Murder at the Tremont House by Judy Alter

May 13, 2014 By Leave a Comment

MURDER
Murder at the Tremont House by Judy Alter
Publisher: Turquoise Morning Press
Genre: Suspense/Mystery, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (175 Pages)
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

A journalist comes to Wheeler, Texas, intent on revealing the town’s secrets. Instead she finds a stubborn advocate of the town in Kate Chambers, and the tangled story leads to murder, kidnapping and a high-speed chase.

When free-lance journalist Sara Jo Cavanaugh comes to Wheeler to do an in-depth study of Kate’s town for a feature on small-town America, Kate senses she will be trouble. Sara Jo stays at her sister Donna’s B&B, The Tremont House, and unwittingly drives a further wedge into Donna’s marriage to Wheeler’s mayor Tom Bryson. And soon she’s spending way too much time interviewing high school students, one young athlete in particular. Police chief Rick Samuels ignores Kate’s instinct, but lawyer David Clinkscales, her former boss from Dallas, takes it more seriously.
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Sara Jo arouses animosity in Wheeler with the personal, intrusive questions she asks, and when she is found murdered, the list of suspects is long. But Kate heads the list, and she must clear her name, with the help of David and Rick. A second murder confirms that someone is desperate, and now Rick is convinced Kate is in danger.

There’s a love triangle, a cooking school, a kidnapping, a broken marriage, and a lot of adventure before the threads of this mystery are untangled and Wheeler can go back to being a peaceful small town. If it ever does.

A journalist arrives in Wheeler, Texas, ostensibly to do an article on small-town America, but her prying questions seem to indicate another agenda, or so Kate Chambers thinks.

I really like Kate. She is a smart, savvy owner of the Blue Plate Café, which she inherited from her grandmother. Kate has good instincts, and these are helped by comments from her grandmother’s ghost, comments which never give Kate enough information, and raise more questions than answers. As Kate explains it, sometimes her grandmother would “talk to me, mostly in platitudes, and she rarely stayed around to listen to my reply. A few times though she did give me helpful hints, and I found the thought of her presence comforting. I don’t usually tell people about it, because they’d think I’m weird.”

Murder at the Tremont House is a face-paced exciting cozy mystery with plenty of action on many levels. There is a broken marriage and a love triangle, as well as a cooking school, a missing child, a kidnapping, and two murders. The characters are very well-defined, with a lot of depth and I liked many of them. I have never been to Texas, but I have been in a number of small towns, and the setting for this novel feels accurate and believable. The pacing is excellent and I found myself unable to put the book down. There are a number of twists and turns in the plot and I did not figure out who the murder was until the end.

If you are a fan of the cozy mystery, I recommend stopping by the Blue Plate Café, where you will not only get a good home cooked meal, but a lot of excitement and mystery as well. This is the second novel in the Blue Plate Café Mystery series, but it works well as a stand-alone. I have not yet read the first in the series, but I had no trouble jumping right into this one. And be sure you don’t miss out on the freshly baked sticky buns.

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

Still Photo by Kim Harnes

May 13, 2014 By Leave a Comment

PHOTO
Still Photo by Kim Harnes
Publisher: Evernight Teen
Genre: Young Adult, Suspense/Mystery, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (188 pages)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Jess Waterford’s mother is evil. Since she took off seven years ago—just days after Jess’s ninth birthday—without so much as a wave goodbye, Jess has always wondered what happened to her. And despite the end of her mother’s mental and physical abuse, the memories and the scars still remain. Jess conceals the hurt within by practicing her photography, and by spending as much time as her dad will allow with her baseball star boyfriend, Brody Campbell.

Determined to make use of her new camera, Jess dives into photographing everything in sight. But periodically the resulting prints are flawed, ever so slightly: a smudge on a tree trunk; a blemish in the bus window. These imperfections are not as random as they may seem, however, and Brody and Jess soon discover together that each of these pictures combine to form another image—the grisly image of a murder scene, with Jess’s mother as the victim.
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As the new photograph takes shape, Jess’s desire to complete it consumes her, and Brody’s health begins to deteriorate. Torn between her quest to reveal her mother’s killer and her continued worry over Brody’s failing health, Jess finally finds the last piece to the puzzle, and the answer sends her world spiraling into depths from which she may never recover.

