Monthly Archives: May 2019

The Dating Proposal by Lauren Blakely-Review & Giveaway Tour

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The Dating Proposal by Lauren Blakely-Review, Excerpt & Giveaway  Tour

 

 

Amazon / Amazon Paper / Amazon.ca / B&N / Google Play

ADD IT TO YOUR GOODREADS TODAY!

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 6, 2019

Watch out world — I’m ready to date again.

The seven years I invested in my ex left me with nothing but scorch marks from the way he peeled out and left me at the altar. I’m not looking to put my heart into a relationship any time soon. But getting back out there? That sounds like a helluva good idea to get my groove back.

Then I bump into Chris….Clever and funny, with a sexy surfer’s bod and a brilliant nerd brain, he has just the right screwdriver to fix my hard drive. (Yes, the one for my computer.) I wouldn’t mind dating him. The trouble is he just proposed to me—to be the new dating guru on his TV show.

Now he’s my new business partner.

What happens when you meet the right person at the wrong time?

•••••••••••

REVIEW: THE DATING PROPOSAL by Lauren Blakely is a contemporary, adult, stand alone, erotic romance story line focusing on podcaster and app developer Chris McCormick, and fashion blogger McKenna Bell.

NOTE: THE DATING PROPOSAL was originally released as Trophy Husband in 2013 but the author has re-written and reimagined the tale of Chris and McKenna.

Told from dual first person points of view (Chris and McKenna) THE DATING PROPOSAL follows fashion blogger McKenna Bell, one year after her ex-fiancé dumped her the day before their wedding. In the ensuing time, our heroine has focused on her blog, never considering reentering the world of dating or love. When her friend’s cat knocks over her hard drive, our heroine will come face to face with her future. Enter Chris McCormick, the man with whom McKenna will fall in love. What ensues is the building relationship and romance between Chris and McKenna, and the potential fall-out as McKenna’s issues of trust come to the forefront when her relationship with Chris ventures into serious territory.

Chris McCormick doesn’t do work-place relationships but watching McKenna Bell’s hilarious videos gave Chris an idea for his own struggling show. From friendship to lovers, Chris is willing to take the step from fun to something more, but it is the something more that frightens McKenna into remembering what was, and what may be.

The relationship between Chris and McKenna is one of immediate attraction: their sassy back and forth conversations are flirty and fun; it is only a matter of time before the heart succumbs to love and a happily ever after. The $ex scenes are passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

The secondary and supporting characters are an eclectic mix of family and friends, cats and dogs, and exes with their new found mates. We are introduced to Chris’s best friend Cooper, and his boss Bruce; McKenna’s sister Julia; friends Andy, Hayden and her daughter Erin.

THE DATING PROPOSAL is a sexy and energetic story of romance and love. The premise is entertaining and seductive; the characters are lively and fun; the romance is captivating and desirous.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

 

~Chris~I’m not checking out her body.

I’m not staring at her face. I’m focused on the task at hand. Thank God I have one, because otherwise, I’d be staring at those eyes. They’re blue with gold flecks, making them look almost hazel at times. She has all sorts of colors working in her irises, and the net effect is totally captivating.

So is her lush mouth.

She’s running it while I carefully screw the case back together. It’s painstaking work since it’s tiny and the screwdrivers are the size of nails.

“I tried to fix my shower once,” McKenna says, wrapping her slender hands around a cup of coffee. Yes, even her hands are hot. Lord help me.

“Yeah?” I glance at her hands then back at the hard drive. “How’d it go?”

“Well, if you consider scars a good thing, it went well.”

I look up. “Scars can be cool. I trust it ween exceedingly well?”

She lifts her chin and shows me a thin white scar on the right side of her jaw. “Then I did a fabulous job of ‘fixing’ the shower.” She sketches air quotes.

“Looks like it to me. But how exactly did the shower hit you in the face?”

“When the door fell.” She says it so matter-of-factly.

I blink, trying to process the enormity of everything that could have gone wrong. “I don’t know if I should be impressed you tried to fix a shower door without any fix-it skills, or impressed with your good luck in surviving the incident. Because those things are heavy.”

“Hey! How do you know I don’t have any fix-it skills?”

I grin. “Lucky guess?”

“Fine. You’re right. But what else was I to do?” She shrugs, her tone light and breezy. “It wouldn’t close all the way. And that was getting me down because I like to take really hot showers. We’re talking sauna temperature. You know the type? Imagine you walk into the bathroom, and steam is everywhere, and you can barely even see the other person in the shower. Just the silhouette? Can you picture that?”

Can I picture it? Hell, I can feel that. In my pants. “Yep,” I answer, and it comes out a little dry, a little gravelly. Because painting crazy-hot images is playing below the belt, and I bet she doesn’t even realize it. Hot women shouldn’t use the word “shower” in casual conversation. It’s wholly unnecessary, along with “yoga pants” and “strawberries.”

“So you tried to fix it?” I ask, forcing myself to focus on the project in front of me, rather than on images of steam rising, which lead to other things rising.

“Yup. And then that shower door showed me who was boss.” She holds up her forearm vertically then lets it fall as she makes a kaboom sound.

I can’t help but laugh. “And whacked you on its way down?”

“Completely whacked. It’s kind of a miracle I’m alive, come to think of it.”

“I’m glad you survived the shower whacking. What happened with the door thought?”

“I called my friend Andy. He fixed it for me. It works like a steamy, dreamy charm now.” She takes a sip of her coffee, smiling happily.

I stop and take a drink of espresso.

“Andy? So he’s Handy Andy?” I kind of hate him already. Wait. That’s dumb. I don’t feel a thing for Handy Andy who was in McKenna’s shower, that lucky bastard.

“That’s a good one. Can you rhyme my name?”

“Henna McKenna?” I toss out.

“And you’ll be Chris who brings me bliss by fixing the hard drive,” she says, and I just smile at her.

“You’re a bundle of energy,” I say as I return to my project, moving to the right side of the case.

“And you’re a bundle of skills. What do you do when you’re not rescuing hard drives from evil cats?”

“Admittedly, that does occupy a large portion of my day. But in the few hours I can eke out, I host a show.”

“Like radio show or a podcast?”

I twist the screwdriver a notch. “It’s a TV show. On WebFlix. It’s called Geeking Out.”

She narrows her eyes and points at me, circling her finger. “You’re a geek?”

“You say that like it doesn’t compute, and yet here I am, fixing your tech in a coffee shop. I’d say that makes me a geek.”

“You definitely don’t look like a geek.”

I meet her eyes. They’re sparking with a glint of playfulness. “And what does a geek look like?”

“Not like a surfer. You look like you’re going to go hang ten.”

“I do that too. For fun.”

