Sweet Obsession by Katee Robert


Sweet Obsession by Katee Robert
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Erotic Romance, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, LGBTQ
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Dicentra

Icarus may not have flown particularly close to the sun, but he has fallen…right into the rough hands of Olympus’s own Poseidon. Being held captive by the gentle giant wouldn’t be so bad if Olympus wasn’t on the eve of destruction…or if Poseidon stopped looking at him with those irresistibly stormy eyes.

Poseidon doesn’t have time to babysit his increasingly bratty prisoner, but he has no choice: Olympus is officially at war, and someone has to keep their best bargaining chip out of harm’s way. The thing is, the longer Poseidon is with Icarus, the more he starts to care for his sworn enemy…and the more he realizes that Icarus isn’t the villain he’s been made out to be. There’s a warmth to him, a vulnerability, that Poseidon finds difficult to ignore or deny.

Now with Circe and the Aeaens at the gate and Olympus a hair’s breadth away from falling, Poseidon will have to make a difficult choice: about himself, about his allegiances, and about the man who woke his heart from its long slumber only to threaten to break it for good…

Sweet Obsession by Katee Robert is the first M/M romance of her Dark Olympus series, and it has both a scorchingly hot romance and lots of action to set up the ending of the series.

Poseidon is one of the three legacy titles of Olympus but he has a very different energy than Hades or Zeus. First of all, this Poseidon was never meant to be Poseidon. He inherited the title when his cousins passed (along with all the responsibilities that come along with it). While he can be assertive and dominant when the situation calls for it, he really doesn’t want to be. Enter Icarus. As the child of Minos, Icarus has spent a lot of time learning to survive in cut-throat environments. With the threat of Circe’s invasion looming (and Icarus being a political prisoner of the Thirteen), they end up leaning on each other for support. And it leads to a lot of spicy scenes (which Katee Robert is known for), but also a surprising amount of emotional depth. Poseidon is a massive dude, but it was palpable to see how much relief he got from surrendering control to Icarus, even if only for the night. And for Icarus, Poseidon helped him see his worth beyond that of a tool for his father and that relationships (both romantic and otherwise) don’t have to be so transactional.

We’re creeping towards the final confrontation, and I am so ready for it. Both Zeus and Hera show their true stripes in this book, and it makes me that much more eager for their story to be told in the next book (even in the original myth their relationship was messy and there’s no doubt in my mind the author will turn that up to 11). I will say being at book 8 of a 10 book series can make things feel a bit draggy at times (especially when Hermes’ book has me even more excited/borderline bouncing out of my seat), but for those who are interested in romance and reimagined Greek mythology I think it’s worth the time investment.

Confessions of a Grammar Queen by Eliza Knight


Confessions of a Grammar Queen by Eliza Knight
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Genre: Historical, Romance
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

There are no female publishing CEOs in 1960’s New York. And that is exactly what savvy, ambitious Bernadette Swift plans to change.

Bernadette Swift, a young copyeditor at Lenox & Park Publishing, is determined to become the first female CEO in the publishing industry. But first she needs to take the next step up that ladder with a promotion that her boorish and sexist boss wants to thwart. Seeking a base of support, Bernadette joins a feminist women’s book club at the New York Public Library, and soon, she’s inspiring her fellow members to challenge the male gatekeepers and decades of ingrained sexism in their workplaces and pursue their personal and professional dreams.

And that is precisely what Bernadette does on a daily basis: keeps her eye on the prize―equality for women in the workplace, and a promotion―while fending off the ire of her boss and the sabotaging efforts of a jealous coworker. With the support of her book club buddies and a certain charismatic editor at Lenox & Park who has completely fallen for her, maybe, just maybe, Bernadette will prove able to claim victory for herself and the young women coming after her.

She’s not about to be left at a desk to be a secretary.

This is a new twist on the romance genre because this character, Bernadette, isn’t a shrinking violet. She’s determined to get what she wants and I loved that.

This was a quick read and fun. I’m glad I read it. I will say the chapters from the dog’s perspective, while funny, didn’t always add to the narrative. I would’ve liked to have had Bernadette’s perspective all the way through. I do like the innovation in adding the dog and seeing things from his perspective, but it would’ve been more dynamic from just Bernadette’s POV.

Still, I liked her pluckiness. She’s not about to be bullied or shrink to the background. I loved her pushiness and know this is the kind of book readers of all genre-preferences would enjoy.

If you want a book that’s a good throwback to the ’60s and a fun beach read, then this might be the book for you. Give it a try!

