Monthly Archives: August 2017

The Playboy Prince and the Nanny by Donna Alward – Review, Tour & Guest Post

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The Playboy Prince and the Nanny by Donna Alward – Review, Tour & Guest Post

 

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The Playboy Prince and the NannyAmazon / B&N Nook / Google Play / Kobo  / iBooks

Description:
Prince Diego Navarro is the “spare” to his brother’s “heir”. While Raoul performs his crown prince duties with the appropriate sense of nobility and poise, Diego’s garnered a bit of a reputation as a playboy – despite the good he does behind the scenes with his favorite charities.

But when tragedy strikes and his sister-in-law is killed in a car accident, Diego knows it’s time for the playboy to step up. If not for his brother, then for his niece and nephew, who now find themselves without a mother.

Which is where Rose Walters comes in.

Rose isn’t intimidated by money or glitz. The veteran nanny has worked for the rich and minimally famous, but a manor house is no comparison to a castle… or the handsome princes who live there. However, the worst thing she could possibly do is fall for the gorgeous playboy with a surprising heart of gold. He’s a prince; she’s the help. He lives in the tabloids; she loves her privacy. But when her two darling charges start to play matchmaker, Diego and Rose don’t stand a chance.

The Playboy Prince and the Nanny is the first book in Donna Alward’s royal duology.

 

Review:

The Playboy Prince and the Nanny by Donna Alward is the first book in her Royal Duology. Once again, Donna Alward gives us a wonderful sweet delightful romance.  The Playboy Prince and the Nanny revolves around a Royal family, but this book was so much fun to read, as every single character was great, and I loved every moment of it.

Prince Diego Navarro is with his friends at a bar, living the life of a playboy prince, when he sees on the television the news of terrible tragedy in his homeland of Mazazur.  His sister in law and the nanny were killed in the horrific car crash, and Diego heads home to help his brother, Raoul, the crown prince, as well  as his niece and nephew through this trying time.  Raoul has always performed along with his father, the King all the duties required of nobility, leaving Diego to live his fun wild life.  But Diego is determined to step in and show his brother and father that he is more than capable of handling any duties required.  It will be Diego who will hire a new nanny to help with the children.

Enter Rose Walters, the new nanny, who has come with excellent references with the rich and famous.  Rose knows the rules, and is very good at her job.   Rose was wonderful with her two charges, Emilia and Max, and in a short time they come to love her, as does she, and helps them learn to adapt to the loss of their mother.  When Rose arrived, she was met by Diego, and though he was handsome, caring and totally different than his playboy image, she knew she needed to avoid him as much as possible.  Her attraction to him was real, and soon Diego will find himself enjoying the friendship he had with Rose.  Both of them find it hard to keep their distance, as Diego tried to spend time with the children and Rose. 

Of course, with a Royal family, pictures are secretly taken and Rose find herself exactly where she did not want to be; on the cover of the papers.  She was help, and he was a prince.  There could be no future.  Rose must decide if she should stay, or leave the precious children, who would get hurt again. However, the Navarro family does not let the media dictate their lives, and to her surprise, Raoul and his father are supportive, finding themselves caring about her, too.  Diego is determined to show Rose how much he loves her and that she will be accepted into the Royal family.  I loved Diego and Rose together, and I adored both Max and Emilia. 

The ending was so well done, happily emotional and very satisfactory.  If you enjoy a sweet well written romance, with so many likeable characters, you should read The Playboy Prince and the Nanny.  If you have not read Donna Alward, and you enjoy romances, you should be reading her books.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

Guest Post-White and Aqua

The Inspiration behind the Princes of Marazur…

When it came to really sitting down and planning out the Princes of Marazur duet, I had to do some serious thinking about my princes. I’d already established them a bit in The Rancher’s Runaway Princess, but this was different. They had more of a walk-on role in that book, and now they were going to be center stage.

I knew that:

Raoul is the Crown Prince, and takes it seriously. That he’s married with a girl and a boy. That he and Diego lost their mother when they were very young, and that Lucy (their half-sister) is born of an affair.

Diego is the “Spare” heir, and he’s the one who rebelled as he grew older, establishing a reputation as a palace bad boy and playboy. Sure, he went to university, but he was more interested in the polo ponies and fillies of other sorts than really studying. I also knew that when the story started, he would need to be trying to shed that reputation, build some credibility, and be an asset to the family.