She pumps a fist. “Nailed it. You totally have that vibe about you. Not that I’m pigeonholing you based on your looks. But with the Nor Cal T-shirt, it wasn’t the hardest round of Jeopardy! to play.” She imitates Alex Trebek. “What is the most likely profession of a guy with floppy hair, a not-from-the-salon tan, and casual charm?”

I quirk up the corner of my lips. “You think I’m charming?”

She blushes, but it disappears quickly. “You charmed my hard drive out of my hands.”

I screw the final piece of the case back together, set down the tiny tool, drag a hand through my hair, and gesture to the repaired device. “Good as new.”

“Wow,” she says appreciatively, picking up the drive and gazing at it in admiration. “Thank you so much. You are Mr. Fix It.”

I puff out my chest playfully. “Why, thank you very much. I’m having T-shirts made with that saying. Want one?”

“I do. I want one to sleep in at night.”

And there she goes again.

 


 

 

A #1 New York Times Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that’s hot, sweet and sexy. She lives in California with her family and has plotted entire novels while walking her dogs. With fourteen New York Times bestsellers, her titles have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Lists more than eighty times, and she’s sold more than 2 million books. In October she’ll release HARD WOOD, a sexy, standalone romantic comedy. To receive an email when Lauren releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter! laurenblakely.com/newsletter

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The Charmer in Chaps by Julia London – Review & Giveaway

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The Charmer in Chaps by Julia London – Review, Guest Post & Giveaway

 

 

 

Amazon / B&N / Kobo/ iTunes / Google Play / BAM

 

Description:
Cimarron County knows the youngest son of the fabled Prince family as a womanizing hell-raiser, but Luca has another side to him. He intends to turn the overworked pasture land his father left him back to its natural beauty. There’s just one problem–a woman with sparkling eyes and more fight than a barnyard cat is grandfathered into some acreage on his portion of Three Rivers Ranch.

After years of living in foster homes, Ella has exactly three things to her name: A dog, a pig, and the rundown house she just inherited. Luca may not remember her from high school, but she definitely remembers him. He is as seductive as he was then, but Ella isn’t about to fall for his flirting–if only she could stop melting at his touch.

What begins as a game of seduction for Luca quickly turns into something more, but Ella has learned the hard way to trust no one but herself–especially when it comes to her deepest secret. Yet the closer Luca gets to Ella, the more he wants to be the one she leans on. For once, Luca is determined to do something right and give the woman he loves the home she deserves

 

Review:

The Charmer in Chaps by Julia London is the first book in her new Princes in Texas series.  I loved reading this sweet romance, in a small western town, with some great characters.

Ella Kendall, our heroine, returns to Three Rivers, Texas, after her grandmother died and left her a rundown house.   Ella, just barely makes ends meet, as she tries to find more work as an accountant.  Ella had a difficult childhood, moving from different foster homes, as her mother was in jail; but before that she had a huge crush for the handsome and rich prince charming, Luca Prince. She has never forgotten an out of no where kiss from Luca when school was over; now that she has returned to Three Rivers 12 years later, she tries her best to avoid Luca.  Ella is very shy, and lacks confidence, and when she does run into him, she is surprised that he doesn’t even remember her.  Being the playboy that he is, Luca finds himself interested in the beautiful Ella, and knows he wants to find out more about this girl that intrigues him.

Luca doesn’t understand why Ella wants nothing to do with him, but quickly learns that she went to school with him, and doubles his effort to make amends in trying to win her over.   With Ella’s house falling apart, Luca starts offering his help to fix things, as well as helping with Ella’s dog, a pig and 3 wild horses that came with the house. This was a cute addition.  Slowly, Ella begins to enjoy Luca’s company and the chemistry between them grew hotter with each passing day.

When the Prince family loses their patriarch, the family is in disarray, and we get to spend time with their dysfunctional family, Luca, Nick, Hallie and their mother, as they realize that they will need to live differently, as the money is not as much as they thought it was, due to their father’s gambling problem.   Luca having inherited 2000 acres want to build his environmental conservation dream, and Ella gives him more confidence, especially as she learns he is dyslectic, and never could read.  This was another wonderful addition to this story, as we watch Luca learn to overcome his disability.

The Charmer in Chaps was a wonderful, fun, enjoyable story that holds our attention throughout.  Both Luca and Ella were great, and we loved them together.  It is Ella’s fear of having always lived on the poor side, that holds back her relationship with Luca.  Will she trust his love and allow him fully into her life?

I always find that when you have a lot of likeable characters, it makes the story so much better.  I did like the Prince family despite some issues.  I loved Luca and Ella.  I did not like two characters, Stacy (Ella’s friend who used her constantly) and the sheriff, Blake; but there were so many other great characters, this did not matter.  The Charmer in Chaps was a perfect, small town romance that was written so well by Julia London.   I suggest you start with this first book of a series that I intend to be reading.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

Cinderella is one of the most enduring stories of time. Did you know one of the earliest renditions of the tale appeared in 7 BC in Greece? The story has been told many times over in many different languages, and in many different iterations. But in all of them, the main theme holds true—the girl is plucked from obscurity and wins the prince. Well, who doesn’t want to be whisked away to the ball in the most beautiful gown, and then knock the socks off the prince?

But why is this tale so enduring? Why do we still relate to it? There are laws against evil stepmothers enslaving us as charwomen now.  If we aren’t happy with our lot in life, we can get an education, or a new job, or move—there are any number of things we could do to better our situation. And yet, the fundamental appeal of the story just keeps on keeping on. I think it’s because it goes to themes that are a little deeper than we might realize from watching the Disney movie.

Cinderella is persecuted. While we may not be persecuted, who among us hasn’t felt neglected from time to time? Or invisible? It is so easy to allow ourselves to be buried under the needs of our work and our families. Everyone else comes first, am I right, ladies? So the fantasy that a Prince Charming—someone who is handsome, and strong, and rich enough to take care of all your problems—would choose you, and make life better for you, is still a pleasant little fantasy.

The story is also about rags to riches. Most of us work hard for what we have. We make budgets, we balance the needs and wants of everyone in our family, we make ends meet. How fun to imagine going from rags to riches. And this fantasy is one step better than the lottery, because not only do you get the riches, you get a prince. It’s the modern Prince Harry fantasy—that he would notice you, fall in love with you, then offer you a place at the top of the world in a fancy castle with servants and anything your heart desires. We might have to check in with Duchess Meghan to see if that’s what actually happened, but we can dream, just like we did the day she got married.

The story is also about good prevailing over evil. Cinderella is held down by the evil stepmother and her odious daughters, but in the end, she is the one who rises from the ashes. It’s not hard in this day and age to see the appeal of the idea of good triumphing over evil.  Good people want to believe in the good in everyone, and when they can’t see it, they still want to believe that good will always triumph over evil in the end. Cinderella gives us those feels in spades.

