Good or Great? Where Is The Line?

Are you an alpha girl? Do you prefer bookish men? Do you find yourself drooling over a great cover? A story line? A simple character? What makes you connect to a book? What takes that book to the next level of greatness for you? For me it’s a simple equation. The right amount of quirk, kink and action sets this reader a pantin and has me coming back for more every time. When the action is done right just, the men are total softie alphas and the heroine are capable females intent on getting what they want…..I’m in love. I swoon. I laugh. I cry. I get pissed. I become part of the journey. A sidelines player in the game the author has set forth. I admit I can be a fickle reader. What works in one book does not work in another. How the author sets the scene is key. If the scene is set to much, the author rambles and I get bored. If not enough is done then I’m confused and irritated. It’s a high wire balancing act with every book I open. At stake is my opinion, which is not worth all that much but every author I’ve met cares about what each individual persons opinion of their book is. They may learn not to respond to the negative opinions and it’s true you can’t please everyone. But they do care.

Lately though I’ve found something to be lacking. Sometimes a character just doesn’t sit well with me or I find myself bored while reading. Doesn’t mean the book wasn’t good it just means I never fully connected with the authors vision. In fact I “liked” the books….but I didn’t “love” them. There was nothing in it that had me running to my computer to tell anyone that would listen how much they NEEDED to read this book or even how much I hated it and loathed the ink it used to be printed (or storage it took up on my e-reader). So I’m left with a what do I do scenario. Do I try and fake it for an entire review? Rack my brain to come up with a review that I deem long enough? Or do I simply tell people that I liked it and if it’s in the genre they like too they might want to check it out.

Available: May 7, 2013 Amazon/B&N

Type: Paranormal Romance Anthology

Publisher: Zebra

My Copy: Sent

Reviewer: Nikki

Out Of Control by Alexandra Ivy
Ph.D student Angela Locke has a crush on her sexy professor, Dr. Nikolo Bartrev. When she learns he’s actually a Sentinel with extraordinary powers, she joins forces with him to catch a psychopath. But soon, their hottest pursuit is of each other… 

Ties That Bind by Nina Bangs
Cassie Tyler agrees to sub for her friend at the funeral home where she works. But she gets more than she bargained for when a group of men attack her and a vampire comes to her rescue. . . 

In Still Darkness by Dianne Duvall
Immortal Richart d’Alençon can’t forget the woman who rewarded him with a sensuous kiss after he saved her from a trio of vampires. While Richart knows that loving a human can only bring trouble, the taste of forbidden lust is too great to resist. . .

High Stakes by Hannah Jayne
When vampire fashionista Nina LaShay’s design contest rival is found dead, she’s the prime suspect. Sexy photographer Pike is number two. He’s the kind of man who makes Nina salivate. But will she have to reveal herself to have him–and to save them both? Or does Pike have a secret of his own?

Anthologies are hard to review. Simple as that. Most times there is at least one in an anthology that doesn’t click with a person. It’s very rare that I find myself loving every single story. As was the case with Predatory. The first half of this book was awesome. Let’s talk about that first. Alexandria Ivy and Nina Bangs were new to me authors. I had no idea what to expect from them and so I went into those with zero expectations. This is generally better for me as a reader/reviewer. Both Ivy and Bangs wove a quick paranormal romance tale that ensured that I would check out their work again. Both were engaging, well plotted out and had enough heat to have me entertained. Though in that respect Ivy clearly won out because the Bangs novella was lighter on the heat and heavier on the story line.  Duvall’s addition, while part of a series I have enjoyed in the past left me wanting more. I didn’t enjoy the characters and at one point she phonically spells out Richart’s name as Ree-shart. Does she not know what shart is? Does anyone but me know what that is? Well here’s a lesson for you…shart is when you fart and shit your pants. Sexy huh? Yeah didn’t think so. Just let me do what I do in every other book with a weirdly spelled name. Let me weeble-wobble between pronunciations in my head. Then to top it off it ended so incredibly abrupt I thought the publisher had left a chapter out. The last novella was by Hannah Jayne and it re-visits her Underworld Detection Agency series with Nina as the lead instead of a secondary character. I gave up on this series at book 3 and to to be honest I knew from the get go this one wasn’t going to work for me. What started out fun has quickly turned into a puddle of quicksand that I have no intention of getting sucked into. I only read the first 2 chapters of that one before giving up. I just don’t connect to her anymore.

Available: Now Amazon/B&N

Type: Erotic Romance

Publisher: Self Pub

My Copy: Sent

Reviewer: Nikki

Meeting Jett was like lightning. Dangerous. Better left untouched. And better forgotten. But lightning always strikes twice.

Brooke Stewart, a realtor in New York, doesn’t do relationships. When she’s sent to a remote estate to finalize a real estate deal, she discovers her new boss is no other than the guy she left naked in bed.

Sexy, dangerously handsome, and arrogant Jett Mayfield attracts trouble, and women, like a lightning rod. But the night he meets Brooke he gets more than he bargained for. The green-eyed millionaire playboy isn’t used to taking no for an answer, and he isn’t about to start now.

When he proposes two months of no strings sex, Brooke is intrigued and accepts his proposal. Little does she know Jett’s determined to claim the one woman he can’t have, pulling her deeper into his dangerous world.

A man who doesn’t take ‘no’ for an answer.
A woman afraid to surrender to love.
Two lives that are about to cross…and secrets laid bare.

