Broken Dawn by Dianne Duvall


Broken Dawn by Dianne Duvall
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Paranormal, Romance, Contemporary
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

Nick Belanger can’t stop thinking about the single mother who lives next door. She’s smart. She’s funny. She’s so beautiful he can’t stare at her too long for fear his eyes will start to glow. But Kayla thinks he’s just an ordinary guy who works in security. Finding out he instead is a powerful immortal warrior who hunts and slays psychotic vampires for a living may not go over well, particularly since she has a daughter she doesn’t want to endanger.

Kayla Dorman can keep neither her gaze nor her thoughts from straying to the man next door. Who can blame her really? He is the epitome of tall, dark, and handsome with smart, charming, and honorable thrown in. He’s also a few years younger than her and surely would not be interested in a single mom who hasn’t dated since her divorce. At least that’s what she thinks until an accident nearly takes her life and Nick risks all to save her.

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I am so happy to be back in the world of Immortal Guardians. I was ecstatic with Seth’s story but it seemed like it might be a while before I’d get to enjoy more in the series. Color me tickled pink to find Broken Dawn not only introduced me to Nick and Kayla, but my favorite Immortal Guardians popped in to help out. Once again, I feel like I’m figuratively embraced by a large, loving family whose lives I care about. How many book series make a reader feel like that? I know they are out there, but I’m adding Ms. Duvall’s Immortal Guardian series to that honorary list.

One intriguing aspect was the exploration of the question – what would happen if one of the long-lived Immortal Guardians met someone from their quasi-recent past? And what would that person’s reaction be? The author answered that question with one possible outcome in Broken Dawn. It provided a great plot to carry the romance of Nick and Kayla. Their relationship was already there as they were neighbors but crises can act as catalysts for change and that certainly was the case in this book.

This was a smooth romance, and by that I mean that I didn’t have to deal with any heavy-handed internal conflicts. That it was a pleasure to read because I felt the tone was positive, upbeat and the focus was on the growing romance between Kayla and Nick. It was at times sweet, humorous, intriguing, surprising and even suspenseful. It was all around wonderful.

The reason that I didn’t give this book the full 5 stars is because of the actions surrounding the villain. Yes, there was a villain who effectively contributed to the suspense and action that did occur. I am referring to the guys that were employed to get answers and to secure the captives. I understood in the previous showdowns with evil-minded mercenaries with government-like ties, that it was necessary to eliminate the enemy because they were violent bad guys definitely guilty of crimes of moral turpitude. They had no mercy, and had no compunctions about killing. In Broken Dawn, I didn’t get that crucial feeling of the end justifying the means – that getting rid of them was removing depraved, violent people who killed innocents without qualm. I didn’t get that feeling because of the nature and circumstances surrounding the villain. I don’t believe the author convinced me that every hostile in green and gray warranted that level of removal. Perhaps because of past events in previous books that not doing so later bit them in their butts? I suppose that’s possible. I guess it’s up to readers to decide for themselves if they were convinced. I wasn’t.

That was a big paragraph explaining why I didn’t go that extra half of a star, true, but in actual time spent involved with that dramatic plot twist, it’s actually a blip in the over all scheme of things. I stand by my earlier statement that this is truly an upbeat romance. That watching Kayla and Nick discover that their feelings for each other weren’t as one sided as they each thought was a joy and made for great entertainment. If I remember correctly, many gifted ones who are love interests of Immortal Guardians don’t always have a choice about when they’ll make the transition. Nothing is ever easy and Kayla carries on that tradition. Speaking of the afterwards, there is this one sentence that created a sound track in my head for Nick and Kayla’s HEA. Their “I don’t think forever will be long enough” triggered the end song of the second Mummy movie, “Forever May Not Be Long Enough”. I don’t think I’ve ever gotten an earworm while reading before. It was perfect. So, while I’m writing this review, guess what song I’m listening to …? *GRIN*

I am a very happy and satisfied reader. Broken Dawn is the 10th installment in the series and is just as fine a read as all the previous. It’s a keeper and a wonderful addition to the Immortal Guardian family. Fans of the series surely must be as happy as me.

The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler


The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler
Samurai Detective #1
Publisher: Puffin Books
Genre: Historical, Suspense/Mystery/Thriller, Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.)
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia

While attempting to solve the mystery of a stolen jewel, Seikei, a merchant’s son who longs to be a samurai, joins a group of kabuki actors in eighteenth-century Japan.

