Romancing the Hero by Cate Masters

January 17, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Romancing the Hero by Cate Masters
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short Story (72 pgs)
Heat Level: sensual
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Freesia

For romance writer Jody Feather, love is wonderful—on the page. Her books are instant bestsellers and readers love her delectable hero, Jake Emerson. He’s the kind of man who knows exactly how to please a woman. The kind of man who doesn’t really exist. Or at least not for Jody—she’s too busy writing about delicious heroes to find one of her own.

When a man shows up on her doorstep claiming to be Jake Emerson, Jody’s hormones shoot sky high. This would-be hero is everything she imagined him to be, and when Jody takes him to her book signing, readers swoon. But Jake only has eyes—and compliments—for her. Before long, Jody stops doubting his story and starts doubting her sanity.

When Jake convinces her she is overdue for love, Jody begins to wonder—instead of just writing about adventures, has she conjured one?

A steamy cast of characters pulls the reader right into Romancing the Hero, and doesn’t let go until the final page. Cate Masters’ romantic novella, an homage to the classic romance movie Romancing the Stone, will make you believe that your fantasies can come true.

The well-written characters–feisty Jody Feather, best-selling romance writer who’s dissatisfied with her love life and perfect hero Jake Emerson–are captivating from their initial meeting. Jody is a woman in desperate need of romance and love, so she created the perfect man for her novels. Now, every perfect inch of him is standing on her doorstep. What is an author to do? Jody has some wonderful ideas, but settles for letting what she assumes is a hired actor escort her to a writer’s convention. Things get more complicated when Jody’s ex-boyfriend shows up and she sees a clear choice between the two men.

The novella leads you excellently right down the garden path–is Jake really an actor, or is he stud-come-to-life Jake? I really liked how Ms. Masters’ tight plotting keeps you guessing, up to the very end. And we are pulling for Jake and Jody to get their happy ending. I’m a romance lover, tried and true, and read for the HEA payoff. While, in some ways the ending could be construed as a Happy For Now, I confess to being disappointed by the ending of the book and that’s a shame, because Ms. Masters is a very good author and Romancing the Hero is a fun, well-written story.

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Legally Bound by Rynne Raines

January 16, 2012 By 1 Comment

Legally Bound by Rynne Raines
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (182 pages)
Other: BDSM, M/F, Anal Play, Toys, Spanking, Exhibitionsim, Voyeurism
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Moonflower

Evelyn Morgan has a secret. Donavan Carver wants to expose it. Bondage, debauchery, and a weekend at Eden lands one of them on their knees.

For years, Eve has craved sexual domination, but a kinky romp in the hay isn’t worth destroying her prestigious legal reputation over. Even if that romp’s with her handsome rival and legendary Dominant, Donavan Carver. Desperate to protect her secret and keep the notorious playboy at bay, Eve clings to the lie she’s told for two years—she’s a Domme. Donavan doesn’t buy it. Given an opportunity to put Donavan’s doubts to rest, Eve lures him into a bet he can’t win–one that will tether him to her leash. So what if she cheats to win? He’ll never find out. Or will he?

I do believe that this “vanilla girl” will put Master Carver on her list of Top Three Fantasy Doms!! Let me just say…he had the perfect combination of domination and playfulness. He is divine!!

Hard-nosed and strong willed, Evelyn Morgan is an amazing attorney. She has to work harder and be tougher to make it in the world of law. But inside is a woman who wants to be taken, ravished and owned. To keep her image of the tough talented attorney, she cannot allow that weaker side of herself to show, so she has perpetuated a little white lie that she is a Domme.

Donavan Carver has been her nemesis and fantasy since law school. Donavan is perfection. Tall, lean and built like a Greek God. He also doesn’t believe for one second that Eve is a Mistress. He knows the signs of a submissive and he plans to prove that is exactly what Eve is. Too bad one little harmless bet backfired on him and now he is to be her slave for the weekend…or is he?

