The Care and Feeding Of An Alpha Male by Jessica Clare (Bluebonnet #2)

Available: Now Amazon/B&N

Type: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Berkley

My Copy: Sent

Reviewer: Pam

Beth Ann needed a hero… Beth Ann Williamson has finally had it with her on-and-off fiancé of nine years. The problem? No one in town seems to believe her when she says it’s really over. Now Beth Ann is determined to show the small town of Bluebonnet, Texas, that she can take care of herself. That means opening her own salon and not taking the help that her ex-fiancé seems determined to offer. Of course, even the best laid plans go awry when she’s stranded in the woods in the middle of a downpour. Some independent woman she is. She can’t even find her way out of the woods without the help of a handsome, but scowling, Marine.

She got more than she bargained for… A die-hard survivalist, Colt Waggoner’s none too pleased when he’s sent to find the town’s pampered princess. He’s even more annoyed when Beth Ann isn’t grateful for the rescue. Fine, then. He’ll just have to teach the sexy blonde a lesson–a weekend of roughing it out in the wild. Just the two of them, alone, in muddy, wet clothing that needs to come off… But Beth Ann isn’t the spoiled princess he thought. And when she propositions him for a one night stand, he knows he should turn it down. Because this alpha male might need more than just one night in her bed to satisfy him…

An engaging small town romance with a fun, enemies to lovers trope.

Beth Ann is beauty salon owner who is from a very wealthy family, her father is a senator who is up for reelection soon so Beth Ann is desperate to escape the confines of home and spends most nights at her salon sleeping on a mattress.

Allen is her ex-boyfriend who she has dated on and off since high school and for a year it has been off, yet everyone in town loves him and believe she will come to her senses and will soon marry him. What the town does not know are the reasons why she has broken up with him several times and will never end up with him. A year ago she finally had enough of him cheating and lying to her and although she has been nice and kept this little secret to herself she is tired of people assuming she is the problem.

She has a geeky seventeen year old sister, Lucy who is attending a festival her parents don’t want her at so they send Beth Ann to find her. Unfortunately the weather turns nasty and the local police break up the party making sure everyone leaves the area, however they do not know Beth Ann is there.

Colt grew up in the same town and was from the wrong side of the tracks and lived with his father and brothers in a rundown trailer. He left after high school and joined the marines and now nine years later has returned to help run a survival school with his friend. He is helping with the police and when he realizes Beth Ann is still out there he stays back to find her.

Colt and Beth Ann have disliked each other since high school as he felt she always was looking down at him and that she was too prim and proper and since his return she has not changed his mind. So he decides he wants to teach her a lesson and tells her the rivers are too dangerous to cross and they must stay out here. Beth Ann always thought Colt was the a surly, arrogant man, however as they spend the night in a tree and another in a cabin, they get to know each other and find things are not always what they seem and the attraction that was always under the surface makes for an interesting two nights.

While Beth Ann and Colt face old prejudices while trying to explore their attraction several things happen to make life more difficult, her business starts to fail as a new salon opens up and Colt’s family all the sudden make an appearance in his life, a family he does not want to be around. Their tenuous relationship takes a hit when she finds out who is sabotaging her plans and lies are revealed along with old secrets that change the way both Colt and Beth Ann see each other.

This is a really enjoyable and fun romance that has super sexy sex! I thought Beth Ann and Colt were perfect for each other and the chemistry between the two just sizzle and they take advantage if this in many interesting places. The story is a fast paced enemies to lovers romance and centers around the prejudices of small town life and how Beth Ann’s ex-boyfriend seems to want to cause trouble for her in order to get what he wants.

I liked how Beth Ann and Colt had their own opinions about each other from high school and never seemed to want to make the move to get to know each other, and yet during two nights in the wilderness they both realize how wrong they have been. The only issues I have was that I wanted Beth Ann to believe in Colt, and not let her past experiences with Allen make her judge that all men are the same. Allen is the good boy that everyone in town loves however I like it when secrets are revealed and surprises come to light that changes the minds of most in town. I did not read the first book in this series yet did not have any trouble following along with the story. The secondary characters are fun and I really enjoyed Beth Ann’s best friend, Miranda and look forward to seeing Brenna’s story. All in all a wonderful small town romance with lots of heat, laugh out loud moments and angst that make this a worthwhile read.

I give The Care and Feeding of an Alpha Male by Jessica Clare 3.75 stars!