Sound like anyone else you can think of? #willandharry

I also found myself thinking about the remake of Sabrina that was out years ago, featuring Harrison Ford and Greg Kinnear. Now granted, this heroine isn’t going to fall for Diego and then really realize she’s in love with Raoul. But it does represent a bit of the dynamic between the brothers, much like Linus and David in the movie. Linus doesn’t think David will ever settle down, doesn’t think he takes things seriously, and David’s used to being underestimated. In the end, Linus learns to loosen his stranglehold on his responsibilities and trust David, who is ready to grow up and show there’s more to him than his past reputation.

Of course, once I started writing, the characters took on a life of their own and simply became Diego and Raoul, with their own issues and struggles and triumphs.

 

About The Author

Marti Corn Photography donna alward H-R 1600

 

A busy wife and mother of three (two daughters plus the family dog), Donna Alward believes hers is the best job in the world: a combination of stay-at-home mom and romance novelist. Donna loves being back on the East Coast of Canada after nearly twelve years in Alberta where her romance career began, writing about cowboys and the west. She is the author of Somebody Like You, Somebody’s Baby, and Someone to Love.

Social Links:

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Author Blog / Pinterest

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The Lost Vampire (Last True Vampire #5) by Kate Baxter-a review

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THE LOST VAMPIRE (Last True Vampire #5) by Kate Baxter-a review

The Lost Vampire

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 1, 2017

Soul mate–or tragic fate?

Once one of the oldest dhampirs in existence, Saeed now faces a treacherously uncertain future as a vampire. He believes that the only thing that can restore his position within his coven and tether his lost soul is the flame-haired fae who is destined to be his mate.

Cerys Bain is a soul thief. She is feared by those who dwell in the supernatural realm–and hopelessly bound to the ruthless mage Rinieri de Rege. The raw, sensual vampire who enters her world is both a threat and an intoxicating temptation: No one has ever made Cerys feel the way Saeed does. But to claim their fate as soulmates, Saeed must first find a way to free Cerys from Rin. Is their desire worth the risk of certain destruction–and eternal doom?

•••••••••••••

REVIEW: THE LOST VAMPIRE is the fifth installment in Kate Baxter’s contemporary, adult LAST TRUE VAMPIRE paranormal, romance series. This is newly turned vampire Saeed Almasi, and Fae /soul thief Cerys Bain’s story line. THE LOST VAMPIRE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty but I recommend reading the series in order as there is an ongoing premise throughout. Saeed’s story line begins in The Untamed Vampire .

Told from several third person points of view including Cerys and Saeed THE LOST VAMPIRE follows newly turned vampire Saeed Almasi as he goes in search of his mate. Thought to be mad due to the Collective memories that are destroying his mind, Saeed is desperate to find the woman that will return his soul, and calm the madness that continues to grow. Enter Cerys Bain, the woman Saeed knows to be his mate, and a woman whose life is no longer hers to control. What ensues is the building relationship between Saeed and Cerys, and Saeed’s struggle to free his mate from centuries of slavery to an ancient Master who uses Cerys’ powers to exact payment from those he believes have done him wrong.

Cerys Bain is a soul thief; a Fae female whose special abilities have been used to destroy too many lives but a woman whose guilt and anguish are tempered by the fact that Riniere de Rege, mage and boss of the local underworld, has custody of our heroine’s soul. Centuries of servitude and stealing soul’s for a man she despises have begun to take its’ toll on our story line heroine as each new soul collected takes a little of her life. Saeed Almasi was once one of the oldest dhampirs in existence. With only a few remaining vampires in the world, Saeed’s turning comes at a cost-the Collective memories of all of the vampires that have come before threatened to destroy any semblance of peace and sanity for our story line hero. Tethering his mate will return his soul but the mate he seeks has no soul to tether.

The relationship between Cerys and Saeed is one of immediate attraction but Cerys is leery about Saeed’s true intent. Without a soul Cerys knows that Saeed will not be able to tether his mate, and Saeed’s patience and growing love begin to evoke too many emotions from Cerys that have remained dormant for far too long. The $ex scene are intimate and seductive without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including Fae (Breanne and Fallon), shifters, vampires (Sasha Ivanov and Diego,Bria, Siobhan) , dhampirs (Jason), berserkers ( Warlord Ian Gregor) and mage (Rin). We are reintroduced to several previous story line characters including Mikhail Aristov (King of the vampires).

