The Christmas Secret by Donna VanLiere

The Christmas Secret by Donna VanLiere
Publisher: St Martin’s Press
Genre: Contemporary, Holiday, Inspirational
Length: Full (291 pages)
Heat: Sweet
Rating: 5 Books
Reviewed by Camellia

When a struggling young single mother saves the life of an elderly woman, she sets into motion a series of events that will test her strength, loyalty, and determination, all the while setting her on the path to finding true love. Christine Eisley is the mother of seven-year-old Zach and five-year-old Haley. Her ex-husband provides little, if any, child support and makes life difficult for Christine by using the children as pawns. She works long hours as a waitress to make ends meet, but her job is in jeopardy because she’s often late to work due to the unreliable teenaged sitters she’s forced to use. When Christine saves the life of a woman who works in Wilson’s department store, the owner of Wilson’s wants to find her, to thank her, but Christine has disappeared, losing another job once again. He sets his grandson, Jason, to the task of finding the mysterious “Christy.” Jason, an accountant by trade who has lost his job to downsizing, thinks he is “above” working at Wilson’s. Soon, he discovers that this new task gives him more than he bargains for.The Christmas Secret is a novel for anyone who wants to see how love is a gift that keeps giving back; that hope is a treasure that never runs dry, and that faith is a miracle that is reborn with each new day.

With frayed faith, hope that waits, and love’s many layers, THE CHRISTMAS SECRET touches a multitude of emotions that enlighten and enliven one’s perception of the Christmas message that the joy of giving and the blessedness of receiving enriches all that are involved.

While this story is about how Christine and Jason make their way from misery to marriage, it is so much more. It is humorous, serious, poignant, and compelling in its telling of how “love thy neighbor” is alive and well.

Christine’s faith is frayed to the point she tears up her letter to God under the Christmas tree. It seems the harder she tries the more her circumstances deteriorate. However, when the door on her job closes at Patterson’s and the door at Betty’s opens, Christine finds much more than just a job. In this homey, busy place, she finds friends that give her a “hand up” not a handout. These caring people rally around her in their own way of loving their neighbor. Two of these people are Gloria and Miriam, delightful characters that bring a sense of adventure to the most mundane act of kindness. They do a number on Brad, Christine’s ex that makes one want to give them a whooping high five. They are super little old ladies!

Christine’s five-year-old Haley, with her unique sense of fashion, her dreams of flying, her reluctance to do the “so hard” kindergarten homework, and her unfailing belief in her big brother Zach brightens the story even when conditions seem hopeless.

Seven-year-old Zach who struggles with a sense of responsibility beyond his years and his awareness of his mother’s desperation makes one want to hug him close and give him the joy of just being the little boy that is evident under the grownup veneer—the little boy that makes up “bat lady” stories and wants little boy toys for Christmas.

Jason Haybert comes on the scene as a spoiled, college-educated twenty-four-year-old who is self absorbed, with no concern for others. As he changes from a spoiled snob to a caring, loving, and useful person, one sees the handiwork of his long-suffering grandfather Marshall. Marshall is a man who knows what LOVE is all about. He helps Jason until Jason realizes just what a love is that makes one “breathless and humble at the beauty of it”.

THE CHRISTMAS SECRET reveals the joys in helping each other without judging and how one can have “that childhood sense of wonderment” that is so much a part of Christmas.

Donna VanLiere’s THE CHRISTMAS SECRET is a love story and a Christmas story to be enjoyed year after year. It is a KEEPER.

Alexandra’s Legacy by N. J. Walters

Alexandra’s Legacy by N. J. Walters
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Action/Adventure
Length: Full (207 pages)
Heat: Hot
Rating: 5 Books
Reviewed by Holly

The truth will set her free…or get her killed.

Alexandra Riley’s day starts out like any other in her normal, predictable world. Then a tall, dark stranger bursts into her father’s garage and shatters the illusion. In one shocking moment, she discovers why she’s been feeling hot, restless—she’s the half-breed daughter of a legendary werewolf and is a much-sought-after prize.

Joshua Striker, enforcer in charge of protecting the alphas of the Wolf Creek pack, has come to take Alex home. Nothing more, nothing less. From the first moment he sees her, she becomes the one thing he can’t afford—a distraction from his duty. A weakness he doesn’t want—but can’t resist needing.

If only keeping her safe was as simple as fending off males on the hunt for a mate. Through city streets to the mountains of North Carolina, Alex and Joshua have to evade those who don’t want their pure bloodlines tainted with human DNA, as well as bounty hunters who think the only good werewolf is a dead one.

What Joshua and Alex can’t outrun is the passion that flares between them—or the choice Alex must eventually face. Whether to claim her inner wolf, or forfeit her chance to claim Joshua as her own.

Sometimes life can seem so normal, and then your whole world turns upside down. Alexandra Riley starts the day just like always, working in her father’s garage. When a dark and handsome stranger comes bursting into the garage, everything changes. Seems her father forgot to tell her a few things: like she is a half-breed werewolf and a highly sought after female.

The stranger is Joshua Striker, enforcer for the pack her father used to be Alpha of. He has come to provide protection to Alex and take her home to Wolf Creek. They are forced to go on the run together, with promises to meet her father at Wolf Creek, where her uncle is now Alpha. Along the way, Joshua realizes he wants to claim Alex as his mate, but wants to get her to safety and give her the chance to choose for herself. What he doesn’t realize is that she has chosen, and her choice is Joshua.

Can they elude the other packs and make it to Wolf Creek? Will Joshua be able to resist Alex on their trip, and keep her safe from the Hunters as well as from himself? Will Alex’s father James resume his position as Wolf Creek Alpha?

N.J. Walters has written a love story. Granted, the hero and heroine are not your everyday boy and girl in love. After all, they are wolves at heart, and wolves do mate for life. And when these two finally do mate, the heat can peel the paint off the walls.

Alex is a strong and determined female. She knows her mind, and she is determined to have what she wants. And what she wants is Joshua Striker. For his part, Joshua has never felt for anyone what he feels for Alex. These characters are exquisitely written, and Ms. Walters keeps you on edge with each new obstacle thrown at these two. You want them to win; to be together and beat the bad guys and live happy ever after. I love that nothing came easy for Alex and Joshua; even when you think they are safe at Wolf Creek, there is just that little bit more to overcome.

N. J. Walters writes with such passion and gives so much to all of these characters. This is one to read more than once and enjoy every time. But don’t be surprised if your fingers blister just a bit; I promise it is worth it in the end.

The King's Demon by Louise Cooper

The King's Demon by Louise Cooper
Publisher: Mundania Press
Genre: Dark Fantasy Romance
Length: Full (229 pages)
Heat: Sensual
Rating: 3.5 Books
Reviewed by Heather

A young woman regains consciousness to find herself alone on a moorland road at dead of night, with no memory but for two facts. One: her name is Sefira. And two: she has committed murder.

