Collector’s Item by Denise Golinowski

November 15, 2013 By Leave a Comment

COLLECTOR
Collector’s Item by Denise Golinowski
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Paranormal, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (185 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Daisy

Alpha were-jaguar, Katarina “KT” Marant is trained to protect the pride so when her aunt disappears, KT naturally takes up the hunt. Her suspicion settles on the Collectors, humans who view shapeshifters as the ultimate big game.

Peyton Allers can’t believe he’s got to blow his cover to rescue a shapeshifter “princess.” Even harder to believe is that she wants to stage her own kidnapping in order to catch the leader of the Collectors and find her aunt.

Everything goes sideways when KT is kidnapped for real and by someone she never suspected. Will Peyton find her before time runs out? Or will she become a true Collector’s Item?

Ms. Golinowski opens her novel strong. We have paranormal creatures, introduced by the protagonist KT Marant who hates wet humans: they ‘clog’ her nostrils. We also have a missing Aunt and a young girl wanting to live on her own, away from her own kind. The close attention to all the senses – the splashes, drops and smells, the melting of ‘rich, dark chocolate’ – in this world are a bonus which makes the story come to life. That’s good writing and plenty of plot points to get my teeth into.

There are places I outright chuckled at the peculiarities of KT, particularly during a certain unfortunate incident with her laptop, but she is a brave lead female character, not stupid or clumsy, a woman who does not hide behind the power of her family, or even the men in her life. She is willing and ready to put herself in harm’s way to help others; a respectable quality in any individual.

However, it took me a while to warm to KT. The shortness of her name is not explained until later and it has a military, cold feel to it which felt too much like an alias or detective’s name to immediately put me on her side and envelop me into her viewpoint. In addition, her hate for wet human made me feel ostracised from her point of view until I had acquainted myself with her world and mindset.

Peyton Allers is her love interest, a Protectorate (law enforcer of sorts) gone undercover and, to some extent, rogue in order to save members of his species. He demands as much respect as KT for his heroism and bravery and his manly sarcasm can be very accurate and funny, for example his assumption that KT will erupt into ‘inevitable hysterics and demands for protection’ after she is attacked.

The similarities between these two makes them a good match and their reluctance to give anything away first in their dialogue makes them an interesting, dynamic couple with lots of sparks.

Unfortunately, KT and Peyton also represent stereotypes – he is the brooding law enforcement type intent on closing a case due to personal pain and she is a princess intent on surviving on her own two feet. Despite the fast paced plot points and exciting gun battles in this new urban, paranormal world, the book doesn’t feel new because of these stereotypes.

That is not to say the characters aren’t original. Their personalities are not copied and pasted from other books but they are of a type which is familiar and hard to alter to create something truly new.

In addition, I feel their paranormal side could have been dealt with better. There are many stories out there where the animal makes the choice in a Were over a mate and many of these use the term alpha to justify a romantic relationship. I felt something new could have been attempted, or at least the word could have been varied more often so it did not jar as much. This seems to be the main thing their animals had to contribute to their relationship.

Having said that, Ms. Golinowski knows how to craft tension and build it towards major plot points and her writing style is good, with occasional humour and brilliant, sensual description so I fully believe, with more obscure or less typed characters, she can write a novel worth five stars or more. She has the groundwork to be a groundbreaking, page turning writer. The Collector’s Item however, is a well executed and enjoyable bath or bedtime read with one or two surprises tucked in for fun.

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Ribbons of Steel by Carol Henry

November 13, 2013 By Leave a Comment

STEEL
Ribbons of Steel by Carol Henry
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (320 pgs)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 2 Stars
Reviewed by Hollyhock

Charley Carmichael’s loyalty may be with the Pennsylvania Rail Road’s main man, Mason Aderley, but his heart lies with the men who work the rails. With the railroads cutting wages, a major strike is imminent. Caught up in the riots and bloodshed sweeping the continent, Charley’s friends are threatened; workers are dying. Charley’s life turns tragic when his wife is diagnosed with consumption.

Emily, forced to leave her family due to her health, travels to her cousin’s home in the California Territory. A damaged trestle prevents her train from crossing a ravine, stranding the passengers with nowhere to hide when an Indian hunting party causes a deadly buffalo stampede. Fearing for her life, Emily worries she will never see her children again. Who will care for them should her husband not survive the railroad strike?

