Joint Review: Love Irresistibly (FBI/US Attorney #4)

Available: Now Amazon/B&N

Type: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Berkley

My Copy: Sent

Reviewed by: Pam/Nikki

HE’S USED TO GETTING WHAT HE WANTS… A former football star and one of Chicago’s top prosecutors, Assistant U.S. Attorney Cade Morgan will do anything to nail a corrupt state senator, which means he needs Brooke Parker’s help. As general counsel for a restaurant company, she can get a bug to the senator’s table at one of her five-star restaurants so the FBI can eavesdrop on him. All Cade has to do is convince Brooke to cooperate—and he’s not afraid to use a little charm, or the power of his office, to do just that.

AND WHAT HE WANTS IS HER. A savvy businesswoman, Brooke knows she needs to play ball with the U.S. Attorney’s office—even if it means working with Cade. No doubt there’s a sizzling attraction beneath all their sarcastic quips, but Brooke is determined to keep things casual. Cade agrees—until a surprising turn of events throws his life into turmoil, and he realizes that he wants more than just a good time from the one woman with whom he could fall terrifyingly, irresistibly in love . . .

Brooke Parker has been the general counsel for Sterling Restaurants for two years; Ian Sterling has big plans for his company and wants to control the entertainment and ballpark restaurant contracts all around the country, he even set up a sports and entertainment division which Brooke was hired to run. She has been very successful gaining numerous sports arena contracts since she started. The only thing it has cost her are several relationships; Brooke’s boyfriend of three months recently dumps her telling her that she is not a “big picture” kind of girl. He is looking for someone different and ready for a family; unfortunately he is the third one in eighteen months to tell her the same thing.

Cade Morgan works for the U.S. Attorney’s office as a prosecutor, he has worked on some big cases and is well known in the community, however it helps that he is also famous for winning the Rose Bowl in the last few seconds and then having a career ending shoulder injury at the same time. Cade needs help with an ongoing investigation involving a dirty politician so is visiting Brooke to see what can be done; he takes FBI agents Seth and Vaughn to her office to see about setting up a sting operation by gaining access to Sterling’s 5 star restaurant to get evidence while the Senator dines.

Cade also has relationship problems, he just broke up with his girlfriend because she said he was emotionally unavailable and this was also not the first time he has heard that about him. He had several disappointing events in his childhood which caused most of his stilted emotions however he has not wanted to deal with them until life comes knocking in the form of a sixteen year old boy who is his half brother. They form a tenuous relationship which grows as they get to know each other.

Cade and Brooke’s relationship starts slow and as they continue to need each other’s help on various projects the connection grows into something more. It all comes to a head when both Cade’s past comes to meet up with him and she must decide on her future.

PAM: This is the fourth book in the FBI/U.S. Attorneys books and although loosely tied together they do share some of the same characters. The first books had a little more suspense and adventure as the hero and heroine spend some time trying to get the bad guys and getting out of some dangerous situations. However this newest installment did not have any of the previous suspenseful moments. I have to admit I really enjoyed the danger in Ms. James’ previous books and was a little disappointed. This is a true romance that deals with the problems of everyday life getting in the way of true love. That being said I did enjoy the story and the small amount of angst that Cade deals with about his past. I liked Cade and Brooke together as their banter was a witty back and forth continual conversation that was fun to read. Their personalities meshed well and the sexual tension and chemistry work. I really liked Brooke’s best friend Ford and loved when she accidentally “liked” an article on facebook to show all her “friends” she was interested in the Rules of Casual Sex, Ford’s reaction was hilarious. The pace of the story is good as you watch Cade’s and Brooke’s relationship grow into love.

Cade’s relationship with his brother, Zach is emotional as it brought out all the past feelings he had for his absent father, I liked that he made a statement that he was not going to treat Zach like his father treated him. I enjoyed seeing several characters from the other books; I really liked how Cade’s relationship with Rylann and Kyle was still alive despite him arresting Kyle for being the twitter terrorist. There are several characters that could be next in the series and I would enjoy reading any one of their stories.

I give Love Irresistibly by Julie James 3.50 stars!

NIKKI: Uggg Pam, you totally hit it on the head. Where was the heat? Where was the action? Not here, that’s where. I wanted to like this book. I did. I swear it. But nothing seemed to happen the entire book. it was slow paced (heh, Pam and I disagree on this one) and I found myself bored with Brooke’s constant indecision. She wants a steady boyfriend. She wants a life. yet she practically lives at work and then she wonders why even those boyfriends that have strong careers aren’t going for her. Well duh lady, you’re married to your job.

On the flip side I really enjoyed Cade’s character. He had this lawman, strong and steady vibe about him that just did it for me. He also had a ton of emotional baggage, which is nice for the man to have every once in awhile. When his past catches up to him and he finds out he has a half brother from the father who abandoned him…well to put it lightly, he’s rightfully pissed off. The man who left him didn’t leave this half brother and he essentially got to have the life Cade should have. I had to give Cade credit though, he reacted with grace and soon he and his brother are forging a relationship that will no doubt stand the test of time.

Together Brooke and Morgan slowly (and I mean that) evolve into a romance. It’s tame though so a wide range of romance readers should like that aspect. Problem was I just wasn’t blown away by their connection. It felt surface to me and I needed something more meaningful.

I wanted more from this book and really think it missed it’s mark in the string of this series. I will come back and see what the next journey is about and hope for the best.

I give Love Irresistibly by Julie James 2.75 stars

High Risk By Vivian Arend (Adrenaline #1)

Available: Now Amazon/B&N

Type: Romantic Suspense

Publisher: Berkley

My Copy: Sent

Reviewer: Pam

LIFELINE: an elite search-and-rescue squad based out of Banff, Alberta. Specializing in high-risk rescue missions, this team goes wherever the job takes them… Rebecca James was once revered for her devil-may-care attitude and backcountry survival skills. But ever since she lost her partner in a fatal accident, patches of her memory have been missing. And until she can recall those final, tragic moments before the accident, she can’t move on.