This story just goes to prove, never make a bet with a Dom. They will always find a way to turn it around and that is exactly what Donavan does. Together they share a revolutionary weekend. They discover things about each other that change them forever. All too soon, they both realize that though they may work well together in the bedroom, they may not work so well together out in the real world.

I absolutely inhaled this story. Non-stop heat and chemistry pulled me in. I couldn’t get enough of their heat and I devoured this book in one sitting. One cold shower later and I was researching Ms. Raines’ other works and then started the whole process over again. Legally Bound is not the first book set at the BDSM club, Eden. Eve’s best friend’s story is told in Welcome to Eden, a delightfully sinful short story. Another short story set at Eden is Pure Sin. It’s about two employees and their battle of wills.

I would highly recommend Legally Bound. It would be a wonderful story for the beginner reader of BDSM and even the more experienced connoisseur. While it does show the more tender side of the lifestyle, you can’t help but be pulled into the romance and passion of these two people. I do believe that humor and a strong hand can make for an exciting exchange in the bedroom or dungeon and Ms. Raines does a fabulous job conveying both. So if you like your BDSM on the more tender side, with a splash of humor, pick up Legally Bound. You won’t be disappointed.

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Opera Macabre by Michelle Rodriguez

January 3, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Opera Macabre by Michelle Rodriguez
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Historical, Paranormal
Length: Full Length (380 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia

Count Aiden de Lazarus has grown apathetic to the world around him and the monotony of immortal life. Determined to regain his zest for vampiric pursuits, he chooses a mortal girl and bites her with the intent to drain her. Instead, her intoxicating taste and enchanting beauty stirs feelings he has long buried. Scared by such mortal feelings, he gives her to another vampire as payment for a debt.

After eight long years, Bianca is still living a cursed life—singing on stage in Alexi’s profitable opera and enduring the bites of the undead as part of his undercover auction when the stage lights dim. Doomed to become Alexi’s vampire bride, her future is bleak.

Aiden is horrified to find Bianca still alive and Alexi’s prized possession. Her image has continued to haunt him. Now he must find a way to free her from the life he unwittingly condemned her to and prove that he, unlike the vampires she has known, can be a man worth loving.

Aiden has vowed to protect Bianca from Alexi, but can Aiden protect her from himself?

From the moment I read the blurb for Opera Macabre, my interest was piqued. Curious as to how Bianca could ever come to love the man who stole her life, I eagerly started reading. Once I delved into the pages, I discovered two characters filled with despair. However, when they meet, the chemistry between them was immediately apparent. For the first time in their lives, Aiden and Bianca began to hope that there might be something more to life. Aiden’s new found purpose is Bianca’s well being, but can Bianca ever truly trust a vampire, especially after she learns Aiden’s role in her situation?

Poor Bianca! Her situation was so tragic and completely out of her control. She presented a haughty façade, but the moments when she broke down into tears were truly moving. Though she lamented her situation, Bianca did not let Alexi crush her spirit. Instead, she grew into a beautiful and talented woman. Obviously she was unsure of Aiden and his motives when they first met, but it wasn’t long before she realized that she and Aiden were destined to be together. I enjoyed watching her drop her mask and really open up to Aiden.

Aiden was the perfect hero for Bianca, and yet he was the very reason that she needed rescuing. Guilt ridden by what he had done to Bianca, Aiden vowed to rescue her from Alexi’s clutches. He never expected to fall in love with her. Aiden then struggled to balance out the hunger he felt for Bianca as a man versus the hunger he felt as a vampire. I admired Aiden’s resolve, self control, and loyalty, but I do wish he had been more honest with Bianca at the start. Aiden and Bianca fall in love before he had the opportunity to tell her that he is the one who gave her to Alexi in the first place. As I watched their relationship grow, I knew Aiden’s deed would come to light eventually, and I couldn’t help but think that their relationship was being built around a lie. This made it very hard to relax and enjoy the romance of their relationship. Despite this issue, I thought Aiden and Bianca had a very powerful romance that culminated in some very moving and well written love scenes.