One night in the Tokaido Inn will change Seikei’s life forever.
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I recommend this book for the young adult age group if they are reading this tale on their own for a couple of reasons. First, there is quite a bit of discussion about seppuku. This is when a samurai commits suicide rather than suffer dishonor. This is significant and essential to understanding Japanese culture, but it is a heavy topic. I believe the book can be read aloud to younger children, but again I would recommend plenty of discussion on what seppuku is and why it was viewed positively in Japanese culture during this period in history. Second, there is also some gore surrounding a death near the conclusion of the book. It isn’t overdone, but there is enough detail that younger readers might be sensitive to that material.

Seikei is a very likable boy. He’s smart, curious, and honest. He tries to live his life according to the samurai ideals. In fact, he dreams of being a samurai, but as the son of a merchant he knows he can never be one. His future is already laid out for him, or so it seems. Everything changes when Seikei witnesses the crime at the inn. Seikei soon finds himself working side by side with the samurai magistrate, Judge Ooka. Not only will Seikei help solve the crime, but he’ll also have the opportunity to learn more about the ways of the samurai. For Seikei it is the experience of a lifetime. His excitement is palpable, and I admired his fierce determination to do his best. However, can Seikei ever go back to the life of a merchant after tasting the life of a samurai?

It becomes apparent about midway through the book who the thief is, but the motive remains a mystery. It soon becomes clear that there is much more to the thief’s plan than the theft of a jewel. As Seikei digs for the truth, he uncovers a plot that has been years in the making. As I raced through the pages, I found myself asking if the thief was indeed the true villain!

There is a lot of historic detail packed into this exciting mystery! Japanese customs, etiquette, class structure, religious views, etc are all explained within the context of the story. As a result, the pacing never suffers. It is all simply part of Seikei’s life. This is can spur some great discussion on Japanese class structure in the 1700’s under the rule of the shoguns, and dare I say, make learning about history fun!

I had a lot of fun reading The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn. Seikei is a likable character, the mystery is compelling, and the conclusion is gripping. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a mystery with a good dose of historic detail!

Prophecy of the Halfling King by Amara Lebel


Prophecy of the Halfling King by Amara Lebel
Publisher: Luminosity Publishing
Genre: Paranormal, Romance, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Moonflower

Love Knows No Bounds . . .

Caymeron’s life has never been his own. Born to a hated prophecy, he hides from the world for fear of destroying it, sacrificing the one thing his kind cherish more than life itself—their fated mates. Or in Caymeron’s case, the world’s destruction.

Elizabeth has always been free to enjoy life, yet things are about to change as her coming-of-age celebrations near. Times are hard, and the young lady finds herself sold to the highest bidder. Her future husband is a tyrant detested by all.
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Not all is lost for these two, however, as their lives collide in this fast-paced romance of historical proportions.

Will they find true love, and enjoy their happy ever after? Or will life take a turn for the worst, dooming them fore’er more?

Earth, Demon Realms, Historical, Present-Day, it’s all going on in this first book in the Demon Blood series. Elizabeth knows that love won’t play a part in her marriage and yet has been lucky enough to have all the advantages class can buy in the early 1900s. Caymeron has lived his life under the shadow of a prophecy that says he will bring about the destruction of the world when he finds love. Through the twisted manipulations of Caym’s father, these two meet and neither of them will be the same again.

The scene-setting and world-building in this book are amazing. Like I’ve said, you go from the historical setting of 1900 to modern day 2019. You also go from Earth to the Demon Realms in the blink of an eye. All scenes are perfectly described and easy to see. The pacing is smooth. I did have some confusion when Elizabeth and Caym first split up but soon overcame that.

I think the only thing for me is I wish I had had more time with Caym and Elizabeth as a couple. You get a couple of scenes in 1900 and that’s about it apart from one, maybe two, in 2019. As this is quite a long book, I would have preferred more but that’s just me.

All in all, this was an angel/demon book that I enjoyed and have no hesitation in recommending.

It Takes Three by Willa Okati


It Takes Three by Willa Okati
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, LGBTQ
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Geoff’s a medical student. Hardworking, driven, tightly wound as an entire mattress factory’s worth of bedsprings. Ross is a med student too, but unless it’s got to do with math or science he has no idea what’s going on. He kind of likes it that way. It’s peaceful. Aurélien’s a med student as well. Uber-calm, uber-zen, uber-practical.

