Ghostly Seduction by Desiree Holt

GHSTLY
Ghostly Seduction by Desiree Holt
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Paranormal, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (50 pages)
Other: M/F
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

A writer’s convention at a haunted hotel gives author Jordan Kyle the perfect chance to do research for her next book. While ghost hunting through the century-old halls, she never expects to really find one. But when her sleep is filled with erotic dreams and the starring sex god shows up in the lobby the next day, she’s not sure if he’s real or a ghost with otherworldly desires.

Pragmatic cyber security consultant Aiden Flannery only believes in what he can see and hear and touch. But his dreams are invaded by a sexy redhead and her seductive peach scent tantalizes him by day. He catches the merest glimpse of her everywhere he goes then she’s gone, like a whisper in the wind.

Are there supernatural forces at work? Or is it their imagination? They only know, whether awake or asleep, these ghostly seductions are hot, hot, hot and they want more.

Anything can happen when you’re away from home for the weekend.

The sex scenes were incredibly well done. The chemistry between Jordan and Aiden was perfect, and I wouldn’t have changed a single thing about it. Sometimes passionate moments can begin in a heartbeat. When they’re being acted out by people as sensuous and seductive as these characters, it makes for a hot tale that has to be read to be believed.

I would have liked to see a little more attention paid to the supernatural elements of the plot. While I liked the fact that the text allowed the audience to decide for ourselves what we thought had happened, it would have been nice to have a few more hints about what Ms. Holt thought was going on here as both of the possible explanations for Aiden and Jordan’s intensely erotic dreams would have worked equally well. I simply wanted a little more information about which one was more likely!

The ending left me wanting more. It tied up enough loose ends to make the final scene feel satisfactory, but it also made me flip to the final page of the book to make sure I didn’t miss anything. I really wanted to know what happened to the characters next. To me, that’s a great sign. While I don’t know i the author is planning to write a sequel to this, I’d sure like to read it if she does!

Ghostly Seduction should be read by anyone who is looking for a short and sexy story.

Down the River by David Wilma

RIVER
Down the River by David Wilma
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Historical, Action/Adventure
Length: Full Length (279 pgs)
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Ginger

On the Kentucky frontier in 1810, ambitious men struggle for power over a young, gritty society based on slavery. Ruthless planter and politician David Morgan chooses his young servant Phyllis to gather information on his friends and rivals from other slaves. He also finds her a husband, the love of her life. She develops a keen sense of observation as well as knowledge that there is more to the world beyond the isolated valleys and a system that regards her as property. Despite her warnings, Morgan’s fortunes wane and she and her husband and their children are sold to Edward Osborn, Morgan’s enemy.
Osborn’s ego and the War of 1812 bring more tragedy into Phyllis’s world. Morgan and his son are murdered, and Phyllis is the only eyewitness to the crimes. Her experience as a spy and her own wits help her survive a lynch mob, but may not be enough to reunite her family.

The story is realistic and heart aching but true to the era.

This book may not be suitable for some readers. Even though the detail description of physical abuse to human was known for this time era, reading about the great length of hardship could be a bit much for some. The author has a talent for telling a story and has no problem getting in to character to tell the story. I was surprised that the male author could portray the feelings, thoughts and experience of a female slave girl. The author gives a day to day account of Phyllis Wallace Lewis, a slave girl working on the plantation of David Morgan. David Morgan is describe to be a fair slave owner, with ambition to be a politician but some how his actions shown in the book didn’t really seem fair, especially since it seemed he was the cause for the hardship brought about in Phyllis’s life.

The story is told in Phyllis’s voice. Her voice tells of her documented journey to her children. Her story was one that is truly amazing but I felt it lacked more about her personal story; a story of her family history of why she was set apart from the others. At the start of the book Phyllis’s mother was present but was later sold off the plantation, leaving Phyllis a orphan. Phyllis pretty much was kept apart from the other slave hands. For this story to have been her voice to her children I would have liked to have read more on her mother and her story. What mother wouldn’t want to tell their children where they came from and who their people are? Phyllis knowingly looked different than the others but no one spoke about her blue eyes and fair skin complexion. Later in the book a brief mention that she was white but not much more was elaborated on who she was, who was her father and she didn’t question who she was; she just accepted that she was different and it didn’t seem to bother her.