Midnight Ruin by Katee Robert


Midnight Ruin by Katee Robert
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Erotic Romance, LGBTQ, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Dicentra

Eurydice Dimitriou has always been the innocent sister, but she’s finally ready to step out of the long shadow cast by her powerful family…and the ex who shattered her heart. Perhaps rough hands on soft skin are exactly what she needs to forget her heartbreak once and for all?

Charon Ariti has been Hades’s right-hand man for years. He’s given everything to the lower city, but now he’s ready to take something for himself. He’s only too happy to give Eurydice a special kind of education…but is her heart really free enough to be claimed?

Orpheus Makos will do whatever it takes to make things right. Once the golden boy of the upper city, he’s now a shadow of his former self. He’ll do anything to get Eurydice back…even if it means she’s not coming into his arms alone. Three hearts. Three futures. Countless ways to get it wrong.

But with enemies slipping through Olympus’s faltering barrier to lay siege on the lower city, a trio of broken hearts will be the least of these would-be lovers’ worries…

Katee Robert’s next book in the Dark Olympus series, Midnight Ruin, was just as good as the previous installments. Focusing on Charon, Eurydice, and Orpheus in another very loose reimagining of the original Greek myths, the book takes place in the lower city (a.k.a. Hades’ domain) with the violence in Olympus coming to a fever pitch.

If you’ve been following along with the series, you’ll know that there are major forces at work trying to destabilize the city (and likely prepare it to be invaded). There is a major reveal in this book regarding who those forces are led by, and they make a major move to challenge the power players in the city (a.k.a. the Thirteen). I’m super excited to see where that goes, and how the eventual climax of the conflict plays out. The worldbuilding of each book in the series has been building off of each other; while the plots of each book are constructed such that one could theoretically read them out of order, I do recommend reading in order for the best experience (especially with the events that have been building since the third book in the series).

I really loved the growth and dynamics between our three main characters. Eurydice, unlike Helen/Ares, has been underestimated and babied her entire life. After Orpheus initially broke her heart with his actions, Charon was the one to help her put the pieces back together. However, neither Eurydice nor Orpheus were ready to give the other up as there were a lot of unresolved feelings there. It ends up becoming a polyamorous triangle where both men are in love with her (and eventually grow to love each other). As a reader, it was really enjoyable to see. And of course, as a reminder for those who may not have read a Katee Robert book before, I do want to warn you that the spiciness rating is very high and there are multiple explicit and intimate lovemaking scenes scattered throughout the book.

Overall, this was another excellent read that’s left me excited for more. After how this book ended, I can’t wait to read Ariadne and the Minotaur’s story in Dark Restraint when it comes out later this year. Audiobook narrators Alex Moorcock and Zara Hampton-Brown did an excellent job once again bringing multiple perspectives to life with the performances. If you love polyamorous love triangles (like the previous one in the series in Wicked Beauty) or any romance influenced by Greek mythology, you’ll enjoy this book.

CONTENT WARNINGS: Violence, Murder, Blood, Guns, Pregnancy (not the heroine/main character), Abortion (not the heroine/main character)

Cruel Seduction by Katee Robert


Cruel Seduction by Katee Robert
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Erotic Romance, LGBTQ, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Dicentra

Aphrodite has never flinched at getting her perfectly manicured hands dirty, and she’s not about to start now—even if that means marrying Olympus’s enemy number one, the new Hephaestus. She has a wicked plan to keep her deadly new husband off-balance, seducing the one person he seems to care about most in this world: Pandora, a woman as beautiful as she is sweet.

Two can play the seduction game, however, and Hephaestus is all too happy to put his new wife in her place. Her ex, Adonis, seems like he’ll do the trick. It doesn’t hurt that he’s gorgeous in the way of fallen angels, either.

The only problem with using seduction as a weapon? Hearts are all too quick to get involved. With Hephaestus and Aphrodite trading venomous strikes that feel a whole lot like foreplay, lines become blurred and emotions entangled. But a broken heart may be the least of their worries. With unrest in Olympus reaching new heights, these bedroom games may have deadly consequences for themselves, their city, and everyone they’ve come to love.

As someone who enjoys anything related to Greek mythology, I’ve been a big fan of Katee Robert’s ongoing Dark Olympus series. One of the latest releases, Cruel Seduction, centers on the Aphrodite and Hephaestus myth. A very loose re-imagining of the original story, the author does a great job honoring the tone and heart of the source material while still weaving in their own trademark spiciness and complexities.

