Monthly Archives: November 2023

Christmas in Cape May by Jennifer Probst-review tour

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Christmas in Cape May (Sunshine Sisters) by Jennifer Probst-review tour

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Devon Pratt loves many things in life. The beauty of flowers. The yin and yang of energy. The power of positivity in people. And everything to do with the Christmas season.

As a floral shop owner in the beach town of Cape May, she looks forward to decorating both the town and running the annual holiday party to benefit the local animal shelter. Too bad the new owner of her favorite venue is more like the Grinch than Santa. Working with him will be a challenge, but she’s too full of seasonal cheer to let him annoy her, right?

Jameson Franklin hates many things in life. Crowds. Fake cheer. Ostentatious décor. And especially Christmas. The season is full of things he’d rather avoid, but since taking over the popular restaurant Vintage temporarily for his cousin as a favor, he’s trying to play nice with the locals. Too bad the florist is insisting on overrunning his sacred space with blooms, dogs, and an endless positive persistence that pushes all of his buttons. But when too many heated confrontations lead to heated encounters, he begins to wonder what it would be like to love not only Christmas, but Devon Pratt.

Let the festivities begin.

••••

REVIEW:CHRISTMAS IN CAPE MAY is book 3.5 in Jennifer Probst’s contemporary, adult SUNSHINE SISTERS erotic, romance series, a part of the 1001 Dark Nights multi-authored series. This is restaurateur Jameson Franklin, and florist Devon Pratt’s story line. CHRISTMAS IN CAPE MAY can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

Told from omniscient dual third person perspectives (Devon and Jameson) CHRISTMAS IN CAPE MAY follows the building but contemptuous romance and relationship between our story line couple. Cape May restaurant owner Mac was taking a leave of absence, and brought in his cousin Jameson Franklin to manage the popular family restaurant known as Vintage but from the outset Jameson’s need to make changes sets everyone on edge including florist Devon Pratt. Jameson refuses to host the upcoming fund raiser for the local animal shelter, and Devon is about to show Jameson the power of small town control. As Jameson continues to alienate the folks of Cape May, Devon sees behind the pain, and into the heart of a man who’s struggling to thrive. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Devon and Jameson, and the potential fall-out as Jameson’s time in Cape May comes to a close.

The world building focuses on Jameson’s need to update and change his cousin’s restaurant but the people in Cape May like things the way they are, and Jameson is about to rile the proverbial feathers of the tight-knit small town. Devon Pratt warned Jameson Franklin that his changes would not be approved but Jameson struggles with the approaching holidays, and wants nothing to do with tradition or songs.

The relationship between Jameson and Devon begins acrimoniously as our couple butt-heads from the first time they met. Jameson need changes, and Devon warns that change is not good, nor has it ever been approved. With the arrival of the world’s largest puppy, Devon and Jameson find themselves sharing custody of a dog no one wants, and in the end, the love for a puppy becomes the love between two people battling the loneliness of the holidays. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

The secondary and supporting characters are familiar and fun: Avery and Carter, Bella and Gabe, Taylor and Pierce. We are introduced to restaurant owner Mac, his employees, and Bear.

CHRISTMAS IN CAPE MAY is a fast paced, quick read; a story of family and friendships, love and acceptance. The premise is entertaining, engaging and sweet; the romance is seductive; the characters are energetic and enthusiastic.

 

Reading Order and Previous reviews
Love on Beach Avenue
Temptation on Ocean Drive
Forever in Cape May

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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Jennifer Probst is the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of both sexy and erotic contemporary romance. She was thrilled her novel, The Marriage Bargain, was the #6 Bestselling Book on Amazon for 2012. Her first children’s book, Buffy and the Carrot, was co-written with her 12 year old niece, and her short story, “A Life Worth Living” chronicles the life of a shelter dog. She makes her home in New York with her sons, husband, two rescue dogs, and a house that never seems to be clean. She loves hearing from all readers! Stop by her website at http://www.jenniferprobst.com for all her upcoming releases, news and street team information.

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Kiss of Enchantment (Darkfire Chronicles1)by Deborah Cooke-review

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Kiss of Enchantment (Darkfire Chronicles 1) by Deborah Cooke-review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 7, 2023

The ancient magic of darkfire scorches the history of the Pyr, dragon shifters sworn to defend the treasures of the earth, spreading chaos in its wake. Periodically commanded by Pyr with the rare ability to hold it in thrall, blue-green darkfire burns with relentless power through the centuries, shattering boundaries and provoking change. The Darkfire Chronicles tell the stories of those Pyr illuminated by darkfire’s spark.

