Monthly Archives: January 2013

For The Love of Jazz by Elke Feuer – a Review

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For The Love of Jazz by Elke Feuer – a Review

For The Love of Jazz

Description: (author’s website);
Restoration architect Josie Fagan takes on a project with lawyer and senator’s son, Patrick Pullman. It’s the perfect match. She needs his endorsement to save her business and he wants to restore his ancestral Chicago home. Love wasn’t part of her plan. Neither was being asked to stay at his home, haunted by ghosts, or discovering she has a claim to his home – which she adores. When she finds out his family may be responsible for her aunt’s disappearance fifty years ago, it’s a race to unearth the truth before she loses not only her business and her heart, but also her life.

Patrick can’t deny his attraction to Josie and is willing to take a chance on love since his broken engagement a year earlier. Things become complicated when he learns of their family connection and her claim to the home he loves. He doesn’t believe in ghosts, or that his family is involved in her aunt’s disappearance, so insists they work together. But, when he starts seeing his uncle’s ghost, and threats are made on her life, he’s forced to confront the possibility his family could be responsible.

Review:

If you are a fan of ghost stories, romance, and a classic case of who done it, then this one’s for you.  Elke Feuer does an amazing job of keeping the suspense rolling throughout this story.  Not once did I come close to figuring out the ending. As I was reading For the Love of Jazz there were many times I felt like I was watching an episode of CSI or Hawaii Five-O trying to figure out who’d done it. The way Elke weaves this tale of love, passion, romance and murder keeps the reader on the edge of their seat.  I found myself glued to this story with each turn of the page, in the hopes that another clue would be dropped as to who the culprit is.  I was beginning to feel like a player in the game of Clue shouting out; Mrs. Peacock in the library with the candlestick, LOL 😉

Okay back to being serious here.  Along with the murder mystery surrounding Josie’s dead aunt Lola, Elke manages to weave a lovely romance story along the way.  I really enjoyed the way Elke developed this romance between Josie and Patrick. She didn’t throw them together quickly or rush things between them.  Instead, she slowly built up the romance, and in turn allowed the reader to get to know the characters along the way.  Adding the ghost story to the romance and delicately balancing Lola and William’s past with Josie and Patrick only added to the suspense and intrigue of the book. 

For the Love of Jazz is well written with great character and plot development.  It’s the type of book that keeps the reader riveted and wanting more with each turn of the page.  As I said earlier, if you are a fan of ghost stories, romance and a who done it storyline then this one’s for you.  You won’t be disappointed with Elke Feuer’s debut novel.  I’d say she has a bright future ahead of her as a novelist.  I look forward to more books by Ms. Feuer. 

Reviewed by Marcie

Copy provided by Author

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Christina Ashcroft-Interview with the author

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Christina Ashcroft – Interview with the Author

Christina-Ashcroft

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Christina Ashcroft is an ex-pat Brit who now lives in Western Australia with her high school sweetheart, their three children, an eccentric Maltese-cross and three regal cats. She can’t remember a time when she didn’t write, and always managed to include an element of fantasy or the paranormal in her English essay homework. Luckily her English teachers didn’t mind, despite the fact these stories generally finished with the hero, heroine (or both) coming to a sticky end. Thankfully by the time she hit fourteen she discovered romance novels and the wonder of a Happily Ever After. She now writes about hot archangels and the women who capture their hearts for Penguin/Berkley Heat and her books always have a happily-ever-after.

Christina is a member of the Romance Writers of Australia, Romance Writers of America, the Dark Side Down Under group blog and the Romance Writers of the Apocalypse blog. She is a contest judge for RWAm, RWAus and RWNZ. She was a member of the inaugural Professional Development for Authors team and has been part of the editorial team for the Romance Writers of Australia’s monthly newsletter, Hearts Talk.

 Christina Ashcroft is an ex-pat Brit who now lives in Western Australia with her husband and three children. She is owned by three cats who graciously allow her the occasional spare moment to write hot paranormal romance for Penguin/Berkley Heat.

Christina also writes hot historical romances as Christina Phillips

Christina is represented by Emmanuelle Morgen of Stonesong

Follow Christina on Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Website

Let’s Get Started

TRC:  Hi Christina and welcome to The Reading Café. Congratulations on the release of ARCHANGEL OF MERCY.