She is rescued by Grendon, a high official at the royal court, who recognizes the horror locked away in her damaged mind and offers her protection. But Grendon, too, has secrets, and an agenda of his own. He means to use Sefira as bait in a deadly game. For the supernatural power that lurks within her could topple a kingdom—if it can be controlled.

And that is the greatest gamble of all...

What’s a knight to do when the damsel-in-distress he rescues is an escaped murderess with a terrible secret? Sefira shares her body with a succubus, a demon, and has no knowledge after the fact of what she does under its influence. Grendon is sworn to uphold the king’s justice, but he’s not convinced executing Sefira is justice. There’s a part of her that screams “innocent” and arouses all his protective instincts.

Sefira fights to get her memory back. A part of her fights the demon’s control. But is she strong enough to break free and live her own life?

This is adventure of the highest order. Political intrigue and personal agendas abound. Whom to trust? Louise Cooper has drawn a world as real and recognizable as our own, peopled with fully developed characters with all the strengths and weaknesses of their readers. The world-building and descriptions are first-rate. Sefira breaks your heart, and the terrible choices Grendon faces make this book hard to put down. It’s very dark in parts, but I loved the characters in this story and really wanted a HEA. It was a great good-over-evil romp. The story satisfied completely. The author left herself wide open to create other tales in this wonderful world, which I definitely hope will be forthcoming. I’ll be watching!

Betrayal by Kim Amburn

Betrayal by Kim Amburn
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full (228 pages)
Heat: Spicy
Rating: 4 Books
Reviewed by Oleander

The last thing Louisville corporate attorney Becca Ellis expects to find when she makes an emergency trip home is her sister's body hanging naked in her bedroom. The sheriff says its suicide, but Becca knows better--and what’s all this about Elizabeth willing the family home and its contents to the new church in town?

When Mac Holt left the army to care for his dying mother, he never expected to see Becca Ellis again. He’d betrayed her fourteen years ago, and knew it. But when no one else will help her find out what happened to her sister, and someone tries to kill Becca, too, Mac feels he owes it to her to step in and keep her safe for as long as she’s in Sedgefield—whether Becca wants him around or not.

Will they discover the truth about Elizabeth’s killer, the past, and their feelings for each other before time runs out?

Becca Ellis has returned home to Sedgefield, a successful Louisville corporate attorney has returned to at the plea of her older sister Elizabeth to aid her. All Becca knows is that her sister needs her, but Becca finds her hanging in her bedroom. Distraught with grief that she couldn’t get to her sister fast enough when she obviously needed her desperately Becca lets the town know that she is here to hunt down the murderer of her sister and won’t leave until she does. Little does Becca know that the man she has loved all her life, Mac Holt, is back in town and stirs up more than just youthful memories.

Mac and Becca were once in love, but Mac left her long ago and Becca still carries those wounds close to her heart. Now he's back in town and won't leave Becca’s side for a second. He's still in love with her, believes Becca when she claims that her sister didn’t commit suicide and wants to help her prove it was actually murder.

Author Kim Amburn has created a fast paced thrill ride with descriptive writing, a solid plot and top notch characters in this down home drama. Intertwining many characters and more than one sub plot as each story intersected and developed on their own to create a fabulous mystery and sweet love story. A great read that I highly recommend.

Chasin' Mason by Stacey Joy Netzel

Chasin' Mason by Stacey Joy Netzel
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary, Western
Length: Full (191 pages)
Heat: Spicy
Rating: 5 Books
Reviewed by Snapdragon

When his father announced his engagement to a gold-digger with a lying, scheming fourteen-year old daughter, seventeen-year old Tripp Warner left Warner Ridge Ranch and never looked back. Until the day he got the phone call that his father had died unexpectedly.

Reggie Reed lives with her guilt every day but can't quite work up the courage to track down the son of the man who raised her as his own. When Tripp shows up at his father’s funeral eleven years later--and a hell of a man to be reckoned with--he has no interest in her too-late apology. Worse, they’ve inherited half shares of the family ranch—but only if they work together to catch Mason’s Gold, the stallion a young Reggie let escape and made sure Tripp took the blame for.

Tripp proposes a secret competition to the beautiful witch who stole his life: whoever catches the stallion first gets the ranch all to themselves. It sounds simple, but once they’re out on the range, tempers and passions flare in the Texas heat and nothing goes as either of them expects.

I knew I’d like this one before I ever read it. In my cold-hearted, incredibly logical way, I judged it by the cover. (Enigmatic cowboy silhouette, lively pinto horse… plainly, a winner.) And, I am pleased to share that Stacey Joy Netzel did not disappoint!

Tripp Warner returns to Warner Ridge Ranch – now half his – but his ownership, his own fair claim, is shared with the detestable, the conniving Reggie Reed. For her part, Reggie can understand his feelings… and in fact maybe regrets some of her own past decisions and actions. No one says he doesn’t have a complaint. Tripp doesn’t make anything any easier on the ‘princess,’ either. Sheer hatred kicks this up to serious drama.

Reggie’s memory and love for her step father sets the stage for this fast paced, unpredictable but always-evocative tale. Netzel will play a tune on your heartstrings throughout. Even secondary characters draw powerfully on your sympathy. Nothing could be more touching than all the shades of meaning in the dialogue between Tripp and Nana… and that’s just the start.

A resolution to the inheritance of the shared ranch seems beyond Tripp and Reggie, until they are presented with the challenge of recovering the amazing stallion, Mason’s Gold. Tripp and Reggie hit the open range and continue into a tangle of emotions, from guilt and rage to attraction. Yet, if they don’t let go of the past – they may never live beyond it. You’ll wonder too, if the past events happened exactly as they remember, or where blame really should be placed. Lighter moments don’t exactly abound, but a sprinkling of laughter seasons the mix. And the zippy dialogue is entirely engrossing.

Horse lovers will enjoy wonderfully horsey backdrop, and the subtle consideration for the horses. Horses are individuals, from sweet gelding Prince, to the chestnut foal, not to mention the inestimable stallion Mason’s Gold. Most equine details are accurate, and this includes some incredible scenes; like pursuing the stallion across the open range.

Chasin' Mason promises a lot of cowboy style action, but all the ridin’ and ropin’ manage to share a real good yarn. You’ll read this one more than once.

Netzel teamed up with a super cover artist to put to rest what must have been an old wives tale: feel free to judge this one by the cover.

Angelic Avenger by Kaye Chambers

Angelic Avenger by Kaye Chambers
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal
Length: Full (220 Pages)
Heat: Spicy
Rating: 5 Books
Reviewed by Holly

The road to hell is paved with heavenly desire…

Angelic Avengers, Book 1

Fetch a soul? No problem. Quell a little shape shifter rebellion? She can do that, too. Just an average day in the afterlife of Arabella “Bella” Morrison. Or, what she hopes will become an afterlife after restoring the cosmic imbalance caused by her suicide over a love affair gone bad.

