Monthly Archives: June 2018

Perfect (Soulmates #4) by Felice Stevens-a review

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PERFECT (Soulmates #4) by Felice Stevens-a review

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 23 2018

Despite multiple degrees and business success, in his heart Jeremy Strauss feels he’s never measured up. While he hasn’t lacked for men or women to share his bed, Jeremy has yet to find someone who sees beyond his muscles and perfect smile. Taking it slow with a lover isn’t how he operates, but something about the shy accountant he rescues in a snowstorm makes him want this time to be different. So what if Blake drops little comments here and there about Jeremy’s pretty face? Their relationship is perfect.

Or is it?

Lonely most of his life, Blake Myers is as careful with his heart as he is with a balance sheet. The last thing he expects is for a man like Jeremy to fall for him, and he can’t help but wait for the bubble to burst on their relationship. When the stress of a professional crisis turns personal, Blake sees the perfect relationship he and Jeremy have built start to crumble. Caught in an ever-tightening web of lies, rather than wait for Jeremy to leave him, Blake breaks it off and vanishes.

Perfection is an illusion.

Jeremy doesn’t know which way to turn and for the first time in his life, he’s lost and uncertain. Believing he’s no longer the man Jeremy needs, Blake sinks deeper into despair. Both men struggle with secrets, lies, and hurtful memories until they are forced to look inside their hearts and learn the truth—that love is perfectly imperfect.

••••••••••

REVIEW:  PERFECT is the fourth instalment in Felice Stevens’ contemporary, adult SOULMATES erotic, M/M romance series. This is gym owner Jeremy Strauss, and accountant Blake Myers’ story line. PERFECT can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary. Some of the events of PERFECT run parallel to the events of book two – ONE CALL AWAY where the reader was introduced to Jeremy’s brother, former model, and radio talk show psychologist Noah Straus.

NOTE: PERFECT is an M/M storyline with graphic sexual situations that may not be suitable for all readers.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Blake and Jeremy) PERFECT follows the building relationship between gym owner and businessman Jeremy Strauss, and accountant Blake Myers. An early snow-storm found CPA Blake Myers taking refuge with a stranger, a man who checked off all of Blake’s boxes but a man Blake believes is too good for a numbers nerd like himself. Jeremy Strauss likes what he sees when he first encounters the shy and sweet accountant, a shyness that only endears Blake to the man with whom he will fall in love. What ensues is the slow building relationship between Blake and Jeremy, and the fall-out as Blake’s professional life begins to implode, taking a toll on his personal relationship with the man that he loves.

PERFECT is a story of opposites attract. Blake has issues of low self-esteem, having been lead to believe that he will never be good enough by the father he has grown to hate. Jeremy is a man determined to find someone who will love him for more than his body and his looks, but for his mind and his heart as well. As Blake’s professional life begins to spiral out of control, the secrets and lies continue to build until he is forced to walk away from the man that he loves.

The relationship between Jeremy and Blake is one of immediate attraction but Blake isn’t one to fall immediately into bed. Jeremy must bide his time as his slow seduction of Blake brings him closer towards his happily ever after. Both Jeremy and Blake have issues stemming from their earlier years, issues that should have been resolved as they entered adulthood and matured but sometimes emotional, childhood scars have a way of causing permanent damage that may never be resolved. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

PERFECT is a sexy and edgy story line. Blake is an awkward numbers man who struggles to be accepted in both his personal and professional life; Jeremy is as laid back as Blake is intense but Jeremy hides a bruised ego as it pertains to his own successes in life. The premise is dramatic and edgy; the characters are realistic and animated; the romance is provocative and intense.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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Make Me Crave (Make Me #2) by Katee Robert-a review

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MAKE ME CRAVE (Make Me #2) by Katee Robert-a review

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date July 1, 2018

“I crave you…”

Can their hunger be satisfied?

Roman Bassani will do anything to close a deal. Even chase down Allie Landers on her Caribbean vacation to make an offer on her company. He expects a challenge—but not their immediate intense attraction. After an accidental one-night stand they agree to put business aside—for now. The island lulls them into a heated sexual journey…but what happens to their opposing interests when they return from paradise?