NOTE:  ARCHANGEL OF MERCY was a finalist in the Australian Romance Readers Award for Favorite Paranormal Romance

Christina:  Thank you so much for inviting me! It’s lovely to be here.

TRC:  We would like to start with some background information. Would you please tell us something about yourself?

Christina: I’m an ex-pat Brit who now lives in sunny Western Australia with my husband, our kids, kitties and dog. I’ve always loved reading, and used to love getting English essay homework. I’m not sure the teachers appreciated my 15 page story efforts but they never complained!

TRC:  You bio states that you are a judge for RWAm, RWAus and RWNZ.  How do you separate yourself and change your mindset from reader to author to judge?
As a judge do you follow a specific set of criteria for judging and analyzing books and novels?

Christina: I judge using the criteria specified by each individual contest and these help me get into the mindset of judge, and not just reader or author. I’ve also been in a critique group for a number of years and this has trained me to divorce myself from just reading to analysing for content, structure, characterizations, etc.

TRC:  Do you have a favorite novel (other than your own)?

Christina: I have so many favourite books it’s almost impossible to pick just one, but if I really have to I’ll go with Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M Auel. I first read this as a teenager and the world building completely blew me away. It’s still my fave of the series and I’ve lost count how many times I’ve read it over the years.

TRC:  Many authors face challenges in writing or getting their books to publication.  Would you please tell us some of the difficulties you have faced in your writing and publishing career?

Christina: I started writing category romance about fourteen years ago and after several form rejection letters I started working with an editor, who then left the company. My next editor also left the company. I was getting requests for fulls but never the cigar and I finally decided to try my hand at writing single title books.

I wrote a couple of chick lit novels which garnered interest from agents but then the chick lit bubble burst. So my wonderful critique partners told me to write an erotic romance and because I always do as they say (ahem!) I did. I discovered I loved writing erotic romance and that short story sold to a small e-press, quickly followed by a second one.

It was round about that time that out of the blue a sexy Roman Centurion marched into my mind and refused to leave until I shared his story. Maximus became the hero of my first erotic historical romance, FORBIDDEN, and secured me an agent and two book deal with Berkley Heat.

Archangel of Mercy

 

TRC:  ARCHANGEL OF MERCY is the first storyline and December 2012 release in your new series of erotic archangelic novels.  Would you please tell us
something about the storyline premise? Who are the leading characters in this particular novel?

REVIEW: Archangel of Mercy

LINKS TO ORDER: Amazon / Barnes and Noble/ The Book Depository/ KOBO

Christina: Gabriel is an Archangel for hire. He’s one of the Fallen, but not in quite the way you might expect. He and his fellow Archangels used Earth as their playground millennia ago, and of course some of them fell in love with mortals. But the consequences of what happened in the past haunt Gabe today and he protects his shattered heart and guilt riddled soul behind a tough façade.

Aurora is a typical girl-next-door—except she has a unique heritage, and by trying to discover her roots and help her mother she unleashes an ancient force who are determined to punish her for her actions. As a consequence of this she is the catalyst that causes an Archangel to fall from the heavens… and into her arms.

TRC:  How many books do you have planned for this particular series?

Christina: I’ve finished book two, which features Azrael who we meet in Gabe’s book. He’s horrified that Gabe has fallen again. He can’t understand why any Archangel would want to put themselves through that kind of torture because all too soon mortals die. And when they do, a part of the Archangel’s heart dies too.

Well, who could resist that kind of attitude? I knew straight away that Azrael was going to be my next unwilling hero! And who better for his heroine than someone from a race he has always despised and done everything within his power to eliminate?

Rowan is a dhampir and Azrael truly doesn’t stand a chance from the moment they meet. Because Rowan is nothing like the dhampirs Azrael fought nine hundred years ago when he saved the life of a legendary phoenix. In fact Rowan is nothing like any woman he has ever met.

I have some ideas for book three in the series, and I know exactly who the archangel reminds me of. Jason Momoa!

TRC: 🙂

TRC:  You also have a successful career writing as Christina Phillips.  With four series writing as Christina Phillips and a new series as Christina Ashcroft, how have you managed to keep everything separate?