Set between a farming lifestyle in the rolling hills of south central New York and the gritty railroad realities of Philadelphia, this is one family’s story of courage, spirit, and resilience.

In 1877, the Great Railroad Strike swept across the United States, suspending the nation’s freight and passenger trains and bringing death and destruction in its wake. Ribbons of Steel by Carol Henry brings that violent era to life and shows what it was like for a man to find his loyalties divided between his employer and the rail workers whose cause he understands all too well.

The main character, Charley Carmichael, grew up in Philadelphia where trains and coal mines were the destiny of most families. Fortunately for him, his wife inherited a farming property in New York, enabling him to move his family away from the tenements, but he still works the Philadelphia railroad because it’s in his blood. Siding with management, Charley walks a fine line between sympathizing with his fellow workers and trying to avert the strike. Charley often curses the railroads and his boss for keeping him away from his family and for asking him to back management over labor, but since he had a choice in both instances, I didn’t really understand why he kept blaming others for his decisions. At times, it made him a little hard to sympathize with.

The story follows other members of Charley’s family too. His wife, Emily, is ill and travels to California to convalesce. Emily’s heartbreak at leaving her family behind is affecting, and her dangerous adventures out west make for interesting reading. Charley’s eighteen-year-old son, Seth, runs the family farm and is struggling to take care of his siblings while his parents are away. The strike affects his ability to get his product to market and puts a crimp in his love life. The farm scenes, which take place in and around Candor, New York, have a nice authenticity to them, but the author uses both these subplots to pull in extraneous characters that she devotes quite a bit of time to. Perhaps it’s meant to set up sequels, but I didn’t like the way it drew focus away from the essential story.

The author has clearly done her research about the railroad strike, and I liked the depth of information in the novel, but I didn’t think she found the right balance between sharing her research and entertaining the reader. Rather than immersing the characters in the action and showing how the strike affected them, she seems to stand back from it. Scene after scene involves people describing the events of the strike in unrealistic-sounding dialogue: “The crowd gathered along both sides of the track right down over the hillside like a sea overflowing its banks.” That static quality makes the story less involving than it could have been.

The many spelling, grammatical, and formatting errors in the book were also a problem. (For instance, it doesn’t make the best impression that the book begins with a “Forward” rather than a “Foreword.”) Overall, I think with more work—tighter focus, sharper dialogue, better flow—and a good copy edit, the book could have been a polished and absorbing read.

Before I picked up this story, I had never heard of the Great Railroad Strike of 1877, so I’m grateful for the educational information Ribbons of Steel conveys. If you like wide-ranging stories about farms and railroads and western adventures, you should give this book a try.

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Hard to Handle by Desiree Holt

October 21, 2013 By Leave a Comment

HARD
Hard to Handle by Desiree Holt
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short Story (131 pgs)
Other: M/F, BDSM, Anal sex
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Dogwood

The chemistry between horse wranglers Bailey French and Hondo Labar was hot enough to singe the air even before their unexpected meeting at Rawhide, a private bondage club. Their extreme edge play at the club feeds their sexual needs, but Hondo wants a relationship outside the club and Bailey refuses to acknowledge him as more than a fellow wrangler. When a riding accident puts her in his care, can she finally trust her heart as well as her body to a man who would Master her forever?

As with every Desiree Holt book I have read thus far, “Hard to Handle” is also a well written and intriguing love story with the edge-play being extremely erotic.  With her descriptive written expression, I felt Ms. Holt’s words helped me feel as though I was there in the room viewing the love scenes firsthand. It was definitely ‘Hard’ for me to get a ‘Handle’ on my libido with these scorching romantic scenarios.

Bailey French is working in an almost all male environment as a horse wrangler thus making her more determined to be as strong and work as hard as any cowboy. She likes her personal life a bit on the edge to help her unravel the stress of her working life. She is attracted to one of the other ranch-hands, Hondo Labar but knows in her heart that she would never succumb to his advances because she has a strict rule, “NO dating fellow workers!”

