BLOOD KISS by J.R. Ward

Black Dagger Legacy #1
Signet Books, December 2015
Paperback
Obtained via:  publisher
ISBN:  978-0-451-47532-9
Paranormal Romance
****



The first of J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Legacy books, BLOOD KISS, is the beginning of the next generation of the Brotherhood.  The war continues and new blood is needed.  The Brothers are starting to train a new class of recruits.

Paradise, daughter of the king’s First Advisor, is tired of the life of an aristocratic female and has her sights set on joining the Black Dagger Brotherhood’s training program.  She is surprised to find the classes harder than she envisioned, the recruits are less than gracious and the Brother in charge, Butch, is having some problems in his personal life.  And on top of all that, Paradise has fallen in love with a commoner who is everything she could ask for, but not at all what her father and her peers would ever want for her.  And now an act of violence threatens the entire program.

BLOOD KISS is a return to the original cast of Brothers, but this time they are preparing the next generation of fighters.  The Black Dagger Brotherhood stories have been extremely successful for J.R. Ward, but have also expanded the cast of characters to the extent that the original cast is not exactly front and center any longer.  In her new Legacy series, Ward has the original cast training the new generation as they mature and fall in love with their own shellans.  As with prior books, BLOOD KISS has a lot of violence, blood and sex.  Paradise and Craeg are wonderful together.  Craeg knows as a commoner that he and Paradise don’t have a future, and that is before he realizes exactly who she is, so readers will definitely look forward to seeing how they manage to turn that around.  One of the things I enjoyed most in this story was the way the characters fought their inevitable love.  Sex was not the immediate solution; in fact, there really wasn’t all that much of it until the end of the book when a whole lot of revelations are made.  And while this romance is brewing at the training school, Brother Butch is dealing with personal problems himself.  He and his shellan are unable to fully connect these days and he knows the problem in his.

Paranormal romance fans are sure to enjoy BLOOD KISS, the first in J.R. Ward’s new Black Dagger Legacy series.  This story is fast paced, exciting and showcases not one but two fabulous couples.  This reader is very much looking forward to the next story in this promising series.

Reviewed by T. Barringer
tammyLRM@gmail.com

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

 

HOT PURSUIT by Jo Davis

Publisher:   Signet Eclipse

Published:   December 3, 2013

ISBN:  978-0451415011

Genre:  Romantic Suspense

Format:  Paperback ARC

Obtained via:  Publisher  

Reviewed by name and email address:  Gina Gina@loveromancesandmorereviews.com

THREE HEARTS

Four years ago detective Taylor Kayne left Los Angeles and headed to Sugarland, Tennessee to, in part, escape the nightmares that haunted him after a hostage rescue gone awry.  While the dreams still come, he’s found a kind of peace in the small Tennessee town. 

Singer Cara Evans has also found her way to Sugarland but for an entirely different reason—she is determined to make the man who caused her sister’s death to pay.  That man just happens to be Taylor.   She’s been following him, planning her revenge, but when she meets him he turns out not to be quite the heartless man she thought him to be.

When Taylor first sees Cara something tells him she isn’t just a cute chick for him to check out.  No, there is something special about her that soon has her firmly planted in his heart and mind.  Despite her brush off he continues seeking her out and it isn’t long before they find themselves in a torrid sex filled night.  But the next morning she’s ready to kiss him off…or is she?

Or will the real killers find them first?

Of the three Sugerland Blue books by Jo Davis I’ve read so far, HOT PURSUIT is by far the best.  While not as good as the fire fighter books, HOT PURSUIT has some memorable characters that you’d like to get to know.  I felt bad for Taylor when the nightmares of that hostage situation gone back happened.  And I understood Cara’s need for revenge and how she ultimately realizes that what happened was beyond Taylor’s control.  The reason behind the original killing caught me off guard and added to the story.

Me personally, I wouldn’t fall into bed with a guy I just met, especially if I thought he was the cause of my sister’s death.  And my personal pet peeve – poorly done research.  My biggest issue with this series is the “Lifetime” movie drama about the police scenes which don’t track with real police procedure.  A simple phone call and request for a ride-along would go a long way to making those boo-boos go away.

This is a rare series where you don’t have to read the books in order to understand the characters and what is going on with them.  Each book is a standalone with links to the others, but not so tightly wound you need to read them in the order they are written.