The author has a talent for writing and telling a story. I’ve read The Guardian and thoroughly enjoyed that book, but for this one I just want something more to happen. Or maybe too much was happening. The first part of the book tells of Phyllis at a young age, the plantation moving and then settling into a new land. Due to near tragic circumstances, Phyllis is assigned to the kitchen to cook, then she was partnered with Esther to sell produce around the town area and gather information for master David to help him in his political run for office. She marries and then is sold. It’s a life full of crisis after crisis and Phyllis is a strong woman the book depicts her endurance and growth in her Christian journey. Reading Phyllis’s story and seeing her growth from thinking her life would be spent under some one’s thumb and to only see that a slave has no rights except to suffer. Her interpersonal growth she soon realizes there is other forces beyond white men and weather. This is a heart warming story to tell her children about. Passing along her struggle and how she overcame to become the strong woman that her children would know and see her as.

The story is well constructed even though there are parts that kept my interest there also were parts of the book that I found to be slow as well. Phyllis’s journey didn’t so much end with a destination but brought about a memorable life of tragedy, heartbreak, love, lost and in the end forgiveness. This book wasn’t the best to me as a reader but I wouldn’t want to discourage someone from reading it. The journey of Phyllis’s life could be an inspiration to some reader that crisis may rise in life but you can’t give up, you definitely can’t stop fighting and ultimately that forgiving may sometimes bring about freedom.

Return to Willow Creek by Roberta C.M.Decaprio

wILLOW
Return to Willow Creek by Roberta C.M.Decaprio
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (344 pgs)
Heat Level: sensual
Rated: 4 stars
Review by Snapdragon

Broken-hearted after losing the only woman he ever loved to another man, Reverend Joshua Holmes returns to England. But after thirty years, he is summoned to Willow Creek, Arizona. His rival has died, and his deathbed request is for Josh to marry Amanda and keep her safe from harm. But he fears she will not accept his steadfast love.

Fearing for her life, Amanda Gregory, or Golden Lady to the Apaches amongst whom she has lived, is forced to flee the white agents infiltrating the reservation. Amanda seeks refuge until Joshua arrives from England. Once she sees him again, her heart reawakens, and she believes true love could happen a second time around. But just as she becomes Joshua’s wife, she worries she will again be made a widow by the enemies from her past.

Arizona in 1895; a marriage that might have met with disapproval by some, a question of loyalty, of love and commitment after death, and the impact of a a long-ago love all lie at the heart of this novel.

Amanda Gregory, widow of an Apache chief, is part of a family that includes her ‘sister’ Rising Sun, and son Gabriel, as well as the larger community around them on the reservation. Mutual respect is shown, but there is no denying that they, as a whole are victims; especially the women.

The violence is mostly delicately handled but a part of the life; as well as a motivation for Amanda to reach for help into her past.

Far away is a man who loved her long ago…and might yet. Josh Holmes is the sort that any reader will love: steadfast, believable and sure.  However, things between them cannot progress as we might hope. There is Amanda’s loyalty, and the disapproval of some, including her son. From the first page, we are never able to predict quite how this will turn out.

Indulging in the over-dramatic, at times, lack of credibility interrupts what is otherwise an engaging tale. The background is well done and it is beautifully written and quite heartfelt.

Although this is book 5 of a series, it is a whole story unto itself: one can read it as a stand-alone.

Return to Willow Creek delivers exactly what you’d expect. I do think fans of the time period will enjoy this romance.

Dixie’s Gift by Barbara Edwards

gIFT
Dixie’s Gift by Barbara Edwards
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Paranormal, Holiday, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (57 pages)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Ellen Carter deeply grieves for her husband Dan, but at least she still has Dixie, her beloved Malinois. However, soon Dixie leaves her too. But the faithful dog cannot rest easy in heaven while her mistress is unhappy. Dixie pleads with the Archangel Michael to let her send help, and intercedes for Ellen in the only way she can. But will Ellen get the message, and more importantly, will she accept Dixie’s gift?

Sexy newcomer Michael Burke can barely take enough time from his successful restaurant for a decent night’s sleep, let alone romance. Still, he is intrigued by the beautiful widow and can’t resist entering her shop. Sparks fly, and when Ellen has an accident in a snowstorm, he comes to her rescue. Trapped by a blizzard and aided by Dixie’s Gift, Ellen and Michael find more than shelter–they find love.

It’s never too late to have a happy ending.

All of the food in this book made my mouth water. The descriptions of the various meals that the characters cooked for each other were so vivid that I could almost taste them myself. Even the simple dishes sounded incredibly delicious. Small details like this matter a lot to me. I really appreciate it when authors take the time to describe the worlds they’ve created with as many senses as possible.

The blurb lead me to believe that I’d be reading a ghost story that had romantic elements, so I was surprised to see how much the plot focused on the living, human characters instead of on Dixie and her mission. While I adored Ellen and Michael, most of the conflict had to do with how and if Dixie would be able to convince her former master to move on with her life. It didn’t make sense to me to draw the audience’s attention away from that tension by having other characters narrate what was going on.