Some people walk around with a word on the tip of their tongue. Jess is plagued by a photograph of a murder. Worse yet, she doesn’t have enough information to figure out what happened and has no idea where to find the rest of pieces to the puzzle.

The character development in this book is quite interesting. My first impression of Jess was that her life was almost too perfect. While her childhood was difficult to say the least, she’s sailed into her high school years with a loving boyfriend and a part-time job that also happens to be her passion in life. I had similar thoughts about her boyfriend and father, but what surprised me the most about all three characters was how Ms. Harnes gradually reveals more about their personalities without ever making this reader feel like she’d been holding something back from me.

There were several clues that never quite made sense to me. Some of them felt a little out of place due to certain cultural shifts that have taken place in the last generation or so. It’s difficult to discuss the specific phenomenon that I found confusing without giving away spoilers, but certain attitudes and societal mores were odd. The pacing in this book was so strong that a little time could have been spared to explain why the expectations of these characters are out of sync with what I’d generally expect from individuals living in a contemporary setting.

With that being said, figuring out what was going on with the smudged photographs was a thrill. The mystery elements of this tale are exceptionally strong. The number of hints were appropriate for a novel of this length. While I would have preferred to see the biggest ones appear a little more quickly, I was impressed by how many plot twists I never saw coming. This was my first introduction to Ms. Harnes work, and I’m looking forward to seeing if I can figure out her next mystery a bit faster.

Still Photo blends the young adult and mystery genres together seamlessly. This is a good choice for anyone who enjoys dipping their toes into more than one category of story when they read.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Conquer the Highland Beast by Eliza March

May 13, 2014 By 2 Comments

BEAT
Conquer the Highland Beast by Eliza March
Hearts of Darkness, Book 2
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Historical, Paranormal
Length: Full Length (189 pgs)
Other: M/F, M/F/M, M/F/F, F/F, Menage, Multiple Partners, Anal Play
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Highland warrior, Dylan Macgregor learns revenge and retribution will not give him the peace he seeks. Every day since, he battles the darkness. Three-hundred years after being turned on a battlefield by an ancient born vampire, Dylan meets his life-mate, FBI profiler Special Agent Caitlin Donovan. When he discovers she’s been targeted for death by a demon overlord, can he find the assassins before they find her? The last of his light is at risk if he kills again, and then what will become of their love?

It’s not too often I get a chance to read about a Highland vampire berserker with a honor streak a mile wide, but that sums up the adventure told about Dylan Macgregor. It’s a very interesting tale.

Medication is popular and effective solution for generic cialis male dysfunction problem.Kamagra has gained popularity worldwide for the treatment of the inability in both the sex. It is sad that how money has taken power over emotions and cialis sample other sensitive issues of life. order levitra without prescription More over generics are cheaper. Now there are many good Sex Treatment Centers In cialis sildenafil Florida, the Florida Dual Diagnosis Helpline can help. Although the blurb makes the story out to be one specifically about the romance between Dylan and FBI special agent Caitlin Donovan, it is really all about Dylan. I met him in Defeat the Darkness and he certainly piqued my interest then. What follows in this story, Conquer the Highland Beast is as thorough a picture as I could have wished of just who and what Dylan is. He’s complicated.

The novel starts off with a crime and it sets the stage for the two protagonists to realize that they are something ‘more’ when they are together. It was a good attention grab and I liked the way they interacted, enough to find enjoyment in the anticipation of watching their romance unfold in the middle of what surely would be a fascinating romantic suspense story. That’s not quite how it works.

The author takes a reader on an historical side trip to learn just how Dylan came to be the man the heroine eventually meets. It’s in the guise of getting Max, a secondary character, up to speed because his survival depends on it. Ms. March presents a very intense, well detailed backstory of Dylan’s being orphaned, of his first love and his eventual meeting the two people who would change his life. This sub-story took over the book.