••••••

REVIEW: MAKE ME CRAVE is the second instalment in Katee Robert’s contemporary, adult MAKE ME erotic, romance series. This is investment consultant Roman Bassani, and gym owner Allie Landers’ story line. MAKE ME CRAVE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Allie and Roman) MAKE ME CRAVE follows the building relationship between investment consultant Roman Bassani, and gym owner Allie Landers. Allie Landers’ business, a gym and women’s shelter, is bleeding money. Close to bankrupt, and in desperate need of funds, Allie’s pride pushes our heroine towards foreclosure, when she refuses to accept an offer from a potential investor. Enter Roman Bassani, the man with whom Allie will fall in love but the man whose client wishes to remain anonymous in the face of Allie’s fears and mistrust.

Allie Landers has a difficult time trusting men, and none more so than the man who is hoping to have Allie sign on the dotted line. A much needed island vacation finds Allie coming face to face to Roman Bassani, a vacation that turns into something more as Roman pursues our heroine for more than just a business arrangement.

The highly sexual relationship between Allie and Roman begins while on an island vacation but Allie’s inability to trust, and let go of her pride, pushes at all of our hero’s buttons. Unwilling to hand her business over to an unknown investor, our heroine stands on the precipice of losing it all, including her relationship with Roman Bassani. The numerous $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and intense.

MAKE ME CRAVE is a spicy and decadent story of insta-lust; of one woman’s inability to let go of her pride, and one man’s need to prove he is much more than the bottom line. The premise is entertaining ; the characters are animated; the romance is hot, heavy and energetic. MAKE ME CRAVE will stimulate your mind on a lazy, sunny afternoon.

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of book one-MAKE ME WANT

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

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The Darkest Warrior (Lords of the Underworld #14) by Gena Showalter-Review Tour

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The Darkest Warrior (Lords of the Underworld #14) by Gena Showalter-Review Tour

THE DARKEST WARRIOR
Lords of the Underworld #14
by Gena Showalter
Genre: adult, paranormal, romance

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 26, 2018

A searing Lords of the Underworld tale by New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter, featuring a beastly prince and the wife he will wage war to keep

He is ice…

Puck the Undefeated, host of the demon of Indifference, cannot experience emotion without punishment, so he allows himself to feel nothing. Until her. According to ancient prophecy, she is the key to avenging his past, saving his realm and ruling as king. All he must do? Steal her from the man she loves—and marry her.

She is fire…

Gillian Shaw has suffered many tragedies in her too-short life, but nothing could have prepared the fragile human for her transition into immortality. To survive, she must wed a horned monster who both intrigues and frightens her…and become the warrior queen she was born to be.

Together they burn.

As a rising sense of possession and obsession overtake Puck, so does insatiable lust. The more he learns about his clever, resourceful wife, the more he craves her. And the more time Gillian spends with her protective husband, the more she aches for him. But the prophecy also predicts an unhappily-ever-after. Can Puck defeat fate itself to keep the woman who brought his deadened heart back to life? Or will they succumb to destiny, losing each other…and everything they’ve been fighting for?

•••••••••••

REVIEW:

I love this series and I’ve read all the books, so I was so excited to finally get to read this.

So ……
background story …..

We have (14 books) and (4 novellas) and to be honest the series does need to be read in order (lots of original characters are in all the books)

Lords of the underworld ….. These were immortal guards sworn to protect a secret… Pandora’s Box.

But they were tricked into killing the keeper of the box and opening the lid ….. releasing evil demons (negative emotions and feelings) into the world. The gods were angry and made the guards into prisons to “house” the demons.

And to add further insult, the guards were “marked” with huge ragged butterflies on the bodies. The guards were then kicked out of Olympus and forced to live in the “mortal world”, for centuries they warred, and caused untold misery on the earth, until they got control of their “demons” …….

Each book deals with a warrior and his “demon” the eternal struggle they have to do “right” in the world……

Further in the series, we find out that too many demons were released, so others were used to “contain” the demons (Demi gods and prisoners of war)

The back story is to regain the pieces of the box, to put the box back together and to release the demons back into the box…..

simple !!!! Not by a long shot …..

we have double dealings, back stabbings (literally in some cases) and everyone wanting the box for its powers.