With that being said, I did enjoy seeing Michael and Ellen interact. They were so sweet and kind to each other. Knowing as much as I did about their backstories and personalities also made it easy for me to hope they’d end up together. They seemed like they had a lot in common, and that’s something I look for in a romance novel.

I’d recommend Dixie’s Gift to anyone who is in the mood for a heartwarming read.

Ask Me by Laura Strickland

perf5.000x8.000.indd
Ask Me by Laura Strickland
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short Story (59 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Honeysuckle

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

Alone on Valentine’s Day, Leo Rankin attends the library’s Blind Date With a Book event hoping for something he can take to bed with him that night, and finds himself competing against Gerri Webb for the last remaining book. Wild child Gerri is not his usual type. Yet he feels an immediate, sizzling attraction and agrees to share the book and its accompanying bag of candy hearts.

The whole idea of a Blind Date With a Book is to go off genre, so Gerri doesn’t mind when their flirty conversation suggests they unwrap each other rather than the mystery book. When a candy heart advises, “Ask Me,” she asks Leo back to her apartment. She never expects button-down Leo to hit all her buttons, but by the next morning she fears her heart’s in danger. Can one night spent off genre translate to real life?

Such a simple command, “Ask Me” and yet, so many possibilities.

This little novella is all about the possibilities, taking a chance, stepping outside of your comfort zone and the author created a charming tale to explore what happens when straight laced meets steampunk goddess. Such a fun read!

This one hit all the right buttons. Leo and Gerri are so opposite it’s almost unrealistic to imagine them together but that’s what made this story so sexy. They’re both stepping out of their comfort zones and are so, I don’t want to say shocked but, definitely pleasantly (really pleasantly) surprised.

Leo and Gerri have fantastic chemistry and in part it’s due to the fact that they choose to be completely honest with each other. Open to suggestion and open in their discussions. I didn’t know if Ms. Strickland would give them a HEA or an HFN with this being a short story but I didn’t want to stop reading, and could happily have read this as a longer story if she ever chose to rewrite and expand it.

Gerri seems to have more trouble wrapping her mind around the idea of them being together but I could understand her hesitation. It wasn’t unfounded but I was glad to see that she had friends in her inner circle who were smart enough to give her sound advice. One of my favorite lines comes from her friend Max when he says “if you’re from two different worlds, then build a bridge”.

I read in the author’s bio that this was her first contemporary romance. If Ask Me is a sample of her writing voice, she’s someone I’d like to continue reading.

Readers looking for a quickie with all kinds of heart and just enough spice but, not too explicit, should give this one a try.

I’m Yours by Carolyn Menke

YOURS
I’m Yours by Carolyn Menke
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
Genre: Historical
Length: Short Story (66 pgs)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Myrtle

The Roaring Twenties spell opportunity for Audrey McCall, a starlet who’s as irresistible as the illegal booze poured behind every shuttered speakeasy. Her big theater dreams include landing the impossible, a role on Broadway. But she’s fallen in love with handsome Edward Stark, who wants her to be his leading lady and his alone.

Edward’s confessed his love and is ready to embark on a future with Audrey. No more sneaking off to speakeasies and enduring cast parties, where the catcalls of men directed at his main squeeze get under his skin. Wouldn’t Audrey rather become the mother of his children than worry about the next paycheck?

Muddying the waters is the shifty Rex Wyatt, a new playwright in town, who promises to make Audrey a star. If Audrey gets the part of her dreams, she has to take it. There are no second chances in theater. Are there second chances in love?

Audrey McCall has everything a girl in the Roaring Twenties could want: A handsome man who adores her; a life of friends, glitz, and glamour; and rising stardom, oh, so close! If given the choice to keep only one, which would you choose?

Edward Stark, a successful lawyer, is a man obsessed when it comes to Audrey. He buys her expensive gifts, attends every one of her stage performances, surprises her with romantic dinners, picnics, and drives in the country, and he can’t imagine why she isn’t as taken with him as he is with her.

An air of indifference flows easily from Audrey, especially when she sneaks away to join the fun at the neighborhood speakeasy, where Edward wonders why she’s ducked inside “as if she were just another bona fide flapper.”

Although not perfectly suited for each other, their relationship strengthens as this novella moves along at a nice pace. The story draws the reader into a natural understanding that Edward and the stage spotlight can never co-exist, and that’s no secret to Audrey. She’s known it all along. Edward is so perfect — few woman could want more, yet the pull of stardom may be too much for Audrey to refuse, and keeping both is not an option.