Christina: It’s a constant juggling act! Actually, I don’t have a problem keeping the books separate because they are set in such different worlds. Once I enter ancient Britannia I’m there with my Romans and Druids and their conflicts. It’s the same for my Highland Warrior series. The characters are so strong and real to me I’m living their lives with them in Pictland.

Also, I have no social life 😉

TRC:  You have several books scheduled for release (under Christina Phillip’s) WORLD OF FORBIDDEN series (Druids and Roman Warriors) including BETRAYED and TAINTED.   Do you have a timeline for availability?

Christina: I don’t have firm dates for the release of BETRAYED and TAINTED yet. I’m currently deep in the cave doing revisions on BETRAYED for Ellora’s Cave, and TAINTED is more than three quarters done. I’m hoping that the two books will be released in 2013.

TRC:  How much research is involved with your storyline premises (e.g. logistics, travel, historical accuracy )?

Christina: I’ve always tried to keep the historical aspects accurate, but it’s not always easy as often I’ll find aspects that contradict each other. In those cases I’ll go with whichever best suits my story. There is a lot of information out there on how the Romans lived and their beliefs and I’ve tried to stay true to that. However, there is very little information on the Druids. It doesn’t help that they didn’t believe in writing down their knowledge. It was passed down by oral teachings to their acolytes.

I decided that my Druids weren’t the bloodthirsty, savage barbarians as portrayed by the Romans at the time. The Romans, after all, were the victors and wanted to eliminate Druids from every corner of their Empire. It stands to reason they might have exaggerated things!

TRC:  Have you ever considered writing a young adult series of storylines?

Christina: I did once try to write a YA. It was a time travel and I still have a soft spot for that story. But I find my voice naturally tends towards the more sensual side and my books are always very much focused on the romance, so I don’t know if that would suit the YA market. Perhaps the NA?

TRC:  Many authors bounce ideas with family and friends or, other authors.  With whom do you bounce idea and why?

Christina: My wonderful CPs are the ones I call on whenever I have a writing related issue. We’ve known each other for almost ten years, before any of us were published, and have shared all the highs and lows of this business together. Funnily enough they both write YA 😉

TRC:  What five things would you like to accomplish in the next ten years?

Christina:
1. I would love to find a wider audience for my ancient historical romances. I love my Roman/Druid world of Forbidden and would love to continue to explore the fascinating lives of my sexy warriors and magical heroines.

2. I would also rather love my Forbidden books to be turned into a series reminiscent of Spartacus: Blood and Sand – but without the gore!!!

3. I’d like a good balance of books published traditionally, digitally first and self-published in order to reach the widest possible readership.

4. I’d love to attend a RWA conference in the States, and organize some kind of world book tour so I could meet my readers. I could combine this with a research trip to the Pyramids of Egypt, the Roman Colosseum, the Mayan ruins in the Yucatan Peninsula and the list goes on forever! Awesome!

5. To hit the bestseller lists 😉

TRC:  On what are you currently working?

Christina: I’m currently working on revisions for BETRAYED, the third book in my Roman/Druid series. Then I plan to go back and finish TAINTED, the fourth book. I hope to have that done before the end of January 2013.

TRC:  Would you like to add anything else?

Christina: I love to chat with readers and you can find me hanging out on Twitter and Facebook

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food
Roast turkey with all the trimmings on Christmas Day!

Favorite Dessert
I never say no to a profiterole!

Favorite TV Show
Bones

Favorite Movie
I have so many, and they tend to change weekly!

Last Movie You Saw
The Dark Knight Rises

Dark or Milk Chocolate
Milk

Last Vacation Destination
Gold Coast, Australia

Favorite Flower
Iris

Do you have any pets?
Yes, three cats – Miri (short for Miracle as she was the runt of her litter), her sister Ava and Ava’s adorable son, Theo. We also have an elderly Maltese Cross called Brandi.

TRC:  Thank you Christina for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on your new release.  We wish you all the best in your writing career.

Christina: Thank you for the congratulations and good wishes!

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Archangel of Mercy by Christina Ashcroft-a review

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ARCHANGEL OF MERCY by Christina Ashcroft-a review

Archangel of Mercy

ABOUT THE BOOK: Released December 2012

When Aurora Robinson attempts to open a rift between dimensions to embrace her true heritage, an arrogant Archangel is the only one who can save her from the jaws of hell. And while she owes Gabriel her life, she’s determined not to fall at his feet-despite the desire she feels whenever they’re together.