Ms. Rodriguez created a wonderful secondary character in Rufus. Though he doesn’t have the strength of a vampire, he cared for Bianca as if she was his daughter. Rufus became so real in my mind that I could see him fussing around her in his brightly colored suits, and I could even hear his voice when he called her “butterfly.” He was a truly enjoyable character.

As I neared the climax of the book, I had a pretty good idea of what sort of turn the story would take. However, Ms. Rodriguez put in some twists that were completely unexpected. I don’t want to spoil the surprise, but I will say that Aiden and Rufus find an interesting way to rescue Bianca and thwart Alexi’s evil scheme.

I’m glad I had the opportunity to read Opera Macabre. The characters were compelling and the romance was passionate and spicy. Fans of paranormal romance should certainly give Opera Macabre a try.

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Kiss Me Goodnight by Patti Ann Colt

December 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Kiss Me Goodnight by Patti Ann Colt
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (300 pages)
Heat Level: spicy
Rating: 4.5 Books
Reviewed by Sunflower

SUMMER LEFEY blazed to the top of the art world with her painting genius. When she returns to Echo Falls, Texas, for her grandfather’s funeral, she collides with her childhood crush – now a sexy cop. He snares her heart with romance and passion, but falling in love isn’t enough. To have him, she must return to a place she never wanted to go.

TOM APPLEGATE, a dedicated police officer, relishes small-town life and longs for the happiness his parents have. When he reunites with Summer, he thinks he’s found the missing piece of his dream, but falling in love only complicates matters. To have her, he must give up the home of his heart.

Friends, career, family…Can one make the ultimate sacrifice for love?

Texas is a big place, but it’s filled with little towns with the small town magic, the long lasting roots of family, and love. Welcome to Echo Falls, Texas, the town featured in Kiss Me Goodnight. This is my first visit there, and I fell in love with the people that make up Echo Falls. Especially the Applegate family.

Summer LeFey was once a part of Echo Falls. But the desperate desire to go after her dream to paint took her far from Texas, and severed the connection she had with her grandfather. It’s been years since she’s spoken with her grandfather, after he made it clear how he felt when Summer left. Now it’s time for Summer to come home. Summer is tough, she’s committed to her painting, but she doesn’t apply the same heartfelt emotion she puts in her art into her real life. And until she meets Tom and gets a glimpse of his close knit family, she never knew what she was missing.

Tom Applegate had a good relationship with Summer’s grandfather. His feelings towards Summer are a bit hostile and angry at first, but once he gets to know her and spends time with the woman, his emotions quickly change. He knows he shouldn’t get involved with her. There’s a reason she stayed away from Echo Falls for so long, so does he really have a chance at getting Summer to stay? His dreams revolve around Echo Falls, and her grandfather’s house. Complications arise.

Kiss Me Goodnight is an excellent contemporary romance with a bit of a suspense element. Ms. Colt created such believeable, intriguing characters that readers are sure to fall in love with. I sure did. Summer and Tom’s story grabbed me by the heart and held on. Reading about such a family as Tom’s kept a smile on my face. I loved this book and want to go back and find the others that belong in the Echo Falls Series. I hope that the author weaves more tales in this wonderful Texas town. My heart has been stolen by Echo Falls and it’s charming people, but that’s all right with me. I don’t mind a bit!

Readers, if I may make a suggestion. Hurry and get yourself a copy of Kiss Me Goodnight. This touching, warm and fuzzy making love story grabs hold and stays near and dear to the heart if you’ll only let it in.

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Homecoming by Meg Bellamy

December 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Homecoming by Meg Bellamy
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (225 pages)
Heat Level: spicy
Rating: 5 Books
Reviewed by Sunflower

When a family illness forces Julie Loring to return home to North Carolina from New York, she is determined to avoid her old love, Dan Williams, and make the speediest possible escape. Her hope is dashed the first night back.

