Her’s to Tame by Rhenna Morgan

March 24, 2020 By Leave a Comment


Her’s to Tame by Rhenna Morgan
NOLA Knights Book 2
Publisher: Carina Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (352 pages)
Other: M/F
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Honeysuckle

As an avtoritet for the most powerful crime syndicate in New Orleans, Kir Vasilek doesn’t act without purpose, doesn’t speak without thought and never, ever loses his cool. The lives of his brothers, his family, depend on it. But then Cassie McClintock strolls back into his life, and staying cool is next to impossible. Cassie was the one who got away—and Kir is willing to break all his own rules to keep it from happening ever again.

It’s one thing to report on the Russian mafia; it’s quite another to sleep with one of them, especially one as dangerous, and as sinfully sexy, as Kir Vasilek. Even though the information he once provided helped make her career—and the memory of his touch still keeps her up at night—Cassie knows too much about his world to go down that path.
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But when Kir reaches out for help after a rival family comes for one of his own, Cassie doesn’t want to say no, either to investigating a gruesome murder or to the heat that pulls her right back into his arms…and his heart. Taming Kir—and helping to save the family she’s come to call her own—is not the story she thought she’d write, but it’s the one she’s determined will get a happy ending.

Cassie has an eye for photography and and nose for news stories. One of those just might get her killed.

After reading book one of the NOLA Knights books, I couldn’t wait to dive it to Cassie and Kir’s story. There’s just something about those Bratva brothers but Kir’s backstory is just extra good, in a heart wrenching way. I loved Cassie too and was thankful she had an Aunt Frieda in her corner.

The story flows very well and I thought it was super clever how the author sprinkled in clues that didn’t even appear to be clues until towards the end. It all comes together in a pretty neat package with one or two red herrings to make it extra interesting. I didn’t expect the explanation and that’s a good thing. I like it when the author surprises me as long it makes sense.

Kir is just the right side of protective and it’s was good to see Cassie not immediately run from it. She’s really just a cool character and someone who I was happy to see Kir claim. And claim her he does. As with book one in the series, the bond is almost tangible but not actually paranormal. Two halves of a whole, magnet to steel.

I gave a little squeal when I realized that I got to meet Roman’s intended for book three. That book can’t be released fast enough! He’s one of those ‘still waters run deep’ kind of men and she’s totally going to get him stirred up in all the right ways!

This is a Russian mafia romance that doesn’t stray into the dark too much. It’s touching and hot and well worth the read.

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

His to Defend by Rhenna Morgan

March 19, 2020 By Leave a Comment


His to Defend by Rhenna Morgan
NOLA Knights Book 1
Publisher: Carina Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full length (384 pages)
Other: M/F
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Honeysuckle

His world. His rules. Her love.

Though his methods may be rough, when it comes to protecting what’s his, Russian vor Sergei Petrovyh’s heart is always in the right place. That’s never been more true than when the gorgeous Evette Labadie asks him for a job. He knows enough to keep his hands off someone as beloved by the locals as Evie, but there’s something about her that calls to him—no matter how badly he burns to make her his.

Don’t think Evie hasn’t noticed the powerful Russian mafia boss who makes her favorite diner a regular stop. How can she not? He’s as hot as his reputation is dangerous. But everyone in her struggling New Orleans neighborhood knows he’s the man to turn to. And right now she needs money to get her son out of trouble.
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Her other needs—needs she knows damn well Sergei can more than satisfy—will have to wait.

Evie soon finds herself playing Cinderella to a man who, despite what people believe, is definitely more prince than villain. She can’t help falling deeper in love with each passing day. But when a turf war between Sergei and a rival brings violence to her doorstep, Evie must come to grips with loving a man who will do anything to defend her…or walk away from her best chance at a happily-ever-after of her very own.

“She was his weakness. But she was also his redemption.” They should avoid one another at all costs but that isn’t going to happen. Once he has a taste, she’s his to defend but also his to cherish. He’s more than capable of both.

I’ve read a bunch of Russian mafia stories and each author has their own take on what it’s like to be part of “the family”. Some go super dark where women are essentially owned. That can be interesting but I think I prefer Ms Morgan’s view. More of an old school “we just want to own the neighborhood and collect on debts, while not-so-secretly skirting just outside the law” trope.