I so very badly wanted to read this book, love it immensely and sing it’s praises to everyone. I mean look at that cover! Holy hell almighty that’s a hot cover. The blurb is rockin. The heros name is JETT. That says it all right there. Smoking, hot, incredibly rich Jett. It’s an erotic romance, which I what I’ve been reading a lot of lately….and maybe that’s part of the problem. A year ago I think I would have read this and been all over it. But it’s getting harder and harder to impress me lately because I’ve read so much. Nothing seems original anymore. Reed does a good job with setting the scene but I never felt the heat between Jett and Brooke. It felt like they were going through the motions. Intense, hot, sexual motions…but motions none the less. While I liked Jett for all the reasons I already stated, I didn’t think she took him far enough. He needed to be more in control. More alpha. He needed more to his persona and more to the story line then just the sex.

Now don’t get me wrong. I “liked” this book. There are moments in it so perfect they made my heart hurt just a bit.  Jett is all mysterious at times and I played into it as much as Brooke did. The little side plot on Brookes heritage and how it plays into everything will be a source of my interest in how thing will play out in book two. Which I most definitely will read. I look forward to watching Brooke handle her new problems and what and who follows her to her new life.

Erotic romance fans that tend to like less story and more sex should enjoy this one. I enjoyed Reeds writing but I think this could have been better. Been more.

Available: Now Amazon/B&N (e-book now, paperback August 2013)

Type: Erotic Romance

Publisher: Forever

My Copy: Sent

Reviewer: Nikki 

He pushes her sexual boundaries . . . From the moment waitress Karina meets him in a New York bar, she knows James is different. Daring. Dominating. Though he hides his true identity from her, the mysterious, wealthy businessman anticipates her every desire and fulfills her secret fantasies. Awakened by his touch, Karina discovers a wild side she hadn’t known existed and nothing is off limits. She aches for more . . . What begins as an erotic game soon escalates to a power play that blurs the line between pleasure and pain. Even as she capitulates to James’s sensual demands, Karina craves more. She wants his heart, his soul. She wants his love . . . and she’ll break all the rules to get it.

Slow Surrender had all the makings for something I would slobber over, but it never quite got there. From some of the questionably icky foreplay…i.e. vaginal stimulation by toe…to the complete over the topness of everything else. Butterfly clit stimulators being set off while trying to order pizza, a happy ending parlor woman using a glass dildo on the heroine while the hero skypes in and watches, then the realization that the hero is simply, too big to fit in which I immediately started singing:

When this book worked, it worked well but there was too much mystery surrounding the hero. Karina doesn’t even learn his name till the very end. It was just one orgasm to the next without actual penetration. Because of course he’s just too large and it takes him a week of different sized toys to “ready her”. There was no emotional depth to it at all. So while I enjoyed the marathon foreplay the story line lacked a plot that I could get behind. But I kept reading waiting for the next over the top scene to make me chuckle. Probably not what the author intended but I’m actually looking forward to book two to see where else the author can take this. Because really? Where do you go after vag stimulation by toe? *shudder*

All three of these books earned a 3.0 star rating from me. I like them and I will come back but I hope for more on the next go around. I want more emotion. More alpha. MORE PLOT. I want to go to my happy place when I read them only to emerge and feel saddened by the last words. I didn’t quite get there with these ones, but I have high hopes for the next ones.

What about you? What makes you pick up a book? Continue a series? Are you saddened when you decide to stop reading a series or author? Why?

The Chieftain by Margaret Mallory (Return of the Highlanders #4)

Available: Now Amazon/B&N

Type: Historical Romance

Publisher: Forever

My Copy: NetGalley

Reviewer: Pam

A Warrior’s Heart Connor, chieftain of the MacDonalds of Sleat, holds the fate of his people in his hands. Rival clans are plotting to take over his lands, and duty determines whom he will fight, trust . . . even marry. Seeking guidance, Connor turns to Ilysa, a young lass with the gift of foresight, who reveals an approaching danger-and a passion that burns only for him. But the warrior must make a powerful marriage alliance, and Ilysa’s bloodline is far too humble.

With her powers to heal and see evil where others cannot, beautiful Ilysa dresses plainly, speaks softly, and loves her chieftain from afar. Yet when Connor finally stokes the embers of desire that have so long burned within her, Ilysa feels bliss unlike any she’s ever known. Now as he is forced to place duty before happiness, Ilysa senses Connor is in grave peril. Can she find a way to prove she is the woman he needs by his side?

Conner MacDonald’s mother disappeared one night and when his father returned with her body he was told she was a beautiful woman that even in death commanded the attention of every man. He rarely saw his father after that as his father always thought that Conner’s older brother, Ragnall, was the one son that was fit to rule. However Ragnall was never able to rule as his father and brother were killed while Conner was fighting in France. When Conner returned from France their clan was near ruin, and since then, he has devoted his life to restoring the clan’s lands and making his people safe.

Conner and the other warriors recently captured Dunscaith Castle from the MacLeod’s and he is planning to move there, fortifying it with warriors to keep those in surrounding cottages safe. For the past few years Ilysa has managed his household; however her brother, Conner’s best friend Duncan does not want her moving there with him. Neither Ilysa nor Conner see a problem since soon Conner will take a wife that can bring a powerful alliance to the marriage and Ilysa will return to Duncan’s home and marry another.

Ilysa does move with Conner despite her brother’s misgivings and makes the castle a comfortable home. And Conner is happy here, despite the challenges he faces. His father had rarely brought him to this castle and he was never in his chambers so does not have any bad memories. However the MacLeod’s clan and Hugh and his men separately want to see Conner dead so he must take care.

