Dark Alpha’s Caress (Reapers #10) by Donna Grant-a review

Dark Alpha’s Caress (Reapers #10) by Donna Grant-a review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 16, 2020.

There is no escaping a Reaper. I am an elite assassin, part of a brotherhood that only answers to Death. And when Death says your time is up, I’m coming for you…

Reborn to serve, I have never once questioned Death’s directives. Until my mission leads me to a Halfling who stirs things within me that I’ve never felt before. Sorcha’s past intrigues me, but not as much as the gorgeous and stubborn Halfling herself. Though the Others are no more, our enemies still lurk around every corner. I can feel it. But for her, I will battle whatever comes my way—be it present dangers or ghosts of the past.

••••••••

REVIEW:DARK ALPHA’S CARESS is the tenth instalment in Donna Grant’s contemporary, adult THE REAPERS paranormal, romance / fantasy series focusing on Death’s Reapers. This is Reaper Cathal, and Halfling Sorcha’s story line. The REAPERS is a spin off from Donna’s DARK KINGS series which is a spinoff from Donna’s DARK WARRIOR series which in turn is a spin off from Donna’s DARK SWORD series- all set in the Highlands of Scotland. You do not have to have read any of the previous series to understand the premise but many of the events overlap with the events of the Dark Kings. DARK ALPHA’S CARESS is the beginning of a new series arc and can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty but I recommend reading the series in order for back story and cohesion.

SOME BACKGROUND: The Reapers (believed to be a folk lore amongst the Fae) are a group of Dark and Light Fae, selected by Death (aka Erith), on their own deathbed, to do her bidding-Death is the judge and jury; the Reapers are the executioners. The Reapers are not harbingers of death, but are tasked with destroying the Light and Dark Fae who have crossed a line from which there is no return. All Reapers must follow two rules: never to fall in love; and never to reveal their existence to anyone.

Told from third person perspective DARK ALPHA’S CARESS focuses on Halfling Sorcha as she has become the target of a number of fae. Reaper Cathal is tasked with uncovering the who and why of the influx of fae near the Isle of Skye but it is Sorcha who reveals there is something more dangerous developing within the fae community. As Cathal remains cloaked in an effort to follow our story line heroine, Sorcha struggles with ten years of guilt, and her refusal to use the magic with which she was born. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Sorcha and Cathal, and the potential fall-out when the couple discover there is a bounty on our story line heroine’s head, a bounty connected to sins of the past.

Sorcha has been in virtual seclusion for close to ten years since the death of her mother and sister. Blaming herself for the loss of her family, Sorcha battles between head and heart but a request from her cousin finds our heroine stepping out of her comfort zone to uncover the truth about a potential threat to the Isle of Skye. Cathal had been following a group of fae and in this he will come up close and personal with our story line heroine. Having no idea if Sorcha is involved in the potential threat to the supernatural world, Cathal and fellow Reaper Aisling begin to uncover the truth about Sorcha, the influx of fae, and a new threat to the supernatural world.

Meanwhile, the Reapers continue to search for Xaneth, former Fae queen Useail’s nephew, a light Fae who went missing as the war between the Light and Dark Fae, and the Dragon Kings came to fruition.

The relationship between Sorcha and Cathal is one of immediate attraction but Cathal knows that to fall in love goes against the Reaper’s code. As guardian and protector of our story line heroine, Cathal finds himself falling for a woman who is unaware of her true nature, and the power she is able to wield. The $ex scenes are passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including Erith (Death) and her mate Cael, Aisling, Rordan, Eoghan, and Sorcha’s cousin Rhona. The requisite evil has many faces.

DARK ALPHA’S CARESS is a story of family, betrayal and vengeance; relationships, friendships and love. The premise intriguing, imaginative and entertaining; the romance is seductive and captivating; the characters are strong, energetic and colorful.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Dark Alpha’s Claim
Dark Alpha’s Embrace
Dark Alpha’s Demand
Dark Alpha’s Lover
Dark Alpha’s Night
Dark Alpha’s Hunger
Dark Alpha’s Redemption
Dark Alpha’s Temptation

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Donna Grant is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the sizzling Dark King series featuring dragons, immortal Highlanders, and the Fae.

She was born and raised in Texas but loves to travel. Her adventures have taken her throughout the United States as well as to Jamaica, Mexico, and Scotland. Growing up on the Texas/Louisiana border, Donna’s Cajun side of the family taught her the “spicy” side of life while her Texas roots gave her two-steppin’ and bareback riding.