The three don’t know each other, but with study burnout and big exams coming up fast, they’re all in desperate need of some R & R. And what better way, proposes Aurélien, than getting a little action? Together. Multiple times, and in multiple ways. Sounds a little nuts to Geoff, but he’d rather his head not explode before he’s licensed. And Ross, well, he’s up for anything if it sounds like fun.
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To their surprise and pleasure, once they get started these guys “work” well together. Very much so. Maybe a little too much so. Aren’t things like this supposed to be hard? Sometimes, sure. But in this case, the answer to all their questions is three.

Geoff, Ross and Aurelien are all medical students and with enormous exams coming up the three men desperately need some well earned R & R. While they only know each other in passing, none of them can find a reason to knock back Aurelien when he suggests they get a little action – together as a threesome. None of them could have guessed just how well Aurelien’s suggestion would work, but sometimes it takes three.

This is a fun and seriously smoking hot erotic story. I thought the author took just the right amount of time – letting the reader see Ross, Geoff and Aurelien interact together as regular guys before they all hit the sheets and started burning them down. I adored Ross’s character and loved that his enormous brain had some deliciously hidden depths. I also really enjoyed Aurelien’s character and enjoyed how clearly he seemed to see both Geoff and Ross and was fearless in leading the three of them together down a twisty and sexy garden path together. Geoff in many ways was a good vehicle for the reader, trying to catch up and go with the flow but needing to have the situation explained and help get to know all three men’s characters. So this balance really worked for me and I found myself enjoying the story immensely.

Once the sexual shenanigans start these three men really steam up the page. I enjoyed not just the sex but how the three guys took their time getting to explore and learn how they fit together. Usually it seems that the threesome stories I read at least two of the partners know each other or have a long-standing friendship/relationship so I found it refreshing and enjoyable to see how three near-strangers could forge an equal and intense relationship in a fairly short period of time. I was particularly pleased that Aurelien and Geoff made a concentrated effort to include Ross in their ménage – since Ross had a tendency to get distracted and his character could have easily been lost or overlooked, which I strongly feel would have been a pity and disservice to him.

Readers looking for a quick read with three vibrant and interesting characters and a whole bunch of smoking hot ménage sex should find this short story very satisfying.

Why Nations Fail by Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson


Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty by Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson
Publisher: Crown Business
Genre: Contemporary, Non-Fiction
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Lavender

Brilliant and engagingly written, Why Nations Fail answers the question that has stumped the experts for centuries: Why are some nations rich and others poor, divided by wealth and poverty, health and sickness, food and famine?

Is it culture, the weather, geography? Perhaps ignorance of what the right policies are?

Simply, no. None of these factors is either definitive or destiny. Otherwise, how to explain why Botswana has become one of the fastest growing countries in the world, while other African nations, such as Zimbabwe, the Congo, and Sierra Leone, are mired in poverty and violence?

Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson conclusively show that it is man-made political and economic institutions that underlie economic success (or lack of it). Korea, to take just one of their fascinating examples, is a remarkably homogeneous nation, yet the people of North Korea are among the poorest on earth while their brothers and sisters in South Korea are among the richest. The south forged a society that created incentives, rewarded innovation, and allowed everyone to participate in economic opportunities.

The economic success thus spurred was sustained because the government became accountable and responsive to citizens and the great mass of people. Sadly, the people of the north have endured decades of famine, political repression, and very different economic institutions—with no end in sight. The differences between the Koreas is due to the politics that created these completely different institutional trajectories.

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– China has built an authoritarian growth machine. Will it continue to grow at such high speed and overwhelm the West?

– Are America’s best days behind it? Are we moving from a virtuous circle in which efforts by elites to aggrandize power are resisted to a vicious one that enriches and empowers a small minority?

– What is the most effective way to help move billions of people from the rut of poverty to prosperity? More philanthropy from the wealthy nations of the West? Or learning the hard-won lessons of Acemoglu and Robinson’s breakthrough ideas on the interplay between inclusive political and economic institutions?

Why Nations Fail will change the way you look at—and understand—the world.

Written by an economist and a political scientist, this book attempts to answer an intriguing question about why some countries enjoy prosperity and other sink into desperation. Economics, politics, and history are the lenses readers will look through to partake of these important insights.