Since Marcus Landers was permanently injured during a mission, all his energies have been focused on his Lifeline team. When Becki—whom he had an intense affair with seven years ago—arrives in Banff, he’s inspired to reignite the spark they once had. Their mutual ardor slowly awakens Becki’s dormant, haunting memories. New truths surface until Becki must at last confront her greatest fear. Remembering the past might mean a future without the man she loves…

Lifeline is an elite search and rescue squad that Marcus Landers owns and runs; he started the company three years ago when life as he knew it changed. He used to work all around the world for others doing rescues and secretive recoveries. That career vanished during a failed operation that cost him his left arm just below his elbow. Returning to Banff was always in his future plans, but he did not think it would happen so soon. He set up a private rescue company and recruited the best; they are the “go to” squad called in for high risk and impossible rescues.

David Landers is Marcus’ brother and runs a school that teaches search and rescue, he established one of the highest ranked training centers in North America. Marcus thinks his team has become lazy and full of themselves so while David’s school is on hiatus Marcus is going to run his team through training.

Rebecca James (Becki) is skilled at working the ropes for search and rescue teams, she went to school at David’s training center years ago and has built up quite a reputation. David is hiring Becki as a trainer when school starts up again however she came early to find herself as she is still recovering mentally from an accident eight months ago when her partner died while climbing. Becki’s memories of the events are vague and she has a large amount of memory loss. She has nightmares that seem to always stop at the same spot each time waking her up in a cold sweat.

Marcus and Becki had a sizzling wild weekend when she was going to school here so there is some sexual tension as soon as they see each other again. They make a deal, she will train his team and help him train with the ropes with his arm and he will help her through her panic attacks and nightmares. However before they even get started he misses several training schedules. She is worried but then when David tells her Marcus is OK she then gets pissed. Marcus also has issues he deals with and gets blinding headaches; he shuts done for several days sometimes.

When a reporter digs up details from Becki’s accident she is worried that what she can’t remember will cause trust issues with the team. And when she is the only one to help on a rescue that cuts close to her heart, this may be the exact trigger for her memory recovery.

High Risk is a very good start to a new series by an author whose books are always on my long “to be read” list. This first book sets up the new series as you meet the team and see how they interact together; you see how the school came about and also the why and how of Marcus’s dream. There was not a lot of search and rescue in this book as it dealt mostly with the relationship of Marcus and Becki and the past issues that keep them from moving on.

The only thing is I did not feel this was a romantic suspense however can see how future books could very easily be more on the suspense side as they perform more search and rescues. I enjoyed the relationship between Marcus and Becki, there is a lot of sexual tension in the beginning and once they are together the sex scenes steamed up the pages. I also enjoyed the way Marcus and David interacted, they have a great brotherly relationship and it is fun watching that way they played off against each other. The team members all seemed to get along, not much drama which is refreshing when you have a team made of up the best and usually egos get in the way, they are truly a team. The story moved along quickly and was a fun and exciting read and Becki’s ordeal several months ago revealed a twist I did not see coming. I am looking forward to the next book as the leading characters are both on the team and they seem to have a love/hate thing going on.

I give High Risk by Vivian Arend 4.0 stars!

Fever by Maya Banks (Breathless #2)

Available: April 2, 2013 Amazon/B&N

Type: Erotic Romance

Publisher: Berkley

My Copy: Sent

Reviewer: Nikki

Jace, Ash, and Gabe: three of the wealthiest, most powerful men in the country. They’re accustomed to getting anything they want. Anything at all. For Jace, it’s a woman whose allure takes him completely by surprise…

Jace Crestwell, Ash McIntyre, and Gabe Hamilton have been best friends and successful business partners for years. They’re powerful, they’re imposing, they’re irresistibly sexy, and Jace and Ash share everything—including their women.

When they meet Bethany, Jace begins to feel things he’s never experienced before: jealousy, and a powerful obsession that threatens him, overwhelms him—and excites him beyond control.

Jace isn’t sharing Bethany—with anyone. He’s determined to be the only man in her life, and it’s jeopardizing a lifelong friendship with Ash. Bethany will be his and his alone. Even if it means turning his back on his best friend.

Maya Banks returns to her newest erotic trilogy with Fever, book two in her Breathless series! After book one affected me so much I wasn’t sure what would happen when I cracked this one open. There has been buzz about this series throughout the internet and book one brought much criticism and praise alike from reviewers.

Fever brings readers Jace and Bethany, a couple who are worlds apart in everything. Jace is powerful, rich and incredibly gorgeous. Though his kink has always been bdsm and threesomes involving his best friend Ash, when he sees Bethany across the room at his sisters engagement party he feels something completely out of his realm of expertise. Curiosity and a powerful draw unlike anything he has felt before. One night of passion with the three of them and Bethany disappears from his life leaving him stunned and more then a little angry.

When he finally catches up to her and learns her heart wrenching story he is at a loss on how to proceed. Bethany is homeless, a recovered drug addict and being dragged down by a failing best friend. Her self worth is shot and Jace tries everything in his power to gain her trust. He messes up quite often though and ends up failing her time and time again. Jace knows he needs to proceed slowly so not to scare her off but his all-consuming need for her often wins out.

I found Bethany to be a completely unique heroine. Her homelessness was something I wasn’t expecting and I thought it added to her appeal as a character who had plenty of room to grow. Her being an addict was unexpected as well and it presented an ongoing conflict that kept the book interesting as she is tested again and again. She is so beaten down emotionally that I was rooting for Jace to build her up and not break her heart. I would get so mad as the book went on because he would fail her. Not believing in her, playing on her emotions, accusing her of using again. I wanted to beat him to a pulp for the way he treated her, unintentional or not. He was so all consumed by her and his temper often way to quick, but in the end, they worked well off each other and Jace was exactly what Bethany needed. Fever is very much a “Pretty Woman” rags to riches type story. I hope other readers connect to Bethany and her horrible self esteem like I did. I understood her personality on a deeper level. Her fear of hope, of believing things can be better and that she was worth the effort of trying.