One kiss will unveil the secrets of the past…

Cast through time with his fellow Dragon Legion Warriors, Orion follows the spark of his firestorm, the sign of his destined mate’s presence. Only when he’s left behind, alone in a different time, does he discover the darkfire’s deception. His firestorm might be a feint, but the woman touched by its golden radiance is one who could capture Orion’s heart forever. When Slayers attack, Orion is determined to defend her and her secrets, no matter the price to himself.

Grad student Francesca is more interested in her career and research than in getting married. But then, she’s never met a man like Orion, a fierce protector whose presence ignites an undeniable desire within her—although the seductive power of his kiss isn’t the only thing Francesca can’t explain. Orion also creates a glow inside the vase said to contain the voice of the Cumaean Sibyl. When that light is released, Francesca hears the voice of the past and is revealed as Orion’s destined mate—making her the Slayers’ target.

On the run, Orion and Francesca join forces to solve the Sibyl’s last riddle. Will success provide the key to their shared future? Or will the unpredictable darkfire snatch Orion away as abruptly as he arrived—along with Francesca’s memories of the dragon shifter who has claimed her heart? How much will either of them sacrifice to save their their unborn son and defend their future together?

•••••

REVIEW:KISS OF ENCHANTMENT is the first instalment in Deborah Cooke’s adult DARKFIRE CHRONICLES paranormal/fantasy series, a spin-off from the author’s DRAGON LEGION novellas (The Dragon Legion Collection / Dragonfire 9), set in the DRAGONFIRE world. This is dragon Pyr Orion, and grad student Francesca Marino’s story line. KISS OF ENCHANTMENT can be read as a stand alone but for back story, cohesion and enjoyment, I recommend reading THE DRAGON LEGION COLLECTION.

Told from numerous omniscient third person perspectives including Francesca and Orion, using several timelines, and Greek and Roman mythology, KISS OF ENCHANTMENT follows Orion, a member of the Dragon Legion Pyr, who along with his fellow warriors go where the Darkfire crystal needs them to be. Each member of their group ventures off toward their Firestorm and a new adventure, each is taken to another time and place. 1972 brings together Orion with the woman he believes to be his intended mate but nothing is as it appears to be, and Orion must face down two slayers, who are determined to take what doesn’t belong. Orion’s attraction to Francesca is tempered by secrets from the past, a past that is determined to reclaim a place in the present. What ensues is the building relationship between Orion and Francesca, and the potential fall-out as Orion’s time in the past threatens to destroy the beginnings of a lifelong affair.

The world building continues to focus on the Pyr, their struggle with the group known as the slayers, and the search for their fated mates. As each Firestorm announces the nearness of their mates, the Pry must face off against the slayers, who are determined to destroy the woman chosen by the gods to bring forth the next generation.

The relationship between Orion and Francesca is one of immediate attraction. Orion believes Francesca is his chosen mate but all is not as it is supposed to be as Orion discovers Francesca is hiding a secret, a secret that refuses to remain in the past. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

Several of the original Pyr return as each recognizes the arrival of another Firestorm but each Pyr struggle with the possibility of who or why, fate will threaten the Firestorm in both the past and the present. We are introduced to slayers Magnus Montmorency and Sigmund.

KISS OF ENCHANTMENT is awash in the reimagining of Greek and Roman mythology intertwined with the history of the shapeshifting Pyr. The premise is detailed, complex and entertaining; the characters are magical and charismatic; the romance is subtle and fated.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

 

If you haven’t started the interconnected series, ebook one KISS OF FIRE in the Dragonfire series is FREE

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Slay by Laurell K. Hamilton – Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

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Slay by Laurell K. Hamilton – Review & Giveaway

 

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Description:
Necromancer Anita Blake is small, dark, and dangerous. Her turf is the city of St. Louis. Her job: U.S. Marshal—Preternatural Branch. She’s faced horrifying monsters and brutal killers and come out the other side still standing.

Considering how things in her life tend to go, Anita never expected her walk down the aisle with Jean-Claude to go smoothly. They’ve already been confronted with naysayers and a power-hungry ancient evil, but now Anita has to do the one thing that actually scares her: introduce her very religious, very human relatives to her fiancé—the newly crowned vampire king of America.

As Anita tries to keep the peace between the family she left behind and the family she’s chosen, dark forces jump at the chance to take advantage of the chaos. With her happy-ever-after at risk and everyone’s immortal souls hanging in the balance, Anita grapples with a hard truth: Blood makes you related, but loyalty makes you family.

 

Review:

Slay by Laurell K. Hamiltion is the 30th book in her fantastic Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series. And I have to admit although a great story, it could have been added to the “Smoulder” book, it felt like a continuation…..

Preternatural U.S. Marshal and vampire hunter Anita Blake is preparing for her wedding to the vampire king of America Jean-Claude…..But it’s not been an easy journey, the humans don’t like Jean-Claude they think he’s got her under some kind of spell and will turn on the humans given half a chance! 