Protect a willful fallen angel? That takes a little more teamwork than she’s accustomed to. Especially when the team includes Gray Devereau, a sexy, half-breed angel who’s got an eye on her—in more ways than one. Their attraction could set fire to Heaven itself. Normally not a problem for Bella, but Gray’s sights are set on something more than a fly-by-night affair.

Save mankind from chaos? Bring it on. Let her heart trust a man enough to love again? It’ll be a cold day in hell…

Arabella “Bella” Morrison has a problem trusting men. That’s because she tried that once, and it’s why she’s dead. You would think that being dead might be a career ender, but for Bella, not so much. She has become a collector, you see. What does she collect, you ask? She’s a reaper of souls, collecting them to be judged by her “employers”.

When a shifter war looms, endangering not only the shifters, but much of humanity as well, she is enlisted in the effort to prevent wholesale slaughter. Helping her in this is Gray Devereau, a half-breed angel, who gets to Bella in more ways than she cares to count. Can they keep the peace and prevent the threatened war? Can Bella keep Gray at arms length, and does she want to? And just who is Gray Devereau and why does he remind her of someone else she knows?

Kaye Chambers has come up with a strong heroine in Bella Morrison. Bella tries to do the right thing, but things just seem to go bad in spite of her best efforts. Bella feels she needs to fins a balance after her suicide over a failed romance. The character development is marvelous. Bella is not perfect, and is the first to admit it. She makes mistakes, but she tries hard to fix them, too. She fights the attraction to Gray, but once he decides to help her, she is scared of the attraction.

The other characters in this story are just as deep and multi-dimensional as Bella and Gray. There’s Gavreel, her “boss” and Gray’s father, Foras, the fallen angel who is Hades head general, and so many more. Each plays an integral part in making Bella who she has become, and when Bella figures out why Gray seems familiar, she wonders why she didn’t see it sooner. There are many surprises in this story, and the end is not at all what I expected.

Ms Chambers has packed this with passion, and hard driving action. There is definitely a happy ever after, but not the one I was expecting, at least not quite. Do Bella and Gray end up together? You will have to read Angelic Avenger to know for sure. I look forward to the next visit with these angels, that’s for sure.

The Resident by Susan Stitely

The Resident by Susan Stitely
Publisher: Siren-BookStrand
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal
Length: Full (381 pages)
Heat: Sensual
Rating: 3 Books
Reviewed by Camellia

When Franchesca Pearl falls for the ever-capable Lathan Davidson, carnal instincts preside over future rapture. Upon finding the memoirs of a stranger, written in 1962, she and Lathan embark on a journey to rid Shelbyville of a curse that plagued the besieged populace for over two centuries.

The Memoirs bespeak of a golden-tongued ladies' man, a rake with whom women should err on the side of caution. His spirit furtively traverses hallow ground, awaiting the heir of the one who impassioned him from dusk till dawn –- the only one who can eradicate the curse that masquerades his immortal soul.

Francesca and Lathan delve into the past while history unleashes a slew of events that ensue their every move. Lathan vows to follow Francesca to Hell and back, an avowal that finds the lovers in purgatory. Together they attest a bygone era but must separately face the iniquities shorn of eternal renewal.

Covering two centuries of restless ghosts, and conflicted live characters, THE RESIDENT becomes a tangled web that lures the reader into a scary story.

Franchesca Pearl, born deaf and badly treated most of her young years, finally meets Lathan who takes her to a regal house at the end of a private lane and indicates it is hers. Here she finds Catalina’s memoirs. At this point the story becomes Catalina’s.

In the 1960’s, when Catalina comes to live in the house near Shelbyville, Vermont, her pure nature makes her susceptible to the spirit that seeks release from the curse pronounced so many years ago. As she and the members of her blended familydeal with eerie happenings in their new home and with the hostile, superstitious townspeople; their lives take on some nightmarish elements. As they try to find answers, things deteriorate.

As ancestral connections become known and dangers build, Catalina and her family find themselves tangled in complex, life-threatening situations both paranormal and earthly.

Catalina and Jared’s love story is a bright, beautiful thread among all the dark tangled threads of evil in the web that, at times, overshadow their love story and the family love seen in the story.

THE RESIDENT has many intriguing parts, but the complex imagery, the many characters, descriptive and misused words along with a spirit and a live character with the same name (even though one is italicized) make the story difficult to read at times. However, I read it with determination because I really wanted to know how all those souls finally found peace and how love conquered the hurts that piled up for so many years.

THE RESIDENT is an unusual story that circles around to Franchesca Pearl and gives the reader closure after lots of twist and turns.

Seering Order: Sector Guard 4 by Viola Grace

Seering Order: Sector Guard 4 by Viola Grace
Publisher: Devine Destinies
Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy, Paranormal
Length: Short (78 Pages)
Heat: Sensual
Rating: 5 Books
Reviewed by Holly

Reva has spent her life in servitude, her commanding voice her largest asset. When an Enjel swoops her off and away from her life as a nanny, she has a choice. Blinding and unfocused freedom, or life as a Sector Guard. Seer is her companion, and he wants to move up to lover, but as Order becomes comfortable with her new job, she has to think things through. She has to face her lack of education, social skills and romantic entanglements, and she has to do it fast before her Enjel loses patience.

Reva was born a slave on Geehoe Nine, and it is as a slave that Norelios Thalik of Engel finds her. She is the nanny to the brood of the Matriarch of Calor, chosen because of her talent for using her voice to control the actions of those around her.

Nor buys her from the Matriarch with the story that he wants her for breeding, when in fact, she is the newest recruit for the Sector Guard, the elite force of the Alliance. Nor has been tracking her for some time, searching for her and erasing her trail as he goes. So for once in her life, Reva is truly free. Unlike the other mated teams, she goes directly into service evacuating a team of scientists off of a dying planet, using her talent to “convince” those reluctant to leave. Nor gives her the code name Order, as he has foreseen that they will be Seer and Order in the guard. After some difficulty with the extraction of the scientists, they accomplish the mission, and proceed to Morganti to begin life in the Sector Guard.

This is my fourth visit to Viola Grace’s version of space, and I love it. She creates such colorful and amusing characters, each with a distinct personality and all so very engaging. I love the strength she gives all of her females and I love the abilities each one has. She makes each pair compatible without seeming to lose their individuality, and that is not easy to accomplish.

Each of the Sector Guard stories is a romance story, and also an adventure into new worlds. Ms. Grace puts the fantasy back in the romance as well, and I am anxiously awaiting the next chapter of this series. I hope that once she has her full team of twelve for the Sector Guard, she begins to write adventures for the whole team. I would love to see a long and happy future for the Sector Guard, as well as the happy ever after that each of her pairs has had thus far.

If you like science fiction with humor and romance this series is definitely the one for you.

