The Gypsy Ribbon by Shannon MacLeod

March 10, 2014 By Leave a Comment

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The Gypsy Ribbon by Shannon MacLeod
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Genre: Contemporary, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (356 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Daisy

Internationally known wild child James Kelly is a filthy rich rock star, devilishly handsome, with silicone beauties aplenty to grace both his arm and his bed. He has it all. Or does he? What he wants most is a real woman to tell him no once in a while…and thanks to his inherited precognition, he knows her when he meets her. But the vision of his future is shrouded in darkness and shadows.

Tarot reader Lisbeth Vargo works at the local renaissance faire. She’s still stinging from her last bad relationship when her best friend marries James Kelley’s brother. After being paired up in the wedding party, sparks fly between Lisbeth and James. Even her tarot cards tell her he’s the one, but is the interest of a “bad boy” something she can take seriously?

Sometimes falling in love takes a leap of faith. Occasionally it needs a push off the cliff. James is more than happy to give Lisbeth that needed shove, but will his love save her…or get her killed?

IVF treatment or a test tube baby generic levitra mastercard is simple, safe and dependable. The Doctors of Chiropractic can apply massage therapy cialis tadalafil 5mg to improve blood-flow to the affected area and decrease muscle spasms. Men who suffer cialis 10 mg http://raindogscine.com/project/tanto-tiempo/ from impotency or erectile dysfunction tends to be limited to problems with getting or maintaining a penile erection long enough for having perfect lovemaking session. This medicine viagra discount sales is very inexpensive and won’t be effective if you are suffering from impotency or erectile dysfunction. Admit it, most of us think the Irish accent is sexy as a well done salsa dance; that’s why I picked this book up. This beautiful premise is only added to by James/Seamus being a rock star to boot. But I kept reading because the writing is well edited and well written. Not to mention, the plot doesn’t do the irritating, “Do I like him, no, I don’t, but I do, but I just can’t bring myself to see him” dance. That stuff got old twenty books ago. For once, the main characters definitely love each other and even say so well before halfway through the book. Here, the conflict is one external to the relationship.

James is a rock star and all high grossing rock stars have a manager. James’ manager isn’t the nice kind. He provides the book’s tension by the distance he enforces between the two love-birds via touring time. I felt a lot of the band details on stage and back were well researched and appeared to be realistic. The only major issue I had was the petulance and childishness of the manager on occasion. He seemed a touch too childlike in his arguments and resistance to change. I felt the plot could have just as easily gone forward with him being more realistically businesslike and strong in his refusal to help the band through those traits rather than sheer contrariness. I think this would have worked better towards the conclusion where he is appraised as a generally good, if greedy, guy.

Now on to the good bits: James’ and Beth’s sex life. For the romantic, the draw could be that Beth starts out as a virgin and, presumably, her first and last will be James. He, of course, has had more experience, as a rock star would. However, I would also say this novel is one for the romance enthusiast because the sex is more making love than just sex. There are long embraces, loving foreplay, and there is a build up to the stage of having sex, for obvious reasons. Beth is not a woman to fall straight into and out of bed with a man, and just as well.

I felt the best part of their relationship was James’ commitment to Beth. He sends her trinkets and letters in an updated take on love letters and really ingratiates himself to the reader, and Beth. He does what many men may not be bothered to do in a long distance relationship and takes “putting in the effort” to another level.

There is also a soft magical element to this book that readers should be aware of. Tarot cards have a strong predictive influence over events and James’ family all have different psychic gifts that they were born with. I find this fantasy element syncs well with the plot and offers nice (and not too obvious) hints and foresight to the reader.

The conclusion to The Gypsy Ribbon is a shock to begin with but smoothes out to a happy ending, so don’t be too disheartened. What I take from this book is love and an enduring memory of that happy, tingly, overflow of emotion that surrounds the perfect honeymoon period of relationships and spreads smiles across a room. With Shannon MacLeod writing books at this standard, I’m going to go have a look and see if James’ Irish brothers have been written about, too!

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

For Love of Sarah by Hazel Statham

March 7, 2014 By 1 Comment

SARAH
For Love of Sarah by Hazel Statham
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (179 pgs)
Heat: Sweet
Rated 4 stars
Reviewed by Snapdragon

Alexander, Earl of Thorne, thought he finally had found the woman of his dreams. But when Sarah fled just weeks after their wedding, his world came crashing down. Five years later, he has given up hope of ever finding her, until a freak accident strands him in a remote Yorkshire village where she is hiding.