Despite deadlines and voracious reading, Donna still manages to keep up with her two children, four cats, and one long haired Chihuahua.

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Reclaim by Aly Martinez-Review & Excerpt Tour

Reclaim by Aly Martinez-Review and Excerpt tour

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Choices. Everyone makes them. From mundane to unimaginable, one choice can change the trajectory of your entire life.

My mother’s choice was to abandon us with our abusive father.
My brother’s choice was to go to prison for killing the boy who assaulted his soulmate.
Camden Cole’s choice was to fall in love with a shattered girl who had absolutely nothing to offer him but heartbreak.

It was one summer beneath the trees, but with Camden, I had a place where I belonged.
A friend who was always waiting for me.
A boy who I caught staring at me more often than not.

He was mine, but when the world closed in and secrets exploded all around us, it was my choice to let him go.

Choices. Everyone makes them.
But mine would ruin us all.

••••••••

REVIEW:RECLAIM by Aly Martinez is a contemporary, adult, dark, romance story line focusing on Camden Cole, and Nora Stewart.

NOTE: RECLAIM runs parallel to, and crosses over with the events of RELEASE but you do not have to have read Release to follow with the current story line. Nora is Ramsay Stewart’s sister (Release).

WARNING: Due to the nature of the story line premise including child abuse, neglect and rape, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Camden and Nora) following several timelines, covering close to twenty five years in the life, RECLAIM follows the friends to lovers relationship between Camden Cole, and Nora Stewart. At the ages of seven and eight, Nora Stewart met Camden Cole, and spent one wild summer together collecting worms and stories, as Nora’s home life would continue to spiral out of control. Visiting his grandparents very summer near Clovert, Georgia was meant to be punishment but Camden looked forward to his time spent with our story line heroine. At the age of twelve Nora would discover the true meaning of evil, and Camden would be pulled from her life for the next several years. Time would pass, as our couple would meet up, catch up and never forget until Nora did something unspeakable and her brother would pay the price. Years later, Nora would become a teacher, and Camden would write the bar exam, knowing he would eventually be called to save the woman he loved, but saving Nora also meant saving his own heart in the process. What ensues is the building back and forth friendship, relationship romance and love between Camden and Nora as Nora’s life in the small town of Clovert, Georgia would move forward with only the memories of the man she never stopped loving.

Camden Cole was only a summer visitor in Clover Georgia but his family had history and power in the small town where Nora Stewart lived. Camden knew Nora and her brother Ramsay struggled daily to survive but he never expected his life to be shattered when he discovered the truth about the who and what had happened to Nora. Nora Stewart had only ever loved one man from the age of seven, and said man kept disappearing and reappearing throughout her life but it wasn’t until a personal vengeance against Nora and her brother threatened any sense of peace for our story line heroine did Camden Cole return to claim Nora forever.

The relationship between Nora and Camden begins as childhood friends but Nora struggled with her life at home. Abuse, neglect, hunger and hate were but a few of the daily rituals our heroine and her brother had to endure. Camden battled between head and heart knowing the who and what Nora had to endure but it wasn’t until our heroine was older did Camden step in to ensure she was protected from her life back home. As the years went by, Camden and Nora would continue to proclaim their love but Nora struggled to fight the demons from her past, demons that would continue to haunt her for years to come. The $ex scenes are limited but mostly implied.

The colorful cast of secondary and supporting characters include Nora’s brother Ramsay and his girlfriend Thea (Release); Camden’s cousins Josh and Jonathan; Nora and Ramsay’s father, as well as Camden’s parents, his grandparents, and a couple of private investigators.

RECLAIM is a story of power, control; abuse and neglect; betrayal and vengeance; friendship and love. The premise is emotional, heart breaking and raw; the romance is imaginative and sensitive; the characters are broken, stubborn, dynamic and real. RECLAIM is a tragic, impassioned and dramatic tale of survival and love.

