Securing His Mate by Laura M. Baird

February 10, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Securing His Mate by Laura M. Baird
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Paranormal
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Moonflower

A vow to his ailing mother gives Grizzly shifter, Micah, six months to find his mate, or he and his brothers lose their family’s land. He can’t contemplate a lifelong bond, but one tease of Nicolette’s enticing scent has him and his bear ready to do what it takes to make her his.

Nicolette and her sister are all each other have in the world so she protects their existence by living a sedate life. A chance encounter with the charming Micah has her rethinking her decisions.

But how will she view him when she learns he’s a shifter and her only experience with that world led to heartache?
Micah offers love and security, but can he convince her their bond is meant to be?

* * *

He’s reluctant to face his destiny.
She’s protected herself from more heartache.
Their bond will prove fate doesn’t make mistakes.

Vows are not meant to be broken – so Micah has to find his Mate with only one month left of the time limit given.

This is the fifth and final book in the Shifter Mail-Order Brides series, so all the other brothers have found their Mates, leaving only Micah, the youngest, left. He is fed up with the whole thing but will do his duty. He has no idea how though until he runs into Nicolette. Then he knows what he must do.

This is a typical fast-read paranormal. See Mate. Sniff Mate. Want to mate Mate. Boom! And, of course, the Mate takes it in stride. Okay, so maybe Nicolette has a wobble, but trust me, she takes it quite easy considering rape and murder were on the cards just a few minutes before.

This is a quick read at only 91 pages, so don’t expect anything too deep. However, if you are wanting a fast story that makes you smile at the HEA then I can absolutely recommend this one.

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

Bury Your Past by J M Dalgliesh

February 9, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Bury Your Past by J M Dalgliesh
Publisher: Hamilton Press
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Fern

A secret worth dying for is a secret worth killing…

When a violent storm uncovers the remains of an unknown young woman, long buried among the sand dunes, DI Tom Janssen must piece together fragmentary evidence to determine how she came to be there.

In the years she lay undiscovered several young women have disappeared and as the team work through the possibilities they come to an uncomfortable conclusion… is a serial killer stalking coastal Norfolk? Each missing person had a story. Each of them had enemies. Some were more dangerous than others…

They appealed to the same men, dabbled in the occult and came to the attention of powerful figures who would brush them aside without a second thought. But who had the motivation to kill? Where is the killer now? When the past is brought into the light will they be willing to ensure their closely guarded secrets remain buried?

To do so, they will have to kill again…

Set within the mysterious beauty of coastal Norfolk, this fast-paced British detective novel is a dark murder mystery with a little humour, one that will keep you guessing until the very end when the final shocking twist is revealed.

DI Tom Janssen has settled back very well into life in Norfolk. His police work keeps him busy but isn’t hectic and he tries to spend more time with his partner Alice and Alice’s young daughter Saffy. When a huge storm passes through the coastal town the skeletal remains of what appears to be a young woman buried in the sand at a popular part of the beach shocks the locals. But this body appears to be just one of a few missing young women and something far more sinister.

This is the second book in the Hidden Norfolk series by Dalgliesh and I admit I quite enjoyed it for the most part. This story can definitely be read as a standalone – only a brief mention is made of the fact that DCI Tamara Greave was brought on to help work with Tom on a previous case together. Aside from the facts that they know each other, have worked together once before and there’s a small bit of attraction (carefully hidden on both sides) nothing else is needed or stated and so this entire story stands really well by itself, and I feel readers should feel quite confidant in picking up this book without reading the previous one.

While I admit the slight attraction between Tom and Tamara is very much downplayed by both characters and indeed from outward appearances they try to not even show or express it – this was the only part of the story that niggled at me a little. Tom is already in a committed romantic relationship with Alice and so it felt odd to me that there was some level of attraction between Tom and Tamara. This was all done very subtly and was realistic (even extremely happily connected people feel attraction to another person now and then) but it still struck a very odd tune to me, personally, and while I didn’t dislike it, it was something I found uneasy to read – partly I think because I wanted this to be a fairly straightforward police procedural mystery and also partly because it’s highly unusual for one of the heroines of the story to not be feeling (even hiding those feelings) in a very heroic manner.

