TO TOUCH YOU by Cardeno C.

Publisher: The Romance Authors LLC.
Date Published: May 4, 2017
ISBN# 978 1 942184 69 0
Paranormal shifter romance
Ebook
Reviewed by: Gabrielle (meingee@yahoo.com)

Weblink: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072KY67NL/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&qid=1492877144&sr=8-1&keywords=to+touch+you+cardeno&linkCode=sl1&tag=carc0a6-20&linkId=cc146305cdd6eae3ff3f3dc861f700ef

Obtained via author
Rating: 4 hearts

Yoram met his true mate when he was a child and through circumstances not of his making Yoram saves Salvatore’s life. As he grows up Yoram longs to reunite with his mate but when he finds him again as a teen he is turned away and painfully so. Yet when Yoram learns that his mate needs him he does what he can to help Salvatore but soon things in the pack take a turn for the worst and Yoram can no longer help his mate. Salvatore comes back to the small town in search of Yoram and finds a man instead of the young boy he turned away so many years ago. Can Salvatore figure out what is going on or is it already too late for him and Yoram?

I enjoyed watching Yoram and Salvatore’s journey unfold. I loved Yoram right from the start and even as an adult he always cares for his mate even if the feelings were not returned. He understood the significance of a true mate and did all that he could to help Salvatore and never held anything against him. Salvatore was a lonely man before Yoram saved his life and continued to be so until push came to shove and he needed to find Yoram.  Soon Salvatore begins to understand and realize his mistakes but it may be too late for redemption. Yoram is a grown man now with problems of his own that cannot be ignored. Seeing the two men find a connection made for a nice read.

Their story takes place over many years but the author does a nice job of pacing the story. It is filled with emotion and at times it will pull on your heartstrings. This is a nice addition to the Mates Collection series. It was nice to see what happens in the Miancarem pack during the struggle of Korban and Samuel’s journey that we enjoyed earlier in their book from inside the Yafenack pack. The author has done a wonderful job of intertwining all the characters’ lives and packs and keeping this world fresh and engaging. I am excited to see what will come next in this world.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

 

WAKE ME UP INSIDE by Cardeno C.

Publisher: The Romance Authors LLC.
Date published: June 2015
ISBN: 9781942184102
Paranormal, M/M, Romance
Ebook

Reviewed by Gabrielle (meingee@yahoo.com)

Weblink: https://www.amazon.com/Wake-Me-Up-Inside-Collection-ebook/dp/B0137I04VQ/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

Obtained via author

Rating: 4 Hearts

Zev has always had a special relationship with Jonah. Since the very first day he knew that there was something special between them. The two may have grown up in two totally different worlds but their bond only grows stronger as they reach maturity. Zev cannot stay away from Jonah no matter what. Even if he is a human and Zev is a shifter.  As their friendship grows into something more Zev begins to realize that their bond is special and one day he will show everyone just how special it is. Jonah has no idea what their bond is and he does not fight it but all is not well especially when he moves away for school. The longer they are apart the worse Jonah begins to feel. Yet just when the men think they can have some peace and Jonah finally comes home to Zev the chaos begins.

What would you do if you knew who the other half of your soul was and that you had to let them go and hope that your bond was strong enough to help you through the years? Zev does just that and more. I quickly fell in love with Zev. He is good through and through and we see this many times as we watch him grow up into the man that he is today.  Jonah is a strong and decent man as well. It was nice to see their relationship grow and deepen as the years go by. The two make a good couple and never lose sight of their love for one another. When push comes to shove they always have each other’s back. I quickly became enamored with Zev, Jonah and their world. I was glad that I got to come along for the ride and was treated to a few surprises along the way. Love is a precious thing and these two learn to grab for it and fight hard to keep it. Their story is a wonderful addition to this series and I hope that we get to see more from this world.

 

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

 

IN YOUR EYES by Cardeno C.