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

 

BOUND BY DARKNESS by Annette McCleave

A Soul Gatherer Novel, Book 2
Publisher: Signet Eclipse
Date published: May 4th, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-451-22976-2
Paranormal Romance
Book format: Paperback
Obtained via publisher
Reviewed by Dawn



For Soul Gatherer Brian Webster, his guilt over his failure to save his sister is eating him inside. When another girl dies in his arms, he finds the guilt overwhelming and decides to take up her cause to protect an ancient coin from the demons, for if the demons get all thirty coins, they will be able to destroy civilization in a matter of minutes. These ancient coins are no ordinary coins at all. They are the thirty pieces of silver paid to Judas and united will form a weapon with immense power. Lena Sharpe has made some wrong choices and as a Soul Gatherer herself, she knows what will happen if demons get these coins. But when Brian kidnaps her in order to find the rest of the coins, she finds her passion for him has not waned nor has his distrust of her. Sparks fly between Brian and Lena as they race against time to find the rest of the coins. But what happens when Brian finds out what secret Lena is hiding? Will he be able to put aside the longing he has for her in order to do his job or will he lose everything dear to him-Lena, the coins and civilization itself?

This was the first Soul Gatherer novel I read and I have got to admit, it was a blast to read. The writing is tight, storyline moves fast and the characters are very well written. This is an author who knows this world very well. Her world building is phenomenal plus I loved the mystery with Judas’s coins and having a paranormal tinge to it all. The action is nonstop and the reader feels like they are on the grand prix with a few plot twists that leave you gasping as you flip the pages to see what happens next.

Meet Brian and Lena. Both are Soul Gatherers’. Brian is making up for not being able to save his sister. Lena is hiding that she is a thief and has made a secret deal that will change the world if she finishes what she is to do. Both long for one another but their past is mired in secrets, hurt and guilt. Can two strong willed people find a way to listen to their hearts and let love bring them the peace they crave? I really loved these two characters. They were very well written, almost to the point that they could step off the pages and show me their world themselves. This is a story of how love can overcome darkness, of the classic good vs. evil fight and how two people will find their hearts desires if they can overcome their own personal hang ups. This is truly a fast paced character driven story that will thrill readers immensely. The secondary characters are wonderful and keep the story moving along nicely.

If you enjoy an action packed paranormal thriller to get your pulse pounding, then I highly recommend the Soul Gatherer series. I can’t wait to check out the rest of the books in the series. This author has fast tracked her way to my auto-buy with this book and I can’t wait to see what else happens in the Soul Gatherer world.


THIS IS NOT AN ENDORSEMENT OF THIS BOOK. THIS IS AN OBJECTIVE UNBIASED REVIEW

RIDE THE FIRE by Jo Davis

Publisher: Signet Eclipse
Date published: December 7, 2010
ISBN: 978-0451231796
Romantic Suspense
Mass Market Paperback
Reviewed by Gina
Obtained by Publisher


Freshly out of rehab, Sean Tanner is back at work at Station Five. Trying his hardest to be “real” and to be treated with honesty, he doesn’t have time to ease back into work. A raging fire, with accompanying explosion calls the team out. Despite his training and protocol aside, Sean rushes into one of the burning buildings as soon as he hears a child may be trapped. With Eve Marshal at his side he finds the child, but it is almost too late for Sean.

Eve has always been fond of Sean. Well, fond is perhaps a mild term for what she feels for her captain. He makes her heart go pit-a-pat and everything about her that is a woman stand up and take notice. She’s been in love with him for a long, long time. But when they met Sean was a married man. And then, with the death of his wife and children, a broken one. Through it all Eve’s feelings never changed.

Now that Sean is on the mend and thinking clearly, he cannot deny his attraction to Eve. Just as they are finding each other Sean receives a mysterious phone call asking him “what if it wasn’t an accident?” Can Sean keep Eve safe while tracking down the man who may have murdered his wife?