Gabe and Mia (from book one, Rush) as well as Ash all play integral roles in Fever. Jace counts on them to level him out and even though Mia is his true sister, Gabe and Ash are no less his brothers. Ash will get the last book and I look forward to understanding the darkness that swirls so obviously inside him. I can’t wait to see what rules Banks breaks with his heroine!

Maya Banks is simply phenomenal with her ability to make a reader feel….everything. Anger, contempt, happiness or dangerously erotic twitches. Her words weave a trail through your mind that won’t let go even after you close the book. Days later her words will still invade your thoughts.  She can make you mad and yet you still end up enjoying the books. I don’t know how she does it other then it has to be magical.

I give Fever by Maya Banks 4.50 stars!

Redemption by Erica Hayes Promo

Redemption 
The Seven Signs, Book 2 

Erica Hayes 

Genre: paranormal romance, urban fantasy romance

Publisher: Berkley Sensation

ISBN: 978-0425258385

Number of pages: 330

Word Count: 100K

Cover Artist: Kris Keller

Paperback:  Amazon    BN    Book Depository

Ebook:  Amazon    BN   iTunes

.

.

Book Description: 

Japheth the Tainted is on the hunt for a mysterious demon vampire. But meeting her face-to-face might disarm his warrior spirit—and spark an unquenchable passion with apocalyptic consequences.

As a fallen angel, Japheth is determined to make his way back to heaven by staying pure and slaying hellspawn. With a new scourge of vampires unleashed by a blood-drinking demon, the Prince of Thirst, there’s plenty to be done. But Japheth is after one vampire in particular—the one they call the Angel Slayer.Rose Harley never wanted to be a vampire, but the Prince of Thirst can turn even the kindest soul into a soldier of hell. Feeling abandoned by God, she stalks the West Village taking revenge on his angels—until she meets her match.

When Japheth and Rose encounter each other, the battle is fierce and charged with desire. But when they discover a common enemy—the Prince of Thirst himself—they form a dangerous alliance that could either cost them their eternal lives, or spark a love more powerful than heaven or hell.

 

Excerpt

“Looking for someone, angel?”

That honey-blood voice quivered Japheth’s feathers taut.

She grinned, mocking. Leaning against the redbrick wall beneath a rusted fire escape, steeped in magical shadow and hot vampire stink.

He stared, dumb. Tall for a girl, only a head shorter than he. Long legs, encased in blue jeans and black army boots. Her short black t-shirt stretched over full breasts, flashing that tempting skin above a silver belt buckle. Her bare arms shone, muscular but womanly. Sexy dimples in her cheeks, perfectly shaped for cupping in his palms.

The bloody feathers of slain angels, gold and white and red, stuck through the thick dark braid she tossed over her shoulder. A few wisps escaped to play around her face in the summer-night breeze. He wanted to trace their path with his fingertips, cheekbone to chin to cherry-ripe lips . . .

“Matter of fact, I am,” he said tightly. “Your sniveling master. Fluvium, is it? Prince of Thirst? Tell me where he is and I might kill you quickly.”

She laughed, fangs glinting. Sharp, lethal like a tigress’s. “You’ve come to kill Fluvium? Good luck with that.” She lolled on one foot, eyeing him speculatively, sizing up her prey. “Japheth, right? Of the Tainted Host? Cute name, for a hamster.”

Sweet lord, his name in her mouth sounded . . . dirty. He swallowed, rough. “How’d you know that?”

“I know my enemy.” She licked ripe lips.

“Yeah?” he said coldly. “Well, I don’t want to know you, whore. I don’t care what your name is—”

“Rose Harley,” she cut in swiftly, with a wicked grin. “Whoops. Too late. Sorry about that. You like it anonymous, don’t you? So you can pretend they’re not people when you damn them to eternal torment?”

His grip spasmed around his sword. Sweet heaven, he wanted to stab her. Fill her with burning steel. Twist it, thrust it deeper, make her moan . . . “You don’t need me to damn you. You made your choice. Tell me where Fluvium’s hiding, and I’ll put you out of your misery.”

She laughed again, and strolled towards him, hands in pockets. “You sure could learn a thing or two from demons about making deals. Like, I dunno. Offering me something I actually want?”

Her knife still lay sheathed, in her thigh holster. Unafraid, was she? Grudging admiration tingled under his skin, and he crackled it off. Nothing admirable about a demon minion’s attitude. “So you do know where he’s hiding, then.”

“And what if I do?” She draped her sultry gaze over his silver-clad chest, his bare arms, his glowing blue sword . . . Her scrutiny flushed treacherous heat right to the top of his head. He could smell her, blood and corruption, yes, but underneath, the hot salty musk of female flesh . . .

Surely, she was his nemesis. Sent to tempt him into falling. Well, he wouldn’t give in. Not when he was so close to redemption.

About the Author:  

Erica Hayes was a law student, an air force officer, an editorial assistant and a musician, before finally landing her dream job: fantasy and romance writer.

She writes dark paranormal and urban fantasy romance, and her books feature tough, smart heroines and colourful heroes with dark secrets.

She hails from Australia, where she drifts from city to city, leaving a trail of chaos behind her. Currently, she’s terrorizing the wilds of Northumberland.

http://www.ericahayes.net

http://erica-hayes.blogspot.com

http://www.facebook.com/ericahayes.author

http://www.twitter.com/ericahayes

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2922003.Erica_Hayes

Wild Invitation by Nalini Singh (Psy-Changeling #0.5, 3.5, 9.5, 10.5)

Available: March 5, 2013 Amazon/B&N

Type: Novella Anthology - Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Berkley

My Copy: Sent

Reviewer: Nikki

In Beat of Temptation , innocent Tamsyn has always had a place in her heart for Nathan, a blooded DarkRiver sentinel. But is she ready for the fierce demands of the mating bond?

In Stroke of Enticement , a wary young teacher, skeptical about love, arouses the man—and the animal—in an aggressive leopard changeling who must prove his affections are true. 