In Dylan’s backstory, I learned how and when he met the villainess of the first book. I know that this is the second book in the series and should be read after the first book but honestly I don’t think it’s a requirement. There wasn’t enough woven in from the first book to make a new reader confused in this one, like they were missing a punchline or something. I believe this novel really could stand on its own. Another reason is this – someone who read Defeat the Darkness might actually become perplexed by the realization that the villainess from the first book isn’t so crazy, bloodthirsty and vicious not to mention mean as in the first installment of the series. Was it because of who she was with? Did he keep that part of her tamed? Perhaps the author has a secret agenda for the future and this is another puzzle piece but all I know is that I was confused. It wasn’t enough to detract from the enjoyment of the story but I have to note that it felt like an inconsistency. A new reader wouldn’t have this issue, which is why I suggest this story could be considered a standalone read.

The most sex occurs with the trio, Dylan, Amyra and her companion, as they obtain something from Dylan for some mysterious purpose. It’s quite busy and intense. When the book refocuses on the present, the sexiness is more fun because it’s Caitlin and Dylan teasing each other with mental pictures of what they’d each like to do to the other. The sensual buildup was enjoyable and I delighted in their interaction immensely. When they came together, I was greatly satisfied.

The action of closing a portal seemed to me anti-climactic. Yes, there were action scenes and they were well written and interesting but they didn’t seem fleshed out enough because the setup was rushed. I felt that so much attention was paid to Dylan’s back story that the conflict and plot that brought Caitlin and the hero together in the first place suffered. It was not explored to my satisfaction and I felt let down. The relationship building between the hero and heroine had tremendous potential. I LIKED them. There were so many things about their dialogue and interactions that pleased me, yet they weren’t the strong focus of the novel. True, there is an HEA ending and it was wonderful to see them finally get together and that made me happy, but it could have been more profound and had more impact of I’d have gotten to spend more time with the pair.

Conquer the Highland Beast has a good story to tell. If a reader read the first book and was curious about whom Dylan was, this book answers the question completely. A man is a sum of his history – it’s up to the reader to decide if Dylan is the amazing hero I think he is. He has depth and he has purpose and it was fascinating getting to know all about a vampire berserker and the woman who could make him smile. It’s worth checking out.

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

Tough Love by Heidi Cullinan

May 13, 2014 By Leave a Comment

TOUGH
Tough Love by Heidi Cullinan
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (408 pages)
Other: BDSM, M/M, Anal Play, Fetish (Watersports & Needles), Toys, Fisting, Spanking, Voyeurism
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Lisianthus

Special Delivery, Book 3

Crescencio “Chenco” Ortiz pulled himself up by his garter straps after his father’s will yanked the financial rug from under his spank-me pumps. He doesn’t need anyone, yet when Steve Vance steps into his life, the prospect of having a sexy leather daddy on tap begins to take on a certain appeal.

This is the ease that has been classified cialis samples as Class 1 Medical Product by European Health Authorities. Medical scientists have been able to find that the old man is facing is the erectile viagra sales canada dysfunction. Anxiety; including performance anxiety, post traumatic stress disorder Insomnia Anxiety Eating disorders Obsessive compulsive disorders The concept of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy evolved in early 1960’s. lowest price cialis http://opacc.cv/opacc/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/documentos_anexos_Etica%20Empresarial%20e%20Profissional.pdf Sorry to say but nowadays rx viagra online there are no real and safe methods to enhance pancreatic function that is diminished by the chronic pancreatitis. There’s a hitch when he learns Steve is friends with Mitch Tedsoe—the half-brother Chenco never knew except through his father’s twisted lies. Despite his reservations, soon Chenco is living his dreams, including a performing gig in Vegas. Now if only he could get Steve to see him as more than just a boy in need of saving.

Steve’s attraction to Chenco is overshadowed by too many demons, ones he knows his would-be lover is too young to slay. Yet as he gets to know the bright, determined young man whose drag act redefines fierce, Steve’s inner sadist trembles with need. He begins to realize Chenco’s relentless tough love might be the only thing that will finally set him free.

Product Warnings
This story contains glamorous drag queens, exhibitionist secondary characters, and no-holds-barred BDSM play, including watersports. Readers are advised they may well leave this novel feeling uncharacteristically fierce.

This is not a book for the faint of heart, it’s a raunchy, angsty and downright beautiful story. Chenco and Steve are perfect for each other, they just have to learn how to be with one another.