That said, this was all very subtle and effectively had nothing much at all to do with the murder mystery, which truly was the main thrust of the storyline as a whole. Excepting this attraction between Tom and Tamara I felt the entirety of the rest of the story was really well handled. I thoroughly enjoyed the cast of secondary characters who were all drawn in for various reasons into the investigation and were all locals of the small coastal town. I enjoyed seeing Eric again and feel he will in the next book or two be a very strong presence as his detective and police skills grow by leaps and bounds. I also enjoyed that the plot was twisty enough to engage my mind but not so convoluted I couldn’t keep track of all the threads. I feel the author did an exceptional job balancing the plot and pacing and once I got going, I read the book quite quickly and really thoroughly enjoyed it.

Readers wanting a British style, police procedural mystery should find this really suits their mood. While a little gritty I definitely don’t feel this is too dark or edgy and I am looking forward to the next in the series.

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

Cromby’s Axiom by Gary J. Kirchner

February 8, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Cromby’s Axiom by Gary J. Kirchner
Publisher: FriesenPress
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Action/Adventure
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Before we were all connected, before we were The Hive, there was individualism, privacy, ‘personal space’ . . . so quaint, so unnecessary . . . so dangerous . . .

TOMMY PIERRE ANTIKAGAMAC, a star quarterback, is the most followed player in the world’s most popular sport: American football. While off-season training in the unpopulated European Fallowlands, he abruptly finds himself detached from the Hive. Agonizingly alone in his head for the first time in his life, he panics, becomes hopelessly lost, and then is captured by a fringe group of anti-Hive saboteurs. The Freemen, as they call themselves, have concocted an audacious plan to “cataclysmically disrupt the brain of the Hive,” and Tommy may just be the key they need to make it successful.

But Tommy’s arrival among the Freemen is not as serendipitous as it may appear. Neither he nor his captors suspect that it is not the terrorists, but Tommy, who is the threat to the Hive. And the Hive has ways of protecting itself.

Nature is a healing influence.

While I can’t go into specific detail about the numerous plot twists in this novel for spoiler reasons, I can say that nearly all of them caught me by surprise. There were so many additional layers to Tommy’s unexpected adventure that I never would have guessed when I first met him. It was delightful to slowly discover them and try to figure out what might be in store for him next. Generally, I can predict science fiction storylines much better than I was able to predict this one. Being kept on my toes so often was wonderful, and it makes me curious to see what Mr. Kirchner might write next.

There were times when I found myself wishing the character development had been stronger. Yes, this was a fast-paced, plot-driven story, but I never got to know the characters as well as I would have liked to. I could describe Tommy’s personality and interests fairly well, but I would struggle to do the same for the rest of the cast. If this hadn’t been the case, I would have been happy to go for a five-star rating as everything else was quite well done.

The world building was excellent. I was impressed with how the author explained enough to keep my interest in the first several chapters while also leaving plenty of plot twists and revelations to share later on once the main character had begun to adjust to his abrupt separation from the Hive and the new life he’d been thrust into. This isn’t an easy balance to achieve at all, and I tip my cap to him for pulling it off. He couldn’t have done a better job of making my reading experience immersive and memorable.

Cromby’s Axiom was a wild ride!

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

Man for the Morning by EC Sheedy

February 8, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Man for the Morning by EC Sheedy
Salt Spring Island Friends Book 2
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

If you can’t fall in love in Paris . . .

Single mother, Lynn McDonald, is on the trip of a lifetime. She’s in Paris! And she’s keen to see and feel everything wondrous in the incomparable City of Light. The only thing not on her exciting itinerary is romance.

Nor is it on the list of acclaimed film director Paul Severns . . .

With too many women and one too many marriages in his past, Paul is alone and plans to stay that way. No more love games. No more risky relationships. When a friend asks him to greet a woman at the airport, he obliges. No big deal. He’ll pick her up, settle her in her hotel, and be gone. Instead, he’s instantly captivated by Lynn’s vivid personality, direct green-eyed gaze, and her generous and unselfish spirit.

