Tag Archives: Barb’s Review

Ruined by Jus Accardo – a Review

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Ruined by Jus Accardo – a Review

 

Ruined
Eternal Balance – Book #1
by Jus Accardo
Release Date: December 30,2013
RuinedLinks to order Ruined: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

Description:
Hell is looking for a way to break loose…

Jax lost the genetic lottery. Descended from Cain, the world’s first murderer, he’s plagued by a curse that demands violence in exchange for his happiness. He left everything behind, including the girl he loved, but thriving on the pain of others is lonely… And it’s killing him.

After a series of heartbreaking losses, Samantha put rubber to pavement and headed for college as fast as her clunker could carry her. But she can’t outrun her problems. When an attack at school drives her back home, she’s thrown into the path of a past—and a guy—she’s been trying to forget.

Sam strains Jax’s control over his darkness, but running isn’t an option this time. Someone—or, something—followed her home from school: a ruthless monster with a twisted plan centuries in the making. Forced together to survive, and fighting an attraction that could destroy them both, Jax and Sam must stop a killer bent on revenge
Review:

Ruined by Jus Accardo is the first book in her new Eternal Balance series.  Lately I have read a lot of stories about Angels and Demons.  Ruined is mostly about demons or tainted (humans and demons sharing the same body), but this story is totally different than most, as the bases of the story revolves around Good & Evil, or Cain and Abel.

We meet our flawed hero Jax, as he returns home to visit his dying uncle. Jax considers himself the unlucky one, cursed with being a descendant of the world’s first murderer, Cain. He lives with another being inside him, a demon named Azirak.  Jax left town a few years back to protect Samantha, the girl he loved, from danger of his fierce anger, that is part of him.  But now that he is back, it all starts again, as he sees Samantha talking to his brother Chase, who is the one everyone loves. 

Before he has a chance to leave town again, Samantha’s life is now in danger, as she has been marked by a demon.  Jax has to fight his feelings for Sam, at the same time find out why and who is targeting her.  Together, he and Sam try to resolve this, and at same time not act on their raging sexual chemistry.  Making things difficult is Jax needs to keep his demon under control and fed.  Easier said then done, especially with the demon side showing interest in Sam.  The other thorn is Chase’s continued interest in Sam, and his ability to create havoc against his brother.

As for Sam, she tries to understand why Jax left originally, but she knows she loves him.  When she begins to understand the truth about demons, and Jax’s violent mood swings; Sam is still determined to find a way to save Jax, at any cost.

When I first started this book, I was not sure if it would keep my attention, as it was a bit  perhaps redundant, with Jax constantly being angry, and talking to his demon or being nasty to Sam.  He wasn’t very likable, and you sort of thought you knew why the town hated him.  I though never liked Chase from the start. But about a third of the way in, the story got very exciting, with lots of action, which kept me anxiously turning the pages.  We learn more about the curse, Jax, his demon, and Sam. 

The ending of this book was revealing with some twists, and just when I was somewhat relieved and starting to relax, Jus Accardo throws us for loop with a damn cliffhanger.  Oh well this is a series, and their will always be good versus evil.  If you like action, suspense, demons, violence, good vs evil, hot sex, heartbreak and a couple that are truly in love, than Ruined is for you

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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Forgotten In Darkness by Zoe Forward – Blog Tour, Review & Giveaway

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Forgotten In Darkness by Zoe Forward – Blog Tour, Review & Giveaway

 

FORGOTTEN IN DARKNESS Tour Button

 

Forgotten in Darkness
Scimitar Magi series –  Book 2
by Zoe Forward
Release Date: 1/03/14
Genre: Paranormal Romance

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Links to order Forgotten in Darkness:
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

Description:
After an unjustified two-century stint in purgatory, Scimitar Magus Dakar returns to the human realm, renewing his eons-old curse. Once again he must murder the woman he loves. To break the vicious cycle, he must kill her before she strikes her deathblow, something he’s never done in the past.

Archaeology grad student, Shay McGinnis, suffers a near-death attack in pursuit of a piece of Scimitar Magi lore.  But did the magnificent warrior who pinned her to the wall injure her or the daemon he fought?  In her search for answers, she draws the attention of both an ancient evil sorcerer and the warrior Dakar. The attraction between her and Dakar is instant, and for Shay confusing. She wants to be with him, but intuition equates him with death. Not random death. Hers. 

Will this be the lifetime they break the curse before they are murdered by an age old enemy or worse kill each other yet again?