In The Charmer in Chaps, Ella Kendall is the girl who has been neglected—she was a foster care kid. She’s lived a hard life, has been imprisoned by the state, but now, she is all on her own. She has gone out into the world, has earned a degree, and she is building her house, one brick at a time. But when she runs across Luca Prince, her high school crush, the guy they literally called Prince Luca because he was so popular and so rich, the fantasy roars back to life. She doesn’t expect anything, of course, because life has taught her not to expect much. But just like the prince noticed Cinderella, Luca notices Ella. He sees past her situation, which is vastly different than his own. He sees someone with layers and stories to tell. He’s a good man. He wants good to prevail for Ella. The trickery part will be convincing her that he can give her a good life and that she deserves it. I hope you enjoy the novel.

 

Julia London is the New York Times and USA Today best selling author of more than two dozen romantic fiction novels. She is the author of the popular historical romance series, the Cabot Sisters, including The Trouble with Honor, The Devil Takes a Bride, and The Scoundrel and the Debutante. She is also the author of several contemporary romances, including Homecoming Ranch, Return to Homecoming Ranch, and The Perfect Homecoming.

Julia is the recipient of the RT Bookclub Award for Best Historical Romance and a six-time finalist for the prestigious RITA award for excellence in romantic fiction. To keep up with all the Julia London news, please visit http://www.julialondon.com. Follow her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/julialondon

Berkley Romance is graciously offering a paper copy of THE CHARMER IN CHAPS to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

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8. Giveaway is open to USA only

9. Giveaway runs from May 6 to 10, 2019

 

 

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The Cowboy and His Baby by Jessica Clare-Review & excerpt

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THE COWBOY AND HIS BABY by Jessica Clare-Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

 

 

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 7, 2019

Dustin is a ranch hand with a reputation around town as a ladies’ man. He loves flirting and the thrill of the chase. When he tilts his cowboy hat just so, no one can resist his charms. It’s all fun and games for Dustin until he meets a woman who sparks real feelings in him, and he’s blindsided by love.

Annie is an animal trainer working on set for a film. Other than her furry, canine coworkers, she hasn’t connected with the rest of the crew working on the movie. It’s only when a certain cowboy catches her eye that Wyoming becomes interesting. She intends for their romance to be a fling, but by the time filming wraps up, she’s unexpectedly pregnant.

While Annie is prepared to walk away and raise her baby by herself, Dustin isn’t so ready to say goodbye. He has to prove to Annie that she has a future in Wyoming and capture her heart before it’s too late.

•••••••••••

REVIEW:  THE COWBOY AND HIS BABY by Jessica Clare is a contemporary, adult, stand alone, cowboy romance story line focusing on twenty-nine year old, ranch hand Dustin Worthington, and professional dog trainer Annie Grissom.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Dustin and Annie) THE COWBOY AND HIS BABY follows the building relationship between twenty-nine year old, ranch hand Dustin Worthington, and professional dog trainer Annie Grissom. While on location in Painted Barrel, Wyoming, professional dog trainer Annie Grissom met ranch hand Dustin Worthington, the man with whom she would fall in love. A quick courtshi, and one night of $ex ended when Annie came face to face with Dustin’s past, a past that wasn’t finished with our story line hero. Fast forward to present day wherein eight months would pass before Los Angeles based Annie would see Wyoming ranch hand Dustin again, a very pregnant Annie who had yet to tell Dustin about the child they conceived. What ensues is the rebuilding friendship and relationship between Annie and Dustin, and the potential fall-out as Annie believes she interrupted Dustin’s future plans, and in doing so, sets the stage for our heroine to run, yet again.

Annie Grissom trains dogs for Hollywood movies but struggles with a direction in her life. Meeting Dustin Worthington meant a few days of $ex and fun, never thinking that Dustin would be part of her future. Dustin Worthington was biding his time in Painted Barrel, Wyoming until the day he would set sail around the world but Annie’s return meant a different future for Dustin, a future that included a child and perhaps a wife.

The relationship between Annie and Dustin is one of immediate attraction but Annie knows her time in Wyoming comes with an expiry date. There are definitely some issues of miscommunication and a lack of trust, issues that will send Annie running at the first and second sign of perceived problems. The $ex scenes are passionate and intimate, without the use of over the top sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and energetic secondary and supporting characters: ranchers Eli and Cass; ranch hand Jordy, rancher Old Clyde; Annie’s mother Kitty, a woman whose less than motherly advice has shaped our story line heroine; Annie’s friend Katherine; Dustin’s ex Theresa, as well as several members of the Hollywood movie crew.

The world building focuses on the up and down relationship between our story line couple, a relationship that saw several months apart without any information or history revealed. Annie’s mother is over the top-her advice and support of her daughter is questionable as to the intent or desired results. Annie’s friend and rep for the American Humane Society Katherine offers more negative advise and warnings; and Dustin’s ex is a piece of work, who in reality, would be fired for the things she says while at work and on the job.

THE COWBOY AND HIS BABY is a story of miscommunication, doubt and mistrust; of lies and deceit; of attraction, romance, and falling in love. The premise is engaging; the romance is passionate; the characters are charismatic and sassy. I question some of the reality including the actions of Dustin’s ex-there is no way she would be allowed to say the things she does at work without repercussions or losing her job: and Annie’s lack of a spine regarding Dustin’s past was a bit disconcerting under the circumstances but such is the nature of romantic story lines, otherwise there would have be no conflict to resolve.

Click HERE for book one -ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS A COWBOY

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

 

Her smile was radiant, and it took his breath away. “I’m having a wonderful afternoon and I can’t thank you enough for taking the time out of your day to humor me.”“You can thank me by going out on another date with me,” he told her, and when she looked surprised, he wondered if he’d pushed it too far, if she was going to get skittish on him. He had to try, though. He hadn’t been this fascinated with a woman in what felt like forever.

“Was this a date?” Her tone was light and teasing, but she glanced down at her lap before looking over at him, and he realized she was shy.

“Parts of it count.”

“Which parts?”

“The parts where I want to lean over and kiss you.” “Oh,” Annie said softly. Her lips parted and she grew silent, then said, “Are there a lot of those parts?”

“Happens about once every two minutes,” he admitted with a smile. “Hope you don’t think less of me for being a little single‐minded.”

“Not at all. I appreciate honesty.” There was a hint of color rising under those freckles. “Do you think we should kiss?”

Dustin kept his expression carefully neutral, because reaching across the cab of the truck and pulling her against him would probably be frowned on. Probably. “I’d reckon that’s your call.”

She thought for a moment, her gaze flicking to his mouth as if considering her options. “If we kiss, I don’t want you to think I want a boyfriend.”

He laughed. “If it helps, I don’t think I’m boyfriend material.”

“But you still want to kiss me.” It was a statement, not a question.

“You look pretty kissable to me. And I like kissing. And I like you, so I figure I’ll like kissing you.”

“Can’t argue with that logic.” Annie licked her lips. “All right. Fine. Let’s do it.”