The world building continues to focus on the political structure, history and infighting between the various supernatural species. Six hundred years earlier the Sortiari and the Beserkers had all but wiped out the vampire race from existence as retribution for the vampires killing most of the Beserkers female population. The Beserkers became the mindless killers, enslaved by the Sortiari, and are now seeking retribution for sins of the past.

THE LOST VAMPIRE is a story of one man’s struggle to find purpose, to find his mate, and to find peace and quiet from the memories that threaten to destroy his mind. Relinquishing leadership of his coven, Saeed goes in search of a fantasy pulled from the memories of those who died long before. The premise is detailed and entertaining; the characters are colorful, many and spirited; the romance is emotional and intense. THE LOST VAMPIRE is an energetic and passionate look at the supernatural.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

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Knight on the Texas Plains by Linda Broday – Review, Guest Post & Giveaway

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Knight on the Texas Plains by Linda Broday – Review, Guest Post & Giveaway

 

 

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Knight on the Texas PlainsAmazon / B&N / Kobo / BAM / Book Depository  | iBooks | IndieBound 

Description:
UNDER A STARRY TEXAS SKY

Duel McClain was no knight in shining armor — he was a drifter who prided himself on having no responsibilities. But a poker game thrust him into the role of father to an abandoned baby, and then a condemned woman stumbled up to his campfire. The fugitive beauty aimed to keep him at shotgun’s length, but obvious maternal instincts belied her fierce demeanor. And she and the baby were clearly made for each other. Worse, the innocent infant and the alleged murderess opened Duel’s heart, made him long for the love of a real family. And the only way to have that would be to slay the demons of the past.

 

Review:

Knight on the Texas Plains by Linda Broday is the first book in her new Texas Heroes series. When I decided to read this Western historical romance that takes place in 1880 Texas, I was not sure what to expect, since I do not read a lot of this genre.  Upon completing the book, I am so glad I did. I loved Knight on the Texas Plains.

Duel McClain, our hero, is a loner who is privately grieving over the loss of his wife to childbirth years before. During a card game, Duel wins a little baby girl, and despite his original refusal to accept the child, he will change his mind.  Duel doesn’t want the child to be tossed around by the nasty man who was keeping the child, and the little girl (Marley Rose)was quickly clinging to him: he then  makes the decision to head home to his family ranch, where hasn’t been since he left home. 

Jessie Foulty, our heroine, is on the run, and comes across Duel and Marley sitting by a campfire for the night.  Jessie is scared, and badly bruised. Duel can see that she was beaten up, and tries to help her.  Jessie trusts no man, but when she watches Duel with little Marley, she begins to relax and in her desperation, she will accept Duel’s offer to come his ranch with him and take care of Marley.  Eventually Jessie, who feels she is unworthy will tell Duel the truth:  she killed her husband, and even if she was defending herself, Jessie knows if they find her, they will have her killed.  Duel, who slowly begins to care for Jessie, knows she suffered very badly, and when he sees the branding on her shoulder (like a cattle branding), he knows she is truly the innocent one.

What follows is a unique and wonderful story of two people broken, for different reasons, will find love for each other and a child, who has brought them together.  I loved when they got to the family ranch, and Duel’s family was great.  Marley was such a precious child, so cute and bubbly, and we too could not help but adore her.  I enjoyed when an injured stray dog becomes Marley’s friend (Boobie), and will become another addition to the family.  To protect Jessie, Duel convinces her to marry him, as they bring up Marley together.  Most important was watching both Duel and Jessie find their way past the loss of his wife, and her discovering how Duel was sweet, gentle, and loving, not like other men who tortured her.  This was a very emotional story line, which was also suspenseful, especially when Jessie is discovered and brought back to the town where she killed her husband.  But when the family stands by her and the truth of what she endured during her marriage is revealed to all to see, there is hope.

I can’t say enough how much I enjoyed this heart wrenching story, and the wonderful characters Linda Broday has created.  I strongly suggest you read Knight on the Texas Plains.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

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What Were the Unique Challenges of a Romance on the American Frontier?

To survive on the frontier took a lot of hard work, but I think many things took a big toll on romance and marriage. Distance was a huge hurdle to overcome when they were courting. Even if the couple lived on ranches next to each other, they rarely got to do things together because the ranches back then were pretty large. Travel was so slow that it took hours to get anyplace and it wasn’t seemly for a young woman to stay over at her prospective groom’s house.

They lived for social occasions. The dances, church socials, harvests, other events were much anticipated. Life for those who lived too far to attend these functions was extremely solitary and boring. Humans are social creatures. We simply need that interaction—and to meet members of the opposite sex.