Plus 2 NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED NOVELLAS

In Declaration of Courtship , Grace, a shy submissive wolf, finds herself pursued by the last man she ever would have imagined: a SnowDancer lieutenant said to be “mad, bad, and dangerous to know.” 

In Texture of Intimacy , SnowDancer healer Lara discovers the searing joys—and unexpected challenges—of being mated to quiet, powerful Walker, a man used to keeping his silence.

.

I’m going to start out this review with a confession. I had never read a Nalini Singh book. I know…shocking right? Sure I had heard people rave about her work and when she released the cover for her newest upcoming book, I swear my Twitter exploded with people gushing about it and speculating over everything she said in an attempt to figure out who the character on the cover was. So….yeah….readers everywhere love her. I’ve met her…had my picture taken with her….but I had never read her. Until this anthology landed in my hands and I thought, novellas are always a way to tell if I’d like an authors writing voice or not so I figured I’d give it a try.

Wild Invitation has four novellas, two of which have never been released. I enjoyed three out of the four novellas included and thought the world Singh has created is both interesting and unique. The Psy are a race who have no emotion and instead make decisions based entirely on facts. They don’t “love” seeing that as a weakness that has doomed every other race. Changelings are animal shifters. I loved the idea of the Psy but strangely enough the novella I didn’t like was the only one with a Psy as a main character in Texture Of Intimacy. I found it hard to connect to a person who had such a hard time experiencing emotions. If I’m to understand it correctly, they have been poke of in previous books and so this was more of a re-visit to their story. Perhaps this would have struck a chord with me had I read that first.

In Stoke Of Enticement, a human school teacher, Annie, finds herself falling in with with a wolf shifter who makes her see herself in a completely different light. Scarred from a childhood accident, Annie walks with a pronounced limp and has been told her entire life what she can’t do. Zack believes her able to do whatever she wants to do and it enables her to stop living in fear of the life her mother leads. Giving up her fear of abandonment is hard on her but Zach is determined to make her believe herself worthy. I liked the idea of a heroine who had limitation she wouldn’t bow to. Of course, a hero such a Zach would love her regardless, but still heroines that never give up always linger in my mind on a high note.

Beat Of Temptation follows Tam and Nathan, both feline shifters. They have known they were fated mates for years but Nathan wants to give Tam an opportunity to live before he shackles her to him for life. His attempts fall flat because Tam wants nothing more then to be with Nathan. I felt for Tam simply because Nathan had such a hard head and he simply couldn’t cave to his feelings until she actually leaves and he realizes how much he needs her to be near.

My favorite of this book was Declaration Of Courtship, Grace and Cooper’s story. This one appealed to me because of my soft spot for scarred alpha males and submissive female shifters. I loved how Cooper treated Grace with both gentleness and just enough rough around the edges hotness to keep her submissive side in check while also making her hot. He was incredibly patient with Grace so he wouldn’t scare her wolf off before he even got a chance to court her. Grace was a pleasure to read as well because she refused to let her wolf rule her completely. Her wolf and her human side argued constantly but in the end Cooper won both sides over.

I will say Singh spends more time on the evolution of the characters relationship then on actual sex. There is much more lead up then I am used to and I wonder if this will be the case in her full length books as well. They are more sensual then hot, focusing on flirting and fanning the flames to build a bigger fire. The actual sex scenes, even after all the lead-up, are tame and not overly explicit. They are more sweet then hot.

Since I hadn’t read the series I did find some of the aspects and history hard to follow as this seems to be a very complex series with a ton of characters and many monumental moments. Will I go back and read this series from the beginning? I may, in the future because I already own book one. I enjoyed Singh’s world building and thought her characters had a lot of heart. I’d be interested to see if my enjoyment holds true for a full length.

I give Wild Invitation by Nalini Singh 4 stars! 

Erica Hayes Guest Post & GIVEAWAY

What’s a fallen angel to do?

Fallen angels are cool, right? Everyone knows that. Thrown out of heaven – usually for breaking some arbitrary rule, or some other totally understandable transgression – and cursed to walk the earth, alone and friendless, forced to adapt to living among humans. ‘Kick-ass warrior for God’ isn’t exactly a skill in demand in the human world. What will he do? Where will he go? And when the eternal battle between good and evil surfaces on earth – as it always does! – can he truly stand by and let it happen?

But the concept of a fallen angel just walking the earth with no purpose is a bit strange, isn’t it? If he’s been so bad, why doesn’t God just throw him into hell? And if the angel’s not that evil, then why waste good talent by kicking him out? Surely, heaven needs all the mighty warriors they can get. Why would the powers-that-be leave these guys just wandering around for no reason… or are they?

The fallen angels in my Seven Signs series are called the Tainted Host. They’ve been thrown out of heaven for a whole bunch of reasons—but saved from hell by their boss: Michael, the warrior archangel. Michael’s the guy responsible for bringing holy wrath and destruction down on mankind – slaughtering the innocents, turning cities to salt, doing shadowy deals with demons, that sort of thing – and to that end, he’s built himself a little gang of fallen angels who owe him a favor. No one wants to do the dirty work. But these guys? They’ve got no choice, if they want to stay out of hell.

Luniel, the hero of Revelation, was Tainted for putting love before duty—he let a demon go free so he could save the woman he loved, and heaven won’t stand for that sort of disobedience. Dashiel, the Tainted Host’s leader, was thrown out because he enjoyed killing too much. Iria was shunned for disobeying her archangel, Jadzia for cowardice in the face of the enemy when she let a tortured demon go free out of compassion. Ariel tried to interfere with God’s Plan and got punished for it. And Japheth doesn’t actually know why he was Tainted. Some whim of Michael’s. He’ll find out, in due course, and he won’t like the answer…

Fact is, Michael has an unpleasant job to do. Might as well rope in the fallen angels, those shady cousins no one talks about at heaven’s parties. They can’t say no, unless they want to dive headfirst into hell.