The characters are fairly well-developed for a short story, but the backstory reflections were choppy and felt incomplete, i.e., “I’m glad,” he said. Kiss. Kiss. “Sing for me.” Frankly, I’m not sure the flashbacks were needed at all. It seemed almost a waste of time. Instead, I would have preferred the space be dedicated to strengthening the historical elements of the story.

This is a nice quick read and is a standalone book, although it is my understanding that it is a prelude to this author’s debut novel, Return To Me.

If you’re looking for a flash of history in a romance novella, this is an enjoyable read.

Kiss Me Again by Monique DeVere

KISS
Kiss Me Again by Monique DeVere
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short Story (67 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Honeysuckle

What can be more romantic than a Valentine’s Day wedding?
A Valentine’s Day wedding on a Caribbean beach!

The last thing Riley Flynn wants is to be present at her ex-fiancé’s wedding—which should have been hers—but she refuses to give him the satisfaction, despite the nosedive her life has recently taken. Now, if she can only find a plus one to prove she isn’t a complete failure.

All Sam Rutherford wants is a peaceful life, but his zany neighbor is making it impossible. The woman is a menace to herself, and anyone in her path—he has the dent in his car to prove it. But when she raises those big amber eyes and confides in him, how can he say no to anything she wants? Soon she’s invading his life and bungling her way… into his heart.

She’s the epitome of that girl who makes the hero waffle between “kill her or kiss her?” Not to give too much away but, he kisses her, over and over and over again. Nice!

One of my favorite lines from the movie While You Were Sleeping is when Jack, played by Bill Pullman, is describing Lucy, played by Sandra Bullock, and he says, “She drives you so nuts you don’t know whether to hug her or, or just really arm wrestle her.” Riley is a lot like Lucy. She manages to find herself in the oddest predicaments and her only fault is being too nice…and climbing into windows that don’t belong to her. I was laughing out loud throughout this short story.

And then she picked up that innocent sweetheart candy piece. Kiss Me Again. That scene, his voice and the heart melting tension. Whoa! Good stuff!

Magnet to steel? Well, a little more like fiberglass to metal bumpers. I loved the chemistry between these two. Riley is sunshine and chaos and Sam is a one track mind lawyer, until he runs into Riley…okay, she ran into him first, but it was so perfectly timed.

This was fun read. I love a good rom-com and this one hits all the right notes. I would love to read more books from Ms. DeVere. The story is light but has substance and heart and just the right amount of heat for the page count. An easy recommend for readers looking for a quick read that left this reader with a smile.

Eternity Swamp by T. C. Tereschak

sWAMP
Eternity Swamp by T. C. Tereschak
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press, Inc
Genre: Contemporary, Historical, Suspense/Mystery, Paranormal
Length: Short Story (32 pgs)
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Ginger

J.W. becomes lost while coon hunting in an unfamiliar swamp at a night. He swears he can hear people screaming in the distance and can’t shake the feeling he’s being followed. An old man appears, and instead of leading J.W. out of the swamp, suggests they find a log to sit on and wait for sunrise. When asked about the noises, the old man says the swamp has “memories.” He explains what he means by telling J.W. a tale about another hunter, Sam Lake; a lowly sort, who while hunting in this very swamp many years ago, ran across a rather curious fellow who offered Sam a chance to extract himself from his present situation. Sam must “invest” himself in order to achieve his goal but as the old man says,”You should always be careful where your place your feet and your seat and the company you keep.”

Eternity Swamp is a short novel which shows Sam Lake propelled into a risky and swirling web of deceit, or perhaps it could be just karma.

This intense and short page turner delves into an a story that is begin told to J.W. while he is out coon hunting. J.W.’s dog has run off and he has lost his way in the woods until a funny looking man comes from behind a bush with a story to tell about the swamp and it’s history. Sam Lake happens to be the focus of the story being told.

This swift thriller and wickedly funny satire is short and to the point. Though it may be short, it packs a lot of story. The writing is descriptive and the plot is one that will keep any reader reading. Not for the faint of heart or those who fear spiders and don’t want to read about violent deaths. The author’s writing is vivid and delivers a message of innocent ones who have lost their lives under undesirable circumstances. I do think this is an intriguing and well written story but after I finished the story I was trying to piece together why J.W. is being told the story of Sam Lake. I either missed some connection or it just wasn’t there. If I missed a connection my apology; I would hope that the connection wouldn’t be a complex one to figure out. And if there wasn’t a connection I’m left with a question of what was the point a reader should take away from the story?

There were a few dialogue quotation marks that were in place when a character wasn’t speaking and the sentences were narration.