Click HERE  for Sandy’s review of RELEASE

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

He wedged his large body beside me in the bed. On his side, he draped one arm across my middle, curling his other under his head.
I watched him out of the corner of my eye, completely unsure if I was supposed to cuddle into him or what the hell we were doing.
“This okay?” he asked. “You comfortable?”
I was a lot of things. Confused. Lost. Overwhelmed by guilt.
But because it was Camden, comfortable was one of those things too.
As an answer, I rolled toward him and buried my face in his broad chest.
His whole body sagged as he began stroking the back of my hair. “Nora. Nora. Nora.”
In a way, Camden and I were strangers, but as his heart played in my ear, I felt two puzzle pieces clicking into place. A calm washed over me. The dark cloud of my betrayals still existed outside of Camden’s embrace; it just didn’t seem so ominous anymore. He knew all the dirty and broken parts of me and still came back, holding me as though he could keep me together.
Sliding an arm around his back, I curled in close, shifting to tangle my legs with his. “I’m tired, Cam.”
“I know,” he whispered, hugging me tight.
“No, you don’t. Nobody understands. I’m a disease who infects everyone who gets close to me.” My breathing shuddered. “It hurts. Everything hurts.”
“Do you remember our first summer together when a grasshopper got into the container where we held the extra worms? You screamed so loud when you opened that thing and it came flying out like a bat out of hell. It got on your shirt and then hung on for dear life. With all the racket you were making, the damn thing had to have been terrified, but he never jumped off. I had to peel it off your shirt, one leg at a time.”
I gagged at the memory. “Thanks for reminding me of that. Awesome timing.”
He chuckled and pressed his lips to the top of my head. “I’m the grasshopper clinging to your shirt, Nora.”
Now, if that wasn’t some good old classic Camden Cole rambling, I had no idea what was.
I tilted my head back, resting my chin on his pec, and peered up at him. “You do realize I have no idea what you’re talking about, right?”
My cold, hollow chest filled with a warmth I hadn’t felt in years when he grinned down at me.
“I genuinely thought you’d find your way back to me. A phone call. A visit. Anything. But as time passed and I got older, I realized I fell in love with a girl who had no idea how to be loved.”
My stomach wrenched, and emotion made my vision swim. “Camden, I—”
“No, just let me talk. Hear me out.” He tucked a stray hair behind my ear and let his thumb linger at my cheek, sweeping back and forth. “I know you love me, Nora. It’s flashed in your eyes every time you’ve seen me since we were kids. It’s like every light in the house suddenly comes on, but it terrifies you, so you spend the whole time we’re together running around, turning them all off, convincing yourself that you don’t deserve for people to love you back. But we still do it. Joe loves you. Thea loves you. Ramsey loves you. I’ll always love you.”

Originally from Savannah, Georgia, USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez now lives in South Carolina with her husband and four young children.

Never one to take herself too seriously, she enjoys cheap wine, mystery leggings, and baked feta. It should be known, however, that she hates pizza and ice cream, almost as much as writing her bio in the third person.

She passes what little free time she has reading anything and everything she can get her hands on, preferably with a super-sized tumbler of wine by her side.

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Daughter of the Serpentine by E.E. Knight – a Review

Daughter of the Serpentine by E.E. Knight – a Review

 

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Description:
As a young dragoneer moves through the ranks of the prestigious Serpentine Academy, her challenges grow greater and her time grows short to draw out a series of deadly threats, in this thrilling coming-of-age fantasy novel.

Sixteen-year-old Ileth is now an Apprentice Dragoneer, with all of the benefits and pitfalls that her elevation in rank entails. But her advancement becomes less certain after a she’s attacked by an unknown enemy, and Ileth begins to suspect that someone deadly may be hiding within the walls of the academy.

Outside of the walls there is a different challenge. The Rari Pirates are strangling the Vale Republic. What they lack in dragon firepower, they make up for in the brutality of their ever-expanding raids, making hostages or slaves of the Republic’s citizens. Surrounded by enemies, Ileth will need to learn what kind of dragoneer she wants to be. And as she makes decisions about her future, Ileth will have the chance to uncover the secrets of her past. Both will irrevocably change the course of her life.

 

 

Review:

Daughter of the Serpentine by E.E. Knight is the second book in his fantasy Dragoneer Academy series.  Daughter of the Serpentine picks up shortly after the last book left off, and continues to follow our heroine, Ileth’s,  journey into this magical world of dragons.  Ileth’s earned the respect of her peers in the last book, and is now an apprentice to a dragoneer, which has some pitfalls; she also continues to help with her dancing group. 

Ileth finds herself meeting new friends, as well as keeping her old ones.  When a request comes from a Lord claiming to be her father, she is forced to leave the academy and spend time with her powerful and wealthy father and his wife, which changes things for her (having grown up poor). But in time, her friend Santeel will visit, and together they work on the father to allow Ileth to return to her training to become a dragoneer.   

Ileth continues to be a wonderful heroine, who is smart, savvy, loyal and always willing to go beyond. I loved how she made friends with Aurue, a young Dragon, who befriended her.  I hope in future books, perhaps in time she will become his dragoneer.  But it was great to follow her journey, meeting new friends and dragons, as well as riding one of the dragons back home.   With a war on the horizon, Ileth will have to step up to help, proving how good she has become, even at the age of 17.