What Paul lacks in emotional courage, Lynn, as a widow and mother to a challenged son, has in abundance. She believes deeply in the power of love and with reason. Only love sustained her through loss and years of solitude.

Paul offers to show her Paris, but after a few days in her company, he asks her to spend a weekend with him in the French countryside. No games. No risk. He tells himself—and Lynn—his offer is for nothing more than some pleasant days and uncomplicated sex. No strings attached.

He doesn’t expect Lynn to go along with it. But she does. And she packs some strings…

This story has a very different flavor than the previous book, California Man. In Man for the Morning, I found a romance that was very up front, challenging and open. I liked that the internal conflict plagued the hero, and the heroine was the one that wasn’t afraid to try, to dream, to hope for the best, even if there was the possibility of pain from it ending. The journey was one she wanted to take. Lynn’s confidence, optimism, pragmatic acceptance, hope, joy and life smarts impressed me. The most important facet of Lynn’s character was motherhood, her love and fierceness in defense of her son, James. She never gave up, she gave it her all and because of her love and dedication, James, even with the brain damage from a car accident when he was a kid made life problematic, she fought for him tooth and nail and the fruits of that is a young man capable of doing everything the doctors said he’d never do. That kind of person, who gives and truly cares is what the hero, Paul, needs and at the same time is afraid of. Yet, he can’t stay away. Lynn stayed true to herself, and I think that’s what got under the hero’s defenses. It was a great story.

Also, this is a spicy story. But the author chose to let a reader know her characters first. For example, why Paul is damaged, what made them so good together, how they clicked and what they each made the other feel; those are the kinds of things that allows a reader to connect to the main characters. By the time the bedroom door opens up, a reader knows that Lynn and Paul are perfect for the other. I cared that Paul should find happiness. I liked that small window of interaction between Lynn’s son James, and Paul. It was a nice touch and pivotal. I liked that Lynn didn’t act like a typical drama queen. She didn’t need theatrics to get her point across, nor does she play games. Paul has no doubts about Lynn’s attraction for him. I liked that the author has Lynn melt for him, even when he messes up, she doesn’t deny herself his touch, when other stories I’ve read would have the heroine explode in emotion and drama, making the hero pay for his inability to commit. Lynn was a unique heroine, and I really appreciated her personality.

This romance is very people-centered. I think Man for the Morning is a wonderful read. Even the potential plot conflict/villain isn’t so terrible. I actually liked the person and in time, I believe Lynn could eventually call that person friend, not frenemy but an actual friend. But that’s my opinion. Getting to know Lynn in the book makes me believe it could happen just because of the type of person she is. I wish there was an epilogue for this story; I believe it would have made this good book even better.

If you are looking for a nice, well-rounded, enjoyable romance story with a optimistic and satisfying happy ending, I think Man for the Morning might just do the trick. I know I liked it. I hope other readers will too.

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

Soft Heart by Megan Slayer

February 7, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Soft Heart by Megan Slayer
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Paranormal, Erotic Romance, Contemporary, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Dicentra

Can two broken souls be repaired with a lot of love and a little power from the gods?

Leto, the goddess of motherhood and womanly demure, wants to be anything but bashful. Working in Las Vegas in the music business has proven she can’t be coy if she has desires, but the man she loves isn’t available. What’s a goddess to do? Help break a curse, that’s what.

Tommy has loved Leto since the day they met, but he never thought she’d want to be with him. He’s also got a girlfriend. When his girlfriend leaves him for his brother and curses him, it’s up to Leto and Tommy to admit their deepest desires—they want to be together.

