TEMPTING THE FIRE by Sydney Croft

Publisher: Bantam Dell
Date published: August 2010
ISBN: 978-0385342285
Kindle: B0036S4AU4
Paper & ebook available
Erotic Adventure/Military/Paranormal
Reviewed by Tammy
Obtained via: publisher


The latest offering in the ACRO series from the writing team of Sydney Croft has agents Sela and Marlena traveling to the Brazilian rain forest where a Navy SEAL team has been decimated by something sinister and not quite human.

Sela is ACRO’s expert on cryptozoology. She also has the ability to hear a person’s innermost thoughts during sex. Teamed with Marlena, ACRO’s expert in seduction, they make contact with Chance, the lone SEAL team survivor when they are captured by Logan Mills and his private band of mercenaries. While Marlena bonds with Chance, who turns into a superhuman killing machine, Sela puts her charms to work on Logan, who turns out to be far more than she expects. Then the real bad guys show up and it is going to take all of their talents to get them all out of the jungle alive.

Sydney Croft’s TEMPTING THE FIRE is the fifth book in the ACRO series. It is filled with paranormal abilities, military adventure and plenty of erotic thrills. This book was fast paced and exciting. The male main characters were both military men who were sure of themselves and capable. The female characters, however, were not what this reader expected. They were both trained in the art of seduction and as ACRO agents, are expected to seduce the secrets from their adversaries. That these women were in essence prostitutes made them difficult for this reader to relate to and therefore like. Still, these women were strong, capable and professional, even though they fell in love with their targets. Most importantly, the storyline was intriguing and easily holds readers’ attention from beginning to end.

Fans of romantic military adventures are bound to enjoy Sydney Croft’s TEMPTING THE FIRE. It definitely tempted this reader.

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

TEMPTING THE FIRE by Sydney Croft

Publisher: Bantam
Date published: July 2010
ISBN: 978-0385342285
Paranormal suspense romance
Paperback
Reviewed by Valerie
Obtained by publisher


Sela and Marlena, both agents with ACRO are sent deep into the Amazon jungle on a mission to find a strange creature that seems to have an appetite for blood. Sela has a special gift. She can read people’s minds when she makes love to them. When they arrive, they are purposely captured by a team who are there to capture the creature. They find out that they also have a man who survived an attack. Marlena bonds with Chance. A man who was ravaged by the creature but who miraculously survived. He has also been changed because of his encounter. Sela is immediately attracted to Logan, the leader of the team. He harbors his own secrets. Together, they have to capture the creature and ward off the attacks of an enemy organization who is trying to use the creature for their own evil ends.

This was an exciting read that I just couldn’t put down for a minute, thus it was read in one sitting. The backdrop of the Amazon jungle was done very realistically, and I could almost hear the mosquito’s buzzing around my head! Like Sela, I am not a tropical jungle person. A few references to X-Men will give you the gist of this story. Both agencies, the good guys and the bad guys, have people with extraordinary talents. This story reached me on all levels. A plot that held me captive, romance that was hot and emotional and dialogue that was snappy and amusing made for an intense read. There were issues of trust to be ironed out, the bad guys to get rid of and there was also a secondary plot with Annika and Creed and some deep emotional issues that they had to deal with. I haven’t read a story in this series before, but you can bet I am off to catch up with the other books.

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

TAMING THE FIRE Book 4 in ACRO series by Sydney Croft

Publisher: Bantam Dell
Date published: April 2009
ISBN: 978-0-385-34227-8
Paranormal Romance
Trade Paperback
Reviewed by Dawn
Obtained by Publisher


Trance is on a special mission to save the woman known as “Mistress Rik” from others and herself. Having unique gifts himself, Agent trance will find himself drawn to Ulrika “Rik” Jaeger even as he hunts her down. Thrust into a world of Submission and Dominance, both Rik and Trance will have to surrender to the passion that blazes between them in order to survive.