After his wings were brutally destroyed millennia ago, Gabriel has no compassion for humans like those who ruined him and betrayed the ones he loved. But when he inexplicably finds himself defying ancient protocols to rescue a woman from a fate worse than death, he is shocked by the searing attraction he feels for a mortal.

As the ancient forces that seek to punish Aurora for her actions close in, Gabriel offers the tempting woman protection at his private sanctuary. But as they both succumb to their desires, they discover an even deeper connection-one that threatens to consume them.

ARCHANGEL OF MERCY was a finalist in the Australian Romance Readers Award for Favorite Paranormal Romance

***************

REVIEW: ARCHANGEL OF MERCY is the first storyline in Christina Ashcroft’s new series focusing on a group of angels and archangels and the lives of the people they come in contact with every day.

Like most introductory storylines, Archangel of Mercy is awash in world building and one that is very detailed and heavy in otherworldly characters such as angels, archangels, demons, Guardians, and nephilim as well as social structure, political alliances, rules and regulations to follow and, a goddess, whom we have yet to meet, and who can only be compared to Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Artemis. Archangel of Mercy introduces several potential future storyline characters including friends, frenemies and the angels who have yet to fall.

Archangel Gabriel is our hero who mysteriously finds himself in Ireland atop a beautiful woman who has accidently pulled the Fallen through a portal as she was trying to access another dimension. In doing so, Aurora Robinson has inadvertently called the ancient race of the Guardians back to earth, who claim it is their right, to capture any human who tampers with portals and tries to cross into another dimension. And so begins the storyline where Gabriel finds himself protector and lover to a woman who is strangely familiar to himself and the other archangels-only Gabriel is the last to realize why the ‘human’ woman is his to protect.

Aurora Robinson is a woman hoping to help her mother regain some sort of semblance of her sanity. Her mother is not from earth, but she has been unable to connect with her people since falling in love with a human male. But Aurora’s attempt to help her mother has caused a rift in the ‘time-space’ continuum-so to speak- and her attempts have alerted several immortal species to her existence.

As a couple, Gabriel and Aurora had an instant attraction but one that was mired in lust and sexual need. At first, Gabriel (and most of the other archangels) came off as a rude, self-centered, alpha male-one that only had sex on the brain, but as the storyline developed we learn that angels and archangels are known for their sexual prowess and Gabriel is the tortured hero (with a past) who is stunned when Aurora shuns his attempts at sexual conquest. Aurora is instantly attracted to Gabriel but his overbearing personality and sexual appetite and constant disappearances finds our heroine in the reluctant position of needing this hero to keep her alive.

Throughout the storyline, Gabriel is commissioned to track down a missing child and in this scenario, Gabriel finds the mission hits too close to home.

The book can be confusing with the back and forth of the world building. There are portals, dimension, galaxies and planets, as well as aliens and otherworldly creatures. By way of explanation, Christina Ashcroft uses Gabriel and the other angels as the vessel to explain the nuances of life as an archangel, to the reader, as well as to Aurora. Aurora will become a target and the pawn in a life and death struggle where a Fallen Angel finds the soul mate he lost years before.

ARCHANGEL OF MERCY is a well written storyline but a difficult storyline to rate. There is plenty of sexual chemistry between Aurora and Gabriel but no tension, and the romance aspect is slow to build as everything in the beginning is about need and want-Gabriel wants sex! It took awhile before Gabriel knew what it was he wanted other than getting laid several times per day. Aurora is a strong heroine, who doesn’t submit very willingly although there is one particular scene where it seemed she was completely out of character as well as out of place in the storyline. The author was trying to show a seedier side of archangel life, but it came off as cheap and unrealistic. The archangels and demons use the women in this particular storyline as nothing more than sexual toys-to be used and thrown away.

There are secondary characters whose personalities have yet to develop, but by way of introduction in this particular storyline, we know that each has a story to tell. In the beginning of the story, Gabriel wasn’t a very likeable character-his initial aggression and lack of respect for Aurora ( and most women) had me angry and at times hurt, knowing that this man/archangel was once the love of someone’s life and it was difficult for me to see him as a man capable of love. But then again, many tortured heroes have a past that forms their present-we do not know that he is hurting for a lost love. In the end, his heart and soul knew what he wanted and he wanted Aurora.