And Jean-Claude’s pack, in fact all the vampires think Anita has their king under her spell, so she’s not exactly their choice for their king! And just when you think it can’t get any worse…. Her family roll up!! Grandma who is vile at best (abused the young Anita) turns up with her dad, who thinks Jean-Claude is evil incarnate! Family dramas aside, we also have a new evil entity wanting to destroy the king of the vampires! 

I will admit, I’ve not read all the Anita Blake stories, I came in late to the series. But it’s an easy enough to pick up and drop a book series, without losing too much. Anita has had many lovers/partners throughout the series. She’s also had many issues with family. And I like that she doesn’t shy away from any of it. 

So while Anita is trying to plan the wedding and keep her family from killing her fiancé and extended lovers/family, there is an evil killing vampires in St. Louis. Is it the evil from the last book returning to take the crown from the new vampire king? 

Apparently her earlier Anita books were just smut and no story! Well I can tell you that had changed… we do get smut, but there is more story and substance now. 

A fast paced action book with evil/power/anger/grief and so much more! 

There are also attacks on her extended family that have Anita worried for their lives, she needs to keep her blood family away from them! There are also traitors within Jean-Claude’s ranks, and they are conspiring with the ancient evil, which makes it an even bigger problem.

The ending is eventful and had me on the edge of my seat, I nearly threw my kindle twice as I jumped. A highly recommended read that will keep you up till your done ? 

Reviewed by Julie

Copy provided by Publisher

 

A figure rounded the bend in the stairs all that way down, and before my eyes told me who, the energy we shared danced over my skin as if he’d brushed his fingertips over parts of my body that were hidden under my clothes. I shivered as I watched him lift off the steps and start floating toward me. It made me laugh and say, “Now there’s a solution to all these damned steps.”
He rose toward the ceiling, his long black hair spilling out around him like a dark aura. His hair wasn’t streaming out around him because he was flying toward me but moving in the wind of his own power, so that his black curls writhed and boiled like a dozen hands were playing with it, but it was his magic, just his magic.
He needed one of his usual lace, leather, and sexy-boots outfits for all that hair to frame, but he was dressed in one of only two modern suits I’d ever seen him in; the first time it had been to save the feelings of a grieving family, and this time we were trying not to give my father any other reason to hate him. In that moment I knew I didn’t care if my dad liked him or not. I loved Jean-Claude and nothing my dad did would change that.
He landed lightly on first one foot, then the other until he stood beside me at the top of the stairs. I wrapped my arms around him, but the traditionally long suit jacket felt wrong on him. He either did no jacket or some version of a bolero so that it hit him somewhere between his lower ribs and just below his natural waist. He had a fabulous ass, and it seemed a shame to cover it up.
He wrapped his arms around me and laughed. “Ma petite, we chose this suit precisely so it would cover more of my body, so I did not shock your family.”
I stared up into that beautiful face with the darkest blue eyes I’d ever seen, set in thick black lashes with a perfect curve of eyebrows that were all natural; he didn’t even need mascara. So unfair to the rest of us. His face was almost feminine in its beauty, but there was something about the line of his chin that turned all that gorgeousness a little more masculine. He was still androgynous, but it leaned a little more to the male side. The long black curls framed his face and trailed down his shoulders almost to his waist. My family thought long hair was only for girls. Putting him in a traditional men’s suit really didn’t make him look more like the type of man my family would approve of, but hey, at least we were trying.
“I won’t ever look into your face without thinking how beautiful you are, and why are you marrying me?”
“I believe that is the man’s line, ma petite.”
I grinned and said, “Traditionally it is, but most men don’t look like you.”
“That you compare yourself to me and think yourself the lesser beauty means you do not see truth when you look into the mirror, ma petite.”
“I second that,” Nicky said.
I glanced at him and couldn’t help but smile at the look on his face. “I know I don’t always see the truth in the mirror. Nicky and Ethan have met who messed me up.” I turned back to Jean-Claude. “That delight is still ahead of you.”
“I am looking forward to it, ma petite, and before you complain I would give much if my mother and sister were alive for me to introduce you to them. That I can meet your family, however broken, is a gift to me.”

Excerpted from Slay by Laurell K. Hamilton Copyright © 2023 by Laurell K. Hamilton. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

 

 

 

Laurell K Hamilton’s publisher (Penguin/Random House)  is graciously offering a hard copy of SLAY to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

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

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9. Giveaway is open to US only

10. Giveaway runs from November 7th to 10th, 2023.

 

 

 

 

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Sweet Spot (Redemption 9) by Jessica Prince-review tour

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Sweet Spot (Redemption 9) by Jessica Prince-review tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 6, 2023

Who knew four little words and a very public kiss would change so much.

