To Guard with Love by Roberta Bombonato


To Guard with Love by Roberta Bombonato
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (92 pages)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Aloe

A puppy is cute. A puppy is laughter. A puppy is joy. Simone needed the unconditional love only Enomis could provide to alleviate the constant heartache, pain, and fear permeating her life.How can a puppy save a woman from an abusive relationship and help her find the right kind of love? With heart.

He’s excited when he sees Simone come in the yard. He knows this is his human, and he goes to meet her. The breeder suggests the lady look the others over, but Simone is happy with the one that picked her. She pays the $500, then stops at a pet shop to pick up supplies. She wants the pup for company and he’s happy to fill that role.

This story is told from the puppy’s perspective; it’s his story. Animals know people and can tell if they are good or bad. Simone is good, if a bit sad. Her boyfriend, Joel, is bad. He’s abusive if he’s been drinking.

Simone is happy to see a new neighbor moving in. Gary is a nice guy and a good man. Her puppy approves and hopes Simone would get rid of Joel. She’s still trying to make it work. But when he comes home abusive and rude, Gary can see the bruises left behind.

He finds out she owns a farm and hasn’t been back since her parents died in a car crash. He convinces her to return. Take a few days away from Joel. He comes along and mows her acres of grass, helps clean out her pool, and does other chores. Once Joel finds out he’s there, he’s sure they are sleeping together. They are not but he doesn’t believe her…

This was a good read. The puppy is very defensive of his mistress, which is normal. This is also a good life lesson for anyone living with an abusive partner. They apologize, they are really sorry for what they’ve done, until the next time.

Across the Way by Mary Monroe


Across the Way by Mary Monroe
Publisher: Dafina
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (288 pgs)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Ginger

When good-time couple Milton and Yvonne Hamilton moved one house over from the respectable-but-restless Odell and Joyce Watson, it was a fast friendship of shared secrets—and secret jealousies and betrayals. Their alliance was bound to crash and burn, but the Hamiltons won’t quite let the flame die out, even after scandalous accusations get them arrested . . .

Odell would do anything to be free of his bootlegging, blackmailing, money extorting neighbors and recover the peaceful—and financially prosperous—life he and Joyce once had. But Milton and Yvonne seem to always bounce back from bad luck, and this time they’ve returned angrier, and greedier, than ever. Determined to get what Odell “owes” them, the Hamiltons have a big surprise for Joyce too, one that shows how far they will go to get revenge . . .

Now pushed past his breaking point, Odell is sure he’s got a foolproof plan to end the scheming once and for all. But it soon spirals into lies, shattering violence, and permanent damage that will roil their tranquil community, and alter his and Joyce’s world forever . . .

This is the final book in the Neighbors series. I am sad that the series has ended but the book did not disappoint. My favorite characters, Milton and Yvonne Hamilton, are still at it and perhaps they were in too deep. The story picks up after their release from jail for false charges that were brought against them. Now they are in more debt after their arrest and needing money to pay back a loan. Upstanding neighbors Odell and Joyce Watson continue to live their carefree life. I can’t remember how I felt about Odell in the previous books but I definitely don’t like his character in this book. The way he continues to lie to his wife and her family is very foul.

Milton and Yvonne are always together in their ideas and plans. That’s one reason why they are my favorite characters because in their marriage they are a team and have each others back. I think they took advantage of an opportunity by blackmailing Odell and even though it was wrong I don’t think they deserved what they got for being greedy. I was hoping they would wise up and stop with the money scams. It seemed like the more money they could get the more they wasted. I appreciate that they did try to help Joyce but their plan took a different turn. I didn’t care for Joyce’s character because she thought she was better than others, but I guess she couldn’t help it since its part of her upbringing. She was gullible and naive to the wool Odell had over her eyes. I felt sorry for her and understood her defense in speaking so harshly to Milton and especially Yvonne since Yvonne is pretty and had children something that Joyce lacked. Even though I didn’t care for Joyce I wanted her to question Odell, at least see through his lies or something to show she had some ‘girl power’.