So ……..
Puck is a relatively new character to the series.
He is a prince and a warrior.
He is a warrior unlike any other, no mercy, no surrender.
He is the “keeper” of indifference, he has been unable to feel any type of emotion without extreme pain, so he taught himself not to feel any emotion.
He doesn’t like war …. but you start it, he will definitely finish it.
He also doesn’t bed the same female twice, he doesn’t want the prophecy to come true.

Gillian is a human female, brought into the series relatively early on.
She was abused as a child by her family, and the lords stepped in and brought her to their home, she has been loved and cared for ever since.

Gilly has had a crush on William (someone who may or may not house a demon) ?ever since he rescued her from her family, and she was determined to “marry him” when she grew up, that childish crush turned into love. And although William “loved” his Gilly, he was her protector, but somewhere along the line, his feelings changed (but William has a destiny all of his own)

We set the scene for Puck and Gilly a couple of books back (only snippets), Gilly becomes ill and will die unless “bonded” to an immortal. Why Puck ? Why not William ? (All is explained in the book)

So I was anxious to see when Gena would take us (the fans had really wanted William and Gilly to have a HEA)

Gilly hates Puck on sight, as far as she is concerned the sooner her “marriage” to this monster ends the better, she is determined to go ahead and still be with William.

Gilly knows all about “monsters” both human and demon, and she’s prepared to fight to get what she wants.

Puck on the other hand is surprised that he “feels” something for this female, he had to bond with her in order to get what he wants (his kingdom) but he intends to let her go, once he gets it.

So ….. we have two main characters they don’t really like each other (and we have a third on the outside, waiting to kill Puck and regain Gilly)

And that’s not even to say they get a HEA (the prophecy says that he gets an UHEA (unhappy ever after) !!!!

The book is very fast paced, meeting characters from previous books always makes me smile.
The twists and turns keep you guessing as to whom gets Gilly, and do we get closer to finding Pandora’s Box ? There are a few other plots along the way.

I personally didn’t want Gilly and William together……do I get my wish ? You’ll have to read the book and found out ?

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Julie ?

Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of over fifty books, including the acclaimed Lords of the Underworld and Angels of the Dark series, and the White Rabbit Chronicles. She writes sizzling paranormal romance, heartwarming contemporary romance, and unputdownable young adult novels, and lives in Oklahoma City with her family and menagerie of dogs. Visit her at GenaShowalter.com.

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Fixed Forever (Fixed #6) by Laurelin Paige-Review and Excerpt Tour

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FIXED FOREVER (Fixed #6) by Laurelin Paige-Review & Excerpt Tour

FIXED FOREVER
Fixed #6
by Laurelin Paige
Release Date: June 25, 2018
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic,romance

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 25, 2018

Hudson Pierce-

You act so high and mighty, you and your perfect pregnant wife Alayna. With your perfect child and your perfect home.

You weren’t always perfect. Your past is filled with misdeeds.

Does your wife know all your secrets?

Would she stand behind you if she did?

You think because she’s on bedrest you can protect her? How sweet.

Sleep tight, you two.

-An Old Friend.

••••••

REVIEW: FIXED FOREVER is the sixth instalment in Laurelin Paige’s contemporary adult FIXED erotic, romance series focusing on billionaire businessman Hudson Pierce, and his wife Alayna Withers-Pierce. FIXED FOREVER should not be read as a stand alone as many of the events in Fixed Forever are as of a direct result of events in the previous instalments. I recommend reading the series in order for backstory and cohesion especially as it pertains to Hudson and Alayna’s earlier relationship.

Told from dual first person points of view (Hudson and Alayna) FIXED FOREVER fast forwards the series several years, and focuses on the threats against billionaire businessman Hudson Pierce, and the woman he loves, his wife Alayna Withers-Pierce. Several months into her second pregnancy, threatening letters, of a personal nature, began to arrive from an unknown source. Trying to keep the letters a secret from his wife, Hudson hires more security in an attempt to alleviate the threats to his family but all does not go according to plan when, months later, Alayna discovers the truth and begins an investigation of her own. With Hudson’s colorful and deceitful past, any number of suspects are possible including the woman, Celia Werner, who helped mastermind the games Hudson played with so many lives.