Gage Langdon didn’t do relationships. After having his heart shattered years ago, he made a vow to never go down that road again. But when his past waltzes into his town, demanding his attention, he reacts without thinking and makes a very public display of kissing his best friend. Now Wynn is pretending to be his girlfriend to help him get back at his ex, and the feelings he’d sworn he turned off were starting to spark to life.

After walking in on her boyfriend in bed with another woman, Wynn Klein made herself a promise. Never again. She was done with men. When she walked into that coffee shop one morning to meet her best friend, she never expected Gage would wrap her in his arms and plant a knee-quaking kiss on her in front of the whole town. The request he whispered in her ear after sealed their fate: Just go with it.

When Wynn agreed to be Gage’s fake girlfriend, it was only supposed to be temporary. But thanks to meddlesome friends, an over-eager mother-in-law to be, and a conniving granny, things go so much further than they were intended.

The lines between reality and fiction are starting to blur, and Gage starts to see Wynn in a whole new light.

Now he just has to get her to that sweet spot where friends become lovers without freaking her out and sending her running for the hills.

••••

REVIEW:The end of Redemption is alas here, and I am so sad to see the series end, but what a way to go. This series is near and dear to me, finishing it was bittersweet. The final installment in the Redemption series; Sweet Spot is a small town, a fake relationship, friends to lovers, romance with drama, family and love. JP is a Goddess of the written word, and her work is always such a pleasure to read.

Gage and Wynn are best friends, they share drinks, laughs and live their best lives. Neither ever really sees the other as anything other than a pal to joke around with. When Gage’s past comes cruising into town with intentions of messing his life up, he does the first thing that comes to his mind to make it go away.

He kisses his best friend. He kisses Wynn.

I freaking LOVED this! For once; the FMC is the one doing the rescue and not waiting for someone to come in and save the day for her. Gage is the one in need of the help, his ex is back and Gage is in a place where Wynn is the only one to help him. Wynn is of course the one to help, She is his best friend after all. These two enter into a sweet, spicy romance that opens their eyes to each other in a whole new light. Redemption might be over, but the characters from this series will carry on, hopefully into a Legacy series. JP you still have my heart, you wonderful author you.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Bad Alibi
Crazy Beautiful
Bittersweet
Guilty Pleasure
Wallflower
Blurred Lines
Slow Burn
Favorite Mistake

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sarah

Jessica Prince

Born and raised around Houston Texas, Jessica spent most of her life complaining about the heat, humidity, and all around pain in the ass weather. It was only as an adult that she quickly realized the cost of living in Houston made up for not being able to breathe when she stepped outside. That’s why God created central air, after all.

Jessica is the mother of a perfect little boy–she refuses to accept that he inherited her attitude and sarcastic nature no matter what her husband says.

In addition to being a wife and mom, she’s also a wino, a coffee addict, and an avid lover of all types of books–romances still being her all time favs. Her husband likes to claim that reading is her obsession but she just says it’s a passion…there’s a difference. Not that she’d expect a boy to understand.

Jessica has been writing since she was a little girl, but thankfully grew out of drawing her own pictures for her stories before ever publishing her first book. Because an artist she is not.

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Onyx (GEM 3) by Freya Barker-review tour

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Onyx (GEM 3) by Freya Barker-review tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 6, 2023

GEM: A PRIVATELY-FUNDED ORGANIZATION OPERATING INDEPENDENTLY IN THE SEARCH FOR—AND THE RESCUE AND RECOVERY OF—MISSING AND EXPLOITED CHILDREN. ALTHOUGH, AT TIMES WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, GEM AIMS TO ENSURE THE VICTIMS RECEIVE JUSTICE…BY WHATEVER MEANS NECESSARY.
____

Operator Onyx; balanced, strong, a guardian

She’s the voice of reason, advocates, and strategizes.

Supporting the team from the background, Onyx rarely goes out in the field. However, when a widespread child exploitation ring is discovered, her particular skill set is needed to get close.

Unfortunately, her boss—a man she’s never laid eyes on before—is dead set against her taking the lead. Outvoted, he finds a way to keep her in his sights, risking his own exposure.

•••••

REVIEW:ONYX is the third (and final?) instalment in Freya Barker’s contemporary, adult GEM dark, erotic, romantic suspense series. This is Rajani ‘Onyx’ Agarwal, and Jacob Branch’s story line. ONYX can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary but I recommend reading the series in order.