But that doesn’t mean the fallen can’t keep their honor. When Luniel discovers a plot by a gang of demons to hijack the Apocalypse and bring on the end of the world, he can’t just stand by and let it happen… but then he falls for Morgan, a beautiful medical examiner who’s helping him fight the demons’ plague, and things get more complicated. He’s been punished before for letting love get in the way of duty. If he does it again, Michael won’t have mercy on him… but what does his own soul matter, when Morgan’s is at stake? And who cares about either of them, when the world’s about to end?

Sacrifice, damnation, the one vs. the many, keeping the faith when the power deserts you… these are the themes I’ve tried to explore in Revelation. Along with cool fantasy stuff and hot romance I hope you enjoy it! You can find me on the net at http://facebook.com/ericahayes.author and http://twitter.com/ericahayes.

.

**GIVEAWAY**

Tour Wide Giveaway Includes:

1 $25 book store gift card (winner’s choices)

1 signed set – all 4 Shadowfae books

1 Kindle Copies – Hunter’s Blood (short vampire romance)

To enter simply follow this rafflecopter link:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

.

Available: Amazon/B&N

Type: Urban Fantasy/ Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Berkley

A fallen angel with a mission and a medical examiner who’s lost her faith are fighting for their souls in a glittering, near-future Manhattan…

Blind faith is for fools. That’s what Dr. Morgan Sterling believes. And she’s going to prove it by curing the zombie plague ravaging her city’s slums. She’s certain it’s not a sign of the End of Days, but a nasty disease—until an angel appears in her morgue in a flash of glory.

Luniel is not just a fallen angel. He’s a powerful warrior sworn to fight evil in hopes of a chance at redemption. He’s after the demon princes who are stealing the seven vials of holy wrath which, when perverted, will unleash eternal hell on earth.

To stop the plague, Luniel needs Morgan’s help, and her faith. But Morgan believes science is their salvation. If the zombie plague is a demonic curse—and if Luniel is true—he’ll have to prove it. Even if he loses his heart to true love or his soul to Hell…

.

.

Excerpt from Revelation by Erica Hayes

White light erupted, brighter than any flashbulb.

She gasped, dazzled. Breeze ruffled her hair. Her elbow hit the trolley, and the camera jolted from her fingers.

A hand gripped her arm, steadying her. A man’s voice, deep and unfamiliar. “Sorry, lady. I didn’t think anyone would be here. Are you—oh, shit.”

Her vision cleared, and she scrabbled on the floor for her camera. “Jesus, you scared the hell outta . . . oh!” She looked up, and fell right back onto her ass, her nerves in disarray.

Whoa. Not just tall, or big. More, in every way compared to . . . well, compared to a normal man.

This guy wasn’t normal.

Black hair, blacker than soot and wilder than music. Blue eyes, hotter and deeper than summer sky, luminous pale skin, long dark lashes any woman would kill for. Arms thicker than her thighs in a dark shirt with no sleeves, strong wrists that made her weak, hands that could crush rocks. And his thighs in those jeans . . . long, powerful, rippling as he moved.

His face was familiar, she realized. Those carved cheekbones and, umm, luscious lips. The bird man. Only Birdy was blond, and this guy was dark and . . . tasty.

His gaze lasered onto hers, relentless, and she shivered. He looked dangerous. Driven. Not a patient man.

Morgan scrambled up, struggling to keep her mind on the issues. This was Babylon, the psycho-killer capital. Well-adjusted guys didn’t break into morgues after-hours. But how Mr. Huge-dark-and-oh-by-the-way-totally-hot had gotten in here was beside the point. So was how easy it’d be for a guy his size to tear her limb from limb, or worse.

He’d seen Birdy’s body. She couldn’t call security. Not yet. Not before she’d preserved the evidence.

She licked her lips. “Um. Hi. I was just . . .”

He strode up to the trolley, and his fingers clenched the edge, hard enough to dent the steel. On drugs. That explained the crazy swirl in his eyes. “You found my brother,” he said stiffly. “I guess asking how he died is redundant.”

“Umm . . . he’s . . . well . . .” Morgan stuttered, unable to keep it in any longer. “He’s a frickin’ bird man! Who the hell are you?”

He turned, and to her surprise, he laughed.

Her guts melted, like warm honey, and she shivered again. So beautiful. So smooth and melodic. She wanted to press her thighs together, feel his tingling warmth . . .

Or not. Her indignation sparked. He hadn’t answered her question. Who the hell was he?

The guy with the Rohypnol laugh shook his head. “Bird man. Christ. You people. Never believe what’s right in front of you.”

“Sorry, but I’m a scientist. I believe what I can see.” Morgan folded her arms, defiant, and edged closer to the wall where the alarm button was. Screw collecting more evidence. This guy was seriously creeping her out, and it wasn’t just because he had her thinking about sex instead of squirting him with capsicum spray.

“You do, do you?” His gaze flicked to the alarm button, and back to her, and swift as the flashbulb he dived forward and grabbed her arm. “Then believe this.”

Light shimmered again, dazzling. And glossy black wings burst from his shoulders in a rain of golden glitter.

Morgan’s heart catapulted, and she gulped for breath. The golden light glimmered, and dissolved.

But his lush midnight feathers didn’t. And he held her, his body close in the heady scent of altar smoke. His whisper rumbled through her chest. “I’m sorry. I can’t let you call your

security. You never should have seen any of this, but it’s too late for that now. My name is Luniel. That’s Ithiel, my twin. He’s an angel. And so am I.”

Morgan struggled, her mind blanking. It couldn’t be true. Not possible. She must be dreaming. Yet . . .

She wriggled, beating at his massive forearm. “Let me go!”

He let go.

She stumbled away, rounding on him. More fool him. Whatever this guy was, he wasn’t to be trusted. “Sorry. Not possible. I don’t believe in angels.”

“Not my problem.” The man—Luniel—shrugged, feathers ruffling. His accent was elusive, a mixture of exotic and familiar, like he came from no place in particular.

“It’ll be your problem when I call the cops, you freak.” The dude still wore a shirt with no sleeves, and the wings—his wings—fit easily into the cutaway space. Blacker than black, like soot, broader than his massive shoulders, and long, the tips of the feathers reaching to mid-calf. It looked so real.