Which factors come into play? The authors compare countries in the present and the past side-by-side, discussing political and economic decisions that shape citizens’ lives. They go over the possibilities of climate, geography, culture, religion, etc. testing differences against prosperity or ruin and convincingly show that factors like these are not the reasons nations sink or swim.

Though many nations are discussed, a particular good look into the differences between North Korea and South Korea serve to highlight their point in an exceptional way.

Using history as a backdrop brings the lofty topic down to a more engaging level. Reading this book is enlightening, and those who are curious about the wider world will get much out of it.

The Biker’s Virgin by Sam Crescent


The Biker’s Virgin by Sam Crescent
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Colonel isn’t expecting to fall for any woman, but with one pitstop in a small town, that’s exactly what he does. She’s being attacked by a man, so he takes matters into his own hands and he protects her.

Piper Dawes is used to men thinking she’s easy prey and she doesn’t expect the angry-looking biker to make her feel safe. He’s not staying for long, and she has no intention of falling for him.

However, he’s not leaving until he’s had her, this untouched virgin. Only, one taste is never enough.
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Colonel is a nomad, and his club has no home—just the open road. He’s found the woman for him, but can Piper leave her family and predictable life behind? Will she follow him? Or is this a fling that will leave them both burned?

Piper hates how her mother and sister allow the men in their small town to use them as if they were disposable. That’s not the life Piper wants and she hopes she can keep everything together long enough to get out of town. When she’s rescued from a horrid situation by Colonel she’s grateful, but understandably cautious. Can Colonel convince her that they belong together?

This is a hot and sexy quick read. I enjoyed Piper’s character – wanting more than just to be painted in the same brush as her family but unsure how to break out of the mould when she was stuck in such a small town with narrow minds. I was really impressed that Colonel didn’t feel the need to intimidate or coerce Piper in any way.

I’m often not a fan of MC stories because I feel they flirt just a little too close to the darker side of erotic stories but this one really appealed to me. Colonel respected Piper and was intrigued by her – wanted to get to know her and while he didn’t appear to want anything lasting for quite some time into the story, he also didn’t simply want to have sex and then ditch her. I really feel the author did a good job balancing the harder edges of a realistic MC romance with the softer and more respectful aspects of an erotic story.

I also really enjoyed Piper’s perspective – yearning for more than her small town and gossiping neighbors could give her, but still showing loyalty and caring to her mother and sister. In many ways this book ticked a lot of good boxes for me and I thoroughly enjoyed the story simply for what it was – the story of two independent people attracted to each other and slowly learning how to forge a relationship between them when things were complicated. I felt the ending was a little bit rushed but aside from that this was a wonderful short story with a good balance between Piper and Colonel getting to know each other and circle one another and them consummating their relationship.

Equal parts sexy and emotional this is a good, quick read. Recommended.

Perception by Katja Desjarlais


Perception by Katja Desjarlais
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Action/Adventure, Erotic Romance, Paranormal, Romance, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Review by Dryas

The Kaius vampires have long relied on Mikhail’s empathic skills to help maintain the peace. Incessantly pummeled by the vibes of his bloodline, Mickey teeters along the narrow wall separating his emotions from those of his hauntmates. Preoccupied with preserving the harmony of the haunt, he’s never been drawn to a woman…until now.

Audra Verdi, a psychologist pulled from the bloodslave quarters, finds herself straddling a thin line herself—between the ingrained ranks dividing the vampires from the women in their sphere. She fights to survive and establish her place in a world she’s determined to change. The sensitive vampire intrigues her mind…and her heart.

When one of their own is captured by human authorities, Audra joins the hauntmates on a cross-country rescue mission. Will she find the real Mickey underneath all the swirling feelings or will the archaic customs of vampire society send her running?

The plot to this story is rather complicated and I suggest that you read the first novel before this one. It took me a while to get into the plot and figure out what was going on. The Vampires are no longer a secret and each Haunt has its own Sire. The The story focuses on the Chaos haunt, who have the best trained tenders and one of the strongest vampires.
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Their society is run by having human tenders, who are trained extensively to handle the needs of all vampires including feeding and sex. These tenders are treated like cattle, being bought, and sold to different Haunts. To me, this is a disgusting part of their society. I hate how they consider humans as lesser. The blood slaves are only used to fill fresh bags of blood and are kept in a cell with minimal amenities. Tenders are at least trained to know what their roles are, and they seem to enjoy their positions. Yet, they can be bought and sold when they become too attached to a vampire.

