade or more of flirting and dancing around their attraction, Eden and Jacob had that delicious first flush of attraction and instant chemistry, and Jacob and Gideon had a seriously smoking hot new-vampire sizzle and connection that nearly burned right off the page. So at no stage did I feel like one of the three was an added extra or slightly superfluous to the ménage and they each added plenty of chemistry and steam to the relationship.

I found the plot was really well handled and quite solid and there was ample time for the relationship between the threesome to develop. The sex – when we finally got there – was deliciously hot and explicit and well, well worth the wait. It’s not often I say this – but I really *really* hope that the author comes back to this world and writes more stories. I’d be totally all over a sequel – or a series of Eden, Gideon and Jacob saving the world one battered woman at a time. I’d also absolutely read any further stories written in this world and running along a similar vein. I will absolutely be keeping an eye out on this author and live in hope.

With a great plot and interesting characters this is a seriously smoking hot and sexy short story. Recommended.

The Great Thanksgiving Escape by Mark Fearing


The Great Thanksgiving Escape by Mark Fearing
Publisher: Candlewick
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

It’s another Thanksgiving at Grandma’s. Gavin expects a long, boring day full of pesky toddlers, but his cousin Rhonda has a different idea: make a break for it to the swing set in the backyard! Gavin isn’t so sure, especially when they encounter vicious guard dogs (in homemade sweaters), overly affectionate aunts, and worst of all, the great wall of butts. Can they avoid all the obstacles and find some fun before turkey time?

Sometimes there is such a thing as too much family togetherness.
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This picture book had an excellent sense of humour that was displayed in both the dialogue and descriptions of what the characters were doing next. I couldn’t stop chucking as I read it, especially when it came to the parts about Gavin and Rhonda dodging well-meaning but slightly overbearing relatives who hadn’t quite caught on yet that these two kids were trying to escape the loud, festive house where everyone was gathered for Thanksgiving.

The ending felt a bit abrupt to me. I would have liked to see more details about how the adults in this family reacted not only to Gavin and Rhonda’s secret plan to sneak past everyone but also to how their mission turned out. There was so much more room here to develop the plot and sneak in a few more jokes about what Thanksgiving is really like for kids who find it overstimulating.

Speaking of being overstimulated, I really enjoyed this book’s take on why Gavin and Rhonda were the only members of their large, extended family to react this way to a day of togetherness. It left plenty of room for multiple interpretations of their motives and why they both yearned for peace and quiet so strongly. This meant that I could read this to kids who are simply a little shy, kids who have official medical reasons for disliking noise and large crowds, and to kids who simply want to learn to be more empathetic when they meet someone who is different from them in some way. There truly was something here for everyone!

The Great Thanksgiving Escape was a heartwarming read that should be read by anyone who gets a little overwhelmed by large gatherings or wonders why some folks react that way.

Life’s Not Over Yet by Vidisha Chandna Dua


Life’s Not Over Yet by Vidisha Chandna Dua
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Life can be magical as well as painful. At any moment your entire life can change for better or for worse. The best way to enjoy the magic or survive the pain is to surround yourselves with the people who love you.

Trisha was at the point in her life where everything was coming into place as she had planned and then a personal tragedy ruins everything. What is she going to do now? Give up on her dreams and resign herself to her fate or take one day at a time and start rebuilding her life again.

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One of best parts of this tale had to do with how all of the characters treated one another. While there were times when they disagreed on certain topics, everyone was always kind and respectful to those around them. This is something that I enjoy finding to matter which genre I read. It’s heartwarming to see characters treat each other well. Honestly, these are personality traits that matter more to me than just about anything else an author could think to write about their characters.

This story included many details that slowed down the pacing of the plot. This wordiness could be found in the dialogue, setting, and descriptions of what the characters were thinking while others spoke to them. As intrigued as I was by the storyline itself, there were times when it was hard to stay focused on what I was reading because of how often the plot was interrupted by these things.

Dev and Trisha had great chemistry, especially given the unconventional way they met. I appreciated the fact that they had appropriate amounts of wariness about each other and took plenty to time to get to know one another before anything even remotely romantic happened between them. That was a sensible way to write those scenes, and it gave me plenty of time to start anticipating the thought of them possibly falling in love.

Anyone who likes slow-burning romances should take note of Life’s Not Over Yet.

Wicked Kingpin by Winter Sloane


Wicked Kingpin by Winter Sloane
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

When her traitorous brother loses Leah Taylor in a game of cards, Leah tastes despair for the first time in her life. She’s spared from a fate worse than death when Knox Carter takes an interest in her. Knox rules the city with an iron fist and he doesn’t take no for an answer. Knox is a monster. He claims Leah is now his property but he treats her like a queen. Leah can’t fall in love with a mobster, but once he conquers her body, she knows her heart won’t be far behind.