If you had to sum up Aphrodite and Hephaestus’ relationship in one word, it would be complicated. In almost every version of the myth, Aphrodite was not exactly thrilled about getting married to her husband. That holds true in this book as Aphrodite (formerly known as Eris) is forced to marry the new Hephaestus in order to secure his cooperation in working with the other members of the Thirteen for the good of Olympus. Those who have read the previous books in the series know that both are very talented when it comes to manipulation and politics. Since they can’t physically hurt their spouse, they choose to go for the emotional jugular and seduce their spouses’ former lovers (Adonis and Pandora, respectively). Romance readers who pick their books by trope will be pleased to know that the ‘marriage of convenience’ and ‘second chance romance’ feature very heavily in this book. The whole situation between Hephaestus and Aphrodite gets very complicated very quickly (turning into what the author terms as a ‘polyamorous knot’) and it was quite entertaining as a reader to follow along.

The worldbuilding of each book in the series works off of the foundation that previous books have laid. I’ve really enjoyed getting to learn more about how the city works, and what forces are working against it. While the plots of each book are constructed such that they can be read in any order and independently of each other, I do recommend reading it in order for the best experience. If you read this and subsequently start reading more of Katee Robert’s books, you will also notice that her different series are interconnected. I highly recommend checking out their graphics on Instagram to see the different connections. As a side note, for those who might be going into this as your first Katee Robert read, I do want to warn you that the spiciness rating is very high; multiple explicit and intimate lovemaking scenes are scattered throughout the book.

Overall, this was an excellent read that’s left me excited for more. Audiobook narrators Alex Moorcock and Zara Hampton-Brown did an excellent job bringing multiple perspectives to life with their performances in the audiobook version of the story. I’m super excited for the next installment in the series (due out January 2024), which features Charon, Eurydice, and Orpheus.

Country Music Cowboy by Sasha Summers


*Country Music Cowboy by Sasha Summers
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Larkspur

What’s a country music star to do when his world is falling apart around him?
Can he find his way back home?

According to his record label, Travis King’s drinking and partying has to stop. Or else… Image rebranding means joining AA and singing opposite one of the industry’s rising stars at an upcoming awards show. It wouldn’t be so bad if Loretta Gram wasn’t cold as ice. No matter how hard he turns on the charm, she won’t give him a break. It looks like this cowboy has finally met his match.

Loretta is still grieving the death of her original singing partner, and she doesn’t have it in her to deal with playboy Travis King. But her career is all she has, so if singing with the Three Kings is what she needs, she’ll do it. Loretta isn’t as cold as she lets on, but she’s had more than her share of heartache. When she finally shows Travis who she is, he knows he’ll do anything to be her forever cowboy.

Even famous country music stars have insecurities. That’s the premise of Sasha Summers newest book Country Music Cowboy. This story is filled with emotion and heartache but also optimism and good feelings. Loretta and Travis are both successful country music stars and they have one thing in common, they each have a whole lot of baggage.

I loved reading Travis and Loretta’s story, they have loads of chemistry and great dynamics between them. I enjoyed reading this touching story filled with scorching looks and underlying tension. Travis and Loretta are complex characters and they have been through so much, I kept hoping they would have the HEA they deserve. I knew if they just let their guard down and believed in the power of love, they would find happiness together.

Travis King and his family have been part of the country music scene for years. Travis has a well deserved bad boy reputation and is a recovering alcoholic working hard every day to stay sober. Travis has demons and even though he is successful and handsome, he is full of self doubts and insecurities.

Besides being a country music star, Loretta hasn’t had too much good luck in her life. The last thing Loretta wants to do is to get involved with Travis, but she can’t seem to help herself.

I enjoyed being immersed in the country music scene. This is a moving story with an interesting plot, the pacing is good and although the characters are celebrities, they felt real to me. I was quickly turning the pages to find out what would happen next.

I found it easy to relate to Travis and Loretta, plus I loved the entertaining secondary characters included in this story. I have read all the books in this series and each one is about a different sibling in the King family. This tender and uplifting story left me with a smile on my face.

High Country Justice by Nik James


High Country Justice by Nik James
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Historical, Romance, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Snowdrop

It will take all this lone frontiersman’s skills to save his only friend from murderous outlaws.