Such enthusiasm. He bit back a laugh. “As long as we’re sure it doesn’t mean anything to either of us,” he said gravely.

“Oh, just shut up and kiss me so I can quit wondering about it.”

Was she wondering about it? He liked that he wasn’t the only one. “Lean in, then.”

Obediently, Annie leaned forward, and as she did, he noticed she was breathing rapidly, her hands fluttering slightly in her lap. Nerves? That seemed ridiculous, given that she was so damn appealing. He loved the freckles on her eyelids, the pale lashes, the curve of her cheek, the way she responded with sarcasm. He loved her big heart and the fact that she stoutly told him she did not want a boyfriend.

Annie Grissom had him fascinated, all right.

So he touched her chin and met her halfway.

Her mouth parted under his, soft and sweet. She tasted like strawberry milkshake and Dustin had to bite back a groan when she pulled his hat off and tossed it aside, as if she made out with cowboys every day. They shared a light, teasing caress, more of a flirtation of lips than anything else, and he was content to keep it light. Gentle. Playful.

But then she made this lovely, deep noise of pleasure in her throat, and he was lost.

Screw playful.

Dustin’s hand went to the back of her neck and he cupped it even as he slicked his tongue against the seam of her mouth. She moaned, opening up to allow him in. With a plunge of his tongue, he claimed her mouth with a hard, possessive stroke, loving how she responded. Her tongue played against his, her hands sliding to his shirt to hold him in place—as if he’d leave—and the kiss grew deeper, more urgent. He was lost in the moment, lost to everything but the feel of her mouth against his.

It was a fantastic kiss. He wanted to keep going forever, to pull her into his lap and strip that sweater off of her and discover if she was freckled everywhere. As his tongue slicked against hers again, Annie gave another sultry little moan.

 


 

Jessica Clare is the pen name for Jill Myles.

Jill Myles has been an incurable romantic since childhood. She reads all the ‘naughty parts’ of books first, looks for a dirty joke in just about everything, and thinks to this day that the Little House on the Prairie books should have been steamier.

After devouring hundreds of paperback romances, mythology books, and archaeological tomes, she decided to write a few books of her own – stories with a wild adventure, sharp banter, and lots of super-sexy situations. She prefers her heroes alpha and half-dressed, her heroines witty, and she loves nothing more than watching them overcome adversity to fall into bed together.

Website: http://jillmyles.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJessicaClare?directed_target_id=0
Twitter: https://twitter.com/_JessicaClare
Goodreads: http://tinyurl.com/q4272wf

Jessica’s publisher is graciously offering a paper copy of ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS A COWBOY to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

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9. Giveaway runs from May 6-11, 2019

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One Night With a Witch by Zoe Forward – Review

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One Night With a Witch by Zoe Forward – a Review

 

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / iTunes

 

Description:
The last thing MI6 agent Eli Morgan expected was Pleiades witch Avery Donovan showing up to “rescue” him. Turns out she’s his biggest threat when an unexpected love spell hits them. Now he can’t keep his hands off the woman he vowed never to touch.
But something evil fights to posses Eli’s soul. The only one who can truly save him is his soulmate. Can’t be Avery. What they feel is spell-induced. Or is it?

 

Review:

One Night with a Witch by Zoe Forward is the 5th book in her Keepers of the Veil series. This series revolves around the seven Plelades witches, their destined mates who protect them and the enemies out to kill them.  With that being said, One Night with a Witch reads very well as a standalone, though I do recommend that you read the earlier books to get to know the previous characters and enjoy the stories.

Eli Morgan, our hero, is an agent and guardian, who will protect the Plelades.  Eli has always had a thing for our heroine, Avery Donavan, and one of the Pledades witches; but he knows she is not destined for him, despite his feelings.  

Avery is sent by her other witches to check on Eli, who is on a mission, because of a vision.  Her and Eli fight off their attraction, but a love spell forces them to succumb to their true feelings.  Eli pulls away afterwards, knowing no matter what, he cannot continue with Avery, as she is off limits.  But true love will never let go.  However, Eli on assignment finds himself in a horror situation, as he is infected by a necromancer, who takes over his body and mind. No matter how hard he tries, he cannot get rid of the ghost controlling him, and their mission is to kill Merck (our last book hero) and Shannon (a Pledades witch and last book heroine).

What follows is an exciting adventure, where Avery, Merck, Eli’s brother, and some of the Plelades witches try to find a way to save Eli.  Avery will work hard with Merck to try and alter the spell.  I did love Avery, as she was a strong, independent witch, but also knowing that she loved Eli; as they really were great together.  Will Merck and Avery be able to save Eli?   If so, will Avery be able to convince Eli that their love for each other was destined.

I do not want to give spoilers, as saying too much more could ruin it for you.  One Night with the Witch is a very exciting adventure that will hold you on the edge of your seat.  Zoe Forward once again does a great job continuing the flow of this series of the witches. This is a fun exciting series, which I wholly recommend.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy supplied for review

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Things We Never Said by Samantha Young-Review Tour

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Things We Never Said by Samantha Young-Review Tour

 

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 7, 2019.
Local metalsmith and gift shop owner, Dahlia McGuire, likes her quiet life in Hartwell, Delaware. It’s the perfect place to hide from her family and the tragic events that led to their estrangement. However, when her father, the person she loves most in the world, needs her Dahlia has no choice but to return to Boston to face her ghosts. One of those happens to be her ex-boyfriend’s best friend, Michael Sullivan. The man she was never supposed to fall in love with.

Michael Sullivan has never forgotten Dahlia McGuire. Some might say he’s never gotten over her. For years he lived with the anger of her desertion, and now, newly-divorced, he’s finally ready to move on. That proves impossible when Dahlia returns to Boston and reawakens their explosive connection. Despite everything, Michael wants her back, but Dahlia can’t seem to let go of the tangled emotions of the past. When she flees home to Hartwell, Michael follows, determined to do everything in his power to convince her they belong together.

However, when the unthinkable hits the quiet seaside town, Michael finds himself trying to unravel more than the mystery of Dahlia’s broken heart. It’s time for truths left unsaid to finally be spoken or Michael and Dahlia might find themselves torn apart forever

•••••••••

REVIEW: THINGS WE NEVER SAID is the third full-length instalment in Samantha Young’s contemporary, adult HART’S BOARDWALK romance series focusing on the men and women of Hartwell, Delaware- a spin off from the author’s ON DUBLIN STREET SERIES. This is Boston detective Michael Sullivan, and metalsmith / jewellery designer Dahlia McGuire’s story line. THINGS WE NEVER SAID can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

Told from first person point of view (Dahlia) and third person perspective (Michael) THINGS WE NEVER SAID follows twelve years in the life of Boston detective Michael Sullivan, and metalsmith / jewellery designer Dahlia McGuire. Ten year earlier Dahlia McGuire fell in love with Michael Sullivan but at the time Dahlia was dating Michael’s best friend Gary. In the ensuing months, Dahlia would discover that Gary was cheating, but Michael had moved on to someone else. Life spiralled out of control for everyone involved, and Dahlia found herself on the outside looking in when the time came to move on and move out. Fast forward to present day wherein Dahlia has settled in Hartwell, Delaware, a quiet town where her past is forgotten until the call to come back home, where not everyone welcomed her with open arms. On the receiving end of more vitriol than she could have ever imagined, vitriol from so many directions, it was like reliving the past, all over again. Words said in anger; the harsh truth revealed, Dahlia heads back to Hartwell where her life is about to implode with the arrival of the man that she loves. What ensues is the rebuilding romance and relationship between Dahlia and Michael, and the potential fall-out as the small town of Hartwell, Delaware discovers their own fair share of skeletons and more.