Don’t get me wrong, Sergei isn’t a good person. He’s an unapologetic criminal but he’s also loyal and protective of his family. When he declares Evette and Emerson to be family, it’s a big deal and I loved how he integrates them into his life. What was equally awesome to watch was how his personality changed because of Evette and Emerson. She’s pretty tough for a ray of sunshine!

This isn’t a paranormal book but there’s definitely a sense of magic in the chemistry that flows between Sergei and Evette. It was flavored and tangible. Real and powerful.

You can’t have a mafia story without there being someone who thinks they’re bigger and badder, or at the very least smarter, trying to make a name for themselves. Bad idea when the real big bad has something to protect. Don’t underestimate Sergei or his Bratva family. There literally isn’t much these guys wouldn’t do to protect what they consider “Mine”. I can’t wait to read Kir and Roman’s books!

Readers who love the dark side just a little too much should absolutely pick up a copy of His To Defend. Hot protective men who live for family and love with every fiber of their being. They’ll make a girl want to take a walk on the dark side, too.

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

Monster in My Closet by R.L. Naquin

July 19, 2016 By Leave a Comment

MONSTER
Monster in My Closet by R.L. Naquin
Publisher: Carina Press
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal
Length: Full Length (220 pgs)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

I stopped believing in monsters long ago. But I knew I wasn’t imagining things when I found one in my kitchen baking muffins. I’d seen him before: lurking in my closet, scaring the crap out of my five-year-old self. Turns out that was a misunderstanding, and now Maurice needs a place to stay. How could I say no?

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Monster in my Closet is addicting. It’s a happy novel with a dark edge and it tells the story of an ordinary woman who finds out she’s extraordinary. As soon as she accepts the truth, the paranormal world comes at her like a supernova, exploding all her misconceptions of reality and making her life richer, complicated and, in good and bad ways, exciting. Taking the ride with Zoey, the heroine, is worth every flip of the page, every chapter and every moment spent discovering just how mysterious and unconventional her life will become.

The reason why I called this book happy is because for all the death that visits people she likes in the story, she comes to the realization that she truly isn’t a loner after all. She has people who care about her, love her, want to protect her and she can count on them for back up. Plus she loves them back and does sweet, thoughtful, helpful and caring things automatically for anyone she can. Her positive vibes and enthusiastic urges to do good deeds are what endeared her to me, but it also made the evil conflict that much more effective, stark and shocking.

This is an actually a sweet romance because any physical aspects of romance between Zoey and Riley were relegated to wishing, hoping and a peck. The sensual does not come from anything Zoey does with her new potential boyfriend, but from the descriptions involving the succubus, Sebastian. He’s a nasty piece of work and because he’s an evil sex demon, there were some descriptions of his kissing and other things with his victims and with Zoey a time or two, but none of it was romantic in the least. The romance between heroine and possible hero is sweet, but for the interactions with the demon they were anything but. He was super creepy.

The book is told in first person point of view and the author did it so well, I was sucked into the story faster than quicksand. Ms. Naquin’s storytelling voice is a winner.

The world building in this novel is stellar and is fascinating. Sight unseen, I’ll be buying the next book in the series because I’m so impressed with Monster in My Closet. If the writing continues to be strong, vibrant, entertaining and effective, and Zoey and Riley’s relationship continues to grow like it seems to hint at, then any book afterwards is a lure I can’t resist. I enjoyed meeting Zoey and her growing paranormal family and highly recommend this to other readers looking for something fresh, easy to read and thoroughly engaging. It’s a winner.

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

Murder in Mystic Cove by Daryl Anderson

October 7, 2014 By 1 Comment

COVE
Murder in Mystic Cove by Daryl Anderson
Publisher: Carina Press
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (362 Pages)
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

Guarding the manicured wilds of an exclusive retirement community might seem like exile to a homicide cop. But Addie Gorsky moved to Florida to live with her ailing father, not to chase criminals. In fact, her new job as head of Mystic Cove security is a nice break from all the big-city bloodshed.