Caleb Marlowe carved out his own legend as a frontier scout and lawman before arriving in the Colorado boomtown of Elkhorn. Famous for a lightning-quick draw and nerves of steel, he is mysterious, guarded, and unpredictable. Now, he wants to leave the past behind. But the past has a way of dogging a man…

When Doc Burnett, Caleb’s only friend in town, goes missing, his daughter Sheila comes seeking Caleb’s help. Newly arrived from the East, she hotly condemns the bloody frontier justice of the rifle and the six-gun. But this is outlaw country.

Murderous road agents have Doc trapped in their mountain hideaway. To free Doc, Marlowe tracks his kidnappers through wild, uncharted territory, battling animals and bushwhackers. But when Sheila is captured by the ruthless gunhawks with a score to settle, Marlowe will have to take them down one by one, until no outlaw remains standing.

I love a good western and that’s what this was…a really good western. It had all the elements. A dangerous small town filled with down and out of luck silver miners whose mines were played out. A shifty-eyed sheriff and trouble in “them thar hills”.

This is very easy reading, and the words seem to flow like water. Reading a Nik James book is like watching a movie. Their description of the country as well as their crafting of characters made everything as clear as watching it. Never once did I mix up names of characters. They gave them all distinct personalities. I think that’s why I made the comment about watching a show. I felt like I could see the characters, the good ones as well as the bad ones. This western had plenty of both.

An excellent read. High Country Justice is Book 1 of a series titled the “Caleb Marlowe series”.

It looks to me as if there are 2 more books in the series and, I intend to read them all.

Jackson by LaQuette


Jackson by LaQuette
Restoration Ranch Book 1
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

From celebrated author LaQuette comes a sizzling opposites attract Texas Ranger romance that will leave you breathless…

Aja Everett longs to turn her old family ranch into a place where anyone can find rest and healing. But her big heart’s bound to get her in trouble if she’s not careful—someone wants her gone, and they’ll do whatever it takes to drive her away from the land that’s her lifeblood. Whether she’s willing to admit it or not, she needs help.

She needs a man like Ranger Jackson Dean.
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Jackson doesn’t trust love. He once made the mistake of following his heart and all he’d gotten was pain in return. But when city-slicking do-gooder Aja Everett asks for his help, he can’t stay away…and as attraction sizzles and protective instincts flare, she may be the only woman able to restore the heart of this Texas Ranger.

Get out your fans for this steamy contemporary romance which features a hunky Texas Ranger with trust issues and a confident, sexy, full-figured heroine who believes in the best in people. Sometimes oil and water are meant to mix.

Okay, when does book two come out? I am the queen of no patience. I didn’t realize Jackson was book one in a series. I cruised through this book loving life, then the end came and I panicked – I looked for more pages to turn. I was at the end already?!! While I loved the romance between the hero, Jackson, and the heroine, Aja, and I appreciated they achieved a happily ever after, I was not tickled that a major plot thread was left open to continue in book two. Although, I do recognize that making me crave for more is what makes a thrilling series. I’m already hooked on the Restoration Ranch series.

I’ve never read a book by LaQuette nor have I read a multicultural book, but I was head over heels while reading Jackson. With all those amazing plot twists, the writing style was riveting. I didn’t see the ending coming and being able to pull that off makes me classify this story as an original, well-done, unpredictable mystery. I was on the edge of my seat a few times during the action scenes.

The romance between Aja and Jackson was sizzling to boot. Jackson’s natural instincts to protect and Aja’s desire to help others often crossed hairs, but each had the best of intentions at heart.

The other characters in the story were well developed and I look forward to meeting with them all again when the second book comes out.

In conclusion, I can with good conscience enthusiastically recommend Jackson with the warning it might leave other readers like it left me, wanting the next book to be released as soon as possible.

Paws for Love by Mara Wells


Paws for Love by Mara Wells
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 5 Stars
Review by Dryas

Damaged hearts―man, woman, and dog―have a second chance for love, healing and happiness under the warm Miami Beach sun in this endearing contemporary romance…

Danielle Morrow works tirelessly for the greyhound rescue as an adoption coordinator, rehabilitating retired racing dogs and helping them find forever homes. She guards her heart as vigilantly as her two adopted greyhounds guard her home. One heartbreak per lifetime is enough for any woman, and no one she’s met since her high school boyfriend dumped her to join the military has ever tempted her enough to risk love again.

Knox Donovan expected to be career military, but an injury has resulted in an honorable discharge that leaves him uncertain of his future. When his brothers ask him to come back to Miami Beach to help manage their new condo conversion, he figures he can at least advise them about security systems before declining the job. He has no intention of staying in the city that has so many bad memories for him.