TAMING THE FIRE is one of those rare books where the reader gets done with it and the next day, opens it again as it doesn’t let go of your heart. Author Sydney Croft is back in her acclaimed ACRO series and this time a woman with feral powers is the one being hunted and the man to tame her is none other Agent Trance, a man who has his own unique powers. Ms. Croft is a masterful storyteller who captures the readers’ imagination from the first page and holds onto it until the very end. Passion, mystery and more are within the pages of TAMING THE FIRE and I was blown away by it all. With some wonderful secondary characters popping up to keep the story flowing, the game between Rik and Trance heats up as both find themselves drawn to the other. Can Trance tame the one women meant to be his? Can Rik trust Trance even as she craves his touch? These questions and more are answered as the reader finds out in TAMING THE FIRE.

I love this series and frankly each book continues to get better as we get drawn deeper into the world of ACRO (Agency for Covert Rare Operatives). This author keeps the story fresh and interesting with each book and TAMING THE FIRE is pure liquid nitrogen. The sexual tension between these two made me squirm in my seat even as I was rooting for them to trust one another and admit their feelings for each other. If you enjoy a paranormal romance that will have you eager for more, then grab TAMING THE FIRE. It will keep you spellbound even as you close that last page. I look forward to more ACRO stories in the future and hope I don’t have a long wait for them.

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

TAMING THE FIRE *ACRO series book 4* by Sydney Croft

Publisher: Delta
Date published: April 2009
ISBN: 9780385342278
Paranormal Romance
Paperback
Reviewed by Susan


Special Agent Trance is on a mission to protect Ulricka “Rik” Jaeger. Rik has special powers that can be dangerous, thus the Agency for Covert Rare Operatives (ARCO) wants her on their side. Rik can shapeshift into a wolf. It is Trance’s job to accomplish this goal and he must use everything in his power to make it so.

TAMING THE FIRE is the fourth book in this series and I did not read any of the earlier books. This book focuses a lot on the BDSM scene which is not my cup of tea. Both Trance and Rik are dominants but in order to get closer to Rik, Trance has to act like a submissive which goes against everything in him. This relationship is definitely on the wild side and the action is plentiful. Trance’s dominant nature asserts itself and how they deal with it are explored in the book. Trance and Rik do make an interesting couple and the authors have fully developed their characters. Ultimately it is the vulnerability that is displayed by the lead characters that draws you into their story.

TAMING THE FIRE is definitely an “erotic romance” as the sexual action plays a major role in the story. As I stated earlier, the BDSM aspect took away some of my enjoyment of the story as I didn’t find it very erotic and I admit to skimming over those scenes. However for those who are into it, then this book will fit the bill nicely.

Welcome to Sydney Croft's guest blog!

CAN’T WAIT UNTIL SUMMER


Everyone who knows me knows that my favorite season is winter. I really, really don’t like summer. So…why can’t I wait until it gets here?

Well, it’s not because of the long, sunny days, the heat, the time spent at the beach. Nope. I just like the fact that my son is out of school and I can sleep in, because sleeping in means getting onto my most preferred writing schedule; late nights.

And this summer I have 2 books to write: Demonica book 5, and ACRO book 6, the latter of which will pull together all of the plots and subplots from the first 5 books.

Speaking of which, book 4, Taming The Fire, has just released! This is the story of Trance, a powerful ACRO agent who appears briefly in Unleashing The Storm, and Rik, who is a lab-created shapeshifter escaped from the enemy agency, Itor.

Both of these characters are special and very different from others we’ve featured in the earlier books. Trance is an excedosapien with super strength, but he’s also got a hypnotic gaze that can stop an opponent in his/her tracks.

Rik is a woman with a beast living inside her – a beast so full of hate that the only way can keep it from rampaging is to dominate humans in the only way she can – sexually.

Trance, as a former Dom, is sent into the steamy world of BDSM as a sub to gain Rik’s trust and bring her into the ACRO fold before Itor finds her.

But Trance has control issues that surface as he’s forced to give it up, and Rik has trust issues and no intention of ever being captured by any agency.

This was a fun book to write, and Stephanie (Tyler) and I hope you enjoy it. And by the way – it was written in the summer!

Contest: One really lucky blogger will win a copy of Taming the fire. So stopy by and say hello and come back tomorrow to see if you were the lucky one.