The story ends up closing all loose ends and the ending was a surprise that I didn’t see coming. I enjoyed the characters, the story and I hope the author has more enjoyable series like this.

This is a series that I highly recommend to those that enjoy southern drama.

To Pleasure a Prince by Sabrina Jeffries


To Pleasure a Prince by Sabrina Jeffries
Publisher: Pocket Books
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (388 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Beautiful Lady Regina Tremaine has turned down so many suitors that she’s called La Belle Dame Sans Merci. The truth: she won’t marry because she carries a dark secret. She sees no good reason, however, why her brother shouldn’t court the lovely Louisa North — even if the girl’s brother, the notorious “Dragon Viscount,” objects.

Marcus North, Viscount Draker — bastard son of the Prince of Wales — is rumored to be a monster who holds women captive in his dark castle to have his way with them. He has been exiled from polite society for years. But when Lady Regina makes a plea on her brother’s behalf, Marcus proposes an outrageous deal: her brother can court Louisa so long as Marcus can court Regina. Can the beauty and the beast survive a proper courtship when the devastatingly improper passion between them threatens to cause the scandal of the century?

A marriage they don’t want, but a romance they desperately need.

I know when I pick up a book by Sabrina Jeffries that I’ll be transported to a different world and immersed in it. This book was no different. I loved reading about Regina and Marcus. I enjoyed going into their world for a few hours. The writing was crisp and drew me right in.

Regina wants to be sure her secret never gets out–she can’t read. She also wants to ensure her brother isn’t getting himself into trouble. Marcus wants to protect his sister and to prove he’s not the nasty person everyone believes him to be. How to fix this? Regina and Marcus get together. I liked their chemistry and their ability to dodge what they knew was coming–love. Regina could be a bit of a pain because she’s so determined to hide her secret. But I liked how she grew through the story. It was great to see her come into her own. Same goes for Marcus. He grew a lot, too.

If you’re looking for a tale that’s got a bit of Beauty and the Beast to it, then this might be the one for you. Recommended.

The Bachelor by Sabrina Jeffries


The Bachelor by Sabrina Jeffries
Duke Dynasty, book 2
Publisher: Zebra Books
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (288 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Lady Gwyn Drake has long protected her family’s reputation by hiding an imprudent affair from her youth. But when her former suitor appears at Armitage Hall, manhandling the heiress and threatening to go public with her secrets, it’s Gwyn who needs protecting. Her twin brother, Thorn, hires Joshua Wolfe, the estate’s gamekeeper, to keep her safe in London during her debut. As a war hero, Joshua feels obligated to fulfill the assignment he has accepted. But as a man, it’s torment to be so very close to the beauty he’s fought to ignore . . .

With handsome Joshua monitoring her every move, Gwyn would prefer to forget both the past and the parade of money-seeking bachelors at her coming out. But Joshua is unmoved by her attempts at flirtation, and the threat of blackmail still hangs over her. With danger closing in, Gwyn must decide which is the greater risk: deflecting a scoundrel’s attempts to sabotage her—or revealing her whole heart to the rugged bodyguard she can’t resist . . .

She’s got a problem and he’s the only one who can fix it, but will he?

I’m a sucker for Sabrina Jeffries books. Why? The writing is always great and I get sucked right into the story. This book was no different. I had to know what would happen to the characters. Had to.

Gwyn and Joshua are great characters. They’re both strong and confident. They have great chemistry. I have to admit there were times I got irritated with Joshua for being so bullheaded, but it made me think about him after the book ended and I love that in a story. I got emotionally involved. Then there’s Gwyn. She could be a spitfire, but she could also be a bit too pushy. I don’t know. There was something about her that grated on my nerves, but it was okay because she grew through the story. I rooted for these people to get their happy ending.