FIXED FOREVER reveals the some of the questionable enterprises upon which Hudson (and Celia) embarked in an attempt to play their dangerous games of lies and deceit. Vengeance and retribution are but the tip of the iceberg, as Hudson and Alayna must delve deeper into the dark secrets of Hudson’s past, revealing the truth depth of depravity our hero had once journeyed, not only with Celia, but in his earlier years, as well. Issues of trust slowly eat away at the shaky foundation upon which their relationship is built but Hudson’s need to protect his family is first and foremost the most important issue on his mind.

Most of the previous story line couples (and characters) play secondary and supporting roles including Hudson’s brother Chandler and his fiancé Genevieve, as well as their sister Mirabelle; and Hudson’s PA Trish Bisceglia. We are reintroduced to Alayna’s nemesis, and Hudson’s former ‘partner’ Celia Werner, and her husband Edward Fasbender. Celia and Edward’s story is next with the release of SLAY book one, in the author’s spin off series the Slay Trilogy slated for June 2019. I will add that there is some confusion as it pertains to the similarity in names especially as it concerned Mira (Mirabelle), and Mina (Hudson and Alayna’s daughter), as well as Hudson, and his son Holden. The resemblance made for some confusing moments.

FIXED FOREVER is a story of betrayal, secret and lies; vengeance, jealousy, and retribution; romance, love, and a happily ever after. The premise is intriguing, suspenseful and captivating; the characters are familiar, colorful and charismatic; the romance is erotic, passionate and intense. Laurelin Paige writes an impassioned story about two people whose love for one another is tested, one betrayal at a time.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Fixed on You
Found in You
Forever With You
Hudson
Free Me (The Found Duet #1)
Find Me (The Found Duet #2)
Falling Under You
Chandler
Dirty Filthy Fix
Fixed Forever

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

If she’d needed a day or two in bed, upset and processing and obsessively looking through pictures of the event on social media, what would that have mattered?

I trusted her to come back to me when she was through her anxiety.

Maybe that was the key. Maybe she wasn’t punishing me —but rather, was testing me. Seeing if I was capable of actually letting her go to work and not interfering. Not showing up, cold and demanding, when she lost track of time.

Because in truth, I was the one who wasn’t strong enough.

For all that I blamed her for giving in to her overactive mind, I was the one who worried too much. Who was overprotective. Who couldn’t handle the thought of her suffering, even only slightly. She was the one who alerted me to possibilities, her mind skittering from one thing to the next even as she stayed my rock.

The truth was, without me, Alayna was still brilliant and clever and lovely and big-hearted and enough.

But without her, I was nothing.

In 2013, Laurelin Paige self-published her first novel. Her husband was just laid off, she had three kids, one with special needs, and they had just filed for bankruptcy so she needed this novel to work. Less than 1 year later, her debut novel, Fixed on You, was at the top of the bestseller lists and was named one of the top ten selling books of 2014 by Publishers Weekly (the only self-published book to do so) and a Top Ten Favorite Read of 2014 by People Magazine. Her successive self-published novels have been smash hits with readers.

Laurelin Paige is the NY Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of the Fixed Trilogy. She’s a sucker for a good romance and gets giddy anytime there’s kissing, much to the embarrassment of her three daughters.

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Total Control (11th Hour #2) by Jackie Ashenden-a review

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TOTAL CONTROL (11th Hour #2) by Jackie Ashenden-a review

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 26, 2018

Once they were soldiers. Now they answer only to honor . . .

The 11th Hour is made up of men and women who are no longer deemed fit to serve their country, but still need to fight a war. They work in shadows, keep their secrets—and follow their hearts . . .

Helicopter pilot Kellan Blake has always hated being told what to do, so being discharged from the army for insubordination doesn’t come as much of a surprise. What does surprise him is that when he joins up with the elite, underground 11th Hour squad instead, they send him straight home. The nest of vipers that calls itself his family is the next target for the team’s tech unit, so he’ll either have to brave their traps and deceptions himself—or watch his sweet, shy friend Sabrina walk into them alone . . .

Sabrina’s no femme fatale, but since there’s no one else with the tech skills to get the info they need, she’ll put on a party dress and take one for the team. But whoever decided she should pretend to be Kellan’s new fiancée hit a little too close to home. How can she concentrate on a dangerous mission when she’s worried about giving away what she really feels for her loyal, passionate, smoking hot partner? At least she isn’t likely to blow their cover. Until she’s in the line of fire, and neither Kellan’s demons nor his heart are hers to tame .