Sarah dared to hope she was finally safe. But when her husband is thrust back into her life, she fears her dark secrets and the fact that she has a son will come to light. Though her heart longs to reclaim the love they once shared, Sarah rejects Alexander’s offers of reconciliation. But fate is not so easily thwarted…

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Statham’s For Love of Sarah will prove completely pleasing to fans of the classic romance genre, easy-to-sympathize with heroine, and the backdrop English culture and countryside.

Sarah, Countess of Thorne, leaves her home -and husband – by dark of night and we are immediately intrigued. Why does she depart? For she does not seem merely faithless, but regretful. Rather a lot of backstory slows the start… but we get a clear view of the husband, Alexander’s perception of events. He married a faithless wife and seems, indeed on the brink of finding her.

Sarah is surely in the right, but we cannot be sure! I found myself impatient to discover what drove Sarah to depart. The easy answer, another man, seems incorrect. Immediate events rather abruptly change what we might expect. Indeed, we readers are both surprised by events and continually intrigued by what must have really happened! And although this rather makes it sound like an action novel, indeed Statham’s elegant turn of phrase is true to the genre and this is a classic romance in every way imaginable.

“Without a word, Sarah turned away and left the room. Closing the door quietly in her wake, she stood with her back pressed to the dark panel. She had never expected to see her husband again, and finding him forcefully brought back into her life resurrected emotions she thought to have died many years ago. Fear that her secrets would now be brought to the forefront made her tremble…”

You see how soundly Statham has hooked us and keeps us reading!

There is some measure of complexity to events, partly due to changing point of views too frequently, but apart from that one quibble, this is a very interesting and unpredictable romance. The quality of the writing and the very engaging characters make this ultimately a very satisfying read: and those particular fans of the English Historical romance will be very pleased.

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Meadow’s Keep by Shanon Grey

March 7, 2014 By Leave a Comment

KEEP
Meadow’s Keep by Shanon Grey
The Gatekeepers Book Two
Publisher: Crossroads Publishing House
Genre: Contemporary, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (398 pages)
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Orchid

Jasmine Monroe once felt like damaged goods. Not anymore. Her latent abilities, although appearing too late to save her from a brutal attack, now keep her safe from anyone hurting her again. Secure in that fact, she’s moved on. Until she meets her first love’s doppelganger.

Eryk Vreeland, a misfit and an embarrassment to his upper-class/upper-crust family, is a magician. His shows are renowned, his contributions to charity astronomical, his illusions precise. Except—not everything is an illusion. Sometimes, there is real magic.

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Will they surrender to a legacy or risk a disaster to stay apart?

Jasmine Monroe has taken a long time to recover from the ordeal she suffered in the first book of The Gatekeepers (The Shoppe of Spells), but now she feels whole again and able to cope with life in general. Then she meets Eryk Vreeland, a magician who is identical to her good friend Dorian. All except for the eyes. His facetted emerald green eyes are the duplicate of Morgan’s – Dorian’s wife.

Jasmine, Dorian and Morgan are all descendants of the original settlers of Rutherford. The people there have special powers and these three are no exception. Jasmine reports the existence of Eryk to Bask (the managing director of Abbot House which is technically the protector of Rutherford). From that point on Jasmine’s life is not her own. She and Eryk become a team and Eryk is introduced to Dorian and Morgan, the Gatekeepers at the Shoppe of Spells who keep the Gulatega from travelling through the portal to Earth.

Once again mystery and magic combine in the Rutherford descendants. Their ability to see people’s auras, move objects, repel invaders to their world, all these things make the town a safe haven. Add to this the knowledge when a couple become intimate they become match-mated for life and work their magic as a pair. This means Jasmine and Eryk must struggle to control their emotions or forever be entwined in love.

The story pulled me in and kept me there. Jasmine’s past made her a strong person and Eryk’s disbelief in real magical events made for some interesting discussions between the two. Two resilient personalities who fight against evil and the people who wield evil. I did wonder if they were right for each other, or if their identities were too much for each other. Was I right or wrong? Only a someone who’s read the book can tell you that and I’m not going to spoil it for future readers.