If you’re interested in a good read to fill an afternoon, with solid characters sure to stick with you after the last page, then this is the story for you. Recommended.

Hex Life by Various Authors


Hex Life: Wicked New Tales of Witchery by Various Authors, edited by Christopher Golden and Rachel Autumn Deering

Publisher: Titan Books
Genre: Contemporary, Historical, Paranormal
Length: Full length (384 pages)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Cholla

These are tales of wickedness… stories of evil and cunning, written by today’s women you should fear. Includes tales from Kelley Armstong, Rachel Caine and Sherrilyn Kenyon, writing in their own bestselling universes.

Hex Life: Wicked New Tales of Witchery will take the classic tropes of tales of witchcraft and infuse them with fresh, feminist perspective and present-day concerns–even if they’re set in the past. These witches might be monstrous, or they might be heroes, depending on their own definitions. Even the kind hostess with the candy cottage thought of herself as the hero of her own story. After all, a woman’s gotta eat.

Bring out your dread.

We’re fed the idea of the wicked witch, all dressed in black, her haggard face glaring evilly back at you, from a very young age. But what if all witches weren’t evil? What if they did what they did for a good reason? Of course, not all witches are altruistic, but what if some of them were? That’s where Hex Life comes into play. Within the collection, you’ll find all kinds of witches with all kinds of motives. Are you brave enough to take a chance?

Witches have been a favorite subject of mine for a long time. Despite the Wicked Witch of the West and all of the evil witches Disney has given us over the years, I was still drawn to them. So, when I stumbled across this anthology, I knew it was something I needed to read. I’m happy I did because it did not disappoint me in any way. The witches in Hex Life are as varied and unique as the authors writing them.

An Invitation to a Burning by Kat Howard. You go into this thinking one thing and discover it’s quite something else. An excellent way to kick off the anthology.

Widow’s Walk by Angela Slatter. This was probably my favorite of the group because it focuses around three older women, all witches, and the community they live in. It’s sort of like what would happen if Sleeping Beauty’s fairy godmothers grew to be old and bitter, but still cared for the innocent.

Black Magic Momma by Kelley Armstrong. I love her Women of the Otherworld series and getting a bit of Eve’s origin story was a nice surprise.

The Night Nurse by Sarah Langan. This was one heck of a creepy story, but I loved it. As an overwhelmed mother, I could relate to it on a personal level. However, the ending was a bit of a surprise.

The Memory of Trees by Mary SanGiovanni. An odd and, for me, a confusing, story about nature battling back against technology.

Home by Rachel Caine. I’ve always wanted to read her Morganville Vampires series so this was a nice little introduction to her writing style and some of the characters. Definitely makes me want to delve into the series more now. A bit of humor and a lot of fun.

The Deer Wife by Jennifer McMahaon. The only romantic story in the bunch, very sweet and different from your usual fare. There is a heart-stopping moment near the end that nearly made me cry, too.

The Dancer by Kristen Dearborn. I love a story with supernatural powers. I think this was less witchy and more Firestarter, but one of the best stories in the collection in my opinion. I really felt for the young girl in this as her family was creepy and abusive.

Bless Your Heart by Hillary Monahan. Nothing makes me happier than a good revenge story. Especially when the revenge is so well deserved. Bonus points for mom going to such great lengths to defend her son who is being buillied for no other reason than because he’s gay. A bit of a warning though because this one gets rather gross rather fast.

The Debt by Ania Ahlborn. This was an odd, yet intriguing story. It was very fairy tale-like in its structure, but dark and foreboding as well. The end caught me off guard, to be honest.

Toil & Trouble by Sherrilyn Kenyon and Madaug Kenyon. This one started strong and lost me about halfway through. I generally enjoy the Dark-Hunters books so I’m not sure what went wrong with this story. I’ll blame it on me though.