Knox is reminded that not all his memories of growing up in Miami Beach are bad when he sees Danielle again at the Grand Opening of the new Fur Haven Dog Park. Fifteen years haven’t softened the pain of their breakup. But Knox is different now, more hard-edged and suspicious, and when he bonds with the retired racing greyhound, Sarge, Danielle’s cool reserve begins to melt. Sarge needs special care after the injuries that ended his racing career, and it’s not long before Danielle realizes that Knox does too. Can Danielle trust her heart to the one man who’s ever broken it?

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I absolutely loved this book.  It helps that I am also crazy about dogs. The plot is interesting but also can make your blood boil if you love dogs, especially the greyhounds. Danielle Morrow owns a rescue company for greyhounds that are in great need especially since racing was banned in Florida. I had to keep tears from falling when I learned so many of the dogs were euthanized because the trainers had no more use for them. We get to meet her new project, a greyhound she recently rescued that had a horrible break in his leg, was starving, and didn’t trust humans.

She is lucky that her father owned a vet practice. Dr. Alan Morrow helped his daughter heal the physical wounds while she concentrated on the rehabilitation. Their newest acquisition impressed them by his fighting spirit, so Danielle decided to call him Sarge.

Danielle is an exceptionally complex character with a heart of gold. She has many secrets and a disappointment in not pursuing her dream to become a vet. Something in her past has blocked her and now she considered herself to old to go back to college. She lives in the guest house on her father’s property with her two greyhounds, Luna and Flurry. You can feel the passion, love and pride she has for her rescue, Home Stretch. There is also the awesome dog park that was designed and built by the Donovan brothers. I wish I had a place like that, where you could see the Atlantic Ocean, a large fenced in yard which had a gate to keep the small dogs and large dogs separate. I found it adorable that there were bone shaped benches.

Then there is a complex man named Knox Donovan who was discharged from the military because of an injury to his leg from an IED. He is stubborn and believes that if he pushes himself, he will regain the strength in his leg and go back to the military and take care of his men. Unfortunately, his dream won’t come true as his knee is beyond repair. He did find some purpose with working with his brothers Caleb and Lance in demolishing and rebuilding the Dorothy building into luxury apartments. He still holds a flame for Danielle and when he sees her at the park on the grand opening, his feelings are mixed. He didn’t mean to approach her, but he couldn’t help himself.

Their first meeting is awkward as there are many things that were left unsaid and actions taken that can’t be undone. I enjoyed watching the connection that Sarge made with him in an instant. Danielle recognizes it and does her best to make sure that Knox does too. They both have things in common including a bum leg and the mistrust and inability to connect to others unless they know they can trust them. Both dog and human can be stubborn but once you get past their guard you will have a friend for life.

Knox and Danielle’s relationship is hard to define, at first it evolves around her trying to get Knox to adopt Sarge by texting him cute pictures of the dog. Then when Knox ends up buying a house from an elderly woman that Danielle is close to, they are thrown together as she helps him move in. Their relationship is a slow building one with mistakes made on both sides. In fact I think it was a little to slow, although there are reasons. I believe that it could have been sped up a little and I wish that Danielle told Knox her secret a lot earlier.

Their relationship is sweet, loving, and hot. The lovemaking between them is like nothing they felt except when they were going out in high school. That spark didn’t take much to rekindle into a flame. A wonderful romance I heartily recommend.

A Wolf After My Own Heart by MaryJanice Davidson


A Wolf After My Own Heart by MaryJanice Davidson
BeWere My Heart Book 2
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Paranormal, Romance, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Contemporary
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Things are hot and getting hotter… Escape into this delicious shifter romance from bestselling author MaryJanice Davidson.

Oz Adway is a rare breed: an accountant who wants to get dirty. He’s a werewolf working for the Interspecies Placement Agency so it’s not long before he gets the opportunity to break out of his boring, safe office job. He volunteers to find runaway bear cub Sally Smalls, recently orphaned by a plane crash. Piece of cake, right? Unfortunately, Sally’s taken refuge with “ordinary” human Lila Kai. Lila has no idea what’s going on, but she’ll destroy anyone who tries to take the cub. Oz is not about to let a human jeopardize his daring career move, no matter how attractive he finds her.