••••••••••••

REVIEW: TOTAL CONTROL is the second instalment in Jackie Ashenden’s contemporary, adult 11th HOUR romantic suspense series focusing on the men and women who work for 11th Hour Security. This is former Night Stalker Helicopter pilot and former Navy SEAL Kellan Blake, and IT specialist Sabrina Leighton’s story line. TOTAL CONTROL can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Kellan and Sabrina) TOTAL CONTROL follows the friends to lovers relationship between 11th Hour Security team members former Night Stalker Helicopter pilot and former Navy SEAL Kellan Blake, and IT specialist Sabrina Leighton. Sabrina and Kellan were childhood best friends. The daughter of the Blake estate gardener, Sabrina was raised alongside Kellan when her mother’s death and her father’s subsequent abandonment left a ten year old Sabrina with no one else to care. Fast forward to present day wherein, Sabrina and Kellan must work side by side when an 11th Hour Security assignment pits father against son as Kellan must uncover the truth behind the accusations against the father he loves. What ensues is the building physical romance between Kellan and Sabrina; the take down of the man Kellan calls dad; and the fall-out of the relationship and friendship between our leading couple as Sabrina struggles with memories from the past.

Sabrina Leighton has loved Kellan since she was ten-years old but as the daughter of the hired help, Sabrina was constantly reminded that she would never be acceptable for the man that she loved. With secrets of her own, Sabrina knew that to get involved with Kellan potentially meant a broken heart-a heart she had already lost to the man who only saw Sabrina as a friend, and nothing more. Low self esteem and numerous insecurities were always at the forefront of our heroine’s mind. Kellan Blake refused to believe that the man that he loved, his father, was involved in the things of which the 11th Hour Team had accused. With secrets of his own Kellan and Sabrina return to their childhood home, only to come face to face with the dysfunction within.

The relationship between Sabrina and Kellan is a friends to lovers romance that is doomed to fail as secrets and ghosts from the past continue to loom over our leading couple. From unrequited love to the hero’s overprotective alpha personality, the relationship also struggles with preconceived notions and a familial history that continues to eat at our heroine’s heart. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and intense without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

We are reintroduced to the 11th Hour Team including leader Jacob Night, ex-Black Ops, owner of a billion-dollar security company; Faith Beasley, Isaiah Graham, and Callie Hawthorne and Jack King (Raw Power #1). Faith and Jacob’s story is next in Hard Night.

There are some issues of repetitiveness and redundancy including 79 mentions of varying eye shades of blue, and 16 comments about the green or green-gold color of the heroine’s eyes. I also had a difficult time accepting the ‘issues’ that eventually tore our couple apart-Sabrina’s explanations and actions just didn’t fly in the face of everything that had happened. Kellan’s quick emotional turn around once he discovers that Sabrina has wanted a relationship for close to twenty years is questionable; and the results of the team investigation that culminated in nothing more than a slap on the hand were unfulfilling and underwhelming.

TOTAL CONTROL is an interesting and entertaining story line but I struggled with a number of issues. The premise is engaging; the romance is spicy; the characters are dynamic and energetic.

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of book one RAW POWER

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy 

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Six Weeks with a Lord by Eve Pendle – a Review

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Six Weeks with a Lord by Eve Pendle – a Review

 

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / BAM

 

Description:
Grace Alnott is out of time. To save her younger brother from an abusive guardian, her merchant father’s will demands she must marry a peer. Handsome but destitute Everett Hetherington, Earl of Westbury agrees to her offer of a marriage of convenience but stipulates she must live with him for six weeks. No matter how honorable he seems she can’t allow him to get too close, because the aristocracy cannot be trusted. Six weeks. Major Everett Hetherington, new Earl of Westbury, has exactly six weeks to convince the very independent Grace Alnott to spend the rest of her life with him. Despite her belief she doesn’t belong in his world, he must tempt the alluring Grace into staying, because he has fallen for her. Hard. He just has to ensure she never discovers his secret.