Last Stop on Route Nine by Tananarive Due. This wavered between alternate universes and ghost story but was wholly frightening as well. The heavy overtones of racism only added to the oppressive and scary atmosphere. One of the best in the collection.

Where Relics Go to Dream and Die by Rachel Autumn Deering. I finished this story and was left utterly confused. I’m not sure what really happened in the end, but still somehow enjoyed it. Weird, I know, but that happens to me sometimes.

This Skin by Amber Benson. What a creepy, frightening story! It’s tough being a teenager, but it has to be even tougher to be one who’s homicidal. Really enjoyed this one a lot, despite the creep factor.

Haint Me Too by Chesya Burke. Historical fiction is a huge draw for me, so finding a witchy story sed during the times of sharecroppers intrigued me. It also enraged me because of the way Shae and her family are treated by the white people in the story.

The Nekrolog by Helen Marshall. I went back and forth on this story. It was long and interesting, but I also got confused a time or two. There are a couple of point-of-view and time period changes that threw me off. But overall, it was a decent story.

Gold Among the Black by Alma Katsu. I’m a sucker for a poor waif living in a castle as staff kind of story. Every girl deserves her prince (or princess), right? Jesper was the best part of the story and I’m glad that Greta got what she deserved in the end.

How to Become a Witch-Queen by Theodora Goss. Tied with Widow’s Walk for the number one position, honestly. A unique and fun spin on Snow White that left me smiling at the end. There were so many little things about this story that made me happy. It was the perfect story to end the collection with because it left me feeling good.

Overall, the authors came together to create an exciting and varied collection of stories. They hit many time periods and genres that there’s sure to be something for everyone in this anthology. While there were a few names that drew me to this collection – Kelley Armstrong and Sherrilyn Kenyon for example – I also discovered many new-to-me authors that I’m excited to explore.

May Book of the Month Poll Winner ~ Monty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley


Monty and the Monster by Rhonda Smiley

Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Middle Grade, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (232 pages)
Age Recommendation: 12+
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

When seventh grader Monty Hyde moves for the fourth time in two years, it’s the same old story. New neighborhood, new school, new bullies, no friends. With his dad working all the time and his older brother too popular to notice, he’s the lonely outcast yet again. That is until he finds a mysterious replication serum in his basement and decides to make a friend. From scratch.

But when his creation turns out to be a stinky, hairy eight-foot-tall monster that might be eating the neighborhood kids, Monty knows he must undo his experiment. Problem is, it’s the best friend he’s ever had.

READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE!

The Dog Diet, A Memoir by Patti Lawson


The Dog Diet, A Memoir by Patti Lawson
What My Dog Taught Me About Shedding Pounds, Licking Stress and Getting a New Leash on Life
Publisher: HCI Publishers
Genre: Contemporary, Non-Fiction, Self-Help
Length: Full Length (271 pgs)
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

We live in a diet-obsessed age, when we lose five pounds just to gain ten, delude ourselves that the next exercise contraption we buy from that midnight infomercial will finally take that extra inch off our thighs, and become convinced that the latest diet fad of beet soup and goat’s milk will help us look good in a bikini. But now you can forget the Zone, Atkins and South Beach! It turns out that the ultimate weight-loss plan is owning a dog: Man (and woman’s) best friend is the fail proof personal trainer-dietician-nutritionist you’ve been looking for you all your life.

That’s just what Patti Lawson found in her dog, Sadie.

A diet-obsessed, single lawyer, Patti spent the winter indulging in multiple brands of chocolate while mourning the demise of her latest relationship. Spring found her pudgy and pitiful, when Fate – and a fortuitous trip to PetSmart – brought rascally puppy Sadie into Patti’s petless, pristine, if a bit sterile, life. Since that day life hasn’t been the same for Patti or Sadie.