Review:

Forgotten in Darkness by Zoe Forward is her 2nd book in her Scimitar Magi Series. To give you a brief description of the premise of this series:  There are a group of Scimitar Magus immortal warriors, who are guardians to protect humans against the evil Daemons., not to mention very sexy hunks.  In the first book we met Kira, who was destined for Ashor, the Magus’s leader; and she also was the long awaited healer.  

In Forgotten in Darkness we get to see all of the group from the first book, and Kira continues to be awesome.  But this story belongs to Shay, as our heroine and Dakar, our hero, who have always been destined for each, in each of their lives.  When a Scimitar Magus dies, they are reborn, and eventually will remember their past lives.  Most of the group do not remember their past yet, but Dakar remembers everything and everyone, including Shay.  Early on Dakar came across as arrogant, and not really likable, but he has been locked in the middle realm for two centuries by the gods, who have now decided to release him to help the group fight off the evil Daemons.

Dakar knows he has a short time left before he and Shay must die again, at each others hands.  This was a curse put on both of them by the evil Daemon/Sorcerer Djoser, which forces one to kill the other.  Dakar loves Shay, and tries to get her to remember their past.  Shay, who lives as a human, has been researching the Scimitar Magus, and this research brings her straight into the arms of Dakar, and the rest of the group, including the evil Djoser. 

What follows is an exciting story, non-stop intense action with all of our favorites fighting to save a young boy (a reborn magus), who may have answers to end this curse.  I really enjoyed seeing many of the characters from the first book, loved Kira, and now Shay, as these women are not afraid to stand up to the men. I enjoyed the new found powers that Shay begins to discover along the way.  Forward not only has excellent secondary characters, but she adds a lot of humor into the story. I got to like Dakar better later on, and it was fun to see his reactions to modern things or slangs.  His love for Shay, and her uncontrollable reactions to him was great.   I look forward to more stories about these wonderful group of men and woman, and their fight against evil. 

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Author

Series Spotlight

 

Dawn of a Dark Knight
Scimitar Magi series –  Book 1
by Zoe Forward
Release Date: 11/24/12
Genre: Paranormal Romance

dawn of a dark knight

Description:
In the shadows of our world, a secret band of warriors fights to protect us. They are the last line of defense against an evil no human can stop.

An ancient nemesis has resurfaced. Duty demands that Ashor Vlahos, Scimitar Magi commander, recruit a magical healer to fortify the remaining eight magi. The gods’ choice is the woman who helped him escape torture a decade ago. Ashor couldn’t have imagined a better punishment for his vow-breaker homicidal incidents than for the gods to bind him irrevocably to the only woman in the universe he cannot have. The soul-searing desire she ignites in him is strictly forbidden.

Kira Hardy, M.D. is a brilliant, hardworking internal med resident with big secrets. But when Ashor asks for aid after a brutal daemon attack, she is sucked into his dangerous, secret world. Enslavement to the magi, no matter how hot they are, may be an unattractive life plan, but being targeted for death by their enemies is less tolerable.

She must trust the sexy, tormented Ashor to keep her safe while he must deny his ultimate desire and keep Kira at arm’s length lest he bring destruction down on them both. As a centuries-old evil catches up to them, they face a crucial decision–follow the gods’ rules or follow their hearts.

*Warning: Contains explicit sex, graphic language, action-adventure, and an exceptionally hot tatted hero.

Click to read REVIEW
Links to order Dawn of a Dark Knight:  Amazon / Barnes & Noble /Kobo

 

 

Guest Post-Black and Blue

6 REASONS TO TRY FORGOTTEN IN DARKNESS
BY ZOE FORWARD

I’m thrilled to be celebrating the release of Forgotten in Darkness here at The Reading Cafe! Forgotten In Darkness is the second in my Scimitar Magi paranormal romance series, and it was a total blast to write. Today, I thought I’d share six reasons to give Forgotten in Darkness a try, even if you haven’t read the first book in the series:

6. Most of the reviews are coming down on the side of Forgotten In Darkness being successful as a stand-alone novel, meaning you don’t have to have read Dawn of a Dark Knight to get what’s going on and follow along. So you can jump into bed with Dakar right now!

5. Plenty of great action-adventure to keep you entertained. Forgotten In Darkness has lots of fight scenes between daemons and the magi. They were a blast to write.

4. Fascinating character ensemble. In addition to the main romantic couple of Dakar and Shay, there are seven other magi and a whole host of characters including gods and Hashishins in Forgotten In Darkness, most playing only a minimal part. But I think this adds depth to the world building and the mythology.