LINKS TO ORDER: Amazon / Barnes and Noble/ The Book Depository/ KOBO

Copy supplied by the publisher

Reviewed by Sandy

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Sex Club Secrets (Gods of Love #3) by Jennifer Lynne

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SEX CLUB SECRETS (Gods of Love #3) by Jennifer Lynne-a review

Sex Club Secrets

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date January 24, 2013

Sometimes love can flourish in the most unexpected places… Ella has been in love with her best friend Kade for as long as they’ve known each other. But her love has not been returned, and when the bisexual Kade ends a relationship without showing any signs of becoming romantic towards her, she decides to call a halt on her unrequited love and try something new by accepting an invitation to a celebrated Melbourne sex club.

Anteros is one of the erotes, an aspect of Eros and the ancient Greek god of requited and unrequited love. He has heard the call of these would-be lovers and intends to show them that friendship can sometimes be the best place to kick start a lasting romantic relationship.

**************

REVIEW

NOTE:  Story line contains strong adult content and M/M/F situations.

SEX CLUB SECRETS is the third storyline in Jennifer Lynne’s Gods of Love erotic romance series featuring The Erotes-the Gods of Love and sons of Aphrodite.

Like the previous two story lines, Sex Club Secrets focuses on one of the Erotes- Anteros is our tortured God of Requited and Unrequited Love which is ironic since Anteros feels the pain and sorrow of unrequited love with each encounter. With his ability to ‘hear’ people’s most intimate thoughts and fantasies, Anteros wields his power and issues a special invitation to Ella for one night of passionate sex and love. And to Ella’s surprise she accepts the offer, hoping her BFF of ten years –Kade-will accept her personal invitation as well.

Sex Club Secrets delves into one woman’s secret fantasies and Anteros the god of requited and unrequited love is willing to make all of those fantasies come true. But Kade is reluctant to allow Ella to enter into the Club alone and finds himself on the outside watching as Ella succumbs to her passions with another man.

Sex Club Secrets is a story of secret fantasies, passionate sex and the loneliness of one god whose only wish is to be loved and wanted-for himself. Jennifer takes the reader on a short journey into the world of make believe, sex gods and passionate encounters.

READING ORDER
Platinum Passion
Aphrodite Calling
Sex Club Secrets
Immortal Seductions (Apr 2013)

LINKS TO ORDER: Amazon/ Smashwords / All Romance ebooks

Copy supplied by author

Reviewed by Sandy

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All The Broken Pieces by Cindi Madsen – a Review

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All The Broken Pieces by Cindi Madsen – a Review

all the broken pieces

Description:
What if your life wasn’t your own?

Liv comes out of a coma with no memory of her past and two distinct, warring voices inside her head. Nothing, not even her reflection, seems familiar. As she stumbles through her junior year, the voices get louder, insisting she please the popular group while simultaneously despising them. But when Liv starts hanging around with Spencer, whose own mysterious past also has him on the fringe, life feels complete for the first time in, well, as long as she can remember.

Liv knows the details of the car accident that put her in the coma, but as the voices invade her dreams, and her dreams start feeling like memories, she and Spencer seek out answers. Yet the deeper they dig, the less things make sense. Can Liv rebuild the pieces of her broken past, when it means questioning not just who she is, but what she is?

Review:

All the Broken Pieces by Cindi Madsen is considered YA, but it is totally different then most YA, with an original storyline.  The heroine of this story, is a young teenager named Olivia.  We meet her when she wakes up with no memory of anything, and her worried parents all over her happy she is awake.  Once Liv goes home, her mom is overprotective and gives her home schooling.  They have also moved from their home in Minnesota, as her father, who is surgeon begins a new job. 

Liv finds herself hearing different voices in her head, each with different opinions, like night and day.  She is afraid to tell her parents about these voices, and keeps it to herself.  She does convince her parents to allow her to go to school, so she can meet new people, and try to live a normal life.