There’s just the matter of breaking that pesky curse…

Megan Slayer’s Soft Heart sizzles with chemistry and passion. A cross between a second chance romance and a fated mates story, there’s always something that has been in the way of Tommy and Leto being together and finding true happiness. The stars have finally aligned though, and one last obstacle remains. It’s more than just a pesky curse though…

As a fan of Greek mythology, I appreciated the focus on Leto (who is an underappreciated figure in my opinion). I liked how Ms. Slayer incorporated her children (the archer twins Apollo and Artemis), and the dynamic between Leto, Zeus, and Hera (like many things in Greek mythology, it is super complicated and dramatic). Zeus was still a jerk in this book, which is very on-brand for him (I don’t think a book where he’s a redeemable figure would read as realistic). Leto deserves a happily ever after ending, and I’m so happy that Ms. Slayer gave her one.

The chemistry between Tommy and Leto is off the charts. They never actually thought they could be together, but when Tommy’s girlfriend leaves him there’s suddenly a chance. Their relationship goes from zero to sixty very quickly, but I didn’t have any issues with that. Ms. Slayer establishes that they’ve known each other for a while and that the “celestial mates” aspect plays a role. Large amounts of on-page relationship establishment weren’t necessary for a story of this length.

Overall, a very enjoyable and quick paranormal erotic romance read (with some elements of fantasy thrown in). Readers who enjoy the genre(s) and think they might like a story influenced by Greek mythology should pick up Soft Heart. I enjoyed the book and will happily read other books by Ms. Slayer in the future.

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

Fruiting Bodies by Kemi Ashing-Giwa

February 4, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Fruiting Bodies by Kemi Ashing-Giwa
Publisher: Tor Books
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

An alien fungal infection has ravaged a faraway planet, turning all but six of the colonists into ravenous alarinkiri. Inyama, a mycologist, is her species’ last hope. But it’s not expertise her fellow survivors want from her.

It takes courage to keep going when all hope might be lost.

I was pleasantly surprised by how late in the outbreak I first met these characters. Everyone already had basic knowledge on how the fungus was spread and what they could do to reduce their chances of catching it. This meant that Inyama’s quest had become more important than ever as the time was quickly approaching when everyone might be infected with it. Most science fiction about this topic begins with the first case or two, so it was refreshing to read something that bent those rules for the sake of increasing the stakes and keeping the reader guessing about whether this colony of humans would survive on the planet they had so recently settled.

It would have been helpful to have more descriptions of how Inyama knew the other characters, especially when it came to her connection with Morayo. Figuring this out was important to understanding certain plot developments later on, so I spent most of the storyline trying to puzzle these things out. This dampened my enthusiasm for a tale that was otherwise tightly written and enjoyable.

The horror elements were well written and fit into the science fiction themes nicely. What surprised me the most about them was how the author managed to sneak a little hope into a world that really shouldn’t have had any of it left at all. I can’t say much more about this without sharing spoilers, but I did like the unconventional approach to what a happy ending should look like that the main character presented to the audience. It fit her personality and the dreadful seriousness of the fungal plague beautifully.

Fruiting Bodies was a delicious piece of science fiction horror that I’d happily recommend to anyone who enjoys one or both of those genres.

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

Resisting the Dream by Ann Marie James

February 2, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Resisting the Dream by Ann Marie James
Publisher: Pride Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, LGBTQ
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Moonflower

Can two overachievers discover how to make love work?

Nikolai is the fun-loving, flamboyant cousin of Sergei Barinov. He doesn’t know a lot about cars but is happy working as the desk person at Everyone’s Mechanic while he completes his doctorate in finance and accounting. While his parents never accepted who he was, he at least had Cousin Sergei’s family to love and support him. Comfortable in his own skin, he dresses according to his mood, which could be a skirt and makeup or sweatpants. He has crushed on Brandon since he met him but has never been able to be around him without doing something embarrassing. He would love a chance to show Brandon that he’s not just style without substance.

Brandon began interning with Sergei’s company in college and has since worked his way up to be his right-hand man. He is very regimented, likes his routines and needs to stay focused to complete his many duties for Sergei. Brandon is also balancing secretly raising his now-fifteen-year-old brother. He has watched from afar as Nikolai went from being a gangly, awkward teenager to a stunning adult. Brandon might wish he could take the time to get to know Nikolai better, but he doesn’t feel he can add one more thing to his already-full plate.

When Sergei tasks the pair to work together to plan an LGBTQ youth center, sparks fly. Will they decide to take a chance—or will outside forces ruin the possibility before they can even get started?