3. Sexual tension. From the first moment Dakar sees Shay, he not only wants her, he needs her. And he feels that need deep into his soul. The pull between them is so great because she is his senariai or soulmate. But there’s a catch. She is also the woman who has murdered him repeatedly for centuries because of their curse. This time around to break their curse he must resist their attraction and kill her first.

2. Admirable, kick-ass heroine. Shay might be a bit impulsive, but she doesn’t let anyone push her around. Her strength makes me wish I knew her as a real person!

1. Alpha hero! Dakar is a bad-ass, take-charge, no-holds-barred, take-no-prisoner kinda guy. His fighting ability and supernatural fire power are something to behold. Alpha, pseudo-immortal, dominant…yummy! What better hero for a winter read?

So snuggle into bed and get reading.

Read more about Zoe’s books and her new release, Forgotten in Darkness:

FACEBOOK | WEBSITE | GOODREADS | BLOG | TWITTER

 

About The Author Black and Blue

zoe_photo_webZoe Forward lives in the South with her supportive family and an assortment of pets. She has a special love for archaeology, especially anything Egyptian. A deep part of her wishes she had a career that would have her at a dig site in a sandy country. But she is a small animal veterinarian, caring for everything from chinchillas to dogs…and there was even one hermit crab in there.

Links to connect with Zoe:

Facebook | Website | Goodreads | Blog

 

 

 

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Zoe is giving away the following prizes at the end of her tour:

GRAND PRIZE:
Egyptian style necklace/earrings AND a $25 Amazon Gift card

RUNNERS-UP:
2 runners up will receive an e-copy of FORGOTTEN IN DARKNESS

a Rafflecopter giveaway

RAFFLECOPTER LINK:

 

Blog-Tour-Schedule-blue

Zoe Forward’s FORGOTTEN IN DARKNESS Blog Tour 1/3 – 2/28

 1/3 – 1/5
1/3 Tome Tender (Series Spotlight) http://tometender.blogspot.com/
1/4 The Reading Café (Guest Post) http://thereadingcafe.com
1/5 Diane’s Book Blog (Interview) http://dianelynchbookreviews.blogspot.com/

1/6 – 1/12
1/7 Inner Goddess (Guest Post) http://www.InnerGoddessForum.com
1/9 Monlatable Book Reviews (Series Spotlight) http://www.monlatablereviews.com/
1/10 Kristina’s Books & More (Interview) http://kristinasbooksandmore.blogspot.com/

1/13 – 1/19
1/14 Paranormal Romance Fans for Life (Spotlight/Review) paranormalromancefanforlife.blogspot.com
1/16 Bookin’ It Reviews (Spotlight) http://www.bookinitreviews.com/
1/18 LITERAL ADDICTION (Guest Post) http://www.literaladdiction.com/author-ambushes-php

1/20 – 1/26
1/21 Booked and Loaded (Interview) http://bookedandloaded.com
1/23 Deal Sharing Aunt (Spotlight) www.dealsharingaunt.blogspot.com
1/24 Mythical Books (Guest Post) http://mythicalbooks.blogspot.ro/

1/27 – 2/2
1/28 Bitten by Books (Guest Post) http://bittenbybooks.com
1/29 Mad Hatter Reads (Guest Post) http://madhatterreads.com
1/30 KT Book Reviews (Series Spotlight) http://ktbookreviews.blogspot.com/
1/30 Miscellaneous Thoughts of a Bookaholic (Spotlight/Review) http://miscellaneousthoughtsofabookaholic.blogspot.com/

2/3 – 2/9
2/2 Literal Hotties Naughty Book Reviews (Guest Post) http://literalhottiesnaughtybookreviews.blogspot.com/
2/4 Queen of the Night Reviews (Series Spotlight) http://queenofthenightreviews.blogspot.com
2/5 Fang Freakin Tastic Reviews (Series Spotlight)http://fangfreakintasticreviews.com
2/8 Coffee Talk Writers  (Spotlight/Review) http://www.coffeetalkwriters.com

2/10 -2/16
2/10 I Smell Sheep (Interview) http://www.ismellsheep.com/
2/13 Lia’ Book Haven (Guest Post) http://liasbookhaven.wordpress.com
2/14 Offbeat Vagabond (Spotlight/Review) http://offbeatvagabond.blogspot.com/
2/15 Sassy Book Lovers (Series Spotlight) http://sassybooklovers.blogspot.com/

2/17 – 2/23
2/18 CS Maxwell ~ Where’s My Muse? (Series Spotlight) http://www.csmaxwell.blogspot.com
2/20 Talk Supe (Spotlight/Review) www.talkingsupe.com
2/23 Nicky Peacock Author (Spotlight/Review) http://nickypeacockauthor.wordpress.com