The voices are still there, as she meets a nice friend, Kiera; a group of popular girls, whom are part of Kiera’s group, and from afar a young student, named Spencer.  It is Spencer, who she finds out used to be part of the popular gang, who draws out Liv, and between them, they help each other slowly get to learn about themselves.  It was a bit slow going, listening to Liv’s voices both giving her different advice how to do things, and her parents, not forthcoming on information about her past.  Liv begins to suspect something is not right, as she begins to have dreams, with people she does not know.  Is this part of her memory returning? When she asks her parents about some names from her dreams, they come up with unsatisfactory answers, which rises her suspicions even more.

As Liv becomes closer to Spencer, she starts telling him a little of why she lost her memory.  She also pulls away a little from the popular group, since Sabrina the leader likes Spencer.   Their relationship grows, and I found this simple romance of two friends very heartwarming.  Spencer has his own family issues that Liv helps him with, as he works with her on her memory; making them a great team.  It was also nice that there was no love triangle in this story. It was a story of two people, alone, somewhat broken; who learn to trust each other, and put all the broken pieces together.  Of course, Liv’s situation is more volatile.

As some of her memories unfold, and Spencer tries to research things from her memory, discoveries are found.  With no spoilers, the last ¼ of the book is very well done, and the plot speeds to a climatic ending.  It is a bombshell of an ending, and as the mystery is solved, most of the pieces fall into place to a satisfying conclusion. 

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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COVER REVEALS – January 26, 2013

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COVER REVEALS- January 26, 2013

STYXX

 

TITLE: Styxx

AUTHOR: Sherrilyn Kenyon

SERIES: Dark Hunters

RELEASE DATE: September 2013

 

 

 

Bound March 2013jpg

 

TITLE: Bound

AUTHOR: Elisabeth Naughton

SERIES:  Eternal Guardians

RELEASE DATE: March 2013

 

 

 

The Goddess Inheritance. Feb 2013pg

 

TITLE: The Goddess Inheritance

AUTHOR: Aimee Carter

SERIES: The Goddess Test

RELEASE DATE: February 2013

 

 

 

MysticallyBound_2013

 

TITLE: Mystically Bound

AUTHOR: Stacey Kennedy

SERIES: Frostbite

RELEASE DATE: January 2013

 

 

 

Midnight's Captive

 

TITLE: Midnight’s Captive

AUTHOR: Donna Grant

SERIES: Dark Warrior

RELEASE DATE: July 2013

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Lara Nance-Steampunk Adventure Series-Promotion and Giveaway

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Lara Nance Steampunk Adventure Series-Promotion and Giveaway

Revenge of the Mad Scientist (Book #1)

Revenge of the Mad Scientist

LINKS TO ORDER: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository

When Lady Arabella Trunkett’s father, the High Lord Minister of Urbannia is kidnapped, all clues point to the mysterious country of Gandiss and the world is thrown into political upheaval.

Arabella is convinced the more sinister nation of Carabarras is to blame., urged on by a mad scientist seeking revenge. So, she sets out on a perilous airship journey across a variety of exotic locales to save him, and halt the potential world war.

But airship pirates, secret assassins and slave traders aren’t her only trials. The fickle hand of fate has made the captain of the only airship available for charter, the man that left her at the altar. For eight years she’s wished him dead. Now he’s her only hope.

**********************

Rescue From the Baron (Book #2)

Rescue from the Baron

ORDER LINKS: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository / KOBO

Lady Arabella Trunkett’s adventures continue as she seeks to rescue Rett after he’s kidnapped in Moro. Bounty hunters, eager for the fortune offered by the Baron, spirit Rett to the smuggling king’s hidden compound.

Belle and her friends sail Rett’s airship in pursuit, knowing he will never escape without help once he’s with the evil Baron, deep in the dangerous Nabu Rainforest.

She is faced with a perilous journey filled with larger than life man-eating beasts. In the end, she must outwit the equally blood-thirsty and ruthless Baron who is intent on making a lesson of Rett with the worst possible death. And if she doesn’t succeed, she’ll be the next one to die.

*********************
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lara Nance Pic

Lara Nance grew up and lived in many cites throughout the South. She loves to write in a variety of genres, but the basis of all of her stories is a great tale of entertaining women’s fiction that will take you on an adventure of imagination. Smart stories that make you wonder, and live the romances you dream about.

If you want to escape and lose yourself in a novel, you’ve come to the right place. Choose your genre and settle in to be entertained. From thrilling mysteries and steampunk tales to paranormal romance and adventure, she’s willing to explore a variety of compelling stories full of danger and suspense, along with a touch of romance.