The lack of women presented the biggest problem to men. There just weren’t that many until after the Civil War when women in the East outnumbered the men and turned to the booming mail order bride business. They were willing to marry a man sight unseen so they could ease the loneliness and have a family.

Once a couple married, they faced many hardships—the weather, the crops, the prospect of losing their land and home. They worked from sunup to sundown and barely had any time to sit and just talk. The never-ending work took the romance from a lot of people.

I think wives had it harder though. They faced childbirth without a doctor or even a midwife. The mountain of work was unbelievable. Cooking, cleaning, washing clothes, milking cows, churning butter, and a million other things. They had no time for romance.

Also, loneliness stole a woman’s spirit. With her husband out working all day, she had no one to talk to and the incessant wind only made everything worse.

I hope readers will try KNIGHT ON THE TEXAS PLAINS. Duel McClain marries Jessie Foltry in order to hide her from the lawmen who are looking to arrest her for murder. Jessie’s been through a horrible ordeal and it take a while to see Duel as anything other than a protector. The bridge between them is a poor little babe Duel wins in a poker game. Together they become a patchwork family.

 

theauthor
LInda Broday

At a young age, Linda Broday discovered a love for storytelling, history, and anything pertaining to the Old West. Cowboys fascinate her. There’s something about Stetsons, boots, and tall rugged cowboys that get her fired up. A New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Linda has won many awards, including the prestigious National Readers’ Choice Award and the Texas Gold Award. She resides in the Texas Panhandle and is inspired every day.

 

Find Linda Online:

Website: / Facebook: / Twitter: / Goodreads:

 

 

BLUEANDYELLOWGIVEAWAY

Linda Broday’s Publisher is offering a paper copy of Knight on the Texas Plains ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

NOTE: If you are having difficulty commenting after logging onto the site, please refresh the page (at the top of your computer).

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. Please follow Linda Broday on Facebook.

4. LIKE us on FACEBOOK and then click GET NOTIFICATION under ‘liked’ for an additional entry.

5. LIKE us on Twitter for an additional entry.

6. Please FOLLOW us on GOODREADS for an additional entry.

7. Please follow The Reading Cafe on Tumblr

8. Giveaway is open to USA only

9. Giveaway runs from August 3 to 7, 2017

 

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Blight by Alexandra Duncan – a Review

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Blight by Alexandra Duncan – a Review

 

BlightAmazon / B&N / Kobo / BAM / Book Depository

Description:
Seventeen-year-old Tempest Torres has lived on the AgraStar farm north of Atlanta since she was found outside the gates at the age of five. Now she’s part of the security force guarding the fence and watching for scavengers—people who would rather steal genetically engineered food from the company than work for it. When a group of such rebels accidentally sets off an explosion in the research compound, it releases into the air a blight that kills every living thing in its path—including humans. With blight-resistant seeds in her pocket, Tempest teams up with a scavenger boy named Alder and runs for help. But when they finally arrive at AgraStar headquarters, they discover that there’s an even bigger plot behind the blight—and it’s up to them to stop it from happening again.

 

 

Review:

Blight by Alexandra Duncan is the first book in her new YA dystopian series.  We have not heard if this book will be a series, but having completed the book, and read the ending, I do suspect there will be more to come.

Tempest Torres, our young heroine, lives on AgraStar, a research and development area that creates genetically engineered food.  Tempest, who was left at the gate when she was 5, is now 17 and a member of the security forces for Agrastar.  When scavengers try to break into the compound to steal food, Tempest shoots one of them to scare them off.  She joins one of the older groups for a short trip, excited to be included.  While on the expedition, an explosion takes place that destroys the compound, with both people and crops destroyed.  When her team fights off the attackers, she is captured, as the rest of her team is killed.  Because she killed one of the scavengers, they mark her for death.  Tempest will escape, and as she comes across different groups besides the AgraStar, and scavengers, she will see a different world that she was not prepared for. 

Alder, one of the scavengers, who wanted to kill Tempest, will join with her find a way to survive.  They, despite their differences, they will become friends, and help each other.  Tempest does not believe Alder’s stories about AgraStar being bad, and she maintains her loyalty, but at the same time will protect Alder, since he saved her life.  As the Blight continues to move toward other areas, Tempest is determined to bring to the main headquarters of AgraStar the seeds that will stop the destruction.