Dan doesn’t know why Julie ran off twelve years earlier, but he’s still in love with her. He wants her to be his wife and mother to his child. Though Julie warns she hasn’t changed, neither can deny the sparks that fly between them.

But Julie left with a secret—one she’s certain will destroy any chance they might have of a future together.

What is it about small towns? Folks either love it or they hate it. In Julie Loring’s case, she couldn’t wait to hightail it out of Compton’s Creek, leaving behind some broken hearts. New York, watch out! But then, Julie is forced to come back and handle a situation, and she has to face those she left behind all those years ago.

Julie Beth Loring, now simply going by Julie, doesn’t like poverty. She’s not fond of wasting time in small towns when she feels bigger and better is waiting elsewhere. She’s stubborn, very opinionated, and she sticks to what she feels no matter the outcome. The man she left behind twelve years ago wants answers, and he’s not going to go away quietly. It’s time to settle the ghosts of Julie and Dan’s past, whether she wants to or not.

Dan Williams never got over Julie. He was devastated when she just packed up and left without a word, and without a real good-bye. Seeing her again after all these years has brought out old feelings, some anger, and new feelings. Things have changed in his life, and he seeks Julie’s love and acceptance. He knows her feelings about staying in Compton’s Creek, but that doesn’t keep him from trying. All he has to do is break down her defenses, get her to fall in love all over again, and show her that life in a small town isn’t all that bad.

Ms. Bellamy creates a jam packed emotional punch in Homecoming. This author takes this couple on a wild journey of second chances. With a loss of an important person, the mixed emotions of a child, and plenty of love, this story gives off a heartwarming vibe of settling down and starting a new dream. The characters are so well created that it’s easy to relate to them, feel their emotions, and get angry or happy at their actions. The book had me hanging on to every word. I was hooked on from the get go. I had plenty of angst as the story progressed, wondering how Julie and Dan were going to get through this when both are stubborn and don’t give up easily. I was surprised at the turn of events that swayed one of them into changing their minds.

I enjoyed Homecoming very much. The story and people that brought it to life found a place in my heart and in my mind long after the last page was read. It’s a beautifully write contemporary that tugged on my heartstrings, and readers, if you love contemporary stories set in a small town, then why not get yourself a copy of Homecoming and allow Julie, Dan, and the rest of the family to find their way into your heart as well?

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Misunderstanding Mason by Claire Ashgrove

December 14, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Misunderstanding Mason by Claire Ashgrove
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (154 pages)
Heat Level: Hot
Rating: Best Book
Reviewed by Larkspur

When Kirstin Jones agreed to work with her live-in boyfriend, Mason, on a freelance job for a wealthy client, she never thought it might destroy their relationship. But the client’s keen observations show her that she’s been little more than Mason’s shadow. Fed up with his insensitivities, she moves out. Weeks later, desperate to stand on her own, she accepts work with the same client once again. Only this time, the project requires Mason’s help. To obtain his aid, she must meet his terms. And what he wants is more than she can afford.

Mason Montgomery is baffled by Kirstin’s claims that he never had time for her. While verbalizing his emotions has never been his strong point, he’s spent five years showing his love. He needs Kirstin more than he wants to admit. When she leaves him, he’ll stop at nothing to get her back, even if it means working with the client who twisted truths and tore his life apart.

This time Mason’s not leaving room for misunderstandings.

What do you do when he doesn’t need you any more? What do you do when you become an orbiting planet to his sun? What do you do when you think you might be Misunderstanding Mason

I’ve had the honor of reading Claire Ashgrove before so this bountiful, beautiful, hot sizzling romance is not surprising to me. It’s also not surprising that she never disappoints and that she tells such a complete story in so few pages.