Reviews of the ACRO books:

Hot Nights, Dark Desires

Seduced by the storm

Unleashing the storm

SEDUCED BY THE STORM: Three of the ACRO series by Sydney Croft

Publisher Delta Fiction
Date published August 2008
ISBN 978-0-385-34082-3
Paranormal Romance
Trade Paperback
Reviewed by Dawn



They met one dark night and had the most astonishing night of passion, never expecting to find themselves facing each other years later. When their one night together leaves them unscathed, Wyatt Kennedy and Faith Black find that their life is about to get bumpy, especially as both embark on missions that have them crossing paths and finding soul stealing passion that steals their senses and secrets threaten to explode between them. Can these two operatives find a way to work together, to trust each other and harness the power of a storm that will consume them if they are not careful? Get ready to be SEDUCED BY THE STORM!

SEDUCED BY THE STORM is the third book in author Sydney Croft’s ACRO series. I read the second book, Unleashing the Storm, and fell in love with a series that showcases unusual characters with special gifts facing an evil that is determined to take over the world. This author is actually two of my favorite authors and they deliver some of the best paranormal romance to date. I really enjoy the dynamics the characters go through and the author really delves into the hearts of her characters to the point where we see their flaws, vulnerabilities and their souls as well. I was enthralled when reading Wyatt and Faith’s story and found that I could not put the book down to even sleep. I had to know what would happen next for them, especially as the scenes got hotter and the secrets between them threatened to explode. Ms.Croft definitely is on my “to be read” list and I am anxiously awaiting the next book, Taming the Fire, coming next year.

With captivating characters, tight writing and intriguing storylines, Ms. Croft definitely delivers an edge of the seat ride that leaves you breathless from the first page to the last. SEDUCED BY THE STORM is one of those keeper books that keep you highly entertained. I can not wait for the next book in the series and to see who is next to get snared in loves desire. I do highly recommend reading the first two in the series, Riding the Storm & Unleashing the Storm, to see how ACRO got formed and who the agents are for this covert operative. I highly recommend this series if you enjoy a new twist on paranormal romance with a shot of sinfully hot sex thrown in to keep things interesting.

HOT NIGHTS, DARK DESIRES by Sydney Croft, Eden Bradley and Stephanie Tyler

Publisher Bantam
Date published May 2008
ISBN 978-0553385175
Erotic Romance
Trade Paperback
Reviewed by Danny




The Art of Desire by Eden Bradley

Tattoos were always something that fascinated Sophie, but she was worried to give in to her obsession till she meets Tristan. He is everything that she dreamt of and than some more.

Ms. Bradley is well know for her sometimes very unusual romances and THE ART OF DESIRE is no exception. Tristan is a mixture of bad boy and tortured hero who has to deal with his past before he can find a happy end with Sophie.

Shadow Play by Sydney Croft

Brenna St. James was a supermodel till a ghost attached himself to her. Desperate to free herself from him, she contacts Hex, a well-known ghost photographer to help her. Will he be able to help her?

SHADOW PLAY is a fascinating paranormal romance. Brenna and Hex couldn’t be more different not only from their characters but also from their lifestyles, which makes the story so interesting.

This story is connected to Ms. Croft’s great ACRO series, but it can be absolutely read as a stand-alone. Although I have to warn you that her stories are addictive and you will definitely want to check out her other books.

Night Vision by Stephanie Tyler

Suddenly Catie is the owner of her late uncle’s ramshackle bar and she wants nothing to do with it. So she hires someone to make the bar profitable again and Bat Kelly is just the right person for the job. What she doesn’t count on was the feelings that he stirs in her.

Ms. Tyler delivers a hot and very sensual, as well as steamy story with NIGHT VISION. Her hero is hotter than hell and Catie is just the perfect heroine for him, it’s like two halves become one.

Three terrific authors in a fantastic anthology, that is every penny worth that it costs. Each of the three stories areabsolutely outstanding and a real pleasure to read. This book is a keeper for sure.