Wow. Plain and simple. Wow. That’s just one way of describing RIDE THE FIRE by Jo Davis. I wondered how Ms. Davis was going to bring Sean and Eve together after taunting her readers with their attraction through the first four books of this series. Well, taunting may be a bit strong. After all, we had some absolutely fabulous reads with Six-Pack, Zack, Julian and Tommy’s stories. None stop action, breathtaking love scenes and super stories to get us to this point. Each story was a stand alone that left you eagerly waiting for the next book in the series. The stories are carefully researched, the characters fully developed and you feel like you are part of the action. Ms. Davis has a fantastic voice and can turn up the heat like no one else. With the series, at least appearing to be, at the end, there are only two things missing: Shane and Clay’s stories. Although, there seems to be a campaign to extend the series so they will have their turn at love and romance as well.

Ms. Davis writes stories anyone can relate to. She does a fabulous job introducing characters from a variety of cultures without being blatant. Their backgrounds simply add wonderful dimensions to the stories.

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

UNDER FIRE by Jo Davis

Publisher: Signet Eclipse
Date published: June 2010
ISBN: 978045122679-2
Romantic Suspense
Mass Market Paperback
Reviewed by Gina
Obtained by Library


Despite calling his Team at Station Five his brothers and best friends, Zack Knight has his secrets. Some of them are things he doesn’t share. Others could kill him. Working double shifts for weeks on end, feeling tired and simply dragging he inadvertently rear-ends another car. When he gets out to check on the other driver Zack meets perhaps the most stunning woman in Sugarland.

Cori Shannon has her life pretty well mapped out. Exotic dancer by night, nursing student by day. Zack’s car getting up close and personal with hers is not on her agenda. With her quick wit she quickly puts him down and out of her mind.

A short time later, chewed out by his boss, Sean Tanner, Zack responds with the rest of Station Five to a vehicle about ready to fall off a bridge. In torrential rain with the river rising, the firefighters and paramedics arrive on the scene. When Zack realizes it’s his exotic dancer, he decides he’s the one that needs to rescue her. He crawls into the back of Cori’s SUV, promises her he won’t leave her and manages to get her to safety. Before he can escape himself the vehicle plunges into the icy river. As death begins its tempting dance, promising Zack escape from his darkest fears and secrets, his lieutenant, Howard who readers met in TRIAL BY FIRE, pulls him from the wet and icy grave. But all is not well…Cori’s vehicle didn’t just slide off the bridge. Someone caused her to spin out with a bullet in her tire.

Cori and Zack find themselves with a heavy duty, mutual attraction, but with someone out to kill Cori, they may not find their way to each other.

I thought TRIAL BY FIRE was a good read. Ms. Davis left herself in the dust with UNDER FIRE. What a super read. Action packed and while parts aren’t necessarily plausible, they are possible. I totally adored Zack and one of his secrets made him even more endearing to me. Cori is the kind of character you wish was a real person and a close friend. She’s funny, intelligent, independent and good hearted. She has courage too, to not only walk away from an overprotective set of brothers, but to carve out a life of her own far from her home. I totally enjoyed seeing the heroine be the alpha in the relationship although Zack is no slouch in the romance department.

The build up to the ending where Zack once again gets the crap beat out of him, was a bit over the top. How he managed to stick a syringe into a vein in a moving vehicle without a tourniquet is a bit beyond me. And, since he didn’t want to do it in the first place, with him in the back seat and the bad guy in the front, I wondered why he didn’t do a sub-q injection and then fake being out of it. I didn’t particularly enjoy the scenes where he is beat up again and again.

What was well done was the way Cori and Zack fell for each other. I felt in TRIAL BY FIRE there was too much of Kat and Howard panting after each other. I got it after the first three times. It read too much like first book over-eager. Ms. Davis handled the attraction element in UNDER FIRE with total style. I can’t wait to dig into book 3!

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

TRIAL BY FIRE by Jo Davis

Firefighters of Station Five
Publisher: Signet Eclipse
Date published: 2008
ISBN: 978-0-451-22477-4
Romantic Suspense, Thriller
Mass Market Paperback
Reviewed by Gina
Obtained by self purchase


Howard “Six-pack” Paxton is every woman’s romance dream. At six foot six inches without an ounce of fat on his oh so yummy frame, he’s tall, dark and testosterone loaded handsome. For most of his adult life he’s managed to avoid any kind of permanent romantic entanglement and happily so. Well, maybe not happily, but with his history never far from his mind, he’s pretty certain no woman would want him for the long haul.