Smolder by Graylin Fox

Available: Now Amazon/B&N

Type: Romantic Suspense

Publisher: Ellora’s Cave

My Copy: Sent

Reviewer: Michelle

Clinical psychologist Ellie Quinn is starting a brand new job at a hospital in Savannah. She doesn’t expect the amorous attentions of quick-tempered ex-cop Owen Mata and handsome Russian surgeon Dmitri Komarnitskaia. But choosing between the two is soon the least of her worries. When she persuades a battered woman to leave her husband, Ellie finds herself the target of a sinister serial killer, and something about the case is making Owen increasingly unstable. Only with Dmitri does she feel safe, but if she can’t bring her psychological skills to bear to catch the killer, she won’t be the only one in danger.

Ellie Quinn is a psychologist starting a new job in a new city. Focused on settling in at the Savannah hospital, the last thing she expects is to run into someone like the sexy Dr. K on her first day of work. She is immediately intrigued by the Russian doctor and hopes she has the chance to get to know him better. Dmitri, a.k.a. “Dr. K”, is a divorced father of two who is very open to the possibility of a relationship with the new doctor. In Ellie he sees a smart, pretty, kind woman – the first to catch his eye in a long time. He is a successful surgeon, a nice man, and smoking hot – definitely the object of fascination for many ladies in the hospital.

I liked the way the author portrayed both Ellie and Dmitri. They were real, and what you see is what you get. There were no hidden agendas or dark skeletons in their closets. The only monkey wrench in their budding romance is Owen Mata. Owen is a hospital security worker who also becomes interested in Ellie. He is a much more complicated character, though, and I never quite believed who he was or his interest in Ellie. I think this book had enough going on without the contrived love triangle that didn’t really exist. For Ellie, from the minute she caught a hint of Dmitri’s interest, there was only him for her.

The suspense angle concerning the serial killer really took over the entire book. I would have believed it more if the book had been written strictly as a thriller with a little romance thrown in, not as a romance. The love story between Ellie and Dmitri was very tame, even for an Ellora’s Cave “Blush” series book. There was very little heat, even in the one love scene in the book, and I had a hard time feeling the emotion between them. I felt that the drama that had overtaken Ellie’s life overshadowed everything else. One other complaint is that the book lacked depth (with the writing). It almost read like an outline or a rough draft, and had there been more detail and less jumping from one scene to another, I would have liked it better.

I give Smolder by Graylin Fox 3 stars

Lord Of Wicked Intentions by Lorraine Heath (The Lost Lords Of Pembrook #3)

Available: Now Amazon/B&N

Type: Historical Romance

Publisher: Avon

My Copy: Edelweiss

Reviewer: Pam

Lord Rafe Eason may be of noble blood, but survival taught him to rely only on himself and to love no one. Yet when he sets his eyes on Miss Evelyn Chambers, and earl’s illegitimate daughter, he is determined to have her, if only as his mistress.

After her father’s death, Evelyn Chambers never imagined she would be sold to the highest bidder, yet circumstances give her little choice except to accept the lord’s indecent proposal. Rafe is wealthy, as well as ruthless. Yet his coldness belies deep passion and deeper secrets. If she must be his, Evelyn intends to lay bare everything the Lord of Pembrook is hiding. But dark discoveries threaten to destroy them both until unexpected love guides the last lost lord home.

This is a wonderful story that continues the saga of the Lost Lords of Pembrook, who suffered at the hands of their uncle that wanted nothing more than to rid the world of the three boys so he could inherit it all. I thoroughly enjoyed Rafe’s story as he struggles to come back to the living after removing himself from society.

Evelyn Chambers has lead a very sheltered life because of who her mother was, and when her father dies he asks her half-brother to take care of her. Her mother was the Earl’s mistress and when she died years ago, Emily was brought into the Earl’s home much to the dismay of Geoffrey (her brother) and his mother. Her brother actually hates her and his plan is to get rid of her as fast as possible, gaining money to do as he pleases. However when Geoffrey introduces Evelyn to gentlemen who are looking for a mistress his plan backfires, as Lord Rafe Easton decides Evelyn belongs with him.

Lord Rafe Easton owns the Rakehell Club, a gambling establishment in town. He and his two brothers had an idyllic childhood until he was ten, then he lived in hell. To escape his uncle who wanted them dead, the three brothers left and had to make it on their own. The twins, Tristan and Sebastian left Rafe at a workhouse for children as they could not take him and then they in turn split up to lead separate, hellish lives. Rafe suffered horribly until he escaped and lived on the streets of London, finally making something of himself rising up from nothing to became a very wealthy man. Unfortunately along the way something died inside and he has some deep emotional scars, and although his brothers also suffered, Rafe has not embraced them since they came back to town three years ago.