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As two orphaned teens, Leah had idolized her brother, but time had moved on and when desperation at repaying his debts pushed Larry to offer Leah’s virginity to cover what he owed Leah finally accepted the brother she had adored was gone. Knox might be the mob boss, but the moment he lays eyes on Leah he wants her. A monster he might be, wicked to the core – but Leah can’t help her attraction to the darkly dangerous Knox.

I found this to be a sexy and well-plotted mob-style short story. I was a little disappointed that I didn’t really feel the chemistry and attraction between Leah and Knox initially – it was hard for me to feel the vibe between the two main characters when Knox was strongly portrayed as an iron-fisted mob kingpin and Leah was just a pawn trying to get herself out of trouble from her brother’s poor choices. The imbalance of power took away a lot of the sexy feel for me, even though Knox appeared to want Leah for his own from the moment he laid eyes on her. Even though they didn’t become fully intimate immediately – which I was grateful for – the relationship progressed very quickly and I couldn’t help but feel much of the growing attraction was due more to Leah going along with the flow rather than a more relatable style of emotional attachment.

The plot of Knox’s business dealings and work enemies was far better balanced to my mind and I really enjoyed this aspect of the story. I felt the pace here was even and progressed at a good clip – it totally retained my attention and in some ways I found this side to the story was far better handled. While the romance growing between Knox and Leah felt uneven and somewhat unrealistic to me, the dangers and problems associated with a mob-style business and issues that need to be handled related to that was written in a far stronger manner and I really enjoyed this half of the story.

Readers looking for a sexy mob-style erotic story may find the romance a little uneven but overall the interesting characters, well drawn and paced plot and descriptive sex scenes should satisfy many readers.

Baked with Love by Peggy Jaeger


Baked with Love by Peggy Jaeger
A Match Made in Heaven book 3
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Rating: Best Book
Reviewed by Mistflower

Innkeeper Maureen O’Dowd lives to cook and bake, spoils her family and friends, and is an expert at keeping secrets, especially about the man who’s held her heart for years.

Police Chief Lucas Alexander is dealing with an aging father and a moody teenage son, and he’s in love with a woman who only wants to be friends.
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How can these two fiercely private people reveal their feelings for one another without destroying the friendship they already have? And if they’re successful, will another secret, if revealed, drive a wedge between Maureen and Lucas that can never be repaired?

I’m just going to be blunt and get right to the point. This is the best series I’ve read in a long time. It’s right up there with the Drake Sisters series by Christine Feehan and the Mackenzie Family series by Linda Howard.

When reviewing, there are many components in a narrative that I’m looking for. How developed and relatable were the cast of characters? Did the plot maintain my interest and flow at a reasonable pace with unexpected twists while keeping its realistic integrity? How was the chemistry between the hero and heroine? Did they receive their happily ever after? Were there any loose threads? Particularly from my point of view I want to laugh and feel a book glow for hours after finishing the book. It’s a bonus if I can add another hero to my list of book boyfriends. When I’m reading a series I want to feel that “coming home” sensation. The heartwarming feeling of being reunited with cherished friends and family.

It’s not often I can claim that a book meets all my criteria for what I consider a best book or best series. It is my honor to claim Baked with Love by Peggy Jaeger hit all my feel good spots. The Match in Heaven series has left a lasting impression on me. Yes, each book can be read as a standalone but I would not recommend it. The three together put any Hallmark show to shame. I’d like to see the series put into a movie.

I wish the characters were real and that I could meet them. I want to go stay at their inn. I’m a huge fan of Peggy Jaeger after reading several of her books.

The romance in this story is between Maureen and Lucas. I was waiting to read their story and I’m thrilled it was worth the wait. I can’t rave enough about how much I loved this book and the series. It’s a perfect Christmas present for your friends who love to read romance. This book will join my others on my book keeper list.

Paws for Christmas by Mariah Lynne


Paws for Christmas by Mariah Lynne
Publisher: Satin Romance, an imprint of Melange Books, LLC
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

It’s the Holidays and Jessica Munroe seems destined for misery. Nonetheless, she is trying to make the best of it. Her fiancé, Jake, an emergency room doctor, dumped her for his nurse and just two weeks prior, she had to put her dog, her best friend, Mazy to sleep.