Hondo Labar is extremely interested in getting together with Bailey, but she refuses all of his advances at work. What a lucky day for him when he has an accidental encounter with Bailey at a private bondage club and he convinces Bailey to give him a try. The two discover they have the same sexual desires and the chemistry is explosive, but what will it take for Bailey to risk her heart when Hondo would like to play for keeps?

Ms. Holt had her characters come to life with the emotional twist and turns we have come to expect with her stories. Even if a reader is not into extreme BDSM, I still believe Ms. Holt can make her readers relate to the various personality traits portrayed in her different personae. While I will say this might be a bit extreme for those who are not looking for an exciting sexual ride, Ms. Holt definitely does not disappoint as she always leads her characters to a discovery of true love and that is what good romance novels are all about!

As I have stated in the past, Ms. Holt’s books are an automatic buy for me because I know I am getting a wonderful story that ultimately touches my heart. I highly recommend her books to anyone looking for a “bite’ in the BDSM dynamics of storytelling.

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Taken By the Passion by Maxine Mansfield

August 15, 2013 By 12 Comments

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Taken By the Passion by Maxine Mansfield
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Fantasy
Length: Full (338 pgs)
Other: M/F
Rated: 4 Stars
Review by Poppy

Lizbeth wasn’t given a choice whom to marry. She’d been betrothed to the, stubborn, arrogant, egotistical, Adan Hammerstrike, barbarian prince, heir to the throne of Alaria, and…and…murderer, since the day she’d been born. But, did that mean she wasn’t entitled to follow her own dreams? Especially if those dreams could keep those she cared for safe? And so what if Adan had grown from the troll of a little boy he’d been into a ridiculously handsome, sexy man. Her heart could resist him, couldn’t it?

The last thing on Albrath, Adan ever wanted was to be saddled for all of eternity to the screeching, boring, lackluster, Lizbeth Soulenticer. Though her beauty’s beyond compare, there are only so many turns of the hourglass in a night to enjoy it. The rest of the unbearable time, he’ll be forced to contend with her silly, hero worship, and her stupid pet choices. But, Adan is a man bound by duty and honor, and he will do what he must, even though he longs for a mate who will challenge him in bed and out. Not that he’ll give her his heart, mind you, at least not until they both find themselves Taken by the Passion.

Looking for a fantasy world of trolls, elves, barbarians, magic … and plenty of heat? Taken by the Passion fits the bill.

Lizabeth appears to be a well-trained woman, raised her entire life to be wife of Adan, barbarian price. But appearances are deceiving. She has more spirit and backbone than we’re originally led to believe. And Adan (the bunny killer) isn’t exactly what he appears to be either.

I liked Adan … sexy, intelligent and frequently funny. An ideal hero, even if Lizabeth doesn’t think so at first. She’s determined to make her own way, to go to the academy despite what she’d been raised to do. She has spunk and Adan is mostly pleased by this. Lizabeth grew on me, too, after a bit. She starts out a little mousy (who can blame her when we find out how she was raised), but her spirit was never broken.

The author weaves a story with threads of humor, sex, sadness and suspense. There’s more here than you might think, and while it can sometimes feel like a little too much more, it’s worth reading to the end. I’m still not a huge fan of the gnomes, but that may just be because I prefer humor that’s a bit less slapstick and a little more intellectual. Sometimes Lizabeth’s backbone gets a little stronger than it should, and the two butt heads, which is occasionally frustrating, but nothing I couldn’t get past.

There’s no shortage of the action between the sheets, either. Adan wastes little time trying to woo, talk or trick Lizabeth into bed. Who could resist him? Not me… and not Lizabeth either. The sex is steamy and well written and are some of the best scenes in the book.

Overall, I really enjoyed this tale. It’s the second in the series I’ve read (there are three so far), but it stands easily alone. If you enjoy sexy fantasy that doesn’t take itself seriously, I can recommend Taken By the Passion.

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Reckless Abandon by Kallie Lane

July 9, 2013 By 2 Comments

RECKLESS
Reckless Abandon by Kallie Lane
A Shadow Soldier Novel
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (256 Pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: Best Book
Reviewed by Jasmine

Filled with regret over his rocky past, Reece Morgan has no desire to go home after ten years away. But when Billie Bradshaw becomes the target of killers, he returns to defend her with a vengeance born of salvation. He charges to the rescue, only to realize she’s the bait to tempt him into the open.