When she is rescued, Tempest will meet the woman who claims she is her mother; it seems her father stole her when she was 5, and the mother grieved over her loss.  She will meet her younger sister, who resembles her, as well as a young man, whom also looks like the boy she had a crush on back home.  Tempest’s mother is a high ranking scientist, which puts Tempest on higher echelon ; but she is worried about Alder, and wants to save him.  What follows is at first an exciting adventure, which will become a interesting discovery with a few twists that will change everything.  Tempest was a very good heroine, who must decide what is real and where does she belong.  As I said earlier, the ending is not a cliffhanger, but does leave things open.  I know that I for one want to know what happens next.  This was a very good YA dystopian storyline, very well written by Alexandra Duncan.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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For 100 Reasons (100 Series #3) by Lara Adrian-Review and Book Tour

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FOR 100 REASONS (100 Series#3 ) by Lara Adrian-Review and Book Tour

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FOR 100 REASONS
100 Series #3
by Lara Adrian
Genre: adult ,contemporary, erotic,romance
Release Date: July 31, 2017

For 100 Reasons

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo /ibooks

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date July 31, 2017

Billionaire Dominic Baine stepped into Avery Ross’s life when it was at its lowest. Obsessed with the beautiful, struggling artist, Nick was determined to have her. What began as a scorching seduction soon burned out of control, exploding into a white-hot passion neither of them could deny.

Yet Nick and Avery are two damaged people, both haunted by dark secrets with the power to destroy them. And for Nick, the ugly past that shaped him cannot compare to the unforgivable deception that drives Avery from his arms, from his life. Now the man accustomed to having everything he desires must find a way to redeem himself to the only woman he has ever loved.

Avery Ross has known heartbreak. She has known betrayal and loss, but nothing like the pain that loving Dominic Baine has brought into her life. Reeling from the aftermath of his devastating revelation, instead of allowing despair to break her, she builds herself into something stronger—the fearless woman and gifted artist that Nick’s passion has taught her to be. Yet her heart is in pieces, and despite everything she has, the one thing she needs is the man whose possessive desires and consuming love holds the power to either save them both or shatter her forever. . . .

•••••••••••••

REVIEW: FOR 100 REASONS is the third and final installment in Lara Adrian’s contemporary, adult 100 SERIES erotic, romance trilogy focusing on billionaire Dominic Baine, and artist Avery Ross. FOR 100 REASONS should not be read as a stand alone.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Dominic and Avery) FOR 100 REASONS picks up approximately one year after the events of book two-FOR 100 NIGHTS in which Avery Ross discovers the truth about Dominic’s deception and their introduction months before. One year would pass before Dominic re-entered Avery’s life- a life, of which, now involves a successful career as an artist and a new man by her side. A second chance encounter finds Avery thinking about the past-a past she once shared with the man she still loves. What ensues is the rekindling relationship between Avery and Dominic, as Dominic comes face to face with the man he believes destroyed his life.

FOR 100 REASONS is an emotional and revealing story line about two broken people whose childhoods were destroyed by the people in their lives. Lara Adrian ‘s 100 SERIES tells the dramatic tale of one woman’s struggle to take control of her life, and one man’s battle with the ghosts from his past. The premise is encouraging and intense; the characters are passionate and spirited; the romance is intimate and sensual. FOR 100 REASONS is a moving and provocative conclusion to Lara Adrian’s 100 SERIES that will captivate your attention.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews

For 100 Reasons Teaser

For 100 Days
For 100 Nights
For 100 Reasons

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

about the author

Lara AdrianLara Adrian is the New York Times, USA Today and #1 internationally bestselling author of the Midnight Breed vampire romance series and seven award-winning, historical romances, previously released under the pen name Tina St. John.

Lara’s Midnight Breed series is available in hardcover, mass market paperback and e-book through Random House, and in limited edition through Doubleday Book Club, Rhapsody Book Club, Book of The Month, and the Science Fiction Book Club. Unabridged audio editions are available through Tantor Media, Random House Audio, Amazon, iTunes, etc. Lara’s new releases regularly appear on all of the key bestseller lists including the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, Indiebound, Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, etc. There are more than 2 million copies of the Midnight Breed novels in print in the United States.