Chenco is an interesting character who I really loved; he has this endearing quality about him that just flat out made me fall for him. He’s strong, fierce and willing to submit to the very sexy Steve.  Steve has a lot of strength to give Chenco, but he also has some serious baggage that just won’t go away. Chenco helps him learn to be whole again and the scene where Steve lets go and finally lets Chenco take care of him just as much as Steve takes care of Chenco was beautiful and I cried.

Some of the scenes when Chenco and Steve are playing are why I say this isn’t for the faint of heart. I definitely recommend reading the warning, because it does a great job of preparing you for what’s going to happen between the two of them. I expected something so much dirtier from the warning but when the scene finally happened, it was actually kind of beautiful and fit the characters and the story.

I highly recommend this one, I’m happy to see that it left me with the same feeling as the first story, and I will definitely revisit it in the future.

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

Snip, Snip Revenge by Medeia Sharif

May 12, 2014 By Leave a Comment

SNIP
Snip, Snip Revenge by Medeia Sharif
Publisher: Evernight Teen
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (170 pages)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Beautiful, confident Tabby Karim has plans for the winter: nab a role in her school’s dramatic production, make the new boy Michael hers, and keep bigoted Heather—with her relentless Ay-rab comments—at bay. When a teacher’s lie and her father’s hastiness rob her of her beautiful hair, her dreams are dashed. The fastest barber in Miami Beach has made her look practically bald.

With all her pretty hair gone, Tabby doesn’t believe she fits the feminine role she’s auditioning for. Michael is still interested in her, but he’s playing it cool. Heather has taken to bullying her online, which is easier to do with Tabby’s ugly haircut. Tabby spearheads Operation Revenge, which proves satisfying until all of her problems deepen. After messing up, she sets to make things right.

Tabby has always been proud of her long, gorgeous, curly hair, but looks aren’t everything, right?
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Experiencing growing pains is difficult enough in a warm, nurturing home, but not everyone is lucky enough to be raised in that kind of setting. Dysfunction plagues Tabby’s family, and the results of living in such an unpredictable environment are written with unflinching accuracy. I especially liked seeing how Tabby reacts to memories of things her parents did years ago.

It would have been helpful if more time was spent describing Tabby’s strengths. She has quite a few flaws that are realistically developed, but it took me much longer to discover exactly who is hiding behind her sharp edges. The scenes involving her relationship with her half sister were touching and could have easily been expanded to show off more of Tabby’s positive traits.

The Miami Beach Magnet School of the Arts sounds like an amazing place to learn. Some of my favorite scenes took place there due to how much effort was put into exploring what the various cliques think of one another. The tensions between various groups felt genuine, especially given how quickly everything changes from one day to the next.

I enjoyed watching the tension steadily build in each subplot, but some of their solutions never quite made sense to me. So many chapters was spent building up the importance of each conflict that I expected their resolutions to require a little more time to come together. The pacing was otherwise exactly what I would have expected from a novel of this length. Only the conclusions felt slightly rushed.

The age recommendation for this book should be taken seriously. While they were handled quite well, some subplots discuss incredibly sensitive topics in great detail. I can’t say what they are without giving away spoilers, but how they are introduced to the plot may be upsetting for younger readers. They are good conversation starters for high schoolers though.

Snip, Snip Revenge is a solid tale that I’d recommend to anyone who has ever felt like an outsider. It’s easy to assume that everyone else’s life is easier than your own, but the image people project isn’t necessarily how they actually feel about themselves.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The Poison Pen: A Richard Hayward Mystery by Marjorie Owen

May 12, 2014 By Leave a Comment

PEN
The Poison Pen: A Richard Hayward Mystery by Marjorie Owen
Publisher: Vinspire Publishing
Genre: Historical, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (211 Pages)
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

There’s never a dull moment for the employees of Walls Department Store in the small town of Burshill, England. Detective Chief Inspector Richard Hayward and his wife Kate just returned from a second honeymoon in Paris, discovers that life is not going to be as quiet and easy at the station as he would like. Once again, DCI Hayward’s expertise is called upon to solve the most heinous crimes committed in the once sleepy little town.
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Who would believe what was happening behind the doors of the old fashioned, hundred year old store. Innocent shoppers have no clue, as they browse and buy, of the murderous intent that exists in some of the staff. Yet the people in the store and town are soon to discover the extraordinary lengths those who have secrets will go to hide them.