 

Review:

Six Weeks With a Lord is a Regency Historical Romance by Eve Pendle.  Grace Alnott is a wealthy merchant’s daughter and she has arranged a marriage of convenience to the new (but poor) Earl of Westbury. 

Grace wants to honour her father’s demand of marrying a peer, but she has doubts and misgivings, she also needs to rescue her younger brother from the “evil” guardian. 

Everett will need Grace’s dowry to help the farmers from the Westbury estate and pay family debts he has inherited, so marrying Grace is an ideal solution. And then the six weeks aren’t enough for him, he wants it to be permanent, he doesn’t have long to convince Grace that he wants it to be longer. 

But both are keeping secrets from each other. Their mutual agreement will serve both their purposes. 
Both agreed on a six weeks marriage without consummation. 
But both are attracted to one another and have a hard time ignoring their feelings. 

There are a few twists and turns and the usual love story, but it’s well written and very descriptive. 

It’s a nice read for a summer afternoon. 

Reviewed by Julie B

Copy provided by Publisher

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Iron and Magic by Ilona Andrews – a Review

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Iron and Magic by Ilona Andrews – a Review

 

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Description:
No day is ordinary in a world where Technology and Magic compete for supremacy…But no matter which force is winning, in the apocalypse, a sword will always work.

Hugh d’Ambray, Preceptor of the Iron Dogs, Warlord of the Builder of Towers, served only one man. Now his immortal, nearly omnipotent master has cast him aside. Hugh is a shadow of the warrior he was, but when he learns that the Iron Dogs, soldiers who would follow him anywhere, are being hunted down and murdered, he must make a choice: to fade away or to be the leader he was born to be. Hugh knows he must carve a new place for himself and his people, but they have no money, no shelter, and no food, and the necromancers are coming. Fast.

Elara Harper is a creature who should not exist. Her enemies call her Abomination; her people call her White Lady. Tasked with their protection, she’s trapped between the magical heavyweights about to collide and plunge the state of Kentucky into a war that humans have no power to stop. Desperate to shield her people and their simple way of life, she would accept help from the devil himself—and Hugh d’Ambray might qualify.

Hugh needs a base, Elara needs soldiers. Both are infamous for betraying their allies, so how can they create a believable alliance to meet the challenge of their enemies?

As the prophet says: “It is better to marry than to burn.”

Hugh and Elara may do both.

 

Review:

Iron and Magic by Ilona Andrews is the 1st book in their new The Iron Covenant series.   I looked forward to reading Hugh’s story, especially after he was no longer part of the Kate Daniels series.   Frankly, I will read anything and everything by our illustrious duo, Ilona and Gordon Andrews.  There has never been a book that has not enthralled me, and Iron and Magic is no exception.

Iron and Magic brings us back into the world we know from the Kate Daniels series, and the man we loved to hate…Hugh d’ Ambray.  I hated Hugh in that series, and had mixed feelings about him being redeemed.  Amazing though, as we got to spend the entire book with him, by the end, I found myself liking him much better, though he was still nasty, self-centered, and sarcastic.  But Hugh has met his match in Elara Harper “The White Lady”.  Elara turned out to be such a fantastic heroine, who was able to stand up and match Hugh at every turn.

Hugh had been exiled by his god, Roland, with it shattering him totally.  His Iron Dog army continues to be loyal to him, and they manage to bring him out of his funk.  Hugh and his army need a base to train and live.  He accepts an offer to bring his men to a land they can be safe and part of; allowing them to have shelter, food, and living spaces.  All Hugh needed to do was marry Elara, the leader of their land and castle.  She needed someone to help protect her people, and Hugh has his army, and an alliance between two people who immediately hated each was built. It was fun to watch the nasty snarky banter between them, as Elara was all ice, and Hugh was simply a bastard.  There were a few dingers between them that had me laughing. But make no mistake, they were married to present a united front, but behind the scenes they were enemies.

What follows is an exciting, wild and violent adventure that will have them working together to fight off the evil vampires and monsters killing the local villages, as well as Roland’s preceptor, Landon Nez coming to destroy them.   This was nonstop action all the way, and I loved so many of the secondary characters that were part of either Elara’s group or Hugh’s Iron Dogs.  I also loved Hugh’s stallion, Bucky.  lol

A slow build romance will begin to start between Elara and Hugh, though I expect to see more of that in the next book.  Elara, thinks of herself as an abomination, besides her being a white warlock; her hidden powers are awesome, which we get to see as she is the leader of the Departed (which we will learn more about in the future).   Hugh learns to deal with his guilt over what he did for Roland, and he remains a master at leading the battles with his Iron Dogs. 