Kat McKenna hasn’t had the best luck with men. While she’s at home in her curvy body, the men she’s met seem to want to change her. Happy with her teaching she has no desire to join her family’s law firm. While her parents are away on the cruise of a lifetime with their neighbors, Kat is keeping an eye on their homes. When she arrives one night, not only is their family friends’ house on fire, Kat is certain she hears a scream coming from within the flaming building. Without a second thought for herself, Kat grabs a garden hose and heads into the flames. In minutes the firefighters from Station Five arrive and Kat is pulled out with a case of smoke inhalation.

When Howard sees the woman he’s rescued he’s totally and completely a goner. Every fiber of his being vibrates with need for Kat and in no short order, he finds himself falling in love with the curvy blonde. But someone with a life long vendetta is stalking Howard and leaving him souvenirs from a series of arson-murders. When Kat becomes the killer’s target, Howard tries to be there for her, but his past is rapidly catching up with him. Can he work through his own personal nightmare to rescue the woman he loves?

TRIAL BY FIRE, book 1 of Jo Davis Firefighters of Station Five series, I spent a good five minutes just staring at the cover. We’re talking one gorgeous male specimen in living color. Her hero, Howard Paxton, outdoes that uber handsome hunk and then some. She creates a three dimensional character that seems to step off the pages and into your life in the first few paragraphs. Howard’s history is sensitively revealed to the reader, so that by time he unravels his own past, you want to hold him close and never let go. Ms. Davis takes on a difficult situation and presents it with such care and compassion you want to right these same wrongs in the real world.

The initial pages ooze with steamy sensuality. The hero and heroine waste no time getting all hot and bothered with each other. Talking about leaping flames! After awhile though, all the sizzle between internal sizzle between the characters became a tad much and I wondered if the entire book would be about their desire for each other. While the subject matter Ms. Davis delves into is difficult to read, she does it with such understanding and compassion you have to stick with it. It was almost as if all the sexual desire filling the beginning of the book was her own defense against the issues raised later in the book. In the end, she combines the best of both situations into an amazing love story. I can’t wait to dig into the rest of the series.

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

SCORCHED by Sharon Ashwood

The Dark Forgotten Series Book 2
Publisher: Signet Eclipse
Date published: December 1st, 2009
ISBN: 9780451228642
Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Mass Market Paperback
Reviewed by Dawn
Obtained by: Self-purchase


The Castle. The name alone installs fear in the supernatural community and if you are thrown in there, the price is your soul for no one gets out ever again. Well that is until ex-detective Conall Macmillian gets thrown in there after the big battle that had him under the thrall of a soul sucking demon lover named Geneva. Now a year has passed and Mac has some control over his demon side and lost everything when it came to light that his lover was the demon who caused chaos and misery. He is trying to pick up the pieces but in the process is sucked back into the Castle, the supernatural prison that houses the worst of the worst and in one case, true innocence. Now he is asked to help save a child inside the Castle and the only chance Mac has is either turn his back on her or help her and risk losing that last bit of humanity-forever a demon.

SCORCHED picks up a year after RAVENOUS and it is one kick butt ride from start to finish. Ms. Ashwood doesn’t stint when it comes to the second book in her Dark Forgotten series. Pure action adventure, some of my favorite characters are back and mystery is afoot as the Castle’s magic/power is fading and chaos is entering the mysterious prison. Add in some new characters that keep the story from getting stale and a few twists that leave you with your mouth hanging open in surprise and you have got a story that will knock you on your butt. Ms. Ashwood is fast becoming my favorite author and her Dark Forgotten series is truly engrossing. Though you don’t need to read RAVENOUS in order to understand SCORCHED, I do recommend reading it just to see what happens as some things were mentioned that happened in that story.

We met Conell “Mac” Macmillian in RAVENOUS and this time he is dealing with the aftereffects of being a master demon’s pet and feeling his humanity going to the wind. With each page of SCORCHED, the reader is drawn into Mac’s story and even though I felt bad for him in RAVENOUS, I was also a little thrilled to see Holly and her vampire mate/lover Alessandro help him out (even if Alessandro wants to cut off his head and pound him into the dirt). The many different angles in the storyline keeps the reader glued to the pages and frankly, I couldn’t put it down. If you are looking for a fast paced, tightly written story with demons, mysteries, vampires, hell-hounds and more, then I highly recommend you grab SCORCHED and the rest of the Dark Forgotten series.