The author seems to be a masterful storyteller and has a vivid imagination for things unique. This isn’t one I would say that is highly recommend, but I would recommend it to those that enjoy a short mystery that packs a powerful punch. I would read other writings by this author.

Cowboy Payback by Donna Michaels

PAYBACK
Cowboy Payback by Donna Michaels
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (244 pages)
Heat Level: Hot
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Honeysuckle

Former Marine Captain Brett Brennan loves a good practical joke—when he’s the prankster not the prankee. Unfortunately, his twin brother has learned a lesson or two from the master and springs Operation Payback on him, thrusting Brett into a fake engagement to his former corporal, Trisha Jennings, in front of her matchmaking, District Attorney father.

Relationships are so not his thing, but realizing Trisha is struggling to come to terms with a horrific incident from their recent deployment, Brett takes matters into his own hands, using their fake relationship to keep her on his family’s resort ranch, the perfect place for her to find peace and heal. After all, he would never let one of his own men down.

Except, Trisha is no longer a corporal under his command. Out of uniform, she is all woman, and his unexpected attraction to her soon has him forgetting their prank relationship is only for show. Who knew payback could be so sweet?

More than just one of his Marines.

Proximity, mutual need, and a little white lie is one explanation for the attraction between Brett and Trisha, off the charts chemistry that had to be banked while they served together is another. After reading this novel, I’m firmly in the chemistry corner. Such a fun read and yet it had a poignant underlying story.

One thing that stood out for me about this story is that I didn’t want to stop reading to write the review. Normally, I’ll stop and write parts of the review as I’m reading but this one held my attention so well, I actually had to force myself to pull away at certain moments and write down my thoughts. The story flows quite smoothly and I so enjoyed watching Brett and Trisha fight their attraction, only to lose over and over again. They meant well but, it’s practically impossible to fight what two hearts want.

Both Trisha and Brett are former Marines who served their country honorably. That earned them lots of cred from the beginning. Then I started learning about what exactly Trisha did while serving and how it’s affected her since separating. I wanted her to not only find what she needed to heal at Royal Pines but it was just one more reason to cheer for her HEA with Brett.

That Brett, he’s a charmer and a stinker. The primary plot of this story is based on a prank retaliation. The first book in this series, Cowboy Fiance, details how Brett pranked his twin brother. Cowboy Payback is simply that, Finn strikes backs…and how! I haven’t read the first book but I will and very soon.

There’s another story in there for Trisha’s brother, Liam. He just needs to meet the right woman or maybe he’s already met her if the stilted greeting between him and the Activity Director for Royal Pines is any indication. That’s going to be a good book!

Readers who want a fulfilling romance that meshes two incredibly sexy character types, cowboys and military, will gobble this series up. It’s one I plan to follow as well as checking out Ms. Michaels backlist. If her other stories are as well written, with characters that have me falling in love right along side them, then that’s an author I can follow.

Cupid’s Arrow by Mary Jean Adams

CUPID
Cupid’s Arrow by Mary Jean Adams
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press Inc
Genre: Action/Adventure, Historical
Length: Full Length (243 pages)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Orchid

Can love breathe new life into a shattered heart?

Christiana Saint-Ange is ready to die. Revolutionary France has become a living hell and her life along with it. When her aristocratic brother enlists the aid of the freedom-loving Americans to rescue her from her appointment with Madame Guillotine, she finds herself sailing to America. Can she put her country and her past behind her?

Captain Neil Blakely is more than willing to be the white knight when the situation calls for it. He’s just more accustomed to his damsels in distress being grateful for his help. His latest charge is threatening his crew with the cutlery. In the time it takes to sail to America, can he discover what demons haunt his reluctant passenger? And, does her family really expect him to just hand her over to a fiancé she’s never met?

Madam Guillotine awaits Christiana and she longs for the freedom death will give her. The guillotine has already taken her husband but before she can put her head upon the block she is taken back to the cells. Neil Blakely has been commissioned to save Christiana and return her to her brother in America but he cannot understand the lady’s unwillingness to be rescued.

Due to the way she has been treated by men, the lady does not go willingly and the trip to America is fraught with tension and mistrust. Chased by a man who believes Christiana is his, ordered not to start a war with France, and a sister who has her own thoughts on the way Neil should behave and you have a book full of….well, full of a bit of everything.

I really enjoyed this book. At first it seemed the story would be serious due to the beginning where Christiana’s husband loses his head, but once the two main characters meet, the conflict between them is intense but at times quite humorous. When Neil’s sister is added to the mix the levity increases. The book is not exactly lighthearted but definitely entrancing. It has serious moments, lots of tension in the right places and humor in other places. A good read and well written with strong characters.