The pain of losing both the man she loved and her best friend has taken her to a new low. Jessica, determined not to stay down, is now hard at work trying to push through the holiday season by doubling up on the Christmas lights and decorations she’s putting up outside her residence.

As Jessica works, a big brown scruffy dog appears in her yard and refuses to leave when she tries to shoo him away. He’s filthy, looks hungry, and seems like he needs help. A dog lover, Jessica takes him to her vet who discovers a metal bone shaped tag buried in his matted fur. The tag reveals his name, Sam, and a phone number to call if he is lost or injured.
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Sam’s owner, Trey Musgrove, is in the hospital, the victim of a head-on collision. Now, Jessica’s life is about to change forever thanks to Sam, this big brown scruffy lovable dog.

Kindness never goes unrewarded.

Jessica was a deeply kind and empathetic woman. She often bent over backwards to help others with no expectation of reciprocation or reward. Honestly, she’s the sort of person I would want to have around in a crisis. There was no limit to the thoughtful things she did to make the lives of other people better. My one wish for her was that she would finally get to be on the receiving end of all of the joy she created for those around her. She didn’t seem like the sort of person who would ever ask for something like that, but she sure did seem to need it.

The scenes that included Jessica getting regular updates about the health of the stranger whose dog she was taking care of yanked me out of the plot because of the strict rules that nurses, doctors, and other healthcare workers must follow about sharing any information about their patients without consent. This is behavior that can result in healthcare professionals getting fired or paying huge fines in the United States, so I was quite confused about why it kept happening in this novel. There was no explanation for why no one was worried about this. It would have made so much more sense for a grateful relative to share updates with Jessica so she’d know if or when Sam might be able to go live with Trey again.

The island Jessica lived on had such a strong sense of community. Most of the people who lived there had known each other for years, and they were always around when someone needed assistance or had extra cookies to share. There was something wonderful about reading about all of the celebration they had, especially the ones that were somehow related to Christmas. They sure knew how to have a good time and include anyone who wanted to join in.

Paws for Christmas was a heartwarming read for the holiday season.

How Not To Date A Vamp by Stephanie Burke


How Not To Date A Vamp by Stephanie Burke
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Paranormal
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Fern

What do you get when your greatest strength lies in not dying easy? If you are lucky and no one confuses you with a pop culture vampire, and if you diet and exercise to keep your weight down, you just might get the girl. But first you have to avoid the hunters on your trail, the cost of replacing your clothing, and get over your phobia about wood.

The key is not waiting but seeking care as a buy levitra find for more info preventative measure. One can buy Finpecia tablets from online medical stores at pocket-friendly prices. viagra ordination Kamagra soft tab : The pharmaceutical market is loaded with many vegetables like lettuce, argula, kale, generico levitra on line http://amerikabulteni.com/2012/02/03/un-wants-world-tax-to-help-the-poor/ spinach, collard greens etc. Buy Silagra today shop viagra to last longer during the love-making activity. Only if he overcomes these obstacles will Virgil spend the better part of his afterlife with Barb. If he can survive dating.

Barb is having quite possibly the worst night ever, when she’s rescued by Virgil – a cute stranger who happens to be a vampire. But being undead is nowhere near as glamorous – or exciting – as Barb is expecting and Virgil has no qualms about correcting her many misperceptions on what being undead and living for a really long time is truly like.

Sit back with a huge alcoholic drink, disengage your brain and prepare to laugh and then wince in sympathy at this super funny short story. Barb is totally having the worst luck and evening I’ve ever heard about (the author lost me when the car door closed on Barb’s dress and it ripped right off her body – although the visual was incredibly funny and made me giggle). I was a bit sad that both Barb and Virgil fell pretty much into insta-lust with each other, but couldn’t fault the author for that since this is quite a short story and Barb and Virgil really did just click well together and I was super impressed at how they both connected over blues and music – it really helped sell me on the speed and intensity of how the relationship started between them both. I was also impressed while the attraction between Barb and Virgil was nearly instant, they didn’t just jump directly into bed with each other – that made the whole instant-attraction thing a lot easier for me to handle, when I could get to know their characters a bit better before they became physically intimate.

I loved how Virgil shattered many of Barb’s misconceptions and poor taste in paranormal reading material – I found the whole scene made me laugh out loud and I still giggled upon a second re-read. While the plot aspect of the story was fairly short I enjoyed how it was well-woven throughout the growing romance between Barb and Virgil and also liked how even though it was simple, the plot was coherent and added a good amount of tension to the story as a whole.

Fun and frivolous, with some modern, relatable and outstanding characters, I found this to be a humorous and really enjoyable, sexy romance story.