 

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SEAL Wolf Undercover (Heart of the Wolf 22) by Terry Spear-Review, Guest Post & Giveaway

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SEAL WOLF UNDERCOVER (Heart of the Wolf #22) by Terry Spear-Review, Guest Post & Giveaway

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SEAL Wolf Undercover
Heart of the Wolf #22
by Terry Spear
Genre: adult, contemporary, paranormal, romance
Release Date: August 1, 2017

SEAL Wolf Undercover

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Chapters Indigo / Barnes and Noble | iBooks | Kobo | IndieBound

About the book: Release Date August 1, 2017

Never be so foolish as to fall for the enemy…
Special wolf agent Jillian Matthews has joined the jaguar-run United Shifter Force to track down a deadly criminal. She’s even willing to work with PI Vaughn Greystroke―until the hot, growly SEAL wolf makes the mistake of getting in her way. Naturally, she shoots him. Who could blame her?

Vaughn Greystroke has always worked alone. But when a string of attempted murders puts him in the crosshairs, teaming up with the Shifter Force begins to sound like a good idea. Even if he has to work with alluring―and potentially treacherous―Jillian Matthews. Vaughn is a trained SEAL, after all. He can surely keep his distance from Jillian…no matter how much she’s getting under his skin.

•••••••••••

REVIEW: SEAL WOLF UNDERCOVER is the twenty-second installment in Terry Spear’s contemporary, adult HEART OF THE WOLF paranormal, romance series. This is PI and former SEAL Vaughn Greystroke, and Special wolf agent Jillian Matthews’ story line. SEAL WOLF UNDERCOVER can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary. SEAL WOLF UNDERCOVER crosses over with the HEART OF THE JAGUAR series, as the author continues to build the USF-United Shifter Force headed by the jaguar team of Demetria, Everett and Howard first introduced in A Very Jaguar Christmas .

Told from dual third person perspectives (Vaughn and Jillian) SEAL WOLF UNDERCOVER follows the search for a potential killer. Vaugn Greystroke’s Colorodo pack mate and friend Douglas Wendish was attacked and left for dead while on vacation in the backwoods of Oregon, and the first person to stumble upon the scene is Special wolf agent Jillian Matthews, who shoots first and asks questions later including shooting our hero Vaughn Greystroke. But Vaughn struggles with the possibility that Jillian’s brother Miles is a suspect and the fact that Miles refuses to come forward places Vaughn in an awkward position as he quickly comes to realize that Jillian is his mate. Enter jaguar shifters Demetria, Everett and Howard, who along with Jillian and Vaughn, set out to hunt for the shifter responsible. What ensues is the fast-building relationship between Jillian and Vaughn, and the realization that Douglas Wendish kept secret his reasons for his most recent vacation

SEAL WOLF UNDERCOVER is a detailed story with mystery, intrigue, family, friendship, romance and love. There are moments of humor and fun, action and danger, sexy times and a happily ever after. The relationship between Jillian and Vaughn begins as a case of mistaken identity as Vaughn targets Miles, and Jillian targets the shifter threatening her brother. The $ex scenes are intimate and seductive. The sexual energy was low key as the story line focused on the search for the truth and the hunt for a potential killer. Jillian’s brother Miles struggles for meaning in his life but what he finds are lies and betrayal.

There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including both wolf and jaguar shifters. The requisite evil has many faces but not all necessarily with the same end-game in mind.

SEAL WOLF UNDERCOVER is a lighthearted, spirited and energetic look at the supernatural. The premise is engaging; the characters are colorful and passionate; the romance is intimate and fated. SEAL WOLF UNDERCOVER is a satisfying and delightful addition to Terry Spear’s HEART OF THE WOLF paranormal series.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

guest post

How do you develop your hero and heroine? Do the ideas come to you fully formed, or do you figure them out as you write?

Creating characters is fun, but I don’t make lists of their likes or dislikes. Or faults and strengths. I think that’s what makes them so interesting to me.

While I’m writing about my hero and heroine, they come to life in the situations they have to deal with. Conflict helps to show what they’re made of and everyone will handle a different scenario in their own unique way based on their life experiences. But I don’t know what they are, oftentimes, until I’m writing the story. It really depends on the story too.

When I was writing about Sarandon Silver in The Bounty Hunter Gets Her Wolf, the heroine is brand new to the scene, but he isn’t. He’s been in several Silver Town stories, and so he has a rich history of trouble with the pack, mostly concerning his father, the former sheriff of Silver Town. That means I have to use previous stories, his life history, to ensure he’s true to his character from the past.