Morgan’s mind stuttered. She must be dreaming. But if this was a dream, surely he’d be wearing white robes and a halo? Instead of all dark and smoldering and . . . and sinful, like some insane Mardi Gras biker?

She sidled backwards, towards her desk in the cutting room. A girl didn’t grow up in Babylon without learning some self-defense. Her pistol was in the drawer. Maybe she could get away, lock him in, call security. 9-1-1 was a waste of time, despite her threat. Resources were stretched, and police response to anything short of a terrorist plot in progress just didn’t happen.

Luniel stalked her, midnight wings flaring. “Freak? Wow. I’m so pleased to meet you . . . I’m sorry, what didn’t you say your name was?”

“I’m Dr. Morgan Sterling. This is my mortuary. You’re trespassing.” Behind an autopsy

bench, a few steps closer to the desk.

He circled, leaning over the bench on two hands, muscles flexing. “As they say these days, Dr. Sterling: whatever. Tell me where they found my brother.”

She fumbled against the desk, feeling behind her. “Screw you.”

“Is that an offer? I’m touched.” His hot blue gaze drilled her, magnetic. “But not distracted. Come on, Doctor, it’s important.”

She ripped the drawer open and grabbed the pistol, leveling it at him two-handed and thumbing the safety off. “So’s this. Back off.”

“No.” He vaulted the bench with ease, landing silently before her on wafting wings. Careless of her pistol. Unruffled, like a panther facing a hissing pussy cat, some small, insignificant creature who posed no threat.

His delicious scent paralyzed her, a rich toffee sweetness. Her mouth dried. He was luminous, dazzling, too perfect to be real. Certainly too perfect to be telling the truth. “Get away.”

“Wait, let’s see. Umm . . . no.” He cocked his head, and reached for her hair, stroking it with one finger. “You’re very pretty, Morgan Sterling. Pity if that got spoiled. Tell me about my brother.”

Now her gun was trapped between them. Her hands quivered, her memory of defensive moves a blank. “Get away! I’ll shoot!”

“No, you won’t.” He wrapped her hair around his fingers, and leaned closer, sniffing her. “You’re a doctor. You don’t hurt people.”

“Don’t bet on it.” She inhaled, and squeezed the trigger.

BIO:

Erica Hayes was a law student, an air force officer, an editorial assistant and a musician, before finally landing her dream job: fantasy and romance writer.

She writes dark paranormal and urban fantasy romance, and her books feature tough, smart heroines and colourful heroes with dark secrets.

She hails from Australia, where she drifts from city to city, leaving a trail of chaos behind her. Currently, she’s terrorizing the wilds of Northumberland.

http://www.ericahayes.net

http://erica-hayes.blogspot.com

http://www.facebook.com/ericahayes.author

http://www.twitter.com/ericahayes

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2922003.Erica_Hayes

Rush by Maya Banks (Breathless #1)

Available: February 5, 2013 Amazon/B&N

Type: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Berkley

My Copy: Sent

Reviewer: Nikki

Gabe, Jace, and Ash: three of the wealthiest, most powerful men in the country. They’re accustomed to getting anything they want. Anything at all. For Gabe, it’s making one particular fantasy come true with a woman who was forbidden fruit. Now she’s ripe for the picking…

When Gabe Hamilton saw Mia Crestwell walk into the ballroom for his hotel’s grand opening, he knew he was going to hell for what he had planned. After all, Mia is his best friend’s little sister. Except she’s not so little anymore. And Gabe has waited a long time to act on his desires.

Gabe has starred in Mia’s fantasies more than once, ever since she was a teenager with a huge crush on her brother’s best friend. So what if Gabe’s fourteen years older? Mia knows he’s way out of her league, but her attraction has only grown stronger with time. She’s an adult now, and there’s no reason not to act on her most secret desires.

As Gabe pulls her into his provocative world, she realizes there’s a lot she doesn’t know about him or how exacting his demands can be. Their relationship is intense and obsessive, but as they cross the line from secret sexual odyssey to something deeper, their affair runs the risk of being exposed—and vulnerable to a betrayal far more intimate than either expected.

.

Mia is taken by surprise when the object of many lustful dreams, her brothers best friend, suddenly offers are a job as his personal assistant….with benefits. Benefits that Mia never thought she’d have with Gabe. Not only is he offering her a chance to bulk up her resume but he wants her in every way, shape and form…in his bed, on his desk and wherever else his heart desires.

Though Gabe has carried a torch for Mia for quite some time, now he feels is the time to strike to get what he wants. Her. Offering her a contract outlining his sexual desires in the starkest of contexts and a job in his office.

I wanted to dislike this book on principal. It’s obvious from the start that Banks is trying to recreate the 50 Shades frenzy. Extremely rich guy offers woman who is slightly naive a sexual contract that will set her sheets on fire. Then extremely rich guy falls hard for naive woman who has grown into her own sexual desires and guy panics, not prepared for the rush of genuine emotion naive woman brings out in him.

Sure this book had variations. Mia is working directly with Gabe, in his office as his personal assistant. She is not working on another floor in a sub-company of the hero. There are two more heros waiting in the wings for their stories and so the trilogy will offer different characters instead of following the same couple. Mia even has a female room mate who both loves and hates her new relationship. At the heart, this felt like 50 Shades with different people. Gabe, though not suffering from such debilitating sexual desires, had the same personality. Aloof. Un-approachable. Different. Carnally sexual.

In fact, I started out hating this book. Then somewhere inbetween the office desk sex and the fireplace floor sex, I started to like it. It completely turned me around there at the end. Mia and Gabe set the pages of Rush on fire with their heat. Sure Gabe was a complete and total asshat of the highest order at times. There is one scene that enraged me to the point of actually setting the book down. I really just didn’t like him for the majority of the book. I thought he walked all over Mia and Mia, in allowing it, made me dislike her as well at times. What kind of woman allows a man to treat her so badly, and then blindly goes back to him?