Can love be planned? Will the timing ever be right? Or should it be a case of Carpe Diem?

In the third book of the Everyone’s Mechanic series, Brandon has his life planned out. He’s got three more years to wait before he can date Nikolai, so until then, he will carry on ignoring him as best he can. Not the best plan, by any stretch of the imagination, and Sergei is quick to point out that someone else may just come along and snatch Nik up. Nikolai is going about his life the best way he knows how, keeping parts of it just to himself. I loved hearing about all the things he did that no one else knew about, not just a frivolous bit of fluff after all.

Things move swiftly for these two, and it is in a perfectly natural way. Nothing about their relationship seems forced in any way. Brandon is quick to reassure Nikolai that he adores his quirks and he isn’t going anywhere – that is until stress gets the better of him and he jumps to the wrong conclusion. I really wanted to slap Brandon upside the head at this point, but then Nik too as he avoided Brandon (something I may or may not be guilty of myself!)

This story was a great addition to the series. I haven’t read book two but will be now as I need to see more of ‘big personality with a heart of gold’ Sergei. This is one of those series where you read the stories and end up with a huge smile on your face and a sugar high from all the sweetness. Definitely recommended by me.

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

Sparrow by Brian Kindall

February 1, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Sparrow by Brian Kindall
Publisher: Diving Boy Books
Genre: Middle Grade (8 – 12 y.o.), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Historical
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

A boy. A wish. A secret desire gone horribly wrong.

Timothy Sperling misses his mom and dad terribly. Left behind with his morose uncle while they’re off on an expedition to avert an environmental crisis, the bird-boned boy would give anything to see them again. But when he spies a shooting star, instead of wishing to be reunited with his parents, he falters and asks for snow… only to conjure up a blizzard that won’t quit!

As a town that never sees winter is buried in mountains of white, Timothy teams up with a wise explorer to figure out how to stop the relentless frozen flakes. And with all the blame being shoveled on his family, the clever kid’s connection to sparrows may be his one chance to pull the city out of its deep freeze.

Can Timothy undo his fateful wish and bring back the sunshine?

Sparrow is a high-flying middle grade novel. If you or your child like relatable characters, timeless settings, and high-stakes adventure, then you’ll love Brian Kindall’s feathered flurries.

Wishes can change the world, so be careful how you phrase them.

Some of the most memorable scenes were the ones that explored guilt and regret. Timothy’s uncle had made a terrible mistake many years ago that still haunted their family when this tale began. There were also some things that Timothy himself regretted doing, so uncle and nephew were on similar journeys to fix the troubles that they’d caused. It was fascinating to see how both of these characters approached the question of how best to do that, especially for the problems they were dealing with that didn’t seem to have easy solutions at all.

It would have been helpful to have a little more time spent on world building. I was intrigued by what was included, but there was never quite enough of it for me to feel immersed in the city of Candela or in the lives of the people who lived there. Having more details about this community in general and how it functioned would have gone a long way in giving me the opportunity to lose myself in their world. If this had been included, I would have happily chosen a five-star rating instead.

I adored the way magic was used in this book. Sometimes it flowed so quietly that it would have been easy to overlook it entirely. Other scenes included more obvious examples of how it worked, but even then it fit into the landscape so seamlessly that characters didn’t always necessarily realize just how special those experiences were. Occasionally, it was so blatant that no one could deny it, but in every case I loved seeing how the characters reacted to the existence of magic in their universe and how even the smallest choices they made could be magically amplified in all sorts of clever ways.

Sparrow was a delightful winter read.

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

Starvation Lake by John Carson

February 1, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Starvation Lake by John Carson
Publisher: Vellum
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Brand new series from the creator of the DCI Harry McNeil and DI Frank Miller novels, comes DCI Sean Bracken.

A killer on the loose.

A killer behind bars.

And a detective caught between them…

Ailsa Connolly was a brilliant psychologist and a respected criminologist.

She was also a serial killer.