Billie has a choice to make. She can risk violent death, or allow the man she considers her worst nightmare–the man she’s already loved and lost, the man who fell off the grid a long time ago, taking her heart along for the ride–to keep her safe. What could be worse? Maybe the fact he’s unknowingly brought death to her door.

As Billie and Reece follow the twisted trail of a psychotic mind, their reignited passion takes a front row seat in their struggle to stay alive.

With military men, cowboys, feisty heroines and dogs, I was in heaven with this book. The men are hot, the dogs adorable (even though they’re trained to be able to kill someone), and the leading lady is someone I’d want to be friends with. A win-win on all fronts! And since I just found out it’s a series, you can bet I’ll be looking up the others, and marking down the author on my watch list.

Billie is a country girl, through and through. She can barrel race in a rodeo, take care of her horses, and isn’t afraid to get dirty and facing down a killer bull barely makes her bat an eyelash. Well, okay, it might make her hesitate for a half a second, but when someone is threatened she’ll face him down anyway. She is loyal to the bone, will defend her friends and family with her last breath and isn’t about to let any bad guys keep her from doing what she’s got to do.

Reece is sexy as all get out. He’s cowboy mixed with military mixed with badass and if he doesn’t make you break into a sweat, you might want to check your pulse. After being gone for ten years, he doesn’t hesitate to come running when Billie needs him.

These two were each other’s first loves and even though circumstances (and a protective daddy) forced them apart long ago, seeing each other again rekindles everything for both of them. With trouble riding hard on their heels though, they have to prioritize and bullets and death tends to win over romance. They do get a few stolen moments and boy are those moments hot, hot, hot! Add in Reece’s military buddies and this book gets even more fun and interesting (and a few degrees hotter).

I love the dogs that make an appearance. Especially that one of them is a Shiloh Shepherd, a breed that I only recently learned about and would love to one day have. The rodeo being held at the ranch was really interesting to read about to see the behind the scenes of a working rodeo. And I never saw the twist at the end coming, which is rare for me to say!

I really have nothing bad to say about this book. It was one that I couldn’t put down, from start to finish, and thoroughly enjoyed it. This will for sure be going on my keeper shelf and I can’t wait to check out the rest of the sexy crew and their ladies.

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Coyote Heat by Desiree Holt

June 3, 2013 By Leave a Comment

HEAT
Coyote Heat by Desiree Holt
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short Story (66 pages)
Other: M/F
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Dogwood

A wild weekend in Key West with Team Arapaho is just what Navy SEAL Miguel “Coyote” Cruz needs after a tough mission. Cold beer and hot women. The last thing he expects is to meet a woman who singes his body with the slighted touch and stokes the fire in his guarded heart. Too bad she’s determined not to fall for a military man.

Desiree Holt has consistently scored high in the service of writing excellent works in both novel and novella formats. She is one of my favorite writers. My collection of Ms. Holt’s books continues to grow as I find myself seeking out her imaginative literary art pieces to add to my ever-growing stash of creative favorite reads! She has established herself as one who can conquer multiple venues and still provide entertaining media in many different scenarios. I find myself truly looking forward to her next release even as write this.

Coyote Heat is a short tale in a series about Navy Seals finding love. It is full of sizzling heat, explosive passion and summer romance all tied together into one yummy adventure.

Miguel “Coyote” Cruz has just come off of one dangerous mission and is waiting to be sent out again on another. Along with a few of his other team buddies, Coyote finds himself vacationing in a luxurious home belonging to a famous actress in the Key West. Coyote is ready to prowl as he is looking for a cold beer and a warm body, unfortunately he literally spills that beer on his desired conquest, Cori Sutherland.

Having been hurt in her past, Cori does not care for men in the military and she is not a “looking-for-love” type of gal, however she cannot resist the pull she feels with Coyote as he continues to seduce her into his bed. Passion and sparks ignite as these two discover that there is more going on than a simple ‘one-night-stand”. Soon their romance blossoms into a forever type of love. The story leaves us with Coyote returning with Team Arapah to yet another military endeavor and the reader hoping for a future story that continues the love-scenes with our seals and their sweethearts.