Michael Sullivan has never stopped loving Dahlia McGuire but a love laced with hate is hard to endure. Blaming Dahlia for everything that went wrong in his life, Michael struggles to accept what happened, and blames Dahlia for the down turn in everyone’s life. Dahlia McGuire has struggled to accept what happened and why, a struggle that is reinforced by the hatred spewed by those she once loved. Making a new start and a new life in Hartwell, Delaware would hopefully ease the self-hatred and blame she placed on herself.

The relationship between Michael and Dahlia is one of immediate attraction but at each connection throughout their lives someone or something else had come into play. Dahlia’s love for Michael never waivered until the day his hatred and cruelty towards Dahlia became more than she could bear. When the truth is finally revealed, Michael is determined to claim Dahlia as his own, a claiming that will face many hurdles including the wall around our heroine’s heart. The $ex scenes are passionate and intimate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful secondary and supporting characters divided between Boston and Hartwell, Delaware. We are introduced to Dahlia’s large Irish family in Boston including her siblings Davina, Darragh, Dermot and Dillon, as well as their parents Sorcha and Cian McGuire; and the Hartwell gang including Cooper Lawson and Jessica Huntington (The One Real Thing #1), Bailey and Vaughn (Every Little Thing #2) , Iris and Ira and their daughter Ivy, who own the local Italian eatery; Emery Saunders book store owner, Cooper’s ex-wife Dana Kellerman, Sheriff Jeff King and the embattled Devlin family.

THINGS WE NEVER SAID is a heart breaking story of guilt and grief; secrets and lies; family, friendship, forgiveness and love. Dahlia’s disappearance years before allowed for the lies to fester and grow, for the blame to be directed at our story line heroine; for family and friends to think the worst of Dahlia McGuire The complex premise is emotional and engaging; the romance is spirited and lively ; the characters are broken, flawed, tragic and impassioned.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews

The One Real Thing
Every Little Thing
On Hart’s Boardwalk
Things We Never Said

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

 

Samantha Young is the New York Times,  USA Today  and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of adult contemporary romances, including the On Dublin Street series and Hero, as well as the New Adult duology Into the Deep and Out of the Shallows.  Every Little Thing, the second book in her new Hart’s Boardwalk series, will be published by Berkley in March 2017. Before turning to contemporary fiction, she wrote several young adult paranormal and fantasy series, including the amazon bestselling Tale of Lunarmorte trilogy. Samantha’s debut YA contemporary novel The Impossible Vastness of Us was published by Harlequin TEEN in ebook & hardback June 2017. Play On is an adult contemporary romance and the first in a brand new series set in Scotland. Villain is a companion novella to the New York Times bestselling romance HERO.

Samantha has been nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award 2012 for Best Author and Best Romance for On Dublin Street, Best Romance 2014 for Before Jamaica Lane, and Best Romance 2015 for Hero. On Dublin Street, a #1 bestseller in Germany, was the Bronze Award Winner in the LeserPreis German Readers Choice Awards for Best Romance 2013, Before Jamaica Lane the Gold Medal Winner for the LeserPreis German Readers Choice Awards for Best Romance 2014 and Echoes of Scotland Street the Bronze Medal Winner for the LeserPreis German Readers Choice Awards for Best Romance 2015.

Samantha is currently published in 30 countries and is a #1 international bestselling author.

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BEFORE BEN (Wilde Ways #3) by Cynthia Eden-a review

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BEFORE BEN (Wilde Ways #3) by Cynthia Eden-a review

 

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 30, 2019

Enemies make the best lovers.

It was a one night stand with her worst enemy. Ben Wilde was cocky, charming, and sexy as the best sin. He was also Courtney McKenna’s weakness. Every single inch of his muscled perfection was trouble and temptation. They’d sparred in the courtroom more times than she could count, and the tension between them had always been red-hot. One night should have been all she needed to get the guy out of her head and her dreams. Only…it wasn’t.

Because before Ben, life was easy. Life after Ben? Hot. Dark. And dangerous.

Courtney tries to fight her scorching desire for Ben even as they plan to face-off in court once again. Even as they fight for power. But once you cross some lines, there is no going back. And Ben doesn’t plan to let her go anywhere.

He’s had a taste, but Ben wants a whole lot more.

Ben Wilde has never believed that opposites attract, but there is something about button-downed, prim and proper Courtney that has always driven him wild. And when he gets her in his bed, the attraction he feels for her changes into a sensual obsession. Sure, they can be enemies in the courtroom, but in the bedroom, they are meant to be something else entirely.

Be careful what you want…

Someone out there doesn’t want Ben to have Courtney. Someone who will do anything to stop their attraction. But that predator in the dark is messing with the wrong man. When it comes to Courtney’s safety, Ben will break every rule in the book. He will stop pretending to be nice and show the world just how wicked and dangerous he can truly be. Because Courtney is his, and Ben will play dirty, he’ll play rough, and he will destroy anyone who threatens her.

•••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: BEFORE BEN is the third instalment in Cynthia Eden’s contemporary, adult WILDE WAYS romantic, suspense series focusing on the men and women who own and work for Wilde Securities. This is divorce attorneys Ben Wilde, and Courtney McKenna’s story line. BEFORE BEN can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous instalments is revealed where necessary.

Told from several third person perspectives including Ben and Courtney BEFORE BEN follows then frenemies to lovers relationship between former law school classmates, and divorce attorneys Ben Wilde, and Courtney McKenna. Ben has never stopped lusting after our story line heroine but when a series of break-ins and threats force Courtney to look for help Ben immediately add protector and guardian to his list of things for Courtney McKenna. Hiring his brother’s firm Wilde Security means keeping a closer eye on the woman he has always loved, a woman whose life is in danger from an unknown source. What ensues is the building relationship, friendship and love between Courtney and Ben, and the potential fall-out as more than one person is desperate to reach our story line heroine.