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urrounded by secretive, tight-lipped residents, Addie soon finds herself hip-deep in a mystery as tangled as cypress roots–and directly in the sights of a cool, clever killer who has no compunction about killing again…

Addie Gorsky has moved to Florida to take care of her dying father and also to escape from her own past as a homicide detective. The only job she can land is that of security officer in the gated community of Mystic Cove. She becomes the head of the security force, but she really doesn’t want to deal with a murder. However, when she finds the most despised resident murdered, she gets caught up in trying to find out “whodunit”.

Addie is a very complex character, with many facets to her personality, and I really liked her a lot. Her father describes her well when he says, “I called you ruthless, . . And I stand by that, but you are also compassionate.” She has a great deal to cope with even without the murder, and she handles it all with intelligence and determination.

The plot is very complex and I didn’t have it solved until Addie did. There are a number of interesting characters residing in Mystic Cove and a wealth of secrets. Gossip abounds so it is hard to know where the truth lies, but Addie doesn’t accept easy or obvious answers.

There are several supporting characters who really add to the depth and believability of the story. Addie’s father contributes his experience as a cop as well as his knowledge of what makes Addie tick. He knows when to push and when to listen. The sheriff is antagonistic at first, but he and Addie both develop a respect for the other’s abilities and strengths. While the story is definitely a fast paced exciting mystery, it is much more than that, thanks to the depth of the characters and their interactions.

Mystery lovers are sure to find a hit in Murder in Mystic Cove, and I really hope that Addie has many more cases ahead of her.

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

Ice Red by Jael Wye

January 24, 2014 By 1 Comment

RED
Ice Red by Jael Wye
Publisher: Carina Press, Harlequin Enterprises Ltd
Genre: Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (166 pages)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: Best Book
Reviewed by Orchid

Mirror, mirror, full of stars,
Who will claim the throne of Mars?

The princess: Engineer Bianca Ross, heir to a megacorporation and the Mars elevator, needs to acquire a mine on the surface to secure her place in the company. All that stands in her way is the mine’s charming owner, Cesare Chan.

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The charming prince: Cesare shouldn’t get involved. Bianca’s visit could reveal the escaped slaves he’s hiding at his mine, but he can’t ignore a damsel in distress—especially one as beautiful as Bianca.

Alone, neither would stand a chance against Victoria. But together, they could rewrite a tale that’s meant to end with Bianca’s blood.

This book has all the ingredients needed for a space adventure and fairy story. A beautiful princess (in her father’s eyes), a wicked stepmother, a gorgeous antagonist who stirs the princess’ senses and it all takes place on Eris Space Elevator Station hanging above the planet Mars, or below on the planet’s surface.

I truly could not put this book down. It fascinated me. I needed to know not only what the outcome would be, but how this would be achieved.

Bianca’s father leaves the stepmother Victoria in control while he jaunts off to Earth for three years. Bianca is a extremely well qualified engineer and has a lot of shares of her own in the Star Line Elevator company, but Victoria has poured verbal poison into her husband’s ears, telling him Bianca needs to learn a lot more about the business. Bianca is sent down to Mars to oversee the acquisition of RedIce mines, but in reality Victoria wants her stepdaughter out of the way while she works her evil way with the Mars government.

Cesare Chan son of the owner of RedIce Mines is gorgeous but the air sparkles with tension between him and Bianca. I found their interaction very amusing as both points of view were given and their beliefs at times led to amusing conflicts between them. Bianca learns all is not sweetness and light with her father’s company and Victoria turns out to be much more of a threat than anticipated. Cesare tries to believe the space princess will help him keep his company, but history between RedIce and Starline make it difficult for him to believe this.

The author has done a wonderful job of explaining the workings of a mine on Mars. You don’t need to be a space fanatic or an engineer to see what the characters are doing. Minor characters are woven into the story so I could see them without any deep descriptions being given. This is a gift not many authors have. The story bowled me along keeping up with my eagerness to find out more about the characters and plot. Definitely a keeper in my books.

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

Unexpectedly You by Lily Santana

October 4, 2013 By 8 Comments

UnexpectedlyYou
Unexpectedly you by Lily Santana
Publisher: Carina Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full (168 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rated: 3.5 Stars
Review by Poppy

Emma LeFleur’s vintage beach home is close to foreclosure. With a business struggling to take off, she has no choice but to turn to her neighbor, sexy and arrogant real estate investor Mitch McKenna—the man whose reputation she’s spent the past six months pulverizing.