I enjoyed this tale and will place it in my favorite folder. It is a difficult job writing a short story that can engage the reader however Ms.Holt seems to pitch home-runs with her descriptive plots. I had some difficulty at first connecting with these characters as I felt that Coyote needed to be more “tough and rough” since he is a SEAL and I thought that Cori was too rude and unforgiving, but then I realized as I got into the story that these characters were in fact individual in their personalities and therefore were lovable in their own way.

I hope to be reading another Desiree Holt book soon and I recommend this story if you need a quick-read that fuels your desire to experience passion and romance.

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It’s a Wonderful Undead Life by R E Mullins

May 17, 2013 By Leave a Comment

LIFE
It’s a Wonderful Undead Life by R E Mullins
The Blautsaugers of Amber Heights, Book One
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Holiday
Length: Full Length (340 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia

It’s been a rough couple of years for Cailey Kantor. Facing her first Christmas alone and bad financial news, she prays for an angel to fix her problems. Instead, a sadistic, sociopathic vampire, with the goal of starting a vampire war, attacks her and forces her to drink blood stolen from the Nosferatu Gabriel Blautsauger.

Gabe must complete Cailey’s turning or she will die. In doing so he risks losing his yet unfound soulmate. But something about the lovely mortal speaks to his heart. Once her transformation is complete, he and Cailey find themselves embroiled in a battle that could cost them all they hold dear.

Faced with lies, abduction, and betrayal Cailey wonders if the vampire she is falling fangs over heart for is in it for love or if she’s just a means to stop a war.

Sometimes the holidays literally bite.

Cailey is depressed about spending Christmas alone. With no family, a failed marriage, and a mountain of financial debt, Cailey doesn’t think her life can get any worse. Then she’s attacked by a vampire and discovers she’s the catalyst to starting a vampire war. Where is her guardian angel when she really needs him?

I think Cailey is a likable character for the most part. I admit that I was alternately entertained and annoyed by her antics. There are times when Cailey is incredibly brave and selfless. Her fierce determination to stand up for her friends is admirable. However, there are other times when Cailey is amazingly stubborn and childish. She makes some very stupid decisions that had me shaking my head. Even though she repeatedly puts her life in danger, she continues to insist that she is independent and can take care of herself. If Cailey expects Gabriel and his family to take her seriously, she’s needs to make some serious changes to her decision making process. While I was slightly aggravated by Cailey’s behavior, I must say that when she does find herself confronted by enemies, she demonstrates extraordinary strength and spirit. She never stops fighting not only for herself, but anyone else who needs help.

Gabriel is a very stubborn man who has his hands full with Cailey. His behavior and attitude is very old fashioned at times, but he truly has Cailey’s best interest at heart. He has no idea why Caily has a hard time trusting him until Morgan, Cailey’s best friend, clues him in. While the information did a lot to explain some of Cailey’s irrational behavior, I thought that the scene felt a bit rushed and forced, especially since Cailey was there to listen to the entire exchange.

Despite the issues that Cailey and Gabriel face, I think they have a great connection as a couple. Their relationship progresses very quickly because of circumstances beyond their control. However, I was very pleased to discover that when the dust settled, they were willing to slow things down and take the time to develop a meaningful relationship.

Gabriel’s siblings are certainly entertaining secondary characters. Although I must say that their constant bickering feels a bit overdone at times. I think Rafe is my favorite of the siblings. He displays a very tough and often cranky exterior, but I have a feeling that he has a soft heart underneath it all. I’d definitely be willing to read more about him in future installments of the series.

I found It’s a Wonderful Undead Life to be an enjoyable read. Ms. Mullins has taken a holiday classic and made it her own. The characters found within the pages of It’s a Wonderful Undead Life are definitely worth getting know. Anyone who enjoys holiday themed paranormal romance might want to give this book a try.