A life that began together with 3:00 a.m. walks through the park, incessant barking and stolen moments of trying to eat just a crumb of breakfast without puppy-interference soon morphed into a partnership of exercise and healthy eating with the added bonus that Sadie taught Patti a thing or two about letting go and stopping to smell the roses.

A memoir-cum-diet, The Dog Diet takes a tongue-in-cheek look at our obsession with weight loss and will have you laughing out loud as you recognize your own dysfunctional relationship with food. In the process you’ll learn a simple and natural method for shedding unwanted pounds without the usual stress and disappointments that go along with typical dieting regimens.

A dog, a diet and the drive.

I picked up this book because I wanted to read about someone’s journey with their dog. A journey to a better them. I’ll be honest, on the surface, this is a cute book. Girl has problems in life, girl thinks she’s at rock bottom, girl gets dog. Life looks up and she’s happy. The writing is paced well and I wanted to learn more about the author and Sadie, her dog.

But things went a tad off the rails for me. I totally understood the author’s hesitancy to get a dog. Some people aren’t dog people. There’s no crime in saying you’re not a pet person. The dog grew on her. Again, I get it. Sometimes you don’t know what you can do until you’re tasked to do it. Where this took some turns I wasn’t expecting and wasn’t a fan of involved how she crated the dog at night. It’s a personal thing. Some readers might not be bothered. I was. Then there was the diet aspect of the book. The lengths this author went to find quiet food so the dog wouldn’t know she was eating was a little odd. Dogs have keen hearing. I swear they know when you’re thinking about opening something to eat and show up. Some of her diet advice was interesting, too. Her advice involved, in a nutshell, moving around before you eat. Cool, but you have to go with the dog’s schedule–at least I do. The author wrote like these discoveries, like not getting your coffee until the dog has eaten and pottied, were revelations. Maybe I’ve had dogs for so long this was all second nature. I don’t know. I thought this would be more of a memoir and that was the part I liked the best.

I did like the book, though. I liked reading about her travels with Sadie, the author’s being slowly won over by the dog and how the author came to realize dogs are work, but they’re not nearly as bad as she thought. The author’s stories and way of writing were crisp, so check this book out. It might be just what you’re looking for.

The Summer of Guinevere by John V. Madormo


The Summer of Guinevere by John V. Madormo
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press, Inc
Genre: Historical
Length: Full length (244 pages)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Ginger

Paulie Passero, underachiever, high school junior, wants the courage to talk to a girl. A road trip from Chicago to rural Pennsylvania doesn’t interest him until his father emphasizes the need for a second driver. Why must they go? Paulie’s dying grandmother disowned her son twenty years ago, and fences must be mended. Unprepared for Smalltown USA, Paulie is bored at first but notices a girl in the back of a passing pickup and is immediately enamored.

Guinevere Thompson lives just down the road from Paulie’s grandparents. She wants nothing to do with him. It’s not that she doesn’t like him; she likes him too much to see him beaten up by her three nasty brothers…or worse, her father.

Paulie yearns to help this troubled girl escape the clutches of an abusive father, but will his interference only cause her more harm?

What sixteen year old is thinking about 1968 world events? Not Paulie Passero.

When I first started reading this book my thoughts were, oh no a sixteen-year-old boy that’s girl crazy, I’m not sure if this is the book for me,  a forty-six-year-old female. I am so glad that I continued reading. This book is so much more than a sixteen year old being crazy over every cute girl he sees. This book is about family …dysfunctional, abnormal, broken families. Paulie has only heard about his dad’s side of the family and, this summer, he’s about to take a road trip from Chicago to Pennsylvania with a dad who he’s not that close with.

I thoroughly enjoyed the author’s writing. I looked forward to each chapter to see what Paulie was getting into. Following Paulie’s point of view through out the book was well written from a teen’s point of view. Though the topics of the book are a variety of deep subject matter, Paulie’s personality adds in a taste of humor. I think the storyline is unique and very well told. I felt that the author gave a lot in making the story so full of lively characters and events. I enjoyed seeing Paulie’s growth. He stared out as an unpopular kids with one friend, and mediocre grades. Now he is being faced with meeting a family he doesn’t know, in a small town where everyone knows everybody. The first day he lay eyes on Guinevere Thompson, a girl who has three mean and bullying brothers and a evil father.