Mia spends most of the book desperately afraid of their elicit affair being exposed to her brother Jace who is Gabe’s business partner along with their other best friend, Ash. The three men are loyal to a fault and their relationship sparked my interest. These men are closer then brothers and how each will deal with finding the other half of their soul should be worthwhile reading.

I think they both Gabe and Mia did some growing in Rush and the enlightenment allowed them to see what mistakes they had made as a couple enough to be able to forge a real relationship in the end. I enjoyed the journey even though it evoked some hatred from me in parts. The ability of Banks to make me feels such a range of emotions while reading is something most authors can’t do. She writes such raw and emotional scenes that are able to wrench emotions from me I normally don’t have. If I start out disliking a book there is usually no going back. I DNF and move on. I fell headfirst into this book and gasped for air throughout the entirety. I enjoyed the nice setups into book 2 and 3 as well and will definitely be picking those up as they release this year.

Rush is a potent and erotic read that will challenge a reader at every turn. Even though I didn’t always like it, Banks deserves a damn medal for being able to turn me around!

I give Rush by Maya Banks 3.75 stars! 

Shades Of Gray by Maya Banks (KGI #6)

Available: Now Amazon/B&N

Type: Romantic Suspense

Publisher: Berkley

My Copy: Sent

Reviewer: Nikki 

The Kelly Group International (KGI): A super-elite, top secret, family-run business. Qualifications: High intelligence, rock-hard body, military background. Mission: Hostage/kidnap victim recovery. Intelligence gathering. Handling jobs the U.S. government can’t…

P.J. and Cole were sharpshooting rivals on the same KGI team and enjoyed a spirited, uncomplicated camaraderie. Until the night they gave in to their desires and suddenly took their relationship one step further. In the aftermath of their one-night stand, they’re called out on a mission that goes terribly wrong, and P.J. walks away from KGI, resolved not to drag her teammates into the murky shadows she’s poised to delve into.

Six months later, Cole hasn’t given up his search for P.J., and he’s determined to bring her back home where she belongs. Bent on vengeance, P.J. has plunged into a serpentine game of payback that will make her question everything she’s ever believed in. But Cole—and the rest of their team—refuse to let her go it alone. Even if it means sacrificing their loyalty to KGI, and their lives…

.

Where do I begin without giving everything away? I certainly don’t want to do that but I found this book so amazing that it may be hard for me to keep a lid on it.

After a simple mission goes very wrong, PJ is left trying to pick up the pieces. Alone. Not wanting to drag her team down with her she sets out on a journey of vengeance with her sights set on a deadly foe.

Intent on not letting PJ suffer alone, Cole never gives up the search for her. Crossing paths months later, Cole vows to help her end her tormentors. Along with the entire team, they will face her demons. Together.

I’ve wanted PJ and Cole’s book for so long so when I heard it was finally coming I sat on the edge of my seat until I got it in my hands. I made the mistake of trying to read it at work because 60 pages in I found myself sobbing uncontrollably. PJ gets put in such a horrible situation, every woman’s nightmare, even one as strong and remarkable as herself she grapples with the emotional aftermath. Banks sets the pace early and puts her characters through the darkest most gut wrenching journey I’ve seen from her yet. PJ is such a strong woman, capable of taking care of herself and in many ways, better at her sniper job then her male counterparts. Extremely closed off, PJ is a loner, Burned by her last team she’s skiddish and standoffish with her personal life and she allows no one to get close.

A few drinks and one lonely night her and Cole hook up and what follows is explosive and neither one is prepared for it. When her mission goes severely wrong Cole tries to reach her but her sense of pride causes her to run from her team. When they finally catch up to the broken woman they find her in over her head and join with her to finish her very personal mission. PJ takes a very emotional roller coaster ride through this book, one that had me crying with her and wanting to kill a few people myself.

Banks takes a huge risk with this one. After readers (not me) had trouble with the appearance of paranormal aspects in the middle of a suspense series, I’m surprised she’d take a risk this soon after. Some readers are going to have a lot of trouble with the deep emotional turmoil this one involves. I think Banks did a remarkable job with the touchy subject matter and does herself justice with Shades Of Gray. I really enjoyed PJ and Cole’s slowly evolving relationship and thought PJ’s own personal evolving was real and spot on. There isn’t a lot of sex in this one…but don’t worry, there is a reason and it doesn’t affect how I feel about them as a couple at all. Cole has got to be the best hero I’ve read in a long time. Completely understanding, gentle and fierce. I’d want any of these guys to have my back!

Shades of Gray provides non stop action that will keep readers engrossed from beginning to end. No one writes romantic suspense quite like Maya Banks and I look forward to each and every release. This is now one of my favorite 2012 reads. I want a KGI book for every single character! I’m in love with these guys and don’t want to say goodbye for a very long time!

I give Shades of Gray by Maya Banks 5 stars! 

Exposed To You by Beth Kery (One Night Of Passion)

Available: Now Amazon/B&N

Type: Erotic Romance

Publisher: Berkley

My Copy: Sent

Reviewer: Nikki

Losing control is just the beginning… 

“What would you do if the sexiest man in the world was bent on bringing you unbearable pleasure again and again? Joy Hightower wasn’t sure she could survive the experience…or live without it.” 

It’s not often you’re hired to paint a body tattoo—and what a body—on a total stranger at a Hollywood film set. A reserved and careful art teacher, Joy would never forget it. In a rare fit of raw desire she gave herself completely, knowing she’d never see him again, or ever repeat such a shameless, naked impulse.

Little did she know, the man with whom she shared that lightning bolt of lust was star Everett Hughes. For Everett, women and sex came as easily as fame. But how could he hope to convince the guarded Joy that beneath the hard body and sexy façade of celebrity was a real man who wanted only one, real woman?

In the heat of an intoxicating affair, Everett endeavors to break down her barriers, gain her trust, and expose himself as the real deal. But can Joy do the same, and reveal to him the vulnerable woman who longs to be loved, wanted, and desired forever?

.