A connected vampire is incredibly possessive and will only drink from that person. Audra is a trained psychologist and a former blood slave who keeps an eye on Molly and her recovery. Audra is an enigma to the vampires. She is not a tender, although she was a former blood slave. Audra is worried that what she had been through would cause problems with her connected. None of them know exactly how to treat her.

I really enjoyed her character because she is feisty and no-nonsense. She doesn’t let the vampires scare her and lets her opinions be known, even if they don’t want to hear it. The fun thing is watching her grow to become a member of their family. They become protective when they have to take her on a rescue mission for one of their own. Her courage is impressive.

Nichol seems to hate females. He is also known as the most irritable. He does have a huge burden to carry. His gift is empathy, and he feels everything his brethren do and can even drain some of it into himself. Audra is fascinated by him and his gift. Later, as their relationship develops she can tell which one of his brothers he is helping by his eyes.

The ending was a little rushed, but that may be because the third book picks up directly from the second. In this book, the reader is left hanging, with a big decision Audra needs to make.

All in all this is a good book after I got through the first part and figured out which character is which. I would recommend this to anyone who loves vampires.

If You Ask Me: (And Of Course You Won’t) by Betty White


If You Ask Me: (And Of Course You Won’t) by Betty White
Publisher: Berkley Books
Genre: Contemporary, Non-Fiction, Memoir
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

The New York Times bestseller from the beloved actress and Hollywood icon who’s made us laugh on shows from The Mary Tyler Moore Show to Golden Girls to Saturday Night Live!

With online adult drivers ed courses, you cialis on line purchase can easily fit the course in around work, school and more. Acai has been used cialis without prescription overnight for centuries as a powerful herbal medicine and can be ingested in a numerous ways. It’s more likely to have premature ejaculation, buy cialis in usa Yang fistula, soreness of waist, easy ageing. 2.Do self-examination regularly. In fact, in most cases, it’s probably still a very levitra purchase canada good idea. In this candid take on everything from the unglamorous reality behind red-carpet affairs to her beauty regimen (“I have no idea what color my hair is, and I never intend to find out”), Betty White shares her observations about life, celebrity, and love (for humans and animals). Filled with photos, If You Ask Me is funny, sweet, and straight to the point—just like Betty.

Want a feel good read? Then this is it.

Betty White is a simple writer, but she’s a funny one. This book was just plain good. It made me feel good reading it and like I was talking with a friend. It’s an easy read and fast one. I’m guessing this is exactly how she talks in conversation and I loved it.

She’s got great little stories. She talks about female empowerment and the fun she had on her various movie and film sets. I like how she built the people around her up. I want more stories about her and Craig Ferguson riffing, too. I also loved her story about her hair color. She’s touched it up and colored it for so long that she can’t remember what color it’s supposed to be. How human is that? It made me grin.

If you’re looking for a book that will take you away for a few hours, will make you smile and just feel good, then this is the book you’re looking for. Recommended.

How to Survive the Office by Jeremy Young


How to Survive the Office by Jeremy Young
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Non-Fiction, Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

There is an enormous stress and anxiety pandemic spanning workplaces all over the world. To survive this pandemic, we must start by understanding and accepting the dynamics of office life as it really is and then create our path towards a peaceful future.

I have seen the insides of more offices than I prefer to count. I worked for numerous public, private, family-owned American, European, Middle Eastern, and Asian businesses across many different countries, for more than 20 years. The similarities of office life all over the world are striking. The problems experienced by junior associates, executive staff, and C.E.O.s, though at different levels of complexity, are remarkably alike. Equally similar are the promoted solutions in M.B.A. degrees and business books that do not solve office staff’s everyday problems. Why? Because they ignore the core office reality and paint a picture of a non-existent fairy tale.

There is still much drama in the workplace. Most, if not all, of it can be avoided.
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Read “How to Survive the Office” to craft your own way out of the office. Contribute your office stories to www.HowToSurviveTheOffice.com to help heal the office life.

These are the unspoken rules for thriving in an office setting.

Every company has its own unique culture. I appreciated the author’s stories about the various places he’s worked and why he recommends being so cautious, especially in the early days when a new employee is still learning how everything works and what their new coworkers and bosses are truly like. There’s definitely something to be said for making a gentle entrance in order to avoid accidentally stepping on anyone’s toes.