Daughter of the Serpentine was an excellent story line, with a wonderful heroine, very good secondary characters, dragons, exciting and action packed.  As I had said in my previous review, I thought there was a bit too much details that slowed down the story a bit. I did enjoy the book and look forward to finding out where EE Knight is going to take us in the next book.  If you enjoy fantasy, dragons, training, and a wonderful young heroine, I suggest you read this series.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by  Publisher

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Ten Days with a Duke by Erica Ridley-a review

Ten Days with a Duke (12 Dukes of Christmas #11) by Erica Ridley-a review

 

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Olive Harper’s family has been feuding with the Westons for decades. The Westons’ stud farm is the biggest, but the Harpers’ is the most famous… and she’s the sole heiress. Or was, until her father brokers a truce by offering the Weston heir the Harper farm. The only way to get it back is to marry the knave who kissed her and humiliated her, twice—or prove to her father that some rifts can never be healed.

Scholar and botanist Elijah Weston is dreadful at feuding. For one, he prefers horticulture to horses. For two, he’s been desperately in love with his mortal enemy ever since he kissed her—and, yes, publicly destroyed her—all those years ago. When he’s given ten days to win Olive’s heart, he arrives with marriage license in hand. But where lies and double-crosses abound, how can lifelong rivals learn to trust their hearts?

Welcome to a heartwarming series of fun Regency romps nestled in a picturesque snow-covered village. After all, nothing heats up a winter night quite like finding oneself in the arms of a duke!

•••••••••

REVIEW:Ten Days with a Duke is the next installment in the 12 Dukes of Christmas. In this historical romantic novella, author Erica Ridley has written a fast, but uniquely interesting tale of forgiveness and redemption.

The Harper and Weston families were friends. The fathers were close since boyhood. Even though one was in line for a title, both were wealthy and great friends. They began a stud farm together that became famous and horses that were sought after by everyone. However, a feud began, and the friends became dire enemies. The farm was divided, and each held title to their own farms. The Weston’s farm was successful and famous, but the Harper’s farm became the one with horses that even royalty wanted.

Olive Harper was a bit gangly and not as lovely as she would one day be. However, she was a brilliant rider and entered a horse race for her age group of girl riders. She won easily and was awarded a medallion. Elijah Weston was only slightly older than Olive and loved to watch her ride. He thought she was lovely. He spoke to her after her win, near the barn where no one was around. They laughed and talked, then Elijah leaned in and kissed Olive just as her father, his father, and his uppity friends came into the barn. Elijah’s father mocked her. Elijah (afraid of his father’s scorn) and his friends joined in making fun of her, saying she looked like a Harper’s horse…and more. A year later Elijah’s father had caricatures of her circulated that ruined her first London season. Secretly, Elijah actually liked her, even thought he loved her. Over the years he never changed his mind, but his father made any thoughts of a relationship impossible.

Ten years later, Mr. Harper sent a note to Mr. Weston, trying to put an end to the old feud. They proposed that Elijah and Olive would marry, and Mr. Harper would give all his shares in his farm to Elijah. When told about the proposal, Olive was furious. She made conditions of her own before she would submit to her father’s will. They would spend 12 days together, if Elijah could ride her rogue horse Duke, she would consider the proposal. If not, she kept the farm.

There is so much more to this wonderful plot, but I don’t do spoilers. The characters in this are well developed, the conversations and even self-thoughts are interesting. How can lifelong enemies just get over everything and marry? The challenges and secrets are plentiful. This story is almost impossible to put down. So, don’t put it down! Grab a drink of your favorite beverage and cuddle in for a wonderful and fulfilling Christmas miracle!

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Georgianna S.

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Judge’s Girls by Sharina Harris – a Review

Judge’s Girls by Sharina Harris – a Review

 

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Description:
Three very different women. Only one thing in common. But when their family patriarch dies and they must share his estate, the truths they discover will test them–and everything they think they know about each other.