With the final book of the Kate Daniels series Magic Triumphs forthcoming, I expect to see Hugh and perhaps Elara play a part in the finale.   There will be two more books in The Iron Covenant series that will follow in this trilogy.  Iron and Magic was a fantastic story, which we come to expect from Andrews.  I have read every single series by Ilona Andrews duo, and have loved them all.  If you have not read Kate Daniels or the other wonderful series, you are missing gems.

Reviewed by Barb

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Anything For Love by Melissa Foster-Review and Giveaway Tour

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ANYTHING FOR LOVE (The Bradens and Montgomerys: Pleasant Hills-Oak Falls #2) by Melissa Foster

ANYTHING FOR LOVE
The Bradens and the Montgomerys:
Pleasant Hills-Oak Falls #2
by Melissa Foster
Release Date: adult,contemporary, erotic, romance
Release Date: June 27, 2018

Amazon.com   / Amazon.ca  /  Amazon.co.uk /  Barnes and Noble   / KOBO    iBooks /  GPlay  / Paperback

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 27, 2018

Fall in love with Beau Braden and Charlotte Sterling in ANYTHING FOR LOVE.

After Charlotte Sterling loses her last family member, she moves to Sterling House, her family’s Colorado mountain inn, to live a solitary life. As an erotic romance writer, her days and nights are filled with passion and intrigue—even if only fictional. She loves her busy, quiet lifestyle, and she learned early on that real men can’t live up to the fictional heroes she creates—until ruggedly handsome Beau Braden arrives to do some work at the inn and, for the first time in forever, she’s intrigued by a real man.

Beau lost his first love years ago, and he’s never let go of his guilt over her death. As he nears the anniversary of his loss, he is on the cusp of becoming the star of a home-renovation reality show. Escaping the painful memories of his past to work at the defunct old inn is just the promise of solitude he needs to clear his head before diving in to the all-too-public career. But he didn’t count on being attracted to the whimsical, adorably sexy innkeeper.

Neither Charlotte nor Beau is looking for an attachment or a fling. But the more they learn about each other, the closer they become. Romantic evenings lead to intimate conversations, and neither can deny their deep connection or the passion it sparks. They’ve never fully healed on their own, but together maybe anything is possible.

The Bradens & Montgomerys are part of Melissa’s Love in Bloom big-family romance collection. All Love in Bloom novels are written to stand alone and may also be enjoyed as part of the larger series, so dive right into this fun, sexy romance.

•••••••••

REVIEW: ANYTHING FOR LOVE is the second instalment in Melissa Foster’s contemporary, adult The Bradens and Montgomerys: Pleasant Hills-Oak Falls erotic, romance series- a spin off from the author’s Bradens at Pleasant Hill series. This is erotic romance writer Charlotte Sterling, and thirty-year old, carpenter/home rehabber Beau Braden’s story line. ANYTHING FOR LOVE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Beau and Charlotte) ANYTHING FOR LOVE follows the building relationships between erotic romance writer Charlotte Sterling, and carpenter/home rehabber Beau Braden. Charlotte Sterling gets lost in the novels she writes; lost in the fantasy lives and seductive nature of the erotic story line so much so that she often forgets about the real world around her. Inheriting the Sterling House, her family’s Colorado mountain inn, Charlotte leads a solitary life not noticing the small things including the much-needed repairs to the once majestic family home. Enter carpenter and repairman Beau Braden, and the man with whom Charlotte will fall in love. What ensues is the building romance between Beau and Charlotte, and the potential fall-out as Beau struggles with ghosts from the past.

Charlotte Sterling leads a quiet but quirky life alone in the Colorado Mountains. Inspiration for her erotic romance books comes from within and the unusual ‘props’ she stages throughout the Sterling Inn. Beau Braden battles with the guilt of losing someone close, a guilt that continues to eat at his heart, and his relationship with the people he loves the most. Meeting Charlotte Sterling enables Beau to let go of the past, and the remorse that has dogged him for close to ten years.