Rafe seems to champion Evelyn and tries to give her what she wants while she is with him, never promising her forever but telling her that when he leaves her she will be a very wealthy woman. Rafe is very damaged and is unable to tolerate touch or any emotional feelings, yet as they spend more time together she is getting through his wall of hurt, he is scared and unsure of how to handle it. He eventually pushes her away to where she leaves him and it is only when danger threatens to end his life does he realize that he is capable of love after all.

I love the tortured and tormented hero, the dark brooding man that life treated poorly and yet he pulls himself up and out of the streets becoming a wealthy and respected man, with the heroine who is the only one that can save him. Lord of Wicked Intentions is exactly this type of story, Rafe is so damaged that I am not sure if Evelyn will be able to save him, but of course with love and time she does, this is a romance after all.

The story pulled me in and did not let go until the end as you cheer for Evelyn to save him, make him whole again and to have him reunite with his brothers. He is very tough on the outside as he pushes everyone away, yet as you find out about those that work for him and those he gives money to, you realize that he has a soft side that he does not let show. It brought tears to my eyes when you see how loyal those around him are when he needs them the most as danger threatens him when he did not expect it. The one thing I did find hard to believe is that Evelyn is so sheltered that she did not seem to think anything was wrong with the way she was raised, I felt that maybe she was a little too naïve to be believable at times.

Even though Evelyn was shelter she does have spunk and I like how she stands up to Rafe and is always asking him questions. He seems to tolerate her when he would not others; she breaks through his shell early even though he tries not to show it. I really like Rafe and Evelyn together, they seemed to fit well and the attraction is believable, the secondary characters are also well written as we get to continue to read about the lives of the brothers that we first met in previous books. This is a very engaging story that seems to wrap up the series nicely.

I give Lord of Wicked Intentions by Lorraine Heath 4.0 stars!

The Cursed by Alyssa Day (The League Of The Black Swan #1)

Available: Now Amazon/B&N

Type: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Berkley

My Copy: Sent

Reviewer: Pam

Bordertown private investigator Luke Oliver’s beat is the dimensional fold in Manhattan between the human and supernatural realms. But now a secret from his past—the League of the Black Swan—has surfaced. Because Luke isn’t any ordinary P.I. He’s the Dark Wizard of Bordertown, and he never backs down from a fight.

But this time the fight threatens his life and his heart. Rio Jones, the only woman he loved, needs his help against a deadly menace. Luke pushed her away once before, so she’d never fall prey to the curse that threatens to destroy him. He swore he’d never let her go again. Luke and Rio, with the help of the newly reformed League, must keep evil forces from taking over Bordertown—all the while battling a passion on the razor’s edge between danger and desire. And going to take everything they have just to stay alive.

Bordertown is a place of about five square miles that is hidden under the streets of Manhattan, many non-humans live here but mostly Fae and Demons. The town is a lawless place since the last demon uprising when they ate the sheriff. The inhabitants of Bordertown want Luke to run for sheriff and frequently let him know in laugh out loud ways.

Luke Oliver (Lucian Olivieri) was born in 1500 to Lucrezia Borgia, and he has been paying the price of being related to this famous family for centuries. The curse that Luke lives with came from Lucrezia’s enemy, and states that if his actions ever veered from the path of goodness, he would be cast into darkness forever, he would survive with his soul only if he was all the Borgia’s were not.

Rio Jones, or Green, or whatever name she used is a bike messenger who would visit Luke’s place of business several times a week but they rarely talked to each other, especially after she asked him out one time for coffee and he shot her down. Luke felt the attraction between them but he always stayed away because of the curse.

Rio witnesses the kidnapping of a small child and knows she is in trouble because of what she read in the demon’s mind. There is only one person she can turn to, Luke who is a very powerful wizard. The little girl is named Elisabeth and is half Fae and the niece of Merelith, a very powerful Fae. Merelith knows about Rio’s past and comments on the fact that Rio’s twenty fifth birthday is soon. Come to find out, Merelith is not the only one interested in Rio’s birthday. As she is contacted several times by The League, a man named Chance Roberts and several other beings in Bordertown.

As Rio and Luke discover why everyone is so interested in her birthday she makes several decisions about what to do with who she is. And when her powers are revealed on her birthday she makes a deal with Maestro and the League to see if they can prevent her families from going to war against each other, bringing the rest of the world with them.