When John Berwick, the manager of Wall’s Department Store in Burgess Hill, England, is found murdered, Detective Chief Inspector Richard Hayward finds himself in a world with which he has no familiarity. He has just returned from a wonderful Paris vacation with his pregnant wife and now he has to find the murderer of a man who was universally hated. At first he is upset that no one seems to care that Berwick is dead. “His own happiness was so great, it seemed unjust that another man should have died without inspiring any regret in a living soul. For some obscure reason, it made him all the more determined to get to the bottom of this affair.” But the further he gets in the case, the more he comes to realize that the man was just as horrible as everyone said. Nevertheless, Hayward maintains that no one should die such a horrible death, from arsenic poisoning.

Hayward is an excellent detective who uses unorthodox results with great effectiveness. His character, as well as those of his sergeant, Jim Findon, and his wife, Kate Hayward, and other supporting characters are well-crafted and very believable. The pacing of the novel is excellent, with suspense building throughout. The clues were all there and the author has played fair with her readers, but I didn’t guess the identity of the murderer until nearly the end.

No dates are given in the novel, and it wasn’t until I read the about the author at the end of the book that I realized the novel was written a number of years ago. It has been published posthumously, and I am very glad that it has been. It feels very much like an Agatha Christie cozy mystery and in fact the author was just twenty years younger than Christie. This goes a long way towards explaining Hayward’s reluctance to have his pregnant wife drive, for instance. Realizing that the novel is probably set in the 1950’s makes it truly authentic and it was very enjoyable to be transported back to an earlier era.

Readers of the cozy mystery are sure to enjoy this delightful murder mystery filled with action as well as humor.

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

Captive of Her Heart by Charlotte Boyett-Compo

May 12, 2014 By Leave a Comment

HEART
Captive of Her Heart by Charlotte Boyett-Compo
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave Aeon
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (157 pgs)
Other: M/F
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Verbena

They were sworn enemies. She was the Queen Sairin of An Éigipt. He was Darius Gaius Maximilianus, Admiral of the An Iodáilian Imperial Fleet. Separate, each was a blazing star in their quadrant of the Megaverse. Together, they were a supernova waiting to explode.

Maxim had been assigned the task of slapping the pampered hands of a spoiled queen who might or might not be harboring a fugitive from An Iodáil justice. He meant to put a tight leash around her lovely neck and bring her to heel.

Though she was his captive, Sairin intended to conquer the arrogant warrior sent to put her in her place. But before she could own his mind, she would own his body. Using herself as a lure, she would make him a prisoner of his desire.

Maxim is not a man to be trifled with; Sairin is a woman used to getting her way. The two together create a powerful team determined to be together despite the dangers and threats to their happiness.

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When she finally meets Maxim face to face, Sairin is ready to give him a piece of her mind. How dare he come to her planet and demand anything? The so-called fugitive is a man she knows is innocent. If Maxim takes him back to the emperor, her friend will be put to death for a crime he didn’t commit. What she doesn’t expect is the instant and overpowering attraction she feels for him that has her wanting to give him more than just her anger. But rumors of his part in the demise of his past wives had reached all areas of the Megaverse and Sairin isn’t so sure Maxim is a man she can trust with her body or her life. Men had used her in the past to acquire power and status; she did not intend to let this one do the same. When her heart overrides her head and she realizes she wants Maxim for more than a quick romp, she’s willing risk all to go after and even rescue him from the very man who sent him to her doorstep in the first place.

Even though she frequently acts like a spoiled brat, I thoroughly enjoyed Sairin’s sassiness as well as her strength. Most strong women wield a sword and can kick any guy’s ass if need be, but this one used her will and wit to get her way. She made for a very interesting and entertaining heroine.

There was no doubting Maxim’s capability as a leader—he’d earned the respect of his men through years of hard work—yet, he struck me as a man who was tired of being so hard all the time. He seemed unhappy and unfulfilled. I could really tell a difference in him every time he was with Sairin compared to when they were apart. Many of the secondary characters added a lot of depth to the plot. There were no fillers, so to speak.