Having been on the fencing team in college and now living on a sailboat convinces her that she was a pirate in another life, or possibly kin to Errol Flynn… However, due to the unfortunate demise of the romantic pirates of the past, she lives out her fantasies, thrills and adventures in her stories. Lara loves to weave interesting true historical tidbits into her fiction which invite the reader to explore further after the novel is finished.

Currently docked in Norfolk, Virginia (until the wind changes) Lara enjoys living on her sailboat and spends time reading, of course writing, indulging a variety of artistic endeavors, cooking and sailing with her husband, Joe and their Yorkie, Rio.

Connect with Lara:

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

Giveaway-Green/Gold

Lara is offering an ebook copy of either REVENGE OF THE MAD SCIENTIST or RESCUE FROM THE BARON and a STEAMPUNK NECKLACE to one lucky member at The Reading Cafe

1. You must be a member at The Reading Cafe. If you are not a member, please register using the log-in at the top of the page or by using one of the social log-ins.

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment as Twitter and Facebook etc do not allow for email addresses for contact.

3. Giveaway is open internationally.

4. Giveaway runs from January 26- 30, 2013

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Rescue from the Baron (Airship Adventure Chronicles #2) by Lara Nance-a review

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RESCUE FROM THE BARON (Airship Adventure Chronicles #2) by Lara Nance-a review

Rescue from the Baron

 

RESCUE FROM THE BARON (Airship Adventure Chronicles #2) by Lara Nance

ABOUT THE BOOK:  Released October 2012

Lady Arabella Trunkett’s adventures continue as she seeks to rescue Rett after he’s kidnapped in Moro. Bounty hunters, eager for the fortune offered by the Baron, spirit Rett to the smuggling king’s hidden compound. Belle and her friends sail Rett’s airship in pursuit, knowing he will never escape without help once he’s with the evil Baron, deep in the dangerous Nabu Rainforest. She is faced with a perilous journey filled with larger than life man-eating beasts. In the end, she must outwit the equally blood-thirsty and ruthless Baron who is intent on making a lesson of Rett with the worst possible death. And if she doesn’t succeed, she’ll be the next one to die.

************ 

 

REVIEW:  RESCUE FROM THE BARON is the second storyline in Lara Nance’s  Steampunk genre-Airship Adventure Chronicles.

Again, for those that do not know about the Steampunk genre: there is a detailed description on Wikipedia at:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steampunk  But a simple explanation  would be a ‘sub-genre of science fiction that typically features steam-powered machinery, often set in alternative history of the 19th century British Victoria or American Wild West.’

 Book two finds our heroine Arabella Trunkett on another adventure of search and rescue.  In the first storyline, Arabella picked up a couple of extra adventurers as well as her ex-fiance who is now the object of her current search.  As an airship captain, Rett’s job is to pick up and ferry cargo between countries, but when one particular flight becomes victim to air-pirates, Rett is beholding to a powerful Baron who is more than willing to make an example out of Rett’s inability to deliver the goods.

Once again, Rett and Arabella’s relationship continues to grow (albeit very slow), especially during their separation.  Each remembers a different time and place-perhaps one is willing to forgive and the other is willing to start over.  But get the two of them together, along with an interfering although well-meaning pirate, and all plans go awry.  I am not sure how most Steampunk romances develop, but this one is fraught with tension and anxiety and, mistaken beliefs that lead our couple no where –fast.  There is little in the way of a one-on-one relationship as their adventures, captivity and life-threatening scenarios keep putting a kibosh on any personal time between Rett and Arabella and, when the two are finally together neither is willing to admit their feelings to one another.  It is disappointing to me, especially when you know the two are meant for each other, but there is always something or someone interfering.  Then again, this is an adventure series where this is little time for romance and sex.

Lara Nance continues a storyline similar to the Star Wars saga-one where we know the adventure takes us to strange worlds and destination with even stranger enemies.  The similarities are unmistakable, even if, the premise and certain situations are slightly reversed and placed upon different characters.  If you enjoy a fantasy adventure with a backdrop of science fiction, this series is for you. 

ORDER LINKS: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository / KOBO

Copy supplied by the author.

Reviewed by Sandy

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