2/24 – 2/28
2/25 Dalene’s Book Reviews (Interview) http://dalenesbookreviews.blogspot.com/
2/26 Book Bliss (Spotlight) http://lbookbliss.com
2/27 Why I Can’t Stop Reading (Guest Post) http://whyicantstopreading.wordpress.com
2/28  Book Monster Reviews (Spotlight) http://www.bookmonsterreviews.com/

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Sunroper by Natalie Damschroder – a Review

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Sunroper by Natalie Damschroder – a Review

 

Sunroper
Goddesses Rising – Book #3
by Natalie Damschroder
Release Date: December 31, 2013

Sunroper
Links to order Sunroper: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository

Description:
Marley Canton is done being a victim. A year and a half has passed since she discovered her ability to nullify power in those who aren’t supposed to have it. She’s now on a quest not only to stop the brats who’ve become addicted to goddess power, but also to find the source of their addiction.

Like Marley, Gage Samargo is tracking down the goddess who went rogue decades ago. Insane with too much power from the sun, she’s selling that energy to Gage’s younger brother and his friends, who are no longer content to come into power naturally. While they work to find a way to neutralize the goddess, Marley discovers that every time she nullifies someone, she takes on some of the goddess’s insanity.

Gage falls for Marley’s sharp wit and intense desire to right wrongs. But once he discovers she’s turning into her enemy, is it too late to back away?

 

Review:

Sunroper by Natalie Damschroder is the 3rd book in her Goddesses Rising series.  Damschroeder is new to me, as I have not read the first two books in this series.  However, Damschroder wrote this story so well, she was able to sneak in explanations early on about what has already happened previously,  allowing us to read this even as a standalone novel.  Upon completing this wonderfully exciting adventure, I have added Damschroeder to my list of authors I want to read.

In Sunroper, our heroine is Marley, who is Quinn’s sister, the heroine in book #1. Previously, in the earlier books, Marley lost her Goddess power, by foolishly trusting her ex boyfriend, and has felt empty since.  Feeling responsible for introducing leeching of goddesses powers, Marley avoids her sister Quinn, and her friend Riley, and works to help find those who have been given some of the goddess powers.  Since she has lost her powers, Marley now has discovered that she has the ability to take away those powers, and is determined to find those effected and nullify them.   She meets Gage, our hero, who starts to investigate Marley, seeing her take away the flux (energy from goddess) from someone.  Soon Marley begins to work with Gage to find the goddess responsible for giving out the flux.  Gage’s brother is missing, and this is another reason he is trying to work with Marley to find the nemesis. 

What follows is a non-stop exciting adventure, where Marley must come up against a powerful Goddess that threatens to destroy Marley.    Though an unlikely pair, the romance  between Gage and Marley was wonderful, as I loved them together. Their chemistry was off the wall, not to mention steamy.  It was also great to bring the others into the story to help Marley & Gage fight the enemy. The story became very tense, especially as Marley continues to absorb the flux from others, which causes her to become more unstable each time. Marley knows to fight the goddess might cost her life, but she will let nothing stand in her way to save her friends and family.  Will Marley survive?  Will Gage and Marley ever be able to find happiness?  You will have to read the book to find out.

I enjoyed Sunroper very much, as Natalie Damschroder has created a wonderful, exciting, non stop action story that was impossible to put down.  But most of all, she has created some wonderful characters.   So much so, that I have to go back now and read the first two books, just to learn more about their heroes, Quinn & Nick, and Riley & Sam.  If you want to read a book that is exciting, action filled, terrific friendships, a wonderful romantic couple, then Sunroper is for you.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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Race to Kill by Rachel Kall – a Review

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Race to Kill by Rachel Kall – a Review

 

Race to Kill
A Love and Scandal series
Book #1
Release Date: October 1, 2013

Race to KillLInks to order Race to Kill: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

Description:
When fiercely independent Vivian Reese is thrust onto the national stage during a heated presidential campaign, she doesn’t expect to become a media darling. She also doesn’t expect to start to fall for her sexy new bodyguard, Marcus Locke. But when threats start surfacing against the sitting President’s campaign and all evidence points to Vivian, she doesn’t know who to trust.

Delta Force Operator turned FBI agent Marcus Locke is supposed to be investigating campaign finance crimes. He’s not supposed to be checking out the sexy, eloquent campaign spokeswoman Vivian Reese, who’s one of his prime suspects! But when they are caught in the middle of a presidential race that is quickly turning deadly, he is forced to put both his heart and his job in the line of fire.