Lila knows something’s different about the sexy weirdo who keeps popping up in the wrong place at the right time. She’s determined to figure out what, regardless of the escalating threats to her safety and Oz’s distracting hotness. She didn’t move into a cursed house and take in a werebear just to run when things get complicated. Together, Oz and Lila will prevail! But only if they can keep their hands off each other…
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Put away your pocket protectors: This hilarious story includes a nerdy shifter accountant with a bad-boy side, a fiercely protective human heroine, and a baby bear cub who will make every reader sigh in cuteness. Fans of Shelly Laurenston and paranormal adventure won’t want to miss the newest installment in the BeWere My Heart series!

The zany and crazy starts off really fast in this novel. An ambulance that isn’t an ambulance, wolves where there shouldn’t be, crazy pizza delivery guys that really aren’t, kids that aren’t exactly kids, a house that is rumored to be cursed and a heroine just trying to put down roots and have a normal life. She has no idea what she’s in for.

One very unusual, but charming and eccentric detail is how the inner wolf-speak is so different than an adult’s articulated speech. It’s almost childlike, you know, innocent, simple, repetitive and very, very enthusiastic. The author used that technique to good effect whenever the hero was in his furry form.

Another cute aspect of the novel is the building community. Lila meets the main characters of her neighborhood at warp speed, from trespassing, to bear repair, fairy bread and repairs of doors busted of their hinges. Odd hours, odd conversations and Oz loving the fact that Lila is not only capable, but seemingly unflappable, calm and has a gun and not afraid to us it. The teenagers find her cool, little Sally trusts Lila and the adults slowly do the same. I like Lila’s personality, and Oz’s reaction to her is charming and cute. True, he can be formidable, he is a werewolf after all, but when it comes to the heroine, he’s a handsome, well-dressed lovable marshmallow.

Speaking of Sally; she’s a pivotal secondary character that is integral to the plot, mystery and pace of the story. I enjoyed how I was introduced to her, how she won the hearts of all the other characters and how helping her, helped solve a much bigger and serious plot thread.

I startled my hubby so bad when I barked out a huge HA! at the part with the shorty robe. Then I snickered. Those two sentences in that scene totally tickled my funny bone. So, yes, there is a smorgasbord of reasons to smile during this novel, so even though the fires, drama and a bit of suspense is to be taken seriously, the author managed to keep the overall feeling of the novel, upbeat.

There are truly too many points, fun parts, interesting character interactions, dialogue and surprises to do justice in explaining how much I enjoyed the story. There were a few language choices that I personally cringed at, but take them out of the picture, and A Wolf After My Own Heart is a perfect MaryJanice Davidson read. I enjoyed the first book in the series, but I like this one a lot better.

Earl to the Rescue by Jane Ashford


Earl to the Rescue by Jane Ashford
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Historical, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Romance
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Who needs a knight in shining armor when there’s an earl at your side…?

Gwendeline Gregory doesn’t know what to think when she encounters the dashing Alex St. Audley, Earl of Merryn. She’s in over her head in London Society, trying to fend off a scoundrel who will stop at nothing to ruin her. On the brink of a devastating scandal, the earl arrives just when she needs him most. But are his motivations trustworthy? And can he avert ruin for both of them?

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I’m not sure if this novel can be considered a true mystery genre, but there is mystery and there is a lot of suspense because I never know when the heroine is going to get into another scrape and how in the world is she going to be rescued and by whom? On top of that are the mysterious notes and at least one villain on the loose. Just how many people are involved with her predicaments?

Through it all is Lord Merryn. Mysterious Merryn. I couldn’t figure him out. I believe that stems from the fact that this tale is strictly told from Gwedneline’s point of view only. I had to garner whatever clues I could from his reactions to things people told him, or how he always seemed to be there, sooner or later, when the heroine needed him the most.

I couldn’t judge their attraction by passion because this was a truly sweet story. The focus was definitely on the heroine, and she eventually figures out her feelings but it’s all because of their interactions, their growing relationship as the story went on, and what the hero and heroine learned about each other throughout the novel. I wasn’t exactly confident of their growing affections being real, certainly not from the vantage point of the hero. He was most proper. Powerful to be sure, but proper, so I have to say that I think this story played out within the strictures of the society of the period. At times the pace seemed slow, bogged down by the details of daily living, then it would speed up for a while, keeping those pages flipping, until it didn’t. Completing the book wasn’t a hardship by any means; I enjoyed Gwendeline’s stubborn refusal to accept what she was told because she intuited there was more to it – and she was right. The wrap up chapter was both exciting, dramatic and brought a happy ever after closure that seemed fitting for Lord Merryn and Gwendeline.

Earl to the Rescue was a nice story filled with adventures and surprises, a sweet romance and well worth reading.