I waited patiently for this second book of The Gatekeepers to appear as I thoroughly enjoyed the first one. Ms Grey did not disappoint me. I literally couldn’t put this book down, and when life forced me to I hurried back to it as soon as possible. I look forward to the third in the series – Second Chances.

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The Green Rose by Stephanie Burkhart

March 6, 2014 By 7 Comments

Cover_The Green Rose

The Green Rose by Stephanie Burkhart
Publisher: Desert Breeze Publishing
Genre: Fantasy
Length: Full (201 pgs)
Heat: Spicy
Rated: 4 stars
Review by Poppy

On the continent of Gaia, evil is brewing. Turncoat wizard, Balthyser, kidnaps the kings of Dahaka and Tapin. He wants the green rose, a source of powerful magic.

Princess Sonia of Tapin is forced to hunt down the rose in exchange for her father’s life. It’s the ultimate betrayal of Gaia’s peace, but she has no choice if she wants to save her father.
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Prince Ivánstan of Dahaka accompanies her on the journey. Both face challenges and obstacles that test their strength of character during the hunt for the rose. Dare Sonia put her trust and faith in a man she hardly knows to secure Gaia’s peace or will the continent’s harmony be shattered forever?

Well written and engaging, The Green Rose is a book fans of fantasy and romance should enjoy.

I enjoyed the characters in this story once I had them sorted. We meet several during the battle scene at the start, and a few felt similar, so it took me a moment to remember who was who. I loved that the hero and heroine weren’t enemies or at odds with one another. There are days I get so tired of reading about characters who do nothing but fight until they fall into bed. The conflict here was external and appreciated by me.

Sonia and Ivan have a quest, of course, as no fantasy is complete without one. During this time they learn to trust and like each other, and eventually fall in love. There are rules about them being able to marry, and that does intrude a bit on their happiness, but the story is ultimately about them finding what they need to save their world.

Ms. Burkhart is quite a good writer. I read this book quickly and was completely engaged. I don’t think I put it down for more than a few minutes at a time because, while it may not be nail-bitingly exciting, I cared quite a lot about our characters and wanted to see things through to the end. The author does a wonderful job creating characters we care about and her world building, while not extensive, is well done. Die hard epic fantasy fans may not fully engage here, but those of us who are reading for the story and the people in it will enjoy The Green Rose.

Stephanie Burkhart is fast becoming a “must buy” author for me. I’ve yet to read a story by her that I haven’t enjoyed.

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

Serving Time by Nadine Ducca

March 6, 2014 By Leave a Comment

TIME
Serving Time by Nadine Ducca
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (241 Pages)
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

Life and death have been industrialized. The Forge, the birthplace of every soul, is a rumbling factory owned by the goddess Time, managed by Lucifer, and powered by the labor of demons and imps. In this dystopian world, a renegade interplanetary pilot running from his past doesn’t stand a chance.

Handling Neptunian meth and dodging security cannons are all in a day’s work for Tristan Cross—not that he’s one to complain. Working for the smuggling company StarCorp is an improvement over what he used to do for a living.
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However, when StarCorp gives Tristan a one-way ticket into the brainwashed—and disturbingly suicidal—Loyal League, he decides to run from the company and start a new life in the only safe haven he knows: Earth. With the help of his brother, Tristan embarks on the most hazardous journey of his life, one that will place him at Time’s mercy. Little does he know the demons running the universe are craving a feast, and his own soul is the next item on the menu.

The Logos set up the world with a forge for creating mortal beings. But once everything was set up the Logos left. “When the Logos abandoned us, I stepped up,” Time said. “I took the reins of the universe and distributed the legions of demons to keep the machine working. They run everything since the Logos turned its back upon its own creation. They are the Devourers of the faulty True Selves, but now also Keepers—Guardians—of every single True Self to ever exist.”

This is the premise behind Serving Time. The story tells of two brothers, Tristan and Eneld Cross. Tristan is a True Self who is in danger of being sent to the Repository for faulty True Selves. Eneld is a human Keeper, tasked with helping Tristan find redemption. This is a far from easy task as Tristan is a murder turned drug dealer, working for StarCorp. When he tries to resign, the company implants a chip in his neck containing a mind-consuming loyalty drug. And thus, the race begins.