With SEAL Wolf Undercover, SEAL wolf Vaughn Greymere has been in one other story as a secondary character. But I was also tying him in with the jaguars, who have been in other stories, and a brand new gray wolf, Jillian…to the scene. I wanted to open up the story where the two wolves see each other and admire each other, but don’t really meet. I wanted Vaughn to show the kind of stuff he’s made of. At a jaguar dance club, he believes a dancer on one of the high platforms that breaks away, is about to fall to her death, and being a SEAL, and an alpha wolf, and a hero type, he rushes to rescue her. This makes a great impression on Jillian, though she doesn’t know he’s a SEAL or a wolf. Or that jaguar shifters existed at that time.

They’re all thrown in together later—the jaguars and wolves—to search for whoever has injured wolves and jaguars. Only he believes Jillian’s brother is the suspect and she shoots Vaughn to protect her brother.
And that’s how it all begins when he actually meets her. He’s hot, naked, wounded, and she can’t help the way her pheromones are telling her this guy is the one she needs in her life, when he’s out to get her brother! And Vaughn’s sure she’s protecting her brother when he’s the one they need to be taking down. Though, despite her shooting Vaughn, he can’t help but want to keep her in his sights. And more.

Every hero and every heroine has their own past, their weaknesses and strengths, their dreams and goals, their likes and dislikes and all of these things help to mold them into the characters they are today. But I only learn this as they go through all their trials. In the beginning, all I know is they have to be in a situation that changes their life in some way and how the hero and heroine meet. This will also have something to do with who they are—their jobs, their goals, their dreams. And from there, the story and their characters unfold.

~~Terry~~

About the author

Terry Spear Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

Love, love, love romance, the paranormal, hunky Highlanders with their delicious brogue and hot kilts, so Terry Spear writes about those hunky Highlanders both in medieval times and as wolves in contemporary times. Jaguar shifters too! And young adult urban fantasy. And romantic suspense. She grew up reading mystery, adventure, mythologies from around the world, ghost stories, the paranormal, fell in love with Dracula and Wolfman, and felt they needed loving too. Everyone should have someone to love. Which means her stories always have a HEA. USA Today Bestseller residing in Central Texas from Sacramento, California who creates award-winning teddy bears too!

Giveaway

Terry Spear’s publisher is graciously offering a paper copy of SEAL WOLF UNDERCOVER to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

NOTE: If you are having difficulty commenting after logging onto the site, please refresh the page (at the top of your computer).

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. Follow Terry Spear on Facebook.

4. LIKE us on FACEBOOK and then click GET NOTIFICATION under ‘liked’ for an additional entry.

5. LIKE us on Twitter for an additional entry.

6. Please FOLLOW us on GOODREADS for an additional entry.

7. Please follow The Reading Cafe on Tumblr

8. Giveaway is open to USA / Canada only

9. Giveaway runs from August 1-5, 2017

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Devil’s Cut (The Bourbon Kings #3) by J.R. Ward – Dual Review

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Devil’s Cut  (The Bourbon Kings #3) by J.R. Ward – Dual Review

 

Devil’s Cut
Bourbon Kings series – Book #3
by J.R. Ward
Release Date: August 1, 2017

Devil's Cut

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / BAM / Book Depository

Description:
At first, the death of William Baldwine, the head of the Bradford family, was ruled a suicide. But then his eldest son and sworn enemy, Edward, came forward and confessed to what was, in fact, a murder. Now in police custody, Edward mourns not the disintegration of his family or his loss of freedom . . . but the woman he left behind. His love, Sutton Smythe, is the only person he has ever truly cared about, but as she is the CEO of the Bradford Bourbon Company’s biggest competitor, any relationship between them is impossible. And then there’s the reality of the jail time that Edward is facing.

Lane Baldwine was supposed to remain in his role of playboy, forever in his big brother Edward’s shadow. Instead he has become the new head of the family and the company. Convinced that Edward is covering for someone else, Lane and his true love, Lizzie King, go on the trail of a killer—only to discover a secret that is as devastating as it is game-changing.

As Lane rushes to discover the truth, and Sutton finds herself irresistibly drawn to Edward in spite of his circumstances, the lives of everyone at Easterly will never be the same again. For some, this is good; for others, it could be a tragedy beyond imagining. Only one thing’s for certain: Love survives all things. Even murder.


Barb’s Review:

Devil’s Cut by J.R. Ward is the 3rd and final book in her Bourbon Kings trilogy. Devil’s Cut picks up immediately after Angel’s Share left off.  Edward, the oldest brother, is now in jail, having confessed to the murder of his father, William Baldwine.  There was no love lost for William’s death, as everyone in the family rightfully hated him, as he was an evil & destructive man.