SOME BACKGROUND: GEM stands for Gather, Evaluate, Mobilize

GEM, a group that works independently of other organizations, searching for missing and exploited children; and CARD (Child Abduction Rapid Deployment) is a division of the FBI working to stop those trafficking in children. Approximately twenty years earlier Raj (Onyx), and her fellow GEM agents Kate (Opal) and Janey (Pearl) were abducted from a teen youth center, help captive and abused by a madman who was believed to have died in a fire at the center but their investigations into the missing and exploited all reveal a connection to the center, and the probability the baddest of the bad survived.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there WILL BE triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Onyx and Jacob) ONXY focuses on the take down of the last man that destroyed Onyx, Opal and Pearl’s lives. Raised in a group home for troubled teens, the boys and girls were used and abused by the people in charge but a fire allowed the children to escape, and the survivors are searching for the ones who got away. Fast forward to present day, the members of GEM are all former childhood victims whose duty it is to protect those most vulnerable but as a side proclamation, GEM searches for the men who destroyed their lives, and with only one man still on the run, Onyx goes undercover in the hopes of taking down the remaining abuser who is about to turn the tables on our story line couple. With the help and coordination of GEM’s boss and CEO Jacob Branch, as well as Jacob’s friend Hamish, the trio face down the nightmare who continues to destroy so many lives.

The world building continues to focus GEM, but more specifically the three women and their boss Jacob Branch, who have pledged to help those unable to help themselves. With the number of missing and exploited children on the rise, GEM is kept busy searching for those unable to help themselves.

The relationship between Onyx and Jacob is employee and boss but very few people are truly aware Jacob’s secret or his real identity. As Onyx begins to tumble down the rabbit hole, secrets are revealed, lies are exposed, and Onyx struggles to accept what happened and why. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and intense without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and charismatic secondary and supporting characters including Opal and Mitch, Pearl and Lee, Hamish Adrian, and Jacob’s caretaker Bernice Nelson. The requisite evil has many faces.

ONYX is a story of secrets and lies, betrayal and vengeance, power and control, forgiveness, acceptance and love. ONYX is twisted, passionate and dramatic story of tragedy and recovery; the characters are struggling and broken; the romance is fated but predicated on deceit and deception.

There are several moments of confusion, a couple of twists to the story line that at times left me wondering what happened and why but all will be revealed throughout the story.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Opal
Pearl

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

USA Today bestselling author Freya Barker loves writing about ordinary people with extraordinary stories.

Driven to make her books about ‘real’ people; she creates characters who are perhaps less than perfect, each struggling to find their own slice of happy, but just as deserving of romance, thrills and chills in their lives.

Recipient of the ReadFREE.ly 2019 Best Book We’ve Read All Year Award for “Covering Ollie, the 2015 RomCon “Reader’s Choice” Award for Best First Book, “Slim To None”, and Finalist for the 2017 Kindle Book Award with “From Dust”, Freya continues to add to her rapidly growing collection of published novels as she spins story after story with an endless supply of bruised and dented characters, vying for attention!

Facebook: http://bit.ly/FreyaFacebook
Twitter: http://bit.ly/FreyaTwitter
Instagram: http://bit.ly/FreyaInstagram
Web: http://bit.ly/FreyaWeb
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/FreyaGoodreads
Newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/Freya_Newsletter
Bookbub: http://bit.ly/FreyaBookBub

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Hunt on Dark Waters (Crimson Sails 1) by Katee Robert-review

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Hunt on Dark Waters (Crimson Sails 1) by Katee Robert-review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 7, 2023

Evelyn is a witch with a perfect storm of impulses: terrible taste in bed partners, sticky fingers, and a lust for danger. After she steals from her vampire ex and falls through a portal to another realm, she’s fished out of the waters by a band of seafarers and their telekinetic captain. She’s immediately given a choice—join their ship’s crew or die.

Bowen has no memory of his life before he became one of the Cŵn Annwn. He and his band of pirates are bound by vow to patrol through Threshold, the magical sea in between realms, keeping the portals to other worlds safe. When he rescues Evelyn, he doesn’t expect to be attracted to the unflappably brassy pickpocket. The longer he spends in her presence, the more he begins to question if his heart is the next thing she’ll steal.

But as tension heats up between Bowen and Evelyn, the danger at sea escalates as well. Because Evelyn has no intention of keeping her vows to the Cŵn Annwn, and if she betrays the crew, both she and Bowen will pay the ultimate price….

•••••

REVIEW: HUNT ON DARK WATERS is the first instalment in Katee Robert’s adult CRIMSON SAILS erotic, paranormal/ fantasy series. This is Evelyn, a witch and a thief, and pirate captain Bowen’s story line.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the storyline premise, including implied same sex, LGBTQ+ romance, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Evelyn and Bowen) HUNT ON DARK WATERS follows Evelyn as she is forced to escape the wrath of her vampire girlfriend’s family but before jumping into a portal, Evelyn takes what doesn’t belong. Landing in the realm known as Threshold, Evelyn is rescued by a group of pirates known as the Cwn Annwn, but all does not go according to plan when she is forced to swear allegiance before breaking the rules. On the run, in search of a portal home, Evelyn and Bowen find themselves the target of the Cwn Annwn, another ship full of pirates, and a vampire who is hoping for the return of what Evelyn took.