One thing I do wish this book had gone into more detail about was the interview process itself. It would have been interesting to read Mr. Young’s thoughts on the red and green flags to look for when deciding whether one is actually interested in working for a particular company. It also would have been helpful to get more advice from him about how to put one’s best foot forward during the interview process.

Some of the most interesting passages came from Mr. Young’s thoughts on how to identify and manage a toxic work environment. Whether it was caused by one person in particular or by multiple problematic folks, he had a lot of sensible advice about how to minimize the effects of working with people who have trouble relating to and communicating with others.

How to Survive the Office was a thought-provoking and educational read that I’d recommend to anyone who is looking for a new job at the moment or trying to decide how to navigate the social scene at their current workplace.

Wild One by Alisa Woods


Wild One by Alisa Woods
Wilding Pack Wolves 4
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Romance, Suspense/Mystery/Thriller
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Marco’s pack is being hunted… but he needs a mate to keep them strong. Marco Wilding’s pack is being picked off, one by one. The Wolf Hunter’s mercenaries are snatching wolves off the street then dumping the tortured bodies inside Marco’s territory. When they go for a shifter kid, Marco’s patrol is on it—until a beautiful female wolf steps in and kicks the kidnapper’s ass. The delay saves the kid, but Marco can’t stop drooling over this brave, unmated female who mysteriously landed in his lap.

Only she wants nothing to do with him.

Julia Holloway’s life was finally turning around—she was getting her degree and getting out of her mother’s house with its parade of abusive step-fathers. Then her wolf went wild and ruined her life. Now she’s on the run, but her wolf is still out of control. When it once again tries to save someone, this time a kid who was being kidnapped, she gets an offer she can’t refuse—safe harbor inside a shifter pack while she gets her life together.

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As Julia and Marco race to stop the Wolf Hunter’s men, Julia will have to do more than just tame her wild wolf… she’ll have to decide whether giving up everything she wants will bring her the one thing she really needs.

This was an intense read that had me wide-eyed so many times, I forgot to blink. The action, the race against time, the heroics, the near misses, and a wonderful romance woven in altogether made Wild One an awesome read.

This story is about Julia and Marco. Marco is a character that I was briefly introduced to in Wild Heat. Like the other two books I read and reviewed, this book can also be read as a standalone. This is the kind of series that I like – I can pick up any book and feel like I’m getting the complete picture, with so many intriguing teases from previous stories, I actually want to read them, even if they’re out of order. It all works.

Another thing that works is the pairing of Julia and Marco. She’s running, unsure of where her life is leading, and Marco is fighting to create a place where shifters can have lives worth living. He’s a hero because he truly cares and wants to help every wolf shifter – from little kids to the elderly, that society has ignored and shoved to the outskirts, just because they are who they are. Marco is perfect hero material. Julia is in her own way, too. She is selfless and she throws herself into any situation she believes in 100% even when she’s outnumbered and outclassed. She’s feisty and ferocious. In short, she’s a perfect heroine to match the hero. I enjoyed getting to know them.

That dastardly villain, The Wolf Hunter, has ramped up his villainy. This time, he’s crossed the line by targeting kids. The really whacked thing is that he hates shifters in an obsessive kind of way and if a reader has read Wild Heat, they’d know why it’s so twisted. The Wolf Hunter has issues – Marcos made me laugh when he referred to those ‘issues’, even while he was being brutally tortured. That might be a bit much for some readers because his torture was being witnessed by some kids that were going to be the killer’s next victims. Readers can be assured that the author took care of the kids when the time came. I think that drama is what made this book so powerful and compelling. This is the type of wickedness that needs to be defeated, and heroes come to the fore from unexpected places. Ms. Woods surprised me with who ended up helping in the big battle scene towards the end. I was most impressed.

The romance between Marco and Julia was great. It wasn’t fast; there were some mix-ups and some personal trials and challenges they both had to overcome while trying to keep everyone safe. Their budding love grew over the course of the book and when they finally came together in passion, it was hot, hot, hot. One thing I didn’t share in past reviews of the other two books was how the author has the hero and heroine mate. I’ve never read anything like it and it’s clever, unique and quite awesome. And, I can’t forget to mention sexy, it’s very sexy.

The happy ever after wrap up was just as impressive, positive and happy as I could wish. There are challenges yet to face for the Wilding pack and all their allies. I’m looking forward to reading the next book and finding out who gets their HEA next. If paranormal romance readers haven’t discovered this series yet, they are missing out. I’m so happy to have a new favorite author to binge read!