The plot is filled with action and there are twists and turns on nearly every page. There are also a lot of interesting characters who help or hinder Tristan’s attempt to leave StarCorp. The characters are believably portrayed with each having both good and bad qualities.

I like the mythology of this world. It is complex and I was really absorbed in the different planes, mortal and immortal. The goddess Time is one of my favorite characters and her jealousy of her sister, the goddess Future, results in some interesting conflicts. The idea of overworked demons running the universe is unique and fascinating.

Fantasy and Science-Fiction readers are sure to enjoy this wild, chaotic ride through space and time. The action never lets up, and there are surprises all the way to the final moments of the story.

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

Under the Jeweled Sky by Alison McQueen

March 6, 2014 By Leave a Comment

UNDER
Under the Jeweled Sky by Alison McQueen
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (416 pgs)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Cholla

London 1957. In a bid to erase her past and build the family she yearns for, Sophie Schofield accepts a wedding proposal from ambitious British diplomat, Lucien Grainger. When he is posted to New Delhi, into the glittering circle of ex-pat high society, old wounds begin to break open as she is confronted with the memory of her first, forbidden love and its devastating consequences.

The suffocating conformity of diplomatic life soon closes in on her. This is not the India she fell in love with ten years before when her father was a maharaja’s physician, the India of tigers and scorpions and palaces afloat on shimmering lakes; the India that ripped out her heart as Partition tore the country in two, separating her from her one true love. The past haunts her still, the guilt of her actions, the destruction it wreaked upon her fragile parents, and the boy with the tourmaline eyes.
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Sophie had never meant to come back, yet the moment she stepped onto India’s burning soil as a newlywed wife, she realised her return was inevitable. And so begins the unravelling of an ill-fated marriage, setting in motion a devastating chain of events that will bring her face to face with a past she tried so desperately to forget, and a future she must fight for.

A story of love, loss of innocence, and the aftermath of a terrible decision no one knew how to avoid.

When Sophie’s father takes a job working at the Maharajah’s palace in India, she’s ready for the adventure to begin. Little does she expect she’ll meet the love of her young life and that everything will change for her in a moment’s notice. What do you do when a spur of the moment indulgence sets the course of your future?

Sophie is a very flawed character, but that only makes her more interesting. She’s young, she’s bored, she’s a bit selfish, and she’s conflicted. Basically, she’s everything any young woman might be. It’s the way she handles her flaws that makes her so wonderful, however. To cure her boredom, she looks for adventure. To repent for her selfishness, she admits it to herself and seeks to be better. That she keeps finding herself in less than happy circumstances only gives her more chance to grow and show what she’s made of. She is a unique and fascinating character who makes you want to follow her around to see what will happen next.

I loved that this novel alternated between Sophie’s two residences in India, even if on occasion it took me a minute to figure out whether we were in the 1940’s or the 1950’s. The historical aspect was present and accounted for, but you also weren’t hit over the head with a million historical details either. You’re given enough to know where you are, when you are, and what’s going on at the time. It was a nice balance.

Under the Jeweled Sky is a love story of epic proportions, covering every love a young girl could ever have. A combination of first love, parental love, and so much more as you travel through ten years of Sophie’s life. Beautifully written and set in an exotic location only adds to the wonder that is this novel. I’d highly recommend Under the Jeweled Sky simply for the historical aspect, but the forbidden romance she shares with Jag raised the enjoyment level for me.

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Lord Love a Duke by Renee Reynolds

March 5, 2014 By 3 Comments

KE
Lord Love a Duke by Renee Reynolds
The Lords of Oxford Book One
Publisher: Rock Creek Publishing
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (326 pgs)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia

Jonas Leighton, Duke of Dorset, needs to find a husband for his spirited sister before she drives him insane. He hastily organizes a house party with a guest list that includes a wide-range of potential suitors, but unfortunately for the duke, his sister, Lady Miranda, has no desire to enter a union yet. Instead, her agenda for the dreaded party calls for the help of her closest friend, Lady Juliet Quinn, to thwart and confound her brother’s plans by orchestrating a series of pranks meant to humiliate and confound him . . . if only he would cooperate and be the victim.