Lane finds himself in a mess trying to cope with his father’s funeral; working with his friend and financial genius Jeff to help save Bradford Bourbon from bankruptcy; and at the same time find the truth about who killed his father, as Lane knows Edward is protecting someone.

All of this is the focus of story, with Lane, Lizzie, Gin, Samuel, Max, Sutton all playing major parts in this intense family saga.  While Lane has Jeff working on every possibility to save their company, he and Lizzie try to find out who Edward is protecting.  I mentioned in my previous review, that I loved Lane and Lizzie together, and that has not changed.  But I also wanted so badly that Sutton could find a way to get Edward stop hiding from the love they both have for each other, but first she has to help Lane and Lizzie discover the truth…..something which as we get closer will be a surprise.

Gin, who near the end of Angel’s Share, married Richard, for his money, knowing he was a bully, who eventually would beat her.  Samuel, who truly did love Gin, but felt there could never be a future for them; when Gin finds herself in danger, it will be Samuel who will come to her rescue, and along the way he will discover a truth that has been hidden from him for years.  Another surprise here. 

Max, the youngest brother, has a small role here, but slowly he begins to realize that perhaps it was time for him to stop running away, as his father could no longer haunt him.

J.R. Ward gives us a wonderful tense mystery that will have all the Bradford/Baldwine family totally buried in disaster, deceit, and desperation to save them all.  But as things begin to unravel and heat up, things will come to a head that will bring them all together.  I cannot tell too much more, as it would ruin the story for those who should be reading this series.  

Devil’s Cut brings this series to a satisfactory conclusion, and what an ending it is.  There were so many twists, and surprises, as well as a wonderful happy ending to this fantastic series, which Ward has created and written so well for us to savior.  I loved the Bourbon Kings series, and the wonderful family saga of the Bradford/Baldwines.  If you have not started this series, I suggest you do so by reading the first book, The Bourbon Kings.

Sandy’s Review:

DEVIL’S CUT is the third and final installment in JR Ward’s dramatic, contemporary, adult THE BOURBON KINGS series focusing on the uber rich Bradford/Baldwine family of Charlemont, Kentucky- a bourbon dynasty whose beautiful façade hides many dark and dangerous secrets. Like the previous installment-The Angel’s Share-Devil’s Cut is an ensemble story line that looks at the aftermath of William Baldwine’s death and the investigation into millions of dollars in missing money. The entire series covers little more than a week in the life of the Baldwine/Bradford family.

Told from several third person points of view DEVIL’S CUT continues to focus on the Bradford/Baldwine family as they struggle to come to terms with the death (murder) of their father- a man despised by both family and employees-and a man who spent the final months of his life wiping out the family fortune. With eldest brother Edward Baldwine confessing to the murder of the family patriarch, Lane Baldwine struggles to keep the Baldwine Bradford Bourbon Company from declaring bankruptcy in the face of a growing list of bank loan defaults. Prodigal son Max returns only to come face to face with the woman he has always loved, and daughter Virginia ‘Gin’ embarks on a dangerous journey with a man she knows will destroy her life.

DEVIL’S CUT follows several paths as each of the Baldwine siblings battles demons from the past. With their ailing mother little more than a shadow of her former self, Max reveals to Lane a long kept family secret that will change the siblings dynamics as a new perspective on past events begins to unfold. A death-bed confession; heartbreaking confessions; and the discovery of a well-timed investment find each of the siblings focusing on a possible future with the man and women they love.

If you are a fan of the author’s Black Dagger Brotherhood you can’t help but notice a few similarities especially as it pertains to some of the individual characteristics, peculiarities and talents of the story line characters. e.g. singing voice of Max vs Zhadist

DEVIL’S CUT is a story of drama, betrayal, heartbreak and revenge. The dysfunctional Baldwine/Bradford family must face the media, the police, and the truth as to the extent of damage one man was willing to inflict upon the people he should have loved. Years of emotional and physical pain have taken their toll. The premise is dramatic, revealing and intense; the characters are broken, rebellious but strong; the romances are fated-five second chances at love, and a future free of trauma and guilt. JR Ward’s amazing THE BOURBON KINGS is an engaging, fascinating and passionate series that will leave you breathless, and wanting more.

Copy provided by Publisher

 

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