In the reading world where erotic romance is quickly becoming the normal, there has been a surge in available books in the genre. One simply has to check out the new releases in any bookstore. As with any surge in popularity, the market becomes flooded with things exactly like what started the uproar. Exposed To You by Beth Kery is an example of an erotic romance in the aftermath of the book that I refuse to name.

Joy, an art teacher, has just gotten devastating news  regarding her health. The cancer diagnosis feels like a death sentence and not knowing what the future holds, she allows herself a moment of passion while applying body art to who she assumes is only a background actor. Her hot encounter with the mystery man is cut short with a misunderstanding of a meeting place and Joy disappears in order to get her health under control.

A year later she runs into her mystery man across the country in a coffee shop. He’s no background actor though, he’s Everett Hughes, the leading man. Fighting her desires isn’t an option with this man and she soon finds herself immersed in his world. Everett is much more intense then any man she’s ever known and Joy finds herself wondering if she can handle both their desires without burning herself out.

Ok firstly, how lucky is Joy? If I decided to randomly give a guy in costume a blow job I would never get lucky enough to get my lips around the movies star. Come on now. I’d prob blow the janitor or something equally horrifying. Definitely one of the best BJ scenes. But after the deed, when the guy asks you to meet him at a statue it wouldn’t cross your mind to double check which statue he was talking about? Or when you realize he’s not there you wouldn’t check the rest of the lot to make sure there wasn’t other statues around? Nope, not Joy. She automatically assumes he stood her up.

Joys inability to let anyone help her was just annoying. She watched her mother die of cancer and didn’t want anyone to suffer along with her so she instead isolates herself completely and refuses help from even the closest of family and friends. She just can’t understand how not letting people help her hurts them just as much as watching her suffer. I understood her fear of the disease returning, but allowing that fear to control her life made me want to scream.

While I did find the sex scenes decent I didn’t think they were  particularly inventive and I was hoping that Everett would be a bit darker then he was. There were a few times when he restrained Joy slightly, but in the end not nearly as much as I was hoping. I have a slight kink in that area though. Everett enjoys long winded sex, which means he can go for a long time. In romance novel land I enjoyed this aspect too. In real life land I’d probably be thinking about what was on tv later that I was going to miss and wondering if I set the DVR.

The plot meanders a bit throughout the middle and seems to pull itself along at a slow speed. I guess I just wanted something more to happen. Joy spends the entire book either trying to keep her cancer a secret from Everett and then the rest pushing him away after she has a re-occurrence scare. At least Everett tries his best to break down her walls. That’s generally the female role and I enjoyed the role reversal in this. As much as I liked him he just couldn’t save this one for me. He’s a decent guy who handles his lavish life well and treats Joy with the respect any female would deserve. I liked him, but the story left me conflicted and wanting more.

I give Exposed To You by Beth Kery 3 stars!

Lord’s Fall by Thea Harrison (Elder Races #5)

Available: Now Amazon/B&N

Type: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Berkley

My Copy: NetGalley

Reviewer: Nikki

In the latest Novel of the Elder Races, two mates find themselves on different paths, torn between their duty to the Wyr and the passion that binds them… Before she met Dragos, half-human/half-Wyr Pia Giovanni was alone and on the run. Now she’s mated, pregnant and heading south to repair the Wyrs’ frayed relationship with the Elves. Being separated from Dragos is painful, but for the good of the Wyr demesne they need to figure out how to be partners—in more places than just the bedroom. In New York to preside over the Sentinel Games, Dragos is worried about his mate, but knows that finding two replacement sentinels is essential to show the rest of the Elder Races just how strong and brutal the Wyr demesne can be. But as the Games heat up, Pia’s negotiations with the Elves take a turn for the dangerous, straining her bond with Dragos and threatening everything they hold dear…

.

Lord’s Fall is Thea Harrison’s fifth book in her paranormal romance series, The Elder Races. I started reading this series when book one,  Dragon Bound, introduced me to this lush world full of inventive characters and promising story lines to come. Dragos is the “older then dirt” hero who has always been used to people fearing him and just doing like he asks of them…the first time. When he mated with Pia he got more of an equal then he realized. As the series has progressed he has learned how to be more human though his animal side is still extremely prevalent especially when it comes to his mate.

Lord’s Fall finds Pia making a trip deep into Elven territory in hopes of repairing a rift Dragos caused when he broke a long standing treaty with the nation. In an effort to bring the two nations back together she goes, along with an elite group of guards, to speak with the head of the Elves. Of course a third party is also intent on speaking with the head of the Elves but for the intent of starting a war that once started will end in bloodshed from everyone.

Pia’s shifter heritage is kept secret from the masses and that causes her to be an outcast among them. Coupled with her pregnancy and over protective mate she craves friends and social interaction. I felt bad for her but Eva (her new bodyguard) and her sparred well verbally and gave her the outlet she’d been craving. In fact I enjoyed this new team of warriors and hope we see them again in future works. It was a break from the characters I’ve already come to love.

I found Lord’s Fall to be slightly slow and pretty wordy. I wanted to care but sometimes it felt like it was rambling along with no purpose. I only became interested when action would ensue or Dragos and Pia were together. I felt all the constant back story of the Elves was overdone. I found myself skimming those times in search of the good stuff. Harrison took a chance going back to the original main characters this far into the series but overall I thought it was well done in the character growth department.

While past characters, and some promising new ones ( A PEGASUS, HELLO!!) make appearances I was disappointed one of my favorites didn’t. Tiago was only mentioned in passing and that really bummed me out. I loved him in book two and was surprised that he wouldn’t have been present, if only to see the games that would result in his now vacated spot as one of Dragos’ seven warriors. Rune was there and even played a small part in the climactic ending…..so why no Tiago Thea??? WHY?? I’m not bitter.

The Elder Races series will always hold a special place in my heart. Dragos would be alpha to other alphas. He’s in your face, charismatic and just made of alluring awesomeness! No wonder Pia loves him, because part of me does too. I will definitely keep reading this series!

I give Lord’s Fall by Thea Harrison 3.75 stars!