Beloved Georgia judge Joseph Donaldson was known for his unshakable fairness, his hard-won fortune–and a scandalous second marriage to his much-younger white secretary. Now he’s left a will with a stunning provision. In order to collect their inheritance, his lawyer daughter Maya, her stepmother Jeanie, and Jeanie’s teen daughter, Ryder, must live together at the family lake house. Maya and Jeanie don’t exactly get along, but they reluctantly agree to try an uneasy peace for as long as it takes…

But fragile ex-beauty queen Jeanie doesn’t know who she is beyond being a judge’s wife–and drinking away her insecurities has her in a dangerous downward spiral. Fed up with her mother’s humiliating behavior, Ryder tries to become popular at school in all the wrong ways. And when Maya attempts to help, she puts her successful career and her shaky love life at risk. Now with trouble they didn’t see coming–and secrets they can no longer hide–these women must somehow find the courage to admit their mistakes, see each other for who they really are–and slowly, perhaps even joyfully, discover everything they could be.

 

 

Review:

Judge’s Girls by Sharina Harris is a standalone novel.  The story focuses on three women who are part of the same family, and how their lives are affected by the death of the patriarch.  Joseph Donaldson, a well known and popular Judge in a town in Georgia, died and left his wife (second wife, Jeanie), daughter (Maya, in her twenties and successful lawyer), and step daughter (Ryder, who is 17), in total disarray.

Maya Donaldson, who is the main character, inherits the home her father left her, but with provisions to allow Jeanie to live there as long as she wants.  Maya is not happy, since she has never gotten along with Jeanie; but she loves Ryder as her little sister.  Maya, who is black, is a beautiful successful lawyer, and has always resented that her father married a white woman after her mother’s death.  All three women are having their own issues, with them deep in mourning.  Maya is up for a promotion to become a partner in the law firm she works with, and is devastated to find out she is being bypassed.  Her boyfriend, Roland, who professes to love her, is a partner at the firm, and she resents that he did not help her get the promotion.

Jeanie is totally spiraling out of control, unable to handle the change in her life.  She begins to drink, neglecting her daughter and causing problems for Maya at work.  This causes both Maya and Jeanie to be angrier with each other, and making life more difficult for Ryder. Ryder decides to befriend a group of wild friends, which brings Maya to try and stop her from ruining her life.  I thought that Maya was a great character, very smart and independent; except in recognizing her true feelings for Roland. I actually loved Maya and Ryder relationship and how close they were.  Wonderfully done by Harris.  Early on I was not crazy about Jeanie, as she let herself fall apart, not looking at the other two people suffering from their loss.

It is Maya who will step in to force Jeanie into rehab, which will change things for the better.  Jeanie learns how to deal with grief, get herself on the bandwagon with her Alcoholism and find a new friend, who teaches her how open up with new possibilities; which includes confidence in painting.  Maya also gives advice to Ryder, who enters a poetry class, and meets Alston. Once Jeanie comes home, her and Maya slowly begin to accept each other, with some help from Ryder, who was determined to bring them together.  It really was a wonderful last third of the book, as we watch all three women move on with their lives, and become a family again.  

Judge’s Girls was a wonderful, emotional story about broken families, grief, forgiveness, racial issues, alcoholism, love and obstacles.  Sharina Harris did a wonderful job writing this wonderful story line that had me totally engrossed into the lives of these three women. I wholly suggest you read this book, so very well done.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy supplied for Review

 

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Reckless Rock Star by Victoria Ashley-Review Tour

Reckless Rock Star (Cocky Hero Club) by Victoria Ashley-Review Tour

 

 

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 15, 2020.

I was never supposed to want to keep her.
She was meant to be borrowed.
Mine for six days and not a day longer.
She doesn’t belong to me.
She belongs to someone else.

My brother…

The closest person I have outside of the screaming fans and paparazzi—a constant in my new life— other than the whiskey I drown myself in to numb the pain left by someone else.

But a secluded cabin in the woods and my ex who decided she’s not over me forces me to go to the extreme in order to take control of my world again before I lose it completely.

Unfortunately for me, my brother’s girlfriend is the only girl I haven’t slept with and made fall for me, resulting in hating me in the end.

She’s my only option.

Sharing a room in a cabin with me is most girls’ dream come true, but for Natalie, she claims it’s her worst nightmare. She thinks I’m a cocky bastard and has always been good at destroying my ego.

I never realized when I asked to borrow her for the trip, that I’d feel something I haven’t felt in a long time, or that I’d like the way she pretends she doesn’t enjoy being around me.

Have you ever borrowed something and didn’t want to give it back?

