BEARS BEHAVING BADLY by Mary Janice Davidson

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Date published: 3/31/2020
ISBN #: 9781492697015
Paranormal Romance Mystery
E-book

Reviewed by : Gabrielle (meingee@yahoo.com)
Weblink: https://shop.sourcebooks.com/bears-behaving-badly.html

Obtained via publisher

Rating: 4 Hearts

In this paranormal romance story, we have two bear shifters a Social worker named Annette and contract investigator David who team up together in search of missing cubs. The two have been interested in each other from afar but when they have to work together will their attraction to one another help or hinder them? Can they find out who the villains are and figure out their emotions before time runs out for them?

I enjoyed BEARS BEHAVING BADLY it is an engaging read that will keep your attention from start to finish. MaryJanice Davidson does a good job of mixing the suspense and romance together. The characters are well developed, and the plot moves along nicely. The story moves along at a good pace and the romance is a slow build. David and Annette are good together and it was nice to see their relationship grow. The interactions between the two made for a good read. David is a tough guy with a good heart and especially when it comes to Annette. Annette is a strong woman who can stand on her own and the they work together well. As the two delve deeper and find out about shifter trafficking, they must try to stay alive and find the truth all the while trying to figure out just where they stand with each other. Not only did these two main characters grab my attention but many of the supporting characters had a lot to say. I enjoyed the snarkiness and humor from the characters that readers of this author are used to. This looks to be a good start to a new series.

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

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A PROMISE OF FIRE by Amanda Bouchet

The Kingmaker Chronicles Book 1

Sourcebooks Casablanca

August 2^nd, 2016

978-1-4926-2601-5

Paranormal Romance

Mass Market Paperback

Reviewed by Dawn (love2read28@gmail.com)

Obtained by Gift

4.5 Hearts

Catalia ‘Cat’ Fisa is in hiding from her homicidal mother and a prophecy that scares her to the bones. Hiding within a carnival as a soothsayer, she never anticipates being found out by a hunky if at times hard headed warlord named Griffin, who is determined to use Cat’s power as a kingmaker in his newly conquered kingdom. But Cat is not all that she seems and as she fights her destiny and Griffin, she finds that his fairness, loyalty and smoldering advances turn her inside out and are hard to resist. But can she trust Griffin to keep her safe when she knows just what her mother is capable of and that she is destined for something more than the happiness she longs for in Griffin’s arms?

OH.MY.GOD. Debut author Amanda Bouchet delivers a pulse pounding ride from start to finish with her new book, A PROMISE OF FIRE, and delivers a story that is full of magic, gods and simmering passion that will steal your heart even as you flip the pages to see what happens next. The story is amazing and I just could not put this one down. After all the press about his one, I just had to try it out and I am so glad I did.

Ms. Bouchet delivers complex characters that are life-like, complex and have vulnerabilities that slowly show themselves to the reader within the pages of this first book in the Kingmaker Chronicles. I absolutely adore Cat. She is tough yet vulnerable, mysterious and full of hidden depths that tease the reader to set out to find out about them. Her scenes with Griffin are pure heat, so much so I swore the book was going to go up in flames with all those sparks flying around. Her interactions with some of the royal family was amusing and was a perfect foil to the darkness that followed Cat and the destiny she didn’t want to have. The author does an amazing job in capturing the characters so perfectly amid the pages of the book. Cat was feisty, charming and so much fun, Griffin was ambitious yet tender with Cat, strong and fearless but gets him around his family and he turns to mush. The secondary characters were just as entertaining and enjoyable. I loved them all.

A PROMISE OF FIRE is the first book in this brand new series and one I was enthralled with until the very end. After the climatic ending which left some major questions about who Cat really is and the destiny she still hasn’t told Griffin about left me wanting more. I was thrilled to see book two, A Breath of Fire, coming out in a few days after I finished this one. I am eager to see where the author leads Cat, Griffin and the team next. If you enjoy a highly entertaining fantasy series then I highly recommend A PROMISE OF FIRE and settle in for some hours of reading pleasure.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement

A FRONT PAGE AFFAIR by Radha Vatsal

 

Publisher:     Sourcebooks

Published:     May 3, 2016   

ISBN:        978-1492632665

Genre:       Historical Mystery

Format:     Print

Obtained via:  Library    

Reviewed by name and email address:  Gina  Ginalrmreviews@gmail.com

FIVE HEARTS

 

A modern woman for her time, Capability “Kitty” Weeks has her heart set on becoming a journalist.  Despite the still restrictive moirés of her time, her father more or less supports her choice of career.  While not quite the position she covets, Kitty does have a position on the Sentinel writing pieces for the Ladies Page.  While not thrilled she’s at least pleased when her boss, Miss Busby sends her out to a 4^th of July party given by one of Manhattan’s elite.  Things take a turn, however, when one of the party guests is found, murdered, in the stable.

Back at the paper the male, news editor, is most interested in what she heard and saw—but Kitty is still not admitted into the male bastion of the newsroom.  He’s not above sending her back out to dig for more information and suddenly Kitty finds herself in the middle of what turns out to be more, much more, than a simple murder. With every turn a web of intrigue builds. 