Her plot is my all time favorite: second chance romance — and just wait until you read the dance scene. I love to see how the couple re-connects and rekindles what ever put out the fire. Her narrative is easy to read, easy to follow and full of anecdotal funnies and downright get you in the heart emotions that will have you wiping tears from your eyes. Her characters are unforgettable, enigmatic, heartfelt and so real you might meet them on the street.

Her hero Mason is not your textbook nerd, he’s more a geek with attitude. Her heroine Kirsten is the girl next door whose insecurities are her biggest downfall. She has the second chance plot down to perfection in her depiction of this couple’s struggle back into each other’s arms. The love scenes while not many are ones you’ll be reading, and then re-reading over and over because they are so fraught with emotion, sensuality and heat. I couldn’t get enough of them.

There are only a couple of things that I found fault with: first, that it ended and second, that I can’t give it a higher rating. It’s one of the best romances I’ve read in a while. It will appeal to the true romance lover, the sophisticated romance lover, the romance lover who craves the emotional turmoil that comes with a love story.

Thank you Ms. Ashgrove for taking me on an adventure that I will repeat many times, I can’t wait to read what you come up with next.

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Take This Man by Nona Raines

December 14, 2011 By 1 Comment

Take This Man by Nona Raines
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full length (181 pgs)
Other: M/F, menage, m/f/m
Rating: 4 Cherries
Reviewed By Dianthus

The biggest mistake of Elyse Zemanski’s life was falling in love with Adam. When a night of sexual fantasy went too far, she was crushed and couldn’t leave town fast enough.

The biggest mistake of Adam Vostek’s life was letting Elyse go. He’d been afraid of the love she promised and pushed her away—into another man’s arms…and bed.

When Elyse returns to Summit to help a friend, Adam wants a second chance to prove he’s worthy—in and out of the bedroom. She claims she’s over him, but one look from those smoldering dark eyes, and she throws caution to the wind. Elyse offers him seven days of wild sex, hoping to get him out of her system. Adam’s good to go on the sex. But will a week be enough to win back Elyse’s love and trust?

Can the pains of the past really dictate how your future goes? That is how Adam Vostek feels. After growing up in a less than stellar home, he hasn’t been able to open up to anyone. But after meeting Elyse Zemanski, he can’t seem to get enough of her, and when they are apart this pain starts in his chest, but that isn’t love….is it? But when the emotions get too thick, Adam has to find a way to push Elyse away, because if she knew the truth than she would run from him as fast as possible. But will pushing her away make him feel better, or when Elyse leaves is she taking his heart with her?

Elyse Zemanski has been madly in love with Adam since the first day they met at the Hi-Lite Bakery where she was working. But when Adam brings another man into their bed, she is taken aback by it and then a cold realization hit: if he loved her he wouldn’t ask her to do this.

This was a really good story that I truly enjoyed reading. The characters were well thought out and the story line believable. It moved at an easy pace. I read this book in one sitting, but felt there needed to more to the story because of the other characters involved.

I really enjoyed Nona Raines work. The writing was smooth, the sex hot and the ending satisfying. She will definitely go on my short list of go-to authors. This book does not disappoint.

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Red Leather Reunion by Karen Bostrom

December 14, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Red Leather Reunion by Karen Bostrom
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short Story (44 pages)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 4 books
Reviewed by Azalea

Ron Granger never expected his twenty-fifth high school reunion to bring his heart’s desire one step closer to reality. But when Jane Hunter shows up unexpectedly—in a hot red leather dress, no less—Ron wonders if he’ll finally get a second chance to tell her how he feels.

Local TV reporter Jane Hunter never wanted to attend another Summerville High School reunion—not after the explosive split with her ex-husband twenty years ago. But the opportunity to defuse his mean-spirited campaign to smear her is too enticing to miss. Besides, she’s after something more important than compliments and envy in her killer red dress—it’s another man from her past she’s hoping to dazzle.