As Conner assembles his warriors in his new home, he must select a captain of his guard, Sorely, who served his father and brother is getting older and a new name has been mentioned, of a man who was a hero for fighting the MacLeod’s – Lachlan of Lealt. However Lachlan is hiding several secrets when he arrives, something Ilysa realizes right away as she sees darkness surrounding him. She feels the fight that is within him.

As Conner struggles with Hugh and the MacLeod’s he is also struggling with Ilysa and his feelings. There are several times she uses The Sight and warns him of danger but he is not ready to believe her and when she makes him miss a meeting with Hugh because she “sees” the risk, he is angry and tells her to leave.

Lachlan visits his sister and finds out that Conner has helped the family survive an attack. He struggles, how can Lachlan satisfy his father’s right to vengeance and also protect his clan? Lachlan tells Ilysa she is right about Conner when he sees her again and tells her that she can trust him now. However he thinks there is someone else spying for Hugh and plans to find out who it is.

Conner and Ilysa’s feelings are tested when he is lead to believe she is meeting an enemy in the faery glen; and what she does fine is something she never expected. Everything comes to a head when the traitor is uncovered, the castle and clan are attacked, Ilysa wants to meet Conner in an old church and alliances are made.

I hope Ms Mallory continues this series as these are wonderful stories filled with Highland lore, beauty, danger and intrigue. I read all four almost back to back and enjoyed each book in the series. The four Highlanders are like brothers and have deep feelings for each other. The women they love are just as brave and fierce as they are. I enjoyed the romance between Conner and Ilysa as they struggled with what they know is good for the clan however not good for them. The Chieftain is always thinking that the clan and his people come first yet it is heartbreaking to watch the couple so deeply in love, struggle. The other characters are enjoyable to see throughout the series and the continued story arc keeps you turning the pages until the end.

I give The Chieftain by Margaret Mallory 4 stars!

Protector by Nancy Northcott (The Protectors #1.5)

Available: Now Amazon/B&N

Type: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Forever

My Copy: Sent

Reviewer: Nikki

When firefighter and paramedic Edie Lang arrives to battle a wildfire in southeast Georgia’s Okefenokee Swamp, she’s dismayed to encounter the man who ruined her life in just one night. Their reunion doesn’t make helicopter pilot Josh Campbell any happier than Edie is. Despite their efforts to ignore each other, the sparks between them have not diminished, but neither intends to let them flare again.

When one of them is gravely injured, the two discover their passion runs deeper than either of them could have imagined and they have Dr. Stefan Harper to thank for that chance.

Dr. Harper is happy to have given the couple a second chance, but realizes through Josh and Edie, as well as his good friends Val and Griff, that what’s missing from his life is love.

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I picked up Protector on a whim because I hadn’t heard of this author before and figured I’d check out a shorter novella before I invested the time in a full length. I liked the mage aspect that this series provided but I have to say I thought there would be more action then there was. Edie and Josh have a prior history from a few years before the novella starts. They were an “almost” item but Josh backed off, took off, and Edie marginally moved on. She still carries a torch for him but has tried to avoid him as he has her. They are thrown back together when a forest fire requires helicopter pilot Josh to drop firefighter Edie off in a remote location to save some fellow firefighters. Edie happens upon a magical box that attaches itself to her and Josh and drains all their magic. As they scramble to find out the origins of the object that is slowly killing them, the raw emotional connection they share flares to life once more.

My biggest problem with Protector was that it felt very slow when usually novellas are all about fast, trying to get information in as quick as possible. There are large stretches of time where seemingly nothing happens as Edie and Josh fight the pull they feel towards each other. Because of that I didn’t really feel connected to them. I admit I wanted to skim often. Characters from book one do make an appearance but the author isn’t real intent on giving much of a back story instead focusing on the evolving relationship of the main characters. So there are things that I didn’t quite understand with the ongoing story arc. I did enjoy when Edie and Josh finally succumbed to their feelings. The love scenes are tame so it should appeal to several levels of romance readers. Josh and his ongoing attitude of not wanting to become involved in a relationship with a woman who has a dangerous job was a highlight for me. I liked seeing him finally understand that he couldn’t control his response to Edie and that he had to compromise.

Northcott seems to ramble endlessly in her attempts to set the scene and convey the emotion but in the end it fell flat for me. I think if you enjoyed books one, then you will enjoy this one. However this isn’t a series I would continue.

I give Protector by Nancy Northcott 2.75 stars

Jake by R.C. Ryan (Wyoming Sky #3)

Available: Now Amazon/B&N

Type: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Forever

My Copy: Sent

Reviewer: Nikki

Wild at Heart . . .

Jake Conway is good with his hands. A veterinarian known for his gentle touch, he’s also the most eligible bachelor in Wyoming. But like any wild animal, Jake longs to roam free . . . until a sultry redhead with a smile from here to heaven turns up in town.

When her estranged father dies, Meg Stanford inherits his rustic ranch-and all the painful memories that come with it. She’s determined to settle the estate and face down the ghosts of her past. But a series of midnight break-ins have Meg running from the ranch-and into the arms of the sexy cowboy next door. As their passion grows hotter, the attacks grow bolder. Can Jake keep her safe, or will he lose the only woman he’s ever loved?

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Jake was a spur of the moment read for me. I found myself growing tired of paranormal romance and needing a break from it so I decided picking up an easy-going contemporary romance was the way to go.