Publisher: The Romance Authors, LLC
Date published: 10-26-15
Shifter, M/M
Audio book
Reviewed by Gabrielle (meingee@yahoo.com)
Weblink: http://www.audible.com/pd/Fiction/In-Your-Eyes-Audiobook/B01723I6GW

Obtained via Author
Rating: 4 Hearts

Samuel and Korban are both being raised to lead their packs. The two packs borders are close together and it is not surprising that Samuel and Korban would run in to each other from time to time. Yet something about Korban unsettles Samuel and he does not like it.  Adding another thing to Samuel’s list of worries. From a youngster, he has always trained and tried to be the best at everything so that when it came for his time to lead the pack as alpha he would be ready. Although as much as Samuel tries he seems to always come up short. He longs to understand his father’s teachings especially those that he is told are not written but felt. All to soon Samuel is thrust into the role that he is not ready for and it seems that not only must he right a wrong but he must also figure out his own feelings as well and Korban is right smack in the middle of everything.

Samuel and Korban’s story is engaging and heartwarming tale. Cardeno C weaves a good story and narrator Charlie David brings the characters to life nicely. As I listened to this audio book I quickly became immersed in their world. I enjoyed seeing Samuel grow and learn, especially when he finally begins to understand his predicaments and how to go about fixing them.  Korban is a good man. He has waited years to be with Samuel and when he gets the chance he grabs it.  Giving Samuel everything and anything that he needs, even his life. Korban and Samuel are great together. Separately they are strong but together no one can stop them.  The two must wade through so much deception and hate before they can concentrate on themselves. I loved seeing each of the men support the other as they dealt with pack issues and members. Samuel soon learns that books don’t hold all the answers and some answers were right in front of his face all this time. Love and mating is not something to be taken lightly and these two work hard at it while never giving up on it.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

 

Until Forever Comes by Cardeno C.

Publisher: The Romance Authors, LLC
Date published: September 22, 2015
M/M paranormal
Audio

Reviewed by Gabrielle (meingee@yahoo.com)

Weblink: http://www.amazon.com/Until-Forever-Comes-Mates-Collection/dp/B015P4HXCI/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1443997449&sr=8-2-fkmr0&keywords=when+forever+comes+by+cardeno+c

Obtained via Author
Rating: 4



In Ethan’s world a vampire and a werewolf do not mix and as a matter of fact they are sworn enemies but what happens when they are mates? Can the two worlds ever come together ? Ethan is a shifter and Miguel is a vampire yet the two are mates. When Ethan tries to end his life amongst the vampires he finds the total opposite; he finds his mate and a reason to live. The pain he has felt all his life is taken away by the one man he thought would kill him. Miguel finds his thirst slacked and his loneliness gone once he finds Ethan but the two are on opposite sides. Can love prove stronger than hate? Will the two find a way to be together or will old beliefs and hatred keep them forever apart?

I enjoyed listening to Ethan and Miguel’s world come to life. Each man has gone through so much in their lives and survived. Ethan is ready to give up on life until he meets Miguel and from than on he is more than ready to fight for their love. I enjoyed seeing their relationship grow. The attraction is instant between the two but the trust is earned. Both men have big hearts and are more than willing to show the other how much they care. The emotions are strong in this story and continue to grow. I enjoyed the interaction between Ethan and Miguel. The two come from different worlds but they work hard to make things work. The love that they share is evident in all that they do. As I listened to their story I found myself lost in their world and in the end wanting so much more. Their story is a sweet romance that pulls you in and keeps you entertained all the way to the end.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

 

ALL OF ME by Cardeno C

Publisher:               Dreamspinner Press          

Published:               01/06/2014 

ISBN:                     978 1 63216 082 9

Genre:                   Paranormal / Romance / M/M

Book Format:          E-book

Obtained via:          Publisher

Reviewed by:          Helena Stone, helenastone63@gmail.com

Rating:                  4

Abel Nasa and Zakai ‘Kai’ Berura were destined to be together from before they were born. Both are destined to become Alpha’s to their packs and in an effort to strengthen the packs, their parents bonded them before they were even conceived. Even without their parents planning these two men would have found each other. From the very first moment Abel and Kai meet it is clear they are two parts of one whole and the future looks bright and secure. On the day they were to be formally bonded Abel sees something he experiences as a betrayal of everything he believed in as well as his love for Kai. Without looking for an answer Abel leaves.