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With nothing at the party going according to anyone’s carefully laid plans, and most of the guests participating in their own plots and schemes, the final prank yields even more surprises. Whatever is a duke to do?

Lord Love a Duke is the first book in the Regency-based Lords of Oxford series, stories about the lives and loves of a group of five peers of the realm who met at university and formed a fast and lasting friendship.

A silly prank will have some serious consequences.

Jonas only wants what is best for his sister and to him that means seeing her happily married, but she has other plans that don’t include marriage, at least not yet. I thought Miranda’s logic was flawed. Miranda wants Jonas to stop interfering with her life and let her make her own decisions. Instead of sitting down and talking with him like an adult, she decides to play all sorts of childish and humiliating pranks on him. I found it very surprising that Juliet would agree to help Miranda. Juliet is a much more serious woman than Miranda. Rather than going along with Miranda’s schemes, I would have thought she would have tried to talk her friend out of them. However, I will say that Miranda’s pranks made for some hilarious moments throughout the novel. When the final prank goes horribly wrong, Juliet finds herself in a situation that will change her life forever.

Juliet and Jonas are definitely an interesting couple to watch. They have admired each other for years, but have kept their distance for several reasons. Juliet and Jonas try to convince themselves that they are satisfied being friends, but the house party keeps them in close contact with each other. I really enjoyed their teasing banter. Juliet and Jonas are perfectly suited to each other, and I could easily picture them spending their lives together. As they spend more time together, their feelings for each other intensify and it isn’t long before others begin to notice. One of Miranda’s pranks puts Juliet in a rather compromising position that threatens to destroy Juliet and Jonas’ chance for happiness. Can another prank help Juliet and Jonas confess their true feelings?

I really enjoyed reading Lord Love a Duke. Miranda’s antics are very amusing, and Juliet and Jonas’ romance is touching. Their happy ending is well deserved and absolutely beautiful. Fans of historical romance would do well to pick up a copy of Lord Love a Duke today.

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Touchdown Tony Crowne and the Mystery of the Missing Cheerleader by Peter Guy George

March 5, 2014 By Leave a Comment

TONY
Touchdown Tony Crowne and the Mystery of the Missing Cheerleader by Peter Guy George
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Young Adult, Suspense/Mystery, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (160 pages)
Age Recommendation: 10+
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Tony Crowne is your normal, run-of-the-mill back-up quarterback and aspiring detective who has his share of troubles: He hates the nickname his father gave him, his eighty-pound dog clobbers his mother and grandfather at breakfast and he gets into a fight with the biggest kid in school.

Worst of all, his best friend, cheerleader Ashley Richardson, disappears the morning before Tony’s big football game. Did she run away? Was she kidnapped? Is she alive?

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All Tony has to do is simultaneously solve a mystery and help his team win. How hard can it be?

I really enjoyed the characterization in this story. Tony’s kind, playful personality peeks through the very first scene, and it was a fun glimpse of his approach to the challenges of life. This is is the first book in a new series, so it will be interesting to see how Tony changes as he grows up. His friends had less time to display their personalities due to the short length of this novel, but I see a lot of promise in Judd and Ashley and hope that they will make future appearances in future sequel.

There were times when the dialogue felt stilted. Main characters use words that are a little old-fashioned for their age group or that don’t quite fit the scene. At other times too much exposition was included in what should have been much shorter conversations. The information the characters dig up in these scenes is valuable and interesting, but it would have worked better for this reader had it been presented, say, in a newspaper article or through body language instead.

Mr. George’s sense of humour is perfect for this age group. I started laughing in the very first scene and found something to bring a smile to my face in many more scenes to follow. The funniest ones by far involve a very mischievous dog named Curly who has a knack for sniffing out poorly-guarded treats regardless of the consequences.

At first I had some trouble determining if I agreed with the age recommendation that is mentioned in the blurb for this book. The fairly simple vocabulary and the inclusion of certain jokes in the plot seems to be more appropriate for kids who are still a few years away from celebrating a double-digit birthday. As the plot thickens, though, I quickly understood why the author chose the 10+ age range. None of the scenes are inappropriate for preteens, but some themes and plot twists are too intense for younger readers.