Courtney McKenna grew up in the foster care system having always had to look after herself but Ben’s years of persistence finally push our heroine over the edge as she relents to a one-time only fling that turns into something more when Ben insists on twenty four hour protection, in his bed and by his side. Ben Wilde has tried to years to seduce Courtney McKenna but Courtney only saw a desperate man trying to get into her pants. When her life is threatened on more than one occasion, Courtney struggles behind head and heart knowing Ben’s life is on the line when the fall-out aims in his direction.

The relationship between Ben and Courtney is a frenemies to lovers. Ben has never stopped loving Courtney from the moment he saw her at law school, but Courtney’s attraction is just as strong, although she refuses to admit to her longing and need. Staying with Ben brings Courtney face to face with her future, a future that is threatened by more than one unknown. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and spirited secondary and supporting characters including Eric and Piper (Protecting Piper #1), Simon and Gwen (Guarding Gwen #2), Wilde Securities VP and ex-SEAL Simon Forrest; security specialists Julia Slate and Rick Williams; defense attorney Kendrick Shaw,
Eric’s assistant Dennis; Courtney’s neighbour Cole Trevor; divorce applicants Hayden and Kadi Laslow; mob boss Julian Rossi; and legal secretary Sharon Long. The requisite evil has many faces.

BEFORE BEN is a story of intrigue, revenge, secrets and lies, family and love. The premise is engaging and captivating; the characters are intelligent, lively and dynamic; the romance is seductive and edgy. BEFORE BEN is an energetic, inviting and thrilling addition to Cynthia Eden’s WILDE WAYS.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Protecting Piper
Guarding Gwen
Before Ben

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

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TANGLED UP IN YOU by Samantha Chase -Review Tour

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TANGLED UP IN YOU (The Shaughnessy Brothers #7) by Samantha Chase – Review, Except & Giveaway Tour

 

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 30, 2019

They’ll change each other’s fate…

One fateful night Bobby Hannigan sustains a gunshot wound that could end his career as a police officer. If that’s taken from him, he doesn’t know what he’ll do. The only ray of hope is Teagan Shaughnessy—a kind hearted single mom who understands his struggles…

Teagan and her young son have just moved back to the Carolina coast to be near family. When she meets Bobby, the timing feels wrong, but everything else feels oh-so-right. Bobby and Teagan each had plans for their own futures. But they’re finding that those plans are meaningless if they can’t be together.

•••••••••

REVIEW: TANGLED UP IN YOU is the seventh instalment in Samantha Chase’s contemporary, adult THE SHAUGHNESSY BROTHERS romance series focusing on a tight knit group of family and friends on the Carolina coast. This is thirty-six year old, police officer Bobby Hannigan, and twenty-seven year old, social worker/guidance counselor Teagan Shaughnessy’s story line. TANGLED UP IN YOU 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 (Teagan and Bobby) TANGLED UP IN YOU follows the acrimonious relationship between thirty-six year old, police officer Bobby Hannigan, and twenty-seven year old, social worker/guidance counsellor, single mother Teagan Shaughnessy. Several weeks earlier police officer Bobby Hannigan became a statistic, while off-duty, when he was shot in hold-up gone horribly wrong. Fast forward to present, wherein Bobby, impatiently on the mend, and feeling sorry for himself, reluctantly attends a family picnic where he will come face to face with his future. Enter Teagan Shaughnessy, Quinn Shaughnessy’s cousin, and the woman with whom Bobby will fall in love. What ensues is the back and forth, petulant relationship between Bobby and Teagan, and the potential fall-out as Teagan is unable to come to terms with Bobby’s profession and his past.

Teagan Shaughnessy is a single mother who lost the love of her life years before. Meeting Bobby Hannigan stirred something long thought buried and dead, but something Teagan struggled to release and let go. As a single mother Teagan’s first priority is the raising of her son, and falling in love was never on the agenda. Bobby Hannigan struggles with the slow healing process of his injured left shoulder, an injury that could end his career as a police officer in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Battling his family, his attitude and his feelings for Teagan push Bobby’s patience on more than one occasion.

The relationship between Teagan and Bobby is one of immediate attraction but Bobby isn’t in a good place; anguishing over his uncertain future finds Bobby unsure of who he is and what he wants. Teagan endeavors to be the perfect mother but sometimes motherhood is difficult, and in this Teagan has issues of trust, when it comes to her future, and that of her son’s. The $ex scenes fade to black or are mostly implied.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and energetic secondary and supporting characters including Teagan’s cousin Quinn, and his wife Anna, Bobby’s sister. The fracture family dynamics between Bobby and Quinn plays heavily on Bobby and Teagan’s growing relationship.

TANGLED UP IN YOU is a story of family, friendship, uncertainty and trust. The back and forth, yin and yang, tumultuous relationship between Teagan and Bobby is oft times disheartening and fuelled my anxiety. Teagan and Bobby had to be one of the most frustrating couples with a roller coaster of emotions, give and take, want and need. Misunderstanding, miscommunication, issues of trust, and uncertainty continued to fuel a relationship that was already struggling with distance and time. The premise is engaging; the romance is full of ups and downs; the characters are energetic but their attitude and behaviour left me discouraged.

I will add that I appear to be in the minority with my take on our story line couple. In no way does the character’s actions reflect poorly upon the author’s ability to write but affects on my overall enjoyment of the story line romance.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Made For Us
Love Walks In
Always My Girl
This Is Our Song
A Sky Full of Stars
Holiday Spice

Copy supplied by Netgalley.

Reviewed by Sandy

 

 