There were a few parts where I felt like important things were kind of rushed through. While they certainly added to the plot, they changed the pace of the story. I felt like I was going along at a certain pace, then fast-forwarded through about eight months of time, then decelerated back to the regular pace. This kind of left me off balance for a few chapters and had me wondering why the author hadn’t taken a bit more time with those sections. The one in particular that threw me was Maxim’s marriage to the emperor’s sister.

I also thought there was some unfinished business, particularly with Sairin’s oldest son who has an intense hatred for Maxim. I honestly didn’t understand why he hated Maxim so much. The reasoning focused on his mother’s virtue, but she was obviously happy being with Maxim so it seemed out of place for her son to want to kill the man, knowing it would devastate his mother if he did so. Probably one of the things I disliked the most about this story is the head-hopping. There were several instances where you’re in one character’s point-of-view, then there’s something thrown in from the other character’s point-of-view. I found myself having to re-read some things to make sure I hadn’t missed something or wasn’t mistaken. I was a bit surprised by this as it wasn’t something I’d noticed in previous works by this author.

All complaints aside, I’ve always enjoyed Ms. Boyette-Compo’s stories. Her writing is free and uninhibited. Her tales push boundaries that others are afraid to cross. It’s a refreshing and exciting change of pace when I find myself getting bored with reading. Captive of Her Heart hooked me right from the get-go. The characters were dynamic and interesting. Almost every page had something exciting or dangerous going on; the story didn’t have much lag time. It’s definitely a book worth checking out.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , ,

Having Her by Jackie Ashenden

May 12, 2014 By 2 Comments

HER
Having Her by Jackie Ashenden
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (266 pages)
Other: BDSM, M/F
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Lisianthus

Behind every heroine is the pain that binds her.

Lies We Tell, Book 2

Manga café owner Kara Sinclair has one burden she’s been carrying around so long it’s bordering on pathetic. Her virginity. Getting rid of it, though, means doing the one thing that scares her the most—letting down her guard with a relative stranger. Which makes her best friend’s older brother Vin Fox’s offer too tempting to refuse.

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Kara thought dealing with a known entity like sexy-as-sin, controlling-as-hell Vin would smooth the way. But when it comes right down to doing the deed, not even the safety of a costume can fool her demons.

By then the game has gone too far…and the consequences could bind them together forever. Or tear them apart at the seams.

Warning: Contains a sexy, brooding “fix you” hero and a heroine who isn’t afraid of anything…except “normal.” More kinky cosplay losts-and-founds than you can shake a riding crop at. WTF Infirmary is booked up; please make an appointment before you read.

Take one virgin, add in a Princess Leia slave costume, mix with one sexy older man and shake with some erotic scenes and a sprinkle of angst — this is a one strong recipe for an amazing story.

Kara Sinclair is a virgin, a strong heroine and a bit weird, but I absolutely loved her. She has issues, some serious baggage, least of which is her virginity. I enjoyed that she uses bright hair and crazy clothes to keep the world at bay. I definitely related with that being her armor, and I enjoyed that when Vincent “Vin” Fox wasn’t being a bit dense he seemed to see right through it.

Vin and Kara start out with a purely physical relationship, both using and for the most part getting what they need out of the relationship. Vin needs one aspect of his life that he’s in complete control of, a part that just goes right, and at first he gets that but fate and life have a way of stepping in and saying “No, we’re going to mess with you.” Life does throw a lot of things at Kara and Vin and at times they handle it well and at others I wanted to smack them both.

This is a journey of love, and it’s not a smooth ride. It’s a rocky journey and because of that I really loved this book. They are perfect for each other, it just takes some work to get there. I will definitely be watch Ms. Ashenden, she gave me a well fleshed out story and I will be picking up more stories from her.

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

Dragon Winter by Don Callander

May 8, 2014 By Leave a Comment

WINTER
Dragon Winter by Don Callander
Publisher: Mundania Press
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (173 pages)
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

In a land of talking animals, pirates, knights, castles, and magic, anything is possible…

Thomas Whitehead, once a simple librarian from Iowa, was magically transported to the mystical land of Carolna.

Through his adventures Thomas became Sir Thomas Whitehead of Hidden Canyon Achievement, Knight Royal, Librarian to the Historian of Overhall as well as to the King of the magical kingdom of Carolna, Dragon Companion to Retruance Constable the Dragon, and husband to the King’s daughter, Princess Amanda, and father to Princess Gale.