Travis Pass Trilogy Megabook by Annette Snyder

Travis Pass Trilogy Megabook by Annette Snyder
Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press
Genre: Historical
Length: Full (578 pages)
Heat: Sensual
Rating: 4 Books
Reviewed by Camellia

THREE COMPLETE NOVELS, ONE MEGABOOK SERIES LOW PRICE! The first three books in the Historic Romance Travis Pass Series, from author Annette Snyder, including:

SALLY MURPHY: Leaving her beloved, adopted home to begin life anew, Sally Murphy-George searches for refuge from depression, rejection, and her husband’s murderer. A proficient bakery owner and mother of two, Sally vows to find stability in her life, protect her family, and shield her heart at all costs.

Self-exiled, Nate Horner finds peace in his new life as Sheriff of Barnhill, defending those who overlook his shadowed past and accept him as the reliable, honest man he’s become. Promising never to allow another woman to hurt his soul, Nate resigns himself to a life of celibacy, until he reunites with someone from his hometown, the Widow George. As a man, he struggles with his desires for her. As a professional, he must protect her.

Circumstance pushes Sally and Nate’s paths together and they must decide to risk their hearts and their security to take another chance at love.

LIBERTY ROAD: Ida Keller’s life is a series of turbulent events. Ever since she remembered, she’s been running. She runs from heartbreak and fear. She runs from a troubled past. She runs from mistakes and broken promises until wandering into the quiet town of Barnhill and finding tranquility under the direction of Christopher Trapp.

Christopher Trapp, saloon and brothel owner, isn’t one to mix business with pleasure. He protects his girls at all costs, even the at the cost of his heart. Resolved to a solitary life, he never deviates, or even wants to, until he crosses paths with the enchanting Ida.

When a vile criminal from Ida’s life arrives and threatens her safety, Chris fights his internal desire for her, yet fights to protect her with every desire he possesses.

Together, they decide if love can conquer the evils of their pasts and allow comfort in each other’s arms.

TRAVIS PASS: Two families, the Eversbys, granted every convenience, and the Kubats, determination their only asset, adventure westward toward freedom.
Two families embrace the same goal, the Oklahoma Free Land Race, and fall under hostile circumstances.

Travis Pass, sole heir to the Eversby fortune, returns to Boston when his fraternal grandfather reclaims him.

Travis never forgets the Kubats devotion, or the love he holds for their daughter. Can his heart permit Aggie to marry another?

After Grandfather steals Travis away, Aggie’s hope of love is crushed. With the support of her parents, she vows to move on. Certainly, people hold more than one extraordinary love in a lifetime.

Can two parents forsake their dream for the sake of a baby?

Can two families set aside their differences for the sake of a child?

Can two people from different worlds break the barriers of culture and distance for the sake of love?

Hardworking characters, willing to endure the hardships of frontier living to make a new life and home for themselves, inhabit the pages of these three novels. The characters in all three novels have important connections with each other. This trilogy is about Nebraska and Oklahoma as settlers come, stay, work the land, help their neighbors, and build a better life in a wide-open land of freedom. TRAVIS PASS TRILOGY MEGABOOK has many intriguing secondary characters as well as memorable primary characters.

SALLY MURPHY takes the reader on a journey with Sally. Taken from the freezing winter streets of New York, then put on an orphan train, eleven-year-old Sally, a true survivor, rides all the way to General, Nebraska before she is adopted by Reverend Murphy and his wife. There she flourishes.

When emotional hardships come her way, her survivor skills come to the fore. Crushed when her first true love rejects her, she builds a good life with Alex and their two little boys. After a cruel, despicable killer destroys Sally’s good life, it takes a long time for her survival skills to ‘kick in’ even with the help of the whole community. Finally, she picks up the pieces of her shattered heart and life, packs up her few belongings, puts her two little boys in the wagon, and moves to the neighboring town of Barnhill. There she starts a new life.

When Nate Horner, her first love, comes back into her life, their story is filled with humor, misgivings, and with a love that struggles to mature amid gossip, old hurts, and the return of the cruel, despicable drunkard that killed Alex.

LIBERTY ROAD, the second novel, starts in Nebraska, goes to Boston, then back to Nebraska. The entwining of characters makes LIBERTY ROAD a perfect companion for SALLY MURPHY.

Ida Keller works in Chris Trapp’s saloon in Barnhill. Nate Horner, the sheriff,puts Oran Krunson in jail after he almost kills Ida.

The story within the story is about Susanne Keller, Ida’s mother. It tells how Ida came to be born in a brothel run by Mrs. Jennings in Boston. In this sub-story, Annette Snyder reveals a segment of society that is willing to stoop to the lowest of low tactics to gain wealth, power, and prestige as she show the relationship Susanne has with Paul Logan and Trudy Maples after Susanne’s husband, Dr. Keller, dies.

Orphaned and reared in the brothel, Ida’s virginity is cruelly taken by Herbert Eversby, Mrs. Jennings’ silent partner. Later she is brutalized by Oran Krunson. When he falls into a drunken stupor, Ida takes $25, his gun, and runs. After almost four years, she ends up in Barnhill, Nebraska, where Sally lives. Like Sally, Ida is a survivor.

Chris Trapp hires Belle Hopkins as a Madame to watch over his “girls” after Oran Krunson gets out of jail. Fatally shot, Belle tells Sheriff Nate Horner about her little girl and makes him promise to take her to her father in General, Nebraska. A new dimension of the characters’ connections becomes known with Belle’s death. It also makes Nate Horner deal with issues he has long refused to face.

When Chris gets passed his reluctance to tell Ida how he feels about her, and she realizes he does not want sex as payment for all he has done for her, their relationship moves to a different level that is new to both of them. His gentle words and ways heal her spirit and make her feel safe and loved.

TRAVIS PASS, the third novel of the trilogy, reveals how and why many of the characters in SALLY MURPHY and LIBERTY ROAD came to be in Oklahoma and Nebraska.

Jacob, the son of Herbert Eversby, and his “commoner” wife Emily go against his wealthy father’s wishes and plan to go to the Oklahoma Land Race to make their life on the frontier. Theirs is a tragic end—one that happened far too often along the trails West. However, they leave a baby that affects the lives of many as time passes.

Joseph and Frances’ journey from Czechoslovakia to Nebraska is enthralling. Pregnant, seventeen-year-old Frances has a joy for life and a determination to make a life in this land of freedom with her husband Joseph whom she loves dearly. Their belief that God puts them where they should be is the mainstay in their lives.

Travis, the Eversby’s baby, is nurtured by Joseph and Frances. Not until he is ten years old does his grandfather come to take him to Boston. He and Aggie, Joseph and Frances’ daughter, grew up together and love each other in a special way. His leaving breaks their hearts. However, Nate Horner, their schoolmate and neighbor is happy to see him go because Nate loves Aggie also.

In Boston, Travis enjoys all that being wealthy has to offer. His initiation into manhood is in Mrs. Jennings brothel with Belle Hopkins. When he reads a western newspaper with the announcement of Aggie and Nate’s upcoming marriage, he realizes what he has lost and goes to see if Aggie is happy. His arrival brings on an upheaval that rocks the whole community.