The short, snappy chapters in Touchdown Tony Crowne and the Mystery of the Missing Cheerleader make it perfect to read aloud. This is a great choice for reluctant readers or anyone in the mood for a lighthearted mystery.

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

Midsummer Solstice by J.L. Wells

March 5, 2014 By Leave a Comment

SOLSTICE
Midsummer Solstice by J.L. Wells
Publisher: Self Published
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (201 pages)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Orchid

Set amongst the Cornish landscape, rich in myths and legends of the sea; a magical tale of romance, intrigue and love.

When Naida’s mother dies she is forced to escape from London before her stepfather arranges a marriage for her. She arrives at Old Moorstone Farm and stays with the Tregartha family. Concealing her own mysterious secrets, the quiet backwater she hoped would be her refuge, holds sinister tensions.

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Naida meets a handsome fisherman who tells her many mystical stories of Cornwall, of the white witch Lilith and the Druid festival of Midsummer eve. She finds she is falling in love.

Eventually her past catches up with her. This compromises her new found friendships and sets in motion a series of consequences, kidnapping, danger and ill fated love.

On her deathbed, Naida’s mother reveals the skeleton in the family closet. After the funeral Naida runs away from her Cypriot stepfather and stepbrother to seek a better life. In Cornwall the Tregartha’s offer her a room and a job and take her into their family circle.

Howard, a family friend, sharpens his wit at Naida’s expense turning her into a spitting tiger. The Tregartha’s also consider Howard to be one of the family, but their daughter Lowenna has a teenage crush on the older man and jealousy rears its ugly head.

The strain of the hot summer and the tension within the Tregartha family bring many different emotions to the surface. Naida’s nerves are stretched even further when her stepbrother appears to drag her home. Her Cypriot stepfather has arranged a marriage for her with his elderly friend. In his world the father has the final say to the disposal of his daughter and Naida wonders how she can escape. Must she continue running forever?

When younger I used to love the hazy, lazy days of summer filled with sunshine and not a lot to do. This book brought back those memories. Naida wanders through the summer not knowing what the next day will bring. Every time she thinks she has her thoughts straight, another problem rears its head. Midsummer Solstice has a little bit of mystery, a tiny (very tiny) bit of violence, fear, jealousy and love. Good mixture and a lovely read. Not a startling book or one full of excitement, but that’s probably because I kept thinking of those long lost sunny days. I enjoyed reading about this small corner of England and the people who live there.

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

Highland Sunrise by Christine Young

March 4, 2014 By 14 Comments

SUNRISE
Highland Sunrise by Christine Young
Publisher: Rogue Phoenix Press
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (174 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rated: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Dandelion

He Made Her An Offer…

Life has thrown Christel McClellan some experiences that could have devastated a less determined woman. Beautiful, self-assured and fiercely independent, she is trying to forget the loss of her stillborn child. But is the child alive?

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Life is carefree for Ryder MacLaren who loves to see what is on the other side of the sunrise. Laird of Clan MacLaren, he is wealthy, handsome and happily unencumbered…until stunning Christel McClellan enters his life. When he hears her story, he believes the child she thought dead has been sold to a wealthy buyer.

I began reading this story expecting another typical regency romance. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it wasn’t! From the end of the first chapter, it was one exciting thing after another.

The heroine, Christel, is attacked by a nobleman who wanted to marry her for her money. She flees to a nunnery and then to an isolated castle owned by Ryder, the man she has just become engaged to, but who isn’t currently present. Once he returns home, the story became a terrifying tale of them trying to find and do away with the man who was looking for her.

I loved the rapport between the two main characters. Although at times they both struggled to find the right words to explain their feelings for each other, somehow they managed. They both loved the other and so over time it became easier. Both were also very independent and that caused a little friction between them. However, Ryder would typically just shake his head and go with the flow. There were a huge number of sex scenes, and I think this story would have stood alone quite well without so many (there were times they did nothing to forward the plot, but seemed added just to have a sex scene), but they didn’t detract from the plot either.

There were so many other fascinating and fun characters in the story: her sister, her cousins, their husbands, her aunt, the Duchess. Reading about all the things they attempted and succeeded in doing was really fun. They were not the typical regency “tonnish” people of the days. This made this story much more fun.

And of course, although there was a lot of fighting, terror, murder and mayhem, the story has a very satisfying ending.

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