The world building introduces several supernatural and magical species, not all of whom accept our story line couple. From marauding mermaids, to Dragons caught between right and wrong, HUNT ON DARK WATERS focuses on the fine line between morality and perversion. The Cwn Annwn are hunters, taking down the monsters of the seas but the power of the chase is threatening the innocent and the uninvolved.

The relationship between Bowen and Evelyn is one of immediate attraction but Bowen knows that to protect the woman with whom he is falling in love, she must abide by the laws of the seas, laws that Evelyn is too quick to break right out of the gate. The $ex scenes are intimate and provocative without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

We are introduced to Evelyn’s former lover Lizzie the vampire as well as a large ensemble cast of magical and powerful pirates, sea creatures, and supernatural entities. Lizzie’s story line is next.

HUNT ON DARK WATERS is a story of power and control, magic and mayhem, betrayal and vengeance, acceptance and love. The premise is entertaining and enchanting; the romance is challenging in that I did not feel the palpable sexual attraction; the characters are desperate and powerful but Evelyn was quite unlikeable in the early stages of the relationship, placing our couple in a number of dangerous situations.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Katee Robert learned to tell her stories at her grandpa’s knee. Her 2015 title, The Marriage Contract, was a RITA finalist, and RT Book Reviews named it ‘a compulsively readable book with just the right amount of suspense and tension.”  When not writing sexy contemporary and romantic suspense, she spends her time playing imaginary games with her children, driving her husband batty with what-if questions, and planning for the inevitable zombie apocalypse.

Connect with Katee at: Website | Facebook | Twitter| GoodReads | Instagram

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THE PHOENIX (The Blood Coven 5) by TM Smith-a review

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THE PHOENIX (The Blood Coven 5) by TM Smith-a review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 2, 2023

Indigo
… isn’t just any witch. She’s the reader of the River Am, incomparable finder of lost objects, witch extraordinaire, sister of Alarik, aunt of Rein, daughter of Tor and Adriana, madwoman, and quirky bitch.

Roark
… is an enigma. He’s a raven shifter, a traitor, and a trespasser.

But
… from the moment Indigo sees Roark bathing in her river, she is mesmerized. Secrets, though, can be world-changing.

•••••

REVIEW: THE PHOENIX is the fifth (and final?) instalment in TM Smith’s adult THE BLOOD COVEN erotic, paranormal/fantasy series. This is Warrior Roark, and witch Indigo’s story line. THE PHOENIX can be read as a stand alone but for back story and cohesion, I recommend reading the series in order as there is an ongoing premise throughout.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

SOME BACKGROUND: Thousands of years earlier, a powerful group of witches and warlocks, in an effort to protect the human race, divided the world creating three realms: Earth, Scath and Darque. The Blood Coven series focuses on the fight to keep the worlds physically separated in the face of some powerful people hoping to control one or all. The Aeternals are the overarching collection of breeds and supernatural species that inhabit the Scath and Darque realms, and the Alliance are the group of humans that monitor all supernatural activity on Earth.

Told from numerous third person perspective, following several paths, numerous relationships, memories from the past, and a recitation of an ancient journal THE PHOENIX is the culmination of the previous four instalments wherein the Firebrand Warriors are facing a war of which they may not win. Indigo is a powerful witch; the reader of the River Am; the finder of objects and the woman with whom Roark will fall in love but something about Roark sets Indigo on edge, and the world will come to know Roark as someone else. A journey together, searching for a sword known as the Blood Kiss, forces Roark and Indigo to re-evaluate their future, whether together or alone. As both Arisen Dawn and the Firebrand Warriors continue their search for the descendants of the original Blood Coven witches, the build up of power within Arisen Dawn is centered directly on the Blood Coven descendants.

The relationship between Roark and Indigo may or may not begin as an accidental meeting. Indigo is not impressed with Roark’s behavior and attitude, and less impressed when she discovers a perceived betrayal by the man with whom she will fall in love. Working together reveals and unravels hundreds if not thousands of years of secrets and lies, and it is the secrets that may threaten the future for our story line couple. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and passionate.

Once again, the well-developed world building is complicated, stratified, exhaustive and intricate: Three worlds, numerous species and hybrids of supernatural powers and identities; various allegiances and teams; struggles within and amongst, deadly battles and the ultimate war. Many will die; injuries vast and continuous; love is the ultimate betrayer of happily ever after. The author includes a glossary of terms and places, and a list of characters and their supernatural powers/ positions and abilities.

The colorful, powerful and energetic cast of secondary and supporting characters is a hierarchy of political machinations, supernatural entities, powerful magic and a need to control. We are witness to the ongoing, and newly developing relationships between the Firebrand Warriors and their Blood Coven mates, and herein lies the ultimate betrayal when the descendants are used and abused by Arisen Dawn.