I normally do not review library books as I usually view them as “vacation” reads.  Ones just to relax and enjoy the read without looking at character development, how scenes unfold and if the locale is one I’d like to visit.  Radha Vatsal’s A FRONT PAGE AFFAIR is one of the exceptions to my norm.  I was drawn to pick up A FRONT PAGE AFFAIR because the idea of a female journalist at the turn of the 19^th century intrigued me. 

Kitty Weeks is one of the best heroines I’ve read in some time.  She’s smart, capable, determined and manages to walk the line between society’s demands and the life she wants with skill and determination.  She’s an awesome character. She’s the kind of woman you’d want to get to know and have as a friend. 

And what brought the murder about?  Wow!  Vatsal blends historical fact with a great mystery.  I didn’t see the ending and the reasons why until they were revealed.  I looked to see when book 2 would be coming out but so far nothing.  I’ll be on the lookout for it though because Kitty Weeks is a fabulous character and Vatsal tells a super story.

Definitely a series I’ll be keeping up with.

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

A SEAL FOREVER by Anne Elizabeth

West Coast Navy SEALs #4
Sourcebooks Casablanca, December 2015
ebook
Obtained via:  publisher
ISBN:  1402268963
ISBN13: 9781402268960
Contemporary Military Romance
*** 1/2

Anne Elizabeth’s A SEAL FOREVER is a heartwarming story about the strength it takes to make a relationship with a career military man really work.

Declan & Maura’s story, A SEAL FOREVER, was a beautiful story of love and endurance.  Author Anne Elizabeth does a wonderful job creating two very different but equally strong and complex characters that really strive to make their relationship work.  Maura was intimidated by her Navy SEAL neighbor and too shy to attempt any kind of relationship until he saves her life one day and she decides to throw caution to the wind and take a chance.  When tragedy strikes, Maura proves she has what it takes to stand by her man and help him to move on to the next phase of his life no matter the obstacles. 

This author really made an effort to show the difficulties involved with maintaining a relationship with a career military man and the strength it takes to make it succeed.  The story flowed well and the lesser characters were entertaining and easy to imagine in their stories.  Though it wasn’t really any surprise how this story was going to turn out, A SEAL FOREVER will undoubtedly have readers waving their patriotic flags and cheering for our strong military men and woman who give it their all to keep us safe from harm and the demands of military life on their spouses.

Fans of military romance books and happy endings are sure to enjoy A SEAL FOREVER.




Reviewed by T. Barringer
tammyLRM@gmail.com

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

DESPERATE HEARTS by Roseanne Bittner

Publisher:    Sourcebooks

Published:   September 2, 2014

ISBN: 978-1492602781

Genre:   Historical Western Romance

Format:  Ebook

Obtained via:  Publisher via Netgalley

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

THREE HEARTS

Accused of murdering her mother, Emma Radcliffe is on the run for her life.  She’s changed her name to Elizabeth Wainwright and after careful research choose a town in far off Montana as the least likely place her pursuers will find her.  Before she makes her way to Alder, Montana the stage she is riding on is attached and the robbers make quick work of killing off the driver and all of the passengers but Elizabeth.  But a worse fate awakes the young woman in the form of attempted rape by those same robbers. At the last minute Emma is saved…but could the man who appears on the scene be even worse than the stage robbers?

Mitch Brady has a reputation as a vigilant.  In truth he’s the law in Alder, Montana.  The moment he lays eyes on Elizabeth he wants her.  Not as a quick tumble between the sheets but as his wife.  It doesn’t take long for Mitch to realize Elizabeth has a secret, a secret so powerful it keeps her from trusting him.  Bit by bit however, Mitch works his way into Elizabeth’s heart. Can she come to truly trust him before her secret finds her in faraway Montana?

Historical western romance is the main reason I became a devoted romance fan.  Historical westerns had it all—handsome cowboys, fast traveling horses, wide open spaces and a sense of adventure.  Sadly in recent years western romance, particularly the historicals, have fallen into disfavour—or at least aren’t as available as they once were.  When I saw Roseanne Bittner’s DESPERATE HEARTS I had to pick it up. 

DESPERATE HEARTS harkens back to what is to me the early days of historical western romance—rough and tumble cowboys, a woman on the run and an untamed land.  Bittner captures the aura of the times where men often had to live by the gun in their hands.  There are illusions to rape in the story—something that is a no-no in modern day romance.  The act itself isn’t committed to paper, but there are incidents reported in the story. 

I really like Mitch Brady.  Handsome, brave and knew his own mind.  While Bittner pays homage to the vigilantes that helped to win the west, the never ending mention that Mitch was a vigilante got a bit overdone.  It wasn’t so bad the first 20 times, but the constant reminders began to wear thin.   

In many ways DESPERATE HEARTS is a sweet romance—there are romantic scenes rather than physical love scenes which allows the reader to fill in the blanks to suit him or herself.

We don’t see many romances like DESPERATE HEARTS these days and I think that’s a shame because I miss the romances I fell in love with. I have a couple of Ms. Bittner’s other western romances on my bookshelf and hope she continues to tell those wonderful stories.

This is an objective review and an endorsement of this book.