Forever Feral by Laura M. Baird


Forever Feral by Laura M. Baird
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Paranormal
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

When invited to spend Christmas in Arizona with their friends they now consider family, Irena and Roberto don’t hesitate. The Arctic fox shifter and mountain lion shifter are right at home among the others—hawk shifters Mason and Brennon, wolf shifter Max, and their mates, Charity, Mikki, and Caterina. Not to mention the precocious and delightful Leah, Charity’s niece.

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Irena and Roberto were blissfully happy together – even moreso when a number of their friends and family can come together over the Christmas break to celebrate the holiday together. With so many of them mated and settled they can enjoy the pace and happiness this special time brings them.

I picked up this short story having not read any of the previous books in this series. While the family-Christmas holiday aspect of the story stands well alone, there are a half-dozen main characters all paired up from the previous stories and the first few pages felt like a glut of info-dumping where they were all introduced in a rush. Once this had passed I felt the story really evened out into a paranormal holiday story filled with interesting characters and a lot of friendship and love.

Readers looking to catch up on how a number of the previous characters all spent Christmas together should find this an excellent and brief catch-up on how everyone is progressing. The short story is fine as a paranormal shifter family-style Christmas tale but I feel it only really shines when readers already know and are attached to the characters.

Filled with warmth and family-of-choice love this Christmassy short story is a quick and solid read.

The Single Dad’s Holiday Wish by Susan Carlisle


The Single Dad’s Holiday Wish by Susan Carlisle
Publisher: Harlequin
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Holiday
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

All he wants for Christmas…

…is her!

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Two people who feel broken find they’re perfect in each other’s eyes.

I love the work of Susan Carlisle and grab her books as soon as I see they’re available. I wasn’t let down at all with this story. Great writing, great pacing and characters that are so realistic. That’s what I want in a book and I got them with this one.

Carter loves his son and has been through the wringer. I liked that he was human, rather than the superhuman I-have-to-do-everything kind of guy. He’s trying to balance and it’s not always possible. That made me root for him. Then there’s Liz. She’s got issues and it makes her just as human. I liked that she wasn’t perfect.

I loved the slow build-up between these two, as well. This story takes place before Christmas and it was fun to see how these characters come to see each other as more than friends. I love it.

If you want a story that’s full of holiday spirit and love, then this is the one to check out!

He Wants Her by Sam Crescent


He Wants Her by Sam Crescent
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Sally Bright has worked hard to make her bakery a place for people to enjoy good food. Then out of the blue, Hank Owens decides to come back to town and open up a bakery across the street from her.

Hank is sexier than she remembered, but he’s also the competition. She isn’t going to fall for him, not ever. He has no intention of putting Sally out of business, and what he really wants to do is get her into bed.

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Hank wants a wife, a family, and he wants it all with Sally. Will she be able to handle his proposal?

Sally and Hank hadn’t been close in high school – but Sally knew exactly who the handsome man was, friendly to a fault Hank had been one of the few men who never teased or hurt her. While Sally hadn’t missed him, exactly, when he moved to the city her life had been full of him now he’d moved back home and opened up a bakery directly opposite her own. Can both their businesses – and hearts – survive the close contact?

This is a fun and steamy short story that I feel will appeal to a wide range of readers. I was a little disappointed that the conflict aspect of the story felt quite forced to me. Far from Hank and Sally’s businesses being in competition with each other Hank had gone to great lengths to ensure his bakery didn’t in any way encroach on Sally’s business or clients – indeed he was up front right at the start in admitting he’d even hired a professional to assess how he could open his bakery and not be a negative impact on Sally’s shop or create division with her clients. I was pretty puzzled therefore when Sally seemed to feel as if Hank was trying to nudge her out and steal her clients. Sally herself admitted that she’d not lost profit or sales as yet and virtually the first words Hank said to her was how he’d hired a consultant to ensure this conflict didn’t happen before he even opened his business. So Sally’s continued annoyance and feelings of being hard done by just felt a bit over the top to me, personally.

I was pretty pleased though how Hank managed to take this odd insistence of Sally’s to feel annoyed and put out in his stride. I really got the feeling Hank is the sort of guy no one could stay mad with for long, and I was pleased he managed to turn Sally’s attitude around just by being friendly, nice and determined. When Sally finally allowed herself to admit just how attracted to Hank she was – and always had been – the relationship finally began to flourish and feel a bit more realistic to me. Once Sally and Hank finally got on the same page and their relationship progressed I really felt the rest of the story just clicked into place for me and was really enjoyable.

With two modern and complex characters and some seriously steamy sex this was a good and quick read.