THE PHOENIX is a story of power and control, secrets and lies, madness and obsession, angels and demons, betrayal and vengeance, forgiveness and love. The action packed premise is comprehensive, meticulous, thorough, and elaborate; the romance is seductive and fated; the characters are charismatic, dynamic and determined.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
The Firebrand
The Demon’s Fire
The Satyr’s Guilt
The Vampire’s Thirst

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Social Media: Website/ Facebook/ Instagram/ Amazon Author/

A master’s degree in English and a doctorate in administration led me to education. After retiring from my career as a teacher and principal, I settled in to write something more creative than lesson plans on split infinitives and inner-school memos on noise in the hallway.

My first novel was the romantic mystery comedy romp Affection for Crime. My plans were to make this Maggie Hall book the first in a series about a quirky columnist and her friends and lovers. That may still happen, but interest in a different genre has changed my direction.

I am now living with vampires, demons, ylves, mages, and other magical beings who keep me awake at night with their tales of love and adventure. Taking great interest in their lives, I began a paranormal romance series with alpha males who aren’t always nice and females who have no problem keeping them in line.

I have learned much about the difference between writing a series and writing a stand-alone book. First, get a fantastic writing software program. Second, keep great notes. And third, do not think book one is complete until you have finished book five. These have been hard-learned lessons, but I am a hardheaded author.

Here are more orts, scraps, and fragments from my life. (Thank you, Virginia Woolf and Shakespeare.) I moved from sunny Las Vegas to the less-than-sunny Pacific Northwest. Here I have adventures with my daughter, son-in-law, and two granddaughters who also moved to the area. I also enjoy my membership at Bainbridge Artisan Resource Network (BARN), a local organization that supports the arts and offers classes and events with eleven different studios where a welcoming community of artists praise each other’s efforts. It was at BARN where my critique group began. With equal time given to in-depth comments on each other’s works, snarky remarks, and laughter, we have now been together over five years. (from the Author’s website)

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REIGN (Kindred: The Fated 3) by Donna Grant -review & excerpt

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REIGN (Kindred: The Fated 3) by Donna Grant-a review & excerpt tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 7, 2023

Magic holds both beauty and danger…

As Lady of the Varroki, Malene was powerful and revered. But after a battle, she awakens in Norway as Dagny, a witch with no memories of her past. Her identity fragmented, Dagny finds herself entangled in a life far removed from the path she once trod and seduced by the lure of power. Until that need shifts to passion for the one who has imprisoned her, hoping to make her remember.

As a warrior and the Lady’s right hand, Armir will not stop searching for Malene. When he does, she’s not the woman he remembers. Driven by an undying love that transcends the boundaries of time and space, Armir risks everything for her. But enemies lurk in the shadows, waiting to strike. Will he and Malene overcome their pasts to find a future together?

••••••

REVIEW:  REIGN is the third instalment in Donna Grant’s adult KINDRED: THE FATED erotic, paranormal/fantasy romance series, set in the author’s World of the Kindred. This is Lady of the Varroki Malene, and warrior Armir’s story line. REIGN can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous storyline is revealed where necessary.

Told from omniscient dual third person perspectives (Malene and Armir) REIGN follows in the aftermath of the capture and imprisonment of Malene aka Dagny. For years, Armir has been the protector and guardian of Malene, Lady of the Varroki but a battle for control sends Malene to Norway, where she will awaken as Dagny, a witch who has lost her memories of the past. To protect the Varroki from the woman with whom Armir has fallen in love, Armir magically traps Dagny in a cave, a trap from which she cannot escape until her memories return but all is not well when a coven of witches and warlocks hunts down our story line couple, in an effort to take back control, and destroy the man with whom Malene aka Dagny has fallen in love.

The relationship between Malene and Armir begins as guardian and prisoner. Malene now calls herself Dagny, and believes Armir and his people are determined to kill the people with whom Malene recently has lived. As Armir tried desperately to help Malene with the return of her memories, someone else is targeting our story line couple. The $ex scenes are limited but passionate without the use of over the top sexually graphic language and text.

There are a limited number of secondary and supporting characters as Malene and Armir spend most of their time together in a cave fortified by Armir’s magic. Upon their eventual capture, we are introduced to Jean, a powerful witch who is desperate for revenge for the death of her sister, as well as the return of Jarin and Helena.