That was their pattern for the next hour. Occasionally Bobby would hit the ball and let Lucas try to catch it, but after each ball Lucas would ask if he could be the batter again. Rather than push, he figured it wasn’t a big deal to let him get comfortable with one skill at a time. Maybe next time they’d work on playing catch.
Next time? Was he seriously standing here thinking of when he could hang out and play ball again? Sure, he wasn’t opposed to it and he really was having a great time, plus he really wanted to get to know Teagan better…
No, he wasn’t going to use Lucas in an attempt to win over Teagan. It was wrong on so many levels. What he really wanted was to find a way to see her again in a bit of a different setting—one that didn’t involve a big family gathering or babysitting. That shouldn’t be too hard, right? Maybe if he could just—
Whack!
The next thing he knew, something hit him hard, his eye was stinging like it was on fire, and he was stumbling back.
“Oh my God!”
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”
Eyes slammed shut, Bobby bent at the waist as he hissed out a breath. It didn’t take long to realize Lucas was on one side of him and Teagan on the other.
When had she gotten back?
His eye stung like a…well, he wanted to let loose a string of curses, but was mindful of the five-year-old beside him. No doubt if Bobby could get it together, he’d see Lucas’s big brown eyes looking scared.
Pull it together, Hannigan, he chided himself. You were shot, for crying out loud. This was a plastic ball to the eye! Man up!
Slowly, he straightened and let out a long breath, forcing himself to open his eye—which was now tearing up wildly.
Awesome.
Teagan stepped in front of him and cupped his cheek in her hand while she looked at his eye. “We’re going to have to put ice on that. Come on.” She took him gently by the hand and led him back to the house. Lucas grabbed his other hand and Bobby had to fight the urge to pull away from them both because they were treating him like an invalid.
Or maybe he was just acting like one.
They stepped through the back door and into the kitchen. Bobby sat down on one of the bar stools while Teagan prepared an ice pack. Between the pain and the tearing, his vision was slightly blurred, but not enough that he couldn’t tell that the woman fussing over him had received a bit of a makeover. She had different makeup on, her nails were painted a bold, bright pink, and her hair was full of curls that looked like they had been kissed by the sun. He knew enough about women to know how to compliment a good haircut and highlights, but this was the first time he’d been stunned speechless by the sight of them.
She looked younger and more carefree than he’d seen her before.
Except now she was frowning at him.
“Here,” she said softly, lifting the ice pack over his eye. “Hold this on there for a few minutes. Can I get you something for the pain?”
“No. I’m fine, really. It looks worse than it feels.”
Even though it felt pretty painful, he had to remember that he’d been hit by a plastic ball, not another bullet.
“It’s my fault, Mom,” Lucas said, his small voice coming from the stool beside Bobby. “I hit the ball before he asked if I was ready.” Bobby could hear the tremor in his voice and had a feeling the kid was going to start crying any minute.
Resting one arm on the counter, Bobby turned and mussed up Lucas’s hair. “It wasn’t your fault, Lucas. I wasn’t paying attention. You’ve got nothing to be upset about, okay?”
Lucas’s eyes went wide. “But—but you got hurt and—”
“And that’s what happens when you don’t pay attention,” Bobby said firmly but gently. “It’s an important lesson to remember when you’re playing sports. You always need to be paying attention or you could get hurt.” Then he pointed to his eye and gave a lopsided grin. “Just like this.”
Lucas studied him and then looked at his mother before turning his attention back to Bobby. “So…you’re not mad at me?”
Bobby shook his head. “Nope.”
“And maybe you still want to play ball with me?”
“Any time,” he said with a nod.
“Like right now?”
“Lucas,” Teagan quickly interrupted. “I think Bobby needs to rest for a little while. Why don’t you go and read for a bit, okay?”
“But Mom—”
Before Teagan could respond, Bobby leaned close to Lucas and whispered, loud enough for her to hear, “This is another important lesson to remember—don’t argue with your mom.”
“Oooh,” Lucas said, dragging out the word. “Okay.” Then he hopped down and ran to his room.
When they were alone, Bobby found Teagan looking at him. For the life of him, he wasn’t sure what he was supposed to say. Should he apologize for interrupting her when she was talking to her son? Or maybe apologize for teaching the kid how to hit a ball? Her expression was mild and a little unreadable, and it made him feel sort of uncomfortable.
“Teagan, listen. I know I should have—”
She held up a hand to stop him. “Can I just say something first?” she asked gently, glancing over her shoulder at the door to Lucas’s room.
He nodded.
“You handled that very well and I appreciate it. And while I hate that you ended up getting hurt, I’m very thankful you didn’t take it out on Lucas.”
Placing the ice pack on the counter, he looked at her like she was crazy. Had someone else done that to the kid? Had his father been abusive? Was that why they were willing to move so far away from him? Then another thought hit him—had this unknown, unnamed man been abusive to Teagan, as well?
Swallowing the rage he was feeling, Bobby took a minute to gather his thoughts. “First of all, I meant what I said. I was the one at fault, not Lucas. And yeah, it stung like son of a—” He stopped when he saw that Lucas’s bedroom door was open. “Anyway, it hurt. But there was no reason to get mad at anyone except myself.”
Teagan laughed and gently touched the skin right under his eye. “I don’t think there’s any permanent damage, but you’ll probably have at least a bit of a bruise there. Sorry.”
Unable to help himself, Bobby captured her wrist to keep her hand on his cheek. He heard her soft gasp, saw the surprised look on her face.
He had so many questions that he was dying to ask—about her life, about Lucas’s father—but he couldn’t make himself form the words. Now wasn’t the time. His gaze lingered on her face. “Your spa day agreed with you. You look beautiful.” And even that felt awkward coming out of his mouth. Normally, he could sweet-talk his way around any girl. He was good at it. But right now with Teagan, he felt like a teenager around his first crush.
She blushed. “Thank you.”
He swallowed. “It’s true. Not that you didn’t look beautiful before,” he quickly corrected. “But right now, you just look…amazing.”
He almost groaned at how lame he sounded.
Slowly, Teagan pulled her hand from his and took a step back. “You, um, you should really keep the ice on your eye for a little longer.” 


 

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New York Times and USA Today Bestseller/contemporary romance writer Samantha Chase released her debut novel, Jordan’s Return, in November 2011. Although she waited until she was in her 40’s to publish for the first time, writing has been a lifelong passion. Her motivation to take that step was her students: teaching creative writing to elementary age students all the way up through high school and encouraging those students to follow their writing dreams gave Samantha the confidence to take that step as well.

When she’s not working on a new story, she spends her time reading contemporary romances, playing way too many games of Scrabble or Solitaire on Facebook and spending time with her husband of 25 years and their two sons in North Carolina.

 

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Under The Northern Lights by S.C. Stephens-Review & Giveaway Tour

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Under the Northern Lights by S. C. Stephens-Review Tour

 

 

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 30 2019

Mallory Reynolds is a driven woman fueled by her passion for photographing wild animals in remote locations. Every year she makes a trek deep into Alaska, but this time the unthinkable happens: she crash-lands after her plane stalls out in a storm. Injured, vulnerable, and threatened by the very creatures she loves, Mallory fears the worst—until she’s rescued by Michael Bradley, a mysterious mountain man living in self-imposed exile.

Mallory is grateful for Michael’s help but desperate to return home to let her family know she’s alive. Unfortunately, neither of them can leave Michael’s secluded cabin until spring. Mallory’s stuck with a stranger for months.

As Mallory recovers, a deep bond begins to form between the pair. Mallory is convinced that fate brought them together, but Michael is buried in his past, unable to move forward. Undaunted, Mallory tends to Michael’s heart as tenderly as he cared for her wounds—but will her love be enough to heal him?

•••••••••

REVIEW:Under the Northern Lights begins with Mallory Reynolds and her annual trip into remote areas of Alaska to photograph animals in their natural habitat. Even though her family doesn’t approve of these dangerous trips, her passion for her craft fuels her. She loads her supplies and equipment into her small plane and heads out. A little while into the flight, an unexpected storm blows in causing her engine to stall. Mallory feels real terror for the first time as her plane crashes into the forest. Once she comes to herself, she knows she badly injured and in deep trouble.