Yeah, well, me too. And I’m starting to think she should have been mine to begin with

•••••••••

REVIEW:RECKLESS ROCK STAR by Victoria Ashley is a stand alone, contemporary, adult, rock, romance story line in the multi-authored Cocky Hero Club. This is rock star Madden Parker, and hotel receptionist Natalie’s storyline.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Natalie and Madden) RECKLESS ROCK STAR follows the building romance and relationship between is rock star Madden Parker, and hotel receptionist Natalie. It’s that time of year when rock star Madden Parker takes one week for himself, meeting a group of friends for their annual camping and fun but three years earlier Madden’s heart was broken when he discovered his then, long term, girlfriend Alana had been unfaithful and the trip to the cottage brought back too many memories. Alana’s continued attempts to get back together with Madden extend to the cottage but this year Madden is deseperate enough to bring a ‘fake girlfriend’ along for the fun. Enter his brother Logan’s girlfriend Natalie. What ensues is the fake boyfriend/girlfriend relationship between Natalie and Madden, and the potential fall-out as the fake relationship becomes all too real.

Natalie never expected her boyfriend Logan to agree to the fake relationship plan but Logan’s insistence pushed Natalie into agreeing with Madden, an agreement that was about to spiral out of control. With Natalie’s help, Madden is desperately hoping to convince Alana that she matters no longer but Madden and Natalie’s attempts to remain objective crumble when the heart wants something more.

The relationship between Madden and Natalie is a fake boyfriend/girlfriend relationship in which Madden is ‘borrowing’ his brother’s girlfriend for an extended vacation. Logan’s lack of concern is disconcerting to both Natalie and Madden, and in this Logan has secrets that could destroy both his brother and the woman with whom Madden is falling in love. Madden and Natalie’s fake relationship is about to cross the line, a line from which they can never return. The limited $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 secondary and supporting characters including the member of the rock band RISK: Landon and Hendrix, as well as Madden’s brother Logan, and their friends Jake, Jess, Walker, Seth, Riley and Madden’s ex girlfriend Alana.

RECKLESS ROCK STAR is a story of family, friendships and relationships; betrayal, vengeance and heart break; romance, seduction and love. The premise is captivating; the romance is seductive; the characters are energetic and charismatic

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

 

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Victoria Ashley grew up in Rockford, IL and has had a passion for reading for as long as she can remember. After finding a reading app where it allowed readers to upload their own stories, she gave it a shot and writing became her passion.

She lives for a good romance book with bad boys that are just highly misunderstood and is not afraid to be caught crying during a good read. When she’s not reading or writing about bad boys, you can find her watching her favorite shows.

She is the author of Wake Up Call, This Regret, Slade, Hemy, Cale, Get Off On The Pain, Something For The Pain and Thrust.

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The Christmas Plan (Silver Bell Falls) by Samantha Chase-a review

The Christmas Plan (Silver Bell Falls #6) by Samantha Chase-a review

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Release Date: November 17, 2020

If only life was a cheesy holiday movie…
Unfortunately for Aspen Harris, her life doesn’t even come close.

Finding herself unemployed just before the holidays, she has no choice but to move back home and in her parents’ house. And that means leaving behind her best friend Gabriel and all her dreams of someday owning her own chocolate shop. So when Gabe suggests she come to Silver Bell Falls to spend the holidays with his family, it seems like the perfect distraction.

What’s so great about holiday movies?
Don’t people realize that living in an actual Christmas town is anything but magical?

Every year, Gabriel Andrews goes home to Silver Bell Falls to help his father run the family Christmas tree lot. When Aspen tells him she has to move to the other side of the country after losing her job, he suggests she come home with him for the holidays. It’s the perfect way to spend as much time together as possible before a whole country separates them.

But this is Silver Bell Falls at Christmas time…between a mother with matchmaking tendencies, tight living quarters and far too much chocolate, it doesn’t take very long for life to start imitating art.

••••••••

REVIEW:THE CHRISTMAS PLAN is the sixth instalment in Samantha Chase’s contemporary, adult SILVER BELL FALLS romance series. This is videographer Gabriel Andrews, and chocolatier Aspen Harris’ story line. THE CHRISTMAS PLAN can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary. All of the story lines in this series take place around the Christmas holidays.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Gabriel and Aspen) THE CHRISTMAS PLAN follows in the aftermath of chocolatier Aspen Harris quitting her job, just weeks before Christmas, having finally had enough of the sexual harassment from the man in charge. With her best friend Gabriel Andrews heading home to Silver Bell Falls to help with his family Christmas tree farm, Aspen jumps at the chance to spend the holidays in a ‘real-life’ Hallmark™ movie but Gabriel is reluctant knowing not everything is as it seems especially when it comes to his well-intentioned but meddling family. Having never spent the Christmas holidays in a wonderland of snow, Aspen is drawn to the small town and its’ people, who have taken to Aspen, and her chocolate fancies. What ensues is the building romance between Gabriel and Aspen, and the potential fall-out as Aspen’s time in Silver Bell Falls comes to a close.