Six years ago, DCI Sean Bracken caught her just before he was about to become her seventh victim. Every year on the anniversary of her incarceration, she taunts him with a phone call, giving him one message; when I get out, I’ll kill you.

Now, Bracken has transferred back to Edinburgh from Fife and is thrown into the deep end on his first day back on duty.

There’s a killer who is emulating Ailsa, threatening to surpass her body count.

Bracken knows he needs her on board to help him track the killer down, but she’s reluctant to get involved.

Then the case takes an unexpected twist, and she agrees to help. But this new killer is taking them down a dark, twisted path, where nobody sees the outcome.

Until it’s too late.

Needing a change, DCI Bracken transfers from Fife back to his original home base of Edinburgh. He’s hoping to start a fresh chapter, but when a serial killer begins mimicking Bracken’s biggest arrest – Ailsa Connolly – he finds his life changing but not in a good way.

I really enjoyed this full length novel. It’s the first of a new series, and I was eager to try it given I’m a big fan of one of this author’s other series – DCI Harry McNeil. I found this book absolutely lived up to my expectations and I’m really pleased to now have another series to look forwards to.

I thought the pacing of this story was good. While it’s absolutely a Scottish police procedural the plot might feel a little slow to readers looking for a more action-based or full throttle type of story. Yet I found the plot really well balanced, between introducing new characters, setting up the police team so I could get a handle on all the new people, and really begin to dig my teeth into the murder mystery plot. I also enjoyed that while Ailsa – the previously caught serial killer – was a strong part of the storyline she didn’t overshadow any of the main cast of characters.

There was a very, very light touch to the first bloom of romance between DCI Bracken and one of the pathologists. I was also fairly pleased with this. I often don’t mind there being no romance at all in my mystery reading (especially the more police procedural style of stories) but I felt this book didn’t have the romance or attraction take over from the actual mystery and thriller parts of the plotline.

Readers looking for a well plotted, slower paced and character centric style of story should find this book really fits the bill. I personally adored that it was set in Scotland and felt it added a lot to the ambience and general atmosphere of the story without feeling too cliched or overdone.

A good book and a new series I’m looking forward to getting into.

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

Guarding Her Heart by Ashlynn Monroe

January 31, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Guarding Her Heart by Ashlynn Monroe
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Action/Adventure
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Nightmares have tormented Tragedy Michaels since her mother’s murder. Her relationship with her crime boss father is strained. All she wants is to turn twenty-one so she’ll have her trust fund and can finally go to college. Her dream is to do something good with her life and make the world a better place. The darkness her family has brought into society has weighed heavily on her shoulders. What she wants most? Redemption.

Eriq Brock was hired to protect Tragedy when she was fifteen. She’s an adult now, but at thirty-six he feels ancient in comparison. Her beauty and kindness make her a constant temptation. He’s had to save her life twice—only she doesn’t know it. Her father wants her sheltered as much as possible from his ugly feud with Dominic Santiago and family secrets.

Tragedy Michaels’ father is a man used to getting his way. When her father decides she needs full time surveillance he blackmails Tragedy and her bodyguard into a wedding that neither of them can refuse.

A hot story with a hot couple and some harsh circumstances.

I like Ashlynn Monroe’s work. It flows well and the story always draws me in. This book was no different. I liked Eriq and Tragedy right away and hoped they’d have a happy ending. It’s a good one-sitting read and very hot, too.

Tragedy has been sheltered, despite living with a crime boss for a father. Her mother was murdered and she’s been scarred by the situation. Eriq is her stability. I liked that they had a bond before getting into bed together. Eriq wants what’s best for her and has been drawn to her. I liked his protective quality and the way he gets her to come out of her shell. There is a forced marriage aspect to the story, which might put off some readers, but was handled well by the author.

There’s a lot of drama and action in this story and it’s hot, too. Did I mention the heat? Yeah, there’s a lot of that. The chemistry between the characters is off the charts. I liked the age gap and while it might be too much for some, it wasn’t too much of a gap for me. I liked the pairing.

If you’re looking for a romance that’s got some darkness, some sweetness and a lot of heat, then this might be the one for you.

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