Mallory manages to pull herself from the wreckage and sets up a camp of sorts. Knowing that there are wild animals lurking only adds to her terror. When one attacks, she fights with everything she has and can’t believe this is how it ends. However, when a mysterious stranger saves her life she is more than thankful. When she finds out that there is no way out until spring, she reluctantly accepts her fate.

Michael Bradley has been living in this remote part of Alaska for five years. He has lost his faith in humanity and in God. He lost someone dear to a senseless act of violence and withdrew from the world. Once he and Mallory get to know each other and settle into their routine to ride out the winter, he, more than once, finds himself having feelings he thought were long dead.

Under the Northern Lights has a great premise. Mallory’s annual treks into remote Alaska are admirable. She’s poised and independent and has a strong faith in God, from which she will not back down. Michael’s backstory is what grabs you though. Your heart will break for him, but at the same time, you want to pop him in the back of the head. I did like a lot of their interactions, especially their ‘field trips’ out into the wilderness to check his traps and such. Where it went a little wonky for me was their sexual chemistry, or lack thereof. I just felt that something was missing, almost like it is a little forced. With all of that said, it was an enjoyable read.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Vickie

 

 

We both heard a loud clatter outside. Michael instantly snapped to his feet, his face intently focused as he listened for further sounds of trouble; he had no human neighbors to speak of, so things were generally silent here.Fearful curiosity was killing me, and I was dying to ask him if he knew what was out there, but I didn’t want to disrupt his concentration. And it turned out I didn’t need to ask. Seconds later, I heard the deep, resonant, unmistakable growl of a bear.

Michael turned my way, his expression serious. “Stay here.”

He grabbed his high-powered hunting rifle, and my heart started thudding. Was he nuts? If there was a hungry bear out there, we should be barricading the cabin, not going out into the wilderness. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Lips twisted in a frown, he told me, “All our food is out there, our meat. If I let the bear destroy it, we’ll have nothing to get us through the winter.”

I knew he was right, but still, I was terrified. “Okay … I’ll help.” I grabbed my gun and checked it for bullets. It wasn’t as powerful a rifle as Michael’s, but it might hurt the bear enough that it would change its mind about gorging on our food stash. Or it might just piss it off.

Studying my gun, Michael shook his head. “No, stay in here—guard the cabin.”

His answer made me frown. “The bulk of the food isn’t in here. There’s nothing to guard.”

His eyes softened then. “Yes … there is something to guard.”

My cheeks heated when I realized he meant me. “Be careful,” I whispered.

“Always am,” he stated; then he darted out the door.

Racing to the window, I peered outside, searching in vain for some sign of Michael or the bear. The moonlight wasn’t strong enough to illuminate much, and even though only candles were lit in the cabin, it was enough to wreck my night vision; I couldn’t see a damn thing out there. My nerves spiked, and my heart started racing. I felt like I was out there in the woods, possibly about to get mauled, and following Michael’s orders and staying put grew harder and harder with every second.

I strained my ears, listening for the bear since I couldn’t see it. Sounds of lumbering steps crashing through brush met my ear. Then I heard the dreadful sound of sharp claws raking down wood. With no electricity, freezers weren’t an option here. Michael stored his food the old-fashioned way, either drying it into jerky or curing it with salt. The prepared food was kept in his enclosed workshop, and while Michael had bear proofed the shop as much as possible, hungry bears were tenacious. With food being so close to its reach, the grizzly might not stop until it had ripped the door to shreds.

Knowing where the bear was outside calmed my nerves somewhat. I fingered my rifle, debating whether running out there would help Michael or hurt both of us. It was dark, and if Michael thought I was inside, he could shoot me just as easily as the bear. And verbally warning him would get the bear’s attention—attention I’d rather not have. No, it would be best to stay put and let Michael handle it. But still … that was hard to do.

I heard Michael shout then, yelling at the bear to leave. A gunshot rang through the night, startling small nocturnal animals and rattling the windowpanes. Another one followed shortly after, and fear trickled down my spine. Was that a warning shot? Or was the bear attacking?

Michael wasn’t shouting anymore, and the night was still, silent. Oh God, no … The ball of dread in my belly was too great to ignore, and I nearly tripped in my haste to get to the door. “Michael!” I screeched into the night as I flung the door wide.

A dark shape was suddenly right in front of me, and as I stared in shock, a gaping mouth of thick, sharp teeth opened, and a powerful roar pushed me back a step. I’d never been so close to a bear before, and my legs felt like water. I couldn’t move them, couldn’t move anything. My mind was trying to avoid the here and now by drifting off to happier times with my family, my friends. Death was once again staring me in the face, but even still, the part of me that was still cognizant of the present was awed and amazed by the ferocious beauty of the beast before me. There was a reason these creatures ruled the forest.

The bear rose up on its hind legs, visually warning me that it was bigger, stronger, and most likely hungrier. My eyes flashed to the various weapons it could use in an instant to end me—talonlike claws, ice pick–like teeth, or just its massive weight. All I had was a gun.

Thinking of my own weapon jostled me from my state of panic. Raising the barrel, I chambered a bullet and yelled at the bear to back off. It seemed a poor tactic at this point, but I didn’t really want to kill the animal. If I could scare it into submission, I’d take that as a win.

The bear, however, was unimpressed by my shouting. Landing heavily on its front feet, it began lumbering toward me. Damn it, I was going to have to shoot. And hope my gun did more than anger it. With shaking fingers, I lined up my shot. “Please go away,” I murmured, putting light pressure on the trigger.

Like it heard me, the bear suddenly looked to its left. It growled again and took a step back, away from the cabin. I heard Michael’s voice, and then a gunshot rang out in the night. The bear roared again, then seemed to realize it was outmatched. It turned and ran, its winter bulk vibrating with each thundering step.

I was still shaking as Michael stepped into view. Disengaging the gun, I dropped it on the ground and flew over to him. Before I knew it, my arms were around his neck, and I was pulling his firm body into mine. Thank God he was okay. Thank God I was okay.

“Oh my God, Michael,” I murmured into his shoulder, inhaling his woodsy scent. “That was terrifying. I thought for sure…”

Once I fully comprehended that I was squeezing the life out of him, I froze, every limb rigid with tension. I wasn’t sure if Michael would push me away or not, but then he surprised me by wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me into him just as hard as I was holding him, maybe harder. As we held each other, the anxiety and fear started easing, and I was flooded with warmth; I’d never felt more at peace.

 

 

S. C. Stephens is a bestselling author who enjoys spending every free moment creating stories that are packed with emotion and heavy on romance. Her debut novel, Thoughtless, an angst-filled love story featuring insurmountable passion and the unforgettable Kellan Kyle, took the world of romance by storm in 2009. Stephens has been writing nonstop ever since. In addition to writing, Stephens enjoys spending lazy afternoons in the sun reading fabulous novels, loading up her iPod with writer’s block–reducing music, heading out to the movies, and spending quality time with her friends and family. She currently resides in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her two equally beautiful children.

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