Tempers flare and passions ignite as the campaign gets dangerous, but when bullets start to fly will either of them survive?


Review:

Race to Kill by Rachel Kall is the first book in her new A Love and Scandal series.          Race to Kill is a romance suspense story, and it is the first book I have read by Rachel     Kall, and I am impressed.  The story was excellently written and put together so well.        From the beginning the story caught my attention, and for the rest of the way I could not      put it down.  It was an exciting, suspenseful, interesting,and sexy story with a political campaign background.

Vivian Reese is our wonderful heroine.  Viv worked in the campaign for a Senator            running for President.  An exciting time for Viv, who is early on pushed to the forefront          of the campaign, when her mentor and boss suffers a heart attack. 

Marcus Locke is an FBI agent, formerly a Delta Force soldier, who goes undercover, as    private security, to investigate campaign funds fraud.  While he secretly investigates the people involved in the Senator’s campaign, Marcus finds himself becoming           enamored of Viv. Things quickly take a turn for the worse though, as Viv has a stalker      and Marcus is assigned by the Secret Service to protect her.  Eventually, their sexual         chemistry will also bring them together romantically, and they made a great sexy couple.

There are so many twists and surprises along the way, as besides Viv, other members of   the campaign become involved in the mystery.  When the President’s life is threatened,    the danger becomes very real, and way beyond a stalker or finance crime.   Viv and     another member of the campaign team are suspected and Marcus, not only must protect   Viv, but change his direction of the investigation to find the truth behind these attempts to    sabotage the campaign for both parties.

What I loved about this book was how well, Kall wrote the story, with the campaign         storyline, and the overall exciting action, and yet gave us enough of this romance to find      ourselves invested into this couple. Both Marcus and Viv, were smart, savvy and great       characters. Kall created some great secondary characters, especially Viv’s ex, Scott, who was a former Navy Seal, and I enjoyed how he and Marcus over time became unlikely      friends. The two of them worked together to save the day.  Race to Kill was a   wonderful story, filled with action and suspense, not to mention a great romance. What more could you ask for in a book? I really enjoyed Rachel Kall’s writing style, and will happily read her again.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Author

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Shatter by Joan Swan – a Review

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Shatter by Joan Swan – a Review

 

Shatter
Phoenix Rising series
Book #4
by Joan Swan
Release Date: December 31, 2013

Shatter
Links to order Shatter: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / The Book Depository

Description:
For seven years, Halina Beloi has been in hiding. But she’s never forgotten Mitch Foster, the long, lean man she had to leave behind. Until, that is, Mitch shows up with a list of questions and a 9mm in his hand.

All Mitch knows is that Halina broke his heart and disappeared. But new information has surfaced implicating her as a player in the deadliest game of Mitch’s life. This time, he’s not letting go without answers. Now terror, danger and heat will fuse them together or shatter the future. . .

 

 Review:

Shatter by Joan Swan is the 4th book in her wonderful Phoenix Rising series.  I have read and reviewed every book in this series from the start, and have loved every moment of this fantastic ride.  I have been a big fan of Joan Swan from the first book, and Phoenix Rising has become one of my favorite series; as it is so well written; and each book has been filled with action, excitement, suspense, super team of friends, awesome couples, and steamy sexual chemistry between them. 

Our hero in Shatter has been one that we have been waiting for from the start.  Mitch is one of our awesome and hot heroes, even though he has not been one of the men/women who developed unique powers due to a chemical explosion years before.  It is Mitch, who is Alyssa’s (heroine of the 1st book) brother, who had the powerful connections & money to help protect and fight the evil enemies from DARPA.   We knew Shatter would be Mitch’s story, as we learned at the end of Rush, about his long lost love, Halina.

We meet Halina early, as she has built herself a new identity, after she left Mitch, 7 years before.  Halina, being a scientist, worked for Schaeffer, our villain, who is behind the threats against our heroes.  When Mitch comes face to face with Halina, his anger is evident, and Halina is shocked that he found her.  Mitch wants the truth about why she left him, and her involvement with Schaeffer; the explosion that affected the members of the Firehouse, who now all have unique powers. Halina tries to escape Mitch a number of times, as she knows that once she is discovered, the enemy will kill him, to get what they want from her.  She has never stopped loving Mitch, and spent these years watching him from afar; staying away just to protect him.  Mitch finds some truths, which angers him even more, as he doesn’t understand or trust Halina, but he knows that he still loves her. 