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Tempted by the Storm by Maxine Mansfield

April 5, 2013 By 5 Comments

Cover_TemptedByTheStorm

Tempted by the Storm by Maxine Mansfield
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Fantasy
Length: Full (390 pgs)
Other: M/F
Rated: 3.5 Stars
Review by Poppy

Larksong Hammerstrike has always been just the younger sister of Princess Aryanna. Never quite as pretty or as smart, always lacking, a mere empath whose power gets her into trouble more often than not. But at Carnalval, the festival of all things sexual, she unleashes her sensual side for a night in the arms of a masked stranger. When morning dawns, Lark can’t resist a peek beneath the mask of her lover and is once again crushed by fate. The man of her lusty adventure is none other than the future Lord of the High Elves and destined to marry her sister.

As heir to the kingdom of Landis and current instructor of wizardry at the Academy of Magical Arts, Sarco Sunwalker is honor bound to rise above the temptation of the beautiful empathic student who invades his mind, body, and soul. But when sparks fly, lightning strikes, and thunder rolls, Sarco finds himself more than tempted by the storm of Lark’s passion and vows to find a solution that will prevent a war between races, fulfill an infamous quest, and win Lark’s hand.

If you like a bit of humor with your abundant sex, or a quest for your hero, Tempted by the Storm might be the book for you.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I chose to review this book, but I’m a huge fantasy lover, and enjoy adding heat to the fantasy. Heat I got in spades — from the start to the finish, this book is full of smoking hot sex and not just between the hero and heroine. Everyone seems to be getting some! Truthfully, I was surprised at how many different points-of-view we experienced and while it was never confusing, sometimes it seemed to be just for the sex and I’d find myself skipping pages to get back to the plot.

Now, the story was definitely interesting! Lovers who meet and connect without knowing who the each are, only to find out Sarco, the hero is betrothed to our heroine, Lark’s sister … but it’s even more convoluted when we discover the sister and Sarco’s brother are in love. Yet, there is a prophecy about peace, war, the end of the worlds as they know it which involves the marriage and Sarco is nothing if not honorable and determined to do what he must. Too bad he can’t keep his hands of Lark.

Enter a secret book, a quest, magic, dragons and more — all the perfect trappings of a stellar fantasy novel.

Ms. Mansfield is a very talented author. Her imagination was amazing and her skill with words beyond question. The sex scenes were steamy and well described, I just wish there had been just a few less. I was honestly relieved when the characters were separated for a time and couldn’t jump into bed (or on the desk or … )

However, the thing I think that made this a hard book for me to rate were the gnomes. They were clearly there for comic relief and were silly, disgusting, over-sexed, blunt and more. Yes, they made me laugh in spots. Yes, they had some great one-liners (all the way up to the end). But the rest of the story felt so much like an epic fantasy, that those scenes with the gnomes felt out of place. They jolted me from the story, from its intensity and from the fear and worry I felt. A bit like a cold glass of water in my face, it took away that urgency and anxiety that would have kept me from putting the book down (in fact, their love of bathroom humor, which is my least favorite form of “fun”, and a particular contest between two of them near the beginning nearly put me off the book entirely). This is probably a matter of personal preference, however, and I wouldn’t let it stop you from reading, especially if you’re a lover of fantasy. I was honestly glad I’d committed to reading this for a review, as it required me to move forward and the story got better and better as it continued.

I discovered that this was book two of a series, and I honestly wouldn’t have known if I hadn’t found out. I never once felt lost or felt as though I was missing something. Perhaps I would have picked up on certain things, or been excited about getting reacquainted with old friends, but as a newbie to the series I can honestly say this books stands alone quite well.

If you like your fantasy with a whole pile of heat and a side dish of comedy, then I can recommend Tempted by the Storm. Despite my issue with the gnomes, I’m really glad I had the chance to read this. I loved so many of the characters (including Lark’s father, surprisingly!) and was quite invested in the outcome of Sarco’s quest. The author has a talent for world-building and creating characters you’ll care about. Why not give it a try?

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Changes in Autumn by Renee Charles

April 1, 2013 By 1 Comment

CHANGES
Changes in Autumn by Renee Charles
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Paranormal, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (67 pgs)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Ex-animal control officer, Autumn Reynolds always had a soft spot for injured animals. So when one shows up on her porch with a gunshot wound, she has no choice but to help it. But she gets caught in the maelstrom when the injured wolf turns out to be a hot werewolf and the shooter comes back to finish the job. Now she’s going to become a wolf, or die trying. Fortunately, she now has her own Alpha-male who owes her one. However, Autumn fears if she does survive, she might lose her heart in the process.