Ten years later Abel is in charge of his pack and hasn’t been in contact with Kai since the day it all went wrong. When Kai’s younger sister arrives to demand Abel help her brother, his first reaction is to refuse. One look at a near death Kai changes everything though; the bond between the two men is too strong to be denied regardless of what happened in the past. And Abel learns that you can’t always trust your own eyes; sometimes they don’t tell the full story.

Some novellas are exactly the right length as well as much too short. “All of Me” is one of those for me. I really enjoyed the story and the characters in it. Everything we need to know is told in a smooth and unhurried way. And yet I couldn’t help wishing for more time with Abel and Kai; I had gotten quite attached to them over the course of 54 pages.

We get the story from Abel’s perspective and seen through his eyes all his decisions and his pain make perfect sense. I could feel how badly he was hurting when he made his shocking discovery and understood how it still had an effect on his thoughts and actions even a decade later.

Of course, once we find out what exactly happened to Kai it was impossible not to feel sorry for him as well as impressed with him for everything he had gone through. (I know I’m being somewhat obscure here but I don’t want the spoil the full story for those who haven’t read it yet).

One thing I always like in Shifter stories and loved in this one is the bond between two mates destined to be together. It is hard to imagine anything more romantic than that. Of course the bond being unbreakable has a flipside; not even betrayal or a long time apart can diminish the pull. The one he was meant to be with is lost to Abel and with it his ‘joy de vivre’.

The reunion and reconciliation was a bit too quick and easy for my liking. On the other hand, their actual bonding after all the secrets have been revealed and forgiven was wonderful and just about right as far as pacing and detail were concerned.

Overall this was a rather sweet, well written and very sexy paranormal romance by an author who is slowly claiming her place on my ‘must read’ list.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

 

PERFECT IMPERFECTIONS by Cardeno C.

 

Publisher:               Dreamspinner Press

Published:              May 5, 2014
ISBN:                     978 1 62798 878 0
Genre:                   Contemporary Romance, M/M
Book Format:          E-book
Obtained via:          Publisher
Reviewed by:          Helena Stone, helenastone63@gmail.com
 

Rating: 4

 

 

When Jeremy Jameson walks into a small bar it is to have a drink while staying anonymous. As a famous musician from a famous family, Jeremy rarely gets to spend time alone. He is used to the spotlight, fans, and an entourage and in need of some time without all of that. What Jeremy didn’t expect to get out of his night drinking is a friend.

 

Reg Moore is an accountant turned bartender and has a fun night serving Jeremy. When Jeremy gets too drunk to go anywhere, Reg brings him home to sleep it off. The two men get on like a house on fire. When Jeremy offers Reg the opportunity to join him on his next worldwide tour on the condition he’ll pretend to be Jeremy’s boyfriend, Reg can’t resist the offer.

 

Reg is exactly what Jeremy needs in his life; easy-going, with a great sense of humour, endless patience and completely loyal. Uptight and spoiled, Jeremy finds himself depending on his pretend boyfriend more and more as the days and weeks pass.

 

Jeremy doesn’t realise that is Reg is gay and soon becoming very attracted to his employer. Jeremy has always had rather unsatisfactory, heterosexual relationships and although he can’t explain why, he feels closer to Reg than he’s ever done to any of his past girlfriends. As the tour continuous, Reg realises that in Jeremy he’s found exactly what he needs in his life; pretend or real, Reg doesn’t want his relationship with Jeremy to end. But what will happen when the tour is over and their contract expires?

 

 

First of all I need to point out that this isn’t you’re stereotypical ‘rock star’ story. There are no drugs, no groupies, and very little bad behaviour from Jeremy. We don’t get to see our rock star on stage or in the studio. This is a love story about two men, one of whom happens to be a rock star.