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

EMILY AND THE DARK ANGEL by Jo Beverley

Publisher: Signet Eclipse
Date published: October 2010
ISBN: 978-0451231253
Historical romance
Trade Sized Paperback
Reviewed by Valerie
Obtained by publisher


Emily Grantwich hasn’t had an easy life. After her father is crippled and her brother is lost at war, she has to take over the running and managing of the family’s land, as well as the eccentric aunt who lives with them. But Emily has bravely taken on the task and shown that she is more than up to it. A pity her father believes her efforts are to no avail. When she’s bought a herd of sheep which she wants to pasture on land that is still in dispute, as the land is either theirs, or their neighbors.

Then she literally collides with ‘the Dark Angel’, Piers Verderan who has inherited the land next to the Grantwich estate. Emily’s quiet life is about to become turbulent as Ver has a dark and deadly reputation.

I’ve been a long time fan of Ms Beverley and have a number of her books on my shelf. I haven’t read one in a while, so was happy to have gotten this one. Ms Beverley sets her book in the Shires in the Regency period, during the hunting season. As she explains at the back of the book, there is nothing more the Regency men love than the thrill of the hunt and it all comes to life here in this story. I really enjoyed it and had to read it in one sitting. Emily is a wonderful person, very practical, no wilting flower and with a sensible head on her shoulders. Ver is a self confessed rake, who has some really terrible rumors following him and he seems to be a very dangerous man indeed. The dialogue was extremely witty and in parts had me laughing out loud, especially the talk about ‘pudding’…hehe!
There are numerous secondary characters that give life, depth and even more charm to this wonderful story. Yes, do pick this one up and get carried away to the English shires and enjoy those handsome regency men and the women they fall for.

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

IMPROPER LADIES by Amanda McCabe

Publisher: Signet Eclipse
Date published: September 7th, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-451-23108-6
Regency Romance
Mass Market Paperback
Reviewed by Dawn
Obtained by Publisher


This is a two-for one book with two stories for readers who enjoy regency romances: The Golden Feather & The Rules of Love.

In The Golden Feather, Caroline Aldrich is finding out that her late husband had quite a secret business-a notorious gaming hall called Golden Feather. Determined to make a life for herself that isn’t in the streets, she has run the gaming hall under an assumed name, Mrs. Archer, and has run it successfully the last several years with no attachments or love life to speak of. That is until Lord Lyndon walks into The Golden Feather and she finds herself falling for the dashing rake.

The Golden Feather was a great story about a spirited beauty who finds herself falling for a dashing rake who is determined to solve the mystery behind the mysterious beauty. Will he find out she is one and the same? I loved the fact this was a nicely well told story that draws the reader in with intriguing characters and light-heartedness. It was a nice change of pace from all the more explicit books I have been reading. Ms. McCabe does an excellent job in keeping the reader’s attention on Caroline and the fact that she is two people in one. The dashing Lord Lyndon is a nice man who is determined to get to know Caroline regardless of who she is but the question that is hidden beneath the words is, can he accept her as she is? Overall, these were nicely told stories that will engage the reader till the end.

The Rules of Love introduces the reader to Rosalind Chase, a headmistress for a girl’s school. She is continually embarrassed by her brother’s antics with Lord Morley and cringes each time she finds his name in the gossip rags and whispered among the ton. When she gives Morley an etiquette book, she finds herself clashing with the rake and in turn falling for the man. Can life get even more complicated?

I really enjoyed this story over the other one as the main characters; Rosalind and Morley are so fun together especially as they clash a few times to cause quite a few sparks to fly. Can these two different people find a way to bridge their differences and see they are falling in love? That’s the question as Rosalind finds herself falling for the maddening man. Ms. McCabe does a superb job in creating characters that resonate with readers and delivers a light-hearted romance to keep them flipping the pages. With each page I was drawn into the world of lords and ladies, the ton and parties. The writing was tight for both stories and this author shows she knows her time period within each book. The books are more PG than explicit so it was a nice change of pace after reading many historical books with rated r scenes.
If you are looking for a well written regency book, then I highly recommend IMPROPER LADIES. This is a new to me author and one that will deliver countless hours of reading pleasure in her latest release. I am looking forward to seeing what else she has to offer in her backlist.