The novels stumble at times with misused words and object pronouns. Also, some details needed more research (ex. a rider does not spur his horse on the rump). However, the connection and development of characters, the depiction of a unique time in American history, and, most of all, the beautiful revelations of love that endures all things make this trilogy GOOD reading.

Spinning the Baiji by Nancy A. Lindley-Gauthier

Spinning the Baiji by Nancy A. Lindley-Gauthier
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary, Fantasy, Young Adult
Length: Short (46 pages)
Heat: Sweet
Rating: 3.5 Books
Reviewed by Asphodel

Lin Li has no memory of a time before she loved SunLee. He is an old-fashioned sort of man, practicing tai chi and communing with the river creatures as in times of old. She knows he is promised to another, still, she secretly shares his dawns. She wishes to stop time and stay forever on the leaf-spattered trail where their lives entwine.

The day approaches when the mighty Yangtze River’s current will still, and the finest things in her life must end. Her love for SunLee, like the unimaginable beauty of the Yangtze lotus, will fall away to no more than myth. Sorrow brings her the last of the baiji. The magic of the white river dolphin offers her a lyrical world of love, but perhaps, not her one love.

For Lin, the trappings of a modern world stifle the yearning she feels for tradition and the old days she's only heard of in stories. Watching her neighbor SunLee practice the secret Tai- Chai Chuan moves of his family each morning, Lin begins to think that a kindred spirit is in him. The reality of the modern world encroaching upon the traditions and way of life the villagers have lived through for generations paints a gray future for her.

Spinning the Baiji is an odd combination of being deeply rooted in Chinese traditions, but also exploring how 'modern conveniences' have changed lives in the smaller villages away from the big cities. Lin's family expects great things of her, as her grandmother Golden Lotus says "Her gift of mathematical magic" will land her a good job in Wuhan. Away from the village and the slowly wilting beauty of generations past.

The writing style is lyrical, each scene flowing into the next as if its the very myth that several of the characters fear the Baiji will become. There's a vagueness to the characterizations and the situation as a whole, preferring to remain focused on Lin and SunLee, offering a name only to one other character. I was enchanted throughout the story, filled with a tense anticipation to find out where everything was going.

There were a couple of sour notes however. Lin's full name changes spellings at least twice in the story and the end is almost not an ending. Everything comes to a head and Lin is given a choice--tradition (and risk everything) or what her hearts tells her should be so (and risk a different sort of everything). How she chooses though, is not fully given. I can guess, given the last sentence, but there doesn't seem ample justification for the action. In fact the justification was pointing the other way the entire time, so I can't believe it almost.

Elegant in its descriptions of when the old ways and the new times clash, Spinning the Baiji delighted me with its Asian flair and a main character who lived to save the past, but found herself torn in modern times.

I’ll Do Anything by Chrystal Kincaid

I’ll Do Anything by Chrystal Kincaid
Publisher: Desert Breeze Publishing
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short (129 pages)
Heat: Hot
Rating: 4 Books
Reviewed by Snapdragon

Cade Taylor, eat your heart out.

For years, Julia Campbell has lusted from afar after her girlhood crush, Cade Taylor. Now the shoe is on the other foot and Cade is limping along helplessly behind her size seven pumps.

Two successful attorneys arguing opposite sides of a high profile DUI manslaughter case, there's more than just a failed affair spirited debates. Between them lies four-year-old Laura with Cade's blue eyes and Julia's black curls. Cade will do anything to get them back -- even if it means losing the biggest case of his life.

Cool professional Julia Campbell struggles to maintain her emotional composure from the first moments she sets eyes on Cade Taylor. Fate has plans for her it seems, and – in truth – Cade isn’t exactly distant, either. There's attraction, media attention and animosity. We must step back a few years to discover just what went wrong, and where.

Julia is an intelligent and powerful person, an attorney with a respected old firm. She is a super leading lady in this romance. Cade, on the other hand, might be intelligent and attractive but his interest in the opposite sex is hardly for their intelligence. Julia struggles to dismiss feelings she’s had for Cade since her high school years.

Trust issues are (not surprisingly) paramount. Fate seems to bring them together, though. Julia’s car breaks down at just the right moment, and Cade, happily, must remove his nice shirt to work on it; arousal and imagined sexual contacts make up much of the opening of this work.

Secondary characters are important here, from friends to family members. To say too much about family would be to give away some of the events, so let’s just say that other characters are three-dimensional and believable. Kincaid really has a gift for generating immediate sympathy for her characters, and for giving different points of view, without giving away too much. That said, the very admirable Julia has the odd ethical lapse that seems out of character, not enough for it to become a plausibility issue, except perhaps in retrospect.

The story is engaging, with a lot of sexual tension throughout. The main conflict is frustrating, as at points it would seem an easy matter to address. And, with that in mind, we start to expect the resolution far before we actually get there. The plot flows steadily and sensibly forward however, in a very focused way. The setting not overdone. The writing style is excellent. Overall, it’s worth reading even if a tad predictable.

Lover’s Bargain by Shannon Robinson

Lover’s Bargain by Shannon Robinson
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Historical
Length: Short (95 pages)
Heat: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 Books
Reviewed by Fern

Desperate to be free of her wretched home life, Mattie Evans trusts her dishonest father and embarks on a journey to Texas to live with an aunt she never knew she had. When she finds herself sold into a mail-order-bride service, her hope quickly fades.

Rancher Cole Hartley wants no part of long-term commitment. But what's wrong with a little satisfaction in the arms of a beautiful woman? Especially when she needs his help to escape a hopeless situation. Cole proposes a bargain to Mattie. He'll pay her release fee and send her wherever she wants to go the following day. The catch? She spends one night as his wife -- in his bed.

As feelings long buried surface, can Mattie and Cole open their eyes to the promise of a future together?

Lover’s Bargain is a delightful story that offers plenty of sultry chemistry and a whole lot of heart. A hero and a heroine that are betrayed and left heartbroken by those they loved most…that alone is enough to ensure plenty of tension and doubt. Shannon Robinson has done a marvelous job of taking the audience on an emotional roller coaster, but makes sure the ride remains true to form and the reader won’t want to stop taking the journey.

I really enjoyed Mattie and Cole. She’s is a woman that wants to be loved despite a past betrayal, while he is a man that got burned the last time he opened his heart to a woman who wasn’t as she seemed. It is because of these past circumstances that they’ll reveal themselves to one another. The physical attraction is enough to burn and blister, but it’s the mutual admiration and understanding that will unlock a hidden longing for something more. As they push aside those walls built to protect and maintain a safe distance, they will share their vulnerabilities, and in the process, cleanse and heal old wounds.

You won’t lose interest or take a break at any time while you’re reading Lover’s Bargain. Tight writing, endearing characters, and some super hot sultriness in between will make sure you won’t put the story down. This is the kind of book you pick up when you have some time to read, absorb, and enjoy.