Aspen Harris’ welcome to Silver Bell Falls is punctuated with orders and requests for her delectable chocolates, and with it an idea is about to form as Aspen considers a different path for her future, a path in which Gabriel struggles to understand or accept. Gabriel wants his best friend Aspen Harris to remain to Atlanta but there is currently no work or opportunity for Aspen to follow. While Gabriel insists that his ‘best friend’ should remain in Atlanta, an new opportunity reveals in Silver Bell Falls.

The relationship between Gabe and Aspen is a best friends to lovers romance, a romance in which Gabriel battles between head and heart fearing the loss of his best friend should their romance go sour. Forever reminding Aspen that she is his best friend, Gabriel continues to break a little bit of Aspen’s heart with every reminder. All of the $ex scenes are implied.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful, meddling and familiar secondary and supporting characters including most of the previous story line couples, as well as Gabriel’s parents Mr. and Mrs. Andrews.

THE CHRISTMAS PLAN is a sweet, charming and chocolatey story of love and romance, friendships and relationships, family and fun. The premise is delightful and captivating; the characters are energetic and lively.

Reading Order and previous reviews
Christmas in Silver Bell Falls
Christmas on Point
A Very Married Christmas
A Christmas Rescue
Christmas Inn Love

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

FOLLOW: Goodreads / Twitter / Website / Facebook

Samantha ChaseNew 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 NorthCarolina.

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Dark Fae Extinction 1-2 by Quinn Blackbird-Review tour

Dark Fae Extinction 1-2 by Quinn Blackbird-Review tour

 

SHADOW FAE
Dark Fae Extinction #1
by Quinn Blackbird
Release Date: October 27, 2020
Genre: adult, paranormal, dark, erotic, romance

 

SHADOW FAE book 1 ONLY 99¢ Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

A lone, brutal fae warrior.
A lost, wounded human …
and desires so forbidden they must be fought.

Fans of LAURA THALASSA, C.N. CRAWFORD and JENNIFER L. ARMENTROUT will love this dark, apocalypse-driven series.

The world was plunged into eternal darkness, riddled by plagues and famines. Then when most of humanity had fallen, they came to finish us off.
The dark fae, brutal warriors of myth, came to kill the last of the humans in this new, dark world.

I’m Coralie – I’m not brave, I’m desperate, so I won’t go down without a fight … if I can stomach it, that is.

This is a novella rapid-release series for KU. For purchase-to-read, please check out the box set which is the full collection of the whole series, available on pre-order now.

Content warnings are as follows – mentions of suicidal ideation, graphic violence, graphic erotic scenes, dark romance, dark psychology. These are not your friendly neighbourhood fae and I like my heroines twisted. —Quinn Blackbird

••••••••••

REVIEW: With a start that intense and dark, it should be a good read……

I have to admit, it felt very surreal reading this at the moment…..

The pandemic sweeping the world feels like an invasion and so I found it hard work at first, and then to find out it written within another series I did have to wonder if I was missing a little information.
But as I travelled further into the book, I didn’t worry about another series, I only wondered and worried about the characters in this book.

So a quick recap, the world was invaded by a plague then an invasion of dark Fae, I get the impression they don’t want to rule us, they want to wipe us off the face of this planet….

They burn their way through the world taking very few prisoners, not sure why they want to wipe humans from existence.

Coralie and a small group of people have banded together for safety, but they are being picked off a couple at a time. But now, they want to fight back, they want to hurt the dark Fae, or at least die trying! What I like about Coralie is the fact she’s not a hero, she’s a coward, but in her position I’d be the same, I’d be hiding behind the door, and out the door! In fact she’s thinking of taking her own life! She’s had enough of trying to survive, but with each battle she’s survived, but if they take her out, she won’t be sorry to leave this scorched and barren world!

And coming face to face with a fae it’s not instant love, it’s not even dislike, it’s fae trying to kill Coralie and the people she’s travelling with, and it’s humans trying to kill the dark Fae, it bloody, brutal and graphic….

And now she’s a prisoner of the dark fae, not dead, oh no, because she has something that’s important to her survival!