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While en route to Carolna, Brenda is kidnapped by pirates. Now Thomas has to save Brenda and still warn the King before it is too late.

Dragon Winter is a fun fantasy replete with dragons. There are three main dragons, two secondary dragons, and six other dragons who wend their way through the story. In addition, there is Tom Whitehead, once a librarian at the Library of Congress, who has been magically transported into a world where elves and magic rule.

The magical land of Carolna is richly described and I found it to be totally believable. In addition, the author has created unique and fully realized characters, whether they are dragons or kings, pirates or scullery maids. I was especially drawn not only to the dragons, but also to Tom and his wife Princess Amanda.

The action in this novel centers on a kidnapping. The kidnappers intended to snatch Gale, Amanda and Tom’s daughter, but instead they capture Brenda, Gale’s Maid-in-Waiting, a young girl with a lot of spunk.

This is the fifth novel in the Dragon Companion series but like the others in the series, it also works just fine as a stand-alone. Each book has its own distinct story, but there is a thread that runs through the entire series which is finally resolved in this final book. There are advantages to reading the entire series in order and there are also advantages to reading Dragon Winter on its own. I have read the entire series and it was wonderful to re-enter this world and share more adventures with my friends. That being said, the plot was a bit predictable. I knew what would inevitably happen, something that I probably wouldn’t have known if I hadn’t read the first four books. However, I am very glad I had, because I felt the full impact of the resolution of the common thread and while I knew what would happen, I had no idea how. The author’s creativity in the resolution provides a great deal of fun and excitement even when the outcome is known.

So fantasy lovers, especially dragon lovers, be sure to give this a try. The dragons are among the most wonderful that I have ever shared adventures with.

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

Rebel on the Run by Jayne Rylon

May 8, 2014 By 1 Comment

REBEL
Rebel on the Run by Jayne Rylon
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (165 Pages)
Other: M/F, M/F/M, Menage, Multiple Partners, Anal Play, Voyeurism
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Tulip

Bryce Ellington has been keeping a really big bomb of a secret. And the platinum-blonde detonator is wearing five-inch heels, standing next to a broken-down Maserati.

His fellow Hot Rods have never pried into the past that forced him from the only life he’d ever known, from the girl he loved. But as recognition dawns in Kaelyn DuChamp’s eyes—just before those eyes roll back in a dead faint—he realizes he’s going to have a lot of explaining to do. And a ton of damage to control.

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Once Kaelyn collapses in Bryce’s arms, he never wants to let her go. But if she spills his secret, the resulting scandal could destroy everything he and the Hot Rods have worked for, built, and loved.

Another great story from Jayne Rylon and her Hot Rods Crew! In Rebel on the Run it is Bryce who gets his chance at love. As usual, Rylon has created one hell of a ride for this lusty crew. This one almost sent me and my kindle up in flames.

The Hot Rods Crew have all had some bad times. They’ve had some unique demons to slay. Bryce was a bit different, but with the same chip on his shoulder. His past comes back in this book, and it’s in the sexy form of a beloved friend. Kaelyn Duchamp can’t believe it when her old friend Bryce shows up to rescue her. She realizes that lies have been told, and at first she feels hurt and betrayed. Yet, she doesn’t stay mad for long. They can’t fight what they feel for each other, and Kaelyn embraces the sexual freedom that the entire Hot Rods Crew enjoy together.

It goes without saying that this book had some kinky love scenes, but it also had a good story to go along with that. There was nothing vanilla going on in this book. M/F, M/F/M, group sex scenes, back door action and voyeurism. Whatever floats your boat, it’s all in here. Don’t let that scare you off, though. It’s all done with feeling. These are guys and gals who truly care about each other, and Rylon shows that in their love scenes. She lets you feel it. That’s what is so good about her writing and makes it work for me.

This plot was okay, with most of the conflict being personal. No doubt that there was a nasty threat that drove Bryce onto the streets, and later sent Kaelyn on a flight for freedom. But for me, it lacked intensity because it happened outside of the moment. Overall, the book was well written, and flowed easily. I got the kinky love scenes and a happy ending. So I am a happy reader.

All in all, this was a fun, sexy read. I enjoyed it immensely. I am already looking forward to Holden and his lucky lady.

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