As the story advances I was proud of Paulie at the end. He went from a guy who didn’t have a voice around girls to standing up to bullies, taking chances on being punished by his dad for not listening. Paulie matured into a teenager with courage and heart. Though the book is told by a teen and about a teen, the story evokes subject matter that may not be suitable for teens. The subject matter, though hard to digest I think is what set the book apart from other teen love stories. I would like to read more about Paulie as he adjusted to his return home. You’ll miss a great experience if you don’t read this book.

Running out of Time: The Disease by Elisabeth Martin


Running out of Time: The Disease by Elisabeth Martin
Publisher: Jopoto Publishing
Genre: Time Travel, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary, Historical
Length: Short Story (54 pages)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Lavender

“After a global pandemic and the loss of those closest to me, i used a time machine to try and save the world before we run out of time. There’s a problem. One wrong move can cause a ripple effect and harm rather than help.” James

James didn’t want to see his partner die like this.

But, when a mysterious disease comes and wipes out over half the human race, including his long-term partner, he knows what he must do. When he travels back in time though, James realizes that the actions he does do affect the future. But, will he be able to understand and work through all this?

It’s a race against time, against the actions he does, and when James realizes who the real patient zero is, he knew for a fact that the future would be determined by whatever move he’d make next.

Will James figure out how to eliminate the threat in a humane way? And will the actions he does really change the future for the better?

With his time machine he built as a hobbyist project years ago, James has the power to travel through time, but what he doesn’t realize, is that sometimes, when the past changes, the future can get a whole hell of a lot worse as well.

This is the first in a series of time-travel books and has the exciting and scary premise of trying to survive a global pandemic. A man, James, figures out a way to go back in time when he sees so many people around him dying. Humanity is in serious trouble. He must go back and find patient zero but then kill her. If anything with his plan goes wrong, the consequences are unthinkable.

When James goes after the unfortunate young lady at the root of this, people do not know his real motive and go after him. James can feel time breathing down his neck. His adventures into the past are interesting, and the people he recruits are important to his end goal. It’s a short story, but we get to know some of the characters enough to worry for them and their future. This story is painted with inventive details that push the plot forward. The world building is well done, and the moral questions brought up will have one thinking. Even if James succeeds in his task, will the future really change for the better? That is another sticky question.

This quick read was entertaining and worth a look for fans of time-travel stories.

Swimming Without a Net by Mary Janice Davidson


Swimming Without a Net by Mary Janice Davidson
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (281 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

As Fred the Mermaid tries to fit in with her own kind, she finds herself hooked on both Artur, the High Prince of the undersea realm, and Thomas, a hunky marine biologist. She’s also caught between two factions of merfolk: those happy with swimming under the radar-and those who want to bring their existence to the surface.

There’s quirky and then there’s Fred. She’s one in a million.

I’ve read other Mary Janice Davidson books and liked them. When I saw this one about merfolk, I had to read it. I wanted to see what twist this author would do on the mermaid trope. The writing style is fluid and kept my attention. I read this one over the course of two afternoons. I didn’t want to put it down, but I had other things to do, so such is life.

That said, Fred, the heroine, isn’t going to be for everyone. She’s blunt, mean and tough. She took a lot of getting used to and to be honest, I wasn’t rooting for her. She said what she felt and didn’t seem to care if she upset anyone. I’m glad she was ballsy, but man…she could be a handful. I wasn’t sure who she’d end up with and the ending wasn’t as satisfying to me as I might have liked, but other readers might love it.

If you want another twist on the merfolk theme, then give this one a try. It’s worth the read.