Be sure to put this one on your TBR list, especially if you want oodles of steam and love the genre. I absolutely adored Lover’s Bargain, and can’t wait to read more from Ms. Robinson.

Hael’s Fury: Sector Guard 3 by Viola Grace

Hael’s Fury: Sector Guard 3 by Viola Grace
Publisher: Devine Destinies
Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy, Paranormal
Length: Short (74 Pages)
Heat: Sensual
Rating: 5 Books
Reviewed by Holly

Minimizing natural disasters was all that Liv Hael lived for. Her matriarchal family tree had a long history of doing their duty to Drai and she was following in their footsteps. When she meets the dragon that she dreamed about, and he offers her a position in the Sector Guard, she can't believe her ears. Only one thing stands in the way of Liv and Vasu joining. Will she accept his house as her nest?

Livin Hael is still living at home. This is not an unusual situation on Drai, where families generally are small. Livin is a powerful woman, able to control the elements, and thus is a valuable asset to the Draikyn government.

When a sleeper, Vasu Noln, comes to claim her as mate, and recruit her for the Sector Guard, she is quite surprised. With her “tainted” blood, no male Draikyn has shown interest in her before this. Vasu tells her, in the words used by her race for mates, that he dreamed of her. She realizes, when she sees his other form, that of a dragon, that she dreamed of him as well. She needs to free herself from her obligation to the Draikyn government, and seek her parents’ approval before she can begin a new life with her chosen mate, Vasu.

Viola Grace continues to entertain and amuse with her adventures of the Sector Guard. This third installment of the adventure is wonderful, and I love these characters, as well as the supporting crew as well.

The commander of the Guard, Hyder Mihal, and his mate Helen, or Pilot as she is called, are a presence in all of the stories, and it is the commander who has foreseen who each will mate with long before they meet. I love the fact that all of the females are strong characters in their own right, not dependent on the males for identity. And the marvelous images of life on the outpost on Morganti are fantastic.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my travels through space with all of these characters, and look forward to more of the same. Will Liv and Vasu find their happy ever after and make a meaningful part of Sector Guard? You need to read Hael’s Fury to find out.

Love Can Be Murder by Sierra Wolfe

Love Can Be Murder by Sierra Wolfe
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Paranormal
Length: Short (77 pages)
Heat: Spicy
Rating: 4 Books
Reviewed by Eglantine

Alexander Forsythe, a one hundred and three year old vampire, has an unwelcome house guest- a ghost by the name of Abbie Cowan. Not only does she throw temper tantrums on a regular basis, but she’s trashed his home and belongings. It’s time for her to be evicted.

Willow Cowan, the local witch, is a descendant of Abbie. Although Alex can’t stand witchcraft, he knows he needs Willow’s help to remove the spirit. Willow is not so sure she wants any part of a ghost hunt, until she sees a priceless family heirloom on display in Alex’s home. She agrees to help him in exchange for the necklace, though Alex is reluctant to part with the expensive jewelry.

Can they learn to work together and get past their differences? Or will Abbie be the one obstacle they can’t remove?

It’s refreshing to read a paranormal romance with something for everyone: mystery, detective work, witchcraft, and a vampire. What more could a reader want? Well, you could ask for rounded characters, compelling writing and good editing. The good news is, you’ll find all of those in this excellent novella from The Wild Rose Press.

The story is well laid out and developed at a pace that kept me clicking through the pages. Alex and Willow are both interesting characters, and I rooted for them to not only solve their problems in terms of the haunting, but also in their personal relationship. While there were a few niggles, in terms of some actions they take which I thought were perhaps exaggerated responses, I never felt anything they did was completely unmotivated. The love scenes are well written and a pleasure to read.

I’m really delighted to see such clean editing from an electronic publisher. That said, there were three or four errors I picked up (mostly plurals with an apostrophe S). If you’re rolling your eyes about what I just said, then you’re not as much of a pain grammar buff as I am and you’ll barely notice; so I can guarantee you a good read. If you are as much of a pain in the bum with that sort of thing as I am, don’t worry – there really are only those very few mistakes, and for the most part the editing was faultless.

An excellent offering from Sierra Wolfe, and from The Wild Rose Press. Well done.

Last Chance For Love by Sandi Hampton

Last Chance For Love by Sandi Hampton
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Historical
Length: Full (206 pages)
Heat: Sensual
Rating: 4.5 Books
Reviewed by Fern

Leah McKenzie wasn’t about to run away again. Over the last few years, she had run and run. But no more. And when notorious gunfighter Wade Forbes agreed to help get her herd to market, she was sure she could save her ranch. But who would save her from her dangerous attraction to the handsome gunfighter?

When Wade Forbes agreed to help Leah and her father, he decided he’d do his good deed, then move on. But he’d not reckoned on falling for the lovely Leah. Knowing he wasn’t right for the young woman, Wade knew he had to leave. But could he ride away and miss his last chance for love?

Last Chance for Love is an absolutely beautiful story that everyone should read. Put aside any concerns about the western genre or the sweet heat level. This is, without question, a story that provides what every great romance should–two incredibly memorable protagonists, a lush and vivid backdrop, and so much emotion you’ll drown in wave after wave of sensual bliss.

McKenzie is a heroine you’ll absolutely adore. She’s young and impulsive, but that makes her all the more endearing. Years of heartache have hardened her, but not so much that she doesn’t believe in love. Her openness with Wade is refreshing, and will remind readers of those volatile feelings that surface upon falling in love for the first time. She’s not one to shirk or pout. She’s a woman that will go after what she wants with both hands extended.

By contrast, the notorious gunfighter Wade Forbes knows he’s a dead man walking. There is no family or love in his future. As long as his reputation precedes him, he will place all of those he cares for in danger. He longs for the sassy woman with eyes the color of precious emeralds, but loving Leah McKenzie is something that can only happen in his dreams and fantasies. While you long to hear him promise to stay and give her all she desires, you understand why it is he cannot, and you’ll ache for him just as much as you do for McKenzie.

The mystery surrounding the cattle theft at McKenzie’s ranch is well plotted, and although you might figure things out before the big reveal, there are so many twists and turns along the way you’ll never be able to see everything coming. Sandi Hampton has done an amazing job combining romance with suspense, and you’ll enjoy every single page along the journey. I came late into her work, reading her second story, Samantha’s Sacrifice, just recently. But after adoring this one as well, I know she’ll have a permanent place on my must read calendar.

Be sure to put Last Chance for Love on your TBR list. This is one romance you don’t want to miss.

Mists of Time Book One: Under a Viking Moon by Tami Dee

Mists of Time Book One: Under a Viking Moon by Tami Dee
Publisher: Desert Breeze Publishing
Genre: Paranormal, Time Travel
Length: Full (166 pages)
Heat: Spicy
Rating: 5 Books
Reviewed by Mistletoe

No sooner had his marriage vows been uttered, (at the point of a sword) Leif Nabboddrson, a mighty Jarl of Denmark is shoved off his Drakkars, bound hand and foot, into the sea.