SEDUCED BY THE STORM: Three of the ACRO series by Sydney Croft

Publisher Delta Fiction
Date published August 2008
ISBN 978-0-385-34082-3
Genre Paranormal Romance
Trade Paperback
Reviewed by Danny



When ACRO special agent Wyatt Kennedy meets Faith Black and has a one-night-stand with her, he never would have believed that she will play such an important role in his mission to destroy ITOR’s weather machine. Faith is also after the machine, because someone holds her sister in exchange for the machine. Will they find a way to get their feelings for each other and their missions under one hat?

SEDUCED BY THE STORM is the third installment of the very successful ACRO series. The author team Sydney Croft deliver another keeper with this book and it can be read as a stand-alone. Although I bet you will hurry to the next bookstore to get the other books, because the books are addictive and the ACRO fever grabs you very fast.. The book so captivated me that I wasn’t able to put the book down. The writing style of the author team is just perfect, because normally you see which scene is written by which author, but this isn’t so with Larissa Ione and Stephanie Tyler. I can promise you that you will immensely enjoy this book, but I warn you to keep a box of Kleenex near you, because you are going to need them. SEDUCED BY THE STORM is one of the rare books that moved me to tears.

Just a small warning that there are some homoerotic scenes in the book, that might not be something for everyone’s taste.

Neither Wyatt nor Faith are flawless and perfect, but that is what makes them so lovable and what makes them realistic. Both of them have to come a long way when it comes to trusting others, especially each other, but their progress is perfectly interwoven into the storyline. Faith is a real kickass heroine, who gives Wyatt a run for his money and doesn’t make his life easier, more like the opposite.

You really don’t want to miss this masterpiece of paranormal erotic romance, so hurry and get your copy today.

UNLEASHING THE STORM : *Book 2 in ACRO Series* by Author: Sydney Croft

Publisher Bantam Dell
Date published March 4, 2008
ISBN 978-0-385-34081-6
Erotic Paranormal Romance Suspense
Trade Paperback
Reviewed by Dawn



Animal Psychic Kira Donovan has found that the heat is a matter of life and death. The time has come in the form of Tom Knight; a man who is a natural born predator and determined to bring Kira, kicking and screaming if need be, into ACRO: Agency of Covert, Rare Operatives. What they get is primal heat full of passion and lust but distrust looms between them once Kira finds out Tom’s mission to bring into ACRO. Soon both are racing against the clock as darkness gathers around Kira and Tom has to fight to protect the woman he calls his own!

UNLEASHING THE STORM is from the duo Stephanie Taylor and Larissa Ione who write as Sydney Croft. I never read the first book, Riding the Storm and after reading UNLEASHING THE STORM, I am definitely grabbing it. The fast pace, sheer animal magnetism between characters and the power of love and lust rule between the pages of this second book in the ACRO Series. Get ready to meet the agents of ACRO: The Agency of Covert rare Operatives bent on saving the world from a global war.

Meet Kira Donovan, a woman who is an animal psychic and feels the call of the heat each year. It comes at the right time because Kira is on ACRO’s radar and they will do anything to get her into their fold, including sending out the man who will do anything to bring her in, kicking and screaming if necessary. Tom Knight, men who is a natural born predator and on the mission to bring Kira in with no problems; well make that until he meets the one woman who stirs his senses and he never imagines the fire she ignites with one touch. All this reviewer can say is hot damn! These two characters are a fiery combustion and it was all this reviewer can do to fan herself as I read UNLEASHING THE STORM. With each page, these two had so many sparks it was a miracle that there wasn’t a fire started while reading this one.

Add in a mysterious covert operation, powerful emotions, a global war and a darkness determined to rule the world. This is definitely one of those can not put down books that had this reviewer running to grab the first book, RIDING THE STORM and seeing when other books in the ACRO series is coming out. MS. Croft delivers a spine tingling fast paced ride once the reader is lost in the world of ACRO and their covert operatives. Secret agents never looked so good!

So get ready for one wild ride as Ms. Croft delivers UNLEASHING THE STORM! Be prepared to be left wanting for more of the ACRO agents and the special love they find.