What a great start to a series that I will continue to read. I loved most everything about this book, the characters, the premise, the backdrop and even the villains who I am not sure are the bad guys. There were so many people and factions that were after Rio, not to destroy, but for who and what she would become on her birthday.

I love Rio, she is a smart, funny woman who just wants to live her life however others are preventing that as they want a part of her, and I thought that she and Luke were great together, the chemistry between them worked perfectly. There is an attraction from the beginning and although Luke especially tried to steer clear, the world works in mysterious ways and brought them together. And no one disliked Rio, it was hilarious how someone would be angry and the next thing you knew they were being very protective of her. Alice, a friend of Luke’s is a hoot and I will be interested if she plays an important role in the future, you could not help but smile when she came in the room. The banter between the characters is so much fun and even those that are sworn enemies tended to have hilarious moments. Oh and don’t forget Kit, Rio’s pet fox or “furface” as Luke called her, as she gets a lot of fun action and you do not want to get her mad. And talk about not wanting to get anyone mad, Luke seems to blow up anything that gets in his way when he is angry, only to offer to pay for it later – too funny.

I can see this book is a world builder and set-up to the series and yet I loved how well it worked, it introduces you to all the characters that I am hoping to see again. There is no real cliffhanger here either as the story has a clear ending yet you know there are things simmering under the surface that Luke and Rio will need to deal with soon.

I give The Cursed by Alyssa Day 4.5 stars!

Avenging Angel by Cynthia Eden (The Fallen #4)

Available: May 28, 2013 Amazon/B&N

Type: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Kensington

My Copy: Sent

Reviewer: Nikki

Earthly Delights

With a messed up family background and a tendency to grow claws and fangs, Tanner Chance isn’t exactly the boy next door. But he’s a decent cop, and he keeps himself on the side of the good guys. Convenient, because when he rescues a survivor of a horrific shifter attack he finds himself instantly smitten—with an honest-to-goodness angel, as innocent as she is irresistible.

Marna may be angelic, but she’s not stupid or weak. She can take care of herself. Tanner is more temptation than protection anyway. Or so she thinks, until someone wearing her face starts taking out some of New Orleans’ more unsavory paranormals. With police and predators both gunning for her blood, Marna has no choice but to trust Tanner…even though what’s sparking between them is hotter than anything holy.

Avenging Angel is Eden’s fourth book in her The Fallen series and it picks up right after book three ends in an epic battle that leaves Marna wingless and earth bound. I enjoy this series immensely and am still waiting for the book that I won’t enjoy. Eden snags my interest every time she pens a story and luckily nothing changed when I picked up Avenging Angel.

Marna is quite capable of taking care of herself. Even if most of her angel powers have gone on the fritz after her wings were sawed off in a fight with a shifter. Regardless, Tanner has dogged her every step sine she was strong enough to walk away from him after she healed. Now two shifters have turned up dead and the only witness claims Marna did it. Or someone with Marna’s face. Not wanting her to be framed for murder Tanner whisks her away in order to protect her while they try and track down the real killer.

Marna is such a strong female lead character. She matches Tanner and even soars above him on occasion. Due to her run in with Tanner’s brother, she is skeptical of all shifters and doesn’t want to admit to herself the new found feelings shes having are mostly when he is present. The lust is new to her as are all human emotions and she tries valiantly to ignore them in her quest to get back up to Heaven in any way possible. But having Tanner around means Marna is slowly excepting her earthbound state and soon Heaven isn’t her top priority. I love watching (and experiencing) those new found feelings with the characters for the first time. The confusion, the slight anger, the denial are all something that I take along with the hero/heroine and in a world where we take things for granted, being able to feel that for the first time is an awesome experience. Working through them with a alpha panther shifter…even better.

Tanner and Marna together were a definite force to be reckoned with. Tanner’s panther was always close by and ready to attack and that frequently set Tanner on edge. He was always so afraid of losing control but he really just needed to learn to trust himself. His abusive background was constantly on his mind and he believed that any show of aggression made him just who he feared the most…his father.

Cynthia Eden is one of my favorite authors for a reason. She never fails to set the scene and make it believable. Everything is always spot on and the level of emotion she evokes in her characters and readers alike is astounding. Her men are always alpha and her females always rise to the occasion. I also love how her stories, though separate, take place in the same world her other books take place in. She mentions other characters from other series and it really just ties everything together so nicely. I’ve never been let down by a Cynthia Eden book and I always look forward to more from this amazing author!

I give Avenging Angel by Cynthia Eden 4.50 stars! 

Blush by Lauren Jameson (In Vino Veritas #1)

Available: Now Amazon/B&N

Type: Erotic Romance

Publisher: NAL

My Copy: Sent

Reviewer: Nikki

Madeline Stone is determined to heal from her tragic past, one difficult step at a time…and she doesn’t need any distractions. Then she meets a mysterious and captivating stranger—and over a glass of outrageously expensive wine, her world turns upside down. Try as she might to banish the wealthy business mogul from her thoughts, Madeline can’t fight Alex’s staggering appeal or his enticing offer of intimate discovery.
 
Alex doesn’t date—at least, not in the traditional sense. Still, he wants Madeline …and his sexual intensity provides her with a much-needed escape. They embark on a tumultuous erotic affair, one that takes them to the pinnacle of obsession and desire. But underneath each explosive encounter lie dangerous secrets waiting to consume them both.

.

This will be a short review because I really don’t have much to say about it. I disliked this book because it comes off as a ripoff of a ripoff of 50 Shades Of Grey. Everybody and their mother has wrote a book just like this. The characters of Maddy and Alex both had such over dramatic, over done stories that I found myself not caring one way or the other what happened to them. In fact when Maddy FINALLY tells Alex why she was afraid of EVERYTHING, it made no sense whatsoever. I get her being upset over her past, but her reactions made no sense. None. Zero. Zilch. Sure, reactions can make no sense, we are after all human, but this, this was so outside of the realm of reality that her character just came off as a self imposed child, stuck in a routine and unable or unwilling to change. Alex has his own secret that he’s guarding with everything he has. Problem was it wasn’t really a secret and it wasn’t really a big deal. To anyone. Except himself.

Then of course there is the dungeon of sex toys, the BDSM club and the flawed millionaire playboy that are so over used in today’s explosion of BDSM books. I want a normal hero. One who can’t buy the heroine a Porsche if he so desires. A bartender, a salesman, even a lawyer…no more millionaires unless the author can guarantee to do it right. Less cliche. More real.  If this book would have incorporated something (ANYTHING) new I could have overlooked the cliches. However, Blush gave me nothing I hadn’t read before.   I found it boring and chock full of unimportant information that seemed to be added in a poor attempt by the author to move the story line along. Publishers take note. Stop beating that dead horse.

The only thing that moved this from a 1 star to a 2 stars was the fact that I finished it. I have no need to come back to this world for another go round.

I give Blush by Lauren Jameson 2 stars.

Half Moon Hill by Toni Blake (Destiny #6)

Available: Now Amazon/B&N

Type: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Avon

My Copy: Edelweiss

Reviewer: Pam

Trying to escape her troubled past, Anna Romo has come home to Destiny determined to carve out a place for herself. When she buys the old Victorian house on the hill with the intent of furnishing it into a Bed and Breakfast, she’s thrilled by the possibilities.

Ex-biker-gang member Duke Dawson is as much a fish out of water in Destiny as Anna, but he’s handling it fine until an accident scars not only his body but his mind. When Anna stumbles across him in an old cabin in the woods near her newly acquired house, at first she’s terrified. But they work out a deal – she’s willing to keep his solitary living arrangement a secret if he’s willing to help her with some of the heavy lifting at the house. Working together on the renovations, romance brews between Duke and Anna. That is, until war hero Jeremy Sheridan returns home in a blaze of glory and sets his sights on Anna. Suddenly torn between the outgoing and charming Jeremy and the intriguing Duke, Anna’s heart is torn between two paths and left with only one solution.

Anna Romo is struggling with all things new to her, she recently came back home after hearing the death bed confession of a woman she always thought was her mother. She feels a little like an outsider in a town she should have grown up in, she had been kidnapped when she was five and lived with a woman until she died. It was quite a shock when she came back to Destiny for both her family and herself. She is trying to fit in however she tends to stay alone more that she seeks out the company of others, she is slowly getting to know her brother’s Mike and Lucky and their wives.

She bought an old run down house near Half Moon Hill to renovate and turn into a Bed and Breakfast and spent the winter working on the inside. Now that the weather is getting nice she is going to tackle the outside. While walking in the woods near her home she encounters a man who looks like the infamous wolf man, she does not realize at first he is someone she knows, Duke, her brother Lucky’s best friend. He looks like he has not cut his hair or shaved in a year. He also has a scar on his face that she knew came from an accident that changed his life. He was injured and a friend died, so he sold his bar and dropped out of site, not even letting Lucky know where he was.

When he finds out she is going to renovate the outside by herself, he offers to work for her. As he starts working, she gravitates toward town not trusting the feelings she is beginning to have about him, and ends up inadvertently getting to know her sisters-in-law and their friends and agrees to help at a book store.

As they spend more time together they give in to their sexual attraction; however she is unsure of the relationship and of him, worried about his withdrawal from the world. There are moments of heartfelt emotion as they each learn to come back to the living again and re-join a community that loves them.

What a wonderful romance, full of engaging characters, a small town atmosphere and interesting back stories. There is a lot going on with couples from the other books frequently on the pages as we continue to learn about their lives. I really like Duke and Anna, their chemistry is real and I love how they cannot keep their hands off each other, such sexual attraction. Duke is a wonderful character, full of a lifetime of hurt and you just feel for him as he stays away from people to reflect and live with survivor’s guilt. Anna is also believable as she deals with trust issues and living in a family she never knew about. She so wants to belong with the friends she starts to get to know yet she holds back. So to have the two of them find each other is perfect, as they wind up healing together.

The only thing I did not like is that there are several characters to keep up with; this small town life has many stories that continue on, yet the good thing is that there is still a lot of page time for the main characters. Also in the blurb there is talk about how she is torn about another man however this does not seem like a big issue and she is truly never tempted.

The story is moving and I had tears several times as they struggle with how they feel about each other. Anna redeems herself from the previous book when she came across as arrogant and standoffish, she is really very wary and scared about forming relationships and I like how she really tries to put herself out there in this book. She seems more brave and welcoming. This is a wonderfully moving story and I am excited to continue the series to find out more about the people that live in Destiny.

I give Half Moon Hill by Toni Blake 4.0 stars!

The Week Before The Wedding by Beth Kendrick

Available: Now Amazon/B&N

Type: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: NAL Trade

My Copy: Edelweiss

Reviewer: Pam

After enduring a chaotic childhood, Emily McKellips yearns for a drama-free life, complete with a white picket fence. Her dreams are about to come true: She has a stellar career, a gorgeous house, and a fiancé any woman would die for. But as friends and family arrive in picturesque Valentine, Vermont, for her wedding, an uninvited guest shows up.

Ryan is Emily’s first husband from a disastrous starter marriage. They wed on a whim, only to discover that combustible chemistry couldn’t ensure a happily ever after. But Ryan is no longer the headstrong boy she left behind. He’s now a successful film producer who just happens to be scouting a resort in Valentine with his adorable retriever in tow. As the bridesmaids revolt and the mothers of the bride and groom do battle, Emily is surprised to discover new sides of both her ex and her fiancé. She thought she had life and love all figured out, but the next seven days might change her mind—and her heart.

What do you do when your ex-husband shows up a week before you are to marry the perfect man, you go a little crazy trying to keep it under control?

Emily McKellips is getting married to Grant, a doctor who appears to be perfect in every way. Even his family seems perfect, which is exactly what Emily wants after spending a chaotic life with a mother who is loveable but a little wacky. To compensate for her mother, Emily spent the last ten years getting her MBA, wearing suits to work and doing everything possible to be this perfect conservative woman.

Ten years earlier she fell in love at college with Ryan Lassiter. They had a combustible relationship that she could not deal with and left five months after the got married. She felt Ryan was too reckless and after her childhood, she wanted more stability.

Emily’s mother, Georgia married a man she loved, they had Emily and when he died too young she just went in a different direction, a little wild and crazy, marrying several times and always looking for fun. One of the marriages gave her a step-daughter, Summer who is Emily’s best friend. Summer’s personality is more like Georgia and what Emily used to be like before she became too stuffy.

Emily and Grant are getting married in Vermont at a lovely resort which is perfect, as they are moving to Massachusetts for Grants new job. Grant’s whole family is here along with Emily’s mother and Summer, the setting is idyllic, until Ryan shows up without warning. Emily finds it a little strange that out of all the places in the world he is here, but he says he is scouting a new location for a movie, he is now a successful production executive. Summer looks at Emily innocently, when she asks questions, but Emily knows her too well.

Grants mother Beverly is very straight laced and the sparks fly when she meets Georgia, however things change when they bond over champagne and getting revenge on Beverly’s sisters, producing fun and laughter. As the wedding approaches, things get out of hand and when Grant has to go back to his job for a few days Emily starts to wonder what life with a dedicated doctor would be like, especially when she finds herself thinking more about Ryan than Grant.

I am a true fan of reunited lovers and this book is a great example, with fun entertaining characters that had me laughing out loud. I really like Ryan, what a sexy guy he is, and I love that even though he may have grown up in the ten years they were apart, deep down he is still the same person, he still loves horror movies and doing crazy things. Emily on the other hand lost herself in the last ten years, but that works well in this story, as not only does she need to find herself but she needs Ryan back in her life. I liked both characters together, the spark is still there and Ryan tells her right away how he feels about her, she has those same feelings however pushes them down.

The story is entertaining, fast paced and a thoroughly enjoyable read to the end. The premise is believable as we watch this group of polar opposite wedding party members come together to celebrate. I was happy to see Grant’s family accept Emily with open arms, even when her unconventional mother enters the picture. They were less accepting of Georgia but that makes the story more fun. I laughed out loud several times when Georgia was around and the bachelorette party was a hoot with Bev and Georgia bonding. Grant was a very likable guy however I found that I could not quite believe he was going to let Emily go without a scene, fight or anything other than “we are not getting married are we” and then leaves to go back to his patient, which apparently makes him happier. I recommend this fun contemporary romance with some very touching scenes and laugh out loud moments.

I give The Week Before the Wedding by Beth Kendrick 4.25 stars!

Moon by Laurann Dohner (New Species #10)

Available: Now Amazon/B&N

Type: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Ellora’s Cave

My Copy: Sent

Reviewer: Michelle

Dr. Joyce Yards has never met anyone as irresistible as 466. Their therapy sessions are growing hotter, his raw sexual hunger becoming aggressive, and he refuses to discuss anything except the possibility of getting her naked. Joy understands the dire consequences if she indulges her passion. It will break her heart but she must walk away.

Moon has been drugged, his memory shattered, and he’s now little more than feral, a dangerous threat to everyone. In their need for help, the NSO doctors turn to the only female Moon ever cared about—the one who left him behind two years ago.

Moon isn’t the same male Joy once knew. There are no rules now. If sex tames the wild beast and triggers his fractured memories, allowing him moments of lucidity, then Joy will give him everything, body and soul. She’ll do whatever it takes to save him—even at the cost of her own life.

Just what I need – another new author to add to my already overwhelming pile of books to read! I’ve heard good things about the New Species series so I jumped on the opportunity to read Moon (even though it totally goes against my OCD tendencies to begin a series with book number ten!!). The author has created a unique world in which the New Species were created in a lab by combining human and animal DNA. They were rescued from that lab after being subjected to experiments and torture, and an alliance with humans was formed in order to help them adjust to life in the outside world.

Part of that help comes in the form of therapy, where Joy meets Moon. She is a human psychologist hired to work with and counsel members of the New Species after their rescue. Moon is known as 466 to her then, strictly a subject needing her expertise but refusing to talk. Going against protocol, she arranges for all of his sessions to be strictly one on one with her, with no guard in the room. This helps him to begin to lower his guard with Joy. Since they spend so much time alone, it also allows him to blatantly pursue her sexually. He is raw, primitive and uninhibited and makes no excuses for wanting her. Joy finds herself growing closer to 466 emotionally and has difficulty fighting her sexual attraction to him. Knowing it would be unethical for her to act on that as his therapist, she feels her only option is to leave.

Fast forward two years when Joy is once again brought in to help the New Species. She has moved on professionally, taking a job at a hospital hours away from where she worked with 466. She never forgot the incredible male she fell for, though, and when she realizes that he is the one in trouble, she vows to do whatever it takes to help him. Moon has been drugged, making him lose touch with reality and even attack his fellow Species. When Joy comes face to face with him, she finds herself staring at a primal male in the throes of something no one knows how to handle. He is full of rage and aggression, but remarkably he responds to Joy.

What follows is a long, slow journey to get Moon back, healthy and sane. While the heads of the New Species work around the clock trying to determine what drugs Moon was given as well as finding the people responsible, Joy literally puts her life in Moon’s hands by locking herself in the basement cell where he is being held. She is determined to break through and heal him, willing to use whatever means necessary. On some deeper level, Moon recognizes Joy and responds to her. The fact that they once shared a bond helps to break through the barriers the unknown drugs are putting up in Moon’s mind.

When he loses control over and over, Joy reaches out to him using their physical connection, unashamedly acting on their sexual attraction as a way to bring him back. She aches for him and second-guesses leaving him two years ago, but she couldn’t see a way back then for their relationship to be anything but doomed. Now that he is back in her life and no longer her patient, not only is she willing to do whatever it takes to get Moon back to normal, she swears she will never leave him again.

I enjoyed delving into this new-to-me world of the New Species. Moon was an excellent hero (although he harped a little too much on Joy leaving him). He was sexy, aggressive and surprisingly sentimental. I loved that he recognized Joy on a deeper level, even when he was out of his mind. Joy was a good match for him. She almost came across as a stronger character, but I believe she needed to be in order to help him out of the dark place the drugs put him in. I don’t feel I missed much by starting this series in the middle, but I would definitely enjoy reading some of the previous New Species books.

I give Moon by Laurann Dohner 4 stars!

The Devil’s Heart by Cathy Maxwell (The Chattan Curse #3)

Available: Now Amazon/B&N

Type: Historical Romance

Publisher: Avon

My Copy: Edelweiss

Reviewed by: Pam

They call her the Unattainable. Lady Margaret Chattan spurned every suitor for her hand, vowing never to marry. The only way to break the curse plaguing her family for two centuries is this ultimate sacrifice. But now her brothers’ lives are in danger. Determined to save them, she risks her very soul by traveling into the heart of the highlands to battle a force that has transcended time.

Heath Macnachtan is not superstitious. Laird of the most independent, nonconforming, madly infuriating clan ever to grace Scotland, he believes he has his hands full. And then, a woman lauded as one of the most beautiful in England, arrives on his doorstep with wild accusations and a mystical quest . . . one that just might help him discover who murdered his own brother. But the real danger for Heath and Margaret is not a supernatural foe, but a very real love that could destroy them both.

Lady Margaret Chattan is on a mission, traveling to Scotland and accompanied by her new abigail, Smith who keeps looking at her strangely, but it might be because Smith thinks Margaret is a little crazy. Margaret is on her way to see if she can break the Chattan curse and save her brothers before they die. The curse was put on the Chattan’s two hundred years ago by a vengeful witch and has caused panic and death for years as every Chattan male that falls in love, dies. Margaret’s brother Harry believes she is the key to breaking the curse as she is the first female born since the curse was cast.

Society thought Margaret was perfect and both the men and women of the ton either wanted her or wanted to be her. She rarely went out however instead of people thinking it was strange, they just thought it was another thing to love about her, she was mysterious. She on the other hand does not feel worthy of anyone, as she has a secret that not even her brother’s Neal and Harry are aware of.

Margaret found a kitten when she was ready to leave on her trip, a strange little creature with big eyes and flatten ears, she calls it Owl. However no one else in her traveling party can see the cat, Smith thinks she is unwell and when Margaret questions the others in the party to see if they see the cat, they all look away. So she leaves the “cat” by the side of the road and they travel on. About a mile out of their destination the weather turns and the wind pulls them off the road and down the hill where all but two perish.

Heath Macnachtan is the 16th chief of Macnachtan, a raggedy clan that is almost bankrupt. They are in danger of losing their home, Marybone. He is thinking of selling to help his sisters however does not want to leave his clan to the mercy of others that might not treat them well. Up until a year ago Heath had been first officer aboard the HMS Boyne when he heard about his brother’s death. Brodie had been ambushed and murdered; they still have not found the murderer. Heath finds Margaret near where his brother was killed and he recognizes her right away from seeing her in London. He takes her to his home and when she awakes she again acts a little crazy, she is missing a book she was carrying, Fenella’s book of Curses. They all tell her they never saw the book and not believing anyone, she shoots Heath – really?

As Heath and Margaret search for clues they unwittingly find the answers to other unsolved mysteries, all the while fate and other sources are at work trying to prevent her from finding anything about the curse.

This was a nice conclusion to the Chattan trilogy and a must read if you are curious about how it all ends, however I just did not really like the main two characters much and I did not see any chemistry with them. Heath was unhappy being the chief of his clan, wanting to go back to the sea and be in the Navy, when he decides to stay I was not convinced that Margaret is the reason. Margaret was just not very likable at all, she was rude to her abigail, Smith during the ride, then she was rude to Heath’s family and even when she apologizes, it was not sincere. I know she was trying to save her brothers but being accusatory to all those around her when they had saved her – ugh. I did like Heath’s two sisters, Laren and Anice; they were engaging and fun and accepted life with a sense of happiness.

The answers at the end seemed a little unbelievable, I suppose for a book about witches and curses it could make sense however I could not buy it. I also was unsure of what happened with Fenella and Rose, the two that started it all centuries ago; I thought there could have been more about them and the mysterious cat. Over all, the book was well written and a must read for the end of the trilogy however I wish I connected with the hero and heroine better.

I give The Devil’s Heart by Cathy Maxwell 3.0 stars!