Instead of drowning, he washes up upon the shores of a strange and wondrous beach, and the woman who forced the sea out of his lungs with a remarkable, life saving kiss, is his treacherous bride. Or is she?

Upon her Nordic grandmother's admittance to a nursing home, Katla 'Kat' Jonsdottir was forced to fend for herself on the harsh streets of San Francisco until fate deals her an incredible hand and her life is turned upside down by the arrival of a Viking warrior.

Childhood legends come to life, trust and betrayal are at constant odds, and the attraction between Leif and Kat is too strong to be ignored.

Leif finds himself washed up on the shore of a foreign place and his savior has the face of the woman who orchestrated the killing of many of his family and men: the woman promised to be his wife, Katla. On their to be wedding day Katla schemed to have his ship and men ambushed because of her love for another man.

Katla does not realize the pain and harm she has caused until it is done and she sees first hand just what all her scheming has brought on.

Can Kat fix the wrong her ancestor Katla did to Leif Nabboddrson so many years ago? Because of jealousy and hate, a grave wrong was done to Leif and his family. All her life Kat's grandmother has told her that a man will come and she must follow. When Leif washes up on the shore Kat begins to think that he might be the man, but to where she must follow him is still the question.

Kat may look like her ancestor Katla but that seems to be the only thing they have in common. She is a smart and feisty woman who will always stand by the people she cares about. Leif is a gorgeous alpha male that cares for all those under him and learns that love is a good thing and heals many wounds.

Under a Viking Moon is a wonderful story full of love, intrigue and action. This story had me glued to the pages from the very beginning. Tami Dee draws the reader into her beautiful world and keeps you enthralled until the end. With great characters full of love and depth this story is a must read. I cannot wait to see just what comes next.

Looking Through The Mist by Rebecca J. Vickery

Looking Through The Mist by Rebecca J. Vickery
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary, Paranormal, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full (273 pages)
Heat: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 Books
Reviewed by Queen Anne’s Lace

Psychic Jessica Wilder was a consultant for the FBI until she suffered burnout. The visions leave her alone for several months and she starts to make a peaceful life for herself. Then suddenly, they come back with a vengeance—visions of children being kidnapped. How could she not try to save the children?

Detective Jonathon Lansing doesn't believe in psychics, but the young woman in front of him is very convincing. Can she truly help him track down a kidnapper? Or is she involved in the crime?

Another child is taken right from under their noses. As they follow her turbulent visions through several states and into Canada, Jessie and Johnny begin to discover they want more than a working relationship. But will it distract them from finding the children in time?

Combining in a large mixing bowl ingredients that include: startling visions, a gutsy heroine, a determined cop, an unexpected passion, a diabolical killer complete with lives on the line and time running out, Looking Through The Mist bakes a perfect recipe for success. A storyline reminiscent of CBS’s Ghost Whisperer or Medium, which are both A++ shows, Ms. Vickery satisfies the reader with heart-stopping action and vivid visions that pull the reader into the story from the first page.

Upon reading the blurb, I jumped at the opportunity to read this novel. A heroine, Jessica, with psychic visions, and the hero, Johnny, who as a cop doesn’t believe in receiving visions, but is determined to trust Jessica if by doing so he can save lives. Who doesn’t love a hero with those kinds of morals and strength of character?

So enters our heroine. The witty and psychic Jessica Wilder. After working as a consultant for the FBI, she suffers a burnout and decides to start over in a new city. But just as she believes that she may get a fresh start, the visions catch her. And if that isn’t enough, the victim is an abducted child. No witnesses, no leads, no hope except Jessica’s vision. And informing the cops by phone is not acceptable for the detective in charge so Jessica must risk all to help the investigation.

The tall and handsome Detective Jonathan Lansing doesn’t know what to make of the story his attractive informant is telling him. Visions? Yeah, right. But with nothing else to go on he realizes even following a vision is better than following nothing at all.

Now that we have a great plot line and conflict in the mix, the story needs atmosphere. The vivid images Jessica sees in her visions add mood and suspense, giving Looking Through The Mist an original mystery book feel, reminiscent of Rita Herron or Lisa Gardner.

Looking Through The Mist stirs a satisfying story, whipped with heart-pounding suspense, hot love, and finally serves a satisfying conclusion. Don’t miss out on this great treat! Wonderful job, Ms. Vickery!

Last Ride on the Merry-Go-Round by Judith Rochelle

Last Ride on the Merry-Go-Round by Judith Rochelle
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full (263 pages)
Heat: Spicy
Rating: 4 Books
Reviewed by Fern

Dino Brancuzzi had harbored a latent desire for Jennifer LaCroiz for twelve years, but then she was a matched pair with his friend, Ethan Caine. Then Ethan calls him late one night to tell him she's shown up on his doorstep, with her daughter, and the killers from a stolen antiquities ring hot on her trail. Hiding her in his home in Key West while he and Ethan search for the killers, all the old feelings come bubbling to the surface and passion explodes between them in the heat of a tropical night. Can he find the killers in time to save Jen and her daughter? Can the three of them have a future together after all this time?

Jennifer Sutherland is in trouble. After witnessing her husband’s murder along with her daughter, she escapes and flees the scene of the crime. She wasn’t told much by her now deceased spouse, aside from the fact he had fallen in with bad people. Desperate, she turns to a man from her past. Former covert agent and mercenary Ethan Caine is someone that is ruthless enough to protect her and Deanne. Of course, if he’s not willing to step up to the plate and offer his assistance, she always has her ace in the hole–Deanne is the daughter he left behind when he got Jen pregnant and left on another “mission.” When she arrives at his home, she discovers a changed Ethan, his wife, and their son. After the truth is revealed, Ethan promises to do anything and everything to help. Soon, the entire gang is on the case, and Jen is handed over into the care of Dino Brancuzzi.

Dino is shocked when he comes to escort the one time party-girl, Jen LaCroix, to his place in Key West. Years ago, she captivated him, and time hasn’t changed much. She’s still beautiful, but she’s matured. Gone is the wildness he once admired from afar, replaced with fear and dread. Then and there he decides he’ll do whatever it takes to protect Jen and her daughter while giving them back their lives. He wants to see the spark in Jen’s eye that always fascinated him and hopes when it’s all said and done, he’ll have a place by her side.

Last Ride on the Merry-Go-Round is a story that is broken apart only to be pieced back together like an intricate puzzle. The mystery surrounding the stolen artifacts that have placed Jen in danger isn’t cut and dry, nor is it a sub-plot. Rather, the romance takes a back seat as the suspense and whodunit questions remain front and center. I was a bit disappointed in this, as the declarations of a proposed future between Dino and Jen seemed a trifle rushed. The chemistry is definitely there, but the page count devoted to why they would even conceive of a future with one another is notably absent. I would have loved to have had more time with just the two of them. Jen, though memorable as the story progressed, was hard to relate to initially, and I had a difficult time believing that as wife and mother she would be accepting of a husband’s continual absences, especially as she claimed to have married John to provide a father for her daughter. As for Dino Brancuzzi, well, that’s a different matter all together. He’s sexy, intelligent, and does what’s necessary to get the job done. He’s not an easy man, but he’s a fair one. You’ll love him right from the start.