Mitch offers her a deal that will save them both: if she’ll convince her neighbors that she’s 100% behind his controversial condo project he’ll save her home. As a prominent leader in the community, Emma’s the only one who can help him salvage the project and keep his employees from getting laid off.

But the chemistry between Emma and Mitch burns surprisingly hot, complicating their deal in a way neither had anticipated. Mitch unearths the long-buried siren within Emma, who’d forgotten how good it is to feel sexy, alive.
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As Emma begins to turn public opinion in Mitch’s favor, she’s drawn to him in a way she can’t deny. And Mitch finds himself wanting to prove to Emma that he’s not the player she thinks he is….

I’m a sucker for a small town romance and author Lily Santana has done a bang-up job with all the things that make these types of stories so rich.

Emma is a young widow in her thirties with a daughter about to enter college. She’s struggling to let go of her husband (still has his things, for instance, and really hasn’t jumped back into the dating pool). Everyone is trying to “help” from her daughter to the rest of the town, while also reminding her what a great guy her late husband was. Too bad they don’t know how badly in debt he left his wife and daughter!

Emma was a character I was really ambivalent about. I felt how real she was, and how very emotional. But there was the problem: she was frequently over-the-top emotional, given to yelling, impetuous actions, jumping to conclusions and the occasional tantrum. It made it difficult for me to really like her because I spent much of the book wanting to shake some sense into her. She loves and hates in huge amounts and it must be exhausting to be her.

Our hero, Mitch, was a bit more settled, at least on the outside. Oh, he feels some exceptionally strong emotions in the story, but manages to keep them mostly under control. I liked Mitch and that may have been a reason I wasn’t as fond of Emma (at least in the beginning) as I wanted to be. Because she did NOT like him, and went out of her way to make sure no one liked the man.

I loved the secondary characters, even the ones I didn’t like so well. The author really has a handle on the small town feel, the busy-bodies, the way everyone is in everyone else’s business. This is what really made the story for me. It’s everything I look for in a romance like this.

Honestly, I really admired the author’s overall skill. Her writing is clear and descriptive. I could see the town, the buildings, the scenery and the characters were all unique and three-dimensional. If not for the difficulty I had warming up to Emma, this would have been a much higher rated story. I have the very talented Lily Santana on my watch list and will absolutely check out whatever she releases next.

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

The Seduction Hypothesis by Delphine Dryden

October 2, 2013 By Leave a Comment

HYPOTHESIS
The Seduction Hypothesis by Delphine Dryden
Publisher: Carina Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (153 pgs)
Other: BDSM, M/F, Anal Sex, Fetish, Toys, Spanking, Voyeurism
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Thistledown

Wildlife biologist Lindsey thought attending a fan convention with her new boyfriend Ben was a great idea–until their relationship imploded. Lindsey still lusts after her ex–but if he wants her, he’s going to have to prove he can give her what she needs.

Ben will do anything to win Lindsey back, and when he sees her in her skimpy black vinyl convention getup, he realizes what she’s been craving all along. And he’s inspired to finally give in to his own dark desire to take complete sexual control…

Lindsey is surprised by her reaction to Ben’s kinky new seduction techniques, and suddenly sees the brilliant but boring code guru in a different light. After several erotic encounters in hotel rooms and stairwells, she’s falling for him all over again. And wondering if the intimate connection will last once they head home…

When Lindsey makes arrangements to go to BeastCon with a group of friends, she didn’t plan on her ex being along for the ride.
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Being cooped up in an RV from Houston to Phoenix is close quarters, especially if one is there with a group of nerdy scientist types and one very moody ex-boyfriend. Lindsey tries to keep her distance from Ben, but he is determined to fix what went wrong in their relationship. The only problem is, Lindsey has had her fill of Ben starting and stopping every project in his life, including her. She is having none of it. She came to see her favorite comic book series, Balls ‘n’ Chain brought to life and that is what she is sticking with. It shouldn’t matter that she feels every smoldering gaze Ben gives her. Nope. Not at all. This road trip is about as awkward as it gets and Lindsey tries to focus on anything but the brooding presence sitting just a few feet away.