 

I enjoyed this book even if I did have to suspend disbelieve on quite a few occasions. It wasn’t quite believable that Jeremy would offer the job of pretend boyfriend and travel companion to a man he’s known for less than 24 hours and neither was the ease with which Reg accepted the offer. In fact, while Reg managed to completely charm me he was too good to be true. I would have loved if he’d lost his endless patience just once, only because it would have made him a more relatable character.

 

I couldn’t help feeling for poor Jeremy. Having two famous parents and his future mapped out for him long before he embarked on it meant he had no idea about real life and real relationships. His believe that sex is just the messy part you have to deal with in order to get close to somebody just about broke my heart. Watching him as he slowly learned about life, relationships, responsibility and love was mesmerizing.

 

Reg’s campaign to show Jeremy what relationships are supposed to be like as opposed to what Jeremy thought they were based on his experiences was beautiful.

 

“I’m going to show you what it means to have a real relationship, JJ. (...). Even if it is pretend.” – Reg

 

Jeremy’s slow but very sexy seduction was breathtaking. I loved Reg’s patience while he gave Jeremy the chance to figure out for himself that he was attracted to Reg, even if all his previous relationships had been with women. The scenes leading up to Jeremy’s moment of revelation gradually went from sweet to hot as Jeremy evolves from cherishing the cuddles and closeness he needs to fully appreciating his sexuality and newly discovered appetite for it.

 

“I want forever, and I want it with you.” – Jeremy

 

Overall this was an enjoyable and easy read. Maybe some of the story line was a bit too idealistic. Reg seemed too good to be true and Jeremy a bit of a watered down stereotype at times. But, if you want to read a charming, hot and well written romance you could do a lot worse than reading ‘Perfect Imperfections’.

 

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

 

 

Marriage A Home Series Celebration by Cardeno C.

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Date published: June 2013

ISBN: 978-62380-753-5

Genre: Contemporary

E-book

Obtained via publisher

Reviewed by: Marieke

This is a collection of short stories from all the books in the home series to celebrate the overturning of DOMA.

For ‘Love at First Sight’ Jonathan and his son Sam are going to ask David to marry them. Sam blows the surprise but of course that doesn’t change the answer of David.

It’s a very sweet but very short story. That might be my only complaint, it’s very short.

Home Again. Noah and Clark are very happy together and nothing will ever change that again, not even the right to get legally married. Noah doesn’t need someone else to tell them what they are to each other.

This is a typical Noah and Clark story, very straight to the point but also very loving. But just like the others, way too short when you like to know more about what happened to the characters from the Home Series.

Just What The Truth Is. Micah and Ben have a family now and that turns out to be very hectic. They both love it and wouldn’t change a single thing. 

Mica has a surprise for Ben and takes his away for a night to ask him to marry him, now that DOMA has been overturned.

This is a very romantic little story. Very sweet and funny.

The One Who Saves Me. Caleb and Andrew have bought a house together and try to manage the parents from both sides during the holidays. Their lives are pretty much what they want it to be. Andrew doesn’t believe in marriage and doesn’t want to get married, which Caleb understands completely with the marriage Andrews parents have.

This was maybe the only story I was a bit disappointed in, I had truly hoped Andrew would overcome his fear for Caleb. But the love is still there, so all is well.

He Completes Me. Aaron is a romantic and Zach knows it. Zach used to be a cynic, but slowly he’s turning into a more romantic version of himself. He knows that when DOMA is overturned and marriage is legal for them, Aaron will want to tie the knot as soon as possible. He arranges almost plans the whole wedding in advance. 

Zach and Aaron are my favorite couple, in the home series and in this anthology. They are so funny but so sweet together. This story is again written in the typical Zach and Aaron style, very well done.

Where He Ends And I Begin. Jake and Nate have a peaceful live with their daughter. They are happy. The news about DOMA does not really change anything for them, because they got secretly married in New York a year before.

It’s kind of a disappointment but also not. The fact that there is no one falling on his knee to pop the question for one of the strongest couples in the series is kind of sad, but the again they secretly eloped which is so romantic.

All in all this is a wonderful collection of short stories. The fact that they are really short is the only bad thing I can say about it.

This is not an endorsement of this book. This is an objective unbiased review.

 
 Cardeno C