Unrequited love, resentment, and vengeance create a steamy mix—will the lives of these three estranged friends ever be the same?

Jane Hunter has been the object of Ron Granger’s affection since their high school days when both were considered nerdy and shy. Of course Ron couldn’t tell Jane how he felt because they were part of a threesome of platonic friends: ­studious Ron, plain Jane and jock Cliff DeWitt. When Ron finally gets the courage to tell Jane how he feels, she’s confiding her feelings for Cliff to him. The Class of ’85 graduates, Jane and Cliff marry, and Ron goes on to academia, marrying and later, divorcing.

Jane divorces Cliff after a few years and goes on to make a name for herself as an investigative television reporter. Class reunions roll by: ten years, fifteen, twenty. Ron attends, always hoping to run into Jane again.

Now Summerville High is having their twenty-fifth reunion and Ron wonders if it’s going to be as boring as the last three. He’s in for a surprise when he spots gorgeous, sexy Jane in the doorway arch under an array of black and silver balloons. Gone are the glasses. Gone are the extra pounds she gained after her marriage to Cliff. Ron feels the old pull toward the girl he never forgot. But Cliff is beside him at the hotel bar, as oblivious now, as then, as to the pathetic figure he cuts. Cliff is a hero in his own eyes, a jerk to everyone else. Jane joins them, and after a bit of acrimony between the ex-partners, she suggests a truce­: leave the past behind and move on with their lives. But can they?

It’s difficult to show a lot of character depth in a story of only forty-four pages, but author Bostrom has done a fantastic job of creating empathetic characters in the persons of Ron and Jane. Choosing to tell this story from Ron’s point of view was a good move by Bostrom, because Ron is the character with the most to lose, and his feelings toward Jane are what makes him the perfect hero.

Red Leather Reunion provides an intriguing glimpse into the lives of classmates after a quarter-century hiatus and mirrors the realities in readers’ lives. I cheered for Ron and Jane and was not disappointed. Brava Ms. Bostrom.

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One Small Fib by Jan Romes

December 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment

One Small Fib by Jan Romes
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full length (167 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 5 Books
Reviewed by Moonflower

Allie Blue’s dream of buying the old Smithington mansion and turning it into a bed and breakfast is stomped by a mystery real estate developer with a fancy pen and loaded checkbook. With no bed and breakfast, Allie resorts to one small fib which lands her a flight attendant’s job and the task of pampering Upward Airlines’ most demanding frequent flyer — Kiptyn Thomas, III. Something raw and potent snaps between them, but Allie fights the attraction for the guy who thinks he’s at the top of the food chain. Kiptyn Thomas is used to getting what he wants, when he wants it. Allie Blue both annoys and intrigues him. Will some well-intentioned fibs, a deep dark secret, and similar personalities draw them together or keep them apart?

Now this is how a story should be!

This is my second book I’ve read in the Millionaire’s Club series. I absolutely love this new refreshing series and I can’t wait for more. This story read very fast and seemed shorter than its length, but it was gratifying either way.

Allie Blue had a dream to open a bed and breakfast but it just got crushed. Instead she finds herself working as a flight attendant. On her fourth day on the job, she’s told she has to serve one of the airlines toughest passengers, playboy billionaire Kiptyn Thomas. Never one to allow herself to be intimidated she rises to the challenge and… well… fails pretty miserably.

Why does this particular flight attendant peak Kiptyn’s interest? She sasses him, infuriates him and just drives him plain crazy. He now finds that he can’t stop thinking about her. Never has a woman ever possessed him the way Allie has. Kiptyn is at the top of his game. Making money comes easy to him, women do not. Though he doesn’t want to take their attraction forward, forward is the only direction he finds himself going. So now the game is on. If he is going to play, he might as well play for keeps.