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

MAN OF THE WEST by Sadie Callahan

Sequel to Lone Star Woman
Publisher: Signet Eclipse
Date published: April 2010
ISBN: 978-0-451-22959-5
Contemporary Romance
Mass Market Paperback
Reviewed by Dawn Dawn
Obtained by Publisher


Jolie Jenson is new to Willard Country and is determined to hide away from the world without letting her ex-husband find her. Sheriff Jake Strayhorn is drawn to the mysterious beauty and is determined to find out what she is hiding. But her past comes into town and before Jolie can believe in a happily ever after with Jake, she needs to confront her past to have a future.

MAN OF THE WEST was an interesting book to read. I haven’t read a nice contemporary romance in awhile and picked this one up. It had a few interesting characters that I enjoyed and a premise I could relate to. Alas, there were a few things I had trouble with. One was the romance part of the story. The main characters meet then wham! They are in love within minutes. To me that was a bit unbelievable. I prefer a build up to them finally admitting they fell for one another, to heighten the tension between characters and to take that journey with them. Second the dialogue just didn’t flow well at times. You never got that spark of connection between Jolie and Jake. It was hard to invest in them as it felt like they were being thrown together by the author willy nilly. The relationship Jolie was running from was mentioned countless times and after the tenth time, I was ready to scream “We got it already.” There was one aspect I loved over all in the story and that was the relationship between an older couple in their sixties and the author did a great job in showing their romance nicely. I just wished she continued on that with the main characters.

MAN OF THE WEST was an ok story that fell short of entertaining me completely. The writing needs to be cleaned up a bit and there were a few editing errors that I found that were missed as well. Overall, if you enjoy a story about two people instantly falling for one another, then this may be for you. I don’t think I will read this author again in the future.

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

THE WICKED WYCKERLY by Patricia Rice

The Rebellious Son’s Series
Publisher: Signet Eclipse
Date published. July 2010
ISBN: 9780451230713
Historical Romance
Mass Market Paperback
Reviewed by Pam
Obtained from Publisher


John Fitzhugh Wyckerly is a handsome, charming gambling man who seldom loses. His one redeeming part is his desire to give his daughter a better life. If he’s going to rescue his daughter, he also has to find a way to change his ways. As the younger son he’s had to make his own way in the world. When his elder brother unexpectedly dies, he inherits Danecroft, the family's run down estate, plus its debts and unpaid retainers.

Abigail Merriweather is a farmer who has recently lost custody of her younger siblings. When Fitz stops the coach he’s travelling in, he ends up at Abigail’s small farm along with his rebellious daughter.

Abigail soon realizes he has no idea what being a parent means, so helps him out while he works hard on her farm. His flirting delights her, plus his charm touches deep inside, to something she’s never felt before.

Wyckerly is an interesting character who seems to come out on top no matter what is happening around him. When he meets Abigail he finds himself floundering a bit, as she will have nothing to do with his lifestyle.

This is an historical which will pull at your heart strings and provide many smiles. I really enjoyed reading this story, while following the characters journey. The book was an interesting glimpse into another aspect of Regency life, and how the so called rich ran up debts, as if the trades-people meant nothing to them. It was also interesting to read a book, with a female character who didn’t wait for others to do her chores. She neither simpered or sighed all the time, nor expected to wear fancy clothes and prance around beneath an umbrella all day.

Congratulations Ms. Rice, you now have a fan who has hunted down another book by you and looks forward to its arrival.

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

Tempting the Marquess by Sara Lindsey

Publisher: Signet Eclipse
Date published: June 2010
ISBN: 978-0-451-23044-7
Historical Romance
Paperback
Reviewed by Susan
Obtained by Publisher


Olivia Weston is looking for an adventure prior to marriage. She is traveling with her aunt to Castle Arlyss. Jason Traherne, Marquess of Sheldon is known to be “mad” but this does not deter Olivia.