It’s a dark fantasy.
Dystopian world
Apocalyptic
Violent
Very Graphic
Extremely Erotic

Not my normal reading material, and I have to admit it’s darker than I thought it might be, but a fabulous read. It feels like your living in the moment with Coralie, your hiding from the fae, your palms get sweaty and I definitely got the tension that the author was building. Nothing is skipped in this short story, really well written, descriptions come alive and your running for your life.
And I can’t wait to see where this story takes us……
And just to warn you, it’s a cliffhanger!!

? Reviewed by Julie B

_________

DARK SKIES
Dark Fae Extinction #2
by Quinn Blackbird
Release Date:
Genre: adult, paranormal, dark, erotic, romance

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

A lone, brutal fae warrior and a lost, wounded human … and desires so forbidden they must be fought.

Taken by a ruthless dark fae warrior;
Captive in a cold, dark world;
Praying for the end to come …

The warrior who stole me when I was meant to die by his hand has other plans. Binding me in rope, he is dragging me across the planes of France in a journey to find the rest of his unit.
It should be a long, gruelling trek with cruelties from this wicked beast —

And yet…

I find him watching me in the dark, tending to my wounds, and protecting me from other more sinister threats.
This isn’t what was supposed to happen when I emptied that gun into him. I was supposed to die.
Now, I’m suffered to live too close to a beast I am learning to hate a little less than I should.

But I still plan on killing him.

•••••••••

REVIEW:  We start this part of the series roughly where the last book ended.

Coralie is a prisoner of a dark Fae soldier, Coralie and Spike (part of the group she was with) were the only survivors of the bomb they tried to detonate and kill the fae soldiers that were after them. It wiped out the soldiers, leaving just one deadly fae. But it also killed the group Spike and Coralie were with!

Making his way back to his unit, the fae drags his prisoners across the French countryside. He doesn’t care if they are wounded, he doesn’t care if they are starving, he’s going to get back to his soldiers (I’m not sure why he wants Coralie and Spike)

There is an uneasy feeling between the three. The fae doesn’t trust the humans, Coralie just wants to kill the warrior then herself, and maybe take Spike out too (no love lost between the two human, she thinks Spike is a creep, and i totally agree)
There is no give in the warrior, he tends to his wounds, but doesn’t care about the welfare of his prisoners (in fact I think he gets great delight being exceptionally cruel to Coralie)

There is nothing but fear and animosity towards the warrior, so I don’t see how we are going to make a romance out of this book.

And when Coralie tries to take out her enemy, it backfires hugely and with Spike turning traitor, it looks like Coralie’s life is about to end……
And that where it ends!!!! Man it’s getting good.

She still isn’t a hero, her sole aim now in life is to kill the fae warrior and then meet her end!!
It’s all very dark and depressing but also fascinating…..
How humans are now practically extinct. Small pockets of resistance, but with the Dark Fae being so powerful it’s only a matter of time before the human race is no more!!

The description is a little misleading, there is no protection, there is only hate! She may have gotten to look at the warrior naked once, but I don’t think it’s enough for her to change her mind! He spends time looking at her, but then torments her, and when he believes Spike over Coralie?!?!

Yet another cliffhanger ending!!! Definitely keeps you wanting more!

? Copies supplied for review

Reviewed by Julie B

____________

DARK DAYS
Dark Fae Extinction #3
by Quinn Blackbird
Release Date: November 9, 2020
Genre: adult, paranormal, dark, erotic, romance

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

ABOUT THE BOOK A lone, brutal fae warrior and a lost, wounded human … and desires so forbidden they must be fought.

A dark fae warrior, a beast of cruelty and brutality.
A dark-minded human survivor, taken as prisoner.
And too many cold, quiet moments in the blackness.

It’s a dark world and only the monsters survive it.
That’s what I am — I must be. How else could I be feeling all of this for my captor, a fae warrior determined to exterminate my kind?

He cares nothing for me beyond lust.

There’s no escape — he watches my every move on our journey to link up with his army.
And my fate might have just taken a turn for the worst when two more of his kind stumble onto our path…

Before, I thought the only way out was to kill him. I tried and failed, twice.
Now, I know it’s me who must die. Preferably before one of those other dark fae get their hands on me.

Quinn Blackbird loves an anti-hero.
All of her villains stay submerged in ‘dark’ so expect little redemption. She thinks them up over hot coffees and warm cups of tea on the porch.
When not writing, Quinn is either tackling a new face mask or snuggling with a book on the couch with her two pups.
After living in Scotland most of her life, Quinn then moved around the world writing for a few years, visiting distant family. Though she loved Australia the most–only in summer!–she has decided to put down some roots in Paris once everything has settled down.

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