Ben is frustrated with himself. He walked away from Lindsey just when their relationship was getting to the point of becoming serious and he hates himself for it. Lindsey was getting into the kink when he turned tail and ran and now he can’t figure out what to do with his object of misery so close and yet so far. As he watches Lindsey and hears what she and the rest of their friends are talking about, things begin to click in place, setting this trip up to be much more than a vacation to a comic convention.

This book annoyed me at first. I’ll be honest. I hated Ben’s character and felt he was a whiny jerk who didn’t deserve Lindsey at all. In fact, I felt that way through half of the book. I like my male characters to have some maturity and Ben just didn’t. The boy did learn, however and much to my surprise and happiness, the book really took off for me. Going to a comic convention where the comic is a BDSM based theme is pretty awesome. The costume contest was even better. As the characters get into their roles and Lindsey becomes “Sub Red,” Ben sees who she is trying to become and is totally turned on. Lindsey is too, but has some reservations. Ben just doesn’t have the spark of a Dom. He knows it and so does she. So, what does any good scientist do? Research and more research. This is where things get really fun.

Rounding out the story experience, the comic convention was a riot. Author Delphine Dryden uses humor, great scene development and had me dreaming of actually going to a convention. Absolutely funny, but with some down to earth scenarios that really made the story pop-what do you do when you are pretty sure that your lover isn’t going to stick with you after the weekend? With Lindsey, this is a real problem. She gave her heart to Ben once and when things turn hot and heavy with some hot sex and a visit to a local toy shop, can she count on him to stick around long enough plan a future? She wants to trust in this newly developing Dom side of Ben’s but her head won’t let her.

This book takes a comic convention and flips it on its ear with some hot sexy BDSM scenes of the light variety, some smexier closed door moments between Ben and Lindsey that include some anal play, spanking, hot stairwell sex and more lead to a future that holds promise as Ben begins to emerge as a Dom that has what it takes to make his woman happy in the shackles.

A great read and I can’t wait to read more of this series!

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

Promises Made Under Fire by Charlie Cochrane

March 11, 2013 By Leave a Comment

FIRE

Promises Made Under Fire by Charlie Cochrane
Publisher: Carina Press
Genre: Historical
Length: Short Story (63 pgs)
Other: M/M
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Cactus

France, 1915

Lieutenant Tom Donald envies everything about fellow officer Frank Foden–his confidence, his easy manner with the men in the trenches, the affectionate letters from his wife. Frank shares these letters happily, drawing Tom into a vicarious friendship with a woman he’s never met. Although the bonds of friendship forged under fire are strong, Tom can’t be so open with Frank–he’s attracted to men and could never confess that to anyone.

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Sometimes a letter is enough to get you through a war. Set during WWI, fellow officers Tom Donald and Frank Foden strike up a friendship. Tom loves to hear about the various letters Frank gets, from his mother and aunt as well as from his loyal wife, Veronica. When Frank is tragically killed during a skirmish, his last wishes are for Frank to deliver two letters, one to his mother and another to a friend named Ronnie. Tom soon figures out there is no Veronica, only Frank’s lover Ronnie. Ronnie and Tom begin to write to each other as Frank and Ronnie did, something Tom clings to during the harsh times of war.

Promises Made Under Fire is a sweet historical romance with no explicit sex. The main character, Tom, is engaging and much older than his mere twenty-three years would seem. Struggling to carve a life and relationship for himself amid serving in a seemingly never-ending war, Tom is at first shocked to discover Frank’s double life. As he learns more about Frank and Ronnie, Tom maybe wants some of that love and companionship as well. The novella is a lovely, lyrically written tale about a young man in search of romance. However, it’s not as simple as that either. The characters of Tom and Frank are fully three dimensional and interesting from the start.

The story uses several clever antics including the letters between Tom and Ronnie. This really shows how the two men develop their own relationship without the specter of dead Frank. There’s no explicit sex but enough euphemisms to get the idea. Although the relationship between Tom and Ronnie feels a bit forced, it has a charm and romance that’s appealing. More than that, the writing is so engaging from the very start. There’s a lovely sense of old world elegance in the prose, even amid war, death, and dying.

Although this is a shorter novella, it’s easy to recommend. It’s a perfect blend of historical, sweet romance, and charming writing.

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