Olivia is an enticing heroine, very easy to like and seems to be open to what life will bring her. She is quite young, only nineteen but it is her youthful exuberance that pulls you into her story. It is apparent that Olivia is the perfect complement to Jason who is older and much more experienced than she. Jason has been a husband and is a father. He is a pretty decent hero. What I like about Jason is that he is not perfect but it is the imperfections that make him believable. It was fun watching Olivia break down the wall he built. Of course, this is a romance novel so there are some bumps along the way to their happily ever after. These bumps don’t feel contrived or just thrown in because the couple needed some conflict to extend the story. The author does a great job of developing her characters and their actions fit their personalities. There is plenty of erotic action and none of it feels extraneous. It definitely fits the story and you might need to lower your thermostat during those scenes.

TEMPTING THE MARQUESS is the second book in this series and it was a solid middle book. The characters were believable and felt real. The reader can feel and understand what they were going through. The writing was crisp and the action never lagged. All in all, it was a good book – perfect for those who enjoy historical romances.

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

PHANTOM’S TOUCH Book two in series by Julie Leto

Publisher: Signet Eclipse
Date published: December 2008
ISBN: 978-0-451-22490-3
Paranormal Romance
Mass Market Paperback
Reviewed by Dawn
Obtained by Publisher


Lauren Cole is thrilled to be on the cusp of throwing away her role as the Hollywood “It” girl for Action Movies. When she finds her ex-husband has her beloved antique sword, she decides to go get it and unleashes a magic that will change her life forever.

Aiden Forsyth was locked in the ancient sword since 1747 when he tried to save his sister from a Gypsy Camp. Falling victim to a powerful spell leaves Aiden in the sword for over two centuries. Now free when Lauren releases him, he will do everything he can to find his brothers and pledges himself to Lauren. Can these two find a way to save themselves when Aiden’s ancient enemy comes back and this time vows to destroy not just Aiden but Lauren as well?

PHANTOM’S TOUCH is the second book in the Phantom series and even though I didn’t read the first book in the series, PHANTOM PLEASURES, I found this one to be a charming story, full of intriguing characters, simmering sexual tension and action-adventure. This is a new to me author and I was drawn into the world of movies, warriors and ancient enemies. It was one wild ride from start to finish.

Meet Lauren Cole, a woman who just finalized her divorce from her Producer ex-husband and is about to begin filming her final movie with him. Determined to have her antique sword, she sneaks into her ex’s place to grab it and unleashes something much more than a sword but a sexy warrior who finds himself drawn to Lauren even as he tries to assimilate all the changes in the world he is in now. This is one independent woman which I loved. She was feisty and not afraid to stand up to Aiden when he became too alpha male for her.

Aiden is a warrior from 1747 and enslaved into the sword that Lauren now owns, he is released and finds himself in a time where the women are not to be cosseted. Determined to find his brothers he believes are enslaved like him, Aiden vows to do all that Lauren desires. He doesn’t know if her feelings are genuine or not but when an ancient enemy of Aiden shows up determined to end not just his life but Lauren’s as well, both Aiden and Lauren will find themselves reaching for the love growing between them in order to survive. I love these two together. They bring a perfect balance to the story where one character isn’t the dominant over the other one. This is an author who really knows her characters and it comes across in PHANTOM TOUCH. The secondary characters were exceptional and they kept the story flowing smoothly. The writing was tight and I enjoyed the sparring between Lauren and Aiden as they dealt with the issues between them.

PHANTOM’S TOUCH is a wonderful story that will keep you highly entertained from start to finish. With the right blend of mystery, romance and paranormal, this author delivers a story that will keep you glued to the pages to see what happens next for Lauren and Aiden. I will have to check out the first book as well as the others in this series as well. I look forward to more books by this author and hope there will be more Phantom books in the future.

THIS IS NOT AN ENDORSEMENT OF THIS BOOK. THIS IS AN OBJECTIVE UNBIASED REVIEW.

SEDUCING THE HIGHLANDER by Emma Wildes

Publisher: Signet Eclipse
Date published: May 2010
ISBN: 978-0-451-22982-3
Historical Romance
Trade Paperback
Reviewed by Susan
Obtained via Publisher


SEDUCING THE HIGHLANDER contains three stories featuring a trio of sexy Scots and their ladies.

Seducing Ian: Lady Leanna Arlington has been captured by Ian McCray. You would think the lady would be upset but she is delighted by this event. It saves her from an unwanted marriage.