Conner Grayson owes the beautiful woman his life and feels obligated to help her through her first change. Though he recognizes her as his mate, as her Alpha, he won’t deny Autumn the right to choose once she becomes a wolf. That is, if he can resist the overwhelming need to claim her as his own.

Badly shot, Connor Grayson changes into his wolf form to try and find help, stumbling over Autumn Reynold’s garbage cans. Never able to turn her back on an animal in need, Autumn brings the enormous wolf inside and sets to work cleaning his wound and saving his life. When she sees Connor turn from human into the wolf she’d been caring for, her world is shattered and simultaneously brought to vivid life. Even in her previous life as a cop Autumn has rarely faced such danger as Connor unwittingly exposes her to, nor has her blood ever hummed with such desire, or her need for a man been so close to the surface.

This is an exciting paranormal story, filled with danger, tenderness and a strong plot. I really enjoyed the characters of Autumn and Connor, and hope there’s a sequel in Mac’s story too. The author does a great job in the descriptions of turning into a wolf, and in letting the reader know exactly what the characters are feeling and experiencing. Readers should feel like nothing’s held back, the full experience is laid out in vivid detail. While many of the laws and circumstances around the pack and its structure aren’t new, I found the connection I felt to the characters made up for any lack of novelty. I cared about Connor and his decisions, and really wanted to cheer Autumn as she came to grips with the new world she found herself in. My curiosity and hopes for Mac – Connor’s brother – are also strong enough I’m hoping to search out his story too.

With awesome characters and a fast pace of action, this is a great story when you’re in the mood for a werewolf tale. A spicy sex scene – not graphic but detailed enough to leave romance readers satisfied – tops off a fun and tasty treat of a read.

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Jonesin’ For Action by Samantha Cayto

March 25, 2013 By Leave a Comment

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Jonesin’ For Action by Samantha Cayto
Seals on Fire Series
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short Story (37 pgs)
Other: M/F
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Clover

Losing half a leg hasn’t slowed down Aiden Jones. He can’t deploy as a SEAL anymore, but that doesn’t stop him from enjoying life as he always has. The one challenge left is to take a woman to bed. It’s not his ability he questions, but his appeal. Can a woman overlook his damaged leg?

Marissa Nelson tends bar while working on her dissertation. Cautious by nature, hooking up with customers isn’t her style, but Aiden tempts her to break the rules. More than the sum of his parts, he’s a man who can rock her world.

A man with needs, a woman with desires, how can the result not be explosive?

Aiden ‘Jonesin’ Jones is a retired SEAL, who wishes he wasn’t. He’d love to still be working as a medic with the rest of his team; traveling the world, hunting down the bad guys and being the one to help his comrades when things went wrong. But that’s not his life anymore, not since he lost a leg. Now his days are considerably less exciting. One thing would help though, because although he’s rehabilitated enough to enjoy many things – including waterskiing – taking a woman to his bed is his final hurdle.

Marissa Nelson works in a bar to fund her studies. She’s little but feisty and runs the place with professionalism and aplomb. It is definitely not her style to pick up customers, but when she sees Aiden waterskiing and then propping up her bar later that day, she just can’t help or ignore the attraction she feels for him.

This is the first book I have read in the Seals on Fire series and I have to say it certainly shows promise. The book is hot and sensitive and kept my interest from the first page. I liked how Marissa just went for it. She saw Aiden, fancied the pants off of him and wasn’t afraid to step out of her comfort zone when she asked him back to her place.

Aiden was just adorable, and Mz Cayto handled his body image issues with great writing maturity. It was neither the main focus of the story, nor brushed aside. A well handled theme of overcoming serious injury and re-discovering sexuality. Marissa was perfect for Aiden, she had depth of character and was supportive and clearly didn’t have to fake any of her lusty desires, she was HOT for him.

Jonesin’ For Action is a character led story, not much else happens, but personally that is how I like my hot short stories. I really just want to know about the hero and heroine and imagine them riding off into the sunset together. I would certainly pick up another Samantha Cayto book and will be on the look out for more Seals on Fire.

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