REIGN is a quick read; a story of power and control, betrayal and vengeance, magic and the supernatural, acceptance and love. The fast paced premise is enchanting; the romance is seductive; the characters are dynamic and desperate.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews

Rage
Ruin

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

 

Fall

Armir took a deep breath and looked into the dark depths of the cave. He had used it countless times, but it wasn’t his home. It was a place to rest, to escape. It had also been the location he expected his life to end. Some of his darkest days had been spent within the cold stone walls. He had spent hours roaring his anger and bellowing his grief.
And then, just when he had lost all hope, he felt her magic.
Armir held out his hand as a ball of fire swirled in his palm. He shot it toward the ground. Sparks flared to life in what was left of the ash. He looked down at the flames jumping and dancing. He fought not to look over his shoulder where she lay unconscious. He had held her too tightly, stared too long as he carried her to the cave. But he had thought never to see her again.
He swallowed and checked the area once more. Then he walked through the cave to the entrance. He paused and looked out at the rain as it fell in sheets too thick to see more than a few feet. Armir unsheathed his dagger and cut his forearm. Blood welled and dripped onto the stone. The words of an ancient spell he’d never thought to utter fell from his lips as he walked across the entryway, trailing his blood with him.
When he reached the other side, he pulled out a strip of cloth and wrapped it around the wound. For better or worse, neither he nor Malene would be leaving the cave anytime soon. It was the right thing to do. He had a duty to their people—to everyone—to figure out what had happened to her. Why, then, did it feel as if the weight of the world now rested on his shoulders?
He was weary. Tired of losing hope, tired of the guilt. Just…beat. He’d lived his life for the Varroki, to safeguard Blackglade. It had been the greatest of honors to be chosen to stand beside the Lady of the Varroki—and he had stood beside a few. Yet none had been like Malene.
Armir dropped his chin to his chest. The Varroki were a strong people, their magic unmatched. They had descendants of the Celts and Norse, merging the two cultures into one. Because of that, they had chosen to live in a hidden city. At one time, their numbers had been great, but strict rules and the war with the Coven had decimated their ranks to the point of extinction.
He turned and made his way back to the cavern. Malene was on her side, her long, flaxen hair spread around her. He almost hadn’t recognized her in the breeches, leather, and chainmail covering her. He had taught her battle magic, but what he’d seen when he came upon her and Asa locked in combat was something else entirely. It had been merciless and brutal. She had been cold and ruthless. The opposite of the woman he knew.
Like all the Ladies chosen by destiny or fate, Malene had to be convinced to leave her family, life, and home for Blackglade. It was rare for a Lady to reign for more than five years. Many died within the first. But not Malene. There had been a few times he hadn’t thought she would survive. He had believed her too fragile, too vulnerable. However, her inner strength surfaced when her back was to the wall. She hadn’t just survived, she had thrived.
She had known nothing of magic when he found her. He had questioned why she had been chosen as Lady of the Varroki, but the longer he was around her, and the longer she ruled, the more he understood. She had fought the confines of her role, all the while worrying over the Varroki.
Finally, she stopped fighting her destiny and instead grasped it with both hands. He could still remember how her soft gray eyes had danced with excitement when he agreed to teach her to read. It had been her first order to him. Once she grasped it, she had been voracious, combing through every tome in Blackglade at least once.
That’s how she’d discovered the decrees of celibacy for many positions within the Varroki—including his—that had long stood in their culture. She had overturned all of them in an effort to help grow their ranks once more. Yet years of being forbidden to touch a Lady couldn’t be wiped away with a snap of the fingers. No matter how much he might want to reach for Malene, he hadn’t.
He couldn’t.
Armir didn’t know when he had begun to love her. The emotion was just there one day, and there was no way to put it back into a box. Or ignore it. So, he had silently dreamed and yearned. And hoped.
Just when he was ready to tell her how he felt, they had gone into battle against the Coven. He should’ve told Malene about his feelings before they walked onto that battlefield. Instead, he had chosen to keep quiet and let her focus on the upcoming clash. It had turned out to be his greatest mistake because he lost Malene that day.
Being at Blackglade without her had been unbearable. He hadn’t found a body, so he refused to believe she was dead and set out to find her, intending to comb the Earth. Every day that passed without uncovering a clue had eventually worn him down, hollowing him out and creating a hole in his heart.
Some days, he couldn’t do anything but sit with his memories. Other days, he covered dozens of miles, stopping anyone he came across to ask if they had seen someone matching Malene’s description. And all the while, a sense of dread had grown within him that she was gone. Lost to him forever.
Armir lowered himself to the ground and looked across the fire at the woman who had ensnared him utterly, completely. He stared at her heart-shaped face with her high cheekbones and plump lips. He had looked into her large eyes so many times, captivated by their color and the wisdom staring back at him.
No one was supposed to touch the Lady of the Varroki. But he had. He could recount each time down to the last detail. Somehow, that made his yearning grow until she was all he could think about. He hadn’t wanted her to go into battle because he had feared losing her. She reminded him she was the Lady, chosen to bear the magic of the blue radiance. He knew her power, her strength. It was why he hadn’t believed her dead.
And he’d been right.

 

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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