This was a great beginning story. Leanna and Ian make a dynamic couple. I thoroughly enjoyed the storyline especially how Leanna is not at all upset at being Ian’s prisoner. While the sexual tension is set on high and the action that follows is sizzling, it is the emotions that the lead couple experiences that readers will love.

Seducing Robbie: Julia Cameron exchanges her wealth for protection. Robbie McCray is in need of money so the agreement is made and a marriage is arranged.

From past experience, it is usually the middle story that is a weak link in a trilogy but this is not the case for Seducing Robbie. Julia and Robbie are strong characters who will win many fans. The beginning of their relationship isn’t the most romantic but comes across as very honest and true especially of the time period when nobility didn’t marry for love. It was great to see the growth of their relationship and it didn’t hurt that they were sexually compatible. There is a murder mystery storyline which is resolved at the end and it introduces the main character of the third story.

Seducing Aidan: Lady Gillian Lorin is saved by Aidan Cameron. Upon finding out to whom she is betrothed to, Adain decides to save her from a fate worse than death.

Aidan is a man recovering from a broken heart. He believes that he is still in love with Julia but Gillian stirs something that he can’t quite pinpoint. Aidan comes across as a much stronger character than Gillian. To this reader, he feels more real perhaps because we know more about him since he was introduced in Seducing Robbie. However, they were still very enjoyable as a couple.

SEDUCING THE HIGHLANDER features three entertaining stories which fans of historical romances will enjoy. I have always enjoyed Ms. Wildes e-books and her print books are just as good.

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

LESSONS FROM A SCARLET LADY by Emma Wildes

Publisher: Signet Eclipse
Date published: January 2010
ISBN: 978-0-451-22879-6
Regency/Historical Romance
Mass Market Paperback
Obtained via: Publisher
Reviewed by Dawn




Brianna is the Duke of Rolthven’s new wife and though she is happy with him, she wants something more in her marriage-passion-and by god, she will get it….one lesson at a time. Colton Northfield is shocked and delighted at how passionate his young, new wife becomes in the bedroom. Soon he is lusting after her everywhere he turns and he is loving every minute of it. Brianna is determined to win his heart; can she find a way to do that before he finds out about the help she is getting in seduction before it is too late?

LESSONS FROM A SCARLET LADY is a fun, wild ride from start to finish. I loved the way Brianna found a way to seduce her husband, Colton. This was passion at its best and Ms. Wildes delivers it in her trademark style. Tight writing, a fast paced storyline and some wonderful captivating characters to keep the reader intrigued till the very end. I loved how Brianna went after Colton’s heart with gusto and turned his world upside down. With each page you get lost within the pages of LESSONS OF A SCARLET LADY and you end up rooting for Brianna to finally get her heart’s desires: her husband’s heart. I have to mention that there is a sub-plot going along that involves Brianna’s best friend and Colton’s brother that was delightful. The storyline moved smoothly between the two romances seamlessly and kept me intrigued to see what will happen next for both couples. The second romance storyline was like a two for one deal and was a hit with me.

Meet Brianna, a new wife who is enamored with her husband, Colton. Determined to win his heart and have him desire her as she desires him, she draws upon the lessons from a well known scandalous book to help her do it. Will Colton be able to forgive her if he finds out the vixen she has become is in part, helped by this? Miscommunication and distrust grow even as Colton revels in the passionate vixen she has become. Can he forgive the woman he loves before he loses her? These two are perfect together. With the right amount of passion, respect and romance, Ms. Wildes delivers a pair of characters that will resonate with the reader on every level. Some wonderful secondary characters keep the reader glued to the pages even as the action heats up and Ms. Wildes begins to draw the reader more into her web. I loved how this author shows the close friendships, romance and more all rolled up with a big red bow within the pages of LESSONS OF A SCARLET LADY.

If you enjoy a wonderful tale of two romances played out within the pages and some wonderful multi-dimensional characters, then grab LESSONS OF A SCARLET LADY and settle in for one wild ride. I highly enjoyed this latest story from Ms. Wildes and can not wait to see what the future has in store from her.


THIS IS NOT AN ENDORSEMENT OF THIS BOOK. THIS IS AN OBJECTIVE UNBIASED REVIEW