Once they get to the compound where everyone is staying together, the story becomes even more exciting, with the team learning more about Halina, her powers, as she too was exposed to the chemicals; and her research for Schaeffer that may have some answers.  The action is non stop, and it was just great to see all of our heroes together again, joining hands to fight a common enemy.  I loved loved Dex, Halina’s well trained guard dog, who becomes part of the team.  Most of all, I loved the romance between Mitch and Halina, even though Mitch was a bit rough with her early on, not knowing that Halina was trying to save him.  You knew they both belonged together, as their chemistry was off the wall.

I do not want to give spoilers, since this is an early review.  Shatter is a wonderful addition to Joan Swan’s Phoenix Rising series.  Each of the books in this series have been suspenseful, explosive non stop action, exciting, and tense;  with the added element of Joan’s wonderful blend of steamy sex for each couple.  If you want to read a book that has everything; excellent writing, romance, suspense, steamy sex, then look no further then Shatter.  But start with Fever, the beginning of this fantastic series.  Though there are some characters that can have their story told, Joan does tie up some loose ends, and Shatter could be the finale of this series, but I hope somehow we get to see more of these wonderful characters.  If you have not read this series, what are you waiting for?  When it comes to romance, suspense, with hot sexy couples, Joan Swan is one of the best.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher via NetGalley

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Forged by Fate by Reese Monroe – a Review

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Forged by Fate by Reese Monroe – a Review

 

Forged by Fate
Bound by Hades – Book #1
by Reese Monroe
Release Date: December 9, 2013Forged by FateLinks to order Forged by Fate: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

Description:
He’s waited more than 900 years to love her…

Being the Gatekeeper to Hades is no small feat, and waiting almost a millennia to meet your mate is damn near impossible. But Theo Bradford’s mark has finally surfaced on his intended. Now all he has to do is find her and convince her to embrace her supernatural heritage.

Young genius, Sadie Nowland, has got life figured out. Graduating college at the age of eighteen and accepting a six-figure job is just what she needs to prove she’s made something of herself. But when a strange tattoo mysteriously appears on her shoulder and Theo starts talking about Mates, it catapults her neatly laid out life into chaos.

Somehow a vicious demon banished to Hades defies Theo’s vanquish and returns, setting his target on Sadie, and she is thrust into the volatile world of Shomrei warriors and a connection to Theo her brain can’t comprehend and her body can’t deny. That primal bond proves more imperative to their survival than either could have ever imagined—and just may be the key to the world’s survival.

 

Review:

Forged by Fate by Reese Monroe is the 1st book in her Bound by Hades series.  I was offered this book to replace another book that had been delayed.  I was not sure how this book would be, nor did I know Reese Monroe.  Now that I have finished this book, thank you thank you for allowing me to read this book, as I loved it; and Reese Monroe is now being added as an author I want to read.

Forged by Fate begins as we meet our hero, Theo, who it turns out is a powerful supernatural.  Theo is a Gatekeeper of Hades, who vanquishes the demons back to hell, and was created by the Great One. His brother Justin, is his companion, someone who is not as powerful, but who is responsible for helping the gatekeeper.  Justin is the funny and womanizing one. Theo is reserved, serious and dedicated to his responsibilities; he also remains celibate all these years, waiting for his mate.  Theo now knows his mate, whom he has waited for over 900 years is now ready for his claiming. 

Sadie is our heroine, and we meet her as she prepares for her graduation, and moving on to a promising career.  Sadie is a genius, having graduated with high honors, and is also a black belt. Around her 18th birthday, she discovers a strange tattoo on her shoulder and from there on her life begins to change.  She is getting stronger, and slowly, especially after meeting Theo, begins to gain more powers.  Theo, a gorgeous hunk, introduces himself as her mate.  Sadie at first, freaks out, trying to keep her distance from Theo.  Shortly after, she sees demons, who are after her, gets kidnapped and taken to Hades; where Theo will rescue her.  Theo and Justin try to help Sadie understand her destiny, and despite her  original disbelief, she slowly realizes her life as she knew it is over. 

The story was non stop action, as Theo, Sadie, Justin and their friends find themselves under attack by Demons, who have gained abilities to get past Theo’s Gatekeeper powers.  As Sadie learns more, she discovers that she will be the one to help stop evil from taking over, and must find the answers before it’s too late.  Along the way, both Theo and Sadie find themselves in very dangerous & deadly situations.