After finishing Jake (which is 3rd in the series BTW) I found myself conflicted. I liked it but I didn’t love it. It was an easy read, the characters well defined and the overall story was one I found to be entertaining. In a word…it was…”cute”. This book (and most likely the series) would be something I would recommend for readers looking for a safe read. Something to pick up that was fun but not overly steamy. Something I would pick for my mother maybe. I tend to like my romances a bit more on the racier side.

Jake finds that after meeting Meg for the first time that he feels an unexplainable draw to the city woman who is just back in town to settle her late fathers estate. He feels the urge to help her in any way he can and the surge of feelings she evokes in him confuse him. But in his easy going cowboy manner he takes everything in stride and what unfurls is a romance filed with passion neither was expecting to find.

Though Meg has every intention of getting out of her hometown and back to her life in DC as quick as possible after meeting Jake she finds the pull to stay just a bit longer. Coupled with the fact that she just found out she has a little brother who needs her, Meg is torn between what she knows and what she is beginning to want.

Being a contemporary romance I found the last few chapters of the book a bit out of place since they are filled with suspense. Generally, even after a few attempts to scare Meg off her fathers property, I would have expected a tidy ending. Not so and Meg and Jake find themselves in the crosshairs of a person intent on causing them harm.

Even with that I found myself not over come with an emotional response. So I did like it but there was nothing that really set it apart from everything else I’ve read.

I give Jake by RC Ryan 3 stars!

 

Winterblaze by Kristen Callihan (Darkest London #3)

Available: Now Amazon/B&N

Type: Historical Romance

Publisher: Forever

My Copy: NetGalley

Reviewer: Pam

Once blissfully in love . . . Poppy Lane is keeping secrets. Her powerful gift has earned her membership in the Society for the Suppression of Supernaturals, but she must keep both her ability and her alliance with the Society from her husband, Winston. Yet when Winston is brutally attacked by a werewolf, Poppy’s secrets are revealed, leaving Winston’s trust in her as broken as his body. Now Poppy will do anything to win back his affections . . .

Their relationship is now put to the ultimate test. Winston Lane soon regains his physical strength but his face and heart still bear the scars of the vicious attack. Drawn into the darkest depths of London, Winston must fight an evil demon that wants to take away the last hope of reconciliation with his wife. As a former police inspector, Winston has intelligence and logic on his side. But it will take the strength of Poppy’s love for him to defeat the forces that threaten to tear them apart.

The first time Winston Lane sees the striking woman at the train station he knows she is the one for him. From that day forward after meeting Poppy his life changed completely. Winston was nineteen and already set in his ways, bookish, orderly and logical and for a woman to make such an impact on his life was extraordinary.

Winston and Poppy have been married for fourteen years, however something has happened and he left her without asking for explanations. He felt betrayed and that their life together was a lie.

Winston was attacked and left for dead one night and when he found out Poppy was with the SOS and there are strange creatures living among humanity, he had not even waited for the details, he just left her. Ian and Archer had harassed him to stay at Ranulf House to get well and train his body. They’d taught him how to fight, both with his hands and with a sword.

Poppy was meeting her sister, Daisy and Mary Chase in her office which was very unusual, Daisy had only recently found out who she was. Mary was a GIM (Ghost in the Machine) as was Daisy, they were the best spies there are, as they learn and secret away bits of information until they find out the truth. Daisy wants Mary to meet Mother, the head of The Society for the Suppression of Supernatural’s or SOS, an organization whose purpose is to keep the world from learning the truth, that monsters were real. Mother was someone no one was ever to meet however two GIM’s now know Poppy’s secret.

Mary’s service as a GIM was over and she wants to be a Regulator. A tough life as a fighter and often a short one as they come face to face with things that give monsters nightmares. Daisy tells her that Mary knows who Poppy is and that Mary would be a good companion as well as protector. So Poppy tells Mary that she has her chance as a Regulator and to get ready as a demon has just escaped his prison.

Poppy finds out that Winston is on holiday in Paris, she is shocked as he always hated Paris. He went there after he beat a suspect almost to death several weeks ago. The CID, which was Winston’s life let him go and he is a little lost. Win had given up everything to become an inspector, including being cut off from his family. Now Win is coming back to London on one of Archer’s ships, so Poppy rushes to meet him because she believes he is in danger, telling him that a demon is coming for him. When last she knew the demon he went by the name of Lord Isley. She thinks he got the identity from an Earl he had murdered. Demons can change their appearance to suit their needs by using someone’s blood, so you can’t trust anyone. Years ago, Poppy put Isley in prison as he had killed her mother. Miranda and Daisy think their mother died shortly after giving birth to their brother, but Poppy knows the truth. Now that he is free, Isley sends her a message saying that he is going to take something of hers and destroy it.

The demon (Jones, Isley) finds Winston on board the ship and he tells him that he is a grantor of bargains in exchange for souls. And he has come to collect his due. Fourteen years earlier Winston signed a contract he does not remember signing, the demon says that part of the process is that he forgets about the whole transaction. Winston remembers losing himself to the power of Absinthe in his early days, because he had wanted a woman that he could not have, so Jones gave him a new life, to be rid of the family responsibilities and have Poppy. Winston is confused because he thought that all this time his father had disowned him – in reality his family thought he was dead. Because

Win had cheated death earlier, he was in breach of contract, therefore the grantor can take the soul of the first born, however the demon is willing to bargain as there is something he wants, a woman by the name of Moira Darling.

He has four days to complete the task and tells Poppy about the meeting also telling her how he feels, like a hypocrite, he left Poppy because she lied to him and yet he feels he has done something ten times worse.