There is an enormous cast of secondary characters as well. However, when I finally got them all separated, things moved along smoothly, and I tore through the pages. Aside from the continual references to merry-go-rounds and brass rings that are an obvious throw back to the title, this is a very clever story that has been carefully constructed and will keep you on your toes. The deeper you delve into the mystery, the more eager you will be to solve the puzzle.

If you like suspense, mystery, intrigue, and plenty of twist and turns along the way, then step right up and get in line for the Last Ride on the Merry-Go-Round.

McShannon’s Chance by Jennie Marsland

McShannon’s Chance by Jennie Marsland
Publisher: BlueWood Publishing
Genre: Historical
Length: Full (235 pages)
Heat: Sensual
Rating: 3.5 Books
Reviewed by Fern

Trey McShannon survived the carnage of the Civil War, only to discover that the deepest wounds are those to the heart. A traitor to his home state of Georgia, Trey has built a new life for himself in the untamed Colorado Territory. Now it’s time to find a wife to share the future he’s worked so hard for – but can he free himself from his past?

Beth Underhill is looking for choices. Needing to marry to escape being sent back East, she prefers Trey’s honest business proposal to false promises of love. Can a union between a man who isn’t sure he can still feel love, and a woman who doesn’t believe it exists, blossom into more than a marriage of convenience?

I love reading stories during the period following the Civil War, and McShannon’s Chance engaged my attention immediately. Jennie Marsland ensures the reader gets to know both Beth and Trey by the completion of the all important first chapter. Beth is a woman that wants to be considered an equal, while Trey is a man that wants to shelter her from the harshness of homesteading. The first portion of the book is devoted to this, and the tension and conflict as two strangers become attracted to one another despite their differences really bring the story together. Both Trey and Beth carry scars–his are both literal and physical reminders of the war, while hers are of an upbringing in which woman are mere adornments–that keep them distant. Yet as time passes, they begin to trust, and a tentative relationship blossoms and takes root.

Unfortunately, I did have one problem with plotline. After the protagonists find love, the story takes an odd turn when Beth is offered a business venture in New York for some of her artwork. Considering Beth only just managed to gain Trey’s trust, it seemed rather trivial to leave in favor of finding fame and fortune of her own in the city he obviously wants no part of. Beth’s independence, though grating at times, was viable up until this point. However, when she chooses to leave Trey behind, believing it is best so he has time to find what has looking for in himself, I couldn’t rationalize her reasoning. If you’ve fallen in love and have taken that ultimate step to make your marriage official, why would you risk it for something so trivial? Ultimately, the plot twist is resolved when Beth discovers–in a recurring theme–that women are not as readily accepted as their male counterparts, and returns to Colorado. But by this point, Trey’s ready acceptance of her absence and reasons behind it, and her willingness to allow fate to decide if her paintings sold or not, had me shaking my head and questioning why it was included in the story at all.

Aside from this, the rest of the story flows smoothly and I enjoyed it very much. The work on a whole is solid and the writing is tight. I did enjoy the build up between Beth and Trey, as well as the remainder of the story after she returns from New York and they find happiness together. They are so very loving toward one another, even in the beginning when they express their affection through lingering glances or fleeting touches. Ms. Marsland is wonderful at captivating a reader by giving them glimpses of what’s to come. It’s a slow burn, but one you won’t want to deny yourself. The reader will also enjoy the sub-plots involving very memorable secondary characters. In fact, the mini-story of Nathan and Lorie could have been a novella of its own.

If you’re a fan of this genre, be sure to check out McShannon’s Chance.

The Amoveo Legacy by Sara Taney Humphreys

The Amoveo Legacy by Sara Taney Humphreys
Publisher: Devine Destinies
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary, Paranormal, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full (311 pages)
Heat: Spicy
Rating: Best Book
Reviewed by Queen Anne’s Lace

What if everything you knew turned out to be a lie? You find out that you aren’t even human—at least not entirely. What if, one day, you realize your world will never be the same again? These are the questions that Samantha Logan must face in The Amoveo Legacy. A dream on her thirtieth birthday compels her to leave her artists loft in New York City and move back to the beach with her Grandmother, Nonie. However, the instant Samantha steps foot on the salty shores of her childhood home, she realizes the landscape has changed.

The moment she encounters the mysterious, arrogant neighbor Malcolm Drew, her life is never the same. Through a seductive courtship, he introduces her to the magical mystical world of the Amoveo. The dream walking, telepathic, shape shifters that he claims are her true heritage. However, Malcolm holds back a secret that could destroy them both. Will he be able to protect Samantha and convince her of the secret legacy buried deep inside of her?

For fans of Christine Feehan’s Dark Series and Sherrilyn Kenyon’s novels, and of course I love both, The Amoveo Legacy does not disappoint. I originally wanted to read Ms. Humphreys novel because the blurb reminded me of these other beloved paranormal romances. I must admit that I feared the book wouldn’t live up to my expectations, but I was pleasantly surprised. Ms. Humphreys takes some already explored paranormal topics and puts her own original spin on the genre.

The story first introduces us to tall and handsome Malcolm Drew. He’s everything a woman could want: sensitive, mysterious, rich, and of course sexy-steamy hot. So why doesn’t he have every woman vying for his attention? Well, our seemingly perfect hero has a big secret. He is Amoveo and a member of the Eagle Clan. Telepathic abilities and power in the dream realm, among many others, constitute his gifts, but there is one huge drawback for Malcolm. He has only one mate, and if he is unable to find and be with her, he will lose all his powers, go mad and eventually die.

Then enters our heroine. The colorful and witty Samantha Logan. Great friend, talented artist, 30 years old and still unsure of what she wants to do with her life. A recurring dream inspires her to move in with her Grandmother, who happens to live next door to Malcolm Drew. But Samantha knows nothing of her Amoveo heritage. She is a hybrid, her mother human and her father a member of the Grey Wolf Clan, but she is unaware of these facts, including the detail that her new next door neighbor is Amoveo and her mate.

The Rhode Island beach house provides a lovely backdrop for the story. I love all the scenes on the coast and all the delicious imagery Ms. Humphreys incorporates in her tale. Who doesn’t enjoy a romp on the beach?

And, no good story develops without a diabolical villain. The Amoveo Legacy is no exception. The Caedo have been tracking the Amoveo for generations with one intent: to destroy all the Amoveo by any means possible. The fanatical nature and determination of the Caedo charges the novel like a jalapeño in a sandwich.

The Amoveo Legacy begins strong and keeps the reader until the end, delivering a satisfying conclusion. Don’t miss out on this wonderful story. A+++ job, Ms. Humphrey.