Their attraction is instantaneous, but with their pasts, they are cautious and make many mistakes. It is a whirlwind romance filled with sensual encounters. Their passion is off the charts but it is still sweet and endearing. I will also say, without giving any clues away, that the closing day/night in the book is the most unique I have ever read. Wow, talk about imaginative!

This is a romance all wrapped up in a wonderful little package. It has a simple plot, but is rich in details. A back story is not necessary to enjoy this book. It didn’t need it, which then allowed the author to focus on the actual plot and not add all the filler needed to get a reader up to date. This story is just perfect. One Small Fib is solidly written and just the right size. I don’t feel like I missed a single thing and I am so satisfied with the ending I do believe I actually sighed!

One Small Fib is like a decadent dessert without all the calories; sinful and tasty with just the right about of sweetness. This book is perfectly proportioned without leaving you overstuffed. Ms. Romes will have me coming back for more.

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A Beautiful Cage by Alyson Reuben

December 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment

A Beautiful CAge by Alyson Reuben
Publisher: The Wild Rose PRess
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (374 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 books
Reviewed by Camellia

Wanted by the Gestapo, Rebecca Bloomberg is on the run for her life. Sheltering in the home of a reporter who writes absurd lies for a Nazi propaganda newspaper is hardly an ideal solution. Irresistibly drawn to the man, she dares not trust him, until she discovers his journalist position is a mask for involvement in an anti-Nazi resistance ring.

Gustav Von Furst has done all he can to perfect his mask. Neither his family nor his close friends know the truth. Hiding a Jewish girl is the most foolish risk, yet there is something about her that makes him want to protect her.

Eager to forget the outside world, Rebecca and Gustav are caught up in a private world of forbidden passion—until unexpected danger lands on their doorstep and they’re faced with a decision that will change everything. Will love demand a sacrifice too great to give?

This poignant love story, set in one of the most troubled times of modern of history, is not only about unswerving love, but also about the psychological subjugation of a people to the point that they are willing to commit genocide. The atrocities of mob-mentality sparked by Hitler create a setting for this historical romance.

Rebecca Bloomberg, the pretty, intelligent, outgoing daughter of a Jewish banker, lives a life of privilege until Nazism creeps in taking away her family, friends, money, home and everything until she is alone, vulnerable and despised as one of what Hitler labeled an inferior race of people. She is fair game to be raped and defiled if caught out on the streets. To keep from starving, she ventures into the street, is attacked, but wakes up in a nice, comfortable German home. She is conflicted but grateful to be alive.

Gustavo von Furst, the man Rebecca labeled a gorgeous blond giant the first time she saw him, wears a swastika and greets others with “Heil Hitler”. He leads a double mysterious life that is fraught with danger. However, he brings Rebecca, the girl he’d lusted for from afar, to his grandmother Bertie’s home knowing the danger he puts them all in.

Rebecca’s sojourn with Gustav and his grandmother creates a story that transports and grips one’s emotions in most unusual ways. What is morally right and what is lawfully right becomes a big issue–just how much is one willing to risk to save another person. Rebecca, who feels guilty for what she is putting her rescuers through, feels like she is in a “Beautiful Cage” because showing herself even at a window could bring torture and death to them all—but she craves the sun, fresh air, freedom.

The double agents, unsure alliances and clandestine doings keep the reader’s heart rate at top speed much of the time. Many of the secondary characters like those who frequent Martin’s Bar and the secretive Dietrich keep the reader guessing. However, the most compelling of the secondary characters are those in the back stories within the main story. They add depth, intrigue, and heartbreaking details. The true history woven into the story makes it seem real.

Alyson Reuben’s compelling, beautiful, heartfelt writing style brings to life a time in history that changed the world while she weaves in an incredible, forever love story of a disenfranchised Jewish girl and her gorgeous blond giant. Their love disregards ethnic borders and wins against tremendous odds to bring them to their happy-ever-after (with a special bonus) far from the misery they had endured.

A BEAUTIFUL CAGE is a memorable story.

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