The relationship between Charlotte and Beau is one of immediate attraction but Beau’s time at the Sterling Inn is temporary, and he has no plans to fall in love. Falling in love with Beau Braden found our heroine taking time to explore the ‘real’ side of life, a side that begins to affect the fantasies in her mind. The $ex scenes are intimate, passionate and seductive without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

We are introduced to a very, large ensemble cast of colorful secondary and supporting characters including Beau’s siblings: Graham, Zev, Jillian, Jax and Nick, as well as their parents Lily and Clint: Beau’s best friend Duncan Raznick; and Ty and Aiyla (Thrill of Love). Melissa Foster has combined and integrated two of her Love in Bloom families –the Braden’s and the Montgomerys-you are going to need a spread sheet to keep track of your favourite characters and the blooming love. Graham’s story is next in Trails of Love.

ANYTHING FOR LOVE is a story of regret, romance, second chances, and love. The premise is encouraging and uplifting; the characters are spirited, wounded and inspiring; the romance is captivating and spicy. Melissa Foster’s passion for writing about the human spirit shows in her beautiful words and story line characters.

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of book one EMBRACING HER HEART.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 17, 2018

Welcome to Oak Falls, Virginia, home to horse farms, midnight rodeos, bookstores, coffee shops, and quaint restaurants where you’re greeted like family and treated like treasured guests. Buckle up for a wild ride. Like any Southern girls worth their salt, the sweet-talking, sharp-tongued Montgomery sisters can take men to their knees with one seductive glance or a single sugarcoated sentence.

EMBRACING HER HEART…

Leaving New York City and returning to her hometown to teach a screenplay writing class seems like just the break Grace Montgomery needs. Until her sisters wake her at four thirty in the morning to watch the hottest guys in town train wild horses and she realizes that escaping her sisters’ drama-filled lives was a lot easier from hundreds of miles away. To make matters worse, she spots the one man she never wanted to see again—ruggedly handsome Reed Cross.

Reed was one of Michigan’s leading historical preservation experts, but on the heels of catching his girlfriend in bed with his business partner, his uncle suffers a heart attack. Reed cuts all ties and returns home to Oak Falls to run his uncle’s business. A chance encounter with Grace, his first love, brings back memories he’s spent years trying to escape.

Grace is bound and determined not to fall under Reed’s spell again—and Reed wants more than another taste of the woman he’s never forgotten. When a midnight party brings them together, passion ignites and old wounds are opened. Grace sets down the ground rules for the next three weeks. No touching, no kissing, and if she has it her way, no breathing, because every breath he takes steals her ability to think. But Reed has other ideas…

___________

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Releasing January 9th, 2019……..

Discover the magic of New York Times bestseller Melissa Foster’s writing, and see why millions of readers have fallen in love with the Bradens and the rest of the Love in Bloom big-family romance collection.

Fall in love with Graham Braden and Morgyn Montgomery in TRAILS OF LOVE, the third book in the Bradens & Montgomerys series.

The Bradens & Montgomerys are part of Melissa’s Love in Bloom big-family romance collection. All Love in Bloom novels are written to stand alone and may also be enjoyed as part of the larger series, so pe right into this fun, sexy romance.

Full book description coming soon.

**CONTENT WARNING: Due to mature content, recommended for readers aged 18+**

 

Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance, new adult romance and women’s fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Readers adore Melissa’s fun, flirty, and sinfully sexy, award-winning big-family romance collection, LOVE IN BLOOM featuring the Snow Sisters, Bradens, Remingtons, Ryders, Seaside Summer, Harborside Nights, Wild Boys and Bad Boys After Dark, and the Montgomerys. Melissa’s emotional journeys are lovingly erotic and always family oriented– perfect beach reads for contemporary romance lovers who enjoy reading about loyal, wealthy heroes and smart, sassy heroines with complex and relatable issues.

Melissa also writes sweet and clean romance under the pen name Addison Cole.

Melissa has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Her interests include her family, reading, writing, painting, friends, helping others see the positive side of life, and visiting Cape Cod.

Melissa is available to chat with book clubs and welcomes comments and emails from her readers. Visit Melissa on Facebook
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Find Melissa on the following sites….

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