Reese Monroe has created a fantastic New Adult fantasy storyline with Gatekeepers, Demons, God, Lucifer, Angels and Humans.  The characters she has created are awesome:  Theo is a wonderful hero, not only gorgeous, powerful, a real hunk, but he is sweet and totally devoted to Sadie.  Sadie is a fabulous heroine, as she is strong, independent, brave, and has no qualms stepping up to take control. They are fabulous together, as we watch their romance build slowly.  Justin, whom I loved; Sadie’s friend Dasha;  Halena, a female gatekeeper, all play major parts in the story.  

The best part of the story is watching Sadie come into her own, gaining some awesome powers, discovering the truth about the parents she never knew, coming to terms with what she is & will be, and seeing her fall in love with Theo.  This was a beautiful romance with an awesome couple.  The story keeps you engrossed from the start to the exciting climax.  I hope Reese Monroe continues with more Theo and Sadie, so we learn more about them; and hopefully the charismatic Justin will get his story.  This was a great fun action filled story, and a new wonderful author to add to your list, as I have done.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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Kissing Under the Mistletoe by Bella Andre – a Review

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Kissing Under the Mistletoe by Bella Andre – a Review

 

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Kissing Under the Mistletoe
by Bella Andre
The Sullivans series
Release Date: September 24, 2013
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Kissing Under the MistletoeLinks to order Kissing Under the Mistletoe:
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / The Book Depository

Description:
For Mary Sullivan Christmas is, and always has been, about family. And this year is no different. As she awaits the arrival of her eight children and their partners at the cottage in Lake Tahoe, she hangs the ornaments that they made for her over the years. Each decoration brings with it a tide of memories, all of which she holds dear to her heart. But when she comes across the oldest ornament, the one her beloved husband, Jack, gave her on their very first Christmas together, Mary is immediately swept back to the first days of their whirlwind romance, to the love that would be the foundation on which they built the family she is so proud to call her own.

Join the Sullivans this Christmas for a story that explores the wonder of the holidays, the meaning of family and a love that transcends time.

 

Review:

The Sullivan series has been so successful, as we have met the entire family and each of their spouses, in each of Bella Andre‘s books.  The parents of these wonderful, not to mention gorgeous siblings are Mary and Jack Sullivan. Mary is the matriarch of the family, with Jack having died many years before.

Fans of this series have begged Bella to write the story of Jack and Mary when they met and fell in love.  Now in the 10th book of the series, Kissing Under the Mistletoe is their story, and a wonderful trip down memory lane it is.  I loved their story, and Andre just continues to wow us with her wonderful sweet and sexy stories. 

It starts with Mary in the cabin waiting for each of her married children to arrive to celebrate Christmas. Mary pulls out the box of all her special Christmas ornaments, especially those made by each child.  We go down memory lane as she remembers with us, how she received these personally made ornaments. The Sullivans have always been about family tradition, love and loyalty.

Once they are all put up, she sits back and thinks about her Jack. As she closes her eyes, we flash back in time when Mary was a famous model.  She has made a decision to quit, as she wants to live a normal life, and find love.  Mary meets entrepreneur, Jack, during her last day on the job.  Jack is facing his own crisis, as a new product he has worked on for years, is on the brink of being dropped.  He is been given a day to find something to spice up the product promotion..some kind of sex appeal.   Jack comes upon the photo shoot, and immediately decides Mary is the perfect solution.  What Jack didn’t count on was that he would fall head over heels in love with Mary.  Mary was attracted to Jack also, but she was hesitant to commit to anyone, since she has been hurt so many times by people using her.  At first, Mary wants nothing to do with another man who is interested to use her for her looks, but Jack is very convincing.  He wines and dines her, and they both feel the immediate sexual chemistry.  Mary agrees to do the campaign for his product, but tells Jack she doesn’t mix business and pleasure.  Easier said then done, as both are falling in love with each other.  Jack was fabulous, not pushing Mary until she was ready.  He knew she had bad experiences, and he did not want her to be hurt.  Jack worked hard to win Mary’s trust, and when Mary gets called home to visit her ailing mother, whom she hasn’t seen in 13 years; Jack is with her every step of the way.  Mary knows she can trust her heart, and allow her love for Jack to guide her.

Andre always has some special scenes in her books that totally pull you in emotionally.  When Jack took Mary to meet his family, it was so heart warming to see Mary with his brother’s young child, Ian (Mr. Irresistible).  Precious moments like this are Andre’s trademark. 

The epilogue in this book was unusual and wonderful.  We got to see a short page for each month of their first year of marriage up to when Mary becomes pregnant with their first child.  I really enjoyed that.  Bella Andre does it again, with a fabulous look back in time with the couple that brought us the Sullivans.  If you have not read The Sullivans, then you are missing a wonderful series that should not be missed.