As they work toward finding the secret of Moira Darling, Win and Poppy must find the trust they once felt for each other, they must work through the anger, betrayal and hurt they both are feeling. The danger they face is overwhelming and they realize that others are also in trouble. They send Mary to find Jack, the shifter, since the being inside his body is not him, they find him almost dead. Poppy also must be completely honest with her sisters and tell them the whole story as there are new details that come to light that even Poppy did not know about until recently.

What a great addition to this series. I have been looking forward to Win and Poppy’s story since Moonglow. Winston and Poppy are truly made for each other and it is heartbreaking to watch them struggle with feelings of betrayal. You just want to slap Win sometimes as he seems so uptight and when he realizes he may have committed the same type of mistaken he still has trouble with his feelings about Poppy. However Poppy is also very stubborn. I felt the story was compelling and engrossing and will keep you turning the pages until the end. There are several twists and turns and some surprising revelations in the end. Jack’s story is next and what a tale that will be.

I give Winterblaze by Kristen Callihan 4.5 stars!

Seduction Of A Highland Warrior by Sue-Ellen Welfonder (Highland Warriors #3)

Available: Now Amazon/B&N

Type: Historical Romance

Publisher: Forever

My Copy: NetGalley

Reviewer: Pam

At the King’s request, chieftain Alasdair MacDonald has sworn to preserve the peace in the Glen of Many Legends. Though he’s handsome and fearless, his warrior’s heart belongs only to his beloved land-until the fair sister of his oldest enemy shatters his defenses, branding his skin with a single touch, and sealing his fate with one stolen kiss…

Lady Marjory Mackintosh will do anything to unite the warring clans, even seduce Alasdair MacDonald. She has loved the rugged Highlander since she first saw him and now, as temptation leads to surrender, Marjory dares to possess him, body and soul. But a dangerous new menace enters the Glen, and he will stop at nothing to strip Alasdair of his honor-and the only woman who can claim his heart.

The Scotland Highlands come alive with historic lore and magic. Ms Welfonder’s descriptions and her stories bring you to the beautiful Highlands.

The Glen of Many Legends is a magical place, home to the clans of MacDonald, Cameron and Mackintosh’s. There have been endless struggles to annihilate each other over the years that have saturated the glen with blood and sorrow. Peace has been fragile and hard to come by.

A few years ago, the King declared that the three clans would fight until the death and the last man standing would own the glen, the King was tired of hearing about the fighting and wanted to put an end to it all. The trial by combat had lowlanders coming from all over to watch the death match. During the event many died however the three clan chiefs were left standing when the King called off the battle. It was decided that the three would continue to share the glen. To help with the continued peace, three powerful women of each clan made vows to each other to find someone within the other clans to wed, Catriona and Isobel kept their vows as they each wed a chieftain, Catriona wed James Cameron and Isobel wed Kendrew Mackintosh. Marjory was the last, her part of the plan not complete yet. She had hoped to wed clan chief Alasdair MacDonald, and a year ago she believed she would have achieve her goal; however it is proving to be harder than she thought.

Alasdair had been away for a year, making a journey to Inverness to oversee the building of a new galley. However Marjory thinks he has forgotten about her, she thinks she might have misread him a year ago, that he does not feel about her the way she thinks. In the meantime, she has been trying to head off her brother as he is tries to wed her to a Norseman. She has been intercepting messages to and from various leaders to thwart his plans. Kendrew does not like the MacDonald’s and refuses to let his sister wed Alasdair.

Marjory has not given up yet and has a dream of Viking warriors landing and claiming her, as they believe she has been chosen for their lord’s journey into the Otherworld. As she is being pulled toward the sea and the fire Alasdair comes to save her. Not sure if her dream means anything she goes with Isobel to visit Hella, a widow woman that knows much, to see if her dream has any truth.

Alasdair is expecting something to happen; his scouts have spotted two black longships coming into the loch, Norse longships that are armed and ready for battle. Some called them Black Vikings; something that hasn’t been seen in years, not since clan MacConacher banished them. Alasdair thinks Kendrew may have something to do with this and goes to see him and as usual they argue. What Alasdair and Marjory do not know is that Viking messengers have contacted Kendrew about a marriage; however Kendrew does not know that he has been duped, making him believe a false message. Marjory finds out about the plan after Alasdair leaves and telling her brother she will never marry, hurries and runs to Blackshore, to Alasdair. The danger to Marjory, the angry between the MacDonald and Mackintosh chieftains along with the King finding out that the glen may not be as peaceful as he wants, brings the climax of the book to a thrilling end.

I enjoyed falling in love with this area of the Highlands; Ms Welfonder describes a beautiful land of green hills and wild surf. The people that live here are in love with the land as they fight to the death to defend it. I enjoyed all the characters of this trilogy and loved the fact that the books are so intertwined and the story so engaging. Alasdair and Marjory fit well together and the way the feel toward each other is amazing and as the other two stories, they were meant to be. I also loved the lore and mystic surrounding the ancient Highlands area; each story had their own mystical beings that are part of the history of each clan and have an interesting story to tell. The prophecy, given before the trial by combat: “a peace will be had when innocents pay the price of blood and gold covers the glen” comes true in the end.

I give Seduction of a Highland Warrior by Sue-Ellen Welfonder 4 stars!

Motorcycle Man by Kristen Ashley (Dream Man #4)

Available: Now Amazon/B&N

Type: Erotic Romance

Publisher: Forever

My Copy: Borrowed

Reviewer: Michelle

Stuck in a colorless world, Tyra Masters decides to chuck her old life and starts searching for something. She doesn’t know what it is until she meets her dream man. The goateed, tattooed, muscled, gravelly voiced motorcycle man who plies her with tequila and gives her the best sex of her life. But she knows it isn’t the tequila and sex talking. He’s it. He’s who she’s been daydreaming about since she could remember.

Until he makes it clear she isn’t who he’s looking for.
Tyra slinks away from his bed, humiliated. The problem is, he’s her new boss. She just may or may not have forgotten to tell him that part.
Kane “Tack” Allen has a rule. He doesn’t employ someone he’s slept with. And he lets Tyra know that in his motorcycle man way. Tyra fights for her job and wins it using sass and a technicality. Tack challenges her that if she hits his bed one more time, she loses her job.
Tyra is determined to keep her job and keep away from Tack. But she makes a big mistake. During their head-to-heads, she lets it all hang out and shows Tack she is who he’s looking for. And Tack has had a good woman slip through his fingers, he’s not about to let that happen again.
Although Tack colors Tyra’s world with a vibrancy that’s blinding, being with him means she has to live in his Motorcycle Club world. Full on, no holds barred. And since Tack’s world, not to mention Tack, is a little scary, Tyra isn’t so sure.
It’s Tack’s job to convince her.

Tyra Masters makes a huge mistake. Before starting her job at Ride (home of motorcycle club Chaos), she becomes another in a long string of one night stands with Chaos leader Kane “Tack” Allen. Tyra falls instantly and she falls hard. She jumps at the chance to be with him, and with stars in her eyes, she basks in the moment and even starts envisioning a white picket fence future with him. Tack crashes into her dream world and sends her packing as soon as their sexy business is done, and he does it in a way there is no mistaking that she means nothing more than a roll in the hay to him. Tyra is crushed, embarrassed and pissed off. She shows up for her first day of work anyway. After being unemployed for two months and needing a new direction for her life, she is determined to take her new job while completely avoiding her new boss, a.k.a. the jerk she slept with. Unfortunately Tack is not someone you can avoid.

The chemistry between these two is off the charts. Off. The. Charts. They fight loud and love hard and nothing about them is simple. Tyra looks at Tack and sees her “dream man”, and yet he can be the biggest bastard on the planet. He is rude and crude and arrogant. He bosses her around, manhandles her and expects to get his way no matter how she feels. She wants nothing to with him, while at the same time wanting everything to do with him. For his part, Tack is furious. He doesn’t have sex with people who work for him, and he wants Tyra gone pronto. That lasts for all of five minutes. As soon as she opens her mouth and lets her sass start flying, he’s interested. She pushes his buttons big time.

Kristen Ashley’s heroes love a woman with some attitude, and Tyra had it in spades. She gave as good as she got, and when Tack pissed her off (which happened a lot), she let him know it. Unfortunately the way she let him know was usually to leave – either by attempting to quit her job or quit their relationship, or both. She knew in her heart of hearts that Tack was IT for her, but the way he acted and treated her and lived his life screamed that he’s NOT “it”. He might be hot and sexy and smart and even charming in his own way, but he is crass and insensitive and selfish and doesn’t fit into the mold of her dream man in any way, shape or form.

Thankfully Tack had more staying power than Tyra, and he refused to let her walk away. He was like a machine bulldozing his way into her life, her thoughts, her heart. He claimed her and that was that – done deal for him. Tack lives large in every way. He works hard to keep Chaos and Ride on the (sort of) straight and narrow. He parties even harder – he’s a beer-drinking, dirty-talking, sex-loving biker dude who wants everything on his terms. Compromise is not in his vocabulary at all, but once someone is in his fold, he takes care of them above all else.

Tack was such a hard hero for me to like. I loved everything about him that Tyra did – he was strong and sexy and protective and could be very, very (surprisingly) sweet. He was also the biggest alpha jerk on the planet and his “my way or the highway” attitude rankled me. I get that it’s the way he lives his life, but I feel that Tyra made a lot more concessions to live in his world than he did to let her in. I understand why that was, though I didn’t like it. Tyra realized that before Tack entered her world, she was simply existing in black and white. Tack brought color to her life and even though there was a lot of anger, pain and frustration to go with the highs of romance with Tack, she had never felt more alive.

That pretty much sums up how I felt about this book. After reading in black and white, Motorcycle Man is a huge splash of color. It is loud and vibrant and full of attitude. It’s full of crude language (Tack’s dirty talk – oh my Lord!) and tender moments, violence and humor. Tyra and Tack finally found what they needed in each other, and some of the most touching & romantic moments I’ve ever read happened in this book. If I could give it ten stars I would.

I give Motorcycle Man by Kristen Ashley 5 stars!

Wild Man & Law Man by Kristen Ashley (Dream Man #2 & 3)

Available: Now Amazon/B&N

Type: Erotic Romance

Publisher: Forever

My Copy: Borrowed

Reviewer: Michelle

While filling her display case in her bakery, the bell over the door sounds and Tessa O’Hara looks up and sees the man of her dreams. Within thirty seconds he asks her out for a beer. Thirty seconds later, she says yes. But after four months of falling in love, she discovers he’s an undercover DEA Agent investigating the possibility she’s involved in her ex-husband’s drug business

Obviously Tess decides this means it’s over.

But DEA Agent Brock Lucas disagrees. A man on a mission who’s really committed to his job, he’s spent years in the underbelly of Denver with the dregs of society. And spending four months with Tess who’s as sweet as her cupcakes, he seriously enjoyed his job. But during Tess’s interrogation, Brock learns the devastating secret Tess is carrying and he’s determined to be the man who helps her heal as well as take her back as she walks on the wild side.

Kristen Ashley knows how to create females that women would want to know and men that women would want to love. In Wild Man, you have sweet bakery owner Tessa and wild man cop Brock. Brock originally staked his claim on Tessa during an undercover DEA operation. It didn’t take him long at all to realize that his feelings went way beyond the job and he knows being with Tessa is important to him. When Tessa discovers who Brock really is, his betrayal hurt and she calls it quits. Even though she closed her doors to Brock, she never quite closed her heart to him, though, so when he shows up three months later wanting back in, she couldn’t really resist.

I really loved the fact that this book mainly centered on Brock and Tessa. Once they worked out their differences and Brock convinced her to take him back, most of the strife and conflict was external: her drug lord ex, his crazy, bitchy ex, his family, etc. They had a LOT to deal with but they worked through everything as a couple.

The one disappointment for me in the book was Brock. He was supposed to be this total alpha wild man (hence the title), but I never really felt that about him. He was strong and sexy and protective and so, so loyal, but it seemed like he almost took a back seat to everyone and everything in this book. I felt like Brock was set up to be such a great hero, and yet he was never given the chance to act very heroic.

Tessa and Brock were sexy and sweet and the love they shared was evident in everything they said and did. This book was a great addition to the series.

I give Wild Man by Kristen Ashley 4 stars!

 

Available: Now Amazon/B&N

Type: Erotic Romance

Publisher: Forever

My Copy: Borrowed

Reviewer: Michelle

Four years ago, Mitch Lawson moved across the breezeway from Mara Hanover and she fell in love with the tall, good-looking police detective who had an uncanny ability to dress well even though he’s single. It was not a stalker kind of love; she knows she has no hope since Mitch is way out of her league. That doesn’t change the fact that he’s her dream man.

Then one day Mara’s faucet won’t turn off and she knows nothing about plumbing. Being a good guy, Mitch offers to help then he invites himself over for pizza. Mara gives it a go but finds herself running away from him (literally) on their first date, standing him up their second and then she runs into him (again literally) on her way to save her ne’er do well, criminal cousin’s kids who’d just run away from their ne’er do well, criminal Dad.

Suddenly, Mara finds she has on her hands the guardianship of two kids and a gorgeous police detective who’s willing to do anything to help out… including giving fabulous foot rubs.

But Mara knows who she is and where she came from and she knows Detective Mitch Lawson is better than her. Hot law man Mitch disagrees and his challenge is to convince Mara to let go of her past and he sets about building a family at the same time he finds he also needs to protect them all against known and unknown adversaries that would tear them apart.

I was looking forward to Mitch Lawson’s story ever since Mystery Man. I wasn’t disappointed. Mitch was all that a fabulous sexy alpha cop hero should be. He was strong and protective and smart and didn’t take any shit. He was also extremely thoughtful and sweet and oh so caring and careful with Mara.

Mara was very insecure and afraid of putting herself out there, but against Mitch and his determination to have her there was no resisting. While I don’t normally like kids in romance books, adding Billy and Billie to the mix worked and it worked well. I liked how their situation was the catalyst that truly brought Mitch and Mara together, and they were a team from day one once the kids were involved.

I also liked the way the climax happened – there was a villain and a lot of suspense, but it wasn’t B-movie-ish at all. Their romance was sweet and hot and I loved how Mara could tell how much Mitch wanted her, despite not really believing it. One complaint I had was Mara’s continued insistence that Mitch was way out of her league. I get that because of her past she didn’t think too much of herself and that Mitch was “a 10.5 on the 1-10 scale”, but the first half of the book went overboard hammering in that fact. Also, while I love Kristen Ashley’s heroes, no matter how incredible I think they are, they all seem to pale a little in comparison to Hawk from Mystery Man.

This was a great addition to the series, though, and sets up Tack’s book nicely.

I give Law Man by Kristen Ashley 4.5 stars!

 

The Laird’s Choice by Amanda Scott (Lairds Of The Loch #1)

Available: Now Amazon/B&N

Type: Historical Romance

Publisher: Forever

My Copy: Sent

Reviewer: Pam

DUTY BOUND Lady Andrena MacFarlan has been different since the day she was born. Possessing the power to sense others’ most intimate desires, she knows her duty is to marry the man who will take the MacFarlan name as his own and help her father regain the chiefdom of their clan. But her unique gifts don’t prepare her for the day when a mighty warrior suddenly enters her life. The attraction between them is undeniable — and insatiable.

DESIRE UNLEASHED Hunted by brutal enemies, the wounded Magnus Galbraith washes up on MacFarlan land where he is rescued by a laird’s lovely daughter. Andrena is like no one Magnus has ever known. She has the uncanny ability to both calm and enflame him in ways he never dreamed possible. But she has other unknown-and dangerous-powers. Now, as Magnus seeks to avenge a brother and protect a king, the young beauty could prove his greatest ally-or his ultimate undoing . . .

This is a great start to a trilogy that brings historical Scotland to life. The research I imagine that goes into this book makes it enjoyable, I love the feel and wonder of Scotland through Ms Scott’s words.

Magnus (Mag) Galbraith is wounded and on the run as he enters the forests of Tur-Meiloach with three men in pursuit. As he hides in a tree, he sees a young woman approach the men who tell her that they are following an escaped prisoner from Arrochar. She tell them they must leave the region and when they refuse and confront her she blows a whistle and the hawks from around the area attack the men forcing them to flee. Believing she is alone, she is surprised when Mag drops out of the trees. Andrena (Dree) is the clan leader’s oldest daughter at nineteen; she has a gift that enables her to sense people around her and their emotions, however she completely missed sensing Mag.

Mag was captured nineteen months ago by Parlan Pharlain after a bitter fight that killed his brother William. His father disowned him when Mag persuaded William to fight with him against Pharlain. Finally after nineteen months the opportunity came to escape with the added incentive that he had learned some important information he needed to tell the King (Jamie).

Andrew MacFarlan (clan leader) fled his home in Arrochar nineteen years ago when he was forced out by his cousin (Pharlain) who claimed Andrew abandoned his land, Pharlain then claimed the land and the title. However Andrew fled with his wife and young daughter after his sons were murdered and those from Pharlain pursued them. Andrew has made it clear that he now needs son’s to help him get back his land and wants his oldest daughter to marry as soon as an appropriate man is found. The one stipulation is that the man must take the MacFarlan name. So when Dree and Mag meet in the forest and she takes him back home she mentions that her father may want them to marry, which he does.

Mag tells Andrew about his family and the problems he may face when he goes home. He believes his father wanted to remain neutral or at least be supportive to those in control as many thought Jamie was too young and too English to govern. So after the wedding Mag and Dree set off to find the King to tell him of the threats. As they travel, Dree is frustrated that she can’t read Mag; he has controlled his emotions during captivity to avoid being noticed and now it is hard for him to feel again.

They gain the king’s audience and tell him about what was heard while in captivity. Jamie is angry and sends him off on a task to find out where Mag’s fathers loyalties lie. While visiting, they talk of forgiveness and a future, and as they work toward a war that they know will happen, they gather others that are loyal to Jamie.

The dangers they face together help Mag and Dree become closer and when Mag must fight with others and leave Dree behind she is sure of his feelings as he drops the emotional wall surrounding him and she starts to sense his feelings.

This is the first book of a trilogy that is rich with Scottish history and lore. I enjoyed reading the historical aspects of the story as it is such an interesting time period. The romance seems secondary to the build-up toward the conflict that is coming in the future books. I did like both Dree and Mag together; it felt right the first time they met. She is practical yet wants what everyone wants, love friendship and respect which is what Mag gives her. The other characters are enjoyable and I look forward to meeting them again with the other two books.

I give The Laird’s Choice by Amanda Scott 3.5 stars!

Double Danger by Dee Davis (A-Tac #6)

Available: Now Amazon/B&N

Type: Romantic Suspense

Publisher: Forever

My Copy: Sent

Reviewer: Nikki

Ignoring his instincts once cost Simon a vital op-and the life of his best friend, Ryan. Now as escalating, violent attacks hit A-Tac, another person he loves is in danger. Homeland Security agent Jillian Montgomery’s investigation has suddenly brought her back into Simon’s life, and unless they can learn to trust each other, their dangerous mission will fail.

After her husband Ryan’s death, Jillian dedicates herself to saving others. She can’t afford to be tempted by Simon, even though his every touch reignites the desire they once shared. But in the last desperate minutes before disaster strikes, their second chance at love might be the most lethal trap of all . . .

.

Dealing with the sudden death of her not-so-perfect husband, Jillian decides that she’ll never be a victim again. She devotes herself to helping others and learns how to survive the biggest of odds. When her training is put to the test in a very real situation, she ends up back in the arms of someone she’s been trying to get over for years. Her late husbands best friend and deep undercover elite agent, Simon.

Guilt over his best friends death has driven Simon for years. Having to work with Jillian makes all those guilty feelings resurface along with the forbidden desire he always feels in her presence. They indulged in each other once many years ago and Simon never quite got over the pleasure or the betrayal he felt emanating from his best friend. Working against the clock Jillian and Simon may not have as long as they’d like with an international villain bent on creating a US tragedy.

I really enjoy this series and Double Danger is another great addition to it! Jillian and Simon are just great characters that provided me with an outlet to get lost in the black ops story line and impeccable writing. What I love most about this series is the perfect combination of the black ops story, action and the romance. There is enough of each for me to feel satisfied with both fronts when often I am left wanting more from other authors. I’m a picky reader because while I enjoy military/black ops, I want a strong romance as well and sometimes an author will give me more of one or the other. Dee Davis has no such problems and ties everything together seamlessly.

Living a marriage that was essentially a lie has made Jillian determined not to make the same mistakes twice. Simon, while not her husband, has the same type of personality and that scares Jillian. She makes every attempt to thwart his advances and shut down her emotions. Riding an adrenaline high throughout the book makes that difficult and she finds herself falling for him all over again quite quickly. I enjoyed Simon’s high running emotions and constant drive to keep a very capable Jillian safe. His internal struggle between his feelings for his best friend and his widow made him endearing to me. I liked that he felt guilty but was unable to turn her away.

If you’ve read this series you know that behind everything is always the terrorist group, The Consortium. While that has been a constant I think I’m getting a bit tired of it. I would have liked a bit more light to finally get shed on them by the 6th book in.  They are a bit too shadowy and it doesn’t feel as if anything will ever get tied up with that aspect. So theoretically these books could go on forever.  I need a clear cut bad guy and a way to end the conflict…and I’m not getting that with these and it’s frustrating. Micheal, a high ranking Consortium connection, may not even be making it to further books, so that’ll leave me even more in the dark then normal.

Double Danger is a high octane romantic suspense with plenty of action packed scenes to keep readers eagerly turning pages! Dee Davis is an incredible author and she has definitely become an auto buy for me!

I give Double Danger by Dee Davis 4 stars!