Reviewed by Barb

Series Order:
1. The Look of Love
2. From this Moment On
3. Can’t Help Falling In Love
4. I Only Have Eyes for You
5. If You Were Mine
6. Let Me Be the One
7. Come a LIttle Bit Closer
8. Always on My Mind
9. The Way You Look Tonight
10. Kissing Under the Mistletoe (Christmas Novella)

 

 

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Lovers at Heart by Melissa Foster – a Review

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Lovers at Heart by Melissa Foster – a Review

 

Lovers at Heart
Love in Bloom series – Book #4
by Melissa Foster
Release Date: October 26, 2013
Lovers at Heart
Links to order Lovers at Heart: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / The Book Depository

Description:
Lovers at Heart is a steamy contemporary romance with alpha male heroes and sexy, empowered women. They’re flawed, funny, passionate, and very relatable for readers who enjoy adult romance, contemporary romance, and women’s fiction. Enjoy Lovers at Heart as a stand-alone novel or for more enjoyment, read the entire Love and Bloom series (nine full-length novels featuring the Snow Sisters and the Bradens).

Handsome, wealthy resort owner Treat Braden is used to getting what he wants. When Max Armstrong walked into his life six months earlier, he saw right through the efficient and capable façade she wore like a shield, to the sweet, sensual woman who lay beneath. She sparked an unfamiliar desire in him for more than a one-night stand, leaving his heart reeling and his blood boiling. But one mistake caused her to turn away, and now, after six months of longing for the one woman he cannot have, he’s going home to try to forget her all together.

Max Armstrong has a successful career, a comfortable lifestyle, and she’s never needed a man to help her find her way–until Treat Braden caught her attention at a wedding in Nassau, causing a surge of emotions too reminiscent of the painful past she’d spent years trying to forget. Max will do anything to avoid reliving that pain–including forgoing her toe-curling, heart-pounding desire for Treat.

When a chance encounter turns into a night of intense passion, Treat realizes that the mistake he made six months earlier may cause him to lose Max completely. He will do everything within his power to win her heart forever–and Max is forced to face her hurtful past head on for the man she cannot help but love.

 

Review:

Lovers at Heart is the 4th book in Melissa Foster’s Love in Bloom series.  This is however the 1st book for the Braden’s, and after finishing this book, I cannot wait to read more of the rest of this family.  When we last left off in Sisters in White, we had met Treat Braden, whom we knew from that book that Max Armstrong would be the woman who would change his life. 

Treat is a wealthy owner of various resorts, dedicated to his work, and his family.   He met Max at the wedding in Sisters in White, and now 6 months later, he cannot get her out of his head.  He knows he made a mistake back then, when he jumped to the wrong conclusion, and hurt Max, but he wants to find her and make amends.  Max, who works for Chaz, our hero in book 2, is a strong independent woman in the work world, but very sensitive in private.  As destined, the two accidentally run into each other at a film festival in Colorado, where both happen to live. 

The sexual chemistry between them is so hot and intense;  with both unable to resist each other.  Treat knows right away that Max is the woman he has been waiting for all his life, though he is afraid of commitment; especially seeing how his father fell apart at the death of his wife, Treat’s mother.  Max herself has her own secret issues of her past that make her also afraid to trust any relationship.  What follows is a beautiful, passionate, tense, and very steamy story of two people who fall very much in love with each other.  Though throughout the story, there were a number times their issues would separate them again, with Max constantly afraid of total commitment, though she knew she loved Treat.  We learn that years before, Max has a terrible experience with a relationship that left her scarred and frightened to do it again.  She finally tells Treat the truth, and he is so wonderful and careful with her.

Just when you thought they would finally commit, Max does another silly thing that made us want to smack her, and Treat steps back to give her freedom.  It is the wonderful Braden family who are so great, that help Treat realize he has to fight for Max.  On the other side, I loved the friendship between Max and Kaylie, our awesome Snow sister from the earlier books.  Just watching Kaylie teach Max how to turn on any man was so much fun. 

Melissa Foster does it again, with another wonderful book in this series, and this one is even steamier then the last one.  But of course, when you have a hot couple like Max and Treat, you expect nothing more.  If you want a beautiful romance, with hot steamy sex scenes, a sexy couple; and a family oriented background; look no further then Lovers at Heart.  I am loving this series by Melissa Foster.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Author

LOVE IN BLOOM series order:
.
SNOW SISTERS
Sisters in Love
Sisters in Bloom
Sisters in White

THE BRADENS
Lovers at Heart
Destined for Love
Friendship on Fire